Here is some personal correspondence we exchanged on July 12th in short emails due to being online at the same time. It was not planned but it was a happy thing!
Mom: Hello Dearest Daughter, How are you?
Sister Parker: Genki desu yo! O-genki desu ka? げんき です よ！ おーげんき です か？ [I'm fine! How are you?]
Genki: Japanese meaning "enthusiastic, energetic, lively".. in short, happy.
Mom: How is your health? How is the food working out for you?
Sister Parker: My health is good, I'm losing weight again and I just had a delicious burrito bowl. Mmm, there's no Mexican food in Japan, haha! Except by the temple in Toyko.
[Sister Parker has an interest in cooking, organic cuisine, health & fitness exercise, and has studied and worked in the food industry prior to her mission.]
Mom: How will you get your package being so far from the mission office? Should I send it to your apartment?
Sister Parker: No, send it to the mission office. Once they get the package, they send it to me and it comes very quickly :)
Sister Parker: Sorry, we have to catch a train so we are going to have to finish emailing later.
I love you and I'm praying for you all daily!!
Stay genki!! :) or get genki.. [happy]. Onegaishimasu. [Please].
I love you very much and I'm thankful for all your love and support. :)
Here's an applicable scripture:3 Nephi 13: 19-22 [The Savior taught the Beatitudes to the Nephites just like he did to the Jews in Israel during his ministry].
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
I love the scriptures!! Sometimes, I wish I could read it all day!!
ONE WEEK LATER... (family out of town but we communicated with her through the smart phone).
July 17th, 2016
Sister Parker's comments about difficulties of anonymous people she knows:
As I was reading in the Book of Mormon, it was in 1 Nephi and it spoke of how Nephi and his family and his brethren and their families were in the wilderness for years. They had so many afflictions that they could not write them all. I think at least 8 years. The woman became strong like unto the men, the Lord took care of them and made sure their needs were provided for. Once they made it through the wilderness, they made it to Bountiful. They called it that because it was filled with different fruits and vegetables and beasts and all manner of things, to be provision for them. They even found the beach! They were very happy and blessed.
Many times Laman and Lemuel were impatient and hard-hearted and did not believe that they should be going through afflictions or that they should have left Jerusalem. They humbled themselves many times, but constantly they let themselves become grieved and angry. Even when they reached Bountiful, even after seeing angels, they often did not believe in Nephi's words at first. They did not believe he could build a boat or understand that God told him to. They did not believe that God is all-powerful or in the mercy that he has constantly shown towards the children of men. They had to be chastised by God in order to be humbled again and then believe.
Sister Parker: Changing topics, here are some pictures.
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| My desk |
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[Pictures of people that the missionaries have taught and worked with]   
Pictures of Mito and the nearby area
 
These members took us out to eat interesting, but delicious food!
I am also with Sister Lacey.
Until later, Parker Shimai
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