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

Aio!

I do not have a lot lot of time because the computer is soooo slow. But just wanted to let you know I am doing great. The trip to the islands....I will tell you about next week, because that was the craziest thing. Oh my .. but I love you all and the work I am a part of here. 

Aio (that means bye in Papiamento)! 

zuster parker

The Crawfords!

The Egberts!

    So this week was amazing (everyweek is). First; exciting news, I am going to Aruba and Curacao for 2 days! Me and Zr. Vernez have to leave the country for visa things and come back. But for those who are reading this and are confused; my mission has 6 countries in it, and 5 are islands. I am serving in Suriname, in South America (but is still considered apart of the Caribbean), we have the ABC islands, and Trinidad and Tobago islands, and then a country in South America called Guyana.   Me and sister Vernes are so excited to go and meet the other missionaries that we would have never meet!
    Fun thing president Egbert and sister Egbert came teaching with me and my comp zr. Ashcraft, and it was really nerve-racking at first. I mean the president of the mission is going to see you live in action teaching! But it turned out amazing! I love them. This week we had the Egberts with us, and we had an amazing zone meeting with them, and helpful interviews with president. Also in our zone meeting we talked about God, and how important it is to understand who he is, and his relationship with us to be strong. It was so spiritual, and how we need to have our members, investigators, and rcla's understand who He is. Because if you do not understand who He is, you do not understand who Jesus Christ is, that Joseph Smith saw them both, that he translated the book of Mormon, and that this is the true church on earth today. Sometimes we focus too much on the other things, and briefly go over what we think everybody should know and understand already, but we need to start there; the core. Because it is from there that we can then strengthen everything else. I know this to be true. Every lesson that I have done about god, I have learned something knew. I have grown so much closer to God, even though I am the teacher. Those lessons are the most spiritual.
     I invite everyone to get to know our Heavenly Father better, because he knows you.
I love this church. I know it is the restored church on the earth today, that this is Jesus Christ's church, and our Heavenly Father provided us with this church so we can return back to him in the highest of glory!

I love you all and I love this mission.
Lobie Zuster Parker

Just your average Suriname sky!

Same here, after a long day it is nice to see some beauty!

Rain, rain and more rain!

    This week, so much rain! Haha. I know we are in rainy season, but it is crazy how fast the streets get flooded. It is gross also! Today on our way over to the cyber, the canal dingen (which is just filled with gross water all the time) was overflowing onto the street.....it was soooooo gross!!!! We had to bike through it! Definitely washing my feet when I go home! and legs! Haha. The main things I do not like about biking in the flooded streets are:
1. The water is nasty, we always see people(guys) pee on the side of the road, like everyday..
2. SNAKES!
3. You can not see through the water, and the roads are terrible, so next thing you know you ran through a pot hole and you are like half way in!.
      But you know, I still love it! I love the adventures like this here. Where else am I going to say I have done these things?! Also the comments people say while we are biking! The best! On our way here one guy was telling me,"Bruintje! Je bent en bruintje!" Haha so I guess that is better than bakra! (that means white person).
    Also last night there was a crazy storm! Loud thunder and crazy lighting! It was close to our house, it took out some of the power in some of the missionaries apartments (luckily not us). Then also we have been hearing that we are in a hurricane... or one is coming, but I really do not believe that! hah they always say things, they say oh it is rainy season now, and then the next person says oh this is not the long rainy season, in December it is,(but it is actually now) and they say oh rainy season is over, and the other says it will go till August... hahah so I just do not ask anymore.
    Sister Zeegelaar leaves tomorrow to go to her own mission in Utah! I am so sad! She is amazing, but Utah needs her. I can not wait to see her in Utah though!
    The work is going great! We are so busy!!! it is awesome! we always have someone to see, almost tooo many! But we are happy! I hope I can stay here for a long time, I love my area!
Love you all!
Have an amazing week!

Probably my favorite baby in Suriname, we are teaching her family, her mom is the perfect investigator, i love her!

 

Me and zr. Zeegelaar. found the cutest place in Suriname!

 

 

 

 

Me and Zuster Ashcraft

So Busy!!

    So this week felt like a year and also a day! We were so busy! We finally got the hang of this 2 area thing, and the lord is blessing us! The Rainville area is prospering! We have been getting so many lessons, The problem for us is that we do not have enough time to fit everyone in in the day! Or the week! We have more people than we have time for, but that is also a good thing, better than the opposite right? The investigators are progressing, and the ones that were not and we were not seeing were being humbled, and are prepared! We are meeting way cool people!
    So, story; On Sunday we went to a potential investigator that we met in church. a member from the Temenge branch invited her and she is really sick, she is in a wheel chair, she got a priesthood blessing and she said she felt a lot better after! So we saw them that night! First of all she came to the church with her mom sister in law and brother. So when we got there, and oh man......the whole house sat with us! We were teaching 7 people all at once! I felt so intimidated! Everything I knew just left my mind! How to teach, all of it! I was like oh man they are all looking at us, and they were, and they were all intensively listening. Sooooo scary! But then I was thinking about faith and trust; I am a missionary, I have been called to do this work, Heavenly Father will bless me with what to say, I just need to have faith and open my mouth, and so that is what I did. Once I did that I was no longer scared or nervous, it just felt natural, and I know my companions were feeling the same, we talked about it afterwards. Haha we had to take a minute and stop before our next appointment, a little overwhelming. Haha and they were saying that they are going to come to church every Sunday! Haha, that was a good day! We were asking ourselves, why are we being blessed? Haha we still have no idea, but we are thanking God everyday! One thing we also noticed, the really prepared people we are teaching are referrals from the most strong members. They are so strong in the gospel, and because of their light, others want to find the source (the book of Mormon). I am so grateful for them!! I am grateful to be a missionary in Suriname!

I love you all!!

Bishizards house! We go there to teach them every Sunday after Church, they feed us lunch. They are members, Jordan served his mission in the Netherlands, he is the one holding the camera.

This is what happens after they feed us..

Fourth of July

Fourth of July

Fourth of July

Fourth of July

Fourth of July