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, December 02, 2013


December 2, 2013
Very interesting week.

Wednesday I was on exchange with Elder Lamont.  It was so good!  We teach in similar ways so it was a lot of fun to have lessons.  We had a really good lesson on the priesthood with James this week.  He is getting really close to his baptism, hopefully this coming Saturday. 
We also had a good lesson with our branch president and a less active couple.  They haven’t legalized their marriage but they are married.  We talked to them about why marriage is important, and how they should have the goal of getting to the temple to be sealed to their family.  Elder Lamont and I shared how happy we are to be sealed to our families.  Oh what a blessing that is.

On Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving again! ( thanks mom for confusing me....).  We did it better this time though.  We bought a full chicken from the super market.   We lathered it up with garlic salt and teriyaki sauce, stuck it in the oven and waited.  It sounds bad but it was delicious!!!!!  Elder Bell made some mash potatoes.  We FEASTED!!!   I was playing the part of Griswald by getting to cut the chicken.  It was funny.

Friday was a Liberian holiday so all we did was eat.  No one was home for us to go and teach.  So it kind of sucks.   Saturday we learned how to play checkers the LIBerian way.   It’s actually a small different from how we play.  (yes, that’s how he wrote that, I remember him telling me that Liberians don’t have the word “little.”  I guess he doesn't have it now either)   They go super fast!  It was a lot of fun though.  We also played some on Sunday.

Sunday when we were walking back to the apartment, both Baldwin and I came to the same conclusion, which is this, our area has come to a stand still.   We feel like we are doing everything we can to help the people here but they just don’t understand that it is so important.  It’s their own salvation!!!!  We have a lot of people we see, but only about 4 are progressing anywhere.  I have never had this happen before.  I know that this is just part of mission, it’s now time to be on my knees even more seeking for guidance on what to do.  I know that my Father in Heaven will truly help us help our brothers and sisters progress in the Gospel.  That’s why we are here, that’s what I am here.

I love you all and pray daily for all of you.

Elder Park
The White African
T.I.A.
Extras:
Thanksgiving was awesome the second time around!

No package yet.  But I have to go to the mission office on Thursday for a training. (wish me luck on getting there, there is no more bikes in town, it’s the fastest way to get around)  so I might get it then.  Something happened in another part of Liberia that made the law makers pass a bill that says that bikes can’t run in town.  I won’t tell you what happened.

I asked him what they do to celebrate Christmas there, he said:  they celebrate the way they celebrate any other holiday, they drink.  Some families do gather together.  I don’t know  for sure, haven’t been here for one.

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