Monday, May 30, 2016

Cambios: Hna Parks leaves Talara, now in Piura - Tacala area



Yes I have left the promised land and I´ve been transferred to..... TACALA! Piura, I´m back for ya. Except we are on like the outskirts of Piura and it is a for reals desert. First observation: All the roads are SAND. After day 1 there is sand in my shoes, sand in my eyes, and sand all over our stuff even though we live on the 4th floor, haha. Gonna be an adventure! 

And introducing fabulous-companion-I-don´t-deserve numero #6 ... Hermana Martinez! She´s from Ica, Peru -- the southern part of Peru (I asked her if Inca Kola was created there but she clarified that it´s ICA not INCA, ha!) She is literally....amazing. 20 years old, 14 months in the mission, she plans to study music at BYU after finishing her mission, plays piano, SPEAKS ENGLISH FLUENTLY SAY WHAT!, and is overall super organized, wise, and dedicated. We are sister leaders here in la zona Miraflores! We have 3 companionships of hermanas -- Tambo Grande (waaaay far away, super green, mango central), Miraflores (in the middle of the city), and Chulucanas (pueblito also far away -- about an hour). So it looks like we´ll be doing some traveling this transfer! 

I´m seriously so excited to get to work here -- from what I hear the ward is really strong so we´re going to take advantage of that and start Operation Get Member Referrals! 

I´m SO grateful to have served 3 awesome transfers in Talara because it has helped me to better understand the role of members and leaders in this work. I have ¨let loose¨ so to speak in loving, serving and teaching the members, something that I definitely wasn´t very good at the beginning of my mission. I hope to put all I learned into practice here in Tacala!

It was an incredible last week in Talara!! Sweet Marcia was baptized!!! It was kind of a miracle that it all worked out considering that her evangelist boyfriend tried to convince her out of it last minute. She doubted herself and her testimony overnight and we were super worried. But I prayed and decided to trust in the revelation of our district leader to see if she was ready- While she was in her 2 HOUR interview I was honestly doubting that she would pass, but afterwards she came out glowing! Elder Cruz said that she has had some tough trials in her life (things she hasn´t opened up to us about yet) but that her testimony is strong and she is prepared for baptism. So yesterday she was baptized!!! It was so so beautiful. 

Then the members held a going-away thing afterwards in the chapel -- my heart was SO full saying goodbye to these Christlike people and reflecting on all that they have taught me. As I bore my testimony in sacrament mtg (tearfully non-intentionally), I recognized how much my testimony has grown these past months. Broke my heart to leave but stoked for this new experience in Tacala with Hna Martinez!!! 

Love,
Hermana Parks 

 
Last moments in Talara.... gonna miss my sweet Hna Ruiz along with Mama Eda and hermano Joel!


last homeade arroz con leche with hna ruiz and the recuerdo I made for familia roman for their wall! 

 

my favorite family on planet earth!!



Marcia´s baptism! 

Transfers are the worst. My cute Marcia and Kathy´s family! 


the recuerdo la fam eche gave to me!! The branch held a despedida (going away thing) in the chapel last night, seriously overwhelmed by the love from these wonderful people!! 


NEW COMP!!! Hermana Martinez - my first Peruvian comp and she´s fluent in English, say what?!

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