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.

Monday, March 24, 2014


March 24, 2014
The week flew again!
I had a very humbling experience happen on Tuesday, being here in general is humbling, but during District Meeting, Elder Enwukweri gave a small instruction.  He asked us to talk small about our struggles we had before we came on mission.   I was the last one to talk, in my district I am the only white man,  everyone else is African.  Wow, to listen to their stories is stunning.  Hearing how they literally battled to go on mission and the determination to serve.  When it got to me, I literally couldn’t say anything.  I really didn’t have any trials or struggles, I literally had all the support I could ever want or ever needed.  I thank you all so much for your love and support.

These past 2 weeks I have worked harder than I have before and I am just physically exhausted.  Being here in Upper Caldwell, hmmm, no small work you have to do.   We live on a generator from 7 to 10:30pm.   We don’t have running water, but we have a hand pump that is for the community, that’s how we get our water.  Pumping that thing is hard!!!!  and then carrying 2 buckets back to the apartment  isn’t much fun.  It’s a lot of work being here.
My companion, Elder Godi, from Zimbabwe, came from and apartment where you didn’t have to work much, so he’s been really tired this week too.   It’s been a great week though, still taught a lot of lessons.  Abraham is awesome but he just wants to learn too much, but he's smart enough.   We just have to check his motives.   A lot of Liberians listen and learn from us but then run away and build their own church even though they fully understand the Restoration and the need for Priesthood keys.  It’s really frustrating at times.

On Sunday we had a District Conference for Bushrod Island District.  (i only have one more of these left on my mission!!) (time flies).  I was able to see a lot of members from Doe Community.  Doe Community was my first area.  Even though i didn’t spend long there, I love that place and I love the people.  I was also able to see some of the people I was able to baptize a year ago.  it literally brought tears to my eyes when i saw that they were still active.  I’m still speechless about it.  This mission is the best.  So many miracles happen.  I love LIB. 
I love you all and pray for you always.  I hope you have a great week

Elder Park
The White African
T.I.A.

Extras:
I asked him about being the only white guy in the apartment, he said:  “yeah, the only white man.  It’s not bad.  The Elders I’m with don’t seen color.  Only Elder Enwukweri jokes every one one time about it.  It’s not bad.  It’s my first time that this has happened.  It’s cool.  Enwukweri is from Nigeria, Nabende is from Uganda, and Godi is from Zimbabwe.

Living here isn’t easy, especially in my apartment.   It’s nick name is the outer darkness apartment....
Below is a picture sent to me by Sister Berrett, one of the senior missionaries serving in Liberia.


 Elders Enwukweri, Nabende, Park and Godi

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