Addictions

Real fast letter because I'm about to leave for the Yankees game. But I have to share a story that is just too classic to wait for next week. So Fernando has a smoking problem. He has already stopped smoking a lot because he used to smoke multiple packs each day and now he just smokes one or two cigarettes each day. He told us he wants to get baptized last Friday (YES!!!!) but that he needs to change a lot of things first (clearly.) So we talked about how he could stop smoking and our members Hermana Mercado (who's the cutest and one of my favorite ladies) told how her husband stopped smoking and we talked about how he needed a goal. He kept agreeing and saying that he does want to quit but he wouldn't commit to quitting. About a week earlier I had read in Peach My Gospel a personal study thing to try to stop doing a habit that you have so you understand a little bit more about addiction recovery. That kept coming to my mind during the lesson and basically I thought I was crazy but I also didn't want to ignore a potential spiritual prompting. So finally I'm like "Ok, lets make a deal." And he says "Ok..." And I say, "I have an addiction to cookies (Which lets be honest, is basically true. I LOVE COOKIES). I eat cookies every single day. So I'm going to stop eating cookies for a week if you'll stop smoking for a week." And he was like "Alright let's do it. We'll start on Monday." So this week is the week of no cookies and no smoking. I'm pretty sure I'm crazy and that's not the most normal missionary thing to do but I also think it was the extra push Fernando needed to commit to stop smoking...we'll see how things go throughout the week.

Hope your all doing well!

Love,

Hermana Parkin

Hermana Brog, Hermana Parkin, Elder Heywood & Elder Noguiera

Hermana Brog and Hermana Parkin In they're red mission car