Hello Family!
Wow! It feels like I haven't talked to you guys forever! haha, but seriously... How long ago was it? haha it does feel like it was a while ago. Well, a little update on the week's activities!
So, I told Dad how we did companionship exchanges the 23rd and 24th. That was way fun. I went with the Zone leader Elder Watson. He's heading home next week! Needless to say, he knows a bunch so I learned a TON from him. It was pretty cool. After that, was the highlight of the week! I talked to you guys!!!!! Yay!!!!! That was the best!
Ok, so after I was done talking, the member whose house we were using wanted a haircut. I bought some clippers a while back to save money and time so he had me cut his hair! That was pretty weird, but I think Tom Hardy might be having some competition in a few years! haha. Dominos pizza was way good too. It was a Dominator so it was huge! We ended up putting about more than half in the fridge and I ate it Sunday morning for breakfast! haha I love me some cold pizza!
Sunday came and guess what I had for the first time in.... well about four months... Turkey! It tasted sooooooooooo amazing! You guys don't even know how amazing turkey is! haha
That's really all that happened this week. This afternoon, we washed our clothes by hand. That was a new experience. We'll see what happens and how that all ends up! haha
This week is gonna be a good one! 6 months in the mission! and I don't want to ruin any surprises, but I'm expecting to learn a bunch this week!
Love you all!
Elder Parker
Monday, December 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Christmas message to friends and family
December 20, 2010
Well, I just wanted to take some time today and wish all my friends and family members a Merry Christmas! I really hope that this is a season of togetherness with your family and a time where you can really remember our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know from experience that sometimes it's hard to keep the focus in the Christmas season on where we should be keeping the focus.
This is a pretty strange time for me... This is the first Christmas I'll have in my life without my family, without the lights of Temple Square and without the familiar "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" or Rudolph cartoons that I'm so used to watching every year, but I know that none of that material stuff and none of the hustle and bustle of Christmas is important.
Some say that the Christmases in the mission don't feel like Christmas at all, and I would agree, but really, the mission is a perfect place and time to make the most memorable Christmas one can ever have. I have tried to devote these few weeks in my personal scripture study, for just a few minutes every day, on something about Christ. I've read Luke Chapter 2 in English and then again in Spanish and It's the same story no matter what language you read it in. It's a story that really shaped history.
I love in the Ensign this December, the First Presidency message. We really do need to remember to look for the things in life, and especially in the Christmas season, on the things that matter most, like our Savoir. I know it's something hard to do sometimes, but I also know that Jesus is the Christ and his birth was one of the most important things in the history of this world, as was his resurrection. Those two days have made it possible for all of the people in the world, all of our brothers and sisters, to have eternal life together with their families. As a missionary, it's my job to testify of these things to the people of Mexico. As your friend, brother, nephew,
or son, I testify to you personally because I know how important it is, that Jesus Christ was born to Mary in that manger so that we all can return to him one day. That is the most important thing in my life.
I want you to have a merry and a fun Christmas this year! Enjoy yourself. Make hot chocolate and sing Christmas carols! Give gifts! Drink Egg nog! Do everything you normaly do, but this Christmas, remember the Christ child in the manger. Remember his love for us. He does love us. Most of all, if you can, spend this Christmas with your loved ones and family. That's really where it's all at.
Have a very Merry Christmas and God bless you!
Elder Parker Alexander
Well, I just wanted to take some time today and wish all my friends and family members a Merry Christmas! I really hope that this is a season of togetherness with your family and a time where you can really remember our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know from experience that sometimes it's hard to keep the focus in the Christmas season on where we should be keeping the focus.
This is a pretty strange time for me... This is the first Christmas I'll have in my life without my family, without the lights of Temple Square and without the familiar "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" or Rudolph cartoons that I'm so used to watching every year, but I know that none of that material stuff and none of the hustle and bustle of Christmas is important.
Some say that the Christmases in the mission don't feel like Christmas at all, and I would agree, but really, the mission is a perfect place and time to make the most memorable Christmas one can ever have. I have tried to devote these few weeks in my personal scripture study, for just a few minutes every day, on something about Christ. I've read Luke Chapter 2 in English and then again in Spanish and It's the same story no matter what language you read it in. It's a story that really shaped history.
I love in the Ensign this December, the First Presidency message. We really do need to remember to look for the things in life, and especially in the Christmas season, on the things that matter most, like our Savoir. I know it's something hard to do sometimes, but I also know that Jesus is the Christ and his birth was one of the most important things in the history of this world, as was his resurrection. Those two days have made it possible for all of the people in the world, all of our brothers and sisters, to have eternal life together with their families. As a missionary, it's my job to testify of these things to the people of Mexico. As your friend, brother, nephew,
or son, I testify to you personally because I know how important it is, that Jesus Christ was born to Mary in that manger so that we all can return to him one day. That is the most important thing in my life.
I want you to have a merry and a fun Christmas this year! Enjoy yourself. Make hot chocolate and sing Christmas carols! Give gifts! Drink Egg nog! Do everything you normaly do, but this Christmas, remember the Christ child in the manger. Remember his love for us. He does love us. Most of all, if you can, spend this Christmas with your loved ones and family. That's really where it's all at.
Have a very Merry Christmas and God bless you!
Elder Parker Alexander
Crazy Elders - December 2010
Merry Christmas from Elders Lopez and Alexander
Mighty Action Heroes...or Stripling Warriors?
Happy Christmas - December 20, 2010
Hello, my family!
I hope everyone has had a great week! It sounds like from all the letters, it was a good and quick one! It was a way crazy one for me! First off, how lucky is Nate to go to Disneyland in Christmastime! That really has got to be one of the coolest things ever! Definitely, I have another thing to add to that bucket list I'm going to have to start now! haha Really, that was just too cool to see all your pics and stuff!
I'm way happy you all got the package. Some of that stuff is yours to guard for me until I get back... Yeah, that Ski Utah shirt is gonna be my prized posession in about 18 months! haha It makes me happy that you all got it and I'm glad you're happy with what you got. It wasn't much, but it was sent with love. I know that sounds all mushy and stuff, but it́s true! haha And don't think becaue I sent that whole testimony stuff that I'm all serious now, because I'm not! hahah I'm still just a goofy guy. My testimony's just the only thing that I really have to share!
Ok so this week was pretty nuts....I had my second zone conference in the mission and it was way cool. Basically what they are is that we learn how we can improve as the Lord's representatives and it's way cool. I don't know if you remember, or if I told you about the last one, but I had to share a spiritual thought in it, and guess what.... My zone leaders called me that morning and asked me to share another one! hahah so I shared in 1 Nephi when Nephi gives his perspective on everything that had happened in verses 1 and 2 and then Laman and Lemuel share their point of view and the difference a positive perspective can make on our progression in life. I thought it was pretty cool.. and after the zone conference, we had the famous Christmas dinner in the mission! I had hopes of like this way cool fancy dinner, but we got some pasta, a drumstick, and mashed potatoes and a few rolls. I thought of how the sisters of the stake sacrificed their time and talents to provide for us. It was actually a really cool meal. We even got little stockings filled with Christmas goodies! Oh, and I actually sang something in front of someone again! It was sweet! We sang away in a manger in Español and English! COOL!!!
Anyway, that was Thursday, Friday I had a leadership training from 9 until 4 which was good! I learned even more that I need to learn even more! haha It was good fun though.... and guess what... President Clark asked me to give another spiritual thought! haha So this time, I shared 1 Nephi 3:15 and 4:1, which is basically just Nephi bearing his testimony to his brothers and showing the dedication he had to complete the mission no matter what. It was way cool, I thought.
Anyway, that was about it for this week and next Saturday is....CHRISTMAS!!!! Cooool! I'm so stoked! ... And that's about it for this letter so....
I'LL TALK TO YOU SATURDAY!!!!!!
Lov you!
Elder Parker Alexander
I hope everyone has had a great week! It sounds like from all the letters, it was a good and quick one! It was a way crazy one for me! First off, how lucky is Nate to go to Disneyland in Christmastime! That really has got to be one of the coolest things ever! Definitely, I have another thing to add to that bucket list I'm going to have to start now! haha Really, that was just too cool to see all your pics and stuff!
I'm way happy you all got the package. Some of that stuff is yours to guard for me until I get back... Yeah, that Ski Utah shirt is gonna be my prized posession in about 18 months! haha It makes me happy that you all got it and I'm glad you're happy with what you got. It wasn't much, but it was sent with love. I know that sounds all mushy and stuff, but it́s true! haha And don't think becaue I sent that whole testimony stuff that I'm all serious now, because I'm not! hahah I'm still just a goofy guy. My testimony's just the only thing that I really have to share!
Ok so this week was pretty nuts....I had my second zone conference in the mission and it was way cool. Basically what they are is that we learn how we can improve as the Lord's representatives and it's way cool. I don't know if you remember, or if I told you about the last one, but I had to share a spiritual thought in it, and guess what.... My zone leaders called me that morning and asked me to share another one! hahah so I shared in 1 Nephi when Nephi gives his perspective on everything that had happened in verses 1 and 2 and then Laman and Lemuel share their point of view and the difference a positive perspective can make on our progression in life. I thought it was pretty cool.. and after the zone conference, we had the famous Christmas dinner in the mission! I had hopes of like this way cool fancy dinner, but we got some pasta, a drumstick, and mashed potatoes and a few rolls. I thought of how the sisters of the stake sacrificed their time and talents to provide for us. It was actually a really cool meal. We even got little stockings filled with Christmas goodies! Oh, and I actually sang something in front of someone again! It was sweet! We sang away in a manger in Español and English! COOL!!!
Anyway, that was Thursday, Friday I had a leadership training from 9 until 4 which was good! I learned even more that I need to learn even more! haha It was good fun though.... and guess what... President Clark asked me to give another spiritual thought! haha So this time, I shared 1 Nephi 3:15 and 4:1, which is basically just Nephi bearing his testimony to his brothers and showing the dedication he had to complete the mission no matter what. It was way cool, I thought.
Anyway, that was about it for this week and next Saturday is....CHRISTMAS!!!! Cooool! I'm so stoked! ... And that's about it for this letter so....
I'LL TALK TO YOU SATURDAY!!!!!!
Lov you!
Elder Parker Alexander
Christmastime - December 13, 2010
Hola and Feliz Navidad!
I hope all is well with you because I am sure doing great here right now! I had a pretty sweet week this week!
It was actually probably the fastest week in the mission so far! I am not lying when I say that because, wow! Didn't I just write you all yesterday? I could have sworn that I had... anyway, I am happy and heathy and ready to talk to you all NEXT SATURDAY! Isn't that nuts? I've been in the mission close to 6 months now! Nuts! Ok so here goes this week in a nutshell!
Wednesday was pretty sweet to start off with something of note. We did companionship exchanges again with some Elders in my district and we worked our tails off. It was kind of lame, but we contacted a ton of people and it was a fun day. I got to know another Elder in the district pretty well. His name's Elder Limon and he's from puebla, Mexico. It was pretty sweet and I learned a lot! He uses a ton of scriptures when he teaches; all from memory. That is definitely what I need to try and do. It was definitely a sweet day.
Friday was the Ward Christmas Party! It was pretty fun and there were investigators there who probably haven't gone to church in forever and a few actually went to church on Sunday and partook of the sacrament and everything! It was pretty darn cool! It was fun though. There were a few of us who sang and then a cute little primary program thing that just made me grin! haha There are the same cute little primary kids all over the world. :D It was wayyyyy fun! But the only bad part was that we had to go home before the food was served to be home on time. haha It was was sweet though! I grately enjoyed it!
Oh, and I think next Monday we're going to try and make some Scotcheroos, but I
don't know if there are butterscotch morsels here. I'll look! I sure hope so! Oh mom, tell me what talk you're going to study each week and I'm going to study one every Sunday morning before church. It would be way cool to study the same one each week!
Love you all soooooo much!
Elder Parker Alexander
I hope all is well with you because I am sure doing great here right now! I had a pretty sweet week this week!
It was actually probably the fastest week in the mission so far! I am not lying when I say that because, wow! Didn't I just write you all yesterday? I could have sworn that I had... anyway, I am happy and heathy and ready to talk to you all NEXT SATURDAY! Isn't that nuts? I've been in the mission close to 6 months now! Nuts! Ok so here goes this week in a nutshell!
Wednesday was pretty sweet to start off with something of note. We did companionship exchanges again with some Elders in my district and we worked our tails off. It was kind of lame, but we contacted a ton of people and it was a fun day. I got to know another Elder in the district pretty well. His name's Elder Limon and he's from puebla, Mexico. It was pretty sweet and I learned a lot! He uses a ton of scriptures when he teaches; all from memory. That is definitely what I need to try and do. It was definitely a sweet day.
Friday was the Ward Christmas Party! It was pretty fun and there were investigators there who probably haven't gone to church in forever and a few actually went to church on Sunday and partook of the sacrament and everything! It was pretty darn cool! It was fun though. There were a few of us who sang and then a cute little primary program thing that just made me grin! haha There are the same cute little primary kids all over the world. :D It was wayyyyy fun! But the only bad part was that we had to go home before the food was served to be home on time. haha It was was sweet though! I grately enjoyed it!
Oh, and I think next Monday we're going to try and make some Scotcheroos, but I
don't know if there are butterscotch morsels here. I'll look! I sure hope so! Oh mom, tell me what talk you're going to study each week and I'm going to study one every Sunday morning before church. It would be way cool to study the same one each week!
Love you all soooooo much!
Elder Parker Alexander
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
December 9, 2010
Family!
Okay, so I've got to start out this letter by telling you all I love you bunches!!!!
So, I got the packages this week! That's right, both of them! I opened them up at the same time and you guys dominate! Everything in them is perfect and it feels like Christmas in the house now with our little tree! haha. Really, I cańt tell you how much everything in those packages mean to me. Especially those messages from you guys in that CD. Ím going to keep that CD for forever and a day because it means a bunch! Not gonna lie, I did get choked up a bit when I listened to it and yeah... I'm turning into you, mom,or even grandpa. I'm all sentimental and stuff! haha It's weird how things change, eh? I'm a big softie just like my grandpa! haha And tell him thanks for that great message!
Ok, so other than that, this week was pretty crazy. Elder Lambert's companion had changes so he's a lot happier right now! His new companion is the Elder who trained Elder Beltran how to be a zone Leader so he's way sweet. He's a hard worker and a great guy. But this week... wow full of stories! Elder Lopez and I got sick Tuesday so we didn't do much of anything that day except study. Wednesday was completely normal and then Thursday, we got up to find that we had no gas! Crazy stuff! Anyway, so what happened was that every Thursday we plan, so we leave the house later than usual. So we studied as usual and at about 10, I braved the frigidness that was the shower! That is not a thing I would suggest to anyone ever! Ha! It was great though and really refreshing and took my breath away! haha
So that was Thursday. Fun stuff, really. Friday was actually one of the longest days of the mission so far for me. I went 3 and a half hours to another city to give a district meeting thing to the elders in that area. It was quite the adventure! The craziest part is that I went alone! That's right! Alone! What happened is that it's kind of expensive so Elder Lopez couldn't go and so he said goodbye to me in the morning at about 7:30 and went with Elder Lambert and his comp. I boarded the bus and off I went. Luckily, I borrowed an iPod with General Conference in it so I listened to conference for three and a half hours on the way up, worked with the elders over there and came back for three and a half hours! Crazy eh? I got back at 7:30 and Elder Lopez was just there waiting for me! Yay! haha He's fun. Wéve become good friends.
Saturday was a special day! And not just because we got ready for Sunday! We had a car wash with all the elders and hermanas in the zone and did that for about 3 hours to give service and to teach the people who brought us their cars. It was fun! And the best part, I got my packages! Thanks again! You all know me too well with that Bazinga t-shirt! It made my day! Anyway, I'm going to send a package home to you guys this week if I have time, with some goodies for you guys and some things I've collected so far in the mission! Also, there's going to be some letters that you'll need to distribute to some hightly important people like the grandparents, Enos,the Bish and Sandy and a few select more. I just hope it gets there before wicky time!
Anyway, that's about it for me! THANKS for everything again! I got the best family ever! Love you all and until next week,
Elder Alexander
Okay, so I've got to start out this letter by telling you all I love you bunches!!!!
So, I got the packages this week! That's right, both of them! I opened them up at the same time and you guys dominate! Everything in them is perfect and it feels like Christmas in the house now with our little tree! haha. Really, I cańt tell you how much everything in those packages mean to me. Especially those messages from you guys in that CD. Ím going to keep that CD for forever and a day because it means a bunch! Not gonna lie, I did get choked up a bit when I listened to it and yeah... I'm turning into you, mom,or even grandpa. I'm all sentimental and stuff! haha It's weird how things change, eh? I'm a big softie just like my grandpa! haha And tell him thanks for that great message!
Ok, so other than that, this week was pretty crazy. Elder Lambert's companion had changes so he's a lot happier right now! His new companion is the Elder who trained Elder Beltran how to be a zone Leader so he's way sweet. He's a hard worker and a great guy. But this week... wow full of stories! Elder Lopez and I got sick Tuesday so we didn't do much of anything that day except study. Wednesday was completely normal and then Thursday, we got up to find that we had no gas! Crazy stuff! Anyway, so what happened was that every Thursday we plan, so we leave the house later than usual. So we studied as usual and at about 10, I braved the frigidness that was the shower! That is not a thing I would suggest to anyone ever! Ha! It was great though and really refreshing and took my breath away! haha
So that was Thursday. Fun stuff, really. Friday was actually one of the longest days of the mission so far for me. I went 3 and a half hours to another city to give a district meeting thing to the elders in that area. It was quite the adventure! The craziest part is that I went alone! That's right! Alone! What happened is that it's kind of expensive so Elder Lopez couldn't go and so he said goodbye to me in the morning at about 7:30 and went with Elder Lambert and his comp. I boarded the bus and off I went. Luckily, I borrowed an iPod with General Conference in it so I listened to conference for three and a half hours on the way up, worked with the elders over there and came back for three and a half hours! Crazy eh? I got back at 7:30 and Elder Lopez was just there waiting for me! Yay! haha He's fun. Wéve become good friends.
Saturday was a special day! And not just because we got ready for Sunday! We had a car wash with all the elders and hermanas in the zone and did that for about 3 hours to give service and to teach the people who brought us their cars. It was fun! And the best part, I got my packages! Thanks again! You all know me too well with that Bazinga t-shirt! It made my day! Anyway, I'm going to send a package home to you guys this week if I have time, with some goodies for you guys and some things I've collected so far in the mission! Also, there's going to be some letters that you'll need to distribute to some hightly important people like the grandparents, Enos,the Bish and Sandy and a few select more. I just hope it gets there before wicky time!
Anyway, that's about it for me! THANKS for everything again! I got the best family ever! Love you all and until next week,
Elder Alexander
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