I
think I need to start by telling everyone, that I am scared... I am scared to
go home... more scared than I was to leave. The closer it gets and the more I
think about what I will have to do the less important and exciting it looks. I
want to see you all but I don't want to live a normal life. The life of a
missionary is the best! These 2 years have been the Happiest 2 years of my
life, nothing compares. This transfer I have been blessed with the opportunity
to be a part of the conversion process of E**** O****, this man's life has been
changed, but so has mine, it was a great way to end. I realized through the
whole time that while I was focused on creating spiritual experiences with him
that I wasn't focused on any thing else, that while I was preaching the Gospel
I was happy I was so darn happy. And I am going to miss that feeling, I am
going to miss swimming this deeply in the Spirit.
I
recognize that all good things must come to an end in this life, that is part
of the law of opposition that allows us to truly appreciate the good things in
life, but I refuse to let this end. I will do all that I can to retain this
feeling and this change in me, I resolve to be found in the service of my
fellow men. Because
And behold, I
tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye
are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your
God. (Mosiah 2:17)
And I have learned here that that is where Joy
is Joy is in God; it is in The Lord Jesus Christ; it is in repentance , and
service; in Preaching the Gospel. I have learned to really love this work. I
have learned that there really is nothing else. I have seen the many blessings
in the lives of those that truly and completely submit to the Lord and allow
him to guide their every decision and I am going to do the same.
This
week was great most of our time was spent working with the O****'sto make sure
that all was going well and then! Boom it did!! It was an incredible service
with a ton of people there, and everyone feeling the spirit so strong! Brother
Ochoa the got up to speak and share his testimony, he had kept his himno open
the whole time
,
and
then when
he did he shared the chorus from "I am a
Child of God" (in Spanish of course) and spoke of how he was
feeling those same feelings. Then that was followed but a BEAUTIFUL dinner
which you can see pictures of on the face book page of "Rama Camino
Gardens". The following day we had the confirmation in sacrament meeting
and even though the room was hot (the AC broke) it was a very spiritual service
as well. I also spoke, I had prepared a lot more material than I had time (the
previous time I spoke I didn't have enough) so I just had to share the gist of
the talk, I will send it home this week. But really that was an incredible part
of this week and my mission. I love this family so much and I love all the
people that I have been blessed to work with here in Florida.
This
week President Richardson interviewed me, he calls this the Final or Exit
interview, it happens in most missions, its an opportunity for him to review my
mission and also give me some final advice, and some instruction on going home.
He asked me to do three things in prayer:
1.
Give thanks for my mission and the miracles and blessings I have seen and been
apart of
2.
Ask for guidance towards a career that will let me do 2 things:
-provide
for my families needs. ( he said "you can't have a nice house if you work
part-time and the 7/11')
-allow
me time to serve in the church. (he said "you also can't serve as a EQ
president if you work every night at the 7/11 from 11pm to 6 in the morning'')
3.
Pray for a vision of my future spouse.
-Let
me say, I haven't done that yet I have just been praying that God will prepare
me for that.
I
have been giving thanks for my mission it has been great to review and see the
many miracles and the many things I have learned and seen on my mission!
President Richardson, of his own also brought up being involved in high school
education, of his own and I thought that pretty interesting, it has been coming
up more and more. I am still praying about that.
I
found out this week that I don't handle the stress of the unknown very well.
Because of the interviews and all that thinking of the unknown, I got a little
sick to my stomach, at first it was butterflies and nervousness, and then it
became nausea and dread. But as I thought about all of that I
remembered that those kinds of feelings don't come from the Lord and that
Christ has there and that he has done that, it was a lot harder for him to
leave his ministry than it will be and as I thought about how I will
be able to come back and visit all the people again! And now I feel better I
don't really know why I got so stressed out but its all good.
Well
that's most of what happened this week if you have questions please let my secretary
know and I will get back to you!!
Stay Strong, and Push On!!
ELDER
PARQUE
