Christmas Contacting

Well this has been a fun weekend! We had a contact activity on Saturday in the city, It reminded me of when I was working at the visitor center in Mesa because I was standing outside the church and inviting people to hear our message and passing out Book of Mormons. We did it for quite a while and I felt so good! We contacted so many people!, my voice kind of hurt at the end because I was talking so much, it was fun! 

Later that day one of my past investigators got baptized and I got to go to that! I almost cried because I love her so much and I was just so happy to see her take this step; finally, coming closer to Jesus Christ. She has a special place in my heart! 

After the baptism we went to the Crawfords (the senior couple) to go to the christmas party. it was so fun! We had dinner and everything was all decorated and then we had a live nativity scene. Me and zr. Vernes were supposed to sing a duet! I was so nervous! We sang Stars Were Gleaming and it did not sound to bad. I wish I got it on video but I was so nervous I completely forgot! 

The next morning we had church, got to say "vrolijk kerst" to everyone since it was christmas. We got to skype the families and had a classic Suriname dinner. It was a good time! 

Now we are looking forward to this weekend with all the fireworks. Hopefully we can get some sleep. They go crazy here for new years. 

I love being out here on my mission. I feel like every day I am working harder and harder, well trying to, and I am becoming a better person. Yes, I am not perfect but I am trying, and I am trying to do my best and have God help me, because He is the one who will help me change and see any sort of success in my life! 

I love you all so much and I am grateful for this gospel and I am grateful for Jesus Christ! 

Have an amazing last week of the year! 

Lobi,

Zuster Parker

Mini Transfer call

So there were 2 zusters who went home a week early so they could be with their families for Christmas, and so me and zr. Vernes were split up to be with their companions. So for this week, and maybe next transfer maybe not.  I am companions with zr. Baker. She is awesome! Pumped to work, super fun and an awesome girl! She is from Mesa Arizona! Where I served for my Visa waiting! So that is awesome! I already love her. I am also in the other branch now. In Tamenge and in another area;  Kwatta. Apparently in a week we will be moving out of this apartment to a different one because this one is located where it is is not the safest area. So I am living out of a suitcase. Cool experience. 

Me and zr. Vernes were contacting one night and we looked up and saw only 1 star in the whole sky and it was so bright! We immediately thought of the new star for Jesus Christ. It was a sweet moment. 

Another night we were out  contacting and we decided to go caroling. Well people here in Suriname do not know what caroling is; they all rejected our singing... super sad. We did not sound that bad. 

We were at lesson with zr. Salik. and we were talking about the first vision. I could feel the spirit so strong. We were talking about how grateful we were for the question Joseph had, and zr. Salik bore her testimony about it and about how she is now with her husband forever. Because of him; Jospeh Smith. and there was a moment when I was testifying I could feel the spirit so strong, another clarification of how true this church is. I am truly grateful for Joseph Smith and his desire to act and his faith to receive an answer. Now we all have the opportunity to ask if the church, the Book of Mormon, and the prophet are true. I am truly so grateful to be here on a mission I love it and I know this will not only help me in my life but others as well. 

I love you all so much, I am excited for a new year and I am excited to be here during Christmas, and I invite you all to find ways on how to be the light of the world, and share the light to the world! 

Have an amazing christmas! 

Lobi!

Zuster Parker

This rich guy has these out by his house everyone comes to them, the prettiest lights!

Playing with lights!

Sorry, niet zo veel....

Well.. not so much happened this week to be honest. We have an investigator that me and zr. Ashcraft and Zeegelaar found when we were together in April that we are teaching and we have her set to be baptized on the 24th! I am so happy because it is cool to be able to have the chance to teach her almost the whole time from the beginning of her experience and see the change. 

We also have another investigator on date for the 28th of January. He is progressing so well! He is in the end of alma!! He received the Book of Mormon not even a month ago! Crazy cool! He loves the Book of Mormon. He said that it is always drawing him in and calling him. He knows that it is more than just a book. Super cool! 

We found the hugest snail in the world!!! it was about the size of my palm! Zo groot!!! Gek! Maar ja!

I am sorry I do not have a lot to write. We have cool fun plans for Christmas but I will tell more about those next week or when they actually happen. 

I love it here with zr. Vernes and I love this branch. 

There has been a lot of rain...the usual Suriname. I just hope it doesn't rain on Christmas or Christmas eve. 

I love you all and invite you all to draw closer to Jesus Christ this month. Remember to light the world!!! 

Lobi

Zuster Parker

Zuster Vernes and the Giant Snail

Investigator of ours who is almost done with the book of mormon! In less than a month!

This week just flew by! We did something we would never have thought we could in suriname....WE GOT TO SPEAK IN PAPIAMENTU!!!! And they understood us! They are brazilians. Turns out brazilians can understand papiamentu. We were so excited that day! We got to use it twice in a row. We were contacting and came across a brazilian lady, and then right after that another one! We contacted them in papiamentu. They only could speak portuguese and understood us! Really fun! We have been contacting more here,(not as much as in curacao).
The most embarrassing thing/funniest thing happened to me and zr. Vernes. Ok, so it is a new rule for us to wear these neon yellow vests when we are biking at night......I am not the happiest camper about this but you know, obedience. So we get to an appointment and we have our vests and helmets on and we stop at his driveway, say a prayer, and then kloop in and while we are waiting me and sister Vernes are making up christmas songs, the words and the tunes, and we were getting really into it. Well sister Vernes was going and then it was my turn, and I am singing and getting really into it, and I throw my hands out to the sides of me and I am at the high peak of the song and just giving it my all when.....all of a sudden we hear softly "jullie kunnen mooi zingen". and I still have my arms out to the sides and I slowly look behind me at the next door neighbors and a guy was watching the whole thing!!!! He heard us and saw us!!!! We broke out in laughter! Oh man...so embarrassing. Of course we tried to contract him but he was not interested in the message,  more in us...so we did not give him our number but a pamphlet.
I love Suriname! I really do! I have never felt so at one with nature before. In a lesson yesterday night we were sitting and all of a sudden I felt something land on my hand, it was cold and slimy. I instantly thought oh man a bird pooped on me! Then brother Parabeircing started freaking out and I looked it was a cute little gecko! I was not even freaked out or scared I was like oh! Cute! Then br. Parabeircing was shewing him off me, and we all continued with the lesson like nothing. Kinda funny when I look back on it.
A couple days ago we contacted a lady and she totally rejected us. Then yesterday we passed by her house and we waved and she waved and signaled for us to come to her so we did and she apologized for being so rude and how she was not feeling too great at that time but was praying that we would pass by again so she could meet with us! super awesome! It is cool to see how the lord works! I love you all! I hope you are all getting ready for the christmas season!!!!
Lobi!

This is how we have to bike now at night!!

S U R I N A M E

So,  we made it back in Suriname! and I am staying with zr. Vernes as my comp again! I am so happy for that! I love her. We are in Parimaribo North in a new apartment. It is relaly nice. I have been in this area like my whole mission hahaha. It is my 7th transfer in this area and branch. Haha crazy! I love it because I am taking the person who I am (which is better than before) and have become from my time in Curacao and putting it all in this area. I am excited! We are blanking the area, but I now have developed all my contacting skills, so I am prepared for this transfer hah. It was so great to see all the members again. I am happy to be back. Really sad to have left Curacao, but also happy to see familiar faces again. I love these members and me and zr. Vernes are just so pumped to work and meet new people! 

We had to stay in trinidad for 4 or 5 days because our flight got cancelled to Suriname. So we spent Thanksgiving there....and we did not do anything special. We actually forgot it was Thanksgiving till an investigator said oh happy Thanksgiving, and we all were like...oohhhhh yeahh! Todays thanksgiving! Ha totally forgot. But it is ok we were doing the work, that's all that matters.

I love you all!! 

I attached more photos this week! 

I wish you all the best! 

Lobi!!! 

zuster Parker

Below are pictures from my last days in Curacao, a lot of saying goodbye to best friends!

Saying Goodbye to my Curacao compas, our last dat together

Ouch, my blister!!

Saying Goodbye to some awesome members in Curacao

an awesome member who I absolutely love!

An awesome member and his best friend (who is our investigator!)


Me and Sister Taylor eating McKroket!!

EMERGENCY TRANSFERRED AGAIN!

Well I got a call a couple nights ago..and I am going back to Suriname! I have a mix of bitter sweet emotions right now. I am excited to go back to my home country (I like to call it that:) and see the other members and missionaries. But also super sad because I have to say goodbye to all the missionaries and members here! :(. But that is life as a missionary. Constantly saying goodbye. But! you are also constantly saying hello! Meeting new people, so I am grateful for that otherwise it would get pretty sad out here if we were just saying goodbye. I am so grateful to have served here in curacao! I learned so much and I grew sooo much as well! I will miss my companions! They are not only beautiful!!! but amazing missionaries. I knew that I would not have been able to get through this past transfer without them and they have helped me to be a better person and and a better missionary. They have a place in my heart, always! 

We got rejected hard this week. Literally doors slamming in our face and people yelling at us...hahaha but it builds character right? 

Sorry i can not write as much I am in a little bit of a time crunch I have a lot I need to do before I head back to suriname tonight!. 

But I love all your support!!!! 

Top it All Off With a Few Jelly Beans

Well we finished our last week of the transfer, and we got the transfer calls...we are all staying!! Super happy about that! I am grateful because I love these girls! 

Well it was still hard this week. We walked basically around the whole island! I guess it makes for a good leg workout right? You got to get something positive our of it! This transfer we got a whole lot better at contacts, because we filled up all our contact pages we have in the planner, plus put all our contacts on the potential investigators page and the members page. because we ran out of room. Now missionaries know that is a lot! Haha. We even had to add pages to our planners for the contacts..hahaha. I have never had this problem before, at least we know we are talking to everyone.  

A few miracles i would like to talk about: One was that we went to an investigators' place late for our appointment, turns out she was not there but her dad was, and we were able to contact him! Turns out he is interested! He was a huge answer to our prayers! Because our investigator (his daughter), is only 16 and so it is better if you teach the whole family. We had just finished fasting about them! We had gotten a ride from Sister Scott and we showed up at night, and he just gotten there when we did. We pulled up by his house and said a prayer. Well his lights were but when we got up to his house and he turned them off. Once he saw who we were he came out and said how he is from Venezuela, and they normally are on high alert at night so we scared him by coming by at night! So sad but also funny that we scared him. Anyways, he is way cool!! We had a lesson (probably the best how to begin teaching we have ever done), and she cried when she said the closing prayer! So sweet! 

We had a Family Home Evening last week and we had to keep all these jelly beans in our mouths and sister Taylor started to laugh and they all flew out of her mouth! It was like a waterfall of jelly beans! They were everywhere! We all lost it! so funny! 

All in all it was an awesome week! 

I love you all! and all of your support! 

Lobi!

zuster Parker

Muddy streets

My comp getting some puppy love!

Mission tanlines!

Presents from the Smithlines who went to the states

Here they are!

Study time!!

Heavenly Father Works Through Ice Cream

Well I do not like being a Debby Downer at all. One of the things we are focusing on is beging happy, positive and humerous in all situations. Having said that; this transfer has been one of the hardest transfers. We have contacted a lot, a lot a lot, but no one we meet is ready, and willing. It has been a little frustrating, because we are being obedient and diligent, we talk to literally everyone we see, and we are doing the best we can. Sometimes we have to go through hard things because Heavenly Father wills it, and I am 100% ok with that. I am just trying to learn from this situation and I have learned a lot! One thing is how important it is to be positive. It really helps you to endure all things. There is no point in bewing mad or sad because that does not help. It is not productive at all. Being positive is super productive. There have been times, I am not going to lie, where I have not been the best with this. When you jare just drenched in sweat and burnt (my fault for forgetting my sunscreen), and you get rejected, your companion is sick, she gets hit by a motorcycle and has to stay in all week (good thing there is three of us and the other sister was sick so she got to stay with her this week). But let my tell you of a miracle last night; we were just so pooped, big time. It was the last day of a long week and we are at the end of a hard transfer. We went to see a recent convert, who lives in a trailer in the parking lot of this gelato place. Well this car pulls into the gelato place close by to us while we are waiting for Luis, and he says hey.  We are like; hey, how are you! He asked "Are you going to get some ice cream?" (and he is there with his family) and we said well actually we are missionaries..., he interupted and said "I know, but are you allowed to get ice cream?",  and we said well we are actually here for an appointment. and he said "Oh , ok I was going to say I would pay for you if you were going to, are you sure you dont want any?....." we just looked at eachother and giggled and zr. Taylor said we will be right outside of the place, sitting at those tables just so you know ;). and we sat down and waited for Luis. Then later that dad comes out and says: "Once you are done with your thing here you can come in and get your ice cream, I took care of everything!" We almost started crying! So nice of him! He was not a member either! We are bummed we could not contact him due to some situations, but we knew Heavenly Father was blessing us and helping us! I am so gratefull he is mindfull of us! Seriously, a huge blessing. 

Another spiritual moment was with an investigator of ours, her name is Tanya. She is from Holland and she is married and has 3 boys. We were teaching her the restoration and I was testifying to her about our messege at the end and I could feel the spirit so strong my eyes started to tear up, and I knew without a doubt that what I was saying was true, and I could see somehting in her eyes. I could see that she was being touched by the Holy Ghost to, and she might not be able to understand it or what she felt, but I knew. This is the only true church on the earth, and it's doors are open to all who are willing to come in. No matter how much you know I can testify that Heavenly Father will always try to deepen your understanding and testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is His church, and through it we can recieve all the blessing he wants to give us! 

I love you all!! 

Lobi!

Zuster Parker

HOPI CALOR!!

Well I am going to sum up this week by explaining this last Saturday. It was so hot! We got burnt. I held a dying iguana. Only 2 lessons. Rest of the time biking, and finding less active houses and finding that their number of house was skipped or non existent,  found out one of our favorite elders went home due to medical reasons :(. Had to share a short message at the halloween branch party, all in papiamentu..it was interesting.. Tried all our back ups: no one worked out. It was a long list. Took hermana Taylor's bike to the shop which took some time. At the end of the day we were sooooo pooped!!!! On our way home we were all just dead, biking on a street, and the streets here have these little like alleyways that people can go through. So we were on the main road biking, zr. Watson was in front I was a little behind her, and hermana Taylor was behind me. Hermana taylor is singing. I am saying a prayer in my head. Then all of a sudden in front of me a motorcycle comes through the alleyway and runs into hermana Watson!! For a second the motorcycle the bike and the guy and hermana just become one! Then her lifeless body gets flown around. She literally looked lifeless. She hits the ground and her helmet comes off and she got flung into the pole! I had a rush of emotions pass over me! First I thought she was dead. then she immediately got up, and I was confused. Then the guy comes over and sees what happened and I just want to yell at him!!!!! He only speaks spanish and papiamentu and I can't speak either of those languages! But I can understand some. So he is telling us that it is our fault because our lights are not clear enough! NOT TRUE! Because he normally looks for cars is why he didn't stop or see us. I am thinking first we have the right of way he should have stopped it is 100 % his fault. Second he was going way too fast for him to stop even if there would have been a car. 3rd there are people who walk on the street they do not have lights! How does he expect to see them!? I start to yell at him but he doesn't understand me and I am fighting tears  back and then I start crying so I have to try and calm down. The next part we later laughed about. But once I was calm I started to yell at him in the little spanish i know "rapido!!! No bueno! No bueno! and a lot of hand movements! hahha! But he then got on his bike a after a little while and would not give us his info and biked away!!! Oh man I was so mad! But she is fine! Super sore but fine! We made it home safe! 

Love you all that was about my week!! 

lobi! 

Zuster Parker

that was us just getting done with a random dance off between me and zr. taylor

This was the beginning of this transfer and we bought for the whole transfer!

from last transfer we took a member out teaching.

got stuck under the air conditioner!

 it means parker her (well no parking here, but I covered it up )

 our compship.

a member and his two daughters

 investigator Carlos got us juice

Chelsey (member from the US and also our best friend) with local











We are running late to get our dolping kiss!




it was a little hot...that is me sweat...

The district

Branch member at the Branch Halloween party


Chalsea and her husband at the Halloween party

Branch Halloween party and me getting soup

I saw an Iguana at the side of the road



Iguana



Washing the car with a legit watergun



Washed the car and the comp