Blog Description

This is a blog for the family and friends of Collin Park. He will be serving a two year mission in the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he left on January 24, 2013. While Collin is on his mission his Mom will be posting pictures and letters as she gets them, the content will be straight from Collin (unless otherwise noted) - spelling and punctuation will be corrected of course! Commentary and clarification may be added by his Mom as needed.
UPDATE: Collin's mission was split in half! The Sierra Leone Mission included the country of Liberia when Collin first left. As of July 1, 2013, the mission was split along the border and the new mission created: the Liberia, Monrovia Mission. Collin will never see the country of Sierra Leone. He has been in Monrovia Liberia since he left the MTC in Ghana.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Because of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Liberia and Sierra Leone Missions were evacuated on August 4, 2014 and missionaries were reassigned to different missions. Collin was reassigned to the Salt Lake City Central Mission.

Sunday, February 10, 2013


This was a letter that Collin sent by regular mail, it took two weeks for delivery and was dated Sunday, January 27, 2013 – so just a couple days after he entered the MTC in Ghana.

Dear Mom (and family)
Leaving was hard but I’m having a lot of fun.  The African Elders are amazing, so humble.  They say the best prayers, I wish I could pray like them.  I wish I could be as humble as them.  My companion, Elder Gyewu-Appiah, is the best.  He was baptized about 12 years ago.  I’m not sure but I think he is 20.   He was made district leader, it’s not a huge deal because we are only here for 2 weeks, well, really 12 days total, but it’s still pretty awesome.  The other missionaries are awesome.  The African ones are hard to understand, but as days go by its easier and easier.  They also know that us Americans, or white’s as they call us, know that we have a hard time understanding them so they are patient and talk a little slower than normal for us.  They also greet you saying “good morning, how are you” or something like that.  They are just so nice!  I wish people back home were more like that. 
My instructors are all African and all really good at teaching us.  Me and Elder Gherkins (from Arizona) are in the same district and are both going to the Sierra Leone mission.  We are best friends.  We laugh at some of the things the other missionaries do like the African’s never say “Elder” when they talk to you, it’s always “companion.”  It’s so funny.  It’s funny, we joke about being in the Lord’s prison since there is an electric fence around the whole MTC and stake meeting house.  We aren’t allowed in the stake building either.  I haven’t been outside since I got here on Friday.  It’s Sunday now and it doesn’t look like we are going out anytime soon.  They keep us pretty busy.  I think I have every minute from 6am to 10:30pm mapped out.  It’s  tiring.  It’s hard to sleep at night because it is so hot and humid but exhaustion sets in and I can sleep for a while. I’m having fun, missing you guys, and I love you all so much.

-Elder Park
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