This week has been a pretty good one. Have been all over the place, literally. So this week I had to say goodbye to Genk and some of my best friends. To honest it was hard to say goodbye. I have grown to love that place so much and the relationships I had with the members and everyone there were just incredible. I will forever be grateful for the chance that I had to serve there and to meet the people that I met and experience the things that I did. Will definitely have a place in my heart!
But when Wednesday morning rolled it around it was time to take the walk to the train while dragging suitcases and my bike along. I wish you guys could just see it when the missionaries are both leaving and have to take all of their stuff by themselves. We probably look quite ridiculous. Especially trying to move trains and all that fun stuff. You would all get a kick out of it. But Wednesday I went from one of the most southern cities in the mission to one of the most northern cities. So I pretty much got to see every single city along the way. As well as a bunch of missionaries which was just great! I was hoping to see Wade Bringhurst but turns out his visa wasn't in soon enough again so he didn't make it in. I was a little bummed, can't wait to see that kid. Well that day I took Elder Larsen to the Schiphol airport hotel and got to say goodbye to him and some of my other friends: It was sad, I am going to miss those guys, great friendships.
But Zaandam is going to be a whole new chapter of my mission. It is almost the exact opposite of Genk. Showed up and we pretty much have zero investigator pool and a whole lot of work to do. But keeping our heads up that is exactly what the rest of my week was like. I don't remember the last time I was out going along the doors or going through the Centrum for such long periods of time. And on top of that having 100% different reactions then I did in Genk. Zaandam is VERY Dutch. So that being said, we had an awful lot of doors slammed in our faces and some unpleasant remarks. But non-the-less we kept working hard. And kept our heads up.
Well it payed of. We finally were able to find a couple of cool potentials and give some Books Of Mormon away. And even saw a pretty cool miracle in my eyes. Elder Frisby and I are pretty set on baptizing someone together so everyday we have been praying and working hard to find someone to do that. Well one day we were contacting and we ran into a lady named Carola, well actually she ran into us. Turns out she is from Chili and her entire family but her is baptized and she wants to be! We were blown away, like did that literally just happen? It was such a tender mercy and a blessing from the Lord. I am super excited to she were she ends up. It'll be great.
So after we were out and getting poured on and doors slammed in our faces I walked into our apartment and saw this hanging on the door.
My Missionary Commission
by Elder Bruce R. McConkie
I am called of God.
My authority is above that of kings of the earth.
By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is my master and He has chosen me to represent Him--to stand in His place, to say and do what He Himself would say and do if He personally were ministering to the very people to whom He has sent me.
My voice is His voice, and my acts are His acts; my doctrine is His doctrine.
My Commission is to do what He wants done; To say what He wants said; to be a living modern witness in word and in deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous Latter-day work.
How great is my calling!
And it just hit me pretty hard that I have nothing to be complaining about. I have no reason to be sad and to think that I have to help rebuild this city alone. Jesus Christ my Master is with me. Just like it says He has chosen me and I am here in His shoes. It was never easy for Him so why should it be for me? But I do know that He is by my side, lifting me higher then I can be alone. With Him I know all things are possible.I know the 'dutch of the dutch' can have there hearts softened and we can see success.
Well my ward here is pretty great. A lot bigger then the branch back in Genk. Oh and we get TONS of Americans visiting every week. This week there were 32 BYU students (some from Snow Canyon who had my mom as a teacher) and even a family from St. George! So that was pretty great!
I love you all thanks for the prayers and the support. I hope you are enjoying summer! Have a great week.
Love, Elder Parr
#ReturnWithHonor
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| Family Knoops! (minus Ammon) |
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