We had a Christmas devotional on Friday with the zone. There were musical talents and then we watched a bunch of the Bible videos available on lds.org that the church put out. I love them - they're so good.  I love how they portrayed Mary. Those videos, for some reason, just seem to fit what I picture in my mind so much better than most other videos. The Devotional was great, but then for some reason we just played games after that aaalll daaaay. I was glad to get back to our area and get to work.

Anyway, we still haven't been able to commit J---- to a baptismal date.  Yesterday before Sacrament Meeting, we had a little lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he agreed that baptism was the next step says that he needed to take in order to progress, but that its not a change he feels he can make at this time in his life.  He says it is because he is a leader at an Alcoholics Anonymous group, and he gives a lot of speeches where he talks about satan and stuff like that to basically scare the addicts and talk some sense into them, and that it makes him feel really dark and that it doesn't fit in with the soft, sweet manner that we are so used to in Church .  He says maybe its already too late for his salvation, but he is coming, because he wants his grandkids to be able to be saved...We assured him that that is the beauty of Christ's atonement and the ever outward stretched arms of our Heavenly Father's love, it is never too late. We had to hurry to get into the Sacrament Meeting, but during the meeting I heard him lean over to the brother next to him and ask how he felt after he was baptized.  I didn't catch all of his response, but it was something about 'change'.  After sacrament, in a sort of weird-fashioned way he ran out into the hall crying.... We went out there and his eye was all actin up and red and watering and he said his head was hurting really bad.  So he went out in the parking lot to find some Tylenol from his car and then he got a drink of water and was fine... He said that it happens every time he is in a church building for too long- That Satan attacks him in someway to get him out of the church... sometimes its pinching his chest and othertimes it is his eye... we just kinda stood there not knowing what to say to that..... and then as he was leaving, Joel said "soo ya I think you're right,.  I need to get baptized!"    It was really weird.....   but hey- he wants to be baptized!

 

 We found some solid new investigators this week.  We had two lessons with M----- this week and she really is starting to understand more and see why it is so important. We are working with her to set goals to get her husband involved and talk with us. We finally met him last night, and I think it went pretty good. He agreed that he would listen to our message and allow his wife to continue learning. 

Also, we finally got a hold of J---- with two of the hermanos that were present over the weeks when we taught him... It was a heart breaker.  He basically denounced everything he had learned and felt, gave us back everything-his Book of Mormon, all the pamphlets, DVDs, his Gospel Principles book, and all the other material he had--and told us not to come back.  It was so hard to take the books back from his hand.  We have no idea what happened.  He had such a desire to learn and to grow, and then just overnight he wanted nothing to do with it, and says he doesn't like it.  It feels like it was basically pointless to baptize him.  The only thing I can think of is just that the Lord knows him and knows what he is doing...whether perhaps Heavenly Father has some hidden lesson I need to learn from this, I don't know, but I will just trust Him that His way is better then mine.

Merry Christmas!  I'll talk to ya Wednesday!
Love,
Elder Parrish

 

 

Just like old times :)   this is the California i remember growing up (catching lizards)

Familia,
Sorry, I didn't even realize I didn't send a legit email last week. Oops.

AAh, it's crazy to think Mitch is home... Maddie's gotta be standing on her tippytoes in that picture, no doubt. You're all looking pasty white and cold. Tell Mitch to send me some sweet Nicaraguan ties for Christmas! (and one of the left over sweet pork burritos too.)  I forwarded the rules about calling for Christmas. Everything is good.

We are seeing good progress with our investigator, J---. He has been to church 4 times in a row, and yesterday he brought both his granddaughter and his grandson with intentions to hopefully get the older other grandkids to eventually follow and come along as well. Our lessons have been improving with him, as well. At first, it was all we could do to state a truth of the Restored Gospel, because all he wanted to do was talk about everything in his life.  But we have seen an interest spark, where now he is excited to learn more and read and ask questions. He especially likes to walk around with us on Sundays in between classes and look at all the paintings in the church. He wants to know the stories behind every picture. He really liked the picture of the 2000 stripling warriors, and wanted to know more about how none of them died. We have an appointment with him this Wednesday in the church house while his granddaughter is going to participate in the Activity Days with the English ward. He's great. No doubt he will be baptized...when he is ready. That's one thing that was kind of a slap in the face to me and Elder Griffin is to see J---, who I baptized a few weeks ago- kind of fall off the map and hasn't been to church in a couple weeks.  We are worried about him. 

We found a new senora and her daughter while knocking an apartment complex.  The daughter was actually our waitress at a little taqueria we went to with a member a few weeks ago, and she remembered us.  After sharing the restoration and bearing testimony that WE KNOW these things are true, she asked: How do you know?.. the perfect question :) She read Moroni 10:3-5 for us and I could feel the spirit. We have an appointment with her this Wednesday, too.

I am continually reminded of the nothingness of my self every day.  I would be able to do absolutely nothing without the help of my Father in Heaven.  Just like in Helaman 12:7, I truly am less than the dust of the earth, and it is so humbling and amazing to me that my Father in Heaven could have a place prepared in His kingdom for little ole me, and all I have to do is stay on the path. And on top of that, somehow I was lucky enough to be born on the path and reared in it my whole life in an amazing and righteous family with righteous parents, when I look around me and see all these people less fortunate than me and who have absolutely no idea what they are missing. I am even more humbled that the Lord would choose little ole me to be an instrument in his hands to help get them back.

Love, Elder Parrish

Salamwe aleko! (That means peace be unto you in Arabic. Yup, taught an Arabic guy.)

Wow its already Monday again. it feels like we had preparation day just yesterday.  I only have 606 days left.... going too fast. 

 

On Wednesday, we found a kid skateboarding on the corner, and we stopped to talk to him.  He is 16 years old. His family is Catholic and he is pretty familiar with the Bible, but doesn't have any background attending church. It turns out he wrestles for SB High, so we got to talk about all that, and really hit it off. He's wrestling 160 lbs. varsity as a sophomore and he's a stud skateboarder that can throw kickflips and heelflips off the curb with no problem all over the place. We taught the Restoration and invited him to be baptized. He accepted to be baptized after he knows the Book of Mormon is true. We set up a return appointment, and then he prayed with us. He didn't want us to leave. (haha)  He just wanted to keep talking more and learning more.  I have really good feelings about him.  We also had a lesson with a girl named C---, who we were really excited for. We set up a return appointment, and when we went, we found out that she got arrested, and will be in jail for a while. Because of that, though, we got the chance to meet her little sister, A----, who is super nice, and said she wants to receive the lessons from the missionaries. She speaks English, though, so we have to refer her over to the English-speaking missionaries.
 

Today is the end of the transfer.  Elder Griffin and I are staying here in Santa Barbara on our bikes. There are only 2 sets of elders in the whole mission that are on bikes only. All the other bikers have car-share areas, where they rotate every other day.  But I'm glad I get to stay here biking for this long.  Imma go stir crazy when I have to drive a car all the time. 

 

My ADD has been kicking in bad this week. (haha)  Elder Griffin thinks I'm crazy. He falls asleep

within 30 seconds of his head hitting his pillow, and can just sit still in his chair for hours.

 

Thanksgiving was great.  Thanks for the Christmas tree!  That's awesome.  Everything about this time of year gets me excited.  I'm so happy I get to spend Christmas with F----. He says he considers me his son, and has never loved another missionary more.  He's told me everything about his life.  I love to listen to his childhood stories in Mexico. Grompa Parrish taught me that skill :)  He bought a brand new Cadillac this week that we get to roll around in. It's pretty sweet. He says he is giving me his Lincoln Town Car for Christmas. I'm worried, cuz he's dead serious. He wants to know if we can park it at Gramma's house until I finish my mission.................... Love, Elder Parrish

I had a great experience at my first zone conference, and it really set the tone to get out and get back to work. It was like a whole day of motivational speeches, filling us with the energy to go and share the gospel at our best level. I loved the words of Sister Castro about feasting upon the scriptures. President Castro talked about how we represent Jesus Christ, and especially how important our eyes are. They are the window to the soul, and the sincerity of our eyes can make or break all the difference when meeting, finding, and teaching.

 Now that J---- is baptized, We are trying to focus on his wife and kids.  We had a lesson with them this week inside the church house on Tuesday night, and it went really well. His wife loves us and thanks us for everything we do, and the children love us as well, but his wife still feels like she can't "abandon" her Catholic roots.

We are teaching another lady named M----.  She has had all the lessons and knows it is true and knows she needs to be baptized, but is letting her husband hold her back. We still have not been able to even contact her husband, but she is praying to soften his heart and so are we.

Last week a random man approached us and asked us for the address of our church because he wanted to attend, and then he actually showed up yesterday! His name is J---.  He attended all 3 hours with his granddaughter.  We visited him in the evening and had a lesson, and he really wants to keep coming and learn more. He belonged to a Christian church for 13 years, but said he got tired of all the screaming and yelling they do, and said he really enjoyed the peace he felt at our church. Hermana Coleman and Hermana Linford played "Yo Se Que Vive Mi Senor" on their violins in Sacrament Meeting again like they did at zone conference, and the spirit was really strong.  He said he loved it.

We also have a baptismal date with S--- for the 14th of December, but we found out it has to be pushed back.

R---, a less active recent convert we have been seeing is still battling with his alcohol addiction, and it seems like every time he takes one step forward, the next week he takes 2 steps back. But he has a great knowledge of the gospel and is committed to change.  It is just taking a lot longer than he and we would like.

But everything is going well! I got a flat tire on my bike this week, and Elder Griffin got 2 flat tires and his pedal broke. Elder Griffin was a little ticked, but I was happy, because it was nice to take a break and get to work with my hands and fix all his stuff and teach him how to do it.

What an amazing week! J--- was baptized on Saturday and confirmed yesterday.  I am so grateful to be fortunate enough to be the person he chose to perform the baptismal ordinance. (Secretly, I wanted to do it soo bad, but we thought for sure he was gonna choose one of the members to do it.)  It was my first time, and honestly I was more than a little nervous!  I've practiced saying the baptismal prayer in Spanish with his name like 10 times every single morning in the shower ever since we taught him the first lesson and I felt like he would be the one.  Haha.  Before the baptism, he expressed concern to me how his wife wasn't very excited about him getting baptized and making this step in his life.  We prayed that everything would go smoothly and be ok, and that his wife would be able to feel the Spirit. The whole service went amazing.  Then, when I baptized him, I completely spaced, and couldn't remember his middle name or where to stress the accent on his last name! I stood there with my arm at the square for what seemed like minutes... And then somehow i just started talking... "J---...habiendo sido comisionado por Jesucristo, yo te bautizo en el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espiritu Santo, Amen."  Then, I dunked him.  It turns out our ward mission leader didn't quite fill up the font with enough water, and I had to go waaay down, and then struggle to lift him back up using only my back (haha), but it was smooth, and it all was good, and it counted.

When we were changing, I asked him how he felt, and he just took a huge deep breath and said "tranquilo" in the calmest, most relaxed voice I've ever heard.  Aaah, I can't even describe how good it feels.  Elder Griffin and I somehow actually did it.  Then, after the service, the members busted out a whole meal of refreshments and treats, which was completely unplanned (perks of a Spanish branch) and then Elder Griffin and I got the chance to talk to his wife afterward. She said that when he was submerged under the water, she felt something really strong in her chest, and she really enjoyed the entire experience.  The members of the branch did such a good job at fellowshipping her and making her feel welcomed, and they really created a great family atmosphere for their three children too.  As we were talking with their kids about church and baptism, but still trying to be cool (and acting like we know a ton about soccer), the youngest of their kids who is 8 was asking questions like "So I can do the same thing my dad just did in the water too?"  We are really excited and hope that this will be the start of their entire family coming to church and being baptized, as well. His wife is a woman with a ton of faith and already has the great standards of the Church established in her life. But in her husband's words, she is "Catholic to the bones," but I think this could really be the turning point.  It was the best day ever, and words can't even describe how happy we are. Love it.

On Wednesday, I had the great opportunity of serving with Elder Reese for a day in Isla Vista on exchanges. What a great example he is to me. The day was full of miracles, and we were able to teach a guy name R---.  He is actually the guy I met on exchanges with Elder Robison a few weeks ago.  When we first found him on the street, we had an amazing declare that ended with him crying and accepting baptism.  Now, like 5-6 weeks later he has completely changed his life, quit drinking, and is ready to be baptized here in a couple weeks.  We taught the Plan of Salvation, and I can't even believe how much he understands.  Thanks to Elder Reese asking some amazing inspired questions, he was able to basically figure everything out on his own, and we really didn't have to teach him much.  I am excited for zone conference tomorrow!

 Love,
Elder Parrish

Another great week!

We have been focusing on trying to have daily contact with our investigator Julio.  It is amazing to see the difference in him after just one week of contact. On our first lesson, he had so many doubts and questions about the Mormons, and now he is totally into it, with an incredible desire to find pure truth. He accepted baptism for Sunday the 17th of October.  He attended church yesterday for the 2nd time, and said he definitely felt "something" during the testimonies that were shared during Sacrament Meeting. He said it felt like his chest basically melted and dispursed outward. Haha, obviously it was the Spirit! We are really excited for him, as well as his wife and family.  They haven't acted on their faith yet and attended church with him, but they definitely like what they are learning and totally support Julio in his decision of what he feels is right.

 

We spent a lot of time knocking doors this week and contacting people.  The Spirit directed us to a lot of people that were open to our message, and we set up some promising return appointments for this week. I sometimes can't even believe how many miracles we see daily...with our Spanish and with the people. The ward council is starting to really step up and everyone in the ward council is involved with our investigators. I think that is one of the biggest things that has made the difference with Julio. He has gotten the chance to see how the gospel has blessed so many regular people just like him.  It has become a sort of hunger to be a part of it.  I am so happy when I think about Julio, and I pray like crazy for him all day every day.

We are struggling with Marisol, one of our investigators.  She wants to be baptized, but not without her husband, and her husband won't even give us a chance.   We are setting up a carne asada night, where we can invite her and her husband in a members home.

I am so excited to see my Spanish improving.  Elder Griffin and I are doing our best, and the Lord is absolutely covering the rest and making up where we lack.

 

On Halloween, we had to be in our apartment by 7, but we were able to go to the Santa Barbara trunk-or-treat for a little bit with Julio's kids and another investigator. The Santa Barbara trunk-or-treat is a little different than the Brigham City 14th Ward trunk-or-treat.  There are Jaguars, BMW's, all fancy cars with bowls full of one dollar bills instead of candy.  So needless to say, all the poor people and kids from our Spanish branch love it, and all this week the poorer kids just walk around the street trying to sell their Halloween candy.  It is so crazy to see the class difference between the rich people on the hill and the families stacked in 1-room apartments.

 

I saw the big black guy from the "Longest Yard" on State Street! He is the guy that sells McDonald's in jail and is crazy ripped and dunks.  Cheeseburger Eddy, I think is his name. I shook his hand (which was monstrous) and declared to him and he was way cool, but all he wanted to talk about was the World Series and BYU and Steve Young, and he was drinking, but it was still sweet!

 

Love, 

Elder Parrish

This week has been one to remember.  My companion, Elder Griffin is from Provo and wrestled for Provo High, (haha) so we have found connections all over the place.   We started talking about wrestling a little bit and were excited to wrestle around a little bit, but then once he found out I wrestled for Box Elder, he won't wrestle with me now. haha.  I kind of feel bad, but I guess that's just Box Elder's reputation. We do get along really well so far.  He is technically my follow up trainer, but he has only been out 6 weeks longer than me, and my Spanish is actually a lot better than his, because his first area was in Morro Bay in an English area.  So basically it feels like I'm training him.  Obviously, I was more than a little apprehensive about being alone here to do the Spanish work with both of us being far from fluent with our Spanish...like I was stressing a ton.  I was lost, had no clue what do to, where to go, or who to see.  Then, on top of that the Branch President asked us to speak in Sacrament Meeting yesterday.   I was already stressed to the max, and then I had to prepare a talk to give all in Spanish.  I have no clue how we made it through the week, but I'm amazed as I look back on the week and see all the miracles that somehow got us through. This week seriously took a year.

The first appointment we had on Wednesday ended with our investigator accepting baptism. We don't have a date, because she wants her husband to be involved, but everything we have taught has really clicked with her, and she has a really good relationship with one of the members in the branch.  Later that night we met a friend of one of the members in the English Santa Barbara ward.  Honestly, I don't know how they are friends, because the investigator doesn't speak any English and the member doesn't speak any Spanish, so that's kind of weird, but she already had a Book of Mormon that she has been reading and she accepted baptism as well!  Currently she is living in a shelter, but there are plans for her to move in with her friend the first of November, so we are really hopeful and excited for her.

 

Thursday, we taught an 8 year old boy whose mom is a member, but less active.  She wants him to be baptized, but as we have talked to him about it, we are struggling with his comprehension. He doesn't really understand, and his attention span is extremely short.  All he wants to do is play video games and iphone. (Never let Marshall have an ipod.)  Also he doesn't want to be baptized, because he is scared to drown in the water.  No matter how many times we explain it, he can't get over his fear for the water. We are planning to get them one of the Church's DVD's that have a baptism in it, so he can watch it to understand a little more.  I feel like he just isn't mature enough to understand, though, so I don't know.  

 

On Saturday, we had a great lesson with another couple investigating the Church, but he had some questions about polygamy and angels and some other garbage that he found on the internet.  Elder Griffin and I could not explain with our limited Spanish, but he attended church yesterday, and then we had a lesson with them at his house after church with the Branch President.  The first thing his wife asked us was where the heck he was this morning. We told her that he came to church with us. I guess when he was at church with us, she called him on  "facetime" on their iphones, and he didn't answer because he was in Sacrament Meeting with us. But on her side of the phone, some random woman popped up and answered, so she thought he was off with another woman.  Obviously she was ticked, and he was totally innocent.  We had  a really spiritual lesson anyway, and afterward they both said that they feel certain that some how Satan switched the phone lines trying to cause something-anything to cause contention and keep them from hearing the message. Crazy!  But now we all know that Satan is going to try to stop it anyway he can, so that's a little nerve wracking. But this man is really excited to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and says that if this what the Holy Ghost indicates for him to do, then he is "all in" and the whole family will be baptized. His wife is a little more conservative, but is really interested. They both said they like how our religion is not just a place to go on Sunday, but it is a lifestyle. They have 3 kids age 11, 9, and 8. We feel really good about them.

 

Well, last week when Elder Trujillo left we only had one investigator that was close to baptism, and now at the end of this week with 2 white boys with terrible Spanish, we have 8 people that have all accepted baptism and are just waiting on confirmations from the Lord before they set dates.  I'm so confused.  I don't even know how it happened, but its great! :)