Hermana Parks in Peru

Fam bam & friends!

Tomorrow I turn 14 months old as a missionary and cute great-grandma Decker turns 94! So it will be a great day all-around.

This week was August´s leadership council which means it´s the 9th council I´ve participated in. I think they are slowly booting me .. I didn´t have any contributory part, not even piano! It was the first time I have ever sang the mission hymn and not played it. (A Vencer #167) *sad face*. No, just kidding. I sincerely felt like it was my last council..

Fun fact: I have never had a companion with less time than me in the field (except when I half-trained Hna Glunt, but we basically have the same amount of time). So I have this odd feeling that transfer calls on Saturday may bring something completely new to my mission story ... we shall see!

I had an intercambio with Hna Buchanan this week! -- which brings me to the CRAZIEST miracle story ever. Exactly one year ago I took Hermana Buchanan out on divisions on her first day in the field. Remember this story? We walked and walked but everything was falling through. But I had the impression to stop by Familia Escudero (from the Futuros list). We found them and were able to teach part of the Plan of Salvation as Hermana Lucia held their days-old newborn! Hermanas Orellana/Glunt and I taught them for about 2 months (we loved them a ton and they seemed like gold!) but eventually we had to stop visiting them because they were never able to come to church.

Fast forward an entire year to Tacalá yesterday when I walk into church...

AND THERE SITTING IN THE PEW IS LA FAMILIA ESCUDERO.

I seriously could not believe my eyes .. they were so happy to see me and I think my face was just pure shock! They told me that they had moved a few months ago to Tacalá and the Elders found them knocking on doors! It just so happens that they got married a couple weeks ago and now they are progressing investigators!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD MIRACLES ARE SO REAL.

Now if I´m lucky enough to stay in Tacalá, I will get to see them be baptized!!!! During the sacrament I just poured my heart out in gratitude to Heavenly Father. It´s like my mission has come full circle -- the tears and stress and sweat of Ignacio Merino all had a plan. Coming to sandy Tacalá all had a plan. Every companion and area and trial and miracle is part of his plan for me. He knows me, He loves me, and he knows and loves each one of His children. For anyone who was wondering, being a missionary es lo máximo.

And there are other miracles to tell -- like Jenny (19) and Sandra (28, single mom) and her kids who came to church -- both of which are literally our neighbors but the missionaries just never had talked to them before! And then there´s Mark -- who is the bomb.com and accepted a bap date for Sept 3rd after one of the best lessons of my mission on The Restoration.

I´ve learned that I go to bed happiest and most fulfilled at night when I´ve opened my mouth to as many people as possible. The promise in DyC 33 is that as we do so, we will become as Nephi of old -- and that is a pretty cool promise.

Les amo y estoy orando por ustedes!

Hermana Parks