Elder Parrish and Elder Henriod



My new district.

 

This is the awesome house I live in in Carpenteria. We live with a 94 year old WWII vet and he is amazing. He gets around the house up and down the stairs like a champ, and tells us war stories every night. He was a waist gunner in a B24 bomber and has some pretty sweet stories. The house is huge, and we live in the upstairs. It has spiral staircases and is all decked out with American flags and eagles all over the house. It's the most patriotic place ever.  I love it!  It is like a hundred yards from the beach that we run to every morning. We can look, but can't touch. :)

 

 

Well, my last week in Santa Barbara was a good one.  We had some great lessons with a couple that has been inactive for the better half of 20 years.  They left the Church, because they got offended for something, and haven't been back since.  But we finally got in (after knocking the door 30 times the past 4 months) and had a good lesson on eternal families that really touched their hearts.  They went to a branch party at the church and also last night they came to watch "The Testaments" with some of our other investigators.  I'm really excited to see them start to return and see them rekindle those friendships they had in the branch 20 years ago.  The husband is probably one of the most interesting men on the planet.  He is from Argentina, but speaks perfect English, is super smart, works on cancer and radiation equipment.  He never gives a specific answer to anything and always answers in the most peculiar analogies.  He is the kind of guy I just want to sit down with and keep talking to for hours and hours.  We are going to try to stop by his house tonight before I leave, so maybe I can get a picture. 

On Saturday, J--- was baptized.  We had to run to Goleta to give a sister missionary a blessing, and our ward mission leader flaked on us, so we had a quick little panic making sure there was sufficient water in the font that got us started a little late.  We had missionaries running all over the place with 5 gallon jugs dumping cold sink water into the font to try to get enough water... but the Spirit instantly filled the room after the first little talk and as Hermana Linford and Hermana Wright played "I Stand All Amazed" on the violin and flute with a piano accompaniment.  I'm so grateful to be the one that he chose to baptize him.  We went down into the water and I couldn't believe it- the water was super warm!  It was a tender mercy of the Lord.  It was shallow, but warm, and everything went smoothly as I pushed him waaay down and all the way back up again with my back, just like my first baptism.  The whole service was great.  Three of his friends showed up that were nonmembers, and he was so excited that they were able to make it.  It was such a blessing to see him join the church, even though last week, we weren't sure if he was going to be ready, but after fasting and much prayer we felt impressed by the Spirit that this was the right time for him.  Now, his biggest desire is for his grandkids to attend church with him and be baptized as well.  When the Branch President confirmed him yesterday, he mentioned something in the blessing about him being a future missionary to his family and grandkids that was really neat. 

I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity I have had to serve with Elder Griffin the last two transfers.  He's definitely taught me so much and we have learned and grown so much from each other and seen many miracles here in the Los Olivos branch.  We're pretty much best friends now.

My testimony has definitely been strengthened as I see that as long as we are doing everything we can and leaving it all out there every single day, despite all of our many shortcomings, the Lord makes up the rest and blesses us beyond measure.  Tomorrow, I head to CARPINTERIA with my new companion, Elder Henriod.  It is only like 20 minutes away, but it is zebra work... which means 90% English and 10% Spanish, so hopefully I can keep up with my Espanol.

Love,
Elder Parrish

Elder Griffin's bike was out of commission due to a messed up pedal and crank, so we did some walking for a couple days, and talked with a lot of people. No one really solid or interested, but we are going to keep going, because we know the Lord has someone for us who is. 

J---- attended Church and we had a lesson with him on Thursday.  Afterward, we weren’t quite sure if it would be a good idea to baptize him on the 11th of January or not, so we did a lot of fasting and praying to know what to do. Sunday after church, we sat down and talked about everything to discuss what to do.  We went over the baptismal interview questions and discussed each one. Afterward, we felt like indeed it is the right thing to do for him to get baptized this Saturday. He's changed so much in the months that we have been teaching him and hasn’t ever missed a Sunday. He said he finally has learned all of the things that he had no knowledge of growing up.  Obviously he still has a whole lot more to learn, but he has really come so far and is a completely new person. I’m excited to see him come up out of the water even "newer" :)

We had a Spanish training in Solvang.  It was great and exactly what I needed.  Plus, we got to drive through the mountains. I saw 2 deer, does.  They were only #2 and #3 that I have seen my entire mission.  I can’t believe how stupid I am for getting excited over seeing a doe. (haha.)  The Spanish training just focused on making study plans and striving for the gifts of the Spirit.  I was trying to avoid the point of hitting a plateau and being content, so it was really good.  Elder Griffin and I have been speaking Spanish as much as we can ever since, and it’s nice to realize that we actually can get along without speaking English. 

I was asked on the spot to give a priesthood blessing to an investigator for a nasty sore that she has had on her leg for years and that doctors can’t fix.  I was nervous and just had the John Tanner movie miracle playing in my head, but I gave the blessing and I guess it went well. Yesterday, we were asked to give a cancer patient in pretty bad shape a blessing too.  Also, I gave R--- one for his addiction.... My patriarchal blessing was in my mind. It says I will bless lives by placing my hands on many heads.

 

This week was a little tough to catch people that were willing to listen to us with the holidays and everything, but we still managed to have some really great lessons.  On Christmas day, we stopped by our investigator, R---’s house.  She came out , set up some chairs, and was so excited to see us and wish us a merry Christmas.  Almost immediately, she started talking about her sick brother who wasn’t able to make it over for their big family gathering earlier that day and then that led to her venting about her parents that have passed away, and she really expressed a lot of concerns about death, fear that she has about the next life, the loneliness she feels for her mom, and all of the uncertainty she has about what happens when we die.  Instantly, Elder Griffin just started bearing testimony of the resurrection and eternal families.  We just very simply testified, without even teaching.  She was so comforted and thanked us sooo much.  She invited us to come back this week and teach her the whole plan of salvation.

 

We had 2 lessons with J--- in the church building this week, and he wants to be baptized on the 11^th of January.  It is amazing to see how just a few weeks ago he was saying that he feels it is too late for him and he’s already too far gone and only here to try to make a difference for his grandkids.  Then, this week he was asking us what all he needs to do to be ready, because he wants to be baptized on the second Saturday in January!  I love it!

 

We also had a lesson with J-- on the gospel of Jesus Christ in the church building that went super good, as well.  He says that out of all of the different churches he has investigated and knows about we stand out from all of them, because of how dedicated we are to really living the way our Heavenly Father wants.  He went on to admit how he has had a hard time forgiving others. He committed to pray every night, and to report and repent of his doings to Heavenly Father every night.  It was his first time being in the church building and he said it was “beautiful and amazing.”

 

Another man showed up to church yesterday, who we had never met before, but he was bearing his testimony of how he prayed to know Joseph Smith was a prophet and the very strong answer he received.  We just figured he was a member….  Then, after the meeting, Hermana Linford and Hermana Wright were talking to him, and found out that it was just two days ago that he prayed and got an answer, and that he was here at church, because he wants to be baptized!

 

It was good to talk to and hear from all of you on Christmas.  It was kind of weird to be able to understand all of Mitch’s Spanish.  I realize that I’m already ahead Spanish-wise than a lot of missionaries that have been out much longer than me, but I’m trying not to get comfortable and lazy with my Spanish studies.  It sounds like everything is good there.  Don’t worry about me.  I hear a lot of missionaries go into depression mode after talking to the family for Christmas.  I don’t know why.  I know that there is absolutely nothing at home that could be better than what I’m doing right now.  It’s just illogical to worry about home.  I’m learning and growing so much.  Just the thought of the big picture and how my relationship has grown with my Savior trumps all hints of homesickness that might try to sneak up.

 

Love,

Elder Parrish

 

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