BAPTISMS AND CONFERENCES AND RAGE FASTS AND MORE

YO YO YO FAM TUDO BEM WHAT'S UP TO ALL THE GENTE OUT THEREEEEE

So THIS WEEK COMPLETELY ROCKED. ALL OF MY SOCKS WERE ROCKED OFF Y'ALL. No but on the realz this week was the trillest and I didn't think it was possible but I am lovin Viana more and more everyday!!! Hashtag blessed

Soooooooooooooo
   - First off, youuuuuuu guessed it fam THE DRY SPELL IS OVER and WE'RE DUNKING AWAY PEOPLE'S SINS AGAIN WOHOOOOOOOO Cristina officially got baptized yesterday!! Y'all. It ROCKED. She was so so so excited. And it's crazy because before she didn't have too much resolve, like she never came to church because she always felt sick and it was too early and whatnot. But leading up to this baptism she had to have 2 interviews in the morning and she's been crazy sick and her leg has been hurting but she keeps pressing on because she wanted to be baptized so badly. AHHHH CHURCH IS TRUE.
   - And the ceremony was perfect too, Viana is seriously a dream. ALL of the members came and we didn't do anything they did all the talks and musical numbers and Cristina was crying and it was so loving and perfect and the best. And Vanessa came too!! Right after Cristina was baptized Vanessa was like "I don't know how to explain it but she looks different. There's something different about her, it's like she's glowing". So cool. SO COOL. I LOVE THIS PLACE SLASH THE MISSION SLASH LIFE. It's moments like this that, even though it was crazy and stressful all leading up to it, make everything worth it. Gotta love it when people cumprir their compromissos and achegar mais perto de Cristo am I right or am I RIGHT
    - The good news about this baptism is that I, Sister Parkinson, was in my freakin element on Saturday and I turned up like no domestic goddess has ever turned up before. Sister Mauricio was ridiculously ill on Saturday so she spent a good 7 hours or so in bed and FOLKS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME BUT I WAS A MACHINE. I COULDN'T BE STOPPED. THE KITCHEN WAS ON FIRE. I honestly don't even think I'm being dramatic or over-the-top here. I made lemon bars, 7 layer bars, gingersnaps, AND buttermilk brownies and the reviews all came in 5 stars y'all everyone was raving on my baking skills and that could be the happiest I have ever been like I KNOW WHY I'M HERE ON A MISSION EVERYBODY it's to learn to use the baking talents God has given me no hidin this under a bushel y'all I am the luz para o mundo. Hahahahahahaha alright that got way outta control but just so everyone knows, I was a machine on Saturday and the treats at the baptism were 10/10 and I'm tryna be humble but it's hard
    - Sunday was also Stake Conference and it was super good and uplifting and also always a huge bênção to see people from Foz and Braga!!! The best part about it all though was that Viana basically WAS the conference, they were like half the choir and all the testimonies and the talks and the solos and everybody was like "woah Viana is so forte rn" and "dude Viana is crescering" and we're out here like YAS VDC REPRESENT. Best lil ramo in Portugal :')
    - So Sister Mauricio and I are on day 5 of a ridiculous rage fast and it's getting out of control. For those of you who haven't been to college or a mission, rage fasting is when you have no food or money. So you fast. Because you have to. And that's where we're at. This new month really needs to chegar bc the "We don't get money for another 5 days and we have 20 cents and 2 carrots" game is getting a little out of control. Not sure how much longer we can last before this is considered malnutrition hahahahahahaha #pray4vdc2k16

Alrightyyyyyyyyy that's all I got but as you can tell, minus the starvation this week has been fabulous and I'm lovin the mish as much as ever. Thanks also for the love and support from the gente back home, the prayers are definitely felt!!

MUCH LOVE Y'ALL FIQUEM BEM

xoxoxoxoxo bjnhs Sis P

1. She looks sad but I swear she's not. Whoop whooooooop

2. The whole fammmmmmm

BEDNAR BEDNAR BEDNAR

WHAT UP FRIENDS AND FAMMMMMMM TA TUDO NA BOA CREW?!?! All is freakin BEM here in Viana AS ALWAYS and I fall in love with this place more and more everyday. Viana y'all, I still stand by this as missionary paradise.

So BEDNAR. BEDNAR BEDNAR BEDNAR. I could write my entire email about the man and his life-changing week because that pretty much WAS the semana. You guyzzzzz. Elder Bednar is the TRILLEST. The literal BEST. The conference was everything I was hoping it would be and more. Plus mission friends plus old ward member friends equals Thursday was the best of the best. I'll get to the deets in a minute

Basically this week:

   - First off Sis Mauricio is a DREAM at member relationships and it's the first area she's been in with other Cabo Verdianans which is great for her and all but I think it is possibly EVEN BETTER for me because I get to ride around and enjoy the benefits of her charismo and ability to speak Creole which include, but are not limited too: a) food, b) rides, c) food, d) parties, and e) food. Life is good, y'all
   - Second either my McDonalds influence is so far-reaching that it takes almost immediate effect or Sister Mauricio has just been tired of cooking, but either way we are back to our normal standards, folks. We had 3 Big Macs just in the last 5 days and I'm not even a little bit sad. Just proud :') remember when I thought for like a week that being with Sis M would make me eat less McDonalds??? Hahahahahahahahahaha but THE LEGACY CONTINUES
   - So to not have to wake up at negative o´clock to get to Porto for Bednar we decided to go up early and party it up with Matosinhos (you know I love them sleepovers fam) which ended up being the most ridiculous adventure bc the metro kinda stopped running when we got there and I was in pajamas and we were desperately trying to not see any other missionaries who were all also coming in that night..... Hahaha classic. I'm honestly not even sure how we got to Matosinhos safe and sound but I'm gonna hand it off to the ajuda do Senhor #grateful
   -  YO YO YO the part we've all been waiting for: BEDNARRRRR. So Thursday morning we had a 3 hour conference with him, just us missionaries, and it was a dream come true. He just kinda answered questions the whole time but it rocked so, so hard. The Spirit was so strong and he knew exactly what to say for everything and it was an so inspired and perfect and I think I cried about 15 times. We also all got to go up there and shake his hand and I'm pretty sure I said "whjafkjdfslah Bednar kfdlskjafslj" but he smiled anyway and that's how we know he is called of God. Seriously though y'all, he is most definitely an apostle of the Lord and this was literally one of the best experience of my life, hands down. Church is true folks and I'm so grateful for it and especially the fact that it's living and has men called of God to lead it.
   - Also that night we had another Bednar conference with all the members and it was equally as inspiring and, BONUS, EVERY LAST ONE of my areas was there and I got to see so many people and there is nothing, NOTHING better, fam!!! I'm 110% sure the people are the very best part of the mission

I have about 3092834 things to say but I'm out of time and vontade so again, sorry my letters get worse and worse but just know that I LOVE the mission and Viana and the gospel and life!!!!!!

AND ALL OF YOU. Thanks for being the best fam

MUCH LOVE BOA SEMANA A TODOS

fiquem bem gente

xoxoxoxox bjnhs Sis P

1, Viana, where the members treat us like Princesses. We taught a lesson during Pday so after they were like YO JUST STAY HERE AND DO EMAIL HERE'S OUT COMPUTERS HERES THE COUCH RELAX HERE'S FOOD WE LOVE YOU and it's all a dream come true


2. Big chunk of the gang

3. Taking investigators to the hospital for dayz


4. SANTA LUZIA



5. The crew Santa Luzia-ing


6. PICNICZ WOHOOOOOO


The whole mission was out and about and I somehow forgot to take ANY pics until the end when I realized it was probs the last time I was gonna see Sherrif Ward so I shed about 38972 tears and we took some pics

Viana and Food and Portuguese and VIANA

WHAT UP FRIENDS AND FAMMMMMMM TUDO BEM Y'ALL WHAT'S GOOD IN THE HOOD TODOS?!?!?!

Sooooooooo transfers happened on Tuesday and I'M STAYING here in the wonderful missionary dreamland of Viana and I'm super super thrilled!!!

BUT the tristeza of this week slash the century is that my twin, my sweet sweet stepdaughter and 80% of why we recieved the self-awarded best looking dupla in the mission award, Sister Jenna Foote, LEFT ME HERE TO FEND FOR MYSELF IN VIANA. It was a hard loss, folks. A big hit. Y'all don't even KNOW.

Butttttttt the good news is my new comp is Sister Mauricio from Capo Verde and she is SUCH A BRO. We are already having a blast and I love her bunches and bunches. And Viana is just as perfect as ever so basically, tudo bem tudo bem.

So this week:
   - First off Sister Mauricio is fabulous and hilarious and the chillest and also doesn't speak english. So ya home girl Sista P, who has never lasted longer than 3 hours in any english fast she has ever attempted in MORE THAN A YEAR of mission-ing, is now on DAY 5 OF AN ENGLISH FAST. You guyz. You guyz. Hashtag prayers needed
   - No but I'm being a complete diva because there's actually 0 miscommunications between us I'm just lazy and love english. But I've already learned about 32987927 more things in the last 5 days than basically my whole english-speaking mission so who knows, I may learn this language after all!! Someday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   - The downside to all of y'all is that my funny stories are taking a hard hit. I'm about 85% less funny in Portuguese, possibly more so I'm drawing a huge huge blank on anything hilarious that has happened during the week. I may have to start talking about missionary work fam idk we'll see
   - OH I did think this was a good opportunity to loose weight since all Sis Foote and I ever ate was french fries and ice cream for breakfast BUT as it turns out SISTER MAURICIO IS THE BEST COOK EVER and she makes delicious cabo verdianan food everyday and it's incredible and I have a) shed tears over this food and b) ALREADY gained 4 or 5 pounds so say goodbye to anyone who still had hopes of me actually doing 6 months to sexy hahahahahahaha NOPE
   - So OUR INVESTIGATORS ARE SUPER COOL. Seriously this is probably the most potential I've ever had in an area in my mission since ever. We remarked Cristina to be baptized at the end of this month HASHTAG PRAISE THE LORD and she finally came to church this Sunday and love love loved it. She kept saying "quero fazer parte da família aqui" and "vou andar nisso até morrer" and wonderful little things like that all day Sunday. And it was adorable and basically, she's golden. Also we have the mom of a recently returned missionary who is basically walking herself into the fonte, plus a lot of other super cool people to teach. FEELIN GOOD FAM. CHURCH IS TRUEEEEEEEEEE
    - This week we have a mission conference with ELDER FREAKIN BEDNAR AND I HAVE BEEN FREAKING OUT ALL WEEK I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO YOU GUYZ ELDER BEDNAR AHHHHH I WILL TELL ALL NEXT WEEK

Ok this is ridiculous but I literally can't think of anything else to say. SORRY GENTE. I know I'm getting lamer and lamer IT'S THE MISSION'S FAULT I SWEAR

But on the realz, I love love love my mission and my comp and Viana and the Lord and I am super grateful as always to be out here doin this. Love all y'all too fam thanks for everything!!

MUCH LOVE

xoxoxoxox bjnhs Sis P

It looks like Sister Mauricio transferred from an old companion of Carly's (Sister Kendall Runyan) so I stole a picture off of the old companions blog...  This is Sister Mauricio :)

987543983489 Ice Cream Cones Later

WHAT UP FAMMMMMMMM TUDO BEM GENTE WHAT IS GOOD IN THE HOOD. Also a happy freakin mothers day to any and all mothers and especially mine who happens to be the very best of the best!!!!

IT WAS A ROCKIN WEEK. AS ALWAYS. Let's see hereeeeeee
    - SKYPE SKYPE SKYPE. Y'all I have the best family in the world. Thanks for putting up with my terrible jokes and always talking about McDonalds, the works. We got to go to Antonio and Rosalina's house and they were pretty darn adorable and tried real real hard to converse with my parents, somewhat successfully and fed us delicious food and it was just all-around the best. We are super ridiculously lucky here in Viana my friends!!
   - Divisions. Hahahahahahahahahaha. You guys. I think I've written enough about Sister Cahill here that y'all know she is one of my very very best mission friends and we're kinda the same person and when we get together it's a little ridiculous. Well, guess who's also my sister training leader?? And took me downtown to Matosinhos for a solid 2 days so that we could PARTY IT UP and eat ice cream on ice cream and talk and laugh and have the best time ever. Again, not sure how this was allowed to happen slash who's idea this was but I have 0 regrets. I also learned some good things and we set important goals so no worries, fam, it was productive too. Lolz.
   - Since I was supposed to work with Cahill in her area, that left the two babies, Sister Foote and Sister Cahill's EVEN NEWER comp up here in Viana by themselves. They're also 2 of the most beautiful people in Portugal or possibly just the world so there were a lot of intense prayers being sent their way from our end. But they survived it just fine, fought off a lot of creepy college boys with the classic "no hablo Portugese" (I taught that one. So proud :') and also ate a lot of ice cream.
   - Then we got back together and talked about our division over a couple of bars of ice cream. For breakfast. You see where I'm going with this one??
   - Thus the subject line is as such. I don't know if there's a limit to how much ice cream is safe to eat in the week but I am at least 98% sure I've already crossed the limit by like 15 ice cream bars. We also got stuff for Sunday Sundaes bc we knew we'd be sad post-skype and basically, if anyone ever questions why I'll be coming home 45 ish pounds heavier, y'all already KNOW. Two words. Ice cream.
   - We also had some super cool experiences this week!! I think the best was Saturday, when Sister Foote and I both felt like it was time to visit Christina and Vanessa again. Vanessa still feels the same, but talking to Christina was literally incredible. She went on and on about how sad she's been feeling since we left, how she's been thinking a lot and praying about it and she knows that the church is what she needs to be doing. She said she just has this feeling in her heart that tells her not to leave this, to keep going and keep learning. And she said it doesn't matter what her family says, she knows this will make her happy and she wants to "andar na igreja". MILAGRES YOU GUYS. ACONTECEM. It was a super powerful moment and I'm really really excited to keep working with her because she is adorable and the best and really feels and recognizes the Spirit.
   - On top of that, this next transfer is looking like it's gonna be literally killer. We have a ton of member references coming through that look like they're going to be super successful, the ramo is AMAZING and we've set some high goals to be better and do better. So shoutout to next transfer and the next few months, I'm super super excited to see what comes next!!

Also, I LOVE Y'ALL. And I love love love the gospel. There is literally nothing better than getting to testify about all the stuff I know to be true and watching people feel the Spirit. As crazy and challenging and sometimes heartbreaking as the mission is, it's been the absolute BEST experience in the world. I'm so grateful I'm out here fam. CHURCH IS TRUE, BOOK IS BLUE

much love fammmmmmm fiquem bem

xoxoxoxoxox bjnhs Sis P

2 weeks in a row THINGS ARE GETTING CRAZY HERE IN VIANA FOLKS

1. Look at how perfect the beach is awwwwwww

2. I was trying to be artsy idk fam

3. Sister Foote is a str8 model so she tries to get me to be a model and it just doesn't quite work the same way

4. Ok I know my eye is closed bc sun but LOOK WE'RE ON A BOAT AND SIS FOOTE IS ADORABLE

GOT MY BANGS AND MY GRILLZ

What up friends and fammmmmmmm TUDO BEM TODOS. WHAT IS GOOD IN THE HOOD EVERYBODY HOW GOES IT WHATS UP

So another week down here in Vianaaaaaaa and it is as beautiful and fabulous and beachy and food-filled as ever!! I literally adore it here. Plus my comp is the best best BEST so that helps about 400%. LIFE IS PEACHY

Let's seeeeeeeee:
  - First off THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH for the love and prayers and everything that y'all do. Yes the last 2 weeks were slightly horrible haha and yes we're not totally into smooth sailing yet but I have felt more love and peace this week than basically ever before and I KNOW it's from all the prayers that y'all have been sending. Seriously, you have no idea how much it helps. Y'all are the greatest. I am so so lucky to have the best friends and fam around!!! :')
   - Second I'm realizing that I have hardly anything to say about this week so I am gonna whip up the best stories I can fam sorry if I failed on the delivery keep the prayers coming on behalf of this email
   - So that email title though. It was all I could come up with to describe a good chunk of this week, which was taking hour-long bus rides to visit less-active members who weren't even home. And what can you do on an hour-long bus ride when you have a tray of lemon bars covered in tin foil?? Use the tin foil to make grills and sing Beyonce songs in the back of the bus, you say?? Yes, folks, Sister Foote and I are officially back in middle school. But hey, at least we were entertained.
   - Also after we hit up 2 different parties last week we have discovered the sad realization that I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PARTY. Like at all. The mission experience has sucked all the fun out of me. Luckily I have a pretty fresh comp so she has made it her personal duty to re-teach me how to be a normal person and party and dance before I hit up the Y again. It's a long process, y'all. But we gonna perserverar até I no longer feel the need to panic fist-bump in any and all party situations
    - Every week I surprise myself more and more at my ability to eat every pastry in sight. And every week I think to myself "I have eaten more ice cream and McDonalds and chocolate crossaints than is humanly possible" and then I go an out-do myself YET AGAIN. I'm not sure how it's still happening but I tell you what, that's real. Also shoutout to McDs bc that new burger they have is fantastic. 10/10 would recommend
   - We have been focusing so hard on our marcadas that then fell that we've had to make the sad realization this week that we basically have no investigators. Yep. Roughin it. SO the re-finding has begun and has led to both weird, sketchy situations (i.e. teaching a guy in a one-room apartment that DEFINITELY had mice running around the floor) and miracles!!! (i.e. one of the best first lessons I have had in a long long time). Church is true and I will never get tired of teaching the first lessons and remembering that.
   - Plus one of our cool new investigators texted us yesterday and said, in english I might add, "hey sister could you do me a favor do you have a dollar bill" and we said nope sorry we dont and he said "ok thanks" so again, a lot of potential there. Look our for that baptism here em breve y'all.

Sorry my stories are as lame as they get hahahaha I was doing whatever I could here. But know that I still love love LOVE my mission and my comp and Viana and I am happy as can be. Thanks for EVERYTHING Y'ALL

MUCH LOVE AND ABRAÇOS PARA TODOS

xoxoxoxox bjnhs Sis P


I know I haven't sent picz in forever MY B so hey here's to a new week

1. That one time we went to the border of Spain and Portugal whoot whoot

2. Us being adorbz at Bom Jesus!!!

(pictures from her companions blog)