MTC Provo - Heading out!!!!!

Hey guys!! I just wanted to send y'all a quick email before we leave! It's 4:03 here right now, and we have to be in the travel office at 4:30 where someone from the Provo mission will pick us up! We took a look at the Provo mission boundaries and WOW it's so big!! I could be all the way in Alpine! Anyways, we're all packed up and ready to go! I'm excited but nervous! I'm actually leaving the MTC and actually going out in the field!!! Ahhhh!!

I can't wait to talk with y'all on Mother's Day!!!

The past few days have been awesome!! One of the highlights was the Departure Devotional. At the very beginning one of the MTC Presidency counselor asked for those who got a reassignment to raise their hand. So obviously my little district raised our hands. Then he asked us to stand up. And we look around and we're the ONLY ONES!! In this huge room!! Then he talked directly to us! It was awesome! Haha. He just told us that although this wasn't where we had planned to go originally and wasn't where the Lord originally planned to send us, because of governments and today's world, we were reassigned. But he told us, "Just know that all of your pictures and papers went to the 12 again this past week, and your reassignment was pondered over just like a normal mission assignment is." Anyways, it was super cool! Little embarrassing haha. 

We also had an awesome devotional Sunday night! The Brother who came wasn't an apostle or anything; he was just a stake president from New Jersey..? His name was Vai something. Sorry I have nothing with me!! [it's Vai Sikahema]

Anyways, he was the first Polynesian to get a scholarship to play football at BYU. Now he's a new anchor. But anyways, that wasn't why he came. He told us to put away our notes and pens and just listen and enjoy. And it was awesome! He literally just told stories about missionary moments and most of them weren't even from his mission! Just his everyday life! It was so fun to listen to, especially because almost after every story he asked "Can this person stand up...?" and he had brought the people from his past and his stories! Not all of them of course; not every one was converted but it was still so touching! He was an awesome speaker and was so funny! It was a nice change and a fun night. After that we went to watch "Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar because I wanted to watch it before I left and wow! So good! Really made me understand the Savior more, how we should apply His attributes to our lives, and how important it is to put off the natural man. Turn outward! If you haven't read or heard the talk, give it a listen! It was a talk he gave in the MTC on Christmas some years ago before the age change. 

We said bye to our teachers yesterday. Irmao Workman and Irma Kimble :(((((( We took pictures but my camera's packed up right now! Sister Smith, Irizzary, Elder Meredith and Pacheco all left at 2:30 this morning. Me and Sister Kirkendall got up to send them off. We took one last picture as a district :( I'll miss those guys so much! I was kind of a mess sending them off. But we're off to do bigger and better things, and we'll see each other again!! 

Anyways, not much time but I love y'all so much!!!! Keep me in your prayers tonight!! Everything's changing!! 

- Sister Parks

This is us cleaning the showers for our last service! We had this awesome gun
that squirted soap then a big hose to spray it down!

A note from Hilary: My mission president and his wife, President and Sister Taylor, currently live in Provo and serve in the MTC. They've been wonderful and tried to look out for Hannah whenever they stop in. On Sunday, I received this picture of Hannah, Sister Kirkendall, and President Taylor with this note: 

"Look who we saw again today! She is so excited and happy... She's headed off to Provo waiting her Visa."

Hannah will now have normal preparation days [when she emails] on Mondays. We look forward to hearing more from her and her new area soon!