My Dear Lovely and Beautiful Family
The time is just flying. Think about a rocketship, then think about Elder Barry being strapped to the front of that rocketship... That's about how I feel right now. As the rocketship blasts off all the heat is going to my body (That's why I'm really tan), The wind going through my hair (Why I don't have hair) and it's just like a really crazy roller coaster. Looking for the button to stop but don't want to stop until I reach The Son.
Now stop... think... and... write.
So... District meetings. I live in the same house as everyone that can come to the district meeting. We all just take a bus to the district center (stake center but we are in a district.) and have a meeting there. We have 6 missionaries in my district but only 4 go to the meeting because the other two are about 5 hours away by bus so they don't have the time or the money to come every week.
Mom, you asked a lot of questions. Here are the answers. Never got kicked out of any houses. Never had a gun pulled on me... or better said here... a knife because it's illegal to have guns here if you aren't military or police. But I've seen some pretty wicked knives. We were talking with this guy. I swear we was drunk. But he had two knives in his pants. One in the front, tucked in his pants under his shirt and the other knife was in the back, tucked in the pants under his shirt. He was telling us how dangerous it is here and that he always walks with knives... then he just raised his shirt and showed us. My companion tensed up because he's military and before the mission he stopped people like this but now he can't do anything. My companion told me after that he already had it all planned out what to do if that man pulled a knife. But have never been kicked out of a house and never had a slammed door. There are different ways of rejection here in Brasil. But I have been bitten by 2 dogs.
Wow, thanks for the pictures. I loved them. I love getting pictures and things like that. If you have any pictures of me and my friends before the mission could you send some... Please? I have no pictures to show missionaries or members. Pictures of the family would be great too. You can email them and I can develop them here. Or send them by snail mail. Loves
Today I studied about the Atonement and I learned so much. I just have a challenge for you. Think about the Atonement and write What, Where, Why, Who, When and How. Think about it, study it, then other questions will come to your mind with answers of things you need to do... REVELATION!!!
Endure to the End
Love you
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Power of the Book of Mormon
Hello my dearest Family,
I love you all. You have no idea how much my love has grown since I have been away from you.I loved hearing everyone and talking with everyone. I left that phone call full of the spirit.
Jessica, I was looking at the pictures that mom sent me and you look like mom standing next to mom. Especially with your glasses... When did you get glasses?Vaughn, Congratulations!!!!! Did you finish your dissertation? How did that go?I'm pretty sure that I won't be a doctor. Unless it's a doctor of music... But I still have 1 year and 3 months before I know for sure.
During the call I was so excited to hear that Spencer was going on a mission. I can't wait to hear where he is going. I don't know if it was against the rules... but I loved it. I wasn't able to hear Tyler all that well but I can't wait for the experience he will have in Kenya.
Well, I just want to tell you that my testimony has grown so much about The Book of Mormon. Monday night we were with some young men that are preparing to get baptized. We showed them The Book of Mormon and I gave them a challenge. I asked if they had any questions. They said yes. One asked something about our spirits and the other asked about the evil in the world. Well we opened 1 Nephi 1:1 and read it to them. They both received an answer to their questions in the same verse. I have such a strong testimony that when we read the Book of Mormon with a question in our mind the Lord will reveal an answer is such a way that we understand it.I know that this Chruch is true.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
I love you all. You have no idea how much my love has grown since I have been away from you.I loved hearing everyone and talking with everyone. I left that phone call full of the spirit.
Jessica, I was looking at the pictures that mom sent me and you look like mom standing next to mom. Especially with your glasses... When did you get glasses?Vaughn, Congratulations!!!!! Did you finish your dissertation? How did that go?I'm pretty sure that I won't be a doctor. Unless it's a doctor of music... But I still have 1 year and 3 months before I know for sure.
During the call I was so excited to hear that Spencer was going on a mission. I can't wait to hear where he is going. I don't know if it was against the rules... but I loved it. I wasn't able to hear Tyler all that well but I can't wait for the experience he will have in Kenya.
Well, I just want to tell you that my testimony has grown so much about The Book of Mormon. Monday night we were with some young men that are preparing to get baptized. We showed them The Book of Mormon and I gave them a challenge. I asked if they had any questions. They said yes. One asked something about our spirits and the other asked about the evil in the world. Well we opened 1 Nephi 1:1 and read it to them. They both received an answer to their questions in the same verse. I have such a strong testimony that when we read the Book of Mormon with a question in our mind the Lord will reveal an answer is such a way that we understand it.I know that this Chruch is true.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Worn Right Through
So I'm sending two pictures so you can see how I look different now. One is of my and Elder Santo, my old companion. But I'm sending it so you can see the hair. I literally buzzed my hair. It feels so nice not needing to worry about it and just go.
Well, That wasn't going to be the intro but I guess it can be...
Wait let me start with is again
Hello my dear family,
Well my shoes are worn through but the Spirit is Strong. Here let me send a picture of my shoes too. (Mom if you could get new shoes and send them to me that'd be great. Help the people is Provo understand what to do :D) Worn Shoes. Yeah. That all the new stuff here.
Ok so let me tell you that I bought a new watch cause the other one fell and broke on the floor, It was a tragic ending. He now lies in my desk drawer waiting for the ressurection... or when I actually remember to take him to a watch place to get fix. For now, I have a replacement that costed 23 Reais (about 13 Dollars) It's been working fine.
I'm staying in the land of dust, or also know as Planaltina de Goias. But I'm still getting transfered. Basically it's like moving from Provo to Orem. Or from one bedroom in the house to the other bedroom, in the same house. It's the same thing. Same place. Just walking with different people. My companions is amazing. I have lived with him for 3 months and now we are companions. How crazy. He loves cuzcuz. It's a type of rice that they eat a lot in the northern part of brazil. He basically makes it everyday. It's not all that bad. I learned how to make it and what to do and different ways. Now as companions, I'm sure we'll eat it every day.
Well, I'm doing great. I love the mission. It's definately the right place for me right now. Growing and learning and becoming who I need to be. Changing and having fun doing it.
I love a scripture that in 3 Nephi. It really helped me focus on the mission and not worry about the future because I was really worried about the future. Who I was going to marry, how would me kids be, what would I do, where will i live, what will I study and who will I met. These were many of my questions I had. It was driving me insane. But now I learned something. 3 Nephi 13:24. I don't have it in English here... so I'll type in in Portugues
"Portanto não vos preocupeis com o dia de amanhã, porque o dia de amanhã se preocupará come suas próprias coisas..."
It says don't worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. I learned that we need to work today to get what we want tomorrow. So I stopped worrying about the future and started worrying about today. What would I do? How can I do it? What can I do today to help me in the future? It's just easier to think about it that way.
Also I have been learning a lot about the Christ like attributes and what I need to do to be better. All the things that I though I was good at really are not the things I'm good at. I'm learning on how to be a better person and more well rounded (In more ways than one).
I love you.
This has been brought to you by me.
Endure to the End
Signing OutElder Barry
Well, That wasn't going to be the intro but I guess it can be...
Wait let me start with is again
Hello my dear family,
Well my shoes are worn through but the Spirit is Strong. Here let me send a picture of my shoes too. (Mom if you could get new shoes and send them to me that'd be great. Help the people is Provo understand what to do :D) Worn Shoes. Yeah. That all the new stuff here.
Ok so let me tell you that I bought a new watch cause the other one fell and broke on the floor, It was a tragic ending. He now lies in my desk drawer waiting for the ressurection... or when I actually remember to take him to a watch place to get fix. For now, I have a replacement that costed 23 Reais (about 13 Dollars) It's been working fine.
I'm staying in the land of dust, or also know as Planaltina de Goias. But I'm still getting transfered. Basically it's like moving from Provo to Orem. Or from one bedroom in the house to the other bedroom, in the same house. It's the same thing. Same place. Just walking with different people. My companions is amazing. I have lived with him for 3 months and now we are companions. How crazy. He loves cuzcuz. It's a type of rice that they eat a lot in the northern part of brazil. He basically makes it everyday. It's not all that bad. I learned how to make it and what to do and different ways. Now as companions, I'm sure we'll eat it every day.
Well, I'm doing great. I love the mission. It's definately the right place for me right now. Growing and learning and becoming who I need to be. Changing and having fun doing it.
I love a scripture that in 3 Nephi. It really helped me focus on the mission and not worry about the future because I was really worried about the future. Who I was going to marry, how would me kids be, what would I do, where will i live, what will I study and who will I met. These were many of my questions I had. It was driving me insane. But now I learned something. 3 Nephi 13:24. I don't have it in English here... so I'll type in in Portugues
"Portanto não vos preocupeis com o dia de amanhã, porque o dia de amanhã se preocupará come suas próprias coisas..."
It says don't worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. I learned that we need to work today to get what we want tomorrow. So I stopped worrying about the future and started worrying about today. What would I do? How can I do it? What can I do today to help me in the future? It's just easier to think about it that way.
Also I have been learning a lot about the Christ like attributes and what I need to do to be better. All the things that I though I was good at really are not the things I'm good at. I'm learning on how to be a better person and more well rounded (In more ways than one).
I love you.
This has been brought to you by me.
Endure to the End
Signing OutElder Barry
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Good Planners
Minha Querida família, I don't know if I spelled that right but anyways... continue. I love you so much. Can you believe that I've been on a mission for 8 months already. I can't believe it. It's so amazing. Everything just is moving so fast. I don't know what to do... I'm learning and growing and you all probably won't believe it when I get home but I'm changing so much here in the mission. Wow. I think back to before the mission and into my senior year in High School and I am not the same person. Brasil is amazing... have I told you that? I love this place. Me and my companion have decided to change how we work and how we do things because we are not getting results in this area right now. We need to change. I have a quote a friend sent me that I love. "If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten." It's so true. If you want to change anything in your life for the better. The time to change was yesterday. I'm starting to learn the importance of using the Area Book here. For the past 4 weeks we haven't had any papers to update anything so we just left the area book to the side. But now we realize that the reason why we don't have results is because we are being grateful for the things we already have and the people we have already found. So we have started making all the records of all the people that we have taught in the past 4 weeks. This is where I learned that I need to keep a good planner. I'm glad that I write down those things in the planner. It has made this process so much easier. I love you all. This week has been really fast, before you know it this letter will be coming again. Endure to the End Signing OutElder Barry
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Fasting
So, this isn't transfers week. Transfers are at the end of this month... I think. I don't know when.Yes mom. That was really the church and church ground... So I'm so very sorry for this short email but I'm trying to keep this under an hour... for my companions sake... because I usually spend a lot of time sending emails to everyone... So if you haven't had a response yet... I'm sorry. I just want to share something I learned about fasting.Fasting is such an amazing tool we have to get blessed. Something I learned is that when we fast we grow but we might not grow in the way we want to. The Lord knows what we want and what we need. He will never give us a rock when we as for food. But if we ask for a rock, he usually wont give it to us. He'll give us what we need and when we need it. So for conference, our mission had a goal to take 500 people to church, each dupla needed to take 7 people for this to happen. Elder Santos and I accepted the challenge and went to it. We were fasting and working to make it happen. We had people are ready to go and they were firm to go. The day before and the morning of conference... everyone fell... we had no one firm to go conference. So we worked so hard to get more poeple. Conference was about 45 mins away by bus. So... we walked around town inviting everyone to go then we took a bus there and literally talked with everyone on the bus. It is something that I've never done... We just did it. We got to conference and we had 2 people going. They were two people that members had brought. We still had the blessings from God after we worked our hardest. Only after. I learned that our fast for people in church we didn't get people in church... but we did grow in knowledge about how to work and help this area. Endure to the End Signing Out Elder Barry
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Weed wackers
I don't have much time to write this week. We are in a little bit of a hurry so Hi familia. Brasil is hot. It feels great. The heat is something that I am liking so far. Today we weeded the chapel and that was relaxing... I loved it. So good. Here are some photos. Before and after pictures included. My hands are hurting from weeding. But the Brazilians don't really weed like Americans. They take a shovel looking thing and wack at the weeds until they are gone. I wish I had thought to take a picture of the shovel thing... oh wait... I remember what you call it in English... It's a hoe. You just start wacking weeds with a hoe. It's pretty fun. Can you believe that I've been out for about 8 months. It's just crazy. I'm more than a quarter of the way done... More than a quarter of the way to feeling saudade (there isn't really a word to explain this word... it's basically a feeling of missing someone or something) of the mission. Today I studied and I learned that the church is true. Just a reafirmation that everything that we are doing is true. So just know that it's all true. Fica Firme Endure to the End Signing Out Elder Barry
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
"Don't look for the bad things in life..."
Dear family,
Hello again. It's another day. It's a beautiful day. (wow, music just pops into my head so fast.)
So my mission has been going wonderfully awesome. Not much more to say about it. It has been a wonderfull experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love everything about it... Working, P-day, recieving letters, baptizing, help others, serving, eating (yes the food is awesome, Beans and rice every day YES!!!!) I don't have anything to complain about and that's not why I'm here. I heard a quote that I loved. It goes along the lines of "Don't look for the bad things in life and in other people because the things you see will become the things you do." So basically don't complain. Always look on the brightside of life. It's just so much easier to do it that way.
So Jeferson, we have to pass by there tomorrow, but he's great. I also met another Jeferson yesterday so we are definately going there. I will help all the Jefersons in this area, well all that I can find. But the other Jeferson from the story is great. He went to church again and I want to help him go to church next week with a white shirt and tie. He's a less-active. So that will be cool. His mom (not a member) is a little bit resistant because she doesn't want to make a commitment to stop drinking. She says that if her friends come over and invite her, she'll go. She knows that if she makes the commintment and then breaks it, her life will be worse. So we need to help her take courage and endure to the end.
Wow, I am so glad that I only played video games at night or with friends and I actually had friends and stuff to do during the day. More like video games were just a pass time with friends so... I'm glad that all my friends like to be active too. Playing frisbee and things like that. Being more active and talkative. Just to think what would of happend if mom let me stay downstairs playing video games. I would be very anti-social... I would not like that. I've made a goal that when I go home to play a lot less. A lot less video games. A lot less of that and be a lot more pro-ativo (pro-active).
The mission is an amazing experience. I have learned so many things being here. So many lessons that if I wouldn't have gone... wow... I would be a little people shyer (if that's a word) I love talking to people, I love a different language. I love this place. It's so awesome. I have learned so much. I would wish this for everyone. This opportunity.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Hello again. It's another day. It's a beautiful day. (wow, music just pops into my head so fast.)
So my mission has been going wonderfully awesome. Not much more to say about it. It has been a wonderfull experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love everything about it... Working, P-day, recieving letters, baptizing, help others, serving, eating (yes the food is awesome, Beans and rice every day YES!!!!) I don't have anything to complain about and that's not why I'm here. I heard a quote that I loved. It goes along the lines of "Don't look for the bad things in life and in other people because the things you see will become the things you do." So basically don't complain. Always look on the brightside of life. It's just so much easier to do it that way.
So Jeferson, we have to pass by there tomorrow, but he's great. I also met another Jeferson yesterday so we are definately going there. I will help all the Jefersons in this area, well all that I can find. But the other Jeferson from the story is great. He went to church again and I want to help him go to church next week with a white shirt and tie. He's a less-active. So that will be cool. His mom (not a member) is a little bit resistant because she doesn't want to make a commitment to stop drinking. She says that if her friends come over and invite her, she'll go. She knows that if she makes the commintment and then breaks it, her life will be worse. So we need to help her take courage and endure to the end.
Wow, I am so glad that I only played video games at night or with friends and I actually had friends and stuff to do during the day. More like video games were just a pass time with friends so... I'm glad that all my friends like to be active too. Playing frisbee and things like that. Being more active and talkative. Just to think what would of happend if mom let me stay downstairs playing video games. I would be very anti-social... I would not like that. I've made a goal that when I go home to play a lot less. A lot less video games. A lot less of that and be a lot more pro-ativo (pro-active).
The mission is an amazing experience. I have learned so many things being here. So many lessons that if I wouldn't have gone... wow... I would be a little people shyer (if that's a word) I love talking to people, I love a different language. I love this place. It's so awesome. I have learned so much. I would wish this for everyone. This opportunity.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, March 14, 2011
Jeferson and prayer
HELLO!!!!!!!!!!
Brasilia is awesome. Na verdade (actually), Goais is awesome. I'm in the mission Brasil Brasilia but in Brasil Goias right now. Anyways. Side point view thingy.
My P-day is today. and if you want to know about 5 week transfers it's because the USA missionaries here only have 2 year visas. So we have 2 five week transfers and it makes us go home 2 weeks earlier... or releases us from the mission 2 weeks earlier. They do this so that the parents who really really want to come pick up their child can come down, pick them up, tour around a little and still have time for the missionary to do that. Does that make sense? We just do it for the missionaries and the families because in the older times the missionaries couldn't spend time with their families here in Brasil. So that's why we have this. It's a good idea.
I didn't get transfered. I am in Planaltina de Goias ainda (still). But my companion is now Elder Santos. He is pretty awesome. We only have maybe three or four hours of knowing each other but I can already tell that this is going to be an awesome transfer.
Well now I want to share an experience very special to me
This story starts when I started studying how to have a better prayer and how we should feel after we say a prayer. So I studied and decided to have a notebook to write down the ideas and answers and things that come to my mind. It was an amazing experience. I really learned a lot from it. Well, I was saying a prayer and my question was "Why am I in this area? Who am I here to help?" After I started writing down names that popped into my head. Names of members and less actives and missionaries went through my mind. Then randomly I had a name of 'Jeferson' go through my head.
I don't know any "Jeferson" in this area but I just knew that that is why I'm here, to help him. I don't know who he is and how to help him or where to find him so I just continued working and trying to find this person. The last Sunday of the transfer we were at church and there were a LOT of less actives. A LOT!!! It was pretty crazy. We had about 14 less actives in church and they just felt like they should come back or something. I don't know what happened. Elder Young and I started talking to a young man... more like we asked him his name. He said Jeferson...
WOW!!!! WHAT?!?!?! When he said that me and Elder Young looked directly at each other. Surprised... what?!?! Jeferson... so you can guess that was a real shock. I almost forgot and had given up hope on finding him. Last Sunday I thought I was going to leave this area but I didn't. I'm still here - here to help him come back to church and help his mother get baptized. That is my purpose in this area.
It really was a testimony builder about prayer. God will always answer prayers and put people in our path to talk to and to help.
ALWAYS!!!
"In God we Trust"
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Brasilia is awesome. Na verdade (actually), Goais is awesome. I'm in the mission Brasil Brasilia but in Brasil Goias right now. Anyways. Side point view thingy.
My P-day is today. and if you want to know about 5 week transfers it's because the USA missionaries here only have 2 year visas. So we have 2 five week transfers and it makes us go home 2 weeks earlier... or releases us from the mission 2 weeks earlier. They do this so that the parents who really really want to come pick up their child can come down, pick them up, tour around a little and still have time for the missionary to do that. Does that make sense? We just do it for the missionaries and the families because in the older times the missionaries couldn't spend time with their families here in Brasil. So that's why we have this. It's a good idea.
I didn't get transfered. I am in Planaltina de Goias ainda (still). But my companion is now Elder Santos. He is pretty awesome. We only have maybe three or four hours of knowing each other but I can already tell that this is going to be an awesome transfer.
Well now I want to share an experience very special to me
This story starts when I started studying how to have a better prayer and how we should feel after we say a prayer. So I studied and decided to have a notebook to write down the ideas and answers and things that come to my mind. It was an amazing experience. I really learned a lot from it. Well, I was saying a prayer and my question was "Why am I in this area? Who am I here to help?" After I started writing down names that popped into my head. Names of members and less actives and missionaries went through my mind. Then randomly I had a name of 'Jeferson' go through my head.
I don't know any "Jeferson" in this area but I just knew that that is why I'm here, to help him. I don't know who he is and how to help him or where to find him so I just continued working and trying to find this person. The last Sunday of the transfer we were at church and there were a LOT of less actives. A LOT!!! It was pretty crazy. We had about 14 less actives in church and they just felt like they should come back or something. I don't know what happened. Elder Young and I started talking to a young man... more like we asked him his name. He said Jeferson...
WOW!!!! WHAT?!?!?! When he said that me and Elder Young looked directly at each other. Surprised... what?!?! Jeferson... so you can guess that was a real shock. I almost forgot and had given up hope on finding him. Last Sunday I thought I was going to leave this area but I didn't. I'm still here - here to help him come back to church and help his mother get baptized. That is my purpose in this area.
It really was a testimony builder about prayer. God will always answer prayers and put people in our path to talk to and to help.
ALWAYS!!!
"In God we Trust"
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, March 07, 2011
Carnival
Hello family, Another week has gone by.
So I don't have much to say this week. I honestly don't know what to tell you. All I can think about is that this week is Carnival here in Brasil so that's why this letter is coming early.
Carnival is a giant celebration here in Brasil and it can be dangerous. These past 3 days we need to be in the house around 8 and not 9. Today is P-day until 6 then from 6 to 10:30 we are in the house. Then tomorrow we have a giant conference from 9 until 4 then we have to be in the house from 6 to 10:30 again. Wednesday we are planning until 4 then we can finally leave. After that is normal... except this transfer is a 5 week transfer so next week is transfers again... so P-day will probably be on Monday next week too.
This is my first Carnival here and It's so dead. I've asked the Brasilian missionaries what Carnival means. It basically means that Brasilians take off work to just mess around for 5-ish days. Technically Carnival is on Tuesday but they party all through the week end until Quarta-Feira (Wednesday). So pretty much it's just a time to get druuuunk and do stupid stuff. That's why it's dangerous. That's why this week is all messed up and why we wont be working until Wednesday.
So cool story about continuing and working and working. This whole week Elder Young and I haven't had much success. We worked and worked and we didn't find anyone new or anything but continually we worked. It was weird because we'd try to do everything and find people but the people just didn't want it. By Sunday night we hadn't found anyone new to teach (we found people new to teach but none of them accepted baptism and a date so we don't count them as news.(For those lost with this jargon, I'm sorry)). We decided to go to a less-actives house and help them get back to church. We got there and their son was there. He's not a member. He was golden. He was awesome. We taught the restoration and he accepted it, baptism and a date for the 20th. That was a pretty cool experience. It just shows to continue and don't stop.
Well, I love you all
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
So I don't have much to say this week. I honestly don't know what to tell you. All I can think about is that this week is Carnival here in Brasil so that's why this letter is coming early.
Carnival is a giant celebration here in Brasil and it can be dangerous. These past 3 days we need to be in the house around 8 and not 9. Today is P-day until 6 then from 6 to 10:30 we are in the house. Then tomorrow we have a giant conference from 9 until 4 then we have to be in the house from 6 to 10:30 again. Wednesday we are planning until 4 then we can finally leave. After that is normal... except this transfer is a 5 week transfer so next week is transfers again... so P-day will probably be on Monday next week too.
This is my first Carnival here and It's so dead. I've asked the Brasilian missionaries what Carnival means. It basically means that Brasilians take off work to just mess around for 5-ish days. Technically Carnival is on Tuesday but they party all through the week end until Quarta-Feira (Wednesday). So pretty much it's just a time to get druuuunk and do stupid stuff. That's why it's dangerous. That's why this week is all messed up and why we wont be working until Wednesday.
So cool story about continuing and working and working. This whole week Elder Young and I haven't had much success. We worked and worked and we didn't find anyone new or anything but continually we worked. It was weird because we'd try to do everything and find people but the people just didn't want it. By Sunday night we hadn't found anyone new to teach (we found people new to teach but none of them accepted baptism and a date so we don't count them as news.(For those lost with this jargon, I'm sorry)). We decided to go to a less-actives house and help them get back to church. We got there and their son was there. He's not a member. He was golden. He was awesome. We taught the restoration and he accepted it, baptism and a date for the 20th. That was a pretty cool experience. It just shows to continue and don't stop.
Well, I love you all
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Fruit and no doubts
Hello... Again? I don't know what to say about this last week. I honestly am without words. I guess I'll just start typing something that comes to my head like...
FRESH COCONUT!!!! HOLY GOODNESS. We were at a member's house and we had finished lunch. We were talking and the subject got to coconuts. They told us they had a coconut tree and they were surprised that me and my companion had never had fresh coconut. They went outside and pulled some off and cut it open and gave it to us. Wow, literally coconut has water inside. It is so cool. The carne (the inside stuff you can eat) was amazing. wow... Let me tell you the fruits here are so amazing. They have soooo much good stuff; Acerola, Graviola, morango, cana, banana, caju, caja, açai, abacaxi, maçã. Wow... these are all names and if you want to look them up... it's good stuff.
A mission is such an amazing experience. Really. If anyone is having any doubts about a mission. Just go. It's better to go and serve a full two years then not go or go and come home early.
So I just want to put the last little end on this letter.
We were talking with and teaching a guy. He was Baptist and was from a church that really believes in missionary work. He started asking questions that he thought were so important but were easy to answer if you have the restored gospel. We literally have answers for everything. OK we don't, God does but he was trying to put doubts in our heads about the church. Finally we just told him to pray because he wouldn't quit. When we were leaving he said something along the lines of "I know that something I said put a doubt in your mind." I just told him that I don't have a doubt. With the answer that I have received from God, I don't any doubts about this being His church. He was kinda shocked. I flat out just told him that I knew this church was true. He then told me to "watch out". Basically he was telling me to not jump into this too fast or something like that. If only he knew that this is the Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth again. If only he would pray he would learn that. It's interesting that when other people have tried to discredit or change my mind about the church, my testimony grows stronger. Stand up for this Church and defend it and you will grow stronger. I don't have any doubts. I know that prophets in this church are called of God and I know Joseph Smith was called of God to restore His church here on earth. So if I have doubts, they don't matter. I already know.
I've been learning about pride and confidence. There is a difference. Confidence is knowing God will answer prayers. Pride is what stops people from asking God. Have confidence and not pride. Ask God anything with faith and confidence and he will respond. He will.
I Have No Doubts.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
FRESH COCONUT!!!! HOLY GOODNESS. We were at a member's house and we had finished lunch. We were talking and the subject got to coconuts. They told us they had a coconut tree and they were surprised that me and my companion had never had fresh coconut. They went outside and pulled some off and cut it open and gave it to us. Wow, literally coconut has water inside. It is so cool. The carne (the inside stuff you can eat) was amazing. wow... Let me tell you the fruits here are so amazing. They have soooo much good stuff; Acerola, Graviola, morango, cana, banana, caju, caja, açai, abacaxi, maçã. Wow... these are all names and if you want to look them up... it's good stuff.
A mission is such an amazing experience. Really. If anyone is having any doubts about a mission. Just go. It's better to go and serve a full two years then not go or go and come home early.
So I just want to put the last little end on this letter.
We were talking with and teaching a guy. He was Baptist and was from a church that really believes in missionary work. He started asking questions that he thought were so important but were easy to answer if you have the restored gospel. We literally have answers for everything. OK we don't, God does but he was trying to put doubts in our heads about the church. Finally we just told him to pray because he wouldn't quit. When we were leaving he said something along the lines of "I know that something I said put a doubt in your mind." I just told him that I don't have a doubt. With the answer that I have received from God, I don't any doubts about this being His church. He was kinda shocked. I flat out just told him that I knew this church was true. He then told me to "watch out". Basically he was telling me to not jump into this too fast or something like that. If only he knew that this is the Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth again. If only he would pray he would learn that. It's interesting that when other people have tried to discredit or change my mind about the church, my testimony grows stronger. Stand up for this Church and defend it and you will grow stronger. I don't have any doubts. I know that prophets in this church are called of God and I know Joseph Smith was called of God to restore His church here on earth. So if I have doubts, they don't matter. I already know.
I've been learning about pride and confidence. There is a difference. Confidence is knowing God will answer prayers. Pride is what stops people from asking God. Have confidence and not pride. Ask God anything with faith and confidence and he will respond. He will.
I Have No Doubts.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Teaching in Goias
Holy canoly... If you can believe it, it's been another week already. It's so crazy how fast time moves.
If you can believe it, too, I am leaving my area on another trade. I am going to be on a bus for about 6 hours today going to a place called "Posse" that is in our district with a zone leader so he can do an interview. How crazy is that... I don't think I've had a normal week this transfer where I stay in my area the whole week.
Well, the language is fine. I'm not scared about it anymore because I know that if I teach with the spirit, the Lord will guide my words. There are some times that I don't know the word that I said or I just felt like I needed that word. It's so amazing how much a mission can change a life.
We are teaching a good teaching group right now. We have worked it up from almost scratch. The other missionaries didn't leave much because one was dying in the mission (not dying but one was in his last transfer and the his companion was a newbee in the mission. So, I bet it was hard for them to stay focused)
So we found a lady named Inácia. She is just golden. She has just been prepared for this moment and I'm pretty sure she will baptize. She has a little trouble understanding everything but we are teaching really, really slow and simple (like we are supposed to with everyone) and it's been working out awesome. She is so great and just an amazing lady. We have had sooooo many spiritual experiences with her.
Our best way to find people (in this area) is through contacts and just knocking doors and asking for water (really simple) Then we start a conversastion with them and ask if we can enter and leave a message with them. Elder Young and I have really changed how we talk to people. We are being more simple and just straight out telling them why the church is true. Usually in contacts with people on the street we just introduce ourselves, what we do and then ask them if we can help them prepare to be baptized. It's amazing. Really it narrows people out so much faster. I've only been doing contacts with men because this area really needs men. We also invite people to be baptized in the first lesson and mark a date with them in that first lesson. If they don't accept, we need a really good reason to go back to them. That's how the work is going here with me and Elder Young.
I don't have time to write any more right now. Our bus is leaving in a half hour and we still need to buy tickets. We will talk next week.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
If you can believe it, too, I am leaving my area on another trade. I am going to be on a bus for about 6 hours today going to a place called "Posse" that is in our district with a zone leader so he can do an interview. How crazy is that... I don't think I've had a normal week this transfer where I stay in my area the whole week.
Well, the language is fine. I'm not scared about it anymore because I know that if I teach with the spirit, the Lord will guide my words. There are some times that I don't know the word that I said or I just felt like I needed that word. It's so amazing how much a mission can change a life.
We are teaching a good teaching group right now. We have worked it up from almost scratch. The other missionaries didn't leave much because one was dying in the mission (not dying but one was in his last transfer and the his companion was a newbee in the mission. So, I bet it was hard for them to stay focused)
So we found a lady named Inácia. She is just golden. She has just been prepared for this moment and I'm pretty sure she will baptize. She has a little trouble understanding everything but we are teaching really, really slow and simple (like we are supposed to with everyone) and it's been working out awesome. She is so great and just an amazing lady. We have had sooooo many spiritual experiences with her.
Our best way to find people (in this area) is through contacts and just knocking doors and asking for water (really simple) Then we start a conversastion with them and ask if we can enter and leave a message with them. Elder Young and I have really changed how we talk to people. We are being more simple and just straight out telling them why the church is true. Usually in contacts with people on the street we just introduce ourselves, what we do and then ask them if we can help them prepare to be baptized. It's amazing. Really it narrows people out so much faster. I've only been doing contacts with men because this area really needs men. We also invite people to be baptized in the first lesson and mark a date with them in that first lesson. If they don't accept, we need a really good reason to go back to them. That's how the work is going here with me and Elder Young.
I don't have time to write any more right now. Our bus is leaving in a half hour and we still need to buy tickets. We will talk next week.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Friday, February 18, 2011
Transfered
Oh my goodness... it was Valentine's day and I didn't even know it. That is literally the first time that has ever happened in my life... Well, with that beginning. Oi minha familia
Wow, I don't know what to write but let me tell you. This week went by so fast but it feels like it went slow. First time that has happened to me. I can't believe the week has already gone by... but it feels like and enternity since I last wrote home. It feels crazy.
So I am not in Brasilia anymore. I'm in a state called Goias. Actually i'm in an area called planaltina Goais. It is so different than Sobradinho 1. Sobradinho is a kind or a rico (rich) area. Now, it's pretty much so much different. There is a lot of dirt. It's everywhere in the house. It even was resting on my soap one morning. That was weird. Well this area is really different. There are 4 of us here and honestly, there are 4 new guys here. They took out all the people who were here and put in 4 completely new missionaries. Holy Cow. It's kinda stressful. We worked our first couple days without knowing where we were going. That was pretty interesting. Also, It's not a neat and nice organzied city. I'm still a little confused where to go and how to work. But my and my companion have finally picked an area we will start working in. It's going to be great. My companion's name is Elder Young. He's from Provo, Ut and went to Provo High. (kinda sounds like me). But it's kinda interesting talking about areas we remember. It was really strange and still is strange to be able to say a name of a place in Provo and he knows where it is too. Well we have been working of tearing up roads... but that's already been done. The roads here literally potholes which makes me really glad that I don't have to drive. This week i'm actually really excited because we will actually work in our area most of the time. Last week Elder Young had a meeting (Wednesday) then on Thursday I had a meeting. Then on Friday we actually got to work in our area. So this week is going to be so much fun. We are going to work so freaking hard.
I don't know why but one of my favorite types of members to talk to are the wives who give us lunch. They are so cool. They remind me of mom a little bit. We really have had some very espiritual experiences with them.
I read a scripture today in Doctrine and Covenants. But I can't remember exactly where. I think it's D&C 107: 99-100. It's pretty amazing. It talks about a slothful servant and how they wont be worthy to stand at the last day. So don't be slothful. It's important. Diligence is a key to missionary work. It's also a key to our salvation and our happiness on this earth.
I don't know what else to write so I'll just close this letter now.
Endure to the End
I Love You
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wow, I don't know what to write but let me tell you. This week went by so fast but it feels like it went slow. First time that has happened to me. I can't believe the week has already gone by... but it feels like and enternity since I last wrote home. It feels crazy.
So I am not in Brasilia anymore. I'm in a state called Goias. Actually i'm in an area called planaltina Goais. It is so different than Sobradinho 1. Sobradinho is a kind or a rico (rich) area. Now, it's pretty much so much different. There is a lot of dirt. It's everywhere in the house. It even was resting on my soap one morning. That was weird. Well this area is really different. There are 4 of us here and honestly, there are 4 new guys here. They took out all the people who were here and put in 4 completely new missionaries. Holy Cow. It's kinda stressful. We worked our first couple days without knowing where we were going. That was pretty interesting. Also, It's not a neat and nice organzied city. I'm still a little confused where to go and how to work. But my and my companion have finally picked an area we will start working in. It's going to be great. My companion's name is Elder Young. He's from Provo, Ut and went to Provo High. (kinda sounds like me). But it's kinda interesting talking about areas we remember. It was really strange and still is strange to be able to say a name of a place in Provo and he knows where it is too. Well we have been working of tearing up roads... but that's already been done. The roads here literally potholes which makes me really glad that I don't have to drive. This week i'm actually really excited because we will actually work in our area most of the time. Last week Elder Young had a meeting (Wednesday) then on Thursday I had a meeting. Then on Friday we actually got to work in our area. So this week is going to be so much fun. We are going to work so freaking hard.
I don't know why but one of my favorite types of members to talk to are the wives who give us lunch. They are so cool. They remind me of mom a little bit. We really have had some very espiritual experiences with them.
I read a scripture today in Doctrine and Covenants. But I can't remember exactly where. I think it's D&C 107: 99-100. It's pretty amazing. It talks about a slothful servant and how they wont be worthy to stand at the last day. So don't be slothful. It's important. Diligence is a key to missionary work. It's also a key to our salvation and our happiness on this earth.
I don't know what else to write so I'll just close this letter now.
Endure to the End
I Love You
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, February 07, 2011
Transfered!
Wow, the days have really flown by... by the way. Hello my dear family.
So as you can probably read in the heading... I'm getting transfered... dang. It's a good thing because I know I've done all I can for the people in Sobradinho 1 but it has come to a point that I think I'm going to cry if I leave... or when I leave. It's not even a question if I leave and if I cry. It's when I leave and I already have cried and will probably do it again. This area is so amazing. Not because we have a lot of results or because we are helped a lot of people get baptized. That isn't what makes an area awesome. What makes an area awesome is loving and serving. Wow. I'm going to start crying just typing this. I love the house, the members, the recent converts, the streets, the houses, the lunches, the church, the squeaky annoying little chairs, my companions squeaky shoes, my companion, the young men, the young women, the ward, the missionaries, the food, the beautiful sunrise, the buses, the people we contact, my friends and my family.
Last night the ward had a sending away party for a missionary who worked here during his mission. He came back for the last day to say goodbye. During the party we received transfers and we learned that I was leaving. Wow, I was so bummed out. I love this area. We just sat a talked with the members and they wanted us to speak. I started to cry trying to speak to them. It's even harder because getting emotional and speaking in another language doesn't mix. Well, I told them that I left a family back in the USA with friends and family members. But when I got here, I gained another family. I'm really excited to move on and meet other people but I don't want to leave this area. It's so crazy hard. I'm so excited for some of these young men, I hope I got them excited to serve missions. I have their emails for after the mission. (<----- Português sentence structure)
Side note, we are in a Lan house (where we write and send emails on the computers) and they are playing "It's you and me and all other people... And I don't know why, I can't take my eyes off of you." It just reminds me high school dances. Wow... Flashback and side track. Moving on.
So if you haven't realized, they really do play a lot of American music down here. Everyone thinks "other countries listen to other music in their own language." Well they do do that... but they really do listen to a lot of american music too.
Man, today is trunky music in the Lan House. Now they are playing "She will be Loved" By Maroon 5. Wow. Another one "You change your mind, like a girl, changes clothes." Man I can't wait to get out of this Lan House. I'm hearing a whole bunch of American music.
I was studying today in 3 Nephi about Nephi and how awesome he is or was. He had so much faith and so much power. He preached the gospel so much and with so much power and authority that the people couldn't not not (not?) believe in his words. And they didn't like it. They knew he was right but chose not to follow. So choose to follow. Also open your mouth. It's a commandment. And when you open your mouth, don't let it just hang there. Talk to people about the gospel. It's so important. It will help the missionary work soooooo much. Wow. If everyone who is a member would talk to one other person and invite them to church the church would grow so amazingly fast. So this is my challenge for you this week my family. Find someone to invite to church. And help them.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
So as you can probably read in the heading... I'm getting transfered... dang. It's a good thing because I know I've done all I can for the people in Sobradinho 1 but it has come to a point that I think I'm going to cry if I leave... or when I leave. It's not even a question if I leave and if I cry. It's when I leave and I already have cried and will probably do it again. This area is so amazing. Not because we have a lot of results or because we are helped a lot of people get baptized. That isn't what makes an area awesome. What makes an area awesome is loving and serving. Wow. I'm going to start crying just typing this. I love the house, the members, the recent converts, the streets, the houses, the lunches, the church, the squeaky annoying little chairs, my companions squeaky shoes, my companion, the young men, the young women, the ward, the missionaries, the food, the beautiful sunrise, the buses, the people we contact, my friends and my family.
Last night the ward had a sending away party for a missionary who worked here during his mission. He came back for the last day to say goodbye. During the party we received transfers and we learned that I was leaving. Wow, I was so bummed out. I love this area. We just sat a talked with the members and they wanted us to speak. I started to cry trying to speak to them. It's even harder because getting emotional and speaking in another language doesn't mix. Well, I told them that I left a family back in the USA with friends and family members. But when I got here, I gained another family. I'm really excited to move on and meet other people but I don't want to leave this area. It's so crazy hard. I'm so excited for some of these young men, I hope I got them excited to serve missions. I have their emails for after the mission. (<----- Português sentence structure)
Side note, we are in a Lan house (where we write and send emails on the computers) and they are playing "It's you and me and all other people... And I don't know why, I can't take my eyes off of you." It just reminds me high school dances. Wow... Flashback and side track. Moving on.
So if you haven't realized, they really do play a lot of American music down here. Everyone thinks "other countries listen to other music in their own language." Well they do do that... but they really do listen to a lot of american music too.
Man, today is trunky music in the Lan House. Now they are playing "She will be Loved" By Maroon 5. Wow. Another one "You change your mind, like a girl, changes clothes." Man I can't wait to get out of this Lan House. I'm hearing a whole bunch of American music.
I was studying today in 3 Nephi about Nephi and how awesome he is or was. He had so much faith and so much power. He preached the gospel so much and with so much power and authority that the people couldn't not not (not?) believe in his words. And they didn't like it. They knew he was right but chose not to follow. So choose to follow. Also open your mouth. It's a commandment. And when you open your mouth, don't let it just hang there. Talk to people about the gospel. It's so important. It will help the missionary work soooooo much. Wow. If everyone who is a member would talk to one other person and invite them to church the church would grow so amazingly fast. So this is my challenge for you this week my family. Find someone to invite to church. And help them.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Hello again?
Wow... time just has been flying. Can you believe that I've already been out for about 6 months... 6 freaking months... that's kind of crazy. The crazy part is that I still have music pop into my mind just by little words like Crazy. That's just crazy. I thought the Music Veil would have taken full effect by now. Man was I wrong.
So P-Day. Basically we do everything. We like to sleep if we have time. Just by happen chance we had time that week. Except I don't like to. So I write letters and today we cleaned the apartment for 4 hours. That was crazy. We shop. But usually not much. Usually if we get hungry we go the the padaria. That doesn't look like the right spelling. Let me try again. Paudaria. Dang... not sure how to spell that. But it's the bread store. It's like a bread store and a gas station convenience store mix. It's pretty great because we have one really, really close to our house. When I tell Brasilians we don't have these in the USA they ask where we buy our bread and basically live. Everyone here uses the Padaria. Everyone.
So we eat (in my area) with members every day except P-Day. So it's pretty nice. We basically don't need to cook anything here. If we do, one of the elders here is a really pretty good cook. We have our own washing machine but we hang our clothes out to dry. If we didn't have a washing machine we would have to wash them by hand on P-Day, but we have a washing machine... and we can throw in anything anytime we want. It's pretty nice.
Companion study. We do everything we really want. Basically we first share what we studied in personal study, study something else really fast together and then do "role-playing". That's a weird word. We say "práticas" which means practises.
Planning sessions here... well the 3 hour one... is not as what I expected. We can try to plan but literally we can't... it's so hard because we could plan a perfect plan, or what we think is perfect and the next day it will be the worst plan. A lesson appointment here with some people is "if you can catch me in my house" lesson appointment. It's pretty crazy. Also we go through Pesquisadores (Investigators) so fast. We pass by there maybe 2 times and they don't want more. We could be teaching 20 people and only keep 2 or 3 of them. It's hard to explain how it goes here. I wish I could explain it. I just had an idea. We can plan things but people have their agency. So they might not be in the house or they will learn at a slower pace or they have work and don't arrive till 8:30 at night. Many different things could happen. So I'll leave that subject with that.
We plan every night for 30 mins. Well we try. Sometimes it's an hour or 10 minutes. Every day is different. Like last night we planned in 5 minutes. It was really easy. But other days we have no idea who to teach... so we sit there for a while. Also my companion is the District Leader so he has other things to do too.
I have something for you... It's called A DESAFIO!!!!! (Challenge)
---Take a habit that you have and try not to do it for 1 day, Then try a week, Then a month.---
It does seem random, but once you try that you'll be closer to feeling how hard it is for someone to overcome bad habits like drinking, smoking, taking drugs and more. I started this and have been trying to not pop my knuckles... wow... it's really hard because I start doing it without noticing. It's really, really crazy. Really Hard too. So try it. Understand a little how it feels to overcome an addiction.
This is a commitment. It's kind of what I studied today. Preach my Gospel says that we always need to invite people to do something to change. To become better. So I have the DESAFIO for you. Also it's a good idea to study the scriptures every day. I wrote a letter to a friend and I asked them about their scripture study. They wrote back and said that they realized they weren't really having a scripture study. It was usually "What I can get in at 12:30 PM after I do all my Homework". They said that they realized they weren't putting God in primeiro lugar (First place). Scripture study is really important. Colocar Deus em primeiro lugar e estudar. (Put God in First Place and Study). So basically I have dois DESAFIOS pra vocês. (two Challenges for you). Estudar as escrituras todo dia antes todo e parar um habito por um dia, uma semana e um mes. (Study the scriptures every day before everything and stop a habit for a day, a week and a month)
Perseverar até o Fim (Endure to the End)
Signing Out
Elder Barry
This is of a baptism we had here. It wasn't me and my companion's baptism. In this area we have 4 missionaries. So it was the other dupla (companionship) baptism. But all four of us baptized 1 person. Also that day when the meeting started, the chapel lost all power. So we did the baptism in the dark. My companion was talking with one of the people being baptized and my companion said something along the lines that it was too bad that we didn't have power. The person then replied along the lines of "We don't have electricity but there is an energy in the building." It was amazing.
Wow... time just has been flying. Can you believe that I've already been out for about 6 months... 6 freaking months... that's kind of crazy. The crazy part is that I still have music pop into my mind just by little words like Crazy. That's just crazy. I thought the Music Veil would have taken full effect by now. Man was I wrong.
So P-Day. Basically we do everything. We like to sleep if we have time. Just by happen chance we had time that week. Except I don't like to. So I write letters and today we cleaned the apartment for 4 hours. That was crazy. We shop. But usually not much. Usually if we get hungry we go the the padaria. That doesn't look like the right spelling. Let me try again. Paudaria. Dang... not sure how to spell that. But it's the bread store. It's like a bread store and a gas station convenience store mix. It's pretty great because we have one really, really close to our house. When I tell Brasilians we don't have these in the USA they ask where we buy our bread and basically live. Everyone here uses the Padaria. Everyone.
So we eat (in my area) with members every day except P-Day. So it's pretty nice. We basically don't need to cook anything here. If we do, one of the elders here is a really pretty good cook. We have our own washing machine but we hang our clothes out to dry. If we didn't have a washing machine we would have to wash them by hand on P-Day, but we have a washing machine... and we can throw in anything anytime we want. It's pretty nice.
Companion study. We do everything we really want. Basically we first share what we studied in personal study, study something else really fast together and then do "role-playing". That's a weird word. We say "práticas" which means practises.
Planning sessions here... well the 3 hour one... is not as what I expected. We can try to plan but literally we can't... it's so hard because we could plan a perfect plan, or what we think is perfect and the next day it will be the worst plan. A lesson appointment here with some people is "if you can catch me in my house" lesson appointment. It's pretty crazy. Also we go through Pesquisadores (Investigators) so fast. We pass by there maybe 2 times and they don't want more. We could be teaching 20 people and only keep 2 or 3 of them. It's hard to explain how it goes here. I wish I could explain it. I just had an idea. We can plan things but people have their agency. So they might not be in the house or they will learn at a slower pace or they have work and don't arrive till 8:30 at night. Many different things could happen. So I'll leave that subject with that.
We plan every night for 30 mins. Well we try. Sometimes it's an hour or 10 minutes. Every day is different. Like last night we planned in 5 minutes. It was really easy. But other days we have no idea who to teach... so we sit there for a while. Also my companion is the District Leader so he has other things to do too.
I have something for you... It's called A DESAFIO!!!!! (Challenge)
---Take a habit that you have and try not to do it for 1 day, Then try a week, Then a month.---
It does seem random, but once you try that you'll be closer to feeling how hard it is for someone to overcome bad habits like drinking, smoking, taking drugs and more. I started this and have been trying to not pop my knuckles... wow... it's really hard because I start doing it without noticing. It's really, really crazy. Really Hard too. So try it. Understand a little how it feels to overcome an addiction.
This is a commitment. It's kind of what I studied today. Preach my Gospel says that we always need to invite people to do something to change. To become better. So I have the DESAFIO for you. Also it's a good idea to study the scriptures every day. I wrote a letter to a friend and I asked them about their scripture study. They wrote back and said that they realized they weren't really having a scripture study. It was usually "What I can get in at 12:30 PM after I do all my Homework". They said that they realized they weren't putting God in primeiro lugar (First place). Scripture study is really important. Colocar Deus em primeiro lugar e estudar. (Put God in First Place and Study). So basically I have dois DESAFIOS pra vocês. (two Challenges for you). Estudar as escrituras todo dia antes todo e parar um habito por um dia, uma semana e um mes. (Study the scriptures every day before everything and stop a habit for a day, a week and a month)
Perseverar até o Fim (Endure to the End)
Signing Out
Elder Barry
This is of a baptism we had here. It wasn't me and my companion's baptism. In this area we have 4 missionaries. So it was the other dupla (companionship) baptism. But all four of us baptized 1 person. Also that day when the meeting started, the chapel lost all power. So we did the baptism in the dark. My companion was talking with one of the people being baptized and my companion said something along the lines that it was too bad that we didn't have power. The person then replied along the lines of "We don't have electricity but there is an energy in the building." It was amazing.
Mission Post (Check Up)
Hey, this is a mission post. Just sayin write me or email me or something. It would be cool to hear from my friends. Write about school either high school or college. Tell me about missionaries going out and coming in. Tell me about you and new stuff. I know this is weird but tell me if you get married... cause that would be really awesome and really weird at the same time. This a short future post. This was written on June 25th, 2010.
Singing Out
Elder Barry
Singing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Hello Fam, How are you doing today. I'm doing pretty fine myself. Thanks for asking.
This week has been pretty good. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Mom. I think I just answered all your questions in the first paragraph. I am pretty sure I have calculated that right... gained 20 pounds.
So I have noticed that my sentence structure has changed a little. Sometimes when I speak in English or write in English I move some words around in a weird way. Like I was writing 'service project' but in Português you'd say project of service (projeto de serviço). So every once in a while... it's crazy.
Another thing I've noticed is I love English. Sometimes when talking to a Brasilian I might slip into English without noticing. I don't know how to split the two languages right now. That is something I'm working on. It's pretty hard tough. Sometime the words come easier in Português and other times in English.
(These are questions that I asked Matt to answer. I've noticed he tells more in his letters if I ask questions. These are questions that we ask the missionaries and we ask them to ask themselves after each teaching visit.)
1. Tell me what evidence you have that your faith is increasing
I feel more inclined to work right now. I'm pretty sure that when your faith increases you want to do missionary work more. We strive to work hard, fast, pray and sacrifice our time for this work.
In Brasil there was a giant natural disaster in (man I can't remember the name right now, but it's pretty big.) Many are dead, they are looking for the missing and there are many who have lost everything. So... today we have a service project. Today was P-Day. We sacrificed our P-Day to serve. Basically all the "P-Day" I'm getting right now is writting e-mails to the president and home. But it definately feels so good. We are all so tired but honestly... I don't feel tired. I'm just ready to go work today. We put together kits and things to send and it was a giant effort. We had 2 zones of missionaires there, about 40 missionaries helping in this service project. It was really amazing. Service is really a good way to feel closer to the spirit.
2. Tell me what evidence you have that the faith of your investigators is increasing.
We had an investigator that was just golden from the start. She has two neices who are members. So we started teaching her and she just asked questions and accepted baptism right in the first lesson. We invite to baptism in the first visit and mark a date in the second. But usually we strive to do both in the first. I really can tell that a mission here is really different than the states because we go through investigators really fast. If they don't accept baptism on the first visit right now, we don't go back. If we do go back it's because we have a really good reason to do so. Like they will go to church or a really good person who is just golden and just needs another lesson to feel the spirit.
3. Tell me what evidence is there that your investigators are keep commitments and repenting.
We see that investigators are keeping commitments and repenting when they come to church and when they say we can come back and teach them. We strive to always help someone even if they don't want anything to do with the church. For example we had an investigator who was just golden. Well he didn't come to church in three weeks so we cut him. But we strived to help him stop drinking and he thanked us for being there and helping him.
4. Tell me what evidence is there that you felt the Holy Ghost this week.
I'd have to say read # 1 again. That was amazing.
5. Tell me the evidence of God’s love for you.
God loves me because I am here. I feel the evidence in how I learn and the things that I do and the miracles that happen here.
I love you all.
Serve
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
P.S. This is Mom Barry. I just went online and found out about the disaster in Brazil. It was a terrible mudslide. Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/2011/01/110124_outlook_brazil_mudslide.shtml
It has pictures and a story. It's pretty major. Mom Barry
This is my companion today. We were writing emails and he fell asleep. So I just had to snag a picture.
I drew this picture. It says "Bem-Vindo" Which means Welcome. But literally translated it means Well-Coming. And if you shorten Well-Coming by taking off one 'l' and replacing 'ing' with an 'e'. You have Welcome. So that's kinda cool
I thought this looked beautiful. This is outside of a member's house. This place is so beautiful. I love my first área.
This was a P-day we had this transfer. I thought it was funny how they all were sleeping. I can't sleep on P-Days. I don't like to sleep in P-Day. My bed is the empty one. My companion is on the blue bed sheets and the other two are the Zone Leaders.
This week has been pretty good. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Mom. I think I just answered all your questions in the first paragraph. I am pretty sure I have calculated that right... gained 20 pounds.
So I have noticed that my sentence structure has changed a little. Sometimes when I speak in English or write in English I move some words around in a weird way. Like I was writing 'service project' but in Português you'd say project of service (projeto de serviço). So every once in a while... it's crazy.
Another thing I've noticed is I love English. Sometimes when talking to a Brasilian I might slip into English without noticing. I don't know how to split the two languages right now. That is something I'm working on. It's pretty hard tough. Sometime the words come easier in Português and other times in English.
(These are questions that I asked Matt to answer. I've noticed he tells more in his letters if I ask questions. These are questions that we ask the missionaries and we ask them to ask themselves after each teaching visit.)
1. Tell me what evidence you have that your faith is increasing
I feel more inclined to work right now. I'm pretty sure that when your faith increases you want to do missionary work more. We strive to work hard, fast, pray and sacrifice our time for this work.
In Brasil there was a giant natural disaster in (man I can't remember the name right now, but it's pretty big.) Many are dead, they are looking for the missing and there are many who have lost everything. So... today we have a service project. Today was P-Day. We sacrificed our P-Day to serve. Basically all the "P-Day" I'm getting right now is writting e-mails to the president and home. But it definately feels so good. We are all so tired but honestly... I don't feel tired. I'm just ready to go work today. We put together kits and things to send and it was a giant effort. We had 2 zones of missionaires there, about 40 missionaries helping in this service project. It was really amazing. Service is really a good way to feel closer to the spirit.
2. Tell me what evidence you have that the faith of your investigators is increasing.
We had an investigator that was just golden from the start. She has two neices who are members. So we started teaching her and she just asked questions and accepted baptism right in the first lesson. We invite to baptism in the first visit and mark a date in the second. But usually we strive to do both in the first. I really can tell that a mission here is really different than the states because we go through investigators really fast. If they don't accept baptism on the first visit right now, we don't go back. If we do go back it's because we have a really good reason to do so. Like they will go to church or a really good person who is just golden and just needs another lesson to feel the spirit.
3. Tell me what evidence is there that your investigators are keep commitments and repenting.
We see that investigators are keeping commitments and repenting when they come to church and when they say we can come back and teach them. We strive to always help someone even if they don't want anything to do with the church. For example we had an investigator who was just golden. Well he didn't come to church in three weeks so we cut him. But we strived to help him stop drinking and he thanked us for being there and helping him.
4. Tell me what evidence is there that you felt the Holy Ghost this week.
I'd have to say read # 1 again. That was amazing.
5. Tell me the evidence of God’s love for you.
God loves me because I am here. I feel the evidence in how I learn and the things that I do and the miracles that happen here.
I love you all.
Serve
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
P.S. This is Mom Barry. I just went online and found out about the disaster in Brazil. It was a terrible mudslide. Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/2011/01/110124_outlook_brazil_mudslide.shtml
It has pictures and a story. It's pretty major. Mom Barry
This is my companion today. We were writing emails and he fell asleep. So I just had to snag a picture.
I drew this picture. It says "Bem-Vindo" Which means Welcome. But literally translated it means Well-Coming. And if you shorten Well-Coming by taking off one 'l' and replacing 'ing' with an 'e'. You have Welcome. So that's kinda cool
I thought this looked beautiful. This is outside of a member's house. This place is so beautiful. I love my first área.
This was a P-day we had this transfer. I thought it was funny how they all were sleeping. I can't sleep on P-Days. I don't like to sleep in P-Day. My bed is the empty one. My companion is on the blue bed sheets and the other two are the Zone Leaders.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
See you better?
Matt knows he will have to wear glasses sometime in his life. He's trying these on for size. 
Elder Barry's little ducks
HELLO!!!!
Wow, another week has already gone by... I don't believe it. I really think I'm going to be home tomorrow... well if 2012 is tomorrow... then I will be.
I just wanted to share something weird that I learned. It's just about how they say good-bye here. I just learned this. In Spanish I think you spell good-bye like this -- Cião -- I thought it would be the same thing here. Man was I wrong. You spell it like this -- Tchou -- It's the only way to get the 'ch' sound in português at the beginning of a word. I think it looks kinda crazy.
Before I move onto my favorite part of the letter I just want to tell you really fast about the week
Segunda-Feira -- This day was just a little normal day.
Terça-Feira -- This is P-Day, it was not normal. The Zone Leaders lost our letters... Or forgot them at the mission office. The was a bummer. But other than that... we made some really really really good noddles. Wow... really really good. I really want the recipe
Quarta-Feira -- We started an english class here. It was pretty cool. Luckly I have a Brasilian who knows English really really well to help me because I don't know how Brasilians learn English.
Quinta-Feira -- I want to tell you about one of my new best friends here. His name is Elder Startup. He's from (I think) Spanish Fork. We did a trade and I got to be with him for about 2 days. Talk about really really fun. We have the same time in the mission so we are going to come home the same time. He's going to be going to UVU and I'm so excited.
Sexta-Feira -- Still in a trade... was awesome
Sabado -- This day was really cool and kinda funny. Saturday night we had an intergration night. It's were we get the investigators and members together and have an activity. Well we had a treasure hunt and it was absolutely awesome... People were running everywhere, I was running everywhere... It was really fun. In my group for the scavenger hunt it was me, the bishop and one other adult and a lot of little kids. The whole night I was being followed by little kids. It was funny. I had my little ducks. It was really fun. I love intergration nights. They are such a good idea for missionaries.
Domingo -- Just church. Then worked like we do everyday. I really do love working. It started to make me wonder how missions were for Dave, Mark, Vaughn, Jason and Brian. What did they do different than me and how have the missions changed.
I just have a little encouragement for my wonderful beautiful family the lives about 15 minutes or less from the temple. GO. It's so important. I really have been feeling a fault without a temple here. To think that I lived 15 minutes from the temple and didn't go and take opportunity of it. It's so important. If you don't have time... make time. It's just that simple.
Hey mom. Do you know an Elder Michael Johnson? I heard he is in your mission from my first companion here in Brasilia. My trainer, Elder Kirkham, just wanted for you to have a connection to here.
I want to share something I learned today in my study. It's simple and clear. IT IS A COMMANDMENT TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY. Check it out. D&C 84:61 and I think the other is in D&C 100:5ish. Check it out. The Lord wants us to bear our testimonies and let others feel the spirit. It really is important especially in these last days. Bear your testimony and help others come unto Christ. ]
Wow, another week has already gone by... I don't believe it. I really think I'm going to be home tomorrow... well if 2012 is tomorrow... then I will be.
I just wanted to share something weird that I learned. It's just about how they say good-bye here. I just learned this. In Spanish I think you spell good-bye like this -- Cião -- I thought it would be the same thing here. Man was I wrong. You spell it like this -- Tchou -- It's the only way to get the 'ch' sound in português at the beginning of a word. I think it looks kinda crazy.
Before I move onto my favorite part of the letter I just want to tell you really fast about the week
Segunda-Feira -- This day was just a little normal day.
Terça-Feira -- This is P-Day, it was not normal. The Zone Leaders lost our letters... Or forgot them at the mission office. The was a bummer. But other than that... we made some really really really good noddles. Wow... really really good. I really want the recipe
Quarta-Feira -- We started an english class here. It was pretty cool. Luckly I have a Brasilian who knows English really really well to help me because I don't know how Brasilians learn English.
Quinta-Feira -- I want to tell you about one of my new best friends here. His name is Elder Startup. He's from (I think) Spanish Fork. We did a trade and I got to be with him for about 2 days. Talk about really really fun. We have the same time in the mission so we are going to come home the same time. He's going to be going to UVU and I'm so excited.
Sexta-Feira -- Still in a trade... was awesome
Sabado -- This day was really cool and kinda funny. Saturday night we had an intergration night. It's were we get the investigators and members together and have an activity. Well we had a treasure hunt and it was absolutely awesome... People were running everywhere, I was running everywhere... It was really fun. In my group for the scavenger hunt it was me, the bishop and one other adult and a lot of little kids. The whole night I was being followed by little kids. It was funny. I had my little ducks. It was really fun. I love intergration nights. They are such a good idea for missionaries.
Domingo -- Just church. Then worked like we do everyday. I really do love working. It started to make me wonder how missions were for Dave, Mark, Vaughn, Jason and Brian. What did they do different than me and how have the missions changed.
I just have a little encouragement for my wonderful beautiful family the lives about 15 minutes or less from the temple. GO. It's so important. I really have been feeling a fault without a temple here. To think that I lived 15 minutes from the temple and didn't go and take opportunity of it. It's so important. If you don't have time... make time. It's just that simple.
Hey mom. Do you know an Elder Michael Johnson? I heard he is in your mission from my first companion here in Brasilia. My trainer, Elder Kirkham, just wanted for you to have a connection to here.
I want to share something I learned today in my study. It's simple and clear. IT IS A COMMANDMENT TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY. Check it out. D&C 84:61 and I think the other is in D&C 100:5ish. Check it out. The Lord wants us to bear our testimonies and let others feel the spirit. It really is important especially in these last days. Bear your testimony and help others come unto Christ. ]
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Matt Fat? Just taller!
Hello again, it's me... way down here... in Brasil. Still alive.
Wow, it feels like this email comes every week. It's amazing. It's cool.
So Brasil is amazing still. I love it here. Especially in my first area. I've been here for about 3 months and will stay here for at least 4 and a half months. It's really cool. I've experienced so much in these three months that I couldn't learn anywhere else. No where else has the things of a mission. The mission really has been difficult. But it's totally worth everything that happens. I love it here.
Funny experience... Ok maybe not all that funny. But I think it is. I've gained weight... Yes... I can hardly believe it myself. I have gained weight. I've gained almost 20 pounds on the mission. I don't know where it is going... But I now have about 180 pounds instead of 160. It doesn't make and sense to me either. I walk all day, sweating like a pig (or like dad (I've realized I'm more like dad then I thought)) I literally only have been eating lunch. Breakfast is a tiny snack and so is dinner. Lunch in the big meal... and still... I've gained weight... All the logic in my head has exploded. I don't know what is going on here. I was scared of coming on the mission and losing weight and the opposite has happened. Also, I think I'm still growing... How do I know you might ask... my pants. I'm pretty sure they were longer when I got here... Also they are getting kinda tight... so I'm growing in all directions. Don't be surprised if I come home and my pants are at my knee caps and I had to sew my pants together because they ripped around the waist.
Moving on.
So, today I studied... Big surprise :D ok not really big surprise... I study everyday but today was really really good. I was studying about Ammon and King Lamoni. But my favorite character in this story isn't mentioned as much. My new favorite character is the wife of King Lamoni. She doesn't even have a name but she is my new favorite especially at one point in the story... wait rewind. So I really like faith. The conscepte of fé is really interesting how it works, stories about it, things like that. I've really learned a lot about fé and how it works by studying it. So with that intro I want to say that the wife of King Lamoni is my favorite because she has sooooo much fé. She believes the words of Ammon with not very much proof only the testimony of the servants but she believes. It kind of reminds me of the people here in Brasil. I hear so many stories about the people in the ward and how they came to know the church and it's amazing. The Lamanite people (Brasilian People) have so much fé. I really don't know how they do it and how some of them continued in the church. Some of them had really really hard lives. If I had had the same expeiences deles (sorry that means "of them" or that they had) I don't know how I would of taken it. They are just so strong.
I really don't have a lot more to write right now. I can't think of what to write.
Eu sei que esta Igreja é verdadeira e que os missionarios estão fazendo o trabalho do Senhor. Eu sei que nós possamos aprender maís todo dia. Eu amo a missão. Esta expereincia é bom de maís.
Com Amore
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wow, it feels like this email comes every week. It's amazing. It's cool.
So Brasil is amazing still. I love it here. Especially in my first area. I've been here for about 3 months and will stay here for at least 4 and a half months. It's really cool. I've experienced so much in these three months that I couldn't learn anywhere else. No where else has the things of a mission. The mission really has been difficult. But it's totally worth everything that happens. I love it here.
Funny experience... Ok maybe not all that funny. But I think it is. I've gained weight... Yes... I can hardly believe it myself. I have gained weight. I've gained almost 20 pounds on the mission. I don't know where it is going... But I now have about 180 pounds instead of 160. It doesn't make and sense to me either. I walk all day, sweating like a pig (or like dad (I've realized I'm more like dad then I thought)) I literally only have been eating lunch. Breakfast is a tiny snack and so is dinner. Lunch in the big meal... and still... I've gained weight... All the logic in my head has exploded. I don't know what is going on here. I was scared of coming on the mission and losing weight and the opposite has happened. Also, I think I'm still growing... How do I know you might ask... my pants. I'm pretty sure they were longer when I got here... Also they are getting kinda tight... so I'm growing in all directions. Don't be surprised if I come home and my pants are at my knee caps and I had to sew my pants together because they ripped around the waist.
Moving on.
So, today I studied... Big surprise :D ok not really big surprise... I study everyday but today was really really good. I was studying about Ammon and King Lamoni. But my favorite character in this story isn't mentioned as much. My new favorite character is the wife of King Lamoni. She doesn't even have a name but she is my new favorite especially at one point in the story... wait rewind. So I really like faith. The conscepte of fé is really interesting how it works, stories about it, things like that. I've really learned a lot about fé and how it works by studying it. So with that intro I want to say that the wife of King Lamoni is my favorite because she has sooooo much fé. She believes the words of Ammon with not very much proof only the testimony of the servants but she believes. It kind of reminds me of the people here in Brasil. I hear so many stories about the people in the ward and how they came to know the church and it's amazing. The Lamanite people (Brasilian People) have so much fé. I really don't know how they do it and how some of them continued in the church. Some of them had really really hard lives. If I had had the same expeiences deles (sorry that means "of them" or that they had) I don't know how I would of taken it. They are just so strong.
I really don't have a lot more to write right now. I can't think of what to write.
Eu sei que esta Igreja é verdadeira e que os missionarios estão fazendo o trabalho do Senhor. Eu sei que nós possamos aprender maís todo dia. Eu amo a missão. Esta expereincia é bom de maís.
Com Amore
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, January 10, 2011
Hello Familia,
Wow, It's been a while. It's been a while since I have been in the Good ol' USA. But I love this area. The Good ol' Brazil is amazing and I love this place. The city that I'm in is the same one I've been in since I arrived. It is Brasilia. But it only feels like I've been here for 2 months. 1 and a half with my first companion and a half with the second companion. But in reality. It was 1 and a half with my first and about 2 months with the second. We really work hard everyday and just go at it. He doesn't complain and neither do I so we just go at it. The work is fun and hard. But right now hard is fun.
So I want to say that I love the piano music that I got for Christmas. I'm pretty sure it was the most exciting thing I got. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the questions. I usually don't know what to write to I just start writing and usually weird things come out. So the questions help to stay focused.
1. What was the most spiritual experience you had last week?
This last week I had an experience to do a split with some members in our ward and wow, that was amazing. I was really scared because my Portuguese isn't amazing but I knew that if I just went for it and opened my mouth that the Lord would fill it. Well, we went to a less active and recent convert family who has been having troubles coming to church because of the rain and they have started smoking and drinking again. Me and a member went there to leave a message, the first lesson in the Gospel Principles book. I have no clue what I was doing. The member companion at this point said he'll give a prayer and I'll give the message. I was really freaking scared. But I just went at it. When I opened my mouth everything that I needed to say just came out. It just flowed out and they understood and I really feel like it will help them. It was really amazing.
2. Tell us about each of your investigators and the lessons you have taught this week.
We actually don't have many investigators right now because we just cut a whole bunch who weren't progressing. But... My favorite ones to teach are 2 kids, ages 8 and 11, who have been baptized but not confirmed yet. I just love going there because I really do think I'm just a kid in missionary clothes. The last time we were there we helped them with their "Faith in God" award. We set goals and told them how important it was to get this. They are so excited and in 1 week they already have 2 Articles of Faith memorized.
3. Tell us about street contacting and people that you meet on the street.
One thing I learned is street contacting and talking about religion is just common here. People are almost always willing to talk. The only thing we have to do is get the courage to talk. Wait rephrase, all I have to do is get the courage to talk. It's really hard sometimes to talk to people in a language you don't know but I know I can do it. I just need to try.
4. What is the ward like? Is it a branch or a large ward.
Right now I'm in a ward. It was really hard to work with them when I started in this area but now, we have new leadership who is really excited to work. Honestly I'm sure the work here is going to explode. We already have seen a miracle because of the excitement.
5. What did you learn in your personal study this morning. What did you study? Personal study was 1 chapter of the Bible, 2 chapters of D&C and chapter 5 and 6 of Alma. In the Bible I learned that some people really have hard hearts. But we really can't change them and that all we do is invite them to change or to do something. Even with miracles of God some people won't change, like Pharaoh of Egypt. He saw amazing things, but he kept on hardening his heart and it took the death of his son to let the people of Israel go. In D&C I studied sections 3 and 4. I learned that we must repent and be clean to work the Lord's work. Even a prophet of God can sin, and if he can sin, him being a giant man of faith and almost perfectness, how much more do I need to repent? Then in D&C 4 it talks about the field being white. It really is. I really love how it says how we can be qualified for the work. All we need to do is work and be qualified. Then in Alma I learned that we need to have a change of heart to become part of the people of the Lord. So if you put them all together (which I didn't see until just now) we have Pharaoh who didn't change his heart and what happened because he didn't? How we need to repent and be qualified for the work and how we need to change our hearts to become part of the People of God. That is what I studied today.
So I'm learning everyday how to become a better missionary. It's been really fun. I started with memorizing scriptures (thanks Mom and Dad) and I have about 5 memorized in Portuguese. My mission president is really big on planning. So I have planned out of what I'm going to memorize and that things that I'm going to do. Just a little side note that I thought was funny. Our mission president is so big on planning that we have what is called a Trunky Planner. It's a regular planner that missionaries receive on the mission during their last transfer. They basically plan the next six weeks after their mission there. That's how big of a planner our president is. Our president is really famous and rich too... just look up Pizzirani on google and I'm pretty sure you will find him. He just tells us that to make him happy, give him a problem that he can solve. If he can't solve it, he'll invent something that can solve it.
My companion and I have been working on planning better. Literally we try to fill our planner and not have one blank spot in there. We always are going somewhere and trying to do something. It's been really, really good on staying focused on the mission. We also try to always talk about what we can do better or how we can help our district or zone. It's been really really fun.
Enduring to the End
Signing Out Elder Barry
Wow, It's been a while. It's been a while since I have been in the Good ol' USA. But I love this area. The Good ol' Brazil is amazing and I love this place. The city that I'm in is the same one I've been in since I arrived. It is Brasilia. But it only feels like I've been here for 2 months. 1 and a half with my first companion and a half with the second companion. But in reality. It was 1 and a half with my first and about 2 months with the second. We really work hard everyday and just go at it. He doesn't complain and neither do I so we just go at it. The work is fun and hard. But right now hard is fun.
So I want to say that I love the piano music that I got for Christmas. I'm pretty sure it was the most exciting thing I got. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the questions. I usually don't know what to write to I just start writing and usually weird things come out. So the questions help to stay focused.
1. What was the most spiritual experience you had last week?
This last week I had an experience to do a split with some members in our ward and wow, that was amazing. I was really scared because my Portuguese isn't amazing but I knew that if I just went for it and opened my mouth that the Lord would fill it. Well, we went to a less active and recent convert family who has been having troubles coming to church because of the rain and they have started smoking and drinking again. Me and a member went there to leave a message, the first lesson in the Gospel Principles book. I have no clue what I was doing. The member companion at this point said he'll give a prayer and I'll give the message. I was really freaking scared. But I just went at it. When I opened my mouth everything that I needed to say just came out. It just flowed out and they understood and I really feel like it will help them. It was really amazing.
2. Tell us about each of your investigators and the lessons you have taught this week.
We actually don't have many investigators right now because we just cut a whole bunch who weren't progressing. But... My favorite ones to teach are 2 kids, ages 8 and 11, who have been baptized but not confirmed yet. I just love going there because I really do think I'm just a kid in missionary clothes. The last time we were there we helped them with their "Faith in God" award. We set goals and told them how important it was to get this. They are so excited and in 1 week they already have 2 Articles of Faith memorized.
3. Tell us about street contacting and people that you meet on the street.
One thing I learned is street contacting and talking about religion is just common here. People are almost always willing to talk. The only thing we have to do is get the courage to talk. Wait rephrase, all I have to do is get the courage to talk. It's really hard sometimes to talk to people in a language you don't know but I know I can do it. I just need to try.
4. What is the ward like? Is it a branch or a large ward.
Right now I'm in a ward. It was really hard to work with them when I started in this area but now, we have new leadership who is really excited to work. Honestly I'm sure the work here is going to explode. We already have seen a miracle because of the excitement.
5. What did you learn in your personal study this morning. What did you study? Personal study was 1 chapter of the Bible, 2 chapters of D&C and chapter 5 and 6 of Alma. In the Bible I learned that some people really have hard hearts. But we really can't change them and that all we do is invite them to change or to do something. Even with miracles of God some people won't change, like Pharaoh of Egypt. He saw amazing things, but he kept on hardening his heart and it took the death of his son to let the people of Israel go. In D&C I studied sections 3 and 4. I learned that we must repent and be clean to work the Lord's work. Even a prophet of God can sin, and if he can sin, him being a giant man of faith and almost perfectness, how much more do I need to repent? Then in D&C 4 it talks about the field being white. It really is. I really love how it says how we can be qualified for the work. All we need to do is work and be qualified. Then in Alma I learned that we need to have a change of heart to become part of the people of the Lord. So if you put them all together (which I didn't see until just now) we have Pharaoh who didn't change his heart and what happened because he didn't? How we need to repent and be qualified for the work and how we need to change our hearts to become part of the People of God. That is what I studied today.
So I'm learning everyday how to become a better missionary. It's been really fun. I started with memorizing scriptures (thanks Mom and Dad) and I have about 5 memorized in Portuguese. My mission president is really big on planning. So I have planned out of what I'm going to memorize and that things that I'm going to do. Just a little side note that I thought was funny. Our mission president is so big on planning that we have what is called a Trunky Planner. It's a regular planner that missionaries receive on the mission during their last transfer. They basically plan the next six weeks after their mission there. That's how big of a planner our president is. Our president is really famous and rich too... just look up Pizzirani on google and I'm pretty sure you will find him. He just tells us that to make him happy, give him a problem that he can solve. If he can't solve it, he'll invent something that can solve it.
My companion and I have been working on planning better. Literally we try to fill our planner and not have one blank spot in there. We always are going somewhere and trying to do something. It's been really, really good on staying focused on the mission. We also try to always talk about what we can do better or how we can help our district or zone. It's been really really fun.
Enduring to the End
Signing Out Elder Barry
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