Monday, June 22, 2009

Some of Steve's Father's Day ...




Amanda and I found this fun BBQ grill while shopping a few weeks ago...so we bought it, found the grill items that you see on the top and then Steve created our "Korean BBQ Grill".
Korean BBQ was one of our families favorite things to eat in Japan...
Now, we are designing a table to set the grill on so we can all sit around it and enjoy Korean BBQ outside in our backyard...
We can also take the grill off the top and just put wood and have a fire...
Amanda wants to have friends over to roast marshmellows...
I think the family is excited to use it..


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

More scenery after we left the girls at camp...







Steve and I came home a different way after we got the girls all set up. It was our first time being in this part of New Mexico. It was gorgeous. Within 5 minutes of leaving the girls it started to down pour...I was so praying the girls would stay warm and dry. It's hard to believe my baby is growing up. Amanda is so much fun and is a beautiful young lady. She is always looking out for those that are in need and her testimony of the gospel is growing stronger every day. It's fun to spend time with her and to be apart of her life...

Amanda's YW girl's camp at Tres Ritos...June 10-13, 2009



Steve is ready to go pick up all the other Beehives for their first year at girls camp...
Amanda was so excited and half the back of the suburban is hers...she prepared for the other Beehives since she is the only one that has camped before...
Leah, Amanda and Katelyn
There were 10 girls from our ward at camp this year...and 2 leaders and 1 priesthood leader...
Leah, Leah, Katelyn, Amanda, Bonnie and
Sis. Farrow (one of the leaders) the other girls went up the day before...

It started raining at 3:00am and didn't stop the entire trip up to camp. It was a 3 1/2 hour car ride to the camp site...It rained so hard the 4th year girls that went up the night before got totally wet...their tents, sleeping bags and everything in their tents were so wet...Steve and I helped the girls set up camp. There were only 3 girls that had camped before...So setting up camp in the rain was not an easy thing...but the girls got in and helped get everything up and ready to go...I sent up lots of games to play just incase they had to spend some time in their tents due to the rain...

Our friend in the camp

Amanda getting ready to do the zip line at camp







Beehives tent...their supply tent and the other girl's tents were all together. The leaders tents were closer to the fire.

Bro. Dave and Sis Heidi Wells...Our Priesthood and camp leader

Amanda Farrow our other camp leader





We were the zebras for camp this year

The Biffy...




Amanda's levis on the line drying out...It rained the first two days at camp and then it turned out really nice. We were at 9,000 ft elevation so it didn't get above 72 degrees the entire time and did get as low as 33 degrees at night...








Amanda came home from camp with a smile on her face and was so excited...The leaders put together a wonderful camp and the girls really enjoyed. It was an experience that Amanda is looking forward to another year. I had a hard time with her being gone. It was so quiet around the house, but I knew she would totally love it.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Aaron's June 8, 2009 letter

Hey family!
The weekend was great! We were able to see four baptisms and had a blast! Milette(50), Olga (79), Nancy (49), and Naomi (13) were all baptised and really had a spiritually good time. I was also pleased to be a part of Elder De Souza's first baptisms! Elder De Souza baptized Olga and Nancy. I baptized Milette and Naomi.

And way to go Dad with the ride! Are you losing weight? If not, well that picture sure makes you look good! I am just way happy that all of your are doing and looking so good over there! That makes the work over here all the better!

Oh, I got to call Pres. McIntyre the other day about our investigator who is moving to Kobe mission. It was way fun!!! He asked about you all and we had a good conversation!
Well love you!
Elder Parks

Elder Da Silva is three transfers younger than me.

Wow I can't believe Jason is almost done, thats wierd. This whole time things goes way fast!

Haha, Wow I haven't seen the Eskanders forever!!

John Quitaleg is our investigator that is moving to Kobe, Japan. I have no worries whatsoever about him being in good hands!

Tell Sister Powell I say hi!

SWEET! I am anxiously waiting for the package and know it will be soooo awesome! and of course I took pictures! Would I let you down like that? haha

WEEKLY:
Hey Family!
Well there goes another transfer already and the news is.....I am staying and Elder De Souza is going to Toyota!! Kind of interesting but hey, no complaints here, I love Inuyama! and I am getting another Brazillian companion, Elder Da Silva. I am way excited! He is from the Amazon and is way cool. We should have a great time together!

Also, the baptisms on Sunday were amazing! Milette (50), Olga (79), Nancy (49), and Naomi (13) were all baptized. Milette is Philippino, and the other three are a Peruvian family. Way amazing experience that I felt blessed to be a part of! And now I have officially baptized in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese! (just a random cool fact)

I also felt privelaged to be with Elder De Souza on his first baptisms. He is such a good elder and worked great with me for the 6 weeks we had together. I have come to really rekindle my fire of missionary work with Elder De Souza from his fresh vibe and it will be fun to continue our lifelong friendship.

One thing I have really continued to learn with him is that the Lord really watches over us and with His and God's help, missionary work zooms! That was made so apparent with this Peruvian family.

Nancy had some contact with the church is Peru and even spend some time with a member family over there. Then over here in Japan she met other Peruvian friends who were members. Long story short, from the time we taught these three lesson one to the day they were baptized, 2 1/2 weeks! that is a miracle. They accepted everything, they did every commitment, they had the faith to take the step and enter the waters of baptism and will now be for ever more blessed for it.

The Lord really follows through with his side of made covenants. We really do have a Father in Heaven and an older brother who is the sSvior of mankind. May each of you remember that is my prayer and heartfelt desire!!
I love you!
Elder Parks