June 12, 2010

Dear Family,

Time is flying! How ya' all doing? This morning I bought bread for the first time! Well, the first time from the bread guy that bikes around our neighborhood honking his duck like horn. Also trucks with propane gas drive thru the neighborhood, since most people don't have cars... most people don't even know how to drive! That is weird to me.. HA! Also most of the neighborhood roads in this area are dirt (or mud when it rains). Not fun at all when it rains. You have to try your best to not step in a puddle or step into a pit of brown!

Pretty much nightly I have drunks come up and try to preach to me. hahah "no thanks, your breath smells". The other day I saw a bum sleeping in a pile of 5 dogs!!

Here they call kites 'pipas' and they fly them TOTALLY different They don't need to much wind when they fly them. I don't think there is a way to explain..... I'll have to show you when I get home. Because so many people fly them here lines break and fall down a lot, and end up slitting motorcyclist throat nearly killing them. So they are actually prohibited, but cops don't go around enforcing it.

Right now I am sitting on a mattress in a friends door way as the sun falls behind the palms and hills. The temperature is already dropping. There are sounds of playful birds, neighborhood kids with pipas, dogs barking in the distance and a car passing here or there.

The world cup is coming up, our President loves soccer, so everyone was expecting to be able to watch the games, but to help us in our mission he asked us to make more commitments to not watch the games. It is not hard for me, but for every Brazilian it is going to be super tough!

I love you all very much!

June 9th, 2010

Just a creek going through a neighborhood. Ya, it always looks like someone dumped ALL the paint in! It is a grey/purple.. more grey than it shows in this picture.

Ya!! I saw Uno and bought it instantly! It's cool, because most Brazilians know how to play... so we play (me & Elder Gil) at night and also at FHE's & other events!

June 7, 2010

Sorry about the mushroom:D This house right now is HUGE and there is always dust dirt and cobwebs...no matter how much time I spend sweeping...ugh. Ha!

-I guess where Andrew is, in Guatemala they had a volcano erupt=ash everrrywhere! and after that they had a bad storm=mudslides like we had in Rio! Crazy! Here its just kind of

warm. nothing exciting.

-Exciting for Beau and Simone! I'm excited for them. Give them all my Love :D Cool stories about their weddings! And insights. They seem like really insight fully people, the people who married them. My President is really wise. His letters to us every week are ENORMOUS! i had to read the one for today, because they were expecting responses to questions in the email.,..i understood maybe half...maybe...haha! Kinda frustrating, especial with the Free way 20 feet to my right and 3 pinball machines 10 feet to my left. Haha, i got through it though:D...I'm hungry.,..(sorry just my

thought).

I'm so proud of you and Dad for working together to solve these money things. Its a good example to me to want to use my money more wisely...i need to teach my companion the same importance. His 120$R is gone with in the first 1week...idk why!? But, i think he just needs to budget better.

ill do what i can to help...with my little Portuguese. Its funny...we´ll take 30 minutes to translate a word he

says into English and totally forget what the conversation was about. HAhah! Sometimes i don't even learn the word...The other day it sounded like he was saying Creme(cremy) but he was trying to say Crime in English...when i though he was speaking Portuguese...but Cremy has nothing to do with Drugs or law! haha...:D I do a lot of stress relief exercises through out the day. HAha:D

Hey Jill! How you doing? Havent heard from you in a little bit! haha...funnny story! I love awkward moments like that! There's always a weird awkward moment in church with a new investigator...when they fart really loud, or they stand up yelling HALLELUUHA!!...during the sacrament. Haha... Its fine, the ward is used to it. Haha! I EXPECT a LETTER FROM YOU!...aight! Have a good week Jilli:D

Well, nothing much new here on the mission. I did baptize my 2 person(personally) and 4 person as a companionship. His name is Robson(Hobson) and he is 18 years old and really excited to

receive the Holy Ghost. Good for him. Haha... other than that not much.

I love you soo much! And thank you for having me in your prayers! IUm doing good so far. I don't need anything. Maybe some tips to clean your clothes by hand better...Its tough.HAha...our washer here is broken.,.

I Love you Mum, and thank you for caring about me!

Com AMOR!

Elder D. Parker McCormick

May 20th 2010

Oi, my family! Have I told you all about the 20 Americans that stopped by? They were with a youth service organization and here in Rio for 2 weeks to help a few members in the ward here in Nitaroi to rebuild their houses after the storms. Super cool! They first came to our ward talent show. An Asian kid played "Hie to Kolob" on the piano really good! 2 girls did a weird arm thing where they held hands and like a jump rope, put their bodies thru their arms. . ugh.. it is really hard to explain. A few of them did the cultural dance/fight of Brazil, they do a lot of martial art spins and kicks with dancing, it was really cool. It was weird to talk to them in English about normal things. Ha! They came back on Monday for FHE, they split up in groups of 5-7 kids and came with us to teach a lesson. The daughter of the house we were in gave the first lesson in Portuguese, twisting the principle inside out and upside down, making it almost impossible to translate into English.Ya! I was able to do the translating for the night. It was tough!! HAHA On the bus back to our church on the of the leaders snuck (magically) 3 packs of skittles, 1 of m&ms and a ton of laughy taffy and fruit snacks in our bags. So awesome! I don't think I'll eat it for awhile (but won't save it like Jill hahah).

The other day we found an old lady sitting on the curb, so we said hi and did our contact with her. She seemed interested enough for us to teach her so we followed her back to her house. Her husband was laying in bed with a chair along side of it, which his bandaged foot was resting upon. We started to get to know them, and like all old people (here in Rio) they went off on their whole week, dawn to dusk. "blah, blah, blah".... I saw a guitar in the corner of the room with some clothes on it, so I asked if he played. He huffed, "psh! give it to me!" I grabbed the dusty instrument (Milton '87) and handed it to the crippled man. He stretched his fingers in ways only Wesley Bronson can do. He dusted his guitar with is ripped shirt and continued his preparation in tuning his guitar by ear. Every string in its proper notes! All the random notes coming together into a humming like a rain storm just starting. His plunking went into strumming as he started to sing about the beauty of God in his life. He sang well for an 87 year old man! He then starts to beat the guitar like the kid from August Rush and ends with the same plunking/plinking form which he started. It was amazing!! BUUUUTTT they didn't care for our message at all!!!! hahahaha

I love you all! Keep your smile on!!

May 2010

Good Morning! 6:30am out my condo window in Arsenal, Nitiaroi, Rio De Janeiro

May 5th 2010

I guess there is a tradition on the mission to burn:

6 months = tie

1 year = shirt

1.5 years = pants

My companion, Elder Gil, just finished his first year... so that was a shirt. HA!

We came to the end of the road that was suppose to continue on... the only way across this creek was the moldy couch in the middle . Yes.... we both crossed dry :P

Elder Gil, Grandpa of Wallace, Grandma of Wallace, Wallace (11), Me

They are not sure where Wallaces' parent are. We made him a cake for his Happy Baptism! Ha.... cute kid!

May 1 2010

"Hey, lets go skate!~We can't... The horse is in the way".

This is a stray horse that wonders around like a dog, and this day I found him in the skate park! HA!

Yay!! Imagine all the things I can make with this GOLD MINE!!

I don't know how no one saw this by the shower until now. It is HUGE! Probably been growing for months! Don't worry, we did a big cleaning on the whole house after this!!

Parkers letters are a work of art, not to mention fun to read.

April 26th

We almost had a baptism this last weekend, but during church, he went to the bathroom, and came back saying he caughed up a ton of blood...so...went home. Ha...and then he got wasted. So...maybe next week? Not giving up on him quite yet. Ha! ...Oh! and Stake Confrence yesterday was awesome! Elder Nelson(also the name of my companion) from the q of the 12 came! and also a member of the 2nd Q of the 70! IT was a good talk about many subj. Tithing, Kids, Templework...pretty much everything that doesnt aply to me till after my mission. Ha!

Im doing good this week...its been really hot, and sweaty! soooo sweaty. OH, and our clothes washer machine is broken...so all 6 of us get to take turns to clean our clothes in the buckets:D HAha!...its tough...and my clothes arnt that clean,i need more practice. Wish me luck not to smell!

I loved that Talk from priestood confrence. It was reallly interesting to see how they call us. Very interesting. I love the prophet and the apostles...its hard not to when you watched a talk of theres everyday in the CTm and read there articles daily during study. hahaha...

Ya, i like the peopl here. there all so nice. And even the poor people make Great lunches for us, I DK (i don't know) how they can do it...but they do. ITs nice. Almost every house here is probably worse than the one that Jill has now. Its amazing...its not even that its poor...its just that everything is poor qaulity and the standard for houses are low. its just a lot different here...it amzes me that im here, and your there, every day!

Well,. i must go now. I sent you all a letter with a couple pics in it...so i hope you get that soon! Tchao Tchao! My furry, blistered, bug bitten feet!

April 19th

I don't have anytime (almost) to write you, just on my P-day. But would like to keep you updated on what I am doing. So, I'll just write a little bit here in my notebook, every time we stop to catch our breath or are waiting for other missionaries or investigators.

Well, so far, I REALLY like it here! The work is hard. This area baptizes a lot, so were always running around to prep for baptisms and lessons. I have to have my inhaler on me all the time... haha! We are actually filling out paper work for mom who has 9 kids. We were suppose to baptize her 2 weeks ago and now we are!

I just found a place to develop photos so I will try to send some as often as I can. OPA (whoa)! We are going to baptize her in 2 hours!!

The past couple days have been the hottest its been since I've been here. But, I guess it is nothing compared to this summer when, here in Rio was the hottest place on Earth for about a week! Summer doesn't start again until this upcoming September.

Well, I baptized Luiciene, my first! It was just a small meeting since there was only about 2 hours to set it up. But we did buy a cake for her! ummmmm... it was good!!

Sundays here don't compare to anything at home. Up at 630, dressed, breakfast, until 730 and then running here, hustling there, have to pick up all our invited people and people who need to be confirmed all by 930. This morning we are picking up Luiciene and her family of 10 and her friend, an ex-drunk we have taught and another family of 4 or 5. So crazy. We all walk to church and sing hymns all the way there.

Funny thing, they sell Halls cough drops, as if they are just another mint. Also, almost all their glasses are half the size of ours. I have to refill my glass 5 times! Brazilians are crazy, I love them!

April 6th

We new that Parker would be leaving the MTC (CTM in Brazil) in Sao Paulo and going out into the field somewhere in Rio de Janeiro. His P-day in the CTM was on Monday, the 5th. He wrote that he was packing and would email us when he could. On the 5th, 6th and 7th of April, Rio had the largest rains it has had in 46 years. Streets of the city were flooded, mudslides in the hills and about 100 people were dead or missing. It's funny because I, the mom, knew that where ever he was he was safe, Heavenly Father would take care of him. I wasn't too worried about him.

We finally heard from him on April 11th. He was in Rio and he wrote, "I made it to Brazil (Rio) alive! Even though I had to wake up at 3am, the flight was delayed for about 6 hours, my luggage nearly lost. They couldn't find my 24 kilo luggage until 5 minutes before I left the airport (I was there for 2 hours?) so JUST in the nick of time. So, I made it!

We were greeted at that airport by the AP's with open arms. they are really nice and the drive to the mission home was crazy. The flight was delayed, because of the rain. The record before was 150mm about 10 years ago. The past 2 days its rained 188 mm! The taxi would drive through 'lakes' in the road! haha! Scary!!!

There are a lot of tunnels because of all the mountains. They are super steep and just thinner that Utah mountains. I couldn't see the Jesus Cristo because of all the crazy fog! But I saw Epinima beach (like the song ' the girl from Epinima'?) I guess its popular.. or something... so far I love it here! My Mission President and his family are super nice and Sister Bazzedo cooks very well... I'm stuffed with all sorts of food and cream cakes!

These are from Parker's Branch President, President Brinton .

Parker's District Elder Christensen and Parker Elder McCormick

At the Sao Paulo Temple, Brazil

Parker leaves the Brazil MTC on April 6th for his first area in Rio.

Parker writes:

I went out into the city of SaoPaulo with my district. This was the day we first went out to proselyte, using real Portuguese, talking to REAL people, in the very real Brazil!. Me and my companion tried to use the spirit to find those ´elects´, to contact and give them the amazing and powerful, Book of Mormon(O Livro De Mórmon). We placed 4 in 1 and 1/2 hour! Yay!!

Before i left to go on my mission, i bought a watch. IF you know me, then you know it wasn't just any ordinary watch you get from Target or Wal mart. I had to get the watch that really resembled my style. I got a NIXON, The Newton!, Purple and 30M Poly Carbonate. OHYYA!!! Everyday there is a new Brazilian missionary that asks if my watch is a power Ranger Watch and if I'm a power ranger. Its funny. I usually just say, ´Yes, but don´t tell anyone...´. I doubt they believe me but its fun to pretend.

Feb 21-27

Mum,
...I love you...Please respond?...Hahaha...OH wait...you're on your cruise...Well Respond if you can. I'll be back on email to check in a few hours. I hope you and Dad and Chunga are having fun! GET A PIC WITH CHUNGA! That'd be legal!(Lee-Gal-Portuguese for Cool)!

PS. Have you by chance gotten my Patriarichal blessing? I think about it everyday...I'm so anxious to read it, since i don't remeber that much from the actual blessing...Hmm...I trust that you will send it when you get it. Hopefully before i get sent to BRA.(still no word on the Visa...although it is for sure coming sooner than later...i think)...

Okay, Tchou for now! Paz e Amar! Peace and Love!
-pa'ka


When we got home from the cruise Jill said the Parker had called, his visa came in and he was going to the MTC in Brazil!! He left on Monday March 1st and got there the next morning. We got an email from the MTC in Brazil saying that Parker got there safe and was all setteled in and "Your very important young person is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote by President Lorenzo Snow: “There is no mortal man that is so much interested in the success of an elder [sister] when he is preaching the gospel as the Lord that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord’s children.”

A few days later we got an email from the Branch President in Sao Paulo.
Dear Parents,

Your sons arrived into our branch at the MTC in São Paulo safely and in good spirits. We took this Thursday night when we first met with them. My husband is their branch president and we look forward to working with your son while he is here.

Sincerely,
Sister Brinton

Week 2

Just like when he was little, he doesn't have too much to say.

He gave me a list of things he forgot to pack, and requested a few email addresses. But he did say he loved us from the bottom of his heart :) aaawwwwwwww

First P-day and letter

On Parker's first P-day (preparation day) he got to set up his email address and write to us. He is going to be sending something for me to post weekly and you will find it here :)

Feb 9

Hi everybody! I'm doing good so far here at the MTC. My companions name is Elder Sopp, He is a super nice guy with a strong knowledge/testimony for the scriptures. I hope to learn from him these few weeks. The food is good, the weather is nice, and the spirit is strong. Its weird how much you want to keep learning about the gospel when you are immersed in it so much. I like it, more than i was expecting. Haha! Well, there isn't much more to say, and my laundry is almost done! Yay! Clean Underwear! Hahahhahaheh he he heh eh ehuuuuhhh sigghhhh...I love you all! Feel free to Message me on this email! I'd love it if you do. That'd be nice... Wrtite your testimony. Or a neat experience. Or what you ate for lunch. JUST WRITE ME! HAhaha...PS. ITs free...Tchau! -PA'KA

MTC VIP

Back in the day (when dinosaurs roamed the earth), when you took your missionary to the MTC you would be in for an all day bawl-fest! The family and the missionary would go to a program where the MTC president would talk about your missionary leaving (and you would cry) and how he might get homesick (and they would cry) and this was the last hour you had with them so to make the most of it (if you could stop crying). Then the missionaries got to hug their moms and shake their dads hands and went to one side of the room and out a door (while the family was crying and crying) and then the families would be directed out a door on the other side (still crying). What an ordeal. Due to the H1N1 virus they had to stop the program and have made it quite efficient.

We pulled into the MTC at 1:22pm. As we stopped and Dave popped the trunk and Elder came running down the hill to us. As we hugged Parker, the missionary pulled out his luggage and then said "ready Elder?" and proceeded to walk up the hill. We snapped a picture and Parker ran to catch up with the Elder with his luggage. He turned, waved and said "bye, love you" and was gone. It reminded me of Parker's first day in nursery. I was ready for all the crying and hanging on, but when I opened the door Parker said "bye mom", walked in and shut the door in my face. The rest of us piled back into the car and pulled out at 1:26pm. Jill said it was like pulling off a band aid. Do it fast enough and it doesn't hurt nearly as bad.

Visa

We were checking the mail box every day for Parker's visa. We got his passport and has to mail that with his visa information to the Church and they were taking care of the rest. We heard that the Visa process was slower than usual and on the 28th of January the stake President called to let us know that the visas would not be here in time so he was to report to the Provo MTC on the 3rd of February, instead of flying right to Brazil. Parker didn't care where he had to go, he just wanted to go!!

The night before he left we had a family pizza party at the Pi. It was your typical McCormick dinner :)

King of Shopping!!

The call came in late October and he was to report to the MTC in Brazil on February 3rd, so we had some time to get stuff together. We sent off all the passport and visa information first thing, he had to get immunizations for Tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria, mumps, measles rubella, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, H1N1, influenza, Meningococcal meningitis and pneumonia. Holy crap!!! The poor guy wouldn't be able to use his arms for weeks!!!

Just after Christmas we went to the famous Mr Macs to get suits. It took him all of 15 minutes to pick the color and button style of the suits he liked, about 15 minutes for the 3 pairs shoes and and about an hour for 7 ties. I found out that the tie does all the talking in a suit... so they are very important :).

We walked out with 6 large bags of clothes and spent $1258.00, I just had to tell Jill that Parker has taken the lead in spending the most money on clothes at one time. King of the shopping!!

IT IS HERE!!!

It was finally here, with all the delays due to doctors, immunizations and interviews we were beginning to thing it would never come. But here is it.... Parker's "call". The big question now... WHERE is the Lord sending him???

We had to wait for everyone to get home from work and then for Gram and Papa to come over. While we were waiting we had everyone guess where he would be called to~

Abby-Australia

North-Russia

Jill-California-ish, but stateside

Dad-Missouri

Mom-French speaking.. Canada?

"Dear Elder McCormick:
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Mission."
As mom, Jill and Abby are all squealing the only way girls can, Dads first words are "we are SO picking you up"!