Who I am, Where I am, and what is this blog?

Hello, My Name is Elder Parker Bone. I am a Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I am currently serving a LDS mission in the Ohio Cleveland Mission I will be serving for two years and will be returning home in Summer of 2017.
I will be emailing my adventure in Ohio to friends and family and this blog will contain those emails.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

A not so White Christmas _/(0.0)\_

So... Like
Ohio is being really weird weather-wise...
like
it was 60 degrees last night 
like
WhAAAT
and now its 40 again...
and it's supposed to snow Thursday
You crazy Ohio.. just Crazy

Well lets hit the run-down
Pretty much everyone bailed on us this week due to the holiday's 
I got to go on exchanges with New Castle which was lots of fun
umm
I GOT TO SEE MY FAMILY AGAIN which was BOSS
oh and Elder Nelson is getting Transferred and I'm getting a new companion!
All and All a good christmas

Mission lyfe isn't easy but it is certainly with out a doubt 100% worth every single second spent in his service

I Love you all Have a very happy rest of the Holiday's!
Elder Bone
OCM




Monday, December 19, 2016

MERRY (EARLY) CHRISTMAS!

HEYO all ya'lls back home

This week was pretty cool some highlights are 

  • met with Sabbatha a few times and she is awesome and is coming to church for Christmas with her family
  • We had Zone Conference
  • We blew a tire on the way to Zone Conference  
  • We had to change said tire in 10 degree weather... in suits
  • Church got canceled 
yep that pretty much sums it all up 
unfortunately the Computer isn't cooperating so I has no way of sending Pictures 

but yeah
like Christmas is this week...
when did that happen again?
anyway
Love you all!
Merry Christmas
Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, December 12, 2016

ALL RIGHT! WHICH ONE OF YOU WAS WISHING FOR A WHITE CHRISTMAS?!

SNOW
lots and lots of snow
on a sunday
with no plows
.....
what's round on the sides and high in the middle?

OooHIO

yea temps went from about 40 to the 20's literally over night

it got COOOOOOLD

Elder nelson and I both are now almost always in at least one layer of thermals, usually more

We did a lot of service for others this week, we helped an investigator Sabbatha (well Elder nelson helped I just lifted his tool kit and handed him stuff) with her car... in 20 degree weather... yeah it was cold
but when we came in we got to play with the Puppies again and I got photos this time!

We also had a Christmas Party with the Ward that was Polar Express themed so I now have the "Hot Chocolate" song stuck in my head XD
I didn't bring my camera to that but someone else got a picture of me as a snowman that I just got drafted into some how....
seriously like I was just minding my own Hot Chocolate and the senior Primary all came up to me and were like "that one!" and all the other missionaries around me just laughed 
it was fun though!

Well I really don't have much to say this week sooooooo

love ya All!
stay safe out there in UT
Elder Bone
OCM








Monday, December 5, 2016

CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE 2K16!

so yeah we had christmas conference this week and it was epic
UNlike last year's two things changed
I remembered my camera
and 
I actually knew people this time XD

and since that kicked off the week I'll use it to kick off this email!

We all started off at the Kirtland sites to meet and greet and had a good time catching up with everybody

then after everyone had arrived we all piled back into our cars to head to the stake center where we had dinner and watched the slideshow for our mission of all the photos missionaries sent in for it
then we had a bit by President Brown on #LIGHTTHEWORLD 
then back into the cars to drive to the (literally next door) Kirtland Temple! WOOT WOOT OCM REpreSENT, and there we got to sing lots of Christmas Hymns and had some testimonies including but not limited to President Conner of the YT stake 
Sister Newbold (one of the senior couples I worked with in Tallmadge) President Brown, because of course he would be testifying 
and Elder Titera who is one of our Area 70's so that was cool

then we all piled back in the cars and drove home :)

all and all a good day 

the rest of the week was pretty fun
we went to one of our investigators house(s) (english :insert Eyeroll here: )
and they had 8 ADORABLE PITBULL PUPPIES
I about died
3 of them took a nap on my lap 
it was a good day
I'll get pictures next time we go

Sunday was good too 
I got to be Moroni for the primary 
it was fun
That evening I was looking through my journal and I found a poem I started in Solon so I finished it yesterday..

so 
here it is

Dear Father,
The days have been long
the hills steep
the temperature cold 
the work feels so stalemated
Your Son neglected by those who claim otherwise by the crosses the've collected
we walk and talk 
to Your children on the street 
as we try to gather in Thy lost sheep
but this world grows dark and dim
as Satan spreads the lie of sin
I've asked for Strength 
and Hope
and Love
and a soul to free like He did with the caged doves
But as I labor diligently 
I find that a change has occurred in me 
my prayer for strength received response 
by the miles journeyed long 
the plea for hope 
finally seen in a rare glimpse into eternity
The call for love
or charity
felt now, I have, the love of Thee
I feel it so strong and pure for all Thy children 
even those that mock and scorn
Try as I might I have not found the last 
A caged Dove to show that Thou hast forgiven the past 
But as I ponder Quietly
I wonder 
if that Dove
might just be Me
 
I love you all
Have a very Merry Christmas Season
Elder Bone
OCM

Pictures Ho!









Monday, November 28, 2016

The Holiday is Underway

My Second Christmas season in Ohio and My last one as a missionary, kinda crazy how fast the time has flown by

Ohio on the other hand hasn't quite made up it's mind on what it is going to be doing weatherwise 
I mean it snowed last sunday but it was 60 degrees this sunday so you know 
it's weird

Things are going a bit better especially in the district and everyone is excited for #LIGHTtheWORLD and all that as well as christmas conference

I don't really know what else to add here 

sooo

Love you all from Ohio
Elder Bone 
OCM 

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving

The leaves have changed here in Ohio

and thanksgiving for this year is in order
I am so thankful for this unique chance to speak of the one that spoke the greatest words of compassion 
of thanks
of hope 
of the chance of the brightest future
Jesus the Christ
the Hope for us all 
for almost 2 years 
I've sought to teach others of the Hope That God has given us all
He sent his Son
to save us all
To Him we are all indebted
and all he asks
is
"come, Follow me"

So give thanks this Thanksgiving
for without Him all hope would be lost
I love you all back home
and know that no matter what
no one is lost to the Lord
Elder Bone
OCM
p.s. 
Thank you all for the care and concern regarding my downhearted last letter 
the week in question was not the easiest but fear of the unknown was only a magnifier so thank you all for the hope you shared with me 
I love you all
and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Confusion

This week has been some major ups with the work but some insane crushing downs with what is going on around us 

I don't know what to do or think about 
I'm trying to stay focused on the work but literally everyone brings up the election

so
aparently we are to swear in a man that has less qualifications than a piece of cheese 
and is so blatently sexist and racist it's not even funny

like

I don't even know what happened

the work has been moving forward as we finally have some investigators to work with and they are progressing decently

so
that's nice


Love you all
stay safe!
Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, November 7, 2016

parables

so this week was interesting 
we had President Interviews and that thankfully helped with some of the difficulties I've been struggling with in this area
he provided some solutions and so far they are helping so that's good

sorry I'm on a weird laptop so typing is really draining on my hands right now so this might be a brief letter

I've been rereading Jesus the Christ and I've been pondering the words of the saviors parables
it was such a radically different way to teach simple truths. In those parables are layers that each reveal a different depth and direction without losing the simplicity of the gospel though

they make me look at life differently 
and see the hand of our great creator just a little more clearly

(that or my mind is so prodigiously empty that nothing can stop me from seeing it)

still a geek and always will be 

Love ya all
Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, October 31, 2016

because I'M happy

sooooo

long week 
sick companion
life
so what to talk about today...........

moving swiftly 
many of us do
trying to connect to others
constantly seeking something

some stand above the rest
they are the ones that throw caution to the wind
those that really truly care about one thing
that they 
without causing any one any kind of pain
without losing sight of important things 
without abandoning sanity
embrace happiness

so what if i'm strange
what if I do things a little 
differently 
or 
in a less 
"conventional" manner

i'm happy 
and isn't that what we all look for
being 
HAPPY
like
true
"i'm giddy about it so much I'm jumping up and down excited about life"
happy
so yes i'm gonna dance like a fool
or party hard
or just beam with excitement because 
I CAN
and i'm happy 
and I hope you are too

love ya'll 
be Happy
Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, October 24, 2016

GOOD MOR... Oh wait I've used that one....

subject lines are hard :P

thanks for all of you that emailed me :)
as for the rest of you 
DISHONOR
DISHONOR ON YOU
DISHONOR ON YOUR COW
DISHONOR ON YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

JK

if you didn't get that reference and you are my age..
how?

anyway

The good news is I've had a much better week that actually involved quite a lot
like
  • We tore down a old wooden porch covering
  • taught some people the gospel
  • met our downstairs neighbors who are legit and really fun as well as interested slightly in the gospel as one lived in SLC for like 10 years 
    • (it's hard to avoid us Mormons there for some reason)
  • fixed a fridge 
  • and actually did something for preparation day! 
    • for like the first time in what feels like years but really was only months 
so all an all a better week for sure 

Love ya all thanks for the boost and encouragement 
I don't think I could do it without ya

Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, October 17, 2016

Trees and trial

Ohio, is full of trees, thousands, possibly millions of the things, the branches reaching over the roads and the fields, they provide shade and comfort as well as good timber as the early pioneers in Kirtland no doubt discovered. The wood that built the Kirtland temple as well as all the major (and minor) buildings in kirtland could have been and probably were planted long before the restoration of the Gospel began in 1820.

Trees are amazing as they build and grow yearly strengthening themselves in times of ease for times of trials. They can start out so small, the Acorn is a good example, a small seed of a tree growing to the large and majestic oak trees. they learn to absorb extra water in times of great rain and to use that water quickly to fund new growth of branches to increase leaf production to in turn help with photosynthesis also to build up their internal structure and weather them against the Storms that are sure to come

we are much like tree's, for those of us who grew up in the gospel we had things rather easy as the floods of spiritual water flowed from our primary classes and all those songs we never really forget. 
those early years led us to branch out and explore, then came harder times and harder years as choices we have to make came into play, school got harder and kids got meaner and sometimes it was all we can do to sing "i'm trying to be like Jesus" in our head and not deck someone.

as we get to middle school and high school we notice the flood of waters are gone and we recede back to our reservoirs to protect us and sustain us through what could be a long winter. we can keep the water flowing as we read and pray and attend sacrament and dwell on the Lord but it's not as "free" as it once was, we must start growing strong roots to reach the water far below us to lift it up to continue helping us grow. 

this is a pattern that continues throughout life as we have ups and downs but we know that as long as we keep digging for water we will be sustained 

so keep digging and know that we are all here together to bless and uplift and inspire

thank you all for your support during the harder times 

Elder Bone
OCM  

(i'll be honest sometimes I just type and I have no clue where I am going with it but it's therapeutic to me)   

Monday, October 10, 2016

Youngstown ain't clowning around

look up that title, if you dare, know that I am safe and so far haven't sighted any so that's good
( I intend for it to stay that way...)


and oh yes they are real and I hate the fact that that's true....

This has been the "welcome home" I got to YT, I'll admit I haven't had the best attitude about having to leave Solon for this... place..

oh I also almost got jumped yesterday... so that was fun.

yeah my letters keep getting worse don't they :P

Some days are full of struggle 
others full of strife
some nights I wrestle 
with a desire for the light
but as we all know 
and as is very clear
sometimes God needs you to walk in darkness
for you to come near
to strengthen the grip upon the Iron rod
to be steadfast
sometimes you don't see the finish 
till it's done at last


Love you all
Elder Bone
OCM

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Sayonara Solon South

Getting the boot back to YT AKA Youngstown AKA all the way back to my old district when I was a wee lad new born in the mission of the Ohio
(just forget that Columbus and Cincinnati are also Ohio missions...) 

Well Sorry it's short but we have plans for once to go hang out and say goodbye to some peeps in the zone and have some fun but know that I love you all and have a great week!

Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, September 26, 2016

Drier than a California drought

....Except at least in the drought of California missionaries are still baptizing..... 

yeah it's been another less than great week here in Solon

mind 
blanking
...
...
...
Loading files...
-Scriptures...
FAIL
-Music...
FAIL
-Talks...
FAIL
-Games...
FAIL
-Life goals..
SUCCESS
--Subfolders..
 ---Pre-mission...
FAIL
 ---Post-mission...
CURRENT ACCESS DENIED
 ---Mission Goals...
 SUCCESS
  ----Write a half decent Letter about the work this week....
IN PROGRESS..?
  ----Baptize Nations....
IN PROGRESS
  ----Teach one lesson this week
FAIL
REBOOT SUCCESSFUL 
initilize Graphic User Interface....
SUCCESS

ANNND 
HELLO PROCRASTINATORS
Your tuning in to 95.5 the WEASEL coming at you live 
YOU ARE A TOY
Time is just a big ball of Wibbly wobbyly timey whimy..stuff

....
REFERENCE CHECK COMPLETE

ELDER BONE IS BACK ONLINE....

wow I'm bored
we will keep trying and keep moving forward.

love ya all 
it's been a lonnnnnnnnnnnng week
E1d3r B0n3
still some glitches in the system it seems...

Monday, September 19, 2016

Alleluia

So this is a Hymn from the Men of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir album

Elder Whipple and I have been listening to this album and while this is the simplest song on the album it certainly is by no means the least powerful.

We both listen to it differently and picture different scenes, many from the Saviors life.

for me it takes me to a somber moment, a moment of deep pain,as the Savior of the world carried both the sins of the world and the pains of all that have ever and will ever live, on top of that agony in an act of cruel torture, He carried his cross to the mount of his death.  

The words speak of Praise and glad tidings but the tone feels of suppressed pain, I've pondered on this and I've shared this with Elder Whipple that I believe it would be a song sung by angels. angels that, knowing what the eternal out come of what was about to happen were shouting for joy but still were greatly pained at seeing the absolute agony of the one universally loved in heaven but almost universally hated on earth.

IT was a great and dreadful day one of eternal agony and one of eternal joy as hope of the future became possible. 

I love this track and I hope you do too


So musical spiritual side note aside

This week went well as we haven't still had much success on the teaching front but we did have to try our hand at cooking and the food was TASTY 
so that's good
we also had Zone Conference and that was really cool as well.
exchanges went ok, pretty much the same ol, same ol.

lots of tracting and walking but we live

love ya all back home 
Elder Bone
OCM

#Conferenceiscoming
#holdontoyourbutts




Monday, September 12, 2016

Matthew 25:21

Honestly

This scripture is my Goal
my true motivation to every move I make and every choice to decide
I try to run it though this scripture 

It's a short one this week sorry We have a lot to do and not a whole lot of time to do it

So.....

Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, September 5, 2016

A Mighty change of Heart

the past is interesting 
it defines us and makes up who we are 
but the same pieces of our personal history that made us who we are we seek to Hide and even destroy all reference to if possible.
Why?
because of Repentance

The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes Repentance possible if not for him this life would never progress, learning, growing, existing
all would be wiped away and impossible 
but Christ DID atone and as a result we can Repent

Repent is a powerful word 
sometimes used in the church to the point of boredom
how many of us hear about repentance and think that's just for those that committed the big sins and what not

WRONG 

Repentance is literally turning our hearts to god and away from sin
to CHANGE to become something new to let your actions chart a course of change in your life and in your soul

I have to petition the father with great earnestness to repent just as much as any 
Drug addict
Murderer
slothful person
has to 
because they like me are all changing 
I have to become better day by day
or all is nought

we only have this time on earth to learn and develop the traits of Jesus Christ 
we are setting a course to the Eternities
there is not a moment to lose 


Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ my Good Brothers and Sisters 
Ponder anew the Things God can Do with you 
live life to the richest you can by making each day an adventure no matter what you are doing 
and above all 
love one another 

Until I write you again I bid you all adu
Elder Bone
OCM

Monday, August 29, 2016

The End of an Era

seemed like a dramatic enough title to commemorate the end of august
why?
No clue

SO since you all like my creative writing style so much I am going to try and keep it up


Walking, step by step by step
the hot sun beating across the back of our necks 
Heads held High
grinning from ear to ear
at the Joke another shared

Side by side
Two by two
here to save
me and you

He made it possible 
so long ago
Christ 
Jesus 
The Atoning One

We walk 
miles at a time
to find one 
to share a truth
that effects us all 

As we walk and talk we speak of many things
some of them amazing to think
How much we've changed we often remark
just a year ago we often start
we listened to music with our ears 
and now it pierces our hearts
we drew from our minds 
now from our souls 
for the words to lift those with heavy tolls 

the Tolls of Sin we rarely bring up 
for those are paid in full by Him

that's all we want to share we often remark
how you can be happy at last in this Dark
the Dark of sin settling in the very veins of the earth
it slanders everything good and wonderful

we discussed the other day why ZSatan makes it this way
as we thought of how much our talents we've suppressed 
and now we discover we are just as good as the rest
Satan's lies aren't all in sin
He really seeks to make miserable man 

so every time I draw
and every time I write 
I actually am participating in the fight 
the fight against misery
the fight against idleness

because creative things are from our Father
the Creator of all
and he Made everything so we could be here
and learn to be like him
and become as he is

for is that not what Christ said those many years ago

Are we not all Gods?

we were born to create 
to act and not be acted upon

and by acting 
We Win

and Satan really honestly doesn't have a prayer against us 

so 
if your feeling sad 
or lonely 
or tired of the fight to do Right
pick up a brush
or a pencil 
or start typing 
or grab some clay
just do what you can to create and let God help you
he will
because at the end of the day
that's what he wants for us


I love you all 
creativty is back
imagination is back
joy is back
life is back
the dark tunnel I was in has ended 
No longer am I working toward the light
I am in and surrounded by it

I am Back
and better than ever

Elder Bone 
OCM