Feliz año nuevo a todos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy new year from the DR CCM

Elders Moss, Orr, and Powell

Elder Moss and the Elders from Haiti

This past week has been amazing and sad all at the same time. We had a group of missionaries from Haiti but this last week they left us. It was so hard to see them go. Those missionaries were so awesome. They had such amazing testimonies and love for this gospel. Other than them leaving this week has been great.

Elders Moss and Grimmer

My companion and I are working great together. We have been able to teach investigators every day. We have been working with these guys for just over a week and we committed one of them to baptism - he said he needs a little bit more help understanding baptism, so we gave him 2 Nephi 31 to read it is such amazing chapter [Nephi tells why Christ was baptized—Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved]. My companion is such an example to me.

As we started this week we realized that we are on week 5 of the MTC and we only have one P-Day left in here and we will be off to Puerto Rico!!!!! This is one of the best things that has happened to me. I have been able to gain such an amazing testimony about the gospel. I am so grateful for all the people that have helped me gain this testimony. This experience has helped me to grow and understand myself more. I have realized that the things people say, I can't take offense to. People have come from many different situations to be here. I have had some hard times with some things people have said about me, but I have been able to talk to another missionary here and he has helped me so much with everything. I have had the opportunity to turn the other cheek and just let it go. But I also have had the opportunity to get over it. I realized that I am strong and nothing should offend me. I know that I am who I am because the Lord wanted me this way. I have been able to study a lot on repentance and I am so grateful for this opportunity. I love this gospel. 

Yesterday we got two new groups of missionaries we have a group of native speakers who are going to Santiago and Puerto Rico. We also got a group of English speakers going to the West Indies!!! There is an elder from Jamaica and one from Canada. They came here because one of them is from Jamaica and he hasn't gone through the temple yet so they brought him and 4 others here so he can go in his temple district.  It is so cool to hear about the different places missionaries come from and where they are going. I am so glad that I have this opportunity to serve the Lord at this time. The Lord has blessed me so much since I have been here. I am so grateful that he has blessed me with the gift of tongues. I am so grateful to be able to speak and understand a little Spanish. This week I hit a major accomplishment for me! Normally, I would use a dictionary to translate from English to Spanish but this week I stopped using it and I have been able to recognize what the Lord can do for me. 

I know this gospel is true and I know that we all have a specific purpose on earth and that we all have things to accomplish. I know that the Lord will bless all of those who are worthy and willing to follow the commandments. I love you all and I am so grateful for the many amazing experiences I had at home before I came here. 

This past Tuesday we had the opportunity to watch a devotional from Jefferey R. Holland. Oh My Gosh he is such an amazing speaker. He said a lot of great stuff but what I got most was that we don't know anything. He told us that even though we may think we know something we really don't! He said that while in the field we will always learn more and we will never ever stop learning. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here and be an instrument in the Lord's hands. Mosiah 23:10 has really helped me through all of this because I know that Christ really does here our cries and will always bless us. 

10 Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

I love you guys so much and I can't wait to hear from you all next week. I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven and I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I love this gospel with all my heart. 

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO

Elder Moss

 

La Tercera Semana - DR CCM

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas!!!!!!!!!! 

Christmas in the MTC was amazing!!!!! They treated us so amazingly. To start on Christmas eve they gave us an amazing dinner Turkey and Ham and so much food. That we had a devotional by Hugo E Martínez from the Area Presidency and the second quorum of the seventy it was so amazing to be able to hear him talk it was in English. He wanted to met and talk to all of us. Yesterday was Christmas and here was so special we had two devotionals one was from Tuesday December 23rd 2014 (Joesph Smith's Birthday) That was by Bishop Stevenson Presiding Bishop over the Church. Then we got to participate in a live broadcast from Prove MTC by Russell M. Ballard he is such an amazing speaker. I got to experience Christmas in a different way then you guys I got to be a missionary. I have the opportunity to have Christmas everyday as a missionary. I am so excited to be able to experience that. Being a missionary is one of the best things that has happened to me.

Elders Grimmer and Moss

 Just thinking that I am only two weeks away from entering the field is so weird!!!! I can't believe how fast my time here in the MTC has been. I am so excited to get out of here I feel like I am in a prison sometimes always following the same schedule always in classes and just stuck behind a gate everyday. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission. My district thinks it is so funny how I know a lot of different scriptures by memory. Seminary really does help with a mission. I am so glad I had the opportunity to participate in seminary all four years of High School. Seminary may have been a struggle for me but I am so blessed with the opportunity I had to have it in my life. I have been able to quote scriptures and also be able to tell the elders in my district exactly where to find different scriptures for their lessons. I love the people here in the Dominican.

True story

Last Friday we as the older districts in the MTC had the opportunity to go to the University and be able to talk to people and share a message with them. My companion and I handed out like 5 pamphlets and a Book of Mormon!!!!!!! I HANDED OUT A BOOK OF MORMON AND I AM STILL IN THE MTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the feeling I get talking to people about the gospel. Today (December 26th) in class my companion and I had the opportunity to teach in front of two districts and two teachers and we are the two with least amount of Spanish and we had to teach about faith in Jesus Christ. We made it so simple but the Spirit was so strong, after our little lesson one of the teachers complimented us by telling us that even though our Spanish isn't perfect that she could still feel the Spirit in her heart.

Love this tree

I love how the Spirit works. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission. I am so grateful to be here on a mission at the time of Christ's birth. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and the opportunity I had to have it in my life always. This gospel means so much to me. As I sit here thinking why Christ was born I always go to the Atonement and how he was pre-destined to sacrifice for our sins. I am so grateful for him and for his sacrifice for me and his suffering for my sins. I love all of you guys and I love this gospel and I know it is true. I know that the Lord sacrificed his life for us the least I can do is sacrifice two years of my life for him. I love you guys so much.

Elder Moss

P.S. I only have one more Christmas here and then I will be coming home ;) I love you guys!!!!!
 

Hi There...Mom, here. I asked Elder Moss a number of questions in an email and he was able to answer some of them. Here are my questions and his answers:

Did they (the MTC people) make it (Christmas) a special day for you? 

**Yes the MTC people made Christmas so special for me.
 
 

Do you get to hear any good devotionals/speakers/talks? 

**Every single week we get to listen to devotionals. They are so amazing, as we stand to sing Called to serve.

How's your Spanish coming along? Are you able to understand and teach in Spanish yet? 

**My Spanish is coming along very slowly but I am starting to understand the language and being able to have conversations with people.

Tell me about your investigators. Who are they? Do you know their "stories?" 

**We have two investigators right now. Their names are Ramon Trinidad and Juan Victor. Our teachers are acting as our investigators though. Ramon has a kid and a wife and is a lawyer he's favorite sport is baseball and his favorite team is the Boston Red Sox. Juan Victor also has a kid and a wife and he works as a CEO of a pharmacy. He is a good guy.

What kinds of spiritual moments have you had? 

**The most spiritual thing I would have to say was when we handed a Book of Mormon to someone and he promised to read and pray about it.

When you go to the temple, do you participate in English or Spanish?

**We go to the temple every Thursday and we participate in the English session. 

Santo Domingo Temple

You're getting a new MTC President soon. Is everyone getting prepared for the Romney's? Have you met them yet? 

**We will not be getting a new MTC President while I am here President and Sister Freestone leave the week after we do. Yes I have met the new MTC President they were on Skype with the Owner of the MTC and he brought them in here to show them around.
  
Tell me about Elder Grimmer? You mentioned that he is funny and that you get along well. What else do you like about him? Where's he from? 

Moss and Grimmer

**Elder Grimmer is the best, he always jumps around from bed to bed he climbs on everything and has so many jokes. He is awesome he has four older brothers who all served missions his dad served in Japan along with two of his older brothers. His other two brothers served missions in Ogden Utah and in Missouri. He [Elder Grimmer] is so spiritual I love him a lot.


What do you guys do on your "free time?" 
Do you have any free time? 

**We kinda get free time after lunch everyone spends it differently some nap and some study I do both depends on how I feel recently I haven't been feeling good during the day so I just see how I am feeling. 

 

Semana Dos!

Family,

Hey another week has gone by so fast. IT is really weird to think that I am in Puerto Rico in 3 weeks. This past week has been amazing. I have experienced so many amazing things. I am understanding the language more and more each day. I love the language now. I have already had 5 different investigators it is so much fun. Me and Elder Grimmer have been getting along great we are always helping each other grow more in the gospel. I had the opportunity to watch missionaries leave to go to the field and it was hard to say goodbye to them and I only knew them for two weeks. Two of those missionaries are also from Arizona. When they left there was only two districts left in the MTC so only twelve missionaries.

Yesterday we got a group from Haiti they are such a fun group of missionaries they are all converts to the gospel. We also got another group of North Americans. They all came in last night There are 6 new sisters and 2 new elders and two of the sisters are from Arizona. There are a lot of Arizona people coming out this way it is awesome. Earlier this week we got to go to the store here so we left the CCM it is so weird out in the real world it is really disgusting out there, there is trash everywhere, no one watches as they drive, everyone is always honking there horns it gets really annoying. Most of the nights we get to go to the temple and walk around outside and or read scriptures on the grounds it is so amazing I love being to feel the spirit like that. 

Yesterday was such an amazing day. Our teacher took us across the street to the park and he told us to go talk to people!!!!!!!!!!!!! My companion and I looked at each other and we were both scared. We found someone to talk to so we walked up to him and started to talk with him and all my fear went away. It was so much fun we were there for about an hour and we handed out 9 pamphlets on the Restoration and we were able to say prayers with three different people, we also got someone's phone number and where she worked so we could contact her again!!!!!!!!!!! I love it here people are so open to talk to us no matter what there religion. 

I know that this gospel is true, I know that I am in the right place at the right time and for the right reason. I love this gospel with all my heart and I can't believe I get to be the instrument in the Lord's hand he has blessed me so much and I want to be able to bless other people as well. This gospel is such a blessing in my life and I want to share that with everyone around me.

I love you guys and can't wait to talk to you next week.

Elder Moss

Hello -- Kara (Mom) here...Here are a couple of other things Parker mentioned in the other short emails we received:

He was feeling down his first week and here's the revelation he received after that week was over --

*I am here for a specific reason. I love it here and couldn't ask to be anywhere else. This place is amazing!!!!!!!!  

We asked him about talking to the people outside the CCM and here's what he said (we also asked where our pictures for the week were!!!)

*I had a blast talking with people yesterday and I am actually going to to send some pictures right now.....

And here's what he told one of his sisters...

*The MTC is amazing. I love everyone here. They are so spiritual and strong. We only have 3 weeks left in the MTC and then we ship out to Puerto Rico!!!

 

The Elders that were left when the first group shipped out to their missions!

We make funny faces when we study!

Yes, it's true...I study!

1 week down a lot to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family,

This week has been full of mix emotions. In the beginning of the week I was more than excited to be here. But a lot has happened, we have 16 hour days, and we sit in a classroom for almost all of them. The first day we got our companions, my companion is Elder Conner Ian Grimmer he is from Virginia and he is so funny. We get along great he is such an amazing guy. My district Leader is Elder Powell he is from California, his companion is Elder Stanisclaus he is from Granada. 

 

L-R Elders Grimmer, Powell, Moss, Stanisclaus

Elder Grimmer - My first companion

We have two sisters in our district we have Hermana Brown she was born and raised in Arizona but moved to Colorado half way through her senior year, and her companion is Hermana Ah Quin she is from Utah and has a scholarship waiting for her to play basketball when she gets home. From my district 5 out of the 6 of us will be serving in Puerto Rico. 

Within the first couple of days we were teaching an investigator it was really hard especially in Spanish. Elder Grimmer and I work great with each other we take turns talking and take turns sharing information. We are moving quickly here, they already taught us how to pray and bear testimony in Spanish. Its so hard with the language. These guys speak so fast out here. Since I have been here I have had the opportunity to learn many different lessons. One lesson I have learned is to really love everyone. The two new districts are so close right now its amazing but my district has had some troubles, we are still getting use to being in a classroom for so long and still trying to get used to having a companion by our side. at times we can really feel the spirit in class and other times we can't feel it at all. Our sisters in our district are so strong in the gospel and have taught me so much. Earlier this week they were having some problems with being here and they wanted to go home and they wanted to ask for a blessing but didn't feel like we could do it for them, we as elders had a little of conflict which really did drive the spirit out. Our sisters set such an example to us. I have talked a lot with my companion and with the Sisters and every time we talk I can feel the spirit, as we figured out what was going on we were able to fix the problem and the Sisters were able to come to us and ask for a blessing.

Elder Grimmer on our way to the temple

The MTC is so amazing!!!!!!!!!!! The food is not so good but I am starting to like fish :) on every P-Day we get to go to the temple and do a session and do some sealings the temple and the MTC are the same grounds and were dedicated the exact same day.

 
I know that the Savior came here to suffer for our sins, I know this gospel is true, I know that I am here for a specific reason, I love this gospel, I love my savior, and I love you guys. 

Elder Moss

We all flew from NY to the DR together

Christmas lights in our room

Flag of the Dominican Republic

Safe and sound at the MTC

Hey family,

I made it safely and I love it here already!!!!! When I got to New York I ran into 8 other missionaries!!!!! We all travled here to the DR together and 7 of us will head to Puerto Rico in 6 weeks. It is 1:35 (AM) here and really hot and humid. We have 3 sisters in our group and 6 elders I will send a photo next week. Next week we will write on Thursday!!!! Our flight was full and all they did was speak Spanish this is going to be fun (: I love you guys and I will email again next week!!!!!!

Elder Moss

  Elder Moss - Day 1 at the MTC

President and Sister Freestone

(Most of ) MTC District

Mission Call

*NOTE: This first post was written by me (Mom) as I was creating Parker's blog. I chose to write as if Parker, himself, was telling his story. From December 3rd, 2014, until he returns from serving, all other posts will be written by Parker - from the mission field, and posted by me. Enjoy!

The history of the CALL!

I received my mission call in March of 2014. I have been preparing my whole life for the time when I would be able to serve the Lord. I submitted my mission paperwork early this year and finally my time had come. My call was waiting in the mail for me when I returned home from our family vacation in Hawaii.

Before we returned home from Hawaii, my uncles thought it would be cool to trick me, so they played a little prank on me. They invited some of our friends over, created a fake mission call, and sent us a video of them opening my "call." The video showed my uncle reading my "call" to the Tennessee Nashville mission!!! (Remember, the call was a total fake!) He said that I would report to the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Provo, Utah on July 9, 2014. Needless to say, I was totally bummed and couldn't understand why they would open my call - after all, it was MY call! It took me a few minutes to realize that it was a joke and that they had not really opened it. They are total pranksters and love to have fun. When we got home, we planned a day when I could invite my friends over to open my REAL mission call.

Video of my FAKE mission call to the 

Tennessee Nashville Mission 

Courtesy of my crazy uncles!

Here is the video of me opening my original mission call. 

It was assigned on March 11, 2014.

I was so excited. It was my turn to serve the Lord and I was ready. We got all of the paperwork done and all of my immunizations taken care of as soon as we possibly could. We got my passport and then waited until 30 days before I was to report to the MTC in Provo to apply for my visa. As it turned out, we ran into some hiccups when applying for my visa and my mission was put on hold - postponed until we could get everything straightened out.

We waited and waited and waited some more for everything to get straightened out. Through this waiting period, I learned a lot about myself. I learned about the power of prayer. I learned how to be more patient. I learned that I have so many people who love and support me. I felt the power of the Atonement at work. I got to feel of my Savior's love more than ever. The poem "Footprints" really is true.

My Father in Heaven would never forsake me. He would never forget me. I knew that all I needed to do was pray and my prayers would be answered. I know that my timing and my Heavenly Father's timing are very different. I didn't know when my prayers would be answered, just that they would be answered. I have a strong testimony of prayer and knew that through prayer and faith I would be able to serve my Lord on a full-time mission. I know that I was carried through this trial and that I am loved by Him who created me.

In early October, we got a call from Salt Lake (Church Headquarters). They told me that my mission was no longer postponed, and that I would be issued a new mission call. It was issued on October 15, 2014; 7 months and 4 days after my original call was issued.  I received my new call in the mail. I am so blessed to be able to serve a mission. I intend to make the most of my next two years. I am eternally grateful for all the love and support I have received.

Before I actually received my reassignment call (the actual paperwork) my dad received and email from Salt Lake (this time, church travel) detailing my travel to the MTC. That email was an error, it was not supposed to be sent out when it was! My dad knew where I was being reassigned. He wouldn't tell any of us where I was going. We knew the actual paperwork would arrive in the mail, so we all decided to wait to hear the verdict. Dad would keep the secret until the paperwork came in the mail. It did not come the next day or the day after that.

By this time, I was getting very antsy - I wanted to know where I was going! My dad gave me a few options. 1. He could just tell me where I was going. 2. We could wait until my call arrived. 3. He could announce it in church for EVERYONE to find out at the same time or 4. He could recreate a normal mission call, using the original paperwork (the stuff from Costa Rica) and I could read it for family. After thinking about it for a while, I chose option #4. My dad retyped the whole mission call, inserting all the new information. I was able to do the big REVEAL in front of my family. That is what is in the video above. When I finally got my paperwork in the mail, the 2nd letter below is what was inside. It was simple - "you've been reassigned!" I love it. I cannot wait to serve the people of Puerto Rico for two years.

My original Mission call

My re-assigned mission call