Elder Gigante

Family and friends:

This last week has been eventful to say the least and has been great as wel!. So after 10 days of straight rain, we finally got sun. That was GREAT to see! The rain wouldn’t be so bad if it were not for our house flooding. That is no fun. We had to move everything around. It flooded our kitchen all the way back to our study room. But they are fixing our house today, so I am excited. The rain here is a lot worse than back home, that is for sure. When it wants to rain, it rains. I found out the hard way that missionaries work in all kinds of weather - does not matter what is going on around you. But that is ok -- just fun things to talk about. Also they closed all the schools here because of the swine flu. We had inspections and interviews with the mission president this week. That was fun with our house flooded. But the interview was great. Plus I got letters -- that was amazing! Hmmm…where are everyone else’s letters. That is not acceptable!

So I have a new name here. The kids like to call me Elder Gigante (Giant). That is great! All the families that feed us here talk about how they love how much I eat. They say most Americans don’t eat. But I sure do and they love me for it. So there…. You always made fun of how much I ate. I was just preparing for my mission.

I thought I would not see blue and orange here. They actually have a Blue and Orange Store here. Not for BSU thank goodness but still just the colors are not good. [Editorial comment – Daniel is decidedly NOT a Boise State fan!]

The lessons are going great! My language is starting to become better and better. The members have noticed a difference and I talk a little faster with things I know now. I even talk to people in the street. I still get frustrated every once and a while about the language but that is ok.

I have felt myself think about home or work in the weirdest times. I miss home and life there and the family a lot but this is where I am needed. I have noticed that the people here really need us. My comp and I are getting closer and I think because of that, we have had some amazing miracles happen. We gave a blessing to a person. They let me do it in English so they didn’t understand a word but the next day the person felt better. The people here have such great faith. It was not me that healed him. It was his faith in Jesus Christ. We have had so many miracles like that one. He was not doing very good at all. Also another miracle still is Patricia. She is getting baptized this week. She has stop drinking, coffee and alcohol, smoking, drugs and so many other things, and she is ready to be clean. She is incredible! She reads the Book of Mormon everyday and the Liahona. Everyone around her keeps telling us that they notice a difference and so do I. She didn’t even want to live anymore before she accepted the Gospel. This work is great! The Lord works miracles, I am just glad I can be His hands. Also, we had a baptism last week. So two in my first area already. I am pumped! Oh, and Patricia she brought her whole family with her to church -- her nephew and four kids and her mom. They all loved it and her nephew wants to be baptized as well, so we will baptize him this Sunday. I love this work!

We had a little party last night for my comp’s birthday. We had tons of cake. And it was spiritual as well. I loved it! My personality is starting to show more here because I can speak the language.

Well that is all for this week. I love this Gospel. I know it is true. With faith all things are possible -- I have found that out. I know that God loves and knows us and will help us always. I love you all and miss you. Until next week!

Elder Parkinson