Week 8 Apeldoorn - "Tijd Vliegd"

Hello Hello,

What a great week it was once again. In all honesty the entire week was kind of one big blur and really just disappeared. But I recall it being a great on none the less. The "zin" to email today is honestly lacking so I am sorry if this is short. But I will try and include some good stuff.

So Tuesday Elder Hosea, Zr. Duncan and I were able to have our zone training in zwolle and that went so well. The way things played out and the preparation that went in really payed off and allowed us all to have a spiritual and practical uplifting zone training. I was blown away with how good some of the people we asked to present did. It has been really cool these past couple of months to not only see the change in investigators and what not but also in the missionaries. That big group that came in last year has grown up so much. You have got to love what mission do for you. Little side story and fun fact, at zone training Elder Wright and I got called out in Foosball (because a rumor is going around in the mission that we can't be beaten) so we accepted the challenge and won about 20 games to 5 in a row against different people. It was so fun.I got to get me one of those Foosball tables, so fun!

This week Elder Hosea and I cooked our first batch of Lasagna and it actually didn't turn out to bad. We were impressed to be honest. A member had asked if we wanted to cook for her and said she loved lasagna so we gave it a try. Had a blast making it. I am loving serving with Elder Hosea he is a solid missionary.

We have been looking up some referrals this past week and ended up in farmville. I felt like I was back in Genk knocking doors. You actually have to walk more then 10 steps to get to the next door. It was quite enjoyable actually. A good change to the normal schedule.

Dennis is continuing to progress and get better and better. Everytime we see him you can tell that because he is keeping his commitments the Lord is blessing him. That man is honestly one of my best friends. I have enjoyed every second of working with him.

We went and visited a member this week and began teaching temple prep lessons at the end of the lesson she asked for a blessing. She began to tell us how she has bad serious back pain for so long and asked for a blessing. Elder Hosea and I had the opportunity of giving that blessing and it was incredible. I have rarely felt the spirit so strong and this sweet sister was just embraced with the love of our Heavenly Father when we finished. Heavenly Father loves his children.

All in all a solid week. Thanks for the love, prayers and support. I hope you all have an amazing week and enjoy Easter. Remember the reason behind the season. Loves!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S3TI4bYerU

Love, Elder Parr
#Return.With.Honor

Week 7 Apeldoorn - "Zone Plans and Miracles" Mar 14

Hello Hello,

Another week has already come and gone....can you believe it!? Another transfer down and we are on to the next one. Wow, I just can't keep up with time. But anyways this past week was a good one. We were pretty busy doing a whole bunch of different things from: Teaching, planning, service, meetings, traveling, it's been great. You have got to love how different every week and day can be in the mission field. Altijd spannend!

Here are just a couple of highlights from this last week:

Tuesday ended up being a super fun day. Elder Hosea and I were back up in Groningen for a baptismal interview we had to do that night. So we went up and attend their District Meeting that morning, went to an appointment with the sisters and then worked a little in the city ourselves and were able to give away a couple of Book of Mormons. Then we met up with the elders and they took up over to Peter's house. I was able to do the Baptismal Interview with him and it was so powerful. That man seems to have made leaps and bounds of progress. He was the only non-member in his family and was finally prepared to make the step of baptism himself. The interview went great, he passed with flying colors. it was so cool to sit there and listen to him bear his testimony about each of the questions and his conversion. The Church is true and one day everyone will know it. How blessed are we to know it now.

Wednesday was transfer days and everything ran super smoothly in our zone and we had no problems. So that was great! The Hills, Deventer Elders, Elder Hosea and I all went out for a nice birthday lunch together. What a good group, we had lots of fun. Then the Klosterbroers, I LOVE THEM, had us over for dinner and threw a little surprise party with a cake and what not. Awe, they are so great! This ward is just incredible.

This week we were going along the doors and we were walking up to the door and the guy say us through the window and put his arms above his head and starting yelling, 'Yes Jesus'. We knocked on his door and he let us in. Turns out he was busy preparing his 3rd road trip to America with his wife and wanted some pointers and tips on what to see haha. We had a good talk and he actually added visiting a Mormon Temple to his plans. We were pretty excited about that. Super funny cool couple.

We got a referral from a member in the Arnhem ward and decide to go out and visit her this past week. We knocked on the door she let us right in and after about 30 minutes of her telling us her life story we were able to share the restoration with her. Tears almost instantly filled her eyes as she listened. She was beyond excited to have a Book Of Mormon and something she can now live for. She, without hesitation, invited us back this week. Elder Hosea and I are excited to see the effect the Spirit is going to have on her.

We also were able to teach Dennis this week again. Things are looking up for him and his stopping with Addiction. I have grown to love that man so much! We just click so well. Man I love being a missionary.

I love you all and thanks for all the Birthday wishes and the prayers.

The church is true.

love,
Elder Parr
#Return.With.Honor


I love this country!

Week 6 - Apeldoorn Transfers - Mar 7

Hello Hello,

Well this week I don't have a lot of time. So this will be short and sweet. That being said this week was a great one and went by so fast! Here is one cool story from the week.

So my first week here in Apeldoorn we found a young 17 kid named Ali. Two weeks ago I think I wrote about when we were able to get him to come and play soccer with the young men and what not. Well this week we had our first lesson with him and it was absolutely amazing. Probably one of the most spiritual first lesson I have had on my mission. Ali was raised in Africa and has no Christian background whatsoever, except what they teach at school. As we sat there and taught him about who God is: A loving Heavenly Father, Perfect Glorified body, that we can communicate with him, that we are literally His children, etc. He was in awe. As we taught about our Savior the spirit hit him like a rock and goosebumps filled the room. While watching the Joseph Smith Video I don't think I have ever seen anyone watch it so sincerely. The joint teach we brought had a similar childhood and was raised Muslim as well. They connected so good and it added so much to the lesson. At the end of the lesson he knelt down and offered his first real prayer. In the simplest words he could find, but wow was that powerful. I know without a doubt this Gospel is true and blesses all of our lives. Ali is still 17 and has to talk to his parents still about us. But I am confident that he felt the love of Heavenly Father that day and that that day will have a lasting impact on his life. I am excited to see what happens with him.

So Saturday we got our Transfer calls. I will be staying here in Apeldoorn with Elder Hosea. I am so excited we are staying, we are going to tear it up!

Thank you all so much for the many Birthday wishes! You are all amazing! I hope you have an amazing week. Remember, the Church is true!!

Love,
Elder Parr
#Return.With.Honor

The beautiful Den Haag Temple

Week 5 Apeldorn "A week on tender mercies and eye opener!" Feb 29

Hello Hello!

This week has been such a good one. Elder Hosea and I have been blessed and have seen some cool things happen and have had a lot of fun doing it. The weather still can seem to make up it's mind if it wants to be cold or warm. You look outside and are 100% certain it's going to be nice and warm with the sun shining then it's freezing. Then the next day its nice and grey and you know it's going to cold but it ends up being not so bad. Then you got 20 minutes of crazy snow to super sunny, to rain, to sunny again. It's been quite funny honestly. I've enjoyed it.

Last P-day we were able to play some street soccer with the Young Men, a less active we are working with and a new investigator named Alli, who is 17. We had a ton of fun even though the first 30 minutes consisted of them totally putting us missionaries to shame. But the endurance paid off at the end and we were able to have a couple of runs on them as well. I can't believe how much soccer has grown on me since I have been here. I mean I am still no Parker Jenkins but it's coming;)

I finally got to see the beautiful city of Groningen for the first time. We were up there at their district meeting this past week. That has been one of my dream cities since day one. Who know there is still hope haha. We were also able to go and have dinner with Cindy(less active) and Jessa (non-member) and that was really good. Let me just say that she can cook! Best Indonesian food I have had out here. That night was also one of my eye openers. We taught the first lesson after dinner and 1) went to fast and 2) It wasn't what Jessa needed to hear at that moment. And wow it hit me really hard after the lesson and I just felt so bad that we had just went in like it was just another person. Thankfully we still we are able to make a new appointment and they still love having us over. So we are getting a chance to do it the right way and I can promise you we will. It's so important to prepare with the spirit for every lesson even if you do know them 100%. It makes the world of difference. I am excited to teach him what he needs to hear this week and am confident it will touch his heart.

We were able to have the Goningen Elders down here in Apeldoorn on Wednesday working with us and that was loads of fun. We started the day off right with a nice lunch at KFC. Probably cancelled out the past 3 days of insanity we have done and the next 3 because it's so fattening. But it is what it is i guess. I was on my noble steed ( the bike) once again so that was nice. It's always nice to take a break from the car. But Elder Jardine and I were able to have some really interesting conversations and teach a Restoration lesson to Henny the lady elder Hosea and I found knocking doors a couple of weeks ago. It went super well and she accepted to read and pray and be baptized if she comes to know that it is true.

We met with Dennis Linker twice this week and both times were just amazing. Both times about half of the time was talking about the gospel and the other half just random things. But he got on the topic of his boss and how incredible of a man he is. How he serves the people he works with with love. He is a leader, not just a boss. He shared a long story about a guy who was working there and struggling and what not and they were considering releasing him. Them he said, but we had a motto and it read "we can fix anyone and anything." And that hit me like a rock. With faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, diligence and hardwork we truly can fix anyone, including ourselves.

I could go on and on with cool lessons learned this week that have come at the right time to me to help me to continue to learn and grow this week. It's been incredible and I am grateful for them all.

Thank you all for the prayers and support! I hope you have an amazing week!
And never forget who you are: a marvelous son and daughter of Heavenly Father. Just think about that. The church is true!


Love, Elder Parr
#Return.With.Honor

I forgot to take a lot of pictures this week so I had to take a nice selfie for mom <3