Happiness/Mission

Once again it was great to hear from you mother. Also this week has been an interesting one and I feel as though this coming week will be even more interesting. My companion and I had a great week of learning and of teaching but also a stressful week because of some of the missionaries in our Zone. One thing is for sure. I really am still trying to perfect my patience with me and with other people. I have really come a long way since the beginning of my mission but I feel as though I still have a way to go. I really love my mission so much. It is full of learning experiences and of a joy that is not really possible to explain. I mean who normally would have such happiness and a love for people under these few conditions that missionaries are in?
1. We are not paid but actually pay for ourselves
2. We do not really have a day off
3. We work on Sundays and holidays.
4. Doors are shut in our face often
5. And many more...
But....I am still happy and I think happier than what I have been in a long time. Most missionaries are happy and I finally figured out why we are so happy. While I was sitting in Sacrament meeting I was looking around to see 4 of my recent converts. None of them were there. As I was looking around and did not see any of them a sudden sadness and pain hit my heart. A sadness and pain not possible to explain. Two of them were supposed to be receiving the Priesthood that same day. Than to my sudden surprise entered into the chapel 2 of them. A joy filled my heart but at the same time sadness in not see the others. Then finally I saw the other two as well enter. At that very moment I realized my purpose on the mission. I realized what Lehi meant when he said he had the desire for everyone to partake of the fruit. It finally hit me why I am here and the importance of missionary work. I still cannot explain or describe my feelings that I had that day. All I can say is that I felt a love for my savior and for my recent converts. I felt a love very much different than any other love that I have ever felt. I was so very excited and almost felt like getting up in the middle of the meeting and yelling to them thank you for coming and welcome and just I love you and Christ loves you. I still have that feeling. That same night we taught 3 other recent converts and I had that same feeling for them. It is a weird feeling. I worry for them, I cry when they cry, I am happy when they do what is right and am devastated when they do not do the right things. I think I am starting to realize as I am writing this to you the Love that Christ and God has for us. They really love us. If I, being a man far from perfect, can Love someone or somebody like I do just think about the love that a perfect man, God and Christ, can have for us. GOD LOVES US! I know that this is true. Because of his love for his children I am on my mission. I am really on my mission to help God´s children return to his presence. What a great Work! I love my mission so much. We had the chance as well to have a baptism this last weekend. She is a great young lady. Her brother got the chance to baptize her and to confirm her member of the church. The meeting was really great and spiritual. The mission is so great.
Glad to hear that all is going well. Glad to hear that you will be able to visit the family. I hope all goes well on your vacation. You should really get Shane and everyone else to send updated pictures of there kids and them to me. It has been some time now that I have not received updated pictures of the family. How am I supposed to show off the family to people with pictures from 2 years ago? ha. Silver Hyundai? I will have to come up with a good name for it.
Mother I love you so much. I am so grateful for all the blessings that I have in my life. You are such a blessing in my life Mom. Actually to tell the truth the whole family is a huge blessing in my life. I know that God put me in this family because he knew that this family has what I would need to become better and have the chance to live with him again. You are all so amazing. I love you so much. I know that God loves us all. I know that he wants us to do the little things. We at times think we do not need to, but the fact is that we do. God said through his prophet Nephi in 1 Nephi 17(I think) that it is the small things that will make the men of the world perish. I believe that. Satan will not put huge things all at once in our way but will use small things until those small things start to grow and turn into big things.
You are such a strength and an example for me. As you said I say again and I bear my testimony. We will all have trials in this life. We will all fall down and think we cannot get back up. We will all have to show our faith and continue on Christ´s path. The great thing is that we can all get back up and we can all pass our trials. The trick is to do the little things and to always trust in God. If we do that all of the trials that we pass will be nothing. WE AS A FAMILY AND AS INDIVIDUALS NEED TO LOOK TO CHRIST AT ALL TIMES. WE NEED TO MAKE HIM OUR FOUNDATION BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT IS BUILT ON HIS FOUNDATION WILL NOT FALL BUT WILL ONE DAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Christ is our perfect example. We need to all follow him, but first we need to know him. We get to know Christ through reading the scriptures and through prayer and through visiting the Church and temple worship. If we do not do these little things we will never really get to know Christ and so we will never really follow Christ in the way that we should. We can all pass our trials with faith and with happiness if Christ is our center. Christ will always be on our side but we have to go to him because it is not the other way around. Christ is always in the same spot it is our job to find him. I love this gospel so much. I know it is true with all my heart. I love my savior and my Redeemer. I am not perfect but with his help I am trying my hardest to become better. I know that God loves us. The only way we have to show God our love is by keeping the commandments and by following the example of Jesus Christ. I love you all so much. Always do the little things. I have the desire for us all to one day partake of the fruit of the tree life. I hope and desire that we can all stay steadfast and always hold onto the iron rod. Know that I love you all. I am always here to help you. Thank you for everything that you do mother. Thank you all my lovely family. I love you all so much. Stay strong and fight the good fight. Until next time.
Elder Daniel J. Parkinson