Elder Parker Reber: Ice cream cart ride

Hello all!

This week was a busy one! We were packed with meetings almost every day so we didn’t have as much time in the area but I still learned a lot myself.

Well I’ll start off with Tuesday. It was the rainiest day I’ve seen on my mission as well as in my life. I can’t really explain over email how funny it was for me. Probably at least 10 times throughout the day I saw things that just made me bust up laughing. The craziest part though was on the way to district meeting. Our little trike driver took a different route because some roads were so flooded then eventually we got to a main road and there was no way he could go any further. It was literally a river! We got out and got up on the sidewalk which was elevated a bit from the rest of the ground around us. We then watched cars come through and the water was higher than their lights.. probably not good for the cars but oh well haha. They literally looked like boats. Since it’s a rule as missionaries to not walk in water like this we paid some sick grandpa guy 40 pesos to get us across the stretch of about 50 yards. He actually sells icecream on a little cart but he had taken off the cooler part and we sat up on the little piece of wood that was pretty high up in the air. He then pushed us through this street and the water went up to his chest haha! As we were just sittin there we watched a motor totally die in the water and kids were swimming in the black water haha. I won’t be forgetting that sweet ride on the icecream cart anytime soon!

Joy received a call from her husband this week! He’s currently working in Saudi. He said that he doesn’t approve of her being baptized because they owe it to their old church because they helped them get married. He also said their family should all be the same religion. The only way he approves of her being baptized is if all the kids do the same. I guess to me that’s pretty understandable if I were him. The problem is though her kids aren’t quite where she is yet as far as knowing the truthfulness of the message. We’re still working with them and will see what happens! We figured out about the call and went running over to their house after MLC. We both felt like we needed to watch the restoration video because they haven’t seen it yet and knew it would give them a clearer view of Joseph’s experience. It was one of the coolest restoration lessons I’ve ever been apart of. After the video we both shared our testimonies of Joseph Smith and the restored gospel here on earth. Our awesome member PC who works with us also bore his testimony and had some cool things to share about his conversion story. We left it up to Joy to pray to know what to do. It’s hard when they know the message is true but random little obstacles keep coming up! I know eventually she’ll overcome them all and join the church, even if there are some sacrifices that may be required. We read how the king said to Aaron in the book of Mormon he was willing to give up his entire kingdom to receive eternal life. We also shared how Lehi left many riches to go dwell in a tent in the wilderness- because he knew what he was doing was commanded by God and was true.

Our awesome Ward Mission Leader Nephi had his first kid this week! Also Julius, the recent convert prepping for his mission, worked with us every day this week. The people here have been such good examples to me. On Thursday nights the wards play basketball at the church and Julius always goes. This week though he knew we needed a third male in our lesson so he decided to work with us instead! Haha that’s after me trying to tell him to just go play basketball for 5 minutes. He’s super cool!

We had an mlc on Wednesday and it was a cool meeting. I still am always amazed at how crazy president is with the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. When he holds his scriptures it’s like he’s holding a sword waiting to strike with some scripture. Every time he goes to open everyone’s just like “oh man.” Haha in the middle of a discussion he opened up to a random page and read, then connected that scripture to lots of others. He’s showing us that every verse is in there for a reason and that doctrine changes behavior. My interest in the scriptures has really grown there is seriously so much to learn. The more we learn the more we understand how to become like the Savior. Knowledge is actually a “Christlike attribute” in preach my gospel which is an attribute I would never pay attention to until now.

One cool thing I learned about setting goals in that meeting is we need to first set the big goal, then set smaller goals after that that will lead us to achieve the main goal. I’ve noticed that I usually try to do too much at once, but by setting better goals I can focus my energy on one thing rather than many. One thing I’ve wondered in my mission though is why I sometimes set goals then try to do all I can to achieve it, then don’t achieve it. I learned that just like we shouldn’t take credit when a goal is achieved, we also shouldn’t take credit when a goal isn’t achieved. President said we shouldn’t worry, this work isn’t our work, it’s His work. In D&C the Lord says many times “counsel me not.” We just need to trust in Him and continue to have faith to see amazing things happen in our lives.

We were able to attend a baptism Saturday for the missionaries we stay with. The kid being baptized was named Christian Nuguit. He’s 23 and has tons of tattoos up to his neck. I had met him on exchanges he’s super cool. One of the speakers was an old guy and he gave the funniest talk! I was in that back laughing- haha. He said “Christian, you were foreordained to join this church! Let’s look at your name. Christian- your name helps you remember to do things that Christ would do. Of course you were foreordained to join His church here on earth. Nuguit. (then he turned to English) Nuiguit in English is “no get.. Satan no get you Christian! Your were foreordained!!” Haha people here are so fun they always speak a little English in formal settings and it’s super good to see what they’ve got up their sleeves. That guy was the man haha! Anyways though seeing a tough guy like Christian in tears after being baptized was a great experience. The spirit was really there that meeting.

I learned Sunday night that Claire and angel were baptized in my last area! I’m super glad to hear they chose to follow Christ’s example. I can’t wait to see them again one day, I saw so much change in them when I was there I can’t imagine what they’re like now! I love being a missionary and I know that the fullness of Christ’s church is restored here on earth. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I encourage you to follow my companion’s counsel that he always has for the other missionaries.. “keep following the word of chastity and law of wisdom and all things will work out.”

Love ya all! :)

Elder reber