To start you need to have the desire.

So this week was a little struggle but not too bad. One of those weeks where it now feels like it went by so fast but looking back also sooooo slow! So I want to start out by sharing a really weird and crazy experience this week. There is a guy who works at Chois (the grocery store we go to), and he always talks to us, and he is obviously into us. One day when we were outside the store putting our groceries on our bikes and sister Ashcraft tells me that he wants my attention and I look and see him behind the glass in the store, and he drew a heart with his finger on the glass and did the call me sign. oh man....hahahah well now with that background info; We went to our appointment with Rhanda and her friend who lives upstairs Urideca. (which is kinda by Chois) and we are right by her house and we see a fight, and we stop...we see it is a boy about 20, and he is getting beat up by our investigator! who is 15! We were like uhhhh what do we do and then I see to our left in the field a guy running towards us and I knew exactly who it was...the Chois guy! and I tell sister Ashcraft oh my gosh look who is coming on your left, and we start talking to him. Turns out he lives in the building by the field there...... it was all just crazy haha all at once! Pretty funny!
Now for the spiritual part. This week we had a couple of amazing lessons with Rhanda and Lawrence. Rhanda is the one who loves the book of Mormon. They set a date to get married! September 5th! We were so excited, and they will be baptized that Saturday on the 10th! it was amazing! And another one of our investigators Serkan, who is from Turkey, who had no relationship with God, and never has thought about religion and all that in a VERY long time. Well he now has a desire to get married in the temple and have a gospel centered life. And he knows that the blessings of the gospel on the members, is because Heavenly Father blesses those who follow his son Jesus Christ. and he still has a long ways to go, but he has such a strong desire to come closer now because he realized how much he missed that in his life. we are focusing on his relationship with god and him feeling comfortable with praying. because he new does and said that that is something hard for him to kneel because he has never knelt for anyone in his life, but he is getting closer and closer. I am so grateful for these experiences!!! I love being a missionary! and I am grateful for all of your support and love! and your example for the savior!
Lobie!
Zuster Parker

When things don't work out your way, they work out in His way!

Hello!!! So this week has just been a little struggle with lessons falling through. But we had a amazing experience. One of the days, I think Thursday, a lesson fell through. By this time all week we have been dealing with half of our lessons falling through everyday, or more than half. I know for some people reading this that might be a good day for you, but it was just different than what we have been used too these past couple months in this area. So Thursday we were calling everyone in our area (it felt like, we probably did), trying to figure out where we should go. We even contacted this girl that walked by and she was busy so we could not have a lesson with her right then and there. Then we came across zr. Salijo (an active member) and we called to see if we could see her. She said yes! So we went. We had a lesson on the Book of Mormon and how it is the thing that you can turn to any time, and all the time, also how important it is in the church and our testimonies. After the lesson she gave us saoto soup....my favorite food here. We were starving so that was an answer to our prayers. Well,  the next day her mother in law died, and she has been living with them for the past 10 years or so, bed bound and just miserable, and zr. Salijo has been helping taking care of her. so she got close to her. When she died that Friday zr. Salijo was super sad. When we saw her Sunday she told us how her step mom died the next day after we came, and how she knew we were sent to her by God because she needed that extra strength to get through this, and how she was so grateful for us. We had no idea that our last option on our backups that day would end up being the first plan for our Heavenly Father. It was a blessing that Heavenly Father trusts us that much to help him comfort and strengthen his children. I am beyond grateful for this chance to be here and constantly be led by the Holy Ghost to do His work, and  His way, even if it messes up my way. I'd rather take His than mine anyways.
So funny story: It was poring and we were just soo cold, and soaked and no one wanted to talk to us and we had 15 to 20 min before our next lesson which was just right there. We wanted to get some hot chocolate but we did not know where we could around here. we knew of one place that might, called souposo. So we go and there are 2 female waitresses standing outside. We ask if they do and they said only coffee. We asked if they knew of a place close by but they didn't really, or they were trying to explain but we didn't know any of the streets they were saying. Then they went and brought Roel out, and Roel was the waiter we had last time we were there and we contacted him and he came to church! He is not in our area so we can't teach him but we know him, we're friends now. So he came out and we are talking to him and he said hmm hot chocolate...I can make some! We are like "are you sure?",  he said "Yeah! I can figure it out, you should just come here". So we are like alright! and he made some (I do not know how) and it was good! It was not on the menu but we got connections ;) It was funny! He is probably the only person in Suriname who understands customer service! I hope all of you have an amazing and spiritual week!!!
Lobie!
Zuster Parker

Baptism

We have this amazing investigator of ours, Rhanda. I may or may not have talked about her. She is from Guyana not married but has the cutest 2 kids. Well she is perfect! We had a lesson with her and her man, Lawrence. We were talking about the plan of salvation, and Lawrence was talking about how he wants to be better. The cool thing about Lawrence is he has a desire, but the bad thing is he has not been doing much about that desire, and he is holding Rhanda back. In the lesson we were answering Lawrence's questions about how you can change through the atonement, and guess what Rhanda did!? She was looking for a scripture she had already read before and marked that applied to what we were talking about and asked if she could share it, and then went off on the gospel (all what she was saying was correct) and said, everything of what she said and what she had learned (while hugging the book of Mormon) is because of this little book. We just wanted to just cry we were so happy! And Lawrence said in the lesson "all she does is read that book, it does not matter when or what movie we are watching, she is reading, and I noticed her reading so much and thought my "wife" is changing, I better start reading!" That is what the book of Mormon does! It helps you change. Why? because it has the full gospel of Jesus Christ. It helps you understand Jesus Christ and his atonement more than anything else. And the atonement is the only way you can really change and come closer to god. the book of Mormon is the key, and it is so true! I can testify that the book of Mormon is the only book on the earth that has the most truth in it. It is the most truthful book. And the only book that can bring you the closest to god! I love you all and invite you to read out of the book of Mormon everyday,
Liefs,
Zuster Parker

Joey's Baptism! I am so proud of him!

Joey and Remi (The one who baptized him)

Enjoying one of the Surinaamse leuke eetplaatsen!

Service!

Bachra Chain!

What all dogs here are like!

Everyone here has a hammock.

Be a Light To Others

We had an awesome experience this week.We met with this new investigator, Serkan from Turkey. We have seen him around in Joshe's apartment complex where we go to teach him. He is Muslim and when we first met him he talked to us(super nice guy) and was trying to convert us to his religion (as a joke). We asked if we could come by him and he rejected us. But we see him  around the building when we go there, and we always have nice short conversations. We became friends with him. Then he saw us while we were waiting for Josh to come out and we started to talk to him, and he said,"when are you going to come by me?" So we see how if we continue to fellowship people their hearts will be softened. Then in our lesson he said"You are probably wondering why I am chasing you down. I am not to into religion, but I like your positivity, I feel recharged whenever I see you (that is because he feels the spirit, that is what he is describing, and his soul is lacking that until he talks to us). There is something different about you two." we had a pretty good lesson, a lot better than we thought. He was able to open up to us. I know he will not be converted fast, but I have a feeling that after a while he will. Some time in his life. Because this is not the first time he has had contact with the church. You can learn here that what he was talking about was the light of Christ. He sees the light that we have, and that is something that stands out to him. I am so grateful that I have come out on a mission so Heavenly Father can shape me and help me grow so I can consume this light to be a light to others, to draw them closer to our Savior.
Some other cool things he said were that, "In your religion everyone is a member." I loved how he can see that!!! So great job everyone! Keep it up! Also this was funny; when we were walking up he said, "You do this for 18 months?! No vacation?! You already got your ticket into heaven! Take me with you!", and he kept calling us angels! Hah, he is cool. I am so excited for this coming Saturday! Josh is going to be baptized! and Joey too!!!! We are so grateful to have the chance to teach them!! I love you all sorry my email last week was so short!
Lobie!
Zuster Parker