1/10/2017

Saying goodbye to all the great people of Duston

What a week!!!!!! So first things first! After 6 months of serving in Duston and 10 months of serving in the Northampton zone I will be leaving!!! My new area is called Watford, which is just outside of London. But we still get to ride the underground so my oyster will be back in use so I'm PUMPEDDDD!!!! Haha it'll be super super good. My companion is elder Auras from Germany. We are good friends and have served around each other for a while so I'm pumped. I love Germans haha they are great. So we will have a good time and just work super super hard. So I'm very excited. Elder Mecham from our MTC group and district is just swapping me places so that will be exciting as well. But I'm excited for the new change. It will be good.

So first things first. We had a brilliant meeting in London on Wednesday and it was just a good time. We were able to drive in on Tuesday night which is always fun haha and chaotic. Driving down oxford street is seriously such a crazy experience haha. There are always tons of people even on Tuesday. But I saw Elder Leone and we caught up for a bit. He seems to being doing well. We were able to play basketball in the morning for exercise and just have a good time. I'm stoked for him, he is a solid missionary and is such an asset to the mission. All the new missionaries are just incredible. The mission is just stacked. We had a great meeting, Elder Dryden of the 70 came and spoke for a bit! He shared a very powerful conversion story and expressed how when he was just 34, 2 young missionaries came and knocked on his door and taught him and his family. He expressed the importance of the plan of salvation and also how it really does change our lives. My testimony was strengthen.

This weekend was lovely! So our good friend Ian was baptized on Saturday! I was just so crazy to think that just 4 weeks ago we met him and shared the light the World video with him and he felt the spirit so strongly. I'm grateful that Elder Lindsey and I were obedient to the prompting of the spirit to talk to him. I'm grateful that the spirit testified to him of the gospel and the restoration. K was able to baptize him as well! It was such a special experience for the both of them and for me! So I feel super blessed to be a part of that. I realized this week how simple the gospel is and how much happiness it brings. Sometimes I don't realize that to the extent that I should.

"K" was baptized 5 weeks ago and was able to baptize "I"!!!

Lords Hand

I saw the Lords Hand in K being able to perform the baptism. I saw the Lord prepare him for that and he was so beyond grateful to exercise his priesthood. He said to me, " Elder Parkin, today is my first opportunity to use my priesthood." It was so cool. I love that guy. I am going to be sad leaving. I saw the Lords Hand in the Duston Ward the last 6 months and how much I learned from the people here and the experiences I have had, I've learned so much from every area that I have served. I love that each area I have learned different things about myself and the gospel. I am grateful for change and for doing new things. I love all the experiences I have had here in England. The good and the bad. I do love it.

I love you all. Looks like you were getting a bit sendy up big cottonwood this week. Hahaha bombing some big cliffs on Milly. At least you know when your sending it.

I love you!

No short cuts

Jake

The Northampton Zone!