The world needs sister missionaries and you too!

 Here are all the sisters I live with! You`ll notice my former companion Hermana Petroff, Hermana Cabrera and Hermana Aquino who were in my zone in Tarija, and Hermana Canales who was in my zone in Trompillo (who some of you sweet folks sent letters to!) 

It`s actually surprising to see a tree or bush that is not cut in the shape of an animal.

This was from our sister activity last Monday where we got makeup demonstrated on us from some members in Guaracal as they taught us how to do our own makeup. I said ¨Oh, but I mean, just a little mascara maybe. I like my freckles. Something natural please.¨ Just to please the ladies. But they made me a little heavier on the eyes than I'm used to, my call is always for less makeup and enjoying the skin your in! 

After hearing a whole spiel yesterday in church about how the sisters in Los Olivos should focus on marriage and not have the goal to go on a mission, it came to my mind that the world needs more sister missionaries. We`re not going to downplay the Elders because they are wonderful tools in God's hands! But sisters know how to love. They cry with you. They comfort you. They understand your challenges. They pray for you. They pray with you. If Heavenly Father didn`t want sister missionaries, He wouldn`t have lowered the age. And He wouldn`t have told me I needed to be here.

Ana Maria is going to get baptized next week! (Said Hermana Park with all the faith she has.) So we`re finishing up her training to be completely converted. Artemio came to church yesterday and everyone was SO WELCOMING. They were fighting for who would be the one to go with him to class. He knows the Book of Mormon is true, but is still working to be able to get over his fear of failing God after knowing Him. And we met Hortencia yesterday and the member we were with said that we were here to share a message with her and because she so strongly felt that we needed to. Hortencia cried and told us she had gone to one of our churches and only entered in the doorway when she realized she confused it with another church and said she should`ve entered and we bore testimony that this is her second chance and she accepted to be baptized on September 4th.

The Secretary to Presidente called with what we thought we heard - that Hermana Undurraga had transfers. We almost cried and she yelled, ¨¿QUÈ?¨ But it was tramites, or immigrations! We were the only sister missionaries there at the immigration office, and we took advantage of the 4 hours to talk to 8 people ranging from people from Bolivia to Brazil to Chile to Missouri! Share our testimonies. Give them something to read, be it the Articles of Faith or a pamphlet to increase their faith. And note down their information because no one was from our area. That is something SO EASY that can be done in a plane, in the street, in Green Belt, I dont know where it will be, but God does :) And if you PRAY and then go for it, He will guide you. Because it`s a bit hard for God to use us as His hands if we don`t leave our room. Here`s my challenge, that if all you have to take is your smile and some kind words, GO and be what God wants you and has planned for you to be.

Hermana Park

Ready for changes!

To see one person change makes up for all the times people have told us no, not done the things we kindly asked them to do in order to receive more blessings etc. The mission is the best place to lose yourself and focus all your time on the people! We had a bit of a hard week with our investigators going MIA, but school will start again in February and then everything will get back to normal :)

I am excited for 2 conferences that we will have this week. One tomorrow with our mission president, and on Wednesday the broadcast for ALL of the missionaries from the First Presidency and 12 Apostles. I am READY to make changes in my life so I can be a better missionary and help bring others unto this wonderful news we have to share. Also transfers are next week, so we really will see some changes since hardly anyone got transfered before Christmas! Our mission president told us to take this week to love and serve our companion better! Hermana Petroff, coming at you! 

This church is true and the Book of Mormon is the best way to grow closer to Christ! I love you all and hope it´s a wonderful week! :)

Love Hermana Park

2016

New Year's Eve tacos and ginger ale! :)

I wish I could express in this email how much I love Bolivia. The people here are unbelievably humble. There is always a woman who sells scones on the street corner and we finally found her in her house to visit her on Saturday. We explained a bit about the message we have because she didn´t have much time. At the end, we were committing her to read The Restoration pamplet and pray about it and we´d come back next week to explain more. And she was nervous and said she didn´t know if she could do it. I was very humbled by her response that she is in her 30´s with 2 boys and her husband left her, so she doesn´t have much time because she is always working, but more than her parents died when she was 6 years old, so she had to start working with her older sister.She should´ve been starting 1st grade, but she couldnt go to school, meaning she can´t read. I almost cried when she said that and we told her that we would come and read with her and help her. When they pray here they give thanks for another day to live and for always having bread to eat everyday. 

Another reason why Bolivia is amazing: on new year´s eve right at midnight, EVERYONE shoots off fireworks. And I´m not talking fountains and sparklers, but giant ones that light up the sky. There were so many more than Christmas eve. We had to be inside at 7 pm and we made some tacos and goals for the year, then were awoken by a battle outside! Luckily, we live on the 3rd floor in the mountains so we can see all of Tarija! Way better than the 4th of July! Fireworks forever! Happy 2016! The year that everything changes.

We are really excited here in the mission because there will be a world wide conference, just for missionaries and the 1st Presidency and Apostles on January 20th. I am excited to see what more we can do to bring more people unto Christ! :)

The mission is a life changing experience and I do not even want to think about how it is 2016 and I will have to come home this year. But I still have time :)

Today Hermana Petroff is 20! I have spent Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year´s and now her birthday with her! 

Love Hermana Park