MAURI MAURI :')

HELLO EVERYONE!!!

How has everyone's week been? Probz not as good as mine HAHA sorry not sorry. I love Kaniamabong's (Fridays) because I get to hear from my amazing family and friends :') I love hearing from everyone and I if I didn't get an email from you this week I'm expecting one next week <3

Life is good here at the MTC :') It's crazy that 16 hour days, with 11 hours spend in a tiny classroom can go by so quickly. We usually have 1 language teacher for a 3 hour block every day. We then have another 3 hour block spent with personal, language. and companion study. Then somewhere we have a 5 hour block usually with some dead time and then a teacher who teaches us in English. Mingled in around 10:30ish you can usually find me out on the field wrecking a couple kids in Spikeball or Sand Volleyball <33 The days seem long at times, but then when I get back to the residency I wonder where the day went.

I CANNOT WAIT to get to Kiribati. Every time I hear a story from a teacher I get SO excited. It's going to be something else... I can't wait to get there and to serve with my whole heart, might, mind and strength. The people sound AMAZING. A good missionary can have 100 baptisms. Obviously baptisms don't determine how good a missionary is, but I have a feeling that I will be able to touch a lot of lives <3 At the same time... I'm content with my life for at least another week in the MTC. I still feel like I have so much to learn. Before I can become a real instrument in the Lord's hands I need to personally grow. I can't teach people things that I don't know myself. I have a lot of work to do. Before I came to the MTC I was a pretty self-centered person. Changing who I've been is a slowwwww process but I'm trying to be a better person and missionary everyday. I'm trying to serve at times when the old me would have taken in. It's a slow process hahah but I'm improving. 

FUNNY STORY: As you all know... I broke 100 pounds not that long ago... Just kidding but when I left home 2 and 1/2 weeks ago I weighed 150 pounds. We eat 3 square meals a day here--all buffet style. If you know me, you know that I can put it down. Anyways.. Yesterday I weighed myself in the weight room (I didn't lift weights don't worry hahaa) and i weighed... DRUM ROLL PLEASE... 163 pounds. I've gained like 13 pounds in the matter of 2 weeks ARE YOU KIDDING?!? If anyone needs a gym buddy I will volunteer <3 On the bright side, I think after a week or 2 of a steady fish and rice diet in Kiribati I will be right back where I started :') 

IF I COULD HUG EVERYONE RIGHT NOW I WOULD <33 Thanks for all of the love and support. I miss you guys everyday.. But I KNOW that this is where I'm supposed to be. Praying for you guys day and night <3

:') Elder Parrish :')

P.S. I probably have the longest hair of any male missionary at the MTC if anyone was wondering hahaha. 

Two of my favorite departing elders from the Fijian district this last week. Elder Moky (19) from Papua New Guinea and Elder Traill (25) from New Zealand. Both converts to the church and the only members in their family, these 2 have been great examples to me of the real reason why people should be serving missions. Godspeed Elders!