We Made It This Far

¨High school (or the mission) wasn`t meant to last forever.¨

Flash back to the St. George marathon 2014. I have been running for more than 4 hours. My Walter Mitty soundtrack is getting old. I have no idea where the finish line is. I hear someone yell, ¨keep going! It`s at the end of this road!¨ I break off from my pace group and start to sprint. I feel dizzy like death living off sacrament cup sized gatorade and bananas, and through squinted eyes see Thomas and Caley! Yay! But where are the balloons, people, ice cream? Did they pack it up and go home? I yelled, ¨Where is the finish line!¨ And they told me that it was around the corner. I wanted to cry but couldn't for the shortage of water in my body. I had nothing left to give, but kept running. Because I knew that there were wonderful things awaiting me at the end of the road. I remember the satisfaction I felt as I crossed the finish line and heard my name announced, got my medal, someone handed me ice cream, and I collapsed under a tree in the racers only area and cried. I could not believe that I had run 26.2 miles and I also couldn`t believe that I still had a body because I was pretty sure I had died and left my body back at the volcano on mile 9. It was the most beautiful experience and so is the mission. I am completely and utterly amazed that this is my last email as Hermana Park in a strange Bolivian internet. These (almost) 18 months have been extremely hard yet wonderful as I have come to the knowledge of my Savior Jesus Christ and that He has always been beside me guiding me. Everything was worth it because I have seen the conversion of my best friends here in Bolivia.

One of my best friends, Hortencia, came to church yesterday and we`re taking her to a relief society party tomorrow to make panetones (half bread, half cake). And I am so excited because she`s going to get baptized. I wont be there to see it, but all that matters is that I was there to help her along her way. And many other beautiful people here are progressing along their way toward true happiness in Christ that I will tell you all about next week...

Also, I have no idea how I learned to speak and understand the beautiful Spanish language.

My life won`t be the same without peanut soup, chasing people down to secure them their salvation, walking miles, and being too close for comfort in buses, but I have absolutely loved representing Jesus Christ in this time.

For the last time,

Hermana Park

Hey, let`s go down a different road this time.

I`m going to tell you about the Familia "A".

We were walking one day and the Spirit led us down another route. As we walked, Hna Cayambe with her big sombrero and me in my sunglasses, a man and his daughter approached us. The dad was really happy to embarrass his 18 year old daughter Marìa. He said, ¨She wants to be your friend!¨ He gave us his address and we went the next day. He saw us from the window and came running out to let us in. His daughter Marìa and her sister Marina (17) were holding the door closed! The dad was shoving it open and yelling and well, Hermana Cayambe and I were a bit worried. He got it, told his daughters that we are the kind of friends he wants them to have, and shut the door. We started talking to them, and found out that they have a big family, 3 boys and 3 girls :) and that their oldest brother passed away 4 months ago. We instantly understood why we were there and who changed our route. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation, then returned Saturday and taught the entire family the message. They started to fight about their brother`s death and whose fault it was, so I hummed  ¨Love at Home¨ trying to keep the Spirit there. We then taught them about the Book of Mormon and they quieted down. They were so curious and we left them with the Book to read and they invited us to have lunch with them this week.

If we hadn`t followed the prompting to take a certain road, we wouldn`t have found them. I am completely sure that their brother has accepted the gospel in the Spirit World, they told us that he was very active in his Christian church, and he is just waiting for his family to accept so they can go to the temple. We found the 20 year old brother Alvaro last night, a wreck, because his mom had told him that it`s his fault that his brother died. We gave him his own copy of the Book of Mormon and again, we were led to him by the Spirit, or by his brother. 

I am so grateful to have the gift of the Holy Ghost - and to know how to use it!

Follow a prompting this week. This is just one of the many miracles we`ve seen this week by following the Spirit.

I love you all!!

Love, Hermana Park

Si hay gozo en tu corázon

With the cute Valeria who got baptized in November. She has wanted to come out SO BADLY with us and visit, but is only 13 and we can´t be alone with her. But President Willard knows and loves her, so she got special permission! (And a giant 2 liter water bottle because they didn´t have small ones! haha) Oh, her favorite hymn is Si hay gozo en tu corázon - You Can Make the Pathway Bright - so she was happy! 

Our Hermanas activity last Monday was drawing eachother! We passed around papers and each turn everyone had to draw something, like the mouth or hair, then write a note on back! It was a really fun activity and I love all of these hermanas :) First pic was smiling, second was what our picture was doing. haha 

In our zone conference this week, Presidente told us that companions share bread, 

because the word "pan" means bread. haha

The Tabladita sister leaders came to town! I got to go out with Hermana McDonald and it was wonderful. She is a great missionary and I love her a lot!

BURGER KING. I was so happy!! 

from the trunk of our taxi after women´s session. hahaha we´re being safe I promise! 

"By the miracle of modern technology the separation of time and vast distances vanishes. We meet as if we are all together in one great hall. But even more important than our gathering together, is in who's name we do so." --Henry B. Eyring

I was able to watch the Saturday conference sessions in English at the stake center, but with cool new wifi, everyone had to be in their own building, so I watched the Sunday sessions in Spanish. Everyone send me your favorite conference quotes because some things just don't translate over. It was a wonderful week and I promise I'll write more next week!! I love you all so much!!