Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Week 13 Apledoorn - Transfers....Going to Den Haag

Hello Hello,

Sorry I have about 4 minutes today so this will be SUPER short!

In short I love my mission:) I got transfer calls on Friday and found out that I will be going back to serve in the Den Haag ward! That is where I began my mission! I cannot wait to go see miracles there.

I loved my time in Apeldoorn and Learned so so much. I love you all. Thanks for the prayers and support.

Love, Elder Parr
#ReturnWithHonor

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Week 12 Apledoorn - Temple, Kuekenhof, Apenhuel, Life :)

Hello Hello!!

Wow what an absolutely incredible past week and a half it has been!! I have been able to do so many fun things and see so many beautiful places in the Netherlands and watch our Investigators continue to soak up the Gospel. Missions.....one word, INCREDIBLE! I love being a missionary.

So it has been a while since I last wrote you all and I don't have enough time to tell you all of the miracles and fun things I was able to do so here are a couple of quick little highlights:

I was able to go to the beautiful Den Haag Temple last week for my last time with the mission. It was an uplifting and powerful Temple trip. I know that that place is the House of Our Heavenly Father. It is truly a "refuge from the storm"!

After the Temple we took our annual mission trip to Kuekenhof or the Tulip Gardens! And wow that just never gets old. Such a beautiful place. Sorry mom I didn't take quite as many pictures as last year but boy did I soak it up. I love the Netherlands!

We have been able to teach all of our baptismal dates a couple of times and they are all still doing super good! They are all making progress and keeping commitments and coming to better know their Lord and Savior! It's a privilege to be a part of. The Gospel changes lives!

Elder Wright and I won the Foosball Championship with a record of 58-4 the past two transfers!

I was able to go up to Groningen and join the country wide volleyball tournament. That was so much fun! I was able to see a lot of people who I have served with throughout my mission. And found out Dan and Emma pretty much my parent from Delft are coming to st.George! That was a great day!

We were able to do some service with crowbars and hammers to destroy a members bathroom that he is remodeling. The little boy came out in us all.

And for Pday we were able to go to a place called Apenhuel. It's a big monkey park and to hang out with monkeys for a couple of hours. Some of them would run loose and just come climb on you.

Wow it's been a great transfer. Transfer calls are coming up this week. And time is just flying. I love it out here. The church is true!!

I love you all thanks for all of the love and the support!!

Love, E
Elder Parr
#Return.With.Honor
.Elder Hosea and I being ninja's


 You have got to love the Netherlands tulips:)




Week 11 Apledoorn - Miracles

Hello hello!

What another absolutely incredible week this past week has been! I don't even know where to begin. First because everyday was great, and second they all just seemed to blend in. I was just here yesterday typing on this same screen, or at least so it feels. But sorry this one is also going to be a little short. We have some appointments today so aren't taking much of a free day.

So I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Morey and work with him here in Apeldoorn and holy cow did we see miracles or what!? Hosea and Le Duc had the Car so Morey and I were on foot and bikes the whole day. We walk outside talk to the first lady we see, ends up being a super positive potential and lives right by us. Go and look up the next guy and teach him the whole restoration and his attitude changed from, not interested, to please come back. It was so cool to see. We were able to teach 3 first lessons on the door all with new people. And all of which said we could come back. We taught one of our baptismal dates, Nico, and put him on a calendar. He is looking forward to May 28th. We were able to take our OV bikes to the skate park haha, so funny! And get dumped on by ice cold rain and still make it a fun, successful day! You have got to love it!

Elder Hosea and I went up and worked in Amsterdam this past week. I got to go and work with Elder Da Silva again. Boy did we have fun. Funny story, so we parked in the back corner of a parking lot and when we came back there were 3 cars parked illegally and us and this other man got trapped. The police said they wouldn't do anything and we just had to wait. So we were talking to this man in the pouring rain for about 30 or so minutes and finally the guy came. I will have to attach the picture it was pretty funny. I also got to teach Ivette again. She was baptized right after I left Amsterdam, Elder Bringhurst and I taught her a lot. She remembered me and we had a good lesson with her. That was a cool little tender mercy.

We also got a new investigator on baptismal date for May 28th. Her name is Patrica and she is 21 years old. She was a referral from the Amsterdam sisters. Can I just say the Lord is pouring out blessing upon us right now. We are teaching so much more these past 2 weeks then the previous a lot haha. It has been such a blessing knowing the Lord is on our side and is with us every minute of every day. I love being a missionary.

Life out here is going great and the work is moving forward. Thanks for the prayers and the support! I hope you have a great week!

Love Elder Parr
#Return.With.Honor




Monday, April 4, 2016

Week 10 Apeldoorn - MIRACLES and Conference

Hello Hello,

What an absolutely incredible week this past week has been. Unfortunately I can't sit down and just tell you all about it so I'll just stick to a couple of highlights instead.

So Elder Hosea and I have been working for 9 weeks together now here in Apeldoorn and have been doing the dirty work. Contacting, doors, street, more finding. The past couple of weeks we have been able to find a couple of people and we are starting to see the fruits of our labors. This week we were able to set two baptismal dates for the 28th of May!!!!!! We were beyond excited and still are. The Lord is blessing us so much to find people whom He has prepared. The great part is, is that the work is just going to continue to go up from here. We were also able to find 4 new investigators to add to the teaching pool this week. And the best part about it, we only had 4 days to work in our city. Wow, did the Lord bless us or what?

We had MLC this past week so we were able to look at our zone and see how they are doing. We were thrilled to see that they are all doing so well! This zone is incredible and full of incredible missionaries. The work is going nowhere but forward. I love it! We were also able to council with the leaders of the mission about where the mission is going. All I can say is that it is going good places! It's incredible to see how inspired mission presidents are. I love it!

General Conference was just incredible. We were able to watch most of the sessions with the Hills, the senior couple here in the ward and there family who was visiting. We had an absolute blast with each other. But wow conference was amazing! So many questions answered by inspired talks. I know that all those men are called of God. I loved President Nelsons talk in Talk in the priesthood session that talked about being men of God and many others! I am excited to apply the principles learned into my own life. Conference week is always such a spiritual boost and re-charger!

Thank you all so much for the prayers, love and support! It is appreciated:) Allie Happy 16TH Birthday!!!!!!! I hope you have a good one and everyone in St. George watch out we got a crazy one on the streets;) Heidi Happy Birthday on the Thursday! I love you so much! And Grandma happy Birthday on Friday!

The Church is true. Let us all learn something from the new theme for the youth, "2 Nephi 32: 20 :Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." I love this Gospel and my mission!

Love,

Elder Parr
#Return.with.honor

Hosea and I reliving the childhood years :)



Sunday, April 3, 2016

Week 9 Apeldoorn - Happy Easter


Hello Hello,

What a week this past week has been. So many things happened, so many emotions, miracles, heartbreaks etc. But those feeling tend to accompany one through a life time. Used to teach us, humble us, help us grow, reach our potential. It's all apart of God's glorious plan to help us return and live with him again. He loves us, His work and His glory is to bring His children home, what an incredible blessing to have someone with such infinite love up above watching over us, encouraging us to press on even when it gets hard, blessing us, lifting us and loving us. I love my Father in Heaven.

Mom you are going to be so proud of me, I think I have taken more pictures this week then in the entire last month. It took some effort so I hope you enjoy them:)

I hope you have all had an amazing Easter this past week and were able to feel the love of Our Savior. I know I was. The young women put on a great sacrament service about the life of Christ and it was amazing. We were able to make the day of a select few and help them also enjoy the great Easter season.

Saturday we had a heartbreaking lesson. We went and enjoyed a great Easter lunch with a less active member we have been working with. Joking, laughing, full of enjoyment. Lunch ended and he ended up telling us he isn't coming back to church anymore, his decision has been made. He has to many doubts. The part that made it heartbreaking is that he wasn't even willing to try to get an answer anymore. Just gave up. We pleaded with him and testified and showed how much we cared but nothing. It was so hard to see, had become good friends. I just pray and hope his heart will be softened. Because there isn't much we can do if he isn't receptive the Spirit.

Elder Hosea and I were probably let in by the nicest couple on my mission. They let us in gave us some tea and cookies. We talked for an hour. He pulled out his guitar we sang some Easter songs and just laughed and laughed together. There are so many great people in this world.

We have been busy visiting a member a day for about 15 minutes and were sharing the Easter message. It was incredible to see how much the families appreciated it. Almost every time you could feel the spirit just enter the home and see the members light up. What an incredible feeling.

This past week with the Brussels attack has been also heartbreaking. In a country I have grown to love, to see it just in chaos is so sad. And to have fellow missionaries involved....I was able to talk with Elder Empey on Friday and that was so great. Sounds like he is doing awesome and recovering well. Elder Bringhurst and I have been staying in close contact, he is in Brussels right now, and he's been keeping me updated. The Lord was protecting His missionaries. My prayers go continually out to all those involved.

Thank you all for the prayers and the support. I hope you have an amazing week!!

Love,
Elder Parr
#ReturnWithHonor


Me and my main man, Elder wright