Week 18!!!

What is up, family and friends? Week 11 is now underway, and it's been CRAZY this past week! I finally got a "haircut" (I've got a TON to explain about that), I've had the chance now to walk in rainstorms, thunderstorms, and cricket-storms (yes, I said cricket-storms), and I've even got some more super exciting, crazy stories!

Let me first start with explaining how I "finally" got a "haircut". So, for the past 2 months, I haven't yet had the pleasure of asking for a haircut in Spanish, nor while I've been here in Ecuador. I've honestly felt a bit scared to, because I was afraid that I might end up with a bald head, or mohawk, or something, haha! In other words, this morning was the very first time that I got the chance to ask for a haircut here in Ecuador, and in Spanish. Normally, when I go to cut my hair, I ask for number 2 on the sides and back, and short enough for me to still be able to comb it on the top. Well, I kinda messed up my instructions for the hairdresser, and ended up still asking for number 2... For my entire HEAD. >.< According to my companion and fellow missionaries, it looks great, but to me, it's INSANELY short, especially after not getting a haircut for 2 months like I didn't mean to do, but did. For the record, it feels surprisingly cool, but at the same time, my head feels almost as naked as if I would've accidentally asked for my head to be COMPLETELY shaved, hahahahaha! I'm WAY too embarrassed to send any pictures (sorry!), but at least now I'm able to feel the breeze flow through my hair... Or at least, what's left of it, hahahahahahaha!

So, because this is the month of January/Enero, it's also rainy season here in Ecuador. Recently, in addition to getting adequately soaked in both sweat and rain, I've also had the wonderful opportunity of, at night, the streets and streetlamps SWARMING (literally, I kid you not) with Crickets. These little buggers, when they're up and about at night, swarm the streets in search of food (tiny insects), light (streetlamps, the fronts of pharmacies and stores), and even a dark, snug place to call either temporary or permanent home (cracks, holes, and yes, this does include the cracks and other spots in our home, especially because we have lights... Obviously). Last night, I had the opportunity to find easily a dozen crickets in our house, and even a few more the very next morning that have slipped through the cracks under our doors and window screens. Now, obviously these little guys don't bite or hurt anyone, but they're still insects, vermin, and are not welcome... Especially because they LOVE to hide in spots like your shoes and keep you company in bed at night. EW.

So, when we're not proselyting, or contacting, or looking for opportunities to serve others, the four of us (Elder Tingey, Elder Martinez, Elder Pagoada and Yours Truly) have some VERY unique ways of spending our free time with each other in the mornings and on our P-Days. We crack some jokes, mess with each other, and my personal favorite, locking each other in our bathrooms while we're either taking a shower, or anything else that has our bathroom doors closed. So, what we do is take some rope that we have lying around, tie that around the doorknob, tie the rest of it to a wooden rod that we also have lying around, and with a little know-how, they're locked in until they ask pretty please with a cherry on top if they can come out, hahahahaha! This was actually something we did a few days ago to both Elder Tingey and Elder Pagoada, because they were both taking far too long in the showers one morning. So Elder Martinez and I thought we'd have a little fun with them for about 20 minutes. Did I feel bad about it? A little, but I also ended up laughing hysterically until my chest hurt and I hasped for breath, haha! But in the end, we're all friends, and exchange man-hugs and share a good laugh afterwards.

Before I go, I would extremely like to give a shout-out to my family, and for the limitless love and support that they have for me and my serving on my mission. Without a doubt, if it wasn't for them and for how much they've helped me learn and grow, and with time, decide whether or not I truly wish to serve a mission, then I wouldn't be here, bringing others closer to Christ, and having the absolute toughest, hardworking, challenging, greatest time of my life for the next 20 months.

May the Spirit of God be with all of you to provide you with the comfort, strength, and love that some of you, if not, all of you might be in need of (more or less) at this time. Until next week, thank you all for the love and support and the presence of the Spirit that I'm able to feel while I'm serving, thanks to so many of you guys! I love you all, and take care!

Con Sinceridad,

Elder Conner Duane Parke

Week 17!!!!!

Hola, mis miembros de mi familia y mis amigos! Elder "Poderoso" (that means powerful, by the way) Parke here, and we are now entering DEFCON aka Week 10. I'm extremely tired, but for all those returned missionaries out there, they know about that good kind of tired you feel after working back-to-back each day, and wanting to just come "home", get some sleep, and do it all again the very next day, hahaha! Despite some of the bumps along the way, I couldn't be happier to be here, serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

First things first, I'm kinda recovering from some stomach pains that I've had for a few days now, but no worries! I'm perfectly fine, according to the Enfermeras Misionales (Mission Medics), and as of yesterday, I've been feeling well enough to continue persevering in hastening the work :)  Obviously, I need to be careful with what it is I put in my body (which I already have, so no worries there), and make sure that I'm getting a 100% balanced diet, even though I'm here in Ecuador. In other words, I was sick, but I feel fine enough to continue working, and preaching the Gospel.

Things have been a bit slow recently (even before I got sick), but that's not going to stop my companion/trainer and me from getting out there and finding those that we know are here, and have been specially prepared to hear what we have to say to them, concerning the Restored and True Gospel of Jesus Christ. We've been having some slight issues recently, especially with our Investigators "wanting" to come to Church, but "can't." Not only that, but this has been an issue with the Less Active Members in our area, as well. However, I believe in my heart (and I am sure that my companion Elder Pagoada feels the same way about this) that we were transferred here and he became my 2nd trainer AKA my "stepfather" for the reason and fact that these people NEED us. They may not want us, sometimes, but that isn't going to stop us from helping those who are looking for the truth, but haven't had the pleasure of finding it yet.

Obviously, my trainer isn't the most perfect of trainers. Obviously, I'm not the most perfect of trainees, either. But, even though it can sometimes be difficult for the both of us to be here (more specifically, with each other), I feel that, overall, I'm blessed to be here, and blessed to have him as a companion and my trainer at this time. Trials and tribulations, I learned from my studying, come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. But if we can see past the fact that they're trials and tribulations and see how they're placed in our lives for our benefit (one way or another), then it can make overcoming those trials and tribulations ten times easier, and later on, having the wonderful chance to receive and enjoy the blessings that our Heavenly Father has in store for each and every one of us. My calling as a missionary isn't the easiest of callings, but in my eyes, it's one of the greatest callings one can ever receive in this lifetime, and it's one of the greatest privileges to be able to share this Gospel with those who can benefit from its teachings at this time, and in this dispensation.

 I love you all, and have a fantastic week! May God's Love and His Spirit be with you!!!

Con Sinceridad,

Elder Conner Duane "Poderoso" Parke

Week 16

I'm so tired... Can someone send me a package that contains some extra time for me to sleep? I'd be more than grateful for it... However, I don't think it'll be small enough to send in any boxes, so I'll just have to settle for the usual hugs and kisses in the cards, letters, and packages that I'm more than grateful to receive from everyone. But anyway, what's going on? This is my first blog post of the fantastic year of 2015, filled with tons of new opportunities to have an  of new adventures here in blazing, beautiful Ecuador!

I testify that it is through the limitless amount of love that our Savior has for all of us that we can overcome each and every one of the trials and tribulations that are placed before us. I know that this Church is true, and we have the blessing of receiving indirect revelation from God through His living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I know that this Everlasting Gospel is one that is meant to specifically bless families, because it is through our families that we can learn to understand why it is we are here, why the things in our lives happen, and best of all, just how much our Father in Heaven loves us. I love you all, and can’t wait to see what this fantastic year has in store that I’ll be able to share!

Con Sinceridad,

Elder Conner Duane

Week 15 - Happy Heat-filled Holidays

Dear Mom,

First of all, you have NO idea how relieving and a blessing it was to see you guys last Thursday. That was by far the greatest blessing that I have received so far on my mission was that one video call. I feel a little bad that my next video call won't be for another 150 days, but I still look forward to it, as well the opportunity that I get to write to you guys each week. This past week was literally like cashing in all of my trials and hardships that I have had so far, in exchange for the fantastic blessings that came with last week. ESPECIALLY the chance I got to actually see and talk to all of you guys since 3 months ago. :D

Happy Heat-filled Holidays from the center of the Earth itself, hahaha! This week literally blew by like a snowstorm (metaphorical of course, being in Ecuador), but here we are, the last blog entry of the year. This week's come with a TON of blessings that I couldn't have been happier to receive, including some FANTASTIC Christmas food, and a Video Call to my family. I know that it's only going to get tougher from now on, but I think I got what it takes to buckle down and enjoy the extremely bumpy ride.

So, this past week, I was able to Christmas Caroling with the other members of my zone (by the name of Kennedy) here in Guayaquil, and boy was it HOT! There is a really legitimate reason why normal people don't try to go knocking on people's doors, singing, in the middle of the blistering heat of Summer in the States, because WOW, was it baking down here! On top of that, I can't tell how far or how long we walked, but my dogs were barking after that (The Office quote... How I miss that show, hahaha). I guess it was worth it, to see the smiling faces of the people we sang to, in addition to the fantastically amazing Video Call that I was able to have with my family afterwards.

A couple days before Christmas, we had a Mission Field Reunion, which may I remind you consists of around 260 missionaries, all coming together from any and all parts of our Mission Field to our Stake Center here in Guayaquil. Surprisingly, they still had enough food for me to have 3 plates full of Mashed Potatoes, Turkey, Stuffing, and Peas&Carrots... Not to mention dessert!! I have to say, this mission may come with a long-haul truckload of trials and hardships, but in exchange for the opportunity to teach people about the Everlasting Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as experience fantastic occasions like this, it's more than worth it to be here, and to go through anything and everything that gets thrown in my way, and in my face. I believe that my personal testimony of this Gospel has grown TENFOLD since I first started my mission, and I owe it all to these very special past three months. I love all of you so much, and I can't wait to write to you all again in 2015! Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!!!

Con Sinceridad,

Elder Conner Duane Parke

Week 14 - Green Christmas (Get it? Because it's green here, not white... Nevermind

Merry 88-degrees-fahrenheit Christmas!!! Before I begin with the blog entry, I just wanted to say that I am BEYOND excited to be able to Skype home this week!!! Honestly, these past 7 weeks have felt more like 77... It's been slow as molasses, and as discouraging as dropping an ice cream cone. Despite both me and my new trainer's efforts to hasten the work in our new area, it's been excruciatingly tough this past week. So in other words, we could really use a break as grand and fantastic as a Skype call home to our families.

So just a brief recap of this past week, last Monday was my extremely sudden Transfer Day, so I'm not proselyting in Babahoyo with Elder Aguilar as my trainer anymore. I'm now proselyting in Guayaquil with my new trainer, Elder Pagoada (from Honduras, and has 14 months in his mission, just like my other trainer). Like I mentioned last week, he is also the Zone Leader, and shares that title with his "other companion", Elder Tingey (from Las Vegas, who has 11 months in his mission). According to Elder Tingey's new companion, Elder Martinez (who is from Puerto Rico and has 17 months in his mission, but is just a regular missionary like me),  it's this unique idea by Mission President Riggins to pair up a trainee (like me) or any other normal missionary with a Zone Leader, and have that Zone Leader still have a Co-Zone Leader, in addition to his companion or trainee. It's confusing, I know, and it barely makes sense to me too, even though I'm the one participating in it... My point is I'm in Guayaquil now, not Babahoyo, and have a new trainer, who is also our Zone Leader, even though I'm not a Zone Leader, and just a trainee (for now, haha).

Like I said, this week has been UNBELIEVABLY slow, in terms of the time going by, and in terms of our efforts to hasten the work. Yesterday was especially slow, because they had this gigantic futbol (soccer) game between the two biggest teams in Ecuador, Barcelona and Emelec. This made it nearly impossible for us to contact, or even visit any of our appointments. Then again, yesterday was a day that, in Ecuador, is almost more anticipated than Christmas. So basically, yesterday was like trying to go proselyting during the Super Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and the World Series combined into one, in terms of the United States. I just hope we can have a little more of a chance to teach in the future, especially because last week was both my trainer's and my first week in this sector (I came from Babahoyo, and my trainer came from another city in Ecuador, called Ventanas).

The people here aren't as nice and humble as the ones in Babahoyo, but at the same time, it's so much greener and the food is so much nicer (looking), especially because there are TONS of Cangrejals (Seafood Restaurants that specialize in cooking Cangrejos, or Crabs) here. However, I can't go to any of them, because Elder Pagoada is allergic to Shellfish, so that's a bummer for the both of us, especially here, haha. Even so, it's REALLY pretty here, and there are plenty of bright, new opportunities to find new people to teach, and have some awesome new adventures.

Because it's technically Christmas, I want to take this time to give some super specific shout-outs. Thanks SO much for the love and support from my family, especially my parents, that I'm privileged to have for my serving on a mission, and I can't wait to see and talk to them when I Skype Call home. I want to give a shout-out to Elder Steve Siddoway, my Young Men's Leader, and the boss of the boss of my old boss of my old job (try saying that 5 times fast), as well as his family, for the fantastic Christmas card that they sent me. I want to give a shout-out, yet again, to my old home teaching families, especially those cute kids of theirs that I was glad to be able to teach before I go. It's going to blow my mind the next time I see those kids, and how much they've grown (physically and spiritually).Thank you so much, again, for everyone, for the love and support that I am able to feel, even if I am here on my mission in Ecuador. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and can't wait to write again and hear about all the awesome news next week. May God be with you all!!!

Con Sinceridad,

Elder Conner Duane Parke

week 13!!!! IM IN GUAYAQUIL!!! 12/11/14

I think I am dreaming. Can someone pinch me and wake me up from this insane past week? No? Well, guess I should just go ahead and make an update on how things have been this past sluggish, hectic, instigating, mystifying week. What is goin' on, everyone? Week 6 is now underway, and let me just start with how I'm not in Kansas (I mean Babahoyo) anymore... I'm now in Guayaquil!!!

Effective this very morning, I got transferred from my zone in Babahoyo to one of the three (I think it's three. Or maybe four) zones here in the great big city of Guayaquil! I got a completely new trainer, new district, new zone, and all new possibilities for all new adventures! Also, I'm really not sure how this works right now, but I think I'm in a trio (or a quad. I don't know, it's kinda weird). Obviously, I was kinda sad to leave the friends that I made out of my old trainer, district, and zone, but the will of God works in very unique, and usually very fantastic ways. I'm really gonna miss the friends that I made out of the members, as well, and they said that they're gonna miss me a ton, too. But I get the feeling that my time in Babahoyo is only done for now, and I'll be back eventually.

Starting literally after I finished e-mailing last week on my P-Day, my trainer and I were told to swap houses with some other elders in our zone. After that, our appointments that we made started to fall through, so we had the toughest time finding anyone to teach and preach to. It really took a toll on our faith, especially because not even our Less Actives (which we had a lot of in our area) weren't even able to follow through with our appointments anymore. But, my trainer kept telling me that this is just a bump in the road, and we just have to remain faithful and true to why we were there, and why the Lord saw it fit that we be tested a little, before we have some greater success later on. And just when I thought I was beginning to make progress again with learning the Spanish and having the motivation to get out there and teach alongside my fantastic trainer, I got transferred. -_-*

In between today (my being transferred) and moving into our new house last Monday, we had even more training in Milagro, and so we had to take buses yet again in order to get there and back. On the first bus I rode on, I was so tired that I forgot to take my wallet and put it from my hand into my pocket. So I ended up falling asleep, dropping my wallet on the bus, and forgetting it as we got off. Which is absolutely fantastic, considering it had my mission debit card, my personal debit card, $20 in cash, and my Medical Insurance card that I was issued all in it. 

I love all of you, and I'm so very thankful for the love, the support, for the prayers, and for the presence of the Spirit that I have been able to have, thanks to everyone. I was able to receive the Christmas Card from the Siddoway family last Friday, and it really gave me something to smile about when I needed it most. May God and His Spirit be with each of you to help guide you, protect you, comfort you, and love you in this wonderful life he has blessed us with.

Con Amor (Love),

Elder Conner Duane Parke

Week 12!!! "I debated with a Evangelical Pastor... I think I won" 12/8/14

Does anybody else feel like this week has gone by a LOT slower than the others? ... No? Just me? Huh, must be all the trials... Anyway, what is up, everyone?! Week 5 is now underway, and lemme just say that I could really use a nap right now, hahahahaha!

I learned that I'm no longer progressing as quickly and efficiently with my Spanish as I need to and should be, which is beyond infuriating. As one of the results, I made my District Leader, Elder Gomez (who's from Colombia), really irritated when I called in to report about how our day went one night. I honestly nearly cried myself to sleep that night from how mad and sad I was about my Spanish... Until my Trainer, Elder Aguilar (who's from Honduras and is on the 15th month of his mission) let me know that not only is feeling like that normal, but that he's there for me. Heh, it's funny, because a lot of my friends in the CCM/MTC either got Latinos Nuevos Compañeros (Newbie Latino Companions), or Gringo/a Entrenadores/as (English-Speaking Trainers). I feel really unfairly blessed that I have Elder Aguilar as my trainer, because he's Spanish-Speaking (being from Honduras and all), and he knows how to speak English pretty well already. He's helped me so much on my mission, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I can only hope that when you are given the opportunity to serve a mission that you are able to have a trainer as fantastic as the one that I have been blessed to have help me become a greater servant and representative of the Lord.

Last Tuesday, my companion and I got the chance to have an appointment with this pastor of the Evangelical church. He had a really good time teaching us how we can't get baptized until we have that true, sincere desire to do so in our hearts. He was such a good pastor that he even read AND STUDIED both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, covers to covers (according to his words). Yet, he had the nerves to inform us that we are deniers of the truth, when all we did was share with him how the TRUE Church, as told in the Bible (in Ephesians 4, Matthew 10, and Hebrews 1, to be exact) has a very specific structure (*cough* one prophet and twelve apostles *cough*). Finally, after an hour of conversing with this insightful elderly pastor, he let us know that we outstayed our welcome, and it was time that we leave his humble abode.

In Quevedo, we were able to sit in a chapel for training from a member of the Presidency of America Sur (South America), Región Norteoíste (Northwest Region). It was a TON of doctrine that we were only given the opportunity of 5 hours to be able to sit and listen to and take notes of (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM). It was, from what I was able to get out of it (thanks to my Spanish Skills), about the Word of God, and the voice of God is "silent", making it EXTREMELY crucial for us, as missionaries of this Church, as Representatives of Jesus Christ, and as Messengers of God, that we need to listen with all of our hearts and all of our might, and with all of our Faith, in order to interpret through the promptings of the Holy Ghost what we need to say, how we need to say it, and what exactly it is that we need to do, in order to help each of these people come unto Christ.

This mission has undeniably been the toughest moments of my entire life, but it's through these tough times that I've been able to learn so much, in order to be the worthy husband and father that I need to become for my future family, in addition to what I need to know to help others come closer to Christ. I testify that our missions are one of the hardest, most difficult, most wonderful things that we can ever choose to do in this life on Earth. My testimony in this Church and its teachings has grown SO much from the challenges and trials that I have had placed in my path. But I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, and He loves each of His children. That is why He has given me and approximately 80,000 other missionaries the opportunity to be called of God to help others return to live with Him, through the divine messages that we are able to share with others all around the world.

I'm so thankful for the love and support that all of you have given me the chance to feel as I continue to serve on my mission here in Ecuador, and I'm so thankful for the ways that my Heavenly Father has blessed me in exchange for serving Him for these 2 years. I can't wait to share more of what I learned and experienced next week, but until then, may God's love be with all of you, for we are all children of God.

Love,

Élder Conner Duane Parké