From Amanda - 10/28/13

PRELUDE:  Amanda has asked her Dad to share his mission experiences with her and it has been so fun for him to revisit his slides and his journals and relay those adventures with her.  This is her latest response to his tales:

We have a saying here. "Catholics make the best Mormons" ;) It's so crazy how different missions are both from when you went and now and where you went and where I am. The people accept things differently. I recently reread Alma 21 and 22 and its a good example of how different missions are.

When Ammon went to the Lamonites he met King Lamoni and told him he'd serve him and then converted him and it went really smooth.

When Aaron went to the Amalekites he went to their churches and preached and they said, "Well, we believe in God, isn't that enough?" and he asked, "Do you believe that Jesus Christ is our redeemer?" they said, "We don't believe that." and then they mocked him and threw him in jail. Ammon and Lamoni got him out, but what did he do when he was free? He went right back to those same people and kept preaching.

I look at it like this: Ammon went to Mexico where people are very open and willing to hear and accept the gospel. Aaron went to California where people's hearts are hard and they believe that they can do things on their own, that they don't need God.

Both missions were hard in their own rights.

Sometimes I'm glad I didn't have to learn a language, that I can just say what I feel, and sometimes I hate having to think about what I should say.

The gospel really is it's own language.

By the way, We're doing a family history thing here in the mission and I was wondering if, along with the fantastic story of your life that you're sending me, could you send me some stories about Grandma and Grandpa Park and their parents too if you know any. The story of Lizzy's healing would be great too :)

I love you, Thanks for the cookies :)