Newsletter Week 57

Hey y'all! Another great week here in good old Texas(:
This week we had a thanksgiving activity for the ward and it went so
well! We had 12 investigators come and many less actives! It was
really fun:)
This week we also got to go to an elementary school and teach dental
health to 2nd graders. They are so cute, and it made me super excited
to be a teacher(:
We also helped one of the part member families in the ward with her
baby shower. We got put in charge of making Panes con Pollo, they were
super delicious and it was really fun(:
I am super duper excited for thanksgiving this week! There is a
scripture that I think is great for the occasion. It is in alma 34:38
"....worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in
truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies
and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."
Well things are going great here, I hope you all have a great
thanksgiving day with your families. We are such a very blessed
people(: I am very grateful for y'all and all you do for me! I
wouldn't be here without you(: Les quiero muchísimo! 💕❤️💕

Newsletter Week 56

Hey y'all! We have pday today because yesterday Elder Packer
(president packers son) toured our mission. It was great! I learned
various things.

"To be grateful is an acquired trait, you train yourself to be a
grateful person."

"The spirit can cover a lot of weaknesses and mistakes"

He also counseled us on marriage and love.. Which was a little
awkward, but I am grateful nonetheless. He said something that really
stuck out to me. He said:

"Real love expects the people they love to BE THEIR VERY BEST!"

I was thinking about that and how that is not what the world teaches
at all. The world tells you that those who love you accept you how
you are. He then compared it to the Savior, who loves us more than
anyone. And what does he say? He says "Be ye therefore perfect.."

True love pushes the other person to be better, and should "expect and
accept correction"

I just wanted to share that with you because I really liked it:) so
please give me all the correction you can:)

But anyhow.. This week has been GREAT! Gloria got baptized Saturday
morning, and then Julio got baptized Saturday night:) the Lord has
been blessing us so much. I feel so blessed to see first hand how the
Lord is preparing his people.

And just one little miracle I wanted to share. So last night we went
to an appointment with an investigator we are trying to help progress
towards baptism. And he stood us up.. So we were like.. Darn it! But
we both felt really strong to go contacting in the apartment complex.
And my comp was like choose a number between 1-15.. And I chose 11 (my
fav number). So we went and contacted that complex and nearly EVERY
DOOR let us in! We ended up getting 6 new investigators. It was such a
blessing!

I love you all! I am so grateful to out here on my mission! Hope y'all
have a great week(:








Hermana Parslow

Newsletter Week 55

Hey yall! So I got transferred! I don't know if yall remember how I
told ya that Louetta (the ward I was serving in) got split? Well I got
transferred the the new ward that they made. Called Jersey Village..
So that's great:) I get to stay with the same ward members I've been
with for the past 6 months:)

My new companion is Hermana Sumsion. She is super awesome I love
working with her! Haha she is always full of energy, it's great. And
she goes home in December.. So in missionary terms I'm (killing her
off).

The work is going great here! We are working with Julio, and he is
getting baptized on the 14 of this month! And also Gloria who I was
teaching in Louetta is getting baptized on Saturday. So I get to go
back for her baptism:) yay!

And this week we were teaching Suamy, (he had been coming to English
class but is super ready for this gospel) the Plan of Salvation and
extended a baptismal date of Nov. 28 and he accepted! He is so
prepared! He was like "yes! What do I have to do?" I am amazed how the
Lord prepares his children to accept the Gospel.

This week we had Regional Conference which was super awesome. Here are
some of my favorite parts:

Lynn G. Robins talked a lot about how when we simplify our lives we
are happier and healthier. He encouraged us to lower the number of
credit cards we are using, get rid of the clothes in your closet you
don't use and stop worrying/over using social media. He told us
something my sweet mom has always told me growing up that I love.. He
said it In Spanish.. So the translation won't be perfect but the idea
was along the lines of: when you have tons of things, you stop being
able to be the owner of them, and they start being the owner of you.

Elder Dallin H Oaks taught us the four first questions we should ask
ourselves to know if the gospel is true. He said they should be:
1. Does God exist?
2. Is Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer?
3. Was Joseph Smith a true prophet?
4. Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints the kingdom of
God here on the Earth?
Any other questions we have can all be resolved if we know the answer
of these 4 questions.

He also gave us four tips about how to help less active members return
to activity:
1. Be their friend
2. Listen to their problems
3. Show them Gods love
4. Give them the confidence they can change.


I heard this quote this week that I really loved:
"Everything people do is either an act of love or a cry for love."



Hermana Parslow

Newsletter Week 54

Hey yall!
I cannot believe the transfer is already over! I am leaving sweet Louetta.
The past 6 months here have gone by so fast! But it has been great:)
Oh and hey the new investigators we found out in the rain last week are progressing super well! We are super excited for them:) I am way sad to leave sis bowman.. I am going to miss her so much! She is a great missionary:)


Well this week went by pretty good. We had the Noche de Hispanidad and all the ward members decorated a table and brought food from their country! It was super sweet. And then they did like a talent show type thing.. And we did this weird dance thing.. Haha it was pretty funny.


So I found a new favorite scripture this week! It is in Alma 5: 26 and it says
"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"


I know as members of the church many of us have received powerful spiritual experiences testifying to our spirits that the gospel is true. And those moments changed our lives. But sometimes as time goes on, many of us face challenges and experience struggles that may dim our shining light if we are not careful. And we begin to stop feeling of the redeeming love of the gospel.


I know that we can all feel it again, the gospel is real and brings so much joy into our lives. It will require effort on our part. As I have been trying to apply this scripture into my life this week it has really opened my eyes.. So many things I find myself doing merely out of routine... As I stopped to ask myself the question Alma asked to his people it helps me a lot.. "Can I still feel so now?" Can I still feel the the importance behind the sacrament? Can I still feel the joy in knowing I am in the restored church? And if so what am I doing because of it?


I don't know if it will help any of yall.. But It really helped me:) I love you guys! I know the gospel is true:)

Newsletter Week 53

Hey! I hope yall had a really good week!
This week was a real wet one for us this week.. It rained, rained and
then rained some more! Sister Bowman and I are trying to build back up
our investigator pool and so we had no choice to go out tracting in
the pouring rain. So we bundled up in our rain coats and got to work!
Well about 10 minutes in our raincoats were soaked through and we were
just freezing! We were hoping to possibly pull on the heartstrings of
some of the loving people of good old Houston, Texas.. By having two
young girls soaking wet and shivering cold knocking on their door and
asking to share a message about Jesus Christ.. We thought for sure
some would let us in.
Well that didn't seem to be the situation. We knocked and knocked and
knocked.. And they all turned us away.. Some would just yell through
the door that they aren't interested.. Some opened the door looked at
us sadly.. But then turned us away.
We were feeling very wet, cold and discouraged. After knocking for
over 2 hours with no success we were pretty much ready to give up.
We decided to say a prayer and felt like we should just knock this
last row.. About 12 more doors... Well the first 4 still gave no
rewards.. But the fifth door this sweet looking Hispanic women opened
the door. I explained that we were missionaries sharing a message
about Jesus Christ and nearly begged her to let us in! And she did! We
were able to share much of the Restoration with her and her friend and
are going back this Tuesday!
We are so excited to be able to start teaching them. I know that the
Lord answers our prayers.. Not always in the timing we want.. But
often after we have a trail of faith.. The fruit seems so much
sweeter. I love the mission so much and I am so grateful for the
opportunity I have to try and share it with others.
If you are going through a hard time, remember sometimes it takes 2.5
hours of trudging through the rain before the sunshine comes. God is
aware of our circumstances. He loves us and watches out for us. Have a
great week!


Hermana Parslow