Happy Birthday Pat and Happy Anniversary Glen and Pat...

Meet two wonderful people in my life...two of the most giving, loving, fun, supportive people you'll ever meet...Glen and Pat have raised a fabulous family and we all have been taught to love God, to serve others and to take care of each other...

Happy Birthday Pat...

Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom...52 years of adventure...

love you tons...

Aaron's letter to Amanda on 11-9-09

Hey Amanda!
Japan is still awesome!!!
Congratulations on being 13 years old!!!! Sounds like you got some way cool presents too!
I am way excited to hear you play the piano!
So how was the Sister Debs baptism?? That is so cool you got to see that!
Well I love you tons!!
Elder Parks

Aaron's letter 11-8-09

Oh, man that is so awesome!!! I get so happy just hearing about all of this fun and spiritual stuff!!for sure tell her CONGRATS from Elder Parks out here in Japan! Way to go!!!! That is the neatest thing ever! I can't wait to see her when I get home!

Hey family!
Well this past week once again has flown by and lots of new fun missionary stories in the memory storage!
Time isn't too long now so I want to share my key item from last week's learning....my testimony. Last week around Friday I noticed something. I noticed that once I get started testifying about the Book of Mormon I feel empowered and ustoppable. All this time in my mission has given me tons of experiences that have built this reservour. The Book of Mormon really is our source of strength as members of the true church, the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As experienced by the family down in ABQ, New Mexico, miracles happen as we share with our friends these things and testify like no one's business. It makes me so happy to hear about baptisms all over the world and see the joy in everyone's life.
I know that as each of you commit on reading the Book of Mormon each day, returned missionaries will especially understand that one, and true personal prayer to Heavenly Father often, you will come to feel the same way.
Then once you open your mouth to talk to that friend you have been thinking about lately you will have this undescribable strength behind you to back you up! That is why this church is so cool. That is why this church is true.
I love you all tons and wish you the best!
Love elder parks

Aaron's letter 11-1-09

Hey Family!
Well I just wrote an awesome weekly full of good things and then it erased!!!!So here we go time number 2!
The reason I am on today is because of zone conference tomorrow. This past week has been a truly crazy one. With the biggest zone in the mission come the most problems. We spent a lot of time on the phone as well as going to other areas. But thankfully we have some great missionaries who help out a ton! In the middle of all this my comanion and I have come to see some things.
A main topic of tomorrow's conference is the Book of Mormon. Elder Alkonis and I, this morning in comp study, talked a lot about how the Book of Mormon is the source of all things here as a missionary. The Book of Mormon is the source of conversion. The Book of Mormon is the source of answers to the questions of life. Through the Book of Mormon we can truly find the peace we need each day. Elder Alkonis and i had a great conversation about the need missionaries everywhere have of getting to the point that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Without the Book of Mormon we are just another Christian church with missionaries. We must each find within ourselves the testimony we posses of the Book of Mormon and strengthen it. I love the Book of Mormon. I know it has the power to change lives, enlighten minds, and direct us for good. I know that as soon as we get into the mindset of "I'm ready to learn" and then change our lives accordinglly, God will give countless blessings, and those blessings will come, in large amount, from the Book of Mormon.
I hope each of you feel of this power in your lives each day. It is something worth sacrificing for. It is something worth stopping those habits not in line with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed to the propeht Joseph Smith. I know we can all do the things necessary to return to Heavenly Father's presence.
Let's do it!
I love you tons!Thanks a ton for the support you have given and the supoort and prayers that continue to come.
Elder Parks

The get together after the baptism took place at our home...we had 63 come and play...

Steve made a chocolate cake...baked and seasoned the pulled pork...

I made all the salads: Macaroni, Pasta, Potato, Several Bean, Frito Lay, along with veggie trays, pickle and olive trays and cheese and cracker trays. We had chips and ice water and several kinds of soda...

The three of us had a great time getting our home ready to great our guest...

It was so fun to have the mingling continue after the baptism...no one was in a hurry and everyone just relaxed and had fun...

Amanda making Lemon Bars for the get together after the baptism...she did a fabulous job and everyone enjoyed...

This was the first time Amanda made Lemon Bars. She had so much fun...

Amanda was fabulous help getting everything ready. She also made Rice Crispy treats and helped clean the house for everything to just be perfect...

Our dear friend, Deb was baptized on November 7, 2009...What an incredible journey we have traveled together for the past few weeks...

This has been such an incredible journey we have traveled together. Deb has been visiting with me for over a year about religion. During my prep it was not unusually for us to be visiting in the office about various religious topics...One day we were visiting and I asked Deb if she would be willing to visit with the sister missionaries. I told her they had 6 or so lessons and they would be able to help her answer all her questions if she would be willing to listen. She told me she would like that.

The discussions began on Sunday, Oct. 11 and were held in our home. What a wonderful blessing this has been for our family. We have totally loved being a part of this with Deb...Thank you for blessing our family and our lives...

Deb, Annette and Steve on Deb's baptism evening...
Deb asked Steve to baptize her...

and to confirm the next day, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009 at the Ventana Ward Chapel...

Sisters Waters, Lamb and Brown and Deb...These sisters are the missionaries that taught Deb her discussions...

The sisters, Jonny, Deb's son and Deb
Eva, Deb, Jonny
David, Jon, Cathy and Linda....
Deb's son and her brother, his wife and son and her two sisters...

Jonny and Deb

Deb with her daughter, Shelby and Shelby's friend, Mark...
Melissa played the harp for prelude and for Deb's favorite hymn at the baptism...


There were 101 people that attended Deb's baptism. The pictures that follow are people that were so excited to be apart of this great evening...
Sharon Lovin, Deb's Relief Society Pres. came to all the missionary discussions with Deb in our home. She is a great strength for Deb. Her daughters were also there to celebrate this great adventure...they also sang with the other activity girls as part of the program...

The Moody's ...Christine Moody has worked at our school on and off for several years...she was so thrilled to be able to come and enjoy this evening...

Bishop Fuller and his family...This is Deb's bishop in the Ventana Ward...

This sister lead the music for the baptism...

Caron is one of Deb's visiting teachers...Megan and Aliece are in my class at school...These kids were so excited to be there...

Deb asked Avalie Sego to give a talk on Baptism at her baptism. They are good friends. Avi is in the office area several times a day visiting the nurse's office checking her blood. Avi is diabetic and so she and Ms. Debra are very close. Avi did a fabulous job...

More of the kids and families at the baptism...

Evan and Nancy Farrow...Nancy has been in and out of our school doing IEP's...she also taught Deb tolle painting several years ago in Utah...Very small world...

Evelyn is one of my students from school. She was so happy to be at Ms. Deb's baptism. All the Activity Day Girls sang at the baptism. They were so excited to do this...

Sarah is in our Chorus Club and so happy the Ms. Deb would be attending her ward...

Todd McCrackin is the Ventana Ward Mission Leader and has been so wonderful to work with and get everything ready for Deb.

Happy Birthday Amanda Mache' Parks...Big 13...We have a teenager in the house once again...

Dean loves to spoil his baby sister...

Tickets to "New Moon"

Amanda's music pen and her eggs benedict breakfast...

Steve always buys Amanda a fun book for her birthday...

A Japanese balloon that Amanda loved...

Breakfast table set and ready for Amanda to have her birthday breakfast and to start the fun adventure of turning 13...

The breakfast table before the balloons...

Amanda holding her birthday gift from Dean...He spoiled her...

My nephew and his friends enjoy hunting...

Aaron's letters 10-18-09

We do regular missionary work plus more! All the district leaders call us each night and then we call the assistants after that...then we also have to deal with any problems that arise and go help. Then we need to do exchanges and get around to see everyone...just lots of little running around things! Tiring but fun!

Yeah all the zone leaders have pday today because tomorrow we have zone leader training at the mission home...but yeah being a zone leader is quite the position! I have never been this consistently tired and loving my 8 hour sleeping!!! and my companion, Elder Alkonis, is the man! We have so much fun together. Infact tonight we are going to a baseball game with the Travellers and the general authority who lives close to here and his son. We call it our FHE! haha way excited! My companion played baseball at the naval academy and is SO good! we have FUN!

Wow! Kira is already married and on her way to becoming Argentine!! That is so cool and what a neat experience! Does he speak English?

Oh man way to go with the missionary work!! That is such awesome news!!!! You are such a great missionary!

Elder Ridge Alkonis is my companion and he is from LA, California and he has been out since last year's August 27, just two transfer's below me

Yeah this place is great! Elder Wilson took my place in Takayama.

WOW busy week! sounds like ours!! haha, that is so awesome too that Amanda is giving a talk on missionary work!! Let me know if I can give anything useful!

ok well have a good week! We have to go now, but love you!!

The Weekly:
Hey Family!
Well now I am here in the big city of NAGOYA!!! Literally we live right in the middle of it all and it is way fun!! Being a zone leader is quite the thing too! We have lots more nitty gritty type stuff that you have no idea about unless you have to do it!! Phone calls, stats, helping solve problems that arise....But me and my companion have such a fun time together!
He goes to the Naval Academy and is a pitcher on their baseball team! He is way awesome and a party animal!
In fact, tonight we are going to a baseball game at the Nagoya Dome with the Travellers and Elder Ishi, an area seventy, and his son! How cool! It will be way dang fun and Sister Travller is buying us Subway! Way fun party!
So yeah the reason I am on today and not tomorrow is because the first week of the transfers there is a zone leader training at the mission home on Tuesday. So our pday gets made Monday for a week. But next week will be just regular!
We are emailing above a Chinese retaurant and it is way funny!
Real quick...next week is our halloween party and we'd like ideas! Also I'd like the marshmallow popcorn ball recipe please! (Annette is that a possibility?)
Sadly because of the flu going around and Japan being way strict about that kind of stuff we won't be having apple bobbing like last year but thats ok!
For a gospel insight.....I know that God is looking out for us and truly that He loves us!We had a neat opportunity to do a lesson with some sister missionaries the other day. What happened with them is their investigator didn't really want to talk to them anymore after the other sister transferred, because he happened to have developed a crush on her!
Because he loves us elders we went and helped out for a lesson to shape him up! Also, the Japanese sister was really taking it hard on herself and we could tell she wasn't very happy.
So, during the lesson I had a huge feeling to just testify to Toshiki kun (the investigator) that these two sisters are amazing missionaries and are working to help him. I felt one of the strongest feelings of God love I ever have for these sisters, especially this Japanese one.
After I did that I could tell the one sister was shocked by what I had said. I truly could feel God's love for her and knew He wanted her to know that.
God is guiding His children. He leads us where we need to be and we can then see miracles.
I love you all tons and am so proud of your efforts!
Love
Elder Parks

My kids have so much fun doing art at school...We have an incredible art teacher...Ms. D...

Bandelier Ward YW came over to learn how to cook Japanese...We had so much fun with them...I miss these girls...

Steve and I had so much fun making all the food and teaching them various items the ladies could cook...It was so much fun to have them in our home...

Moose on the Loose...

This moose visited my mom and dad's home...looked in their living room and bedroom windows, sharpened it's antlers on the front tree and then migrated down the field to our hay field a mile from their home.

In 19 days we'll have an offical teenager living in our home...I'm so excited for this adventure...Amanda is a beautiful young lady and so much fun...

Thanks Janiece...You're the best...nice to have you back but I know you are missing your Argentina life as well...thanks again...

Aaron's letters 10-13-09

Holy cow Dad, I am a 36!! Maybe a bit smaller now but still about the same!! 62 pounds is awesome. Keep up the great work.

Wait Wait Wait....Jessica is getting married!???? crazy!! Tell her congrats for me.

Sister Traveller decided not to do the Christmas program this year.....it cost too much and not very great turn out at most of them...so sadly no concert. But my zone will for sure be doing something!!!

The Weekly:
Hey Family!!!
Well today was a huge rush!! Earlier I didn't have much time and now I really don't either before we have to run to english class!!!
So the transfer new...I went Zone leader and am now in the downtown Nagoya area!! Crazy city life here I come!!! I am way excited for the new change and look foreward to new experiences! Ok, so since I don't have much time I am just going to get to what I want to say this week.
Well first off, conference rocked!!! too many great talks to specify, but loved it!
Besides that this past week I had an amazing experience I have to share...my first blessing in english!
So Elder Mulder had been feeling sick and as I was saying my prayers asking that he get feeling better I had the impression to give him a blessing. However I then decided I would let him ask. Well right after I finished my prayer and we got into bed I told him to just let me know if there was anything I could do for him. Then he asked me to give him a blessing! So I got up and got my oil and off we went.
Well this is my first english blessing and it was amazing for the both of us. Right as I began the sealing and the actual blessing I felt an immense love of God. It seriously felt that God was standing next to me whispering into my ear the words to say. I was completely guided by this beautiful spirit and then led to my step of faith: I felt the impression to say "be healed." Right when I felt this I paused for 10 seconds wondering if I could actually do this. A first for me. Then I said it and continued to feel the love of God. Well long story short, Elder Mulder said the pressure in his face completely left as soon as those words were said. Also that all the things said before the healing were perfect answers to his prayers. I had no idea. God truly worked through me. It felt almost the same as when I got my partriarchal blessing. I was saying the words but really, it was God.
This is the true church of God, our loving Heavenly Father. How great of a blessing to be a part of it with all the keys and blessings that entails. It feels amazing to be a worthy servant of the Lord. I know that each of you as well can feel versions of this joy and spirit in your life and I challenge you to do so.
I love you!
Elder Parks
( and if you could please pray for Elder Mulder`s mom, Jill Mulder. She has Fibro maelga and it has gotten worse lately. She still has five little ones at home and needs a little help right now! thanks!

Aaron's letter 10-12-09

Ok, quick update...I just went zone leader and so have to take a conference call at 10 30. So I am going to get off for the call and come back later to tell you all about the cool stuff lately!
I love you tons!!
Elder Parks

WOW Erika is beautiful!!! I am so excited for them!! Tell Mark congrats for me and I look forward to his reception in Utah.

Not too much from the typhoon here in Takayama but Nagoya got it pretty good.

I got the packages!!! WOW thanks so much!! I'll write more after our call.

Aaron's letter 10-5-09

WOO HOOO!!!! Go japan!!!and haha, go Utah and Brigham City!!!! 5 new temples!!!!!

Way to go Dad with the weight. 60 pounds is awesome. What is your waist size now?

Thanks so much for the support and guidance! After reading all of your testimonies and notes I was really able to turn this experience into one of strength. thanks a ton!!!

The Weekly:
Hey family!!
Well I am here this week and writing the weekly! Last week we went to the zone activity so only had a little time to check and write a bit! It was way fun! we went to a park and had a Brazillian BBQ and then all played ultimate frisbee. Then after all that we went to the beach and played soccer! way good time!
Then this past Sunday President and Sister Traveller came to church here in Takayama along with the new stake president and family...we had a record breaking 35+ at church!! haha, it was way fun!!
This past week we were working with our one investigator, Ikuko, towards baptism and I really learned so much!! She called us last tuesday morning to tell us she decided she wanted to get baptized on Sunday! So we planned how to teach her everything and get her interviewed by Friday/Saturday. We got her taught and to the interview where she didn't pass and we all realized she isn't ready for that step yet and needs to grow a little more in actually believing these things and not just wanting to enter a hobby group. She is still way awesome and will grow really well with the Relief Society ladies in all their home making type things. Then, through that, she'll draw closer to a testimony of her own and baptism.
I came to understand even more that God really is guiding us and leading His children to the things they need.
Then Sunday we sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" as the closing hymn and I felt something I will never forget. Right as I began singing the first line "watashi no suteki na kazoku..." tears began to flow unceassingly. It hit me harder than it ever has that MY suteki family really CAN live forever. I have to mention, this feeling was mainly directed towards Dean.
Since Dean has made these changes lately I have felt many deep feelings of love for him and for our Savior Jesus Christ. Then as a I sang this hymn, bearing testimony of eternal families, it hit me that Dean just did something that opened up the door to his eternal family, our eternal family.
Dean, I love you.
I am giving you a hug right now, you just can't feel it. I can honestly say I have never cried so hard in my life as what I did this past Sunday. And one thing that just hit me is that when I was feeling this at church, Dean was watching the Priesthood session of conference in East Aurora. Coincidence? I think not, I know not. I am so full of love for our family.
I now know without any doubt at all that our family CAN be eternal and WILL be as we do the things we need to. Dean has set the example, lets not fall short. I love you all deeply and like I gave Dean, I am giving you all a hug right now, you just can't feel it.
The church is true. God is our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is our loving older brother Savior.
God speed.
Love ,
Elder Parks

Aaron's letter 9-28-09

Things are great! Time is a bit short today. We are in another area about to go together to a zone activity. It was rainy this morning but has thankfully stopped now!! So hopefully our sports and bbq will turn out!!

Woo hoo!!! I can't wait for the packages!!! Thanks for all the hastle in sending them!! It will mean all the more when they come!! I am pretty sure the kanji said "ryuusui" running/flowing water....and I quite like the compliment that I look like dad!! sweet!!