Hi People,
I'm in Brasil
I've been here for almost 5 months
This feels really weird
Time is flying away
Just flying away.
It just feels so strange.
But now I'm starting my third transfer, we started it off with a bang and unfortunately ate at McDonalds. Dang, I think it's strange that the last time I literally ate at McDonalds in the USA was when I was about 6 years old... or something like that. Now, I think I've eaten there at least once every transfer... I still haven't figured out why Brasilians like that place. It doesn't make you feel that good. But the fries did taste pretty good, also they have fruit drinks there, I got pêssego or more commonly called, peach.
So I'm here... in Sobradinho 1... for one more transfer and I'm going to love it. I already know my companion and the area. Everything is chill. I was expecting to leave this transfer because I think when you get too comfortable on the mission, that's when you move. I love this district too. Wow. I really love this place and these Elders here.
I'm sending pictures and I hope they can be put on the blog. I'm just sending them like I always send them. They are of "Christmas" or more commonly called "When I actually opened my presents before Christmas" and I like to call the last ones "The only mini cooper in Sobradinho 1 and I'm sold on buying one sometime after the mission (and notice that I said sometime after the mission and not directly after the mission (which also means like maybe 30 or 40 years after the mission))
Então, este lugar é muito legal. I love it a lot. People here are really more open then in the United States. In the good ol' USA, it's really awkward to talk about religion. Or by what I've experienced, it's pretty awkward. But here, it's totally de boa (or chill). But with what I've heard too, Sobradinho is pretty closed about it too. I can't wait until I can got an area where everyone just loves to talk about religion. It will be awesome.
So I think it's funny, I have heard more American music here than Brasilian music. It's pretty funny because here Brasilians sing American songs, because usually they don't know what they are saying. They just like the beat. But I guess it's the same for me here. I hear something with a good beat and I'll keep singing the melody... come to find out... that song isn't all that good... so I think I'll change. That might be good. .
Um... I don't know what more I can tell you... except I got Peanut Butter and Beef Jerky for Christmas. That is exciting. I going to have to hide them... but everyone in the house I'm in is Brasilian (Again) so I don't think they even know what it is exactly... but just to make sure... I'll eat when they are taking showers and stuff like that... actually... sharing is caring... I don't know... Peanut Butter is precious here. Man, hard decisions of the Missionary part one... To Peanut Butter or not to Peanut Butter... that is the question.
So I just would like to pass along the amazing story of Alma (The older) and the people of Alma (who ran away from King Noah). They are so amazing because through all the trials they had they accepted everything with patience and long-suffering. We all need to have patience in our lives. In every aspect. With family, friends, reading, school, mission and children. Wow. I just can't stop thinking of all the blessings we will receive when we do that. So Endure to the End
Singing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
December 14 letter
14 de Dezembro
Oi meus Amigos, Oi minhas Amigas, Te Amo.
So this past week has been really good. But honestly I don't know what to say about it. Me and my companion have been working really really hard. We started working in only three Quadras in Sobradinho 1. These Quadras are really far away so not a lot of missionaries worked there. But we walk about 45-50 mins to get there and about 35-40 mins to return... it's more to get there because it's uphill. But we have been working really really hard in this área and have been just tearing apart those Quadras. It's been really fun to start in a new place in Sobradinho 1.
So I have a word of warning for all my friends going on missions... STAY OBEDIENT AND NEVER BE A SLACKER!!! We have had problems in our mission for the last two transfers that have just barely surfaced and it's affecting the whole mission. We have had horrible numbers and really really low numbers and we found out why just this week. So honestly follow all the rules. They are there for a reason.
Enough of that downer. So I'm learning to work through my trials... like with patiences. I really wish I could work on other attributes but all I'm seeing right now is patiences. I probably need to stop and reevaluate what all of this means. I'm sure I'm working on other attributes as well.
So now for pictures.
So these are bugs and things in Brasil.
Oh so we have so many ants in our house. Like a whole but. My study usually is distracted by little black specks running around on my desk. Sometimes I'll play with them... which basically means I'll terrorize them. But not really terrorize. Just play.
So I love this work. Really Endure to the End helps. One day we were knocking doors on one street and we were getting nothing. But we kept on going. Then at the last house. Literally the last house. We got in and this girl was a golden investigator. We have been working with her but she can't get to church because she works with her mom on sunday. Finally we couldn't get a hold of her because she worked so much. Twas sad. But honestly endure to the end. It's that important.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Oi meus Amigos, Oi minhas Amigas, Te Amo.
So this past week has been really good. But honestly I don't know what to say about it. Me and my companion have been working really really hard. We started working in only three Quadras in Sobradinho 1. These Quadras are really far away so not a lot of missionaries worked there. But we walk about 45-50 mins to get there and about 35-40 mins to return... it's more to get there because it's uphill. But we have been working really really hard in this área and have been just tearing apart those Quadras. It's been really fun to start in a new place in Sobradinho 1.
So I have a word of warning for all my friends going on missions... STAY OBEDIENT AND NEVER BE A SLACKER!!! We have had problems in our mission for the last two transfers that have just barely surfaced and it's affecting the whole mission. We have had horrible numbers and really really low numbers and we found out why just this week. So honestly follow all the rules. They are there for a reason.
Enough of that downer. So I'm learning to work through my trials... like with patiences. I really wish I could work on other attributes but all I'm seeing right now is patiences. I probably need to stop and reevaluate what all of this means. I'm sure I'm working on other attributes as well.
So now for pictures.
So these are bugs and things in Brasil.
Oh so we have so many ants in our house. Like a whole but. My study usually is distracted by little black specks running around on my desk. Sometimes I'll play with them... which basically means I'll terrorize them. But not really terrorize. Just play.
So I love this work. Really Endure to the End helps. One day we were knocking doors on one street and we were getting nothing. But we kept on going. Then at the last house. Literally the last house. We got in and this girl was a golden investigator. We have been working with her but she can't get to church because she works with her mom on sunday. Finally we couldn't get a hold of her because she worked so much. Twas sad. But honestly endure to the end. It's that important.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
December 7th letter
Hello, from Brasil (I feel like i always open with that but it's true)
So this week went pretty well. Twas pretty fun. We worked hard. I guess I could end this letter right here. But I wont
So I'm going to relate something I did last transfer that I thought was really really funny. So in this mission we have to do at least 10 contacts everyday. Sometimes we would forget so we would hurry and invite people to church. But one night we were walking and we were going past a bus stop. Well there was a couple there. They were all huggin and being all cute. Well as we drew nearer and nearer they got closer and closer. So being who I am and wanted to have some fun. I stopped and started talking to them... I thought it was really funny because they were about to kiss or make-out or something. I don't know. But I stopped it right before it happened. I thought it was really funny. I invited them to church. Told there were it was. What time it started. Testified a little... and said bye. I thought it was really really funny afterwards... and still do.
So something about Brasil. Things that would be really really awkward in the USA isn't awkward here. Like making-out in public. But the one that really is awkward for me is women breast feeding in public. It's just something of this place. I think i've seen more women breast feeding walking down the street or causually here than I ever did with my family in the USA. We were even in one lesson and the mom started breast feeding her child. Just right there... it was really really awkward. Luckly my companion was teaching at the time so I just looked at him as he taught the family.
So with those two awkward stories out of the way. I have something really really funny. As you can see in the picture... I'm praying... but what you don't know is I'm actually asleep. I was so tired. The Brasilians in the house took a picture and video taped me for a little bit and this is one of the pictures I got... yes... I was so freaking tired that day. When they woke me up I thought I was still praying and I felt offended that they woke me up in the middle of my prayer... but now as I think back... right before they woke me up... I think I was dreaming about flies or something... man... what a weird prayer. This picture looks funny... but thinking about the prayer now is even more funny.
So Segunda-Feira (Monday or yesterday) usually I remember that the next day in P day and I'm all excited. But yesterday was the first time that I didn't remember. I think it's cause we worked so hard... It was a cool feeling to get lost in the work. The time just flew by yesterday. So I learned time flies when you're having fun or when you love working... which basically makes it fun.
So if you have time and want a 'light' read... start reading "Jesus, The Christ'. Ok so it's not really a light read. But it's an amazing book. It goes all throughout the life of Jesus and explains almost everything. When you read it, you need to read all the notes at the end of the Chapters as well. It all is so good. Ok now if you want a light read. Read "Our Search for Happiness" That book is full of goodness, doctrine and everything try it some time. It really is worth it. These two books are really really good.
So i want to put one more little thing in this letter. If you have a Patriarchal blessing. Pull it out and study it. I have been studying mine... Wow. I would tell you what I've been learning about myself but it's kinda personal so I wont. But the one thing that I really like is faith. Faith has a major part in our lives. I will share a small brief part of my blessing. Well a summary. Basically it says that all the blessing in my bless are sealed by the priesthood and will happen ACCORDING to my faithfulness. Honestly. Everything in life is according to our faithfulness to the things we learn. One way to show your faith is to teach. Because when we teach, we learn more and more. So I want to challenge you to teach something you've learned about the gospel.
I love you.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
So this week went pretty well. Twas pretty fun. We worked hard. I guess I could end this letter right here. But I wont
So I'm going to relate something I did last transfer that I thought was really really funny. So in this mission we have to do at least 10 contacts everyday. Sometimes we would forget so we would hurry and invite people to church. But one night we were walking and we were going past a bus stop. Well there was a couple there. They were all huggin and being all cute. Well as we drew nearer and nearer they got closer and closer. So being who I am and wanted to have some fun. I stopped and started talking to them... I thought it was really funny because they were about to kiss or make-out or something. I don't know. But I stopped it right before it happened. I thought it was really funny. I invited them to church. Told there were it was. What time it started. Testified a little... and said bye. I thought it was really really funny afterwards... and still do.
So something about Brasil. Things that would be really really awkward in the USA isn't awkward here. Like making-out in public. But the one that really is awkward for me is women breast feeding in public. It's just something of this place. I think i've seen more women breast feeding walking down the street or causually here than I ever did with my family in the USA. We were even in one lesson and the mom started breast feeding her child. Just right there... it was really really awkward. Luckly my companion was teaching at the time so I just looked at him as he taught the family.
So with those two awkward stories out of the way. I have something really really funny. As you can see in the picture... I'm praying... but what you don't know is I'm actually asleep. I was so tired. The Brasilians in the house took a picture and video taped me for a little bit and this is one of the pictures I got... yes... I was so freaking tired that day. When they woke me up I thought I was still praying and I felt offended that they woke me up in the middle of my prayer... but now as I think back... right before they woke me up... I think I was dreaming about flies or something... man... what a weird prayer. This picture looks funny... but thinking about the prayer now is even more funny.
So Segunda-Feira (Monday or yesterday) usually I remember that the next day in P day and I'm all excited. But yesterday was the first time that I didn't remember. I think it's cause we worked so hard... It was a cool feeling to get lost in the work. The time just flew by yesterday. So I learned time flies when you're having fun or when you love working... which basically makes it fun.
So if you have time and want a 'light' read... start reading "Jesus, The Christ'. Ok so it's not really a light read. But it's an amazing book. It goes all throughout the life of Jesus and explains almost everything. When you read it, you need to read all the notes at the end of the Chapters as well. It all is so good. Ok now if you want a light read. Read "Our Search for Happiness" That book is full of goodness, doctrine and everything try it some time. It really is worth it. These two books are really really good.
So i want to put one more little thing in this letter. If you have a Patriarchal blessing. Pull it out and study it. I have been studying mine... Wow. I would tell you what I've been learning about myself but it's kinda personal so I wont. But the one thing that I really like is faith. Faith has a major part in our lives. I will share a small brief part of my blessing. Well a summary. Basically it says that all the blessing in my bless are sealed by the priesthood and will happen ACCORDING to my faithfulness. Honestly. Everything in life is according to our faithfulness to the things we learn. One way to show your faith is to teach. Because when we teach, we learn more and more. So I want to challenge you to teach something you've learned about the gospel.
I love you.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Mission Post (Point and Laugh)
This is me
posting a post to the posting future. Futurific post. This is also me laughing at you because Lets say it's December 20th 2010. In Utah it's probably a balmy 20 degrees with snow covering the ground and who cares. Well in Brazil It's a freezing 90 something degrees and oh my gosh, It's so cold right ;) Basically I'm making fun of you cause i'm probably in the best weather ever. This is me just saying also that i'm not blogging on my mission so don't worry. I made this post on June 20th 2010. This schedule thing is pretty much brilliant. I guess i'm having the time of my life. Oh, and definitely i need to make fun of the friends in Idaho... A warm 15 degrees with a wind chill of 30. So it feels like a summers day -15 degrees. Man. You must be living the life. Live it well. Live it good.
Stay Strong. Smile. Don't Do Drugs. The Church is true. Hope you like my future posts. There will be plenty to read for the next to years of these future posts and of I send my mom to put on this blog.
Signing Out
Elder Barry
posting a post to the posting future. Futurific post. This is also me laughing at you because Lets say it's December 20th 2010. In Utah it's probably a balmy 20 degrees with snow covering the ground and who cares. Well in Brazil It's a freezing 90 something degrees and oh my gosh, It's so cold right ;) Basically I'm making fun of you cause i'm probably in the best weather ever. This is me just saying also that i'm not blogging on my mission so don't worry. I made this post on June 20th 2010. This schedule thing is pretty much brilliant. I guess i'm having the time of my life. Oh, and definitely i need to make fun of the friends in Idaho... A warm 15 degrees with a wind chill of 30. So it feels like a summers day -15 degrees. Man. You must be living the life. Live it well. Live it good.Stay Strong. Smile. Don't Do Drugs. The Church is true. Hope you like my future posts. There will be plenty to read for the next to years of these future posts and of I send my mom to put on this blog.
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Hello, Greeting, Oi from Brasil
This is my current companion, Elder Andrade, He is so amazing and very patient with me.
These elders are all of the Brasilians that I live with and me. From Left to Right Elder Oliveira, Elder Andrade, Elder Barreiro and Elder Barry
These pictures have a story. Me and my companion were playing a little game of soccer in the area in front of our house. (Which I'll try to send a picture next week of it) and i kicked this ball on the roof of our neighbors house. So I climb up there with a pole to reach the ball. It was epic and yes... I still love to climb on things. I just don't have the time and the places to do it.
It's just me... I'm coming for you
This is my companion and his balding head. I want to call him baldy but I don't know how to in Português
This has really been an interesting week. With new experiences and new ideas and everything new. I love new weeks. Every week I can just push away the old week and just start working on the new. I learned this from my companion. One day we were sitting and I looked over and he was gluing his missionary planner shut... now that's just not normal. He was taking the pages and gluing them together... I thought it was kind of weird so I asked him what he was doing... basically he said that last week was horrible and he doesn't want to remember it and so he's closing out the week and focusing on the new week... Wow... inspiration... from the awesome Elder Andrade.
Elder Andrade is crazy... but I'm crazy too... so it's been working out pretty well. He's extremely patient with me and how I work and everything I do. I'm new and an American... so he's very patient with me. Very very very very extremely patient. I'm pretty much blessed because of it. He's totally de boa (Which is a slang that means chill). We work hard, walk everywhere, trying to do things different in this area because our area hasn't had much luck in the past 6 months-ish... so we are doing everything different. Well trying... because this mission is getting the same results as it was 2 years ago or more... and there was a promise that Brasil will be a giant help for the church, that the membership with EXPLODE. So if we are getting the same results then we must be doing the same things. So we've got to change to get new results. It's hard but really really really (add another really) fun.
Usually throughout the week I write down little thoughts and ideas and funny things that I can write and tell you on P-Day, but I forgot to do it this week. So I'm bascially writing whatever comes to my brain. Not much so it's kind of difficult to tell you how things are going. So I think I'll send some photos from today and past things so you can see how things are going for me.
Oh so I've been trying to learn how to be more organized everyweek and everyday... It's not working out too well. I start a system and then something happens and I forget it one day... then it's a mess... so I need to learn somehow to keep it clean in the house and everywhere. It's hard. My desk is a mess right now and so it my closet and everything... but I somehow know where things are.
One thing I learned this week is to keep moving cause time will keep moving too. Never will time stop for you so don't you stop for it.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
These elders are all of the Brasilians that I live with and me. From Left to Right Elder Oliveira, Elder Andrade, Elder Barreiro and Elder Barry
These pictures have a story. Me and my companion were playing a little game of soccer in the area in front of our house. (Which I'll try to send a picture next week of it) and i kicked this ball on the roof of our neighbors house. So I climb up there with a pole to reach the ball. It was epic and yes... I still love to climb on things. I just don't have the time and the places to do it.
It's just me... I'm coming for you
This is my companion and his balding head. I want to call him baldy but I don't know how to in Português
This has really been an interesting week. With new experiences and new ideas and everything new. I love new weeks. Every week I can just push away the old week and just start working on the new. I learned this from my companion. One day we were sitting and I looked over and he was gluing his missionary planner shut... now that's just not normal. He was taking the pages and gluing them together... I thought it was kind of weird so I asked him what he was doing... basically he said that last week was horrible and he doesn't want to remember it and so he's closing out the week and focusing on the new week... Wow... inspiration... from the awesome Elder Andrade.
Elder Andrade is crazy... but I'm crazy too... so it's been working out pretty well. He's extremely patient with me and how I work and everything I do. I'm new and an American... so he's very patient with me. Very very very very extremely patient. I'm pretty much blessed because of it. He's totally de boa (Which is a slang that means chill). We work hard, walk everywhere, trying to do things different in this area because our area hasn't had much luck in the past 6 months-ish... so we are doing everything different. Well trying... because this mission is getting the same results as it was 2 years ago or more... and there was a promise that Brasil will be a giant help for the church, that the membership with EXPLODE. So if we are getting the same results then we must be doing the same things. So we've got to change to get new results. It's hard but really really really (add another really) fun.
Usually throughout the week I write down little thoughts and ideas and funny things that I can write and tell you on P-Day, but I forgot to do it this week. So I'm bascially writing whatever comes to my brain. Not much so it's kind of difficult to tell you how things are going. So I think I'll send some photos from today and past things so you can see how things are going for me.
Oh so I've been trying to learn how to be more organized everyweek and everyday... It's not working out too well. I start a system and then something happens and I forget it one day... then it's a mess... so I need to learn somehow to keep it clean in the house and everywhere. It's hard. My desk is a mess right now and so it my closet and everything... but I somehow know where things are.
One thing I learned this week is to keep moving cause time will keep moving too. Never will time stop for you so don't you stop for it.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, November 22, 2010
Hello, It's summer here... but I'm probably just as cold as you are.
So yes it's summer... but today is rained like no other and I'm wet and really cold... really really cold. Like seriously... cold. I don't know if I have time to take a shower and write an email to home and to the mission president and stuff... probably not. We ate at McDonald's today and stayed there for a good 2 hours or so because it's P-day... and it rained a lot. wow... We finally just left and got soaked.
I really don't have all that much to say this week... not many things happened that I wrote down to tell you or nothing is coming to mind. This week went really slow and really fast... I remember this week was just slow and hard... It's really hard to understand and speak Português 24/7. I was tested emotionally and mentally this week. Like no other. It was really really difficult. I don't know what else to say about his week.
Oh I know. My new companion is just going ape on this area. holy cow. He's just going at it and not resting. Basically I follow and testify... then follow... try to speak to people. But he's really cool. He is just a chill Brasilian and is really really patient with me.
I just want to say thanks to people for the letters. I got to read them today and it really helps. I don't know why but it doesn't feel like I'm far from home at all. I feel really comfortable here and it's great. The only thing lacking was family and friends but I love P Days because I can still figure out what's going on at home. I love it.
Don't get me wrong I really love the mission. I'm jsut trying to sum things up for the people that don't understand the mission. This place is so beautiful in so many ways. The culture of people here is so loving. The members of the ward just recieved me with open arms when I arrived in this area in October. When my birthday happened, the bishop and the young men/young women were having a little seminary party and they also celebrated my birthday. I got a cake and everything. That was really really cool.
One thing this mission has taught me is patience with everything because everything is in the Lord's hands. I'm working on Português and I know I will get it in time. I know this gospel is true, why else would I be here? Enduring to the End and I hope you do too.
Endure to the end.
Signing Out
Elder Barry
When Elder Barry was in the MTC in Sao Paulo there was a dedication of a new ward building. They had a missionary choir sing and Matt sang a solo. A friend of mine, Grace Marie Dennis, found this picture on a web site of the sister who directed the choir. It's fun to see Matt doing what he loves to do.
So yes it's summer... but today is rained like no other and I'm wet and really cold... really really cold. Like seriously... cold. I don't know if I have time to take a shower and write an email to home and to the mission president and stuff... probably not. We ate at McDonald's today and stayed there for a good 2 hours or so because it's P-day... and it rained a lot. wow... We finally just left and got soaked.
I really don't have all that much to say this week... not many things happened that I wrote down to tell you or nothing is coming to mind. This week went really slow and really fast... I remember this week was just slow and hard... It's really hard to understand and speak Português 24/7. I was tested emotionally and mentally this week. Like no other. It was really really difficult. I don't know what else to say about his week.
Oh I know. My new companion is just going ape on this area. holy cow. He's just going at it and not resting. Basically I follow and testify... then follow... try to speak to people. But he's really cool. He is just a chill Brasilian and is really really patient with me.
I just want to say thanks to people for the letters. I got to read them today and it really helps. I don't know why but it doesn't feel like I'm far from home at all. I feel really comfortable here and it's great. The only thing lacking was family and friends but I love P Days because I can still figure out what's going on at home. I love it.
Don't get me wrong I really love the mission. I'm jsut trying to sum things up for the people that don't understand the mission. This place is so beautiful in so many ways. The culture of people here is so loving. The members of the ward just recieved me with open arms when I arrived in this area in October. When my birthday happened, the bishop and the young men/young women were having a little seminary party and they also celebrated my birthday. I got a cake and everything. That was really really cool.
One thing this mission has taught me is patience with everything because everything is in the Lord's hands. I'm working on Português and I know I will get it in time. I know this gospel is true, why else would I be here? Enduring to the End and I hope you do too.
Endure to the end.
Signing Out
Elder Barry
When Elder Barry was in the MTC in Sao Paulo there was a dedication of a new ward building. They had a missionary choir sing and Matt sang a solo. A friend of mine, Grace Marie Dennis, found this picture on a web site of the sister who directed the choir. It's fun to see Matt doing what he loves to do.
Monday, November 15, 2010
First Transfer
So, (então) hoje (today) is transfers. So our P Day is Monday just cause they need to get transfers done. So that is why this letter is early.
I really don't have much to say this week which is also great because I don't have much time this week too.
We had a baptism, They were our investigators... well not really but they count as ours. This is an interesting story so I'll tell it. A lady and her daughter were living in Sobradinho 2 (which is that other area next to ours) and some other missionaries found this lady named Pricilla and her daughter Pérola (means pearl). They taught them everything and they wanted to get baptized. Since my companion is the district leader we walked to Sobradinho 2 and my companion interviewed her. She passed and so did her daughter. Then this lady wanted to get baptized in a river or waterfall... which... is extremely hard to find and extremely hard to get approved. So she didn't get baptized because she couldn't be baptized in the river. Well we were all bummed because that means she isn't baptized and stuff... well in a strange turn of events... she moved to Sobradinho 1 and we got her referal and went to go talk to her... She said she wanted to get baptized and she changed her mind. It didn't have to be in the river/waterfall. WOAH!!!! MIRACLE!!!! This whole transfer me and my companion haven't gotten any results and just this last week we got a baptism. It was way cool. All we have to do now is get her confirmed next week.
So I need to say too that I get a new companion. His name will he Elder Andrade. He's Brasilian. Now I'm going to be living in a house with 3 Brasilians which is going to be cool. I'm definately going to learn Português extremely fast.
In the Book of Mormon I'm reading about Nephi and Laman and Lemuel. I think it's interesting the differences between the brothers. Nephi is always doing what is right and striving to do what is right. Laman and Lemuel or L and L are always murmuring but doing the stuff. They technically are being obedient to everything. They do all the same things as Nephi. But they do it slowly and not with a real intent. So I think a small thing that can help me is be like Nephi. Strive to follow with all my heart. Strive to help others in all things. Be like Nephi.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
I really don't have much to say this week which is also great because I don't have much time this week too.
We had a baptism, They were our investigators... well not really but they count as ours. This is an interesting story so I'll tell it. A lady and her daughter were living in Sobradinho 2 (which is that other area next to ours) and some other missionaries found this lady named Pricilla and her daughter Pérola (means pearl). They taught them everything and they wanted to get baptized. Since my companion is the district leader we walked to Sobradinho 2 and my companion interviewed her. She passed and so did her daughter. Then this lady wanted to get baptized in a river or waterfall... which... is extremely hard to find and extremely hard to get approved. So she didn't get baptized because she couldn't be baptized in the river. Well we were all bummed because that means she isn't baptized and stuff... well in a strange turn of events... she moved to Sobradinho 1 and we got her referal and went to go talk to her... She said she wanted to get baptized and she changed her mind. It didn't have to be in the river/waterfall. WOAH!!!! MIRACLE!!!! This whole transfer me and my companion haven't gotten any results and just this last week we got a baptism. It was way cool. All we have to do now is get her confirmed next week.
So I need to say too that I get a new companion. His name will he Elder Andrade. He's Brasilian. Now I'm going to be living in a house with 3 Brasilians which is going to be cool. I'm definately going to learn Português extremely fast.
In the Book of Mormon I'm reading about Nephi and Laman and Lemuel. I think it's interesting the differences between the brothers. Nephi is always doing what is right and striving to do what is right. Laman and Lemuel or L and L are always murmuring but doing the stuff. They technically are being obedient to everything. They do all the same things as Nephi. But they do it slowly and not with a real intent. So I think a small thing that can help me is be like Nephi. Strive to follow with all my heart. Strive to help others in all things. Be like Nephi.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Friday, November 12, 2010
The giant on the couch
Hello from the beautiful city of Sobradinho!!!
I'm doing great here in Brasil. Thanks for all the birthday wishes and for everything here. I love you all and hope that everything is going good for you too. This place is so beautiful and I love working here. Missionary work sure is hard but it is so worth it. It is so much fun. I love it so much.
So somethings that happened this week. I wrote down the ones I wanted to tell you. So lets see... which to start with... ok got it.
This past week we went to teach a man who was really, really old. About 10 years ago he had missionaries come by his house and teach him and give him a Book of Mormon. He's read it twice and is now re-reading it and has marked it up. Buy happen chance he found some of the members, they got us and we went over. The things he wanted from us were D&C which was really strange in the first place. A non-member wanted whatever D&C was, he didn't even know. Then he asked what RF was. Well RF is AF in English and means Articles of Faith. Holy cow. This man wanted a lot. Just by happen chance I had a triple combination in Português that I wasn't using. So we took that to him. We went in to talk with him and he was old. Wow... But we went in and got to know him and understand him. And before you knew it an hour had flown by. We are supposed to be in houses for only 30 minutes max. Holy Cow. I think in the hour time my companion had said maybe 5 phrases and the rest of the time was the man speaking. So we were trying for another 30 minutes to get out of there. He would not stop. Man. One thing I learned from this is couches in Brasil are really, really small and I can't sit comfortably on them for that amount of time. I looked around and really I looked like a giant on that couch. It was so tiny and so close to the ground. It would be fine for a lot of people... but I'm just so huge. I wish I could get a picture to see how big I look on the couches here. Wow. During the time we were in there I really couldn't stop myself from laughing and I felt to bad. Here are two missionaries in a house and they have been in there for 1 hour and 30 minutes. One doesn't fit on the couch and looks like a giant, talking (Well really listening) to a man for that same amount of time. I really feel bad because I started to laugh as he was talking. I tried to cover it up with a cough and I felt like I did a good job and he didn't notice. If he did notice, he thought I was laughing at what he was saying because he was smiling and slightly laughing too. It was probably the longest lesson of my life. You probably think I'm mean but you weren't there to experience this. It really, really was funny.
So next, Brasil probably wouldn't be a place you should be if you are deathly afraid of spiders. I bet in every house there are spiders in every corner on the ceiling and spiders randomly throughout the house. When I shower there are spiders in the corners of the ceiling. When I change or sleep or do anything I can assure you that there are spiders in every corner of the ceiling. Promise. So if you have anything fear of spiders and you can't suck it up you probably don't want to be here. Also the ants here are basically our best friends. They are everywhere in the house and they clean the house while we are gone. All the bugs we've killed during the morning or crumbs are gone before we get back home every night. It is pretty cool. There really is a more chill atmosphere here about bugs in the house. You can't really keep them out. So use them to your advantage eh.
One more story. One day my companion did a split with the zone leader because they had to go get interviewed by the mission president. So I was with the other zone leader until they came back. When they came back we switched and everything was fine. When the end of the night came me and my companion went to the house... and didn't have keys. When we left for the interview he had them... Then when he came back he thought he gave them to me because I usually have the keys... but he accidentally left them on the table... So, we were going to have to sit there and wait for the zone leaders to come back but they usually don't get back until 9:30 and my Companion (who is also a district leader and my trainer) needed to get numbers before that time when they get back. So... we tried to use a popcicle stick to get through the lock because it is really a back lock. But that didn't work. So my companion decided to take off the sliding door into our house. (Shoot I don't have a picture of that to send home to you.) So we wiggled and jiggled the door a lot, moved it and finally got a crack wide enough for my companion to get through. He went through and unlocked the door. So we just broke into our own house. Two missionaries trying to get into their own house and make it look like they aren't breaking into anyone else's house. To make it look worse we both have white shirts and ties. We probably look like some federal agent. So yes. I have broken into a house.
As I studied this week I started a couple of things at once. I started "Preach my Gospel" and "The Bible" and "The Book of Mormon". But the thing I wanted to share with you comes out of PMG Page 3. It's a quote from Harold B. Lee from a book called "The Teachings of Harold B. Lee" He says:
"The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own house" - President Harold B.Lee
This really has hit me as I think about my family and about being a missionary. The most important work we have is strengthening ourselves and our family. Especially our family. In the Book of Mormon Nephi starts off saying "Being born of goodly parents" and then Mosiah talks to his family to help them. Then Alma talks to his three sons about their lives and trys to help them and teach them. Chapters 8 and 9 of Moroni has letters from Mormon to Moroni. What a perfect example to follow in the Book of Mormon. It has shown us how to teach our children and help our family. All through the 'War' chapters they talk about battling for their wives and their children. The Stripling Warriors were taught by their mothers so well that they were saved from a battle and were blessed by the Lord so that none of them died. Study the Book of Mormon because it can help you in all aspects of your life. I know this to be true. I have seen it in my life here in the mission. Apply these things to your life and follow the counsel of Nephi in 1st Nephi 19:23. Any thing in your life can be solved as you read the Book of Mormon. Be it as simple as Jacob 6:12 or as complicated as Alma Chapters 39-42. I know that as you prayerfully study the scriptures and apply them to your life, you will become a better person. I know the scriptures are true. Since they are true, they were given to a true prophet of God who restored the Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth. Never doubt that these things are true because they are. I love you so much.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
This is what we call the Gehtto path. (Man I've lost my spelling)
(Sorry the picture is side ways. I didn't know how to make it right - Mom)
This one is me and my companion running away from the giant Sobradinho sign to the camera... a freaking sweet picture.
Me, my companion, Elder Barreiro and Another elder. I live with My companion and Elder Barreiro. The elder in the blue was just there on a trade that day. I'm wearing a Flamagos jersey, My companion is wearing a Gama (I'm not sure if that's how it's spelled) and Elder Barreiro is wearing a São Paulo Jersey. The other elder is wearing a Gremio Jersey.
I'm doing great here in Brasil. Thanks for all the birthday wishes and for everything here. I love you all and hope that everything is going good for you too. This place is so beautiful and I love working here. Missionary work sure is hard but it is so worth it. It is so much fun. I love it so much.
So somethings that happened this week. I wrote down the ones I wanted to tell you. So lets see... which to start with... ok got it.
This past week we went to teach a man who was really, really old. About 10 years ago he had missionaries come by his house and teach him and give him a Book of Mormon. He's read it twice and is now re-reading it and has marked it up. Buy happen chance he found some of the members, they got us and we went over. The things he wanted from us were D&C which was really strange in the first place. A non-member wanted whatever D&C was, he didn't even know. Then he asked what RF was. Well RF is AF in English and means Articles of Faith. Holy cow. This man wanted a lot. Just by happen chance I had a triple combination in Português that I wasn't using. So we took that to him. We went in to talk with him and he was old. Wow... But we went in and got to know him and understand him. And before you knew it an hour had flown by. We are supposed to be in houses for only 30 minutes max. Holy Cow. I think in the hour time my companion had said maybe 5 phrases and the rest of the time was the man speaking. So we were trying for another 30 minutes to get out of there. He would not stop. Man. One thing I learned from this is couches in Brasil are really, really small and I can't sit comfortably on them for that amount of time. I looked around and really I looked like a giant on that couch. It was so tiny and so close to the ground. It would be fine for a lot of people... but I'm just so huge. I wish I could get a picture to see how big I look on the couches here. Wow. During the time we were in there I really couldn't stop myself from laughing and I felt to bad. Here are two missionaries in a house and they have been in there for 1 hour and 30 minutes. One doesn't fit on the couch and looks like a giant, talking (Well really listening) to a man for that same amount of time. I really feel bad because I started to laugh as he was talking. I tried to cover it up with a cough and I felt like I did a good job and he didn't notice. If he did notice, he thought I was laughing at what he was saying because he was smiling and slightly laughing too. It was probably the longest lesson of my life. You probably think I'm mean but you weren't there to experience this. It really, really was funny.
So next, Brasil probably wouldn't be a place you should be if you are deathly afraid of spiders. I bet in every house there are spiders in every corner on the ceiling and spiders randomly throughout the house. When I shower there are spiders in the corners of the ceiling. When I change or sleep or do anything I can assure you that there are spiders in every corner of the ceiling. Promise. So if you have anything fear of spiders and you can't suck it up you probably don't want to be here. Also the ants here are basically our best friends. They are everywhere in the house and they clean the house while we are gone. All the bugs we've killed during the morning or crumbs are gone before we get back home every night. It is pretty cool. There really is a more chill atmosphere here about bugs in the house. You can't really keep them out. So use them to your advantage eh.
One more story. One day my companion did a split with the zone leader because they had to go get interviewed by the mission president. So I was with the other zone leader until they came back. When they came back we switched and everything was fine. When the end of the night came me and my companion went to the house... and didn't have keys. When we left for the interview he had them... Then when he came back he thought he gave them to me because I usually have the keys... but he accidentally left them on the table... So, we were going to have to sit there and wait for the zone leaders to come back but they usually don't get back until 9:30 and my Companion (who is also a district leader and my trainer) needed to get numbers before that time when they get back. So... we tried to use a popcicle stick to get through the lock because it is really a back lock. But that didn't work. So my companion decided to take off the sliding door into our house. (Shoot I don't have a picture of that to send home to you.) So we wiggled and jiggled the door a lot, moved it and finally got a crack wide enough for my companion to get through. He went through and unlocked the door. So we just broke into our own house. Two missionaries trying to get into their own house and make it look like they aren't breaking into anyone else's house. To make it look worse we both have white shirts and ties. We probably look like some federal agent. So yes. I have broken into a house.
As I studied this week I started a couple of things at once. I started "Preach my Gospel" and "The Bible" and "The Book of Mormon". But the thing I wanted to share with you comes out of PMG Page 3. It's a quote from Harold B. Lee from a book called "The Teachings of Harold B. Lee" He says:
"The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own house" - President Harold B.Lee
This really has hit me as I think about my family and about being a missionary. The most important work we have is strengthening ourselves and our family. Especially our family. In the Book of Mormon Nephi starts off saying "Being born of goodly parents" and then Mosiah talks to his family to help them. Then Alma talks to his three sons about their lives and trys to help them and teach them. Chapters 8 and 9 of Moroni has letters from Mormon to Moroni. What a perfect example to follow in the Book of Mormon. It has shown us how to teach our children and help our family. All through the 'War' chapters they talk about battling for their wives and their children. The Stripling Warriors were taught by their mothers so well that they were saved from a battle and were blessed by the Lord so that none of them died. Study the Book of Mormon because it can help you in all aspects of your life. I know this to be true. I have seen it in my life here in the mission. Apply these things to your life and follow the counsel of Nephi in 1st Nephi 19:23. Any thing in your life can be solved as you read the Book of Mormon. Be it as simple as Jacob 6:12 or as complicated as Alma Chapters 39-42. I know that as you prayerfully study the scriptures and apply them to your life, you will become a better person. I know the scriptures are true. Since they are true, they were given to a true prophet of God who restored the Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth. Never doubt that these things are true because they are. I love you so much.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
This is what we call the Gehtto path. (Man I've lost my spelling)
(Sorry the picture is side ways. I didn't know how to make it right - Mom)
This one is me and my companion running away from the giant Sobradinho sign to the camera... a freaking sweet picture.
Me, my companion, Elder Barreiro and Another elder. I live with My companion and Elder Barreiro. The elder in the blue was just there on a trade that day. I'm wearing a Flamagos jersey, My companion is wearing a Gama (I'm not sure if that's how it's spelled) and Elder Barreiro is wearing a São Paulo Jersey. The other elder is wearing a Gremio Jersey.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Happy Birthday, Matt!
Hello Everybody,
Today is the day that I can technically be on a mission and I don´t feel any different whatsoever. It´s just another day of work really. Today has been great. I was surprised that the people I live with remembered it was my birthday. They celebrated my birthday as they sang to me this morning after we all got up and said our prayers. Then we got ready and studied. And I love studying. I just finished the Book of Mormon in English and it was so good. By the end of this transfer I have a goal to finish O Livro de Mormon and mark all the times it says "Senhor" or "Deus" or "Espirito Santo" or talks about a member of the Godhead so that´s going to be a fun thing to do. That´s what´s going on here. Not much more... But like usually I have little funny things I thought of to tell you so that this is enjoyable and spiritual.
So... I told you about the dog attack last week... well this week I got attacked by a bird as we were walking by a tree. It was protecting it´s baby chicks and nothing bled but it´s interesting to put it down... Oh and another different dog attacked me yesterday. So I think this will be a weekly experience of something like that. I finally understand why in all the cartoons it shows missionaries running from dogs... cause it seems like they don´t like missionaries that much.
I had my first really, really, really, REALLY crowded bus ride this last week... did I mention it was crowded? I´m not sure but let me tell you... it was crowded. Me and my companion got on the bus and stood forever... and it was really awkward because there was a lack of testosterone around us... Everywhere I looked it was women and girls... literally. The only men I could see were either in the back of the bus or not around me... talk about weird. Regularly I wouldn´t care but once you become a missionary then you start to notice these type of things and feel uncomfortable in these situations. Oh, and I said the other men were at the back of the bus... yes? I could see back there. I realized that I´m big in Brasil. REALLY REALLY BIG. Everyone looks up to me. I got on the bus and all I saw was the top of heads, really. That was a weird experience for me. Everyone here is short... ok well not short but shorter than me. At school I could see some people and look at their eyes or forehead... yeah no such luck here except for the rare occassion. So that´s how things are here.
So I got a brilliant Idea. I´m going to go buy another SD card for my camera. So I can transfer pictures from my big card to the small one and then send them home to you through email because if the small card gets a virus I can delete all the photos and still have everything on my other card... so you´ll start seeing photos of how things are in Brasil. I thought it was brilliant.
Well this is another week. I love you all. Thanks for the letters. Stay strong. Read the Book of Mormon because that book will help you throughout your whole life.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Today is the day that I can technically be on a mission and I don´t feel any different whatsoever. It´s just another day of work really. Today has been great. I was surprised that the people I live with remembered it was my birthday. They celebrated my birthday as they sang to me this morning after we all got up and said our prayers. Then we got ready and studied. And I love studying. I just finished the Book of Mormon in English and it was so good. By the end of this transfer I have a goal to finish O Livro de Mormon and mark all the times it says "Senhor" or "Deus" or "Espirito Santo" or talks about a member of the Godhead so that´s going to be a fun thing to do. That´s what´s going on here. Not much more... But like usually I have little funny things I thought of to tell you so that this is enjoyable and spiritual.
So... I told you about the dog attack last week... well this week I got attacked by a bird as we were walking by a tree. It was protecting it´s baby chicks and nothing bled but it´s interesting to put it down... Oh and another different dog attacked me yesterday. So I think this will be a weekly experience of something like that. I finally understand why in all the cartoons it shows missionaries running from dogs... cause it seems like they don´t like missionaries that much.
I had my first really, really, really, REALLY crowded bus ride this last week... did I mention it was crowded? I´m not sure but let me tell you... it was crowded. Me and my companion got on the bus and stood forever... and it was really awkward because there was a lack of testosterone around us... Everywhere I looked it was women and girls... literally. The only men I could see were either in the back of the bus or not around me... talk about weird. Regularly I wouldn´t care but once you become a missionary then you start to notice these type of things and feel uncomfortable in these situations. Oh, and I said the other men were at the back of the bus... yes? I could see back there. I realized that I´m big in Brasil. REALLY REALLY BIG. Everyone looks up to me. I got on the bus and all I saw was the top of heads, really. That was a weird experience for me. Everyone here is short... ok well not short but shorter than me. At school I could see some people and look at their eyes or forehead... yeah no such luck here except for the rare occassion. So that´s how things are here.
So I got a brilliant Idea. I´m going to go buy another SD card for my camera. So I can transfer pictures from my big card to the small one and then send them home to you through email because if the small card gets a virus I can delete all the photos and still have everything on my other card... so you´ll start seeing photos of how things are in Brasil. I thought it was brilliant.
Well this is another week. I love you all. Thanks for the letters. Stay strong. Read the Book of Mormon because that book will help you throughout your whole life.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Faith
So yes. This letter has come early. Do you wanna know why? Do ya? I´m not sure if you really want to know so I´ll save this one... for... later...
This week has been awesome. Ok, so that is a bit of a overstatement. For me it has been awesome but for our area it was a so-so week. So-so because our investigators have been mole (look it up, in Português.) We would invite people to church and we had no investigators come. It was really sad to see these people forget. But what made our week really good is we got 2 less actives to church. One was a baptism of my trainer and she kinda fell but she came last week and LOVED it. Then the other person we got to come to church was a man who has been out of the church for 6 years. He´s pretty old, maybe 60 or 70. He was drinking and smoking but we kept trying to help him. He hasn´t drunk for 2-ish weeks now and he wants to stop smoking and he came to church last Sunday. Man!!! It was awesome to see him there. He loved it and when we went to his house later he looked so much better than the first time we met him.
I bet you still want to know why this is on Monday.
Então... Alma 29:9 probably is one scripture that really hit me this week. Look it up. It´s really good.
So I have a question...I´ve been hearing rumors... well... I don´t know exactly so I´ll ask straight up... I heard they changed the age that young men can go on missions to 18... is this true in the USA? Cause my companion said our bishop said that young men now can go when they are 18. I´m wondering if this is only Brasil or the whole world...
Story time. This week I got bit by a dog. Yes... not bad and not bleeding. We went to an investigator's house to talk to him. His door was closed and so we were knocking. Well, outside his door there was a dog. This dog was barking up a storm at us. (Yes a storm.) so I knocked once and we waited while this dog 'storm' barked at us. This 'lightning' dog was probably mad because we were on "his" property. So we waited... Bark bark bark... man, it was pretty annoying. So we still waited. Then I decided to knock again. That´s when thunder bark here made his move. He basically jumped at my leg... it felt so weird. I wasn´t expecting this so it was a surprise. Both my legs went numb for 3 seconds... just weird. But there was no wound. And there goes thurder bark... barking away... again. We finally just left lightning there to his pride. But that is the story of my first dog attack. That´s when I learn that most dogs here are all bark... not bite. The End.
The best experiences I´ve had happen when I study the Book of Mormon. I love this book so much and you should see my scriptures. Holy cow... the Book of Mormon is pure gold and full of such amazing words of wisdom. Man. If I could say anything to everyone it is to get a new Book of Mormon from a distibution center, a really cheap one. Then pick a word to look for while you study. Right now I look for the word faith or faithful or faithfulness. Everytime I come across this word I mark it in green. I like the green because faith is like a seed. So it´s in green. Then of course I have a red pencil and mark the other things I like in that color. My understanding and comprehension of the Book of Mormon has sky rocketed. I know it´s hard to always study everyday but I know it will bless your life. No one is too busy to study. You can study for at least 15 mins a day. I probably do 30 mins a day or more depending on the day. But it is so worth the time.
Ok, so this letter is on a Monday because tomorrow we have a general authority coming to our mission. Elder David A. Bednar is coming to our mission. I´m so excited. Way excited. Excited because we have gotten talks from him to read before he comes and they are about faith. And just by happen chance that is what my Book of Mormon study has been about, faith. It´s so cool to mix both of them together and learn more.
So that´s it for my week.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
This week has been awesome. Ok, so that is a bit of a overstatement. For me it has been awesome but for our area it was a so-so week. So-so because our investigators have been mole (look it up, in Português.) We would invite people to church and we had no investigators come. It was really sad to see these people forget. But what made our week really good is we got 2 less actives to church. One was a baptism of my trainer and she kinda fell but she came last week and LOVED it. Then the other person we got to come to church was a man who has been out of the church for 6 years. He´s pretty old, maybe 60 or 70. He was drinking and smoking but we kept trying to help him. He hasn´t drunk for 2-ish weeks now and he wants to stop smoking and he came to church last Sunday. Man!!! It was awesome to see him there. He loved it and when we went to his house later he looked so much better than the first time we met him.
I bet you still want to know why this is on Monday.
Então... Alma 29:9 probably is one scripture that really hit me this week. Look it up. It´s really good.
So I have a question...I´ve been hearing rumors... well... I don´t know exactly so I´ll ask straight up... I heard they changed the age that young men can go on missions to 18... is this true in the USA? Cause my companion said our bishop said that young men now can go when they are 18. I´m wondering if this is only Brasil or the whole world...
Story time. This week I got bit by a dog. Yes... not bad and not bleeding. We went to an investigator's house to talk to him. His door was closed and so we were knocking. Well, outside his door there was a dog. This dog was barking up a storm at us. (Yes a storm.) so I knocked once and we waited while this dog 'storm' barked at us. This 'lightning' dog was probably mad because we were on "his" property. So we waited... Bark bark bark... man, it was pretty annoying. So we still waited. Then I decided to knock again. That´s when thunder bark here made his move. He basically jumped at my leg... it felt so weird. I wasn´t expecting this so it was a surprise. Both my legs went numb for 3 seconds... just weird. But there was no wound. And there goes thurder bark... barking away... again. We finally just left lightning there to his pride. But that is the story of my first dog attack. That´s when I learn that most dogs here are all bark... not bite. The End.
The best experiences I´ve had happen when I study the Book of Mormon. I love this book so much and you should see my scriptures. Holy cow... the Book of Mormon is pure gold and full of such amazing words of wisdom. Man. If I could say anything to everyone it is to get a new Book of Mormon from a distibution center, a really cheap one. Then pick a word to look for while you study. Right now I look for the word faith or faithful or faithfulness. Everytime I come across this word I mark it in green. I like the green because faith is like a seed. So it´s in green. Then of course I have a red pencil and mark the other things I like in that color. My understanding and comprehension of the Book of Mormon has sky rocketed. I know it´s hard to always study everyday but I know it will bless your life. No one is too busy to study. You can study for at least 15 mins a day. I probably do 30 mins a day or more depending on the day. But it is so worth the time.
Ok, so this letter is on a Monday because tomorrow we have a general authority coming to our mission. Elder David A. Bednar is coming to our mission. I´m so excited. Way excited. Excited because we have gotten talks from him to read before he comes and they are about faith. And just by happen chance that is what my Book of Mormon study has been about, faith. It´s so cool to mix both of them together and learn more.
So that´s it for my week.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Happy in Brasilia
(I decided to ask Matt lots of questions in my last letter to him because of the woefully lack of information in his last week's letter. He delivered! - Mom Barry)
I like having questions to respond to. Because I really don´t know what to talk about. So here we go
My apartment is actually a small house. There are 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms and 4 missionaries. I´m probably being spoiled for my first transfer but it´s awesome. It literally is a house and it´s pretty good. We are only there really in the morning and at night. Then on P day it´s almost all day we are there.
My living conditions are fine. I´m not complaining. It´s simple and basic and I like it that way. I´m pretty sure when I get home that I´ll be fine with anything because being a missionary really helps you learn the basics. It´s like that talk by, I think, President Uchtdorf. Back to the Basics. I´m learning what a basic living standard is and living off it. It´s great and I really love it.
My working area is Sobradinho 1. I think it is that place with the most hills. We walk up and down hills all day and my legs are going to be beasts by the end of this transfer. I do have a picture of some of these things but the computers we email on are unreliable and last time my companion got a virus on his camera card. So I think I´m going to wait until I get a reliable computer.
The food is great, rice and beans usually every meal and it is way good. Every lunch is usually provided by a member or less active and other than that we are on our own. Oh, and P Day´s we need to find our own food. Usually for breakfast I don´t eat or I have a bowl of oatmeal with bananas, milk and chocolate. Just healthy awesome.
We have a washing machine that we throw our clothes into and it does an awesome job. Then we hang clothes out to dry. Just so cool. It shows that you don´t really need a dryer. Actually you don´t really need a washer either but it takes too much time to wash our clothes so we have a machine.
Yes, we are teaching people. We found someone named Ludimar and he is just golden. We taught him everything in four days straight and he´s accepted everything. Then yesterday we started teaching Sebastian and he seems golden too. We don´t have any baptisms yet and I probably would not tell you when I do. Just cause the baptisms don´t matter. What matters is if they stay firm in the church. I really wouldn´t mind getting only 1 baptism and having it be ther strongest member ever. That´s all I really want.
My Companion has been out for about a year and 5 or 6 months. He´s way good at the language and I´m just following him around trying to teach when he tells me to. He´s going to go to BYU Idaho after his mission.
My mission president is awesome. Basically he told me that he is my Dad now. (Sorry, dad just got kicked out for 2 years) He is, from what i´ve heard, the most strict mission president here. We have the missionary handbook which he´s changed some of it for our mission and then we have another page of rules for our mission that we carry around in our little book. But as we follow these we do a lot better. So I´m glad we have them. But I can tell you it will be weird to have a different mission president in a year.
The ward is pretty great. Just a wonderful welcome. Right now we are working on reactivating people. We´re working on the members too.
People always ask how tall I am and I am almost 2 meters tall. Freak, it´s tall and weird to be able to see all the way down a hall with no problems.
The City I am in is a semi-rich area. It´s a wonderful area. I love it and when it rains... is pours, holy cow. If it rains during the day and stops then it´s really, really hot. I don´t know why really.
So I wanted to tell you that there are awesome talks by Elder David A. Bednar. Look up his talk named "Ask in Faith". I´m pretty sure it´s the name. It has one point I want to tell about. It talks about people praying for the missionaries to have people to teach. Well if you are asking in Faith and faith is a principle of action. Then do it. Find those people for the missionaries. I know the mission has changed my view a lot about missionary work. I know it will help us so much and help this church grow if the members start doing the finding. The Missionaries are called to be full time teachers. The members are called to be full-time finders. It´s something that will help this work along. Honestly if people start finding people for the missionaries, we would have so many people in this church because when a friend asks a friend to start learning then the people probably will. If a missionary stops by and asks them about it they probably won't listen because the missionary is someone they don´t know. So like every good missionary I want to invite you to find someone you can share this Gospel with. It really isn´t that hard. Everyone knows at least one non-member and if everyone invited that one friend then we would have so many more people to teach. Please take this and do it. I know before my mission I didn´t think much about missionary work but now I´m realizing how much members have a role. Right now I´m pretty much begging you to help the missionaries.
I love you all.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
I like having questions to respond to. Because I really don´t know what to talk about. So here we go
My apartment is actually a small house. There are 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms and 4 missionaries. I´m probably being spoiled for my first transfer but it´s awesome. It literally is a house and it´s pretty good. We are only there really in the morning and at night. Then on P day it´s almost all day we are there.
My living conditions are fine. I´m not complaining. It´s simple and basic and I like it that way. I´m pretty sure when I get home that I´ll be fine with anything because being a missionary really helps you learn the basics. It´s like that talk by, I think, President Uchtdorf. Back to the Basics. I´m learning what a basic living standard is and living off it. It´s great and I really love it.
My working area is Sobradinho 1. I think it is that place with the most hills. We walk up and down hills all day and my legs are going to be beasts by the end of this transfer. I do have a picture of some of these things but the computers we email on are unreliable and last time my companion got a virus on his camera card. So I think I´m going to wait until I get a reliable computer.
The food is great, rice and beans usually every meal and it is way good. Every lunch is usually provided by a member or less active and other than that we are on our own. Oh, and P Day´s we need to find our own food. Usually for breakfast I don´t eat or I have a bowl of oatmeal with bananas, milk and chocolate. Just healthy awesome.
We have a washing machine that we throw our clothes into and it does an awesome job. Then we hang clothes out to dry. Just so cool. It shows that you don´t really need a dryer. Actually you don´t really need a washer either but it takes too much time to wash our clothes so we have a machine.
Yes, we are teaching people. We found someone named Ludimar and he is just golden. We taught him everything in four days straight and he´s accepted everything. Then yesterday we started teaching Sebastian and he seems golden too. We don´t have any baptisms yet and I probably would not tell you when I do. Just cause the baptisms don´t matter. What matters is if they stay firm in the church. I really wouldn´t mind getting only 1 baptism and having it be ther strongest member ever. That´s all I really want.
My Companion has been out for about a year and 5 or 6 months. He´s way good at the language and I´m just following him around trying to teach when he tells me to. He´s going to go to BYU Idaho after his mission.
My mission president is awesome. Basically he told me that he is my Dad now. (Sorry, dad just got kicked out for 2 years) He is, from what i´ve heard, the most strict mission president here. We have the missionary handbook which he´s changed some of it for our mission and then we have another page of rules for our mission that we carry around in our little book. But as we follow these we do a lot better. So I´m glad we have them. But I can tell you it will be weird to have a different mission president in a year.
The ward is pretty great. Just a wonderful welcome. Right now we are working on reactivating people. We´re working on the members too.
People always ask how tall I am and I am almost 2 meters tall. Freak, it´s tall and weird to be able to see all the way down a hall with no problems.
The City I am in is a semi-rich area. It´s a wonderful area. I love it and when it rains... is pours, holy cow. If it rains during the day and stops then it´s really, really hot. I don´t know why really.
So I wanted to tell you that there are awesome talks by Elder David A. Bednar. Look up his talk named "Ask in Faith". I´m pretty sure it´s the name. It has one point I want to tell about. It talks about people praying for the missionaries to have people to teach. Well if you are asking in Faith and faith is a principle of action. Then do it. Find those people for the missionaries. I know the mission has changed my view a lot about missionary work. I know it will help us so much and help this church grow if the members start doing the finding. The Missionaries are called to be full time teachers. The members are called to be full-time finders. It´s something that will help this work along. Honestly if people start finding people for the missionaries, we would have so many people in this church because when a friend asks a friend to start learning then the people probably will. If a missionary stops by and asks them about it they probably won't listen because the missionary is someone they don´t know. So like every good missionary I want to invite you to find someone you can share this Gospel with. It really isn´t that hard. Everyone knows at least one non-member and if everyone invited that one friend then we would have so many more people to teach. Please take this and do it. I know before my mission I didn´t think much about missionary work but now I´m realizing how much members have a role. Right now I´m pretty much begging you to help the missionaries.
I love you all.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Week 1
Entâo,
This week has been interesting. There really isn´t much I can say about it. There is this scripture that says beautiful are the feet of them that spread the gospel. Let me tell you. They don´t look all that beautiful. They are really really ugly, blisters and such, but that´s what you get from walking around all day. It actually isn´t all that bad though. It´s way fun to do this work.
Also I get hit with saudade every once in a while. Saudade is like a missing of something. For example I could be walking around and I´ll smell something that reminds me of somthing or someone or a fun experience. That´s saudade. It happens throughout the day and it can waste a day if you aren´t careful
My companion´s name is Elder Kirkham from Blackfoot Idaho. He´s pretty cool and we teach and stuff. I really don´t know what to say. We walk. And Teach. Then Walk... Then we... teach. Nothing really more.
Holy cow this language is crazy. I don´t understand most of the time what people are saying. So that´s why elder Kirkham is here to save the day. I´m working on the language as much as possible and right now that includes reading "O Livro De Mórmon". It´s pretty slow and really hard but I´m in Alma right now and just chugging through it as much as I can. I wish I had more to say but the work is good.
I love this place.
For all of my friends who are planning to go on missions, I have one suggestion. Read the Book of Mormon in your mission language as many times as you can before you go. Even though you won't under stand it when you start. You´ll see your own progress near the end. I´ve been doing this and I can tell the basic idea of a verse. It´s pretty interesting. So try it.
I love you all and I hope you stay strong. The Gosple of Jesus Christ is true. I love you so much and I hope you are doing well
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
P.S. If anyone gets a call. I better get a letter.
This week has been interesting. There really isn´t much I can say about it. There is this scripture that says beautiful are the feet of them that spread the gospel. Let me tell you. They don´t look all that beautiful. They are really really ugly, blisters and such, but that´s what you get from walking around all day. It actually isn´t all that bad though. It´s way fun to do this work.
Also I get hit with saudade every once in a while. Saudade is like a missing of something. For example I could be walking around and I´ll smell something that reminds me of somthing or someone or a fun experience. That´s saudade. It happens throughout the day and it can waste a day if you aren´t careful
My companion´s name is Elder Kirkham from Blackfoot Idaho. He´s pretty cool and we teach and stuff. I really don´t know what to say. We walk. And Teach. Then Walk... Then we... teach. Nothing really more.
Holy cow this language is crazy. I don´t understand most of the time what people are saying. So that´s why elder Kirkham is here to save the day. I´m working on the language as much as possible and right now that includes reading "O Livro De Mórmon". It´s pretty slow and really hard but I´m in Alma right now and just chugging through it as much as I can. I wish I had more to say but the work is good.
I love this place.
For all of my friends who are planning to go on missions, I have one suggestion. Read the Book of Mormon in your mission language as many times as you can before you go. Even though you won't under stand it when you start. You´ll see your own progress near the end. I´ve been doing this and I can tell the basic idea of a verse. It´s pretty interesting. So try it.
I love you all and I hope you stay strong. The Gosple of Jesus Christ is true. I love you so much and I hope you are doing well
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
P.S. If anyone gets a call. I better get a letter.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A new missionary in Brasilia
Hey, I´m safe and sound in Brasilia. I´ll talk to you next week when I have a P day. Endure to the End.
Signing Out
Elder Barry
We assume this is his new companion.
This makes Elder Barry look really tall. This is his mission president.
Signing Out
Elder Barry
We assume this is his new companion.
This makes Elder Barry look really tall. This is his mission president.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
One Week Left!
Another week. Another awesome week. And it flew by. So what to write about? I´m not sure. Proselyting was way fun (noticed I spelt it right?) (NOTICE WHAT HE MISSPELLED! SO FUNNY.) Yes, I could understand mostly what people said and we did pretty good. We are pretty sure that two people are going to read the Book of Mormon and 1 might. So. I think all in all it was a mission complete. Nothing else to say though. Kinda awesome. I really don´t have much to send this week. Except that I only have a week left here at the CTM. You might not get a letter from me next week cause I´m flying to the best mission ever. My district would disagree though. They all are going to Curitiba. But mine is better and I´m so excited to go and so ready to go, too. I´m going to leave you with something that I wrote down in my LSJ1. (Little Study Journal 1) On Sunday we had a fast and testimony meeting and one of the Elders said something that really hit me. Usually when people talk about missions they say we are giving up two years of our lives. Well he said `We aren´t giving up two years, we are still living (and enjoying) life.´ It´s so true. I´m not giving up anything. So when you are going on a mission. Enjoy it. Because really you aren´t giving up anything. You´re gaining more. Becoming better and stronger. Endure to the End Signing Out Elder Barry
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Can you pick out Elder Barry?
Every Tuesday morning Elder Barry and his district go to the Sao Paulo Temple. We received the picture from his District President with this note:
Dear Missionary Parents,
We are delighted to send you these photos that we took with your missionary and his district at the São Paulo Temple last week on their P-day. Sister Pratt and I are privileged to work with your son at the São Paulo MTC where I serve as his branch president. Thank you for sending such a wonderful young man to do the Lord’s work here in Brazil. We can assure that he is healthy, happy, making amazing progress, and becoming an even better young man than the one you sent only a few weeks ago. You would be astounded by his progress in such a short time. It is miraculous. We love serving with him.
Warmest Regards,
Elder Pratt
Then we received a second more personal note:
Dear President and Sister Barry,
Elder Barry is great. We especially love his music. It is wonderful to have someone who can play the piano and sing so well. Thank you for teaching him and preparing him in every other way to serve. He played some of the accompaniment music for the entire MTC in our mission conference last Sunday, and always either plays or leads the music in our branch. His district is remarkable. They have such a wonderful spirit about them. They are all trying so very hard to do everything that the Lord would have them do. Working with them and the many others like them at the MTC is truly one of the highlights of our mission here in Brazil.
Of all the mission rules we have, not hugging the elders is THE hardest for Sister Pratt to keep, so I will just have to hug him for both of us and both of you (I think that’s four). That should be a very easy assignment even though – as you can see from the pictures – I will have to hug upJ
Elder Pratt
Dear Missionary Parents,
We are delighted to send you these photos that we took with your missionary and his district at the São Paulo Temple last week on their P-day. Sister Pratt and I are privileged to work with your son at the São Paulo MTC where I serve as his branch president. Thank you for sending such a wonderful young man to do the Lord’s work here in Brazil. We can assure that he is healthy, happy, making amazing progress, and becoming an even better young man than the one you sent only a few weeks ago. You would be astounded by his progress in such a short time. It is miraculous. We love serving with him.
Warmest Regards,
Elder Pratt
Then we received a second more personal note:
Dear President and Sister Barry,
Elder Barry is great. We especially love his music. It is wonderful to have someone who can play the piano and sing so well. Thank you for teaching him and preparing him in every other way to serve. He played some of the accompaniment music for the entire MTC in our mission conference last Sunday, and always either plays or leads the music in our branch. His district is remarkable. They have such a wonderful spirit about them. They are all trying so very hard to do everything that the Lord would have them do. Working with them and the many others like them at the MTC is truly one of the highlights of our mission here in Brazil.
Of all the mission rules we have, not hugging the elders is THE hardest for Sister Pratt to keep, so I will just have to hug him for both of us and both of you (I think that’s four). That should be a very easy assignment even though – as you can see from the pictures – I will have to hug upJ
Elder Pratt
Trying to spell Proselyte
Wow, it´s another week already. I really don´t know what to say this week that is much different than last week. I don´t know if I told you that prosilyting or however you spell it, was really really cool. It was an awesome experience. I´m excited for everyone that we were able to give a Book of Mormon to and hope that they read it. It´s a big trusting experience when you don´t know the language all that well and you are teaching other people why it´s so important. It´s hard to change exactly what I want to say form English to Portuguese. But really that´s when I step back and think. It´s not what I have to say, it´s what the Lord wants to say. So then with that thought I´m going to prosylite (Tried to spell it different, still doesn´t look right) this Friday again but this time we are going in to the Big City, Literally, we are going into downtown São Paulo to try to talk to people. I´ve heard there is a bridge that over 1 million people walk over it in a day, so pretty much I think I´ll be on that bridge... the whole time. I´ve got 1 million people to talk to. Well today, The 21st of September or Vinte e Um de Setebro is our district leader´s birthday. He´s 21, yeah, kinda old, but I´m probably the closest with him. His name is Elder Dohrman if you wanted to know. But the real reason I told you this is so I can tell you that we went to a place called "Churrascaria" and it was the best thing ever. You know those "Brazilian" places that they serve the meat and walk around from table to table and stuff... yep. Went there, did that, be jealous, so good. I must tell you that I went in bravely and came out feeling great. Also I must tell you that I had cow hoof which tasted like beef roast (roast beef?) and then had a chicken heart which tasted more like sea food then chicken. So I´m working on being awesome in Brazil. I don´t know what else to say though, hmmm... I must say that a mission has been the best experience of my life so far, I´m so glad that I´m here. It definitely changes how you see things. Brasil is definitely not the USA but it definitely is just so awesome. It´s a different beauty here. Well, I want to leave with saying, be strong like unto Moroni. Shake the very foundations of Hell. Be like Joseph Smith and be a disturber and an annoyance of the "Kingdom" (If you can call it that) of the Devil.
Endure to the End. (Perserverar Até o Fim.)
Signing Out, Elder Barry
Endure to the End. (Perserverar Até o Fim.)
Signing Out, Elder Barry
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Holiday in Brazil
So another week has come by and you´re probably thinking why there wasn´t a letter on tuesday... let me splain. Tuesday or 7th of September or Sete de Setembro is Independance here in Brasil. So they moved my P day to Wednesday because the temple is closed and all the shops were closed and it would of been a pretty lame P day if I didn´t have anywhere to go. So that is the reason you are getting this letter a day late. So a couple weeks ago we had a district meeting and my district leader gave us amazing counsel. His name is Elder Dohrman and he is 20 and turning 21 on the 21st of September (Remind anyone of divine comedy?) and he just plain awesome. But the counsel he game us is more like a phrase that can be used for many different things. The phrase goes like "As a disciple of Christ I AM _______, No longer ______" So using this phrase I just want to say that as a disciple of Christ I AM Elder Barry serving in the Brasil, Brasilia mission and learning portugues in the CTM, No longer Matthew John Barry who composes music and plays frisbee all the time. This is good advice for anything. This of how this could help you in your life. Not just as a disciple of Christ but as a student in college i am, or as a mission president I am. This phrase could be used to set goals and figure out what you can do to change your life just for the better. Well before my time is up i want to talk about my District just so you know who is all there. As i said there is our district leader and his name is Elder Dohrman. He´s from Washington and his town is in the Kennewick mission :). He´s 20 and turning 21 soon and is just like an older brother. He wants to own his own restaurant and he loves to cook and sing. His companion is Elder Stevenson. Elder Stevenson is also from Washington. Just barely off of Seattle. He pretty tall and has a blonde small mowhawk. He wants to be an engineer when he grows up and build things. He´s not exactly sure what though. He wants to build the next big thing. Then the next person is our AP, His name is Elder Burright. Elder Burright is from Oregon boardering washington. He´s very very into music and knows literally everything. He loves all types of music and can talk about anything forever. He want to do Law and actually went to BYU right before he left. He plays the guitar and loves to sing. He´s a really cool person and is just so funny. His companion is Elder Croskrey. Elder Croskrey is from Washington as well. He wants to be a photographer. He loves art stuff and has red hair. He also went to BYU right before he left and didn´t know his companion before he cam out but by happen chance Elder Burright and Elder Croskrey know that same person. They just never met each other before they left. My Companion is Elder Robinson and he is the oldest kid out of 13. He´s from missouri and we home schooled his whole life. He´s very patriotic and wants to build and sell weapons after his mission. He sticks strong to his opinions and is pretty steadfast and immovable. He´s the shortest of everyone in the district I´m pretty sure and has glasses. This is my district. My family here in the CTM and they are all totally different people. We all work so hard to be able to work together and get along. I think we might be the tightest knit district here at the CTM cause we always do everything together. Unfortunately this friday we can´t. We are going out into Sao Paulo and handing out Books of Mormon to the people. Pretty much contacting. Kinda crazy and I´m freaking scared. Endure to the End. Signing Out
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Aug 31, 2010 - From the CTM - It's hot but that's okay, I'm sitting in class all day
So it´s been another week. Another week that flew by on the wings of the Spirit. I think now I´ve started to get into the rhythm of things here at the MTC. First off, Learning a language at the MTC is like a roller coaster as maybe Jessica or David would know. One day you feel great and on the top but when you´re at the top it´s one quick descent to the bottom. Then you start flying all over the place and change ever second. Then you hit bottom again and have to start the long journey back to the top. Everytime it happens it´s a totally different experience too. That´s one big roller coaster. To top that off you´re riding two roller coasters simutaniously. So on one you´re up but down on the other... It´s one hard experience. But it´s still fun to do it everyday.
So last week I bought a little book that I can put in my back pocket and write things in. Like a little thought book. This is the first week I´ve been using it and wow. I have so many random thoughts that have come to my head that I write down. First off though I want to share a word my companion Elder Robinson found last week. It´s "Enforcar-se" and it means (Drum Roll Please) 1) To hang oneself by the neck 2) To lose money... and also 3) To get Married. Wow, what a great word. Love it. Moving on.
This week I realized that my mission is like a tithing for my life up till know. By the end of my mission I´ll be 20 and I would have paid 2 years to the Lord. It´s such a weird thought. I guess everyone pays a tithe on their life through callings, missions and service. It´s one strange thought. And by the way I´m still the same person.
I read and finished "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder Ballard in two days. Well, I said I was going to explain what I learned about "The Good Samaritin" Parable. A man goes from Jerusalem to Jericho. If you know anything about how high those places are above sea level, Jerusalem is way high and Jericho is really low. So this man goes from a high to a low place and is robbed or striped of his raiment. Basically he is striped of all knowledge if it works in the sense I am saying it. First a Rabbi passes on the way. This shows us that other religions can´t help this man. Then a Levite passes by. This signifies the Aaronic Priesthood. Even though it is vital for us, it can´t always help us. Then last a Samaritin comes. Samaritins in that time were people most hated by the Jews. Who else was most hated of the Jews? I wonder... maybe Christ. So this man takes us to an inn and PAYS for our stay and says he will return later to see how we are doing. So not only is "The Good Samaritin" about being kind to everyone, it´s also telling us about the Plan of Salvation.
Remember that Christ loves you and that I love you. Have a wonderful week. I would like to challenge you this week to read the parable of "The Good Samaritin" and share it with your family in some way or the other. Have a wonderful time. The Lord loves you all. Endure to the End. Stay Strong. Signing Out Elder Barry
So last week I bought a little book that I can put in my back pocket and write things in. Like a little thought book. This is the first week I´ve been using it and wow. I have so many random thoughts that have come to my head that I write down. First off though I want to share a word my companion Elder Robinson found last week. It´s "Enforcar-se" and it means (Drum Roll Please) 1) To hang oneself by the neck 2) To lose money... and also 3) To get Married. Wow, what a great word. Love it. Moving on.
This week I realized that my mission is like a tithing for my life up till know. By the end of my mission I´ll be 20 and I would have paid 2 years to the Lord. It´s such a weird thought. I guess everyone pays a tithe on their life through callings, missions and service. It´s one strange thought. And by the way I´m still the same person.
I read and finished "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder Ballard in two days. Well, I said I was going to explain what I learned about "The Good Samaritin" Parable. A man goes from Jerusalem to Jericho. If you know anything about how high those places are above sea level, Jerusalem is way high and Jericho is really low. So this man goes from a high to a low place and is robbed or striped of his raiment. Basically he is striped of all knowledge if it works in the sense I am saying it. First a Rabbi passes on the way. This shows us that other religions can´t help this man. Then a Levite passes by. This signifies the Aaronic Priesthood. Even though it is vital for us, it can´t always help us. Then last a Samaritin comes. Samaritins in that time were people most hated by the Jews. Who else was most hated of the Jews? I wonder... maybe Christ. So this man takes us to an inn and PAYS for our stay and says he will return later to see how we are doing. So not only is "The Good Samaritin" about being kind to everyone, it´s also telling us about the Plan of Salvation.
Remember that Christ loves you and that I love you. Have a wonderful week. I would like to challenge you this week to read the parable of "The Good Samaritin" and share it with your family in some way or the other. Have a wonderful time. The Lord loves you all. Endure to the End. Stay Strong. Signing Out Elder Barry
Friday, August 27, 2010
Mission Post (Don't Worry)
Ha ha, So what doing here is scheduling a post to post on August 27th 2010. Yes, I'm pretty sure I'm in the MTC. You're probably thinking why is there a post on his blog. Well today is really June 20th, 2010. I'm just giving you a little somethin' somethin' to look forward to while i'm gone. I know, a little strange, but keep checkin the blog to see if somethings strange happens. I think I'll be giving my mom my blog stuff and she'll post letters on here. Hopefully it'll work and we'll both remember. I'm sure this wont have any meaning to some of you but IF you receive a mission call or get married while i'm gone... I better get a letter or an email to whatever email I have then. That too will most likely be posted in the blog somewhere. Oh, Check out the pages too. I think i'll put things there for you to look at and behold the awesomeness... Probably just contact info and other stuff like the email i'm supposed to give you or something... But please do check and have a wonderful 2 years. I'll hopefully see you later... unless you randomly fall off the face of the earth.
I wonder if I can get that now?
Well now meaning June 20th 2010
Signing Out
Elder Barry
I wonder if I can get that now?
Well now meaning June 20th 2010
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
August 24, 2010 - From the CTM
Hello from Brazil the most beautiful place on earth with the friendliest people I think I have ever met. Seriously. I think I've hugged more missionaries here or hugged more males than I have ever in my entire life. And I´ve only been here for about 3 weeks. It´s really crazy and I love them so much. One thing, if you ever come to Brazil soccer is huge here. I´ve learned about 3 or 4 different teams and I think I´m going to be buying jerseys of random teams I find. I´m pretty darn excited. I have this paper I carry around in my pocket and I write down thoughts that I want to send home to my Family and Friends. So here they come. First. Brazilians see Americans and jump to all the American movies they´ve seen and match famous actors, artists and stuff to American missionaries. In my district apparently we have David Beckham, Johnny Depp, Jack Johnson, Clark Kent, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Multiple others too. Apparently I look like Johnny Depp... Kinda weird. One of the Brazilians was joking around with me and asked me when I was going to shoot the Fourth Pirates of the Caribbian movie. I thought it was funny. My response to him was I´m setting my movie career aside for now. Next thing I learned this last week is there is no connection between ASL and Portuguese. I´ve tried to find something but I think ASL was stuck in a box when all the languages chose teams. Poor poor Sign Language. When I want to say a word and and don´t know it in Portuguese, I start to sign the word. Then remember no one here knows anything about sign language... so I have to actually use my voice. It´s kinda difficult sometimes. So another thing is that when I left home I thought I´d be setting aside all music when coming on a mission. That´s a totally different story here. I´m in the Choir, my district likes to sing, we are going to do prelude to some meeting and I´m singing/Playing the piano for them and the lady here who is in charge of the music has given me music to practice. So now I need to to find time to do that. It´s crazy. Crazy fun though. I also have decided this last week the Elder Holland is probably one of my favorite apostles. He´s so strong and if you don´t want to listen to him. He won't care. But his message will break down the wall you tried to build. So you might as well listen to him on your own free will. This last week I also learned something really cool about the parable of the Good Samaritan. For everyone it is saying be kind to everyone. But if you read it very carefully you´ll learn it has a deeper meaning. Read it. Study it this week. Next week I´ll tell you what I learn from that story. I have about 7 minutes left to write a letter. and I don´t know what to say. I´m sure by now you´ll have a headache from reading this letter as it crammed together cause I have no 'Enter' button to make it look any nicer. Oh the language here is difficult. As you can already tell I´ve tired to find a medium between English and Portuguese and I haven´t found anything. I´m pretty sure I´ll learn this language before I leave the mission in two years. But right now I only can follow a little. Literally follow... almost. The word ´To Speak´ in portuguese is 'Falar". Almost sounds like follow. The hardest part right now is congugations and spelling if you haven´t noticed. I think my spelling is deterioating. so... yeah. Not much to say here.
Signing Out Elder Barry
Signing Out Elder Barry
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
#2 from the CTM - written without an Enter button
Hello everybody. It´s me again. Surprised? I am. I felt like yesterday that I was writing this letter back home. Literally it was yesterday. It´s amazing how fast time flies when you´re studying the gospel and language. It´s very fun. So if my letter looks weird it´s cause the Enter button doesn´t work here and some of the buttons of these keyboards are in a very weird place. So I have a couple of new things that happened this week and I think I wrote all of them down so I could tell you but if I forgot one don´t hate me, ok? So first of all I learned this week that the hardest part about the mission... Well the hardest part for me is figuring out my companion and figuring out how he works. It was really hard to talk to him and to study. We finally worked it out though so we´ll see how this goes. Next. I was in this choir for a dedications of a new Chapel that is just up the street from here. It was really, really fun and I was asked to sing a small tiny solo in one of the songs. It was really tiny and I didn´t do all that good but it was a fun choir thing. Something to keep me singing. I love singing. Ok next. The coldest it´s gotten here is a balmy/warm low 60 degrees. It wasn´t that cold and while all the missionaries from the USA had short sleeved shirts, all the Braziladoes had on about 3 jackets/sweaters. It was really really funny. We all liked it and it was just fine. AAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNDDDDDD next. My regular day starts at about 6:20 in the morning. I wake up. Take a shower and get ready for breakfast at 7:00. I eat, like usual, really fast and me and my whole district get up to our classroom before 7:30. From 7:30 to 8:30 we have personal study. Then we have class from 8:30 to 12:15. Then we go eat Lunch. Companion study is from 1:15 - 2:15 then we have MDT (Missionary Directed Time). Then GYM time which is one of the best times of the day. Then we have MDT again. At 4:45 till 5:45 we have dinner. Then more classroom from 5:45 - 9 o clock. At 9:00 we do our daily planning for the next day, have a snack, write in my journal, floor, district, companion and personal oração (Prayer). Then it lights out at 10:30 which I am the king of the light switch. My room might be a little annoyed about it though. Right at 10:30 our lights go out give or take a minute. It´s pretty epic and pretty fun day. But today (Tuesday) is my P Day so I write a letter. Get up at 6 o clock to go to the temple and do whatever I want till 4. Then we have more stuff we need to do. I love going to the temple everyweek. It´s one of the highlights of the week. The other highlight is GYM time which we play Volleyball. We can´t play soccer down here because the Braziladoes get too competitive. So the things we can do are volleyball, basketball, running, and a couple of other things which are pretty cool... (Not really much more to do). But I love being busy here at the CTM because I don´t have to worry about what I need to fill my day. It´s all planned for me. I just need to decide if I´m going to follow that plan. Which I do. And I need to choose what to study for Personal, Companionship study and MDT. But other than that it´s a simple amazing spirit filled life. One word of advice to everyone who hasn´t gone out yet. Label all your clothes. You´ll throw them in the wash with everyone in your room usually cause it´s easier and if they are marked then it makes life so much easier. "My life flows on in endless song above earths´ tempations". So think about that. Have a wonderfull week cause I will. Endure to the End. Let the Holy Spirit guide. Go to the temple as much as possible. Study hard. Be kind to everyone. Read the most amazing book on earth "The Book of Mormon ". I love you. Signing Out Elder Barry
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The 1st letter from Brazil
Picture of everyone who entered the CTM with Matt. He is the back row 3rd from the left.
"Hello everybody, How is everybody doing? I hope you´re pretty good. Personally I´m doing wonderful. So the computer I´m typing on is kinda weird. Like there are too many buttons and I keep hitting the wrong ones for the ones I want. So I know you want to hear about Brazil. It´s a country that´s bigger that the United States. So it´s pretty amazing. Huge. The CTM (MTC) is pretty good and honestly the food isn´t all that bad. I do have a lot of gas though but I guess that´s just my body getting used to what i´m eating... which is a lot. I wish I could say that I´ve gained weight like the rest of my district but unfortunately I´ve preobably lost a pound. Which just doesn´t make sense. I eat so much here. I´m full almost all day and I still lose pounds. It´s a curse. But I think it´s a curse I´ll live with. This place is pretty amazing. Something I thought was cool is the sidewalks. Every store and every house is in charge of their own side walk. So there are side walks that look horrible then the next moment there is one that is tiled. Then you trip because the next on goes up three feet like it´s a driveway. It´s pretty intense and pretty freaking awesome. Also the Motor cyclists are crazy here. They go on the lines of the highway and go anywhere they want. I heard a story from my teacher that sometimes the motor cyclists will put out their legs and kick of side view mirrors. I don´t know if that´s true of not but that´s what I´ve heard. My companions name is Elder Robinson. He´s short and is totally opposite than me. I´m spratic and kinda laid back where he´s more strict about rules. When the rules don´t say about a certain thing he worries about it. But it´s a good thing right. I´m tall and skinny and he´s shorter and broad. He wears glasses and I don´t. He has wonderful nice handwriting where as mine looks horrible. My district is amazing. We are learning pretty fast and I´m pretty sure everyone else is learning slightly faster than me. But it´s nice to have people who know what they are doing. The language is hard. But I´m pretty sure I´ll get it eventually. Before I go I want to share something I thought about. So when mirrors are across from each other it looks like they go on forever and the thought hit me today that it shows so much how our life is. We can see to a certain point but the farther you go the more blurry it gets and the harder it is to see whatever you´re looking at. Finally you can´t see anymore cause it´s so blurry. We can´t see around that bend on the mirrors. But God can. So trust in him and he will help you. He will be with you always and her loves you. Too find out if he does love you pray to his with faith. James 1:5 says "ask and ye shall receive". Just ask him with faith. Nothing wavering. The gospel is true. I love you. Stay strong. Endure to the End.
Signing Out Elder Barry"
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
The Lost Posts... or Last Post(s)... same thing right?
So this is being posted right about the time I'm being set apart.
Pretty Cool eh?
But I just want you all to know that I love you so very very much. You're probably thinking "How can he love everyone?" Three words "Gospel of Christ".
It true that when you live the gospel of Christ that you love everyone and want to share the gospel with everyone. "Be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." Share it because it's the most amazing feeling when the spirit takes over and you feel amazing. (Hello, Department of Redundancy Department... I've got a friend... yes I actually do have friends.) It's amazing how just opening your mouth and talking can help any situation.
Story time.
So this past weekend I went to Flo-rida ok just Florida but that's not important. The important part is that I flew to Jacksonville. (On a plane you silly.) The best part about being on planes is they shove you in this tiny seat with a tiny back with a tiny table in a tiny row on a tiny plane. (Who came up with that plan?) As you're on this plane they don't let you sit by yourself. Oh no no no. They shove twelve more people into the same row where only 2 people could fit comfortable. So you get to by "happen chance" meet people.
Hey how is you?
Is this your foot?
Mind if i sleep on it for a while?
Ok so they aren't THAT small but anyways. I got to meet some wonderful people. (Yes there is a point to this story) I met 3 on the way out and their names are Val, Bob and Kenny. Val and Bob are husband and wife and they live in South Carolina working for Michelin Tire company. It was pretty cool eh. Me and Val talked while her husband sat... and sat... and sat some more (What else can you do? You're sleeping on someones foot.) Me and Val sat and talked about everything and I told her about missions and unfortunately I didn't think about getting their address and sending missionaries over. But I'm hoping I sparked her interest cause we talked a lot about Brazil and Missionary work. She was pretty awesome
Next I talk to Kenny... Not much to report except he's awesome. Him and some other guys are trying to start a resort in the Bahamas. Really cool. He also is starting something called "High Life" They are bumper stickers. Look it up... but I don't know if he has something up yet. It's basically talking about "High life" Meaning Camping and hiking and stuff like that. He got the idea from people who do something called "Sea Life". Sea life is about oceans. So he does mountains. I thought it was pretty darn awesome. He was a cool guy.
But the important part about this story was coming home. I met a Lady name Joyce Donning. She was the coolest old Lady I have ever met outside my family and Spencer Thomas's Great-Grandma. We talked about religion about half of a 3 hour plane ride which ended up in getting her address. Her getting a little small copy of the Book of Mormon (that thank goodness someone one one row up had and gave to her.) She was interested which was really cool considering that I was Crammed in the seat beside her.
The moral of this story is don't give up. Open up your Mouth. The Spirit will help. The Gospel is True.
*This has not be an advertisement for any company, group or name... or maybe it has*
I just want to let you know I love you and I hope the best for you. All of you in High School, live strong in an environment where it is kinda hard to live so. Whatever you are in, excel and strive to be YOUR very best in it. Have a wonderful time and make the most of it. College buckos... College is amazing and you are going to love it so much. Just like high school live strong even though everyone around you will be living the way you are. Well most of every body depending on where you are going. Strive to do your best in your classes because statistics show... when who cares what they show. Just do your best because the transition into college is pretty hard. All males, I hope to see you out in the mission field. Live worthily so you can be out there for the best years of your life. I expect a letter telling me where you're going. Females, live strong and be an example to the males around you. Help them out as they strive to go on a mission and return with honor. If you get married while I'm gone it better be to an amazing guy because I wont be able to inspect him. Live worthy to enter the temple because it is the most amazing place on this earth and strive to always have the spirit in your lives.
Try to apply principles into your week that you find in the scriptures and write down your experiences.
I love you all so very much
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Pretty Cool eh?
But I just want you all to know that I love you so very very much. You're probably thinking "How can he love everyone?" Three words "Gospel of Christ".
It true that when you live the gospel of Christ that you love everyone and want to share the gospel with everyone. "Be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." Share it because it's the most amazing feeling when the spirit takes over and you feel amazing. (Hello, Department of Redundancy Department... I've got a friend... yes I actually do have friends.) It's amazing how just opening your mouth and talking can help any situation.
Story time.
So this past weekend I went to Flo-rida ok just Florida but that's not important. The important part is that I flew to Jacksonville. (On a plane you silly.) The best part about being on planes is they shove you in this tiny seat with a tiny back with a tiny table in a tiny row on a tiny plane. (Who came up with that plan?) As you're on this plane they don't let you sit by yourself. Oh no no no. They shove twelve more people into the same row where only 2 people could fit comfortable. So you get to by "happen chance" meet people.
Hey how is you?
Is this your foot?
Mind if i sleep on it for a while?
Ok so they aren't THAT small but anyways. I got to meet some wonderful people. (Yes there is a point to this story) I met 3 on the way out and their names are Val, Bob and Kenny. Val and Bob are husband and wife and they live in South Carolina working for Michelin Tire company. It was pretty cool eh. Me and Val talked while her husband sat... and sat... and sat some more (What else can you do? You're sleeping on someones foot.) Me and Val sat and talked about everything and I told her about missions and unfortunately I didn't think about getting their address and sending missionaries over. But I'm hoping I sparked her interest cause we talked a lot about Brazil and Missionary work. She was pretty awesome
Next I talk to Kenny... Not much to report except he's awesome. Him and some other guys are trying to start a resort in the Bahamas. Really cool. He also is starting something called "High Life" They are bumper stickers. Look it up... but I don't know if he has something up yet. It's basically talking about "High life" Meaning Camping and hiking and stuff like that. He got the idea from people who do something called "Sea Life". Sea life is about oceans. So he does mountains. I thought it was pretty darn awesome. He was a cool guy.
But the important part about this story was coming home. I met a Lady name Joyce Donning. She was the coolest old Lady I have ever met outside my family and Spencer Thomas's Great-Grandma. We talked about religion about half of a 3 hour plane ride which ended up in getting her address. Her getting a little small copy of the Book of Mormon (that thank goodness someone one one row up had and gave to her.) She was interested which was really cool considering that I was Crammed in the seat beside her.
The moral of this story is don't give up. Open up your Mouth. The Spirit will help. The Gospel is True.
*This has not be an advertisement for any company, group or name... or maybe it has*
I just want to let you know I love you and I hope the best for you. All of you in High School, live strong in an environment where it is kinda hard to live so. Whatever you are in, excel and strive to be YOUR very best in it. Have a wonderful time and make the most of it. College buckos... College is amazing and you are going to love it so much. Just like high school live strong even though everyone around you will be living the way you are. Well most of every body depending on where you are going. Strive to do your best in your classes because statistics show... when who cares what they show. Just do your best because the transition into college is pretty hard. All males, I hope to see you out in the mission field. Live worthily so you can be out there for the best years of your life. I expect a letter telling me where you're going. Females, live strong and be an example to the males around you. Help them out as they strive to go on a mission and return with honor. If you get married while I'm gone it better be to an amazing guy because I wont be able to inspect him. Live worthy to enter the temple because it is the most amazing place on this earth and strive to always have the spirit in your lives.
Try to apply principles into your week that you find in the scriptures and write down your experiences.
I love you all so very much
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Saturday, July 31, 2010
'Nother maybe last post
So I just want to say read the scriptures and strive to follow the commandments everyday. I have been able to just sit down and study the scriptures for as long as I was for the past two days. It has blessed my life so much and I know it can bless yours. Strive to make it part of your day.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Matt
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Matt
Friday, July 30, 2010
Probably the Last Post i'll post before my Mission... Maybe
So, this is good bye for two years my friends. Ok, not technically good-bye because my letters will be posted on here. I did leave some surprises for you to find and look at while i'm gone. So, look... well. Don't kill yourself cause they aren't there yet but they are coming. I will not be using blogger while I'm on my mission. The next post that you will get from me when I actually post it will be in about two years. Good-bye to all ya'll.
Signing Out
Matt
Signing Out
Matt
Monday, July 26, 2010
I'm now feel ready and I'm now can speak
NThere is something about giving a farewell talk and just talking with friends for a long time that just makes me feel more ready then I ever have. It's actually going to happen and now I feel less scared. Feel more prepared because of friends who are supporting me. I'm ready to leave and even though I have so much to do before I leave. I don't feel rushed. Which probably is a bad thing. But I'm just letting you know that I ready. So don't worry about me. For those of you who will receive your mission calls while I'm gone. I expect a letter while I'm gone so I can know where you are going.
I'm so excited for friends and others going out. It's so cool and wonderful. I love it so much. Please keep me posted and I'll try to keep you posted about how a mission is in Brazil.
Singing Out
Matt
I'm so excited for friends and others going out. It's so cool and wonderful. I love it so much. Please keep me posted and I'll try to keep you posted about how a mission is in Brazil.
Singing Out
Matt
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Farewell Talk
So this is the basic outline of what I said. It's not what I said but pretty close.
I want to share a line from a song from a show that I remember watching when I was little. The show was called ”It's a Miracle”. This show is a really good show about kids who want to serve missions but as they grow up they have to make decisions about if they really want to go or not. One particular part gets all the kids in one room singing the words “Imagine me, a missionary traveling through the land. Imagine me, a missionary doing what I can, to spread the gospel message in the latter-day” Well I did imagine me a missionary. But it still makes me really really scared. I'm actually going, it's surreal. It's unbelievable. It's scarier than I thought it would be.
But with being scared I found two scriptures that really have helped me get used to the idea of leaving. One is Psalms 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Another one I have found comfort in is D&C 38:30 “... If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”
Basically even though I'm scared out of my mind. He's still there. To guide me and to guide you. He will comfort us through any trials. And we have the wonderful knowledge to know that if we are prepared that we should not fear. For in D&C 11:21 it reads – “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.”
As we all strive to obtain the word of God we can look to some scriptures to help us.
In college I am taking a Book of Mormon class. In this class we strive to learn more from the Book of Mormon and to increase our knowledge. One particular assignment that we are doing right now is called a personal application paper. The basics of this paper is every week for three weeks we find a scripture. So I'd have three different scriptures for three different weeks. Each week we try to apply one scripture to the whole week. Then at the end of the week we write up basic a summary of what happened. What we experienced and felt. Last week the scripture I choose was 2 Nefi 32:8-9. Let me read it for you – Nefi 32:8-9 “...For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray , but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.”
My favorite part of this scripture is how many times it says pray and the different ways it says pray. It's say “ye must pray” “pray” “pray always” “pray unto the Father in the name of Christ.” It says pray 6 different times within two verses of scriptures. In D&C 10:5 it reads – Pray always, that you may come of conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.
In this scripture we are promised that if we pray always; we will be able to conquer Satan and his followers. We will be able to resist the temptation of whatever they give us. Another thing I love about this scripture is the two words “Pray Always”. It may not seem significant but to me this represents that the communication of prayer is always open. Even though electricity may fail and technology wont work. We always have an open communication with our Father in heaven.
We may have an open communication with our Father in heaven but to be able to receive guidence we ourselvs need to be worthy to receive that gifts of the Holy Ghost. Without the spirit it says in D&C 42:12 that Without the spirit ye shall not teach. It also says “The spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith. It just seems like prayer comes up everywhere.
“Pray always”
In D&C 18:8 it reads – “...if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments he shall be blessed unto eternal life...” He being Joseph Smith. But if we follow the counsel of Nephi. We should liken this scripture unto ourselves. So now it should read “... if I shall be diligent in keeping God's commandments I shall be blessed unto eternal life...” Blessed unto eternal life. Blessed unto salvation by keeping God's commandments. By following in Christ's footsteps. Trying to be perfect even as Christ is perfect.
To be perfect... that's a tall order. All of us sin a little and all of us live in a fallen state. How can we be perfect. Well the truth is we can't by ourselves. It is Physically and Spiritually impossible for us to be perfect by ourselves. But with Christ we are can be perfect. We can strive to be the best person we can be and Christ will help with the rest. If being perfect was being at 100%. I'd say I am at 50% or 60%. But it is wonderful to know that if I'm at 60% then Christ will make up for the extra 40% I'm missing. He does that because He loves us. He suffered in the Garden and on the Cross for us. He suffered for all man kind.
Last friday I went to a play called “I Am Jane” This play is about the difficulties black people had even with members of the church. At on particular point Jane is extremely upset about the trials and the things that have been happening in her life. A friend of her's comes by and comforts her with the doctrine of Christ. He talks about how Christ suffered for everyone. He knows what it's like to be a slave. But He went bellow that so that He could push us up.
Brothers and Sisters. He can push us up if we accept His help. A saying I got in on of my classes from school that acts like a comfort and a warning reads “Live how Christ lived or Suffer how Christ suffered. I think i'd like to choose the first choice. It may seem hard now but the Harder it is for us here on earth. The easier it will be for us in heaven. But this can be the other way too. The easier it is for us on earth. The harder it will be for us in heaven.
We've all heard about attributes and qualities Christ had. Let me list some out for you.
My favorite ones are Love, Diligence, Obedience and Hope. But I want to talk about Obedience the most because obedience is the way and the path to make it back to our Heavenly Father. My sister who is on her mission right now told us an experience she had with obedience. She talked about how the work wasn't going so well for her or her companion. So is order to overcome that gap. Jessica and Her companion decided to follow every mission rule they knew of. As they strived to follow every rule; to wake up on time, study personally, with a companion and study the language. Then strived to be out of the door at the time specified by the mission president. They experienced a change in the way the work progressed. They we able to talk to more people. To use their time more effectively. How amazing would it be if all of us could have that much trust and willing to put that much effort into being obedient to the Lord.
Now the Lord has commanded us to spread the Gospel to all the world. It is our duty to do this thing. To bring others into the fold of God. To spread His infinite love to everyone we meet. We are responsible for all who have/do/will live on the earth.
I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know the Christ lived and died for us. He Atoned for our sins. I know He was resurrected the third day. I know that this is the restored Gospel. That this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that our Father in heaven loves us and that he will continue to always love us and hope for our return to the kingdom of heaven. I'm so grateful that Joseph Smith saw a vision and that God guided him to form this church. Just like joseph we can pray to our Father in Heaven anytime and anywhere. I know that if we liken the scriptures unto ourselves that we will be edified and grow stronger in spirit that we may come off conqueror to Satan. I'm so grateful for the faithfulness of friends and family. Their continued trust and love makes me to want to become a better person. I know this Church is true.
And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hello, I'm Matthew Barry if you didn't realize that by now. But if I could say one thing about me to describe me, that would be I'm going on a mission. Hopefully all of you know that before you came but if you didn't. Well... here ya go. Honestly I would of never thought I'd be going on a mission. Well, I did but I didn't. That doesn't make sense. What I mean to say is I don't believe it's really happening. Growing up I remember always saying that I wanted to be a missionary. Saying that I would go with no doubt. But now my words have turned into actions. Actions that I’ve heard will change the rest of my life. It's a scary thought that I’m actually leaving. It's unbelievable. Can I really do this?
I want to share a line from a song from a show that I remember watching when I was little. The show was called ”It's a Miracle”. This show is a really good show about kids who want to serve missions but as they grow up they have to make decisions about if they really want to go or not. One particular part gets all the kids in one room singing the words “Imagine me, a missionary traveling through the land. Imagine me, a missionary doing what I can, to spread the gospel message in the latter-day” Well I did imagine me a missionary. But it still makes me really really scared. I'm actually going, it's surreal. It's unbelievable. It's scarier than I thought it would be.
But with being scared I found two scriptures that really have helped me get used to the idea of leaving. One is Psalms 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Another one I have found comfort in is D&C 38:30 “... If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”
Basically even though I'm scared out of my mind. He's still there. To guide me and to guide you. He will comfort us through any trials. And we have the wonderful knowledge to know that if we are prepared that we should not fear. For in D&C 11:21 it reads – “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.”
As we all strive to obtain the word of God we can look to some scriptures to help us.
Joshua 1:8 – Meditate - But thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
2 Nefi 32:3 – Feast upon the words of Christ – Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all thing what ye should do.
3 Nefi 17:3 – Ponder and Pray – Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow.
1 Nefi 19:23 – Liken – I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
In college I am taking a Book of Mormon class. In this class we strive to learn more from the Book of Mormon and to increase our knowledge. One particular assignment that we are doing right now is called a personal application paper. The basics of this paper is every week for three weeks we find a scripture. So I'd have three different scriptures for three different weeks. Each week we try to apply one scripture to the whole week. Then at the end of the week we write up basic a summary of what happened. What we experienced and felt. Last week the scripture I choose was 2 Nefi 32:8-9. Let me read it for you – Nefi 32:8-9 “...For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray , but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.”
My favorite part of this scripture is how many times it says pray and the different ways it says pray. It's say “ye must pray” “pray” “pray always” “pray unto the Father in the name of Christ.” It says pray 6 different times within two verses of scriptures. In D&C 10:5 it reads – Pray always, that you may come of conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.
In this scripture we are promised that if we pray always; we will be able to conquer Satan and his followers. We will be able to resist the temptation of whatever they give us. Another thing I love about this scripture is the two words “Pray Always”. It may not seem significant but to me this represents that the communication of prayer is always open. Even though electricity may fail and technology wont work. We always have an open communication with our Father in heaven.
We may have an open communication with our Father in heaven but to be able to receive guidence we ourselvs need to be worthy to receive that gifts of the Holy Ghost. Without the spirit it says in D&C 42:12 that Without the spirit ye shall not teach. It also says “The spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith. It just seems like prayer comes up everywhere.
“Pray always”
In D&C 18:8 it reads – “...if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments he shall be blessed unto eternal life...” He being Joseph Smith. But if we follow the counsel of Nephi. We should liken this scripture unto ourselves. So now it should read “... if I shall be diligent in keeping God's commandments I shall be blessed unto eternal life...” Blessed unto eternal life. Blessed unto salvation by keeping God's commandments. By following in Christ's footsteps. Trying to be perfect even as Christ is perfect.
To be perfect... that's a tall order. All of us sin a little and all of us live in a fallen state. How can we be perfect. Well the truth is we can't by ourselves. It is Physically and Spiritually impossible for us to be perfect by ourselves. But with Christ we are can be perfect. We can strive to be the best person we can be and Christ will help with the rest. If being perfect was being at 100%. I'd say I am at 50% or 60%. But it is wonderful to know that if I'm at 60% then Christ will make up for the extra 40% I'm missing. He does that because He loves us. He suffered in the Garden and on the Cross for us. He suffered for all man kind.
Last friday I went to a play called “I Am Jane” This play is about the difficulties black people had even with members of the church. At on particular point Jane is extremely upset about the trials and the things that have been happening in her life. A friend of her's comes by and comforts her with the doctrine of Christ. He talks about how Christ suffered for everyone. He knows what it's like to be a slave. But He went bellow that so that He could push us up.
Brothers and Sisters. He can push us up if we accept His help. A saying I got in on of my classes from school that acts like a comfort and a warning reads “Live how Christ lived or Suffer how Christ suffered. I think i'd like to choose the first choice. It may seem hard now but the Harder it is for us here on earth. The easier it will be for us in heaven. But this can be the other way too. The easier it is for us on earth. The harder it will be for us in heaven.
We've all heard about attributes and qualities Christ had. Let me list some out for you.
Knowledge
Humility
Charity
Love
Obedience
Diligence
Faith
Hope
My favorite ones are Love, Diligence, Obedience and Hope. But I want to talk about Obedience the most because obedience is the way and the path to make it back to our Heavenly Father. My sister who is on her mission right now told us an experience she had with obedience. She talked about how the work wasn't going so well for her or her companion. So is order to overcome that gap. Jessica and Her companion decided to follow every mission rule they knew of. As they strived to follow every rule; to wake up on time, study personally, with a companion and study the language. Then strived to be out of the door at the time specified by the mission president. They experienced a change in the way the work progressed. They we able to talk to more people. To use their time more effectively. How amazing would it be if all of us could have that much trust and willing to put that much effort into being obedient to the Lord.
Now the Lord has commanded us to spread the Gospel to all the world. It is our duty to do this thing. To bring others into the fold of God. To spread His infinite love to everyone we meet. We are responsible for all who have/do/will live on the earth.
I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know the Christ lived and died for us. He Atoned for our sins. I know He was resurrected the third day. I know that this is the restored Gospel. That this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that our Father in heaven loves us and that he will continue to always love us and hope for our return to the kingdom of heaven. I'm so grateful that Joseph Smith saw a vision and that God guided him to form this church. Just like joseph we can pray to our Father in Heaven anytime and anywhere. I know that if we liken the scriptures unto ourselves that we will be edified and grow stronger in spirit that we may come off conqueror to Satan. I'm so grateful for the faithfulness of friends and family. Their continued trust and love makes me to want to become a better person. I know this Church is true.
And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Signing Out
Matt
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