A Little High School Football

The emailing worked great this week and it was so good to hear that Elder Parkinson is still loving his time in the service of our God.  Transfers are next week, so Jordan wanted to make sure I tell everyone to send letters to the mission home instead of his apartment address for the next couple of weeks.  Letters are very precious to him and he wants to make sure he doesn't lose a single one.

Elder Parkinson:  Hey mom.  Everything here in Van Nuys is great!  Transfers are next Monday and the library is going to be closed that day, so I won't be able to tell you where I end up until Tuesday.  I think I am going to be leaving Van Nuys though.  Mart is still doing great.  She is a wonderful lady.  It is starting to cool down a little bit out here and I am happy about that because I already don't like wearing a shirt and tie and then when you throw in heat to that it is even worse, haha.  That is crazy that you sold the house.  I hope that you can get the new house built fast so that you don't have to be in a rental for very long.  This week was alright.  I got a little sick on Friday night and Saturday, but I still worked hard.  We played basketball again today and I can still get up and throw it down, haha.  I haven't gained anymore weight.  I am staying at 245 for now.  I did get your package and will you tell people to just send letters to the mission office so they don't get lost while I am in transition?  I love you so much!

Mom:  I am so excited to find out what happens with transfers.  That will be my birthday present.(Jordan asked what he could send me for my birthday next week.)  I'm sorry to hear that you weren't feeling well.  Was it an upset stomach?  I will make sure to let everyone know to send things to the mission office for the next couple of weeks.  Are you still doing well?  Anything you need?  Will you get to take your bike with you if you transfer?

Elder Parkinson:  Haha, okay that will be your present.  So when I was sick, it was just everything.  I didn't feel good at all, but oh well.  Yes, I will take my bike with me if I go.  I am doing great and I don't need anything right now because I might get transferred and that is just more to pack, haha.  I am so happy out here and I have made so many amazing friends out here already.  I did have the chance to watch some high school football on Friday night though.  Elder Thacker and I had to go buy some potatoes and on the way back we stopped and watched a little bit of the game.

Mom:  Are you feeling better now?  I am so glad that you got to watch a little football.  Did it make you miss it?  I think those friends that you make on your mission will be your friends for life!  I am so happy that you are surrounded by amazing people :)  I forgot to tell you that BHS beat Mountain View on Friday and they play Logan this week.

Elder Parkinson:  Watching the game did make me miss it a little, but I am okay.  Yes, they are going to be my friends forever.  They are such good guys.  I feel a lot better now, so I think the sickness is gone.  That is great about BHS.  I hope that they keep on winning.  Also, tell Rylito to write me!  Oh, and will you tell the Seljaas' thanks?

Mom:  Did Rylito not write you yet?  I told him to and he said that he would for sure.  Any fun plans for the rest of your p-day?  How are you liking the new mission president?

Elder Parkinson:  Haha, no, he hasn't written me yet but it's okay.  The mission president is a real cool guy and I love him.  He is very spiritual.  I don't really have anything fun planned, but we do have 2 appointments scheduled for tonight.  I think that we are about to leave, so I love you so much and hope that I can let you know where I am going as soon as possible.  Well, love you and I hope that you have the best week ever.

Mom:  Mi hijo, I love you more than you will ever know.

Elder Gomm. Another One of Those "Friends for Life"

All Is Well In Sunny California

This Picture Is Taken At A Place Called "The Rock" On Pday

Elder Parkinson hit his 7 month mark on Saturday.  He says that time is flying by and he just loves serving a mission.  His happiness is what gets me through and helps to me realize that I am so grateful he has this opportunity to serve such amazing people.

Elder Parkinson:  Hey mom.  The baptism went great yesterday.  Elder Gomm baptized her.  She is so cool and every time that we visit her, she gives us something to bring home.  She has a very strong testimony and will be a good member of the church.  Tell Austin to not get discouraged about football, just keep working hard and everything will work out.  I love the mission and I am doing great!  I hope that Trevor is fine and it is just a small injury.  Tell Tanner (my son) to write me!  I am doing so good out here.  Transfers are in 2 weeks, so we will see what happens with that.  Those pictures that I sent you were taken at a place called "The Rock."  It is way cool!  I have no idea what we are going to do today for the rest of Pday, but we did play basketball this morning.  It was fun.  One of the member kids that is waiting to go to college came to play with us.  He is so cool and a good bball player too, haha.  I am loving it here and hopefully the emailing works a little better today.

Mom:  That is wonderful to hear about the baptism.  I am so happy that you have found someone else who gets to have this amazing gospel as a part of their life now.  What a blessing.  I have some bad news to tell you about Trevor.  He did tear his ACL and will probably be out for 6-9 months.  It is sad. I got your package with all of your letters to save.  Did you mean to send home all of your stamps?  Is there anything that you need? Bread, $, etc???  You are so amazing and such an inspiration to us all.  I am glad that you are happy and doing well.  That brings a smile to my face :)  Dixie started classes today.  I will send you a roster to see who you still know down there.  It didn't look like AJ was back.

Elder Parkinson:  Oh no!  I don't like to hear that about Trevor.  I am not too happy about that stupid O lineman!  No, I didn't mean to send the stamps home.  Will you send those back out?  Yes, I need some more bread and a little more money, but other than that I am great.  Yeah, AJ left on a mission I believe.  I think he will get back right in the middle of spring ball.

Mom:  Injuries are hard.  Just make sure you don't come home as an O lineman (wink, wink).  Did ----- email you?

Elder Parkinson:  Yeah, he did and I love getting them from him because then I know he is okay.  So how is the house stuff coming?

Mom:  The house stuff is going well.  It is a very long process.  We are meeting with an architect tomorrow to start the house plans.  He said it will take 4-6 weeks just to get the plans done.  I think we will be lucky if we get the foundation poured before it gets too cold.  We will probably have to wait until the spring to get started, but that's okay.  Dad was looking at trading in the boat.  I told him that he better wait for you to get home and put in your input ;)  So, any new investigators?  Good stories?  We found a place in Salt Lake that makes pupusas and we went and tried them on Saturday.  We can't wait until you can make them for us :)

Elder Parkinson:  Well, I hope you can get the foundation laid soon.  We are still trying to find new investigators and um, besides the baptism, no new stories.  I hope that dad can get the boat sold, so we can have a new one when I get back, haha.  It is crazy how fast time flies out here on the mission.

Mom:  I know! I can't believe you are already at 7 months.  I love you soooo much and just want you to know how special you are to me and our family.  I hope you have an amazing week!

Elder Parkinson:  Thank you so much.  Voy a compatir mi testimony contigo que yo se que este iglesia es la iglesia de Dios y sin Dios no somos nada no podemos hacer nada sin el yo se que podemos viver juntos como una familia para siempre te amo.

Mom:  Thank you for that.  I love you sweetheart.

 Companions, Gomm and Parkinson,  Posing At "The Rock"

The Planking Elder

I Love the Latino Food and People

I think I have to accept the fact that from now on this emailing thing is going to be a little difficult.  For some reason, the connection at whatever library Jordan's at is very slow.  I have had emails coming through randomly that he wrote several hours ago.  At least I know that he is doing well and loving everything about his mission.  I am glad that he is to the point that his correspondence is getting less and less.  This means his focus on the work is getting more and more.

Elder Parkinson:  Buenas tardes.  Hola este semana fue bien y si tenemos un bautismo este domingo.  Ella esta lista para ser bautizada in la iglesia verdadera, haha.  Well, I will write in English now so that you can understand the rest of my email.  Yes, I am doing great and I love it out here.  Today we didn't play sports but we are going to some cool places after emailing.  Everything fits me well still and my contacts are good.  My weight is about 245, haha.  I am getting fat now, but the members feed us very well and I love the latino food.  So I actually have a pretty good story for you today.  My companion and I were going to an appointment and they weren't home, so we went to try to contact a potential investigator and they weren't there either, so we decided to pray and ask where we should knock.  We asked twice and we felt the Lord telling us no to the places that we chose.  So we prayed again and even before we could say a work this guy walked out and asked us to come up to his apartment because he wanted to talk to us.  One problem was that he was english speaking and we are usually just supposed to refer them to the english elders, but we decided to go.  He took us up to his apartment and there were two other roommates and they brought us up there to solve their fight about not having to do  good works to be saved because we are saved by grace alone.  They also said that Jesus only died for the people that believe in him and no one else.  It was pretty funny, haha, but then we got done and I was pretty mad because they wouldn't change their minds at all.  The nice thing about this gospel is that it makes so much sense.  I love you and I hope that you are all doing well.

Mom:  Haha, well I guess your spanish is going well :)  I am excited that you have another person who wants to be baptized and enjoy the blessings of this wonderful gospel.  Also, thank you for sharing that story with me.  Maybe you just needed to be there to lay the foundation for those people and somewhere down the road they will change their minds.  So I think you are going to have to start running or something so that you don't come home at 300 lbs :)

Elder Parkinson:  Hey, this connection is being really slow again.  I love you so much and hope that you have a great week.  I hope that eventually you will get these emails, haha.  Also, tell Rylee to write to me.  I really want to hear from him.  Also, tell Abbey Wilson that I am impressed that she understood my letter that I wrote in mostly spanish, especially with my bad handwriting.  Tell her I can't wait to get one back from here also written in Spanish, haha.

Mom:  I will make sure to pass along your messages.  So did you say that the lady who is getting baptized this Sunday is Lisa?  Are you going to be the one to baptize her?  I am so glad to hear that all is going well for you and you are happy.  Keep working hard and know that we love you SOOOO much!!!

Elder Parkinson:  Um, her name is Mart and she is legit.  I don't know who is baptizing, but I think I am.  I am going to leave now.  I love you so much too!!!

These are pupusas.  Elder Parkinson knows how to make these and I got to try to them while we were in California.  They are SO yummy!  I think this is just some of the latino goodness that is making my Jordan fat :)

I've Got Your Back

The emailing was a little rough with Elder Parkinson today.  His emails took 45 minutes to go through, so I was not able to email back and forth with him very well.  Nevertheless, he sounds amazing and is so happy to be serving a mission.  His happiness makes me know that he is exactly where he needs to be right now in his life.

Elder Parkinson:  Hey mom.  The work is starting to pick up a lot and we just got a new baptismal date set for 2 weeks from yesterday.  She was a golden referral.  I am doing great and don't really need anything at all.  Everything with the situation from last time is fine and all is good.  I learned a lesson and now I just have to put it behind me.  I love my life here.  I am excited that football is starting for everyone.  I think that new rule of not being able to have consecutive 2-a-days in full pads is stupid.  Those younger kids just keep getting luckier and luckier every year.  I don't know how I managed the heat down at Dixie either, but I am excited to go back again when my time here is done.  I love this work so much.  My testimony has grown a lot out here and I have made many good friends that have my back and I have theirs.  Um, I love you so much.  I got the chicken and the pictures - thank you so much for those.

Elder Parkinson:  Hey I might get kicked off the computer any second now just to let you know.  There is a class here for all the old people that don't know how to use the computer.  It's kinda funny, haha.

Elder Parkinson:  U there?

Elder Parkinson:  Tell Kilpack to write me back and tell me about him losing so much weight, haha.  Um, I guess the emailing is not working too well today, but I love you so much and am so happy to be your son.  I love to represent the last name Parkinson.

Elder Parkinson:  Well mom, I love you so much.  Sorry about this emailing.  Maybe next week we will have better luck.  Keep on going strong.  I love you so much.

Mom:  Oh my gosh, these emails just now came through.  Are you still there?  I love you!!!!

Elder Parkinson:  Hahaha, that is just our luck, huh!

Mom:  I know!  I hope that you are still on for awhile.  How is your P-day going?  Have you played soccer today ;)  I am so glad to hear that things are going well and the work is picking up.  I will for sure tell Kilpack to write to you.  Thank you for being such a great example and and such a fine, young man.  I am so proud of you for always just being the person who you are and following your heart.  I hope your week goes well and that you know how much we all love you!

Elder Parkinson:  Thanks.  I have to leave now.  I love you so much and hope you have a great week.

Elders Becoming Good Friends