Christmas Parties!

I hope all is well and you are loving the Christmas season without Sam and I haha. I got my package!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!! Haha the Christmas tree looks so good in the flat. We have lights on it and everything. I don't know who else sent packages. But I will open them on Christmas and find out. 

The sun hasn't come out for a while haha, maybe a week and some. It gets dark pretty early now too, around 350 the sun sets. It's strange because when the sun does come out in the morning it feels like it's already the evening because the sun stays so low in the sky. Which feels weird, people tend to be more grumpy when we talk to them because they think it's late hahaha when it's not. There's a good talk from president Erying that I love called "mountains to climb" he says, "if the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble" this has really helped me the last few months. It reminds me of that evening on August 8th when I went up to Brighton and had the special moment I had there. I remember reading Alma 32 which talks all about faith. I know that I was inspired to read that because it would help me later on and it has. The faith that I have gained in the last 4 months has helped me endure the difficult times. 

(It's suppose to be like 60 degrees this week or something though!!! So I'm stoked!!!! We will see haha) 

Friday was the mission Christmas conference. It was so good! I loved being with all the missionaries. Elder M was there so it was good to see him. We had a few trainings by Sister Stevens and President Stevens. Wow I love them so much! President got up and sang some song and killed it! He was in MOTAB so he just blew all of our minds haha. We then played some missionary games haha which were pretty boring but that's alright. We then had a scripture act out. My district acted out Moses splitting the Red Sea hahaha. I was Moses and I felt like Bruce Almighty hahaha. It was funny. We did a white elephant and exchanged some gifts and just hung out with the zones. It was a good time. 

Northhampton Zone

Saturday was the ward Christmas party and it was also a good time. Haha two parties in two days isn't so bad. Anyways it was fun to be with the ward. It's a bit weak sauce sometimes. Not a lot of people show up, they need some Matt Parkins haha, Justin godfreys, Tom Taylor's, Jeff smarts, easy Es, jepsons, Jon lees, Ken Daytons, and all the other great men in the B2 ward and Bonneville stake.  I miss it. I hope they are all doing well. 

Lords Hand

I saw the lords hand this week in the ward and stake I have back home and the wonderful examples I have. I loved every second of young men's and scouts and everything in-between. The youth activities here just aren't the same. So I am so grateful for the ward and stake family I have back home. I also saw the lord’s hand in O's baptism coming up. His father didn't want him to be baptised because he felt that all of this was out of the blue and random. So the sisters invited O's dad to the Christmas party to meet the ward and Elder A and me. We asked him about O's baptism before he was leaving and he said it would be okay and that he would support him! It was such a miracle! We are excited! It is amazing to see how much O has grown in the last two weeks. He bore his testimony last week and said that he went from being an atheist to believing that he does have a Heavenly Father. The Lord must have big plans for him because he's only 16 and he loves living the commandments, coming to church, and just living the gospel.  He may want to wait a bit longer but he is still excited. Please keep him in your prayers 

I hope you guys are doing well. I am so dang excited to Skype. It'll be the best. Love you!!  Hope Ben is healing up fast. How long is he out for skiing and lacrosse? 

So short cuts

Jacob 

FUNNY STORY FROM LAST WEEK 

Oh one quick story from today that I need to share haha. So last night

I put in some trousers and a few shorts and socks into the washing

machine. The washing machine is pretty rubbish and it's always soooo

loud and it probably wakes up everyone in the flat, but anyways, I

woke up in the morning and the machine was full of water with my

clothes inside. I needed my socks for the day but they were locked

inside the machine. So me being me and having Parkin and Howell genes,

I tried to figure out was was wrong with the thing. I unscrewed the

base boards so I could pull out the whole machine. I then tilted it

backwards to see if I could figure it out. I started unscrewing

something and was getting frustrated and I slammed my hand into the

locked door of the machine and out of no where, water just starts

shooting out of this tube. Like tons of Water!!!!! I yelled to elder

Ammermon to grab a bucket and run over, we put the bucket under but it

filled up the entire bucket and was overflowing everywhere in the

kitchen hahaha. It finally stopped and I was drenched in gross dirty

laundry water and my clothes were soapy and soaking wet, I had no

clean socks haha. But Anways. It took a while for us to clean up, and

rook some time out of our p day but that's alright. It was really

frustrating though. I was ticked to be honest. The land lord said the

washing machine was brand new just a few weeks ago. I was about to

light the thing on fire and throw it out the window to be honest. Well

thought I should tell you that haha. Mission life. Love you

"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'

So this week has seemed to go pretty fast. Which is good! It has been a good week. I've decided that when you aren't a busy missionary it kind of sucks. But when your whole day is full and you have dinner appointments it's the best. But this week wasn't busy, at all. We had 5 lessons planned for this week but they slowly fell through. It's tough because I feel like these people that we meet have real intent, they feel the spirit, but when they leave I guess they forget about that feeling and bail. So that was a bit frustrating. We had 3 people crying because of the new Christmas video and we shared a bit more with them and they still didn't show up. Haha sometimes I just wish it was like lacrosse practice or skiing. When you don't show up or when you show up late there is a punishment haha like 500 push-ups at lacrosse or being mocked and bullied by your buddies if you're late for skiing. 

So there's nothing really note worthy or mentionable this week haha. We had Zone meeting which was really good. It was awesome to see some of the guys from the MTC that are in the zone. The zone meeting here are great though, the zone leaders give great trainings, but I guess one of the main reasons they have them here is to help the missionaries almost relax and socialize with other missionaries because sometimes life in England can get gloomy and depressing. But I can't even imagine Chiz (dear friend serving in the Baltic States Mission)  right now, he has always been so positive and he is an example to me. He looks so happy in all the pictures I see haha. He has the biggest smile and I really do look up to him so much. 

But Saturday was a really good day for Elder A and I. We had our first appointment with D. He is the father and Husband of a few members in the ward. But he is not a member. He asked if he could start taking lessons from us. We went over and taught the restoration. It felt so good to actually teach one of the Preach My Gospel lessons! I haven't for almost 7 weeks now.  It was really good, I am still grateful for mission prep and everything I learned. It really has helped the last few months. But anyways, we taught a great lesson to D and the spirit was so strong. I actually extended a baptismal date to him! My first time ever doing that! I was so nervous. But he accepted!!!! His date is the 26th of December! The day after Christmas (Boxing Day)!!!! He was really excited and said he had been waiting for this moment for a long time. We are super excited, but he goes to Preston every week for like 6 days and stays there, so it's going to be hard teaching him all the lessons before the 26th so we are going to try and Skype teach him while he is up north.

Ingenious way of getting WARM water!!!!

Sunday was great too! Doe didn't come to church but he is in Preston, but that's all good. He loves church. Testimony meeting was good! One of the sisters investigators who we have been Working with for the last few weeks bore his testimony today! He is only 16! He has only had a few lessons but he's a great kid. His testimony was so powerful, he talked about how much better his life has been since he met us and since he started coming to Church. He is just a really cool kid with a good heart. 

Lords hand

I have seen the lords hand in D. It has been a tough last few weeks. With little success in anything. I have seen the lord prepare D for us to meet him and start teaching him. Being able to teach a real lesson just a few days ago has really helped boost my enthusiasm in the work. I have seen the lords hand in O, the 16 year old. It has been good to just talk to him about life as a teenager and just helping him out. I have seen the lords hand in helping me connect with him that way. I am grateful for the work ethic I have learned and everything you have taught me mom and dad. But also all my uncles aunts and grandparents. The Parkin/Howell family is the best. I am grateful and proud that I can represent such great names. 

I love you and miss you guys! I hope Ben is doing alright. I'm sure he is. He just sends it too hard. 

Elder Parkin 

No Short Cuts

"Get busy livin, or get busy dyin"

Making dinner

100 days in the mission field

 Wow it's been a crazy week!!!! I had my last few days with Elder Fisher. It was sad to see him go. He thinks he will probably finish his mission up in Norwich. Which would be really cool. He taught me a lot about missionary work and how to be effective. I picked up Elder A from the train station and we made our way back to Bedford. We talked a lot on the train ride. He's from southern California. We talked about Newport, the beach, chronic taco, crystal cove, and driving on the PCH. 

So we got home and did some unpacking, went shopping for some food, and then just went out finding. It's crazy how familiar I got with Elder Fisher just walking next to me the last 3 months. We were pretty great friends. But it's good to have a new companion to find out different finding techniques and things. So we just started talking to people! We basically went finding all day Thursday, and Friday and set some awesome appointments on Saturday with people that we were stoked about. Like we were seeing miracles finding, it was crazy!!! Well Saturday came and we had a member coming to each of our appointments, we were pumped, but as the day went on, each appointment cancelled until it was 7 at night and we didn't have one appointment and we had been riding across Bedford to each appointment to have them all cancel. It was frustrating. But to be honest I felt that I had done my part. I talked to people, I invited them, and they have the agency. I just wish they knew how happy it would make them. I think the Lord has me in the refiners fire right now haha. Dad sent Sam and I an email a few months ago about that and it feels like that is what I am experiencing. I hope I can continue to learn from rejection and opposition but to be honest it's a hard sometimes. But like Sam said in his email last week. One of the few things I do know how to do is to just put my head down and work. When the going gets tough just put the head down and work harder. I'm grateful that I learned that at such a young age. Thanks mom and dad. I could use a mowing day once in a while though like 20-25 lawns on a Saturday morning. (Wow, that sounds glorious!) maybe that's just the crazy Parkin in me haha. 

Well not much else happened this week. But Elder A and I did make a sweet connection! Elder S, who Sam trained is in Elder A ward!!!! It was so crazy when we found that out! They are actually really good friends. It's crazy that we are all the way across the world but we can make a connection like that. We will have to visit their families when we go to Newport! That was really cool I thought. 

I hope Ben is alright. I wouldn't expect anything less though, to be honest. He sends it too hard sometimes. At least you know when you're sending it though Ben. I'll miss making him test the 50 footers in Sun Valley or hitting the first sticky rail in the park or seeing if the double backy is doable off the jump we just built hahaha. 

Lords Hand

I saw the lords hand this week in keeping me happy and positive even when things aren't going they way I would like them too. I can feel of his love for me in the hardest of times, as well as the easiest. I have also seen the lords  hand in giving me a companion that I get along with and that I can make connections with. Last I see the lords hand in my family. I have struggled a bit thinking about Christmas out here without you. But I have felt the Lord comfort me and let me know that it will all be okay. I am so excited to talk to you guys. It will be the best. 

I love you so much. Ben keep sending it. Be the first brother to huck a backflip with a sling on. Lol haha. Love you guys. 

NO SHORT CUTS 

Jacob