This is a letter we received today from Elder Barton, Evan's good friend who was able to host Evan the day he entered the MTC:
Dear Parry Family,
Y'all are the BEST!!! Thank y'all so much for the treats and the letters, it meant the world to me! I want y'all to know that being on the sidewalk when y'all pulled up was not a coincidence. I prayed every single day since I found out we would be hosting that I would get to host Elder Parry and that prayer was answered. I was assigned to be at the very end of the line but for some reason after I dropped off the first Elder I just felt like I needed to walk towards the front of the line. It was incredible to get to see all of you and so much fun to welcome Elder Parry to the MTC! The MTC is so amazing and the things we learn here are simply incredible. This past month has changed my life in ways I never thought were possible. I get to see Elder Parry a ton here and he always stops by at breakfast, lunch and dinner to talk for a bit. I got to sit next to him at our mission conference this past Sunday to which was really awesome. He is doing great! It sounds like the language is coming great for him and he is incredibly excited about the work! He is going to be an amazing missionary! His companion is a little different, but I think in the end they will learn to love each other. Thank y'all so much for everything y'all have done for me! Especially for all the times you let me come up from BYU with Evan and stay with y'all. Y'all are like family to me and it meant the world to me to be able to see y'all! I hope everything is going great for y'all and y'all are enjoying the summer!
Les Amo!
Elder Barton
Friday, June 10, 2011
June 10, 2011
Konnichiwa!
Oh how much I love it in here! It truly is a blessing to be here full time doing the Lord´s work. Sorry I haven´t replied to any of your other letters and packages. I just thought it would be easier to email one big reply. Speaking of them, thanks for all the letters and packages! I'm trying to beat the branch record of 11 in 3 weeks so help out! They make me feel like I´m loved haha. I love it here, I have realized how hard it´s going to be so it forces me to work harder. As Spencer W. Kimball said, ¨We lose ourselves, so that we can find ourselves.¨ I love it tho, I can´t say that enough times. The spirit is just great here. It´s like a fire hose not only for learning Japanese, but the spirit just blesses me all the time. Speaking of the language, it's HARD. I feel like I keep falling behind, so Andrus Sensei said he would tutor me as long as I need help.
My district is pretty awesome. It´s me and Dinkel from Nebraska goin to Nagoya. Elder Ashcroft from Colorado and Elder Parra-Mauk from Layton goin to Nagoya too. Elder Ellsworth from Mesa goin to Nagoya and his comp Elder Olson from Layton goin to Sapporo. Elder Carmack from New Jersey and Elder Anderson from Virginia goin to Tokyo. Then there's Elder Gubler, our Zone Leader, from St George goin to Tokyo and his comp Elder Evans from Virginia goin to Fukuoka. Then there are the Munro twins and Elder Sonntag in our zone who I have grown really close to. It's a lot of fun, but a lot of work. We have class for 6 hours a day and study time for another 4. Today in study time, I read about Moses in Egypt. I got some great insight on it. Like the people of Egypt having disasters fall upon them, the people of Japan have also had some tragedies. I know that if I have faith like Moses did, I can change the hearts of not just a few, but many people over in the wonderful land of Nihon! What a great blessing it is to be here at this particular time and going to this particular place, as my patriarchal blessing says.
No we don't do any kind of classes on Sundays, we just have like 10 hours of personal study, sacrament, and a devotional at night. Last week was fast Sunday, very spiritual, but I was starving! I couldn't eat til 6! Thanks for the preparation fam haha just playin, it's not too bad.
I have seen so many people here including Mitch Brandon, Kelon, people from BYU, Ryan Checketts, and a few others. Ty was unfortunately sent home on medical release. I pray that he will be able to come serve shortly.
I love you all so much. Thanks mom and dad for all the supporting letters, it really is so awesome. How are things goin? I can write more in an email if you guys reply by a dear elder so I can read them separate from emailing, cuz the half hour includes reading them. I would LOVE a DJ3K wristband if that is possible. and also, you can send my gloves whenever you want. I can have them, I just can't use them til the field. I love you all so much. Make sure to express that to each kid and how much I pray for them each night. Tell Matt and Grandma thanks for the letters too, they sent stuff with your dear elder so I can't reply. And how are the finals goin!? I don't get ANY sports updates in here, it's like a humungous bubble to everything else in the world.
ISAAC: Sorry I didn't write a letter to you, but I figure this will get to you sooner anyway. Thanks for that letter big guy! It's so awesome and exciting to hear about the things you do. Mom says you're killin it at baseball! That's awesome! Get good so you can go 6-6 in your MTC softball games like me :) I love you man, I miss ya tons, stay on the straight and narrow path and you will be serving a mission before you even know it!
Love you all, gambatta!
Elder Evan "S.B." Parry
Monday, June 6, 2011
First P-Day
Kazoku!
Ohio goisamasu! First week missionaries can't e-mail. It's really dumb. I like letters, but don't like writing. Haha. The first week is good! The first day was hard and overwhelming, but it's getting better. The days are long but I know after Sunday it gets better.
Japanese is tough, but it's comin along. I can pray, introduce, and testify in Japanese. My teachers are awesome! Bro. Andrus and Sis. Mortensen. You know Parker Andrus and Sis. Mortensen lived in Jeff Smith's old house when we moved in! Crazy, but I love having teachers that know me.
Elder Dinkel is kind of a...dinkelberry. Haha. He always forgets stuff. His key, backpack, tag, but he knows a ton of Japanese. I almost have hirogama down, but hs is learning kanji. I keep trying to tell him to focus on teaching and speaking, but he insists it will help. Every companionship in our district has one Elder who studied Japanese before. Me, Elder Ellsworth, Ashcroft and Gubler are lost. Haha. But we will all help each other. I love our district. We have so much fun. We played softball in gym and I hit a home run that probably woul've gone over the Bronco Field fence. I was named the district Jokester and Alpha Dog! We dn't have any sisters, but the two sisters in the other district always hang out with us. They are fun. It's a different kind of friendship than back home. Haha.
Thanks for the package! I freaking loved it. Everyone was jealous. I got nine letters yesterday from you guys, G-Dawg, Lindsey, Gayla, Alec, Andrew Parry, the Bishop and Grandpa. I lovve the support. Hopefully Elder Dinkel will get some stuff soon.
I've seen Elders Talbot, Barton, Walker, Brandon, Hyer, Groberg, Oberg, Fernelius and a few others around! It would've been awesome with all the guys in here.
That's so funny what Jake did! He's the man. Haha. I'm way excited for Jake and the others to serve. If Jake wants to go out in December, I don't blame him. He will love it out here. I'm gettin way dizzy from my bad breathing, I just wish it would get better already. It's way annoying. It gets hard to hear, but it gets better. Should I take Allegra every day?
The food here is awful. But for lunch we had BBQ hamburgers and Papa John Pizza, it was splendid.
We're just hangin out in the laundry room now, writing letters with the sisters.
Love you all! Can't wait to hear from ya! Good luck to Jake in summer. I hope Caroline has a great time in DC (and thank you Hansel for that letter sooo much). Sam & Isaac love you both and let it hang!
Yours truly,
Elder Parry
"Shortboob"
PS Me and Elder Dinkel have our own room! And could you have Dad send me the concise dictionarys?
Ohio goisamasu! First week missionaries can't e-mail. It's really dumb. I like letters, but don't like writing. Haha. The first week is good! The first day was hard and overwhelming, but it's getting better. The days are long but I know after Sunday it gets better.
Japanese is tough, but it's comin along. I can pray, introduce, and testify in Japanese. My teachers are awesome! Bro. Andrus and Sis. Mortensen. You know Parker Andrus and Sis. Mortensen lived in Jeff Smith's old house when we moved in! Crazy, but I love having teachers that know me.
Elder Dinkel is kind of a...dinkelberry. Haha. He always forgets stuff. His key, backpack, tag, but he knows a ton of Japanese. I almost have hirogama down, but hs is learning kanji. I keep trying to tell him to focus on teaching and speaking, but he insists it will help. Every companionship in our district has one Elder who studied Japanese before. Me, Elder Ellsworth, Ashcroft and Gubler are lost. Haha. But we will all help each other. I love our district. We have so much fun. We played softball in gym and I hit a home run that probably woul've gone over the Bronco Field fence. I was named the district Jokester and Alpha Dog! We dn't have any sisters, but the two sisters in the other district always hang out with us. They are fun. It's a different kind of friendship than back home. Haha.
Thanks for the package! I freaking loved it. Everyone was jealous. I got nine letters yesterday from you guys, G-Dawg, Lindsey, Gayla, Alec, Andrew Parry, the Bishop and Grandpa. I lovve the support. Hopefully Elder Dinkel will get some stuff soon.
I've seen Elders Talbot, Barton, Walker, Brandon, Hyer, Groberg, Oberg, Fernelius and a few others around! It would've been awesome with all the guys in here.
That's so funny what Jake did! He's the man. Haha. I'm way excited for Jake and the others to serve. If Jake wants to go out in December, I don't blame him. He will love it out here. I'm gettin way dizzy from my bad breathing, I just wish it would get better already. It's way annoying. It gets hard to hear, but it gets better. Should I take Allegra every day?
The food here is awful. But for lunch we had BBQ hamburgers and Papa John Pizza, it was splendid.
We're just hangin out in the laundry room now, writing letters with the sisters.
Love you all! Can't wait to hear from ya! Good luck to Jake in summer. I hope Caroline has a great time in DC (and thank you Hansel for that letter sooo much). Sam & Isaac love you both and let it hang!
Yours truly,
Elder Parry
"Shortboob"
PS Me and Elder Dinkel have our own room! And could you have Dad send me the concise dictionarys?
Saturday, June 4, 2011
June 1, 2011
Duh! Craig came home and read the card Evan sent and also found a letter in the envelope which I hadn't seen. Craig still let me read it first.
Dear Family:
It is so great here! My head is spinning and I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I know that things will get better! I know you gave me that card to fill out, but the MTC President told all of us to write our feelings tonight. I love you all so much! I really do. I know I will miss you guys, but I know that what I am doing here is what I'm meant to do. I am doing great here. My companion is Elder Dinkel. He is from Nebraska, oldest of nine, and he is super goofy. He loves punk rock, very skinny, big nose, and just the opposite of me. We have our room to ourselves! It's so awesome and roomy. Parker Andrus is my language instructor. He is taking care of me. My P-days are Fridays. Tell Jake I have to be at the temple at 7:40, so be at the parking lot around 7:00. My return date is scheduled for June 18, 2013, so Jake can leave after that. Tell everyone, including the dogs, I love and miss them.
Much love,
Elder Parry
PS If you get this before Saturday at 8:40 a.m., e-mail me, if not, mail me. LOVE YOU.
Dear Family:
It is so great here! My head is spinning and I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I know that things will get better! I know you gave me that card to fill out, but the MTC President told all of us to write our feelings tonight. I love you all so much! I really do. I know I will miss you guys, but I know that what I am doing here is what I'm meant to do. I am doing great here. My companion is Elder Dinkel. He is from Nebraska, oldest of nine, and he is super goofy. He loves punk rock, very skinny, big nose, and just the opposite of me. We have our room to ourselves! It's so awesome and roomy. Parker Andrus is my language instructor. He is taking care of me. My P-days are Fridays. Tell Jake I have to be at the temple at 7:40, so be at the parking lot around 7:00. My return date is scheduled for June 18, 2013, so Jake can leave after that. Tell everyone, including the dogs, I love and miss them.
Much love,
Elder Parry
PS If you get this before Saturday at 8:40 a.m., e-mail me, if not, mail me. LOVE YOU.
First Letter!
Before Evan left, I gave him a fill-in-the-blank card that he was supposed to quickly fill out at the end of his first MTC day and drop it in the mail. I thought that would allow us to hear from him sooner than waiting for his P-day. So today we got that card!
My companion's name is Dinkel.
He is from Nebraska.
My P-day is Friday.
I need (he left this one blank).
My other roommates are NO ONE! (smiley face).
I am feeling (positive emotions only) Spiritual, overwhelmed, Ready!
I saw (friends) Kelon, Dylan and Troy today.
Love, Evan
My companion's name is Dinkel.
He is from Nebraska.
My P-day is Friday.
I need (he left this one blank).
My other roommates are NO ONE! (smiley face).
I am feeling (positive emotions only) Spiritual, overwhelmed, Ready!
I saw (friends) Kelon, Dylan and Troy today.
Love, Evan
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
MTC
Today was the day we were supposed to drop Evan off at the MTC. Which we did, reluctantly. It was a really sad moment, made a little better by the appearance of Elder Barton, Evan's best friend from his freshman year at BYU. We were happy to at least leave him in the hands of someone he knew.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sayonara to Elder Parry
We had an open house afterwards with an amazing treat bar (I can say that because I didn't make any of the treats). We also had pulled pork sandwiches, rolls, meatballs, and wonderful macaroni salad (made by the Heimulis--who also stayed to help in the kitchen and brought Evan a beautiful lei which arrived this morning from Hawaii).
We're going to miss Evan so much, but he will be a great missionary and he has so much support from many amazing people. Thank you all for your love and support.
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