Trinidad, Port of Spain Mission 2015-2017: First week in Balona!

          I am in a new branch, new comp, and new area, and it is great!! Saying goodbye to some of the people was not fun, kinda sad, but hopefully I will see them around. Brother Simon the old man that I have talked about (You will see photos of him), well I told him I was leaving and in the closing prayer when he was blessing me he said "me is sawwy to see zister leave, and then he paused and his next words you could hear he was crying a little bit! He said how I walk with God and how he is sad to see me go and he will miss me...I got teary eyed, the sweetest prayer anyone could give me, and it is also because it came from him. I love him so much!!
           Now I am here in Balona with zuster Wood! Balona is struggling with progression, but me and zuster wood are super pumped and motivated. We want to make this area ten thousands times better than it is by the end of this transfer. We want it to be the area every sister wants to be in rather than the one they dread to be in. it is going to require a lot of work, but we can do it. I am excited to work with her because she is a great missionary and she will help me become a way better teacher! I am already learning so much and it is only the first week!
          Found out I am going to Trinidad for a couple of days for the Suriname visa things (don't worry mom they have it all under control, this is normal here). Maybe I will be able to have district meeting there! That would be super cool! Also, apparently all the sister in the mission think Suriname sisters are legends!! Haha, which is way cool! They all want to come to Suriname. Pretty funny right!?
          Looking back on how much I have changed, it is only because of my will to change, that I am here on my mission, and through the savior. I am so grateful for everything He has done for me. I have been studying the atonement everyday in personal study this month and I had this experience whith this Muslim who we met while riding our bikes on one of the streets. I asked him if he needed help (he was doing some yard work outside his house). He said no but he was super nice and we started talking to him. He later invited us inside and he has a wife and a cute dog and a nice house. Well long story short, he is Muslim and read a verse from the bijbel that the JWs gave him. it was John 14:6. and he said that Jesus sounded arrogant, ik, ik, ik. In the Koran it never says ik, it always says we. He was talking bad about Jesus, and it hurt. But not how it used to before my mission. It hurt like some one picking on your younger sister and you just want to defend them, that is when I knew how much of a stronger relationship I have with Him, and I am so grateful for that. I know it is because I have come out here on my mission.

I love the savior and all he has done for us so we can reach our full potential. love each and everyone of you!!
Lobie zuster parker