Joy of Baptisms

Dear Family,
How are ya’ll?
I’m doing dandy, Just dandy. I’m wonderful. Happy, Feliz, Alive, awake, alert, Enthusiastic!!!!
Valparaíso I is amazing. I Just Love this área. You know, I Just realized something. Well yesterday I realized something. You know how I keep finding people in this ward who look like our family. Well, now there is a man who from the side looks like Uncle Mike and someone in the ward who looks like Jenny. Where do these people come from. I have never seen so many people who look like my family. It’s crazy.
I love Brazil. Everyone can’t believe that I gained 20 pounds here in Brazil. They always say that they try to imagine Elder Barry even skinnier. They don’t believe it.
So new news... um... It’s happy news. We are teaching someone named João. He hás been an investigator for about 8 months but during this time he fell off the edge of the world. Randomly, a member found him and brought him to church again. He’s going to get baptized this week. It’s so cool. He is scared of his family. His family doesn’t want him to get baptized. They even stopped it the last time when he had a date 6 months ago. They literally took him to another city so that he wouldn’t get baptized. Yesterday he said that he’s ok and wants to get baptized and his family won't be a problem. He’s about 30 years old and almost went blind. He depends on his family. But his eye sight is coming back and he wants to get baptized. It was a happy moment to see him excited to get baptized. I’m excited.
Well, I Love you all. Have a wonderful week.

Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry

New Apartment

Oi minha Família,

Como Vocês estão? Eu estou Óltimo, Maravilhoso e Feliz.

Então minha missão mudou o P-Day para segunda-Feira. Não sei porque mas eu estou gostando. Minha missão é mudando de mais. Nosso novo Presidente da missão, Presidente Gaertner é muito diferente que Presidente Pizzirani. Ele aja mais como um pai. Estou gostando da Sister da missão também. Ela é muita engraçada.

Alright, I'll leave protugues so that you'll understand now.

So, right now in my area we are in kinda a jam. We were moving basically all last week and now we have barely any investigator. We moved to a small apartment because we were living in another city and walking about 5 or 6 minutes to our area and walked about 30 to the area that we are working in. But now we are living about 5 minutes away from the area we are working in. It's pretty good. I like it a lot better. But we made plans to move and they always fell or were halfway completed so we were moving for about 4 days. But now tudo é tranquilo (everythings fine). We just don't have energy in the new apartment... Cold showers... wow. But the good thing is that we are definately awake every morning.

Mom and dad, What are some ideas that you have to find new investigators? In our mission that investigator is only counted as a new when they have a date. So this last week we only have 1 new person but we are working with several. But we need to find more. What are somethings that you have seen work in your mission to mark dates in the first or second visit?

Well, I can't think of many other things to type this week.

Oh Dad, Thanks for the talks. They are amazing. I loved them. I'm now studying them. I love reading them. One part that really hit me was in the talk "Becoming a concecrated missionary" The part where he talks about opening our mouths we exercise faith and when we exercise faith we are letting more chances for miracles to happen. It really helped me see contacts as a different thing. Something that will really change the world.

Endure to the End

I love you all

Signing Out
Elder Barry

Val Pal

Hello!!

"I'm an uncle...." (Falls flat on his back)

CONGRATS!!!!!! VER!!!!! YAY. Alyssa Jayne is such a beautiful name. I can wait to get to know her.

Valparaíso is pretty good. I just think its funny how Elder Mace got sent to the same city... well the same city in another country... but its close enough eh?

This is my first companion that is younger than I am. For 1 year I have always had missionaries older than me. But still... this missionary, my companion has already been to College for 1 year. He went to BYU-I (DO) so he knows how to study. He's pretty awesome. I love working with him... The hardest part is that I can't read him. I always had companions easy to read... this one is a little different. But maybe it's because he's new in the mission and is learning Portuguese still.

Yes, I'm cold. But it's not extremely cold... I think I've just gotten used to the weather here... so anything below 70 is cold... But I'm great. Mom, I must admit. Those giant jackets that we bought... I don't think I'm ever going to use them... Do you want me to send them home? I got in the new house and some missionary left a good little light weight jacket... The ones I brought are good for Utah winters... Not winter in Brazil because here... well it's only cold in the morning and a little at night... but during the day... it's still hot... and It not practical to carry around the giant Jackets...

The computer I'm on won’t let me send home photos. But don't worry. I'll try something different.

Well we have an amazing investigator that is definitely going to be baptized. His name is Renan and he is so awesome. He lived in Russia for 1 year and a half and knows a little bit of French, Spanish, Italian and English. He's way smart and just loves the church. He loves to study and loves new things. He is always trying to learn more every day. He's trying to get a D&C so that he can study more.

With all my love

Endure to the End

Signing Out
Elder Barry

Valparaiso

Hello my Dear Family,

How are you?

I'm doing great.

We had transfers... I'm now in a place called Valparaíso I. I just barely got here today. My new companions name is Elder Evans. He's from California. I think he lives in the same mission where Spencer Thomas is serving... "It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small small world." I could continue... But I think that song repeats itself 87 times... So all it would take is a copy and paste.

Well, the mission is great. I'm new in this next area but I'm pretty confident that my companion will be awesome and we will baptize EVERYONE!!! I'm excited to be in a new area. I don't know. Staying in an area for a long time... kinda takes it out of you. I only have 3 cities that i've passed in, in my mission. And I have almost a year. WOAH!!! I ALMOST HAVE A YEAR. THAT'S CRAZY!!!

So I have an interesting story. I don't know why but in the MTC in São paulo, I bought "The Book of Mormon" in about 6 different languages. I don't know why. I just had an erge. Like I felt that I needed them. Well, I was talking with my companion about the new area and he said there is an investigator that wants to learn languages. They promised him that when he will read the Book of Mormon in another language, he will learn. So, now i'm here with about 6 or 7 Books of Mormon in other languages. I think I'm going to be here for quite some time so that he can read all of them.

I would share what I studied today, but because it was transfers day and they wanted all of us in the chapel (where we have transfers) at 9 o clock... And to think I woke up at about 5 o clock to do that... I didn't study... yet... today.

But don't worry. I will study.

Thanks mom for sending the deodorant. Old Spice, nothing here compares. Also next week I'll send that pictures of my pants... and I can tell you that the other pair of shoes that I brought on the mission. (You know... I had three) Well he's almost gone too... But I'm sure he'll last for another transfer.

"Momma don't whoop little beaufort" I would of died laughing.

Ver will have another baby!!!! YEAH!!!! THAT'S SO EXCITING.

So last night... sunday night. We had a fireside in my old area. It was so good. So happy. So sad and I know it might sound weird... but it was a little painful too. We did a fireside on the Atonement that was so good. First we used Alma 5 and made a little test for the members to fill out. Then we had a testimony from one of the missionaries. After, we watched an inspirational video that was sooooo good. I think it's called "Give your Best" It's about football training and how we think about things. Then we did an activity that was amazing. I loved it. What happens is while someone is reading about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you need to keep your arms out stretched and about your shoulders, out to the sides. Then you need to keep them there... It's amazing to feel really a little bit of pain compaired to the Savior. I think about the pain I had for 11 minutes and then compair it to 3 hours on the cross and more being brutally beaten. All the skin almost ripped from the body. I know it's a little grusome but Christ really did suffer. How they show in the videos, and in the photos really isn't how it was. He left the Garden of gethsemany with blood from every pore. Then after he was brutally beaten by the Romans. Then he was nailed to the Cross. I realized after all this that me feeling a little bit of pain for 1 hour doesn't compare. 2 years serving God really isn't enough. But I will do what he asks... and a little bit more.


Te Amo
Endure to the End

Signing Out
Elder Barry

Lord Prepares

Hello, hello, hello I am your blessed Elder Barry...

...and I'm doing great.

I love the Spirit, it has helped me so much in my mission. It has helped me through lessons and to be strong when everything around you is falling into pieces. It's comforting to know that the Lord is on my side.

Yes, I got the shoes... thanks mom. Do you think you could send me more deodorant? Old Spice, Agua reef? I would love it. By the way... I probably need to send more photos about my clothing that has died so you can order some new stuff.

Mom, keep praying that I will learn everything that I need, because I need it. I don't want an easy mission. I want it to be as hard as possible.

I don't have much to say about my week. Really it's been problem after problem.

Well good news. Our new mission president has arrived and we had interviews with him and he reminds me a lot of Dad. I bet he has a hilarious sense of humor that we haven't caught yet. I loved the interview with him because I felt so calm and so good after. I've also had that chance to talk with him some other times and I'm so happy to be serving here.

I've been learning that the Lord will prepare. Any situation, I will be prepared beforehand to deal with it. Just know that I am being prepared. I don't know for what... but something is coming.

We've been having troubles finding new investigators in this area for a while. I feel at every door that I already knocked there. But it's always a good surprise to knock and come to find out that I have never knocked there.

Well, I'm sorry that this isn't a really juicy letter. I got caught up writing a letter to the Presidente.

Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry

Music and the spoken word

My lovely family.
Well, It's been another week me dear family. Another week... I wish it would really slow down. There isn't enough time to change. Wow. I learned something really cool about a mission. "It's not bad to have bad results, it's only bad to not change yourself." (President Pizzirani) Then I was thinking, When we change ourselves, we will have the results we need.

Well, this last week we found an investigator that is just gold. It's was so cool to see how they accepted the Book of Mormon and were even excited for us to return today. We are going back tonight to help them again. I'm sure they are going to be baptized. We just need to do our part. I also learned that with every investigator, we need to introduce the Book of Mormon as fast as possible. It will be the base of their testimony. I love reading the Book of Mormon. I'm learning so many things. Learning about the Diligence of Moroni, The knowledge of Helaman, The Faith of Enos, The Hope of Lehi, The Love of Alma and the sons of Mosiah, The Patience of Alma and Amulek, The Obedience of the Stripling Warriors, The Humilty of Ammon and The Virtue of Nephi. It's amazing to see how the Christ-Like attributes are in every chapter. Then we need to apply everything we learn. It's really amazing to see the differences.

I had an amazing experience. On my mission I haven't been baptizing all that much. But I love helping the other missionaries baptize. My District Leader had a baptism lined up but because of a death in the Branch, we had to postpone it. But we knew we couldn't postpone it for another week because this man, named gilbertos, needed the baptism. We couldn't leave him for another week with temptations. So on Sunday we basically had a district effort to help this baptism go. My companion and one of the other missionaries started cleaning the baptism font and My district leader and me went to work. We went to the house of this investigator and we helped him have faith to go to the chapel. The chapel is about 45 mins away on foot from his house. So what we did, we ran all the way to the chapel while he was on his bike. The members couldn't help us this day. So we just ran while the other two missionaries at the chapel filled up the baptism font with buckets of water, going up and down stairs for about 1 hour. This baptism was so spiritual. It was amazing. Me and my companion had the opportunity to do a musical Number... It was so spiritual. The baptism ended at 9:10pm. So we had to run to our house. But I must say it was amazing.

Also, I'm going to send you a song, well a recording of the song my and my companion did. I hope you like it.

Endure to the End

I Love you Signing Out

Elder Barry

Changing

Well, today I don't have a lot of time to write.

Dear Family
I love you
The mission conference was amazing... unfourtunatly, this was the last meeting we will have with President Pizzirani. He has 1 more Sunday before he leaves and we get a new Mission President.
I'm learning that I love to teach. I love adapting the lesson to our investigator. I had a cool experience to adapt the lesson to a child that was disrupting the lesson. We taught about how children are pure and what we need to do to be pure too.
It's srange to think that it's been about 10 months since I've left the USA. It seems so short but so long.I am loving the mission. I have changed so much and I'm so glad for the opportunity to change and be a better person. I'm learning how to focus and just work. Get in a mood to work. I'm learning how to work with companions that don't want to work. I'm learning how to study and even how to sleep. Do excerises everyday, have more self-control. I understand more doctrine and how it will change my life. I'm so grateful for the mission
I love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry

Hibbie Jibbies

So It's been another week and I can't believe it. It's all going by so very fast. wow.

Hello my family.
So Yes, I've been in this area for about 5 months now... I'm getting the idea that God wants me to learn something while I'm here. I'm still trying to figure out what it is but concerteza (certantly) I will learn what I need to this week. We will be having a Conferencia da zona com Presidente. It's going to be great. They want us to come to the conference with questions about being a better missionary and the things we need to do. I'm pretty sure that we are going to have fun.

I'm sending some pictures from a service project that we did today. Yes... that thing on the blade is a giant spider, and the service project was full of them hanging from the trees... I had the hibby jibbies during the service project but in the end the members there took us to a little beautiful stream. It was wonderful.

I don't really have any juicy stuff. Everything that I would want to tell you, I don't feel comfortable telling because they involve experiences that lets me know that satan is working overtime to knock the missionaries out one by one. It comforting to know that I have God on my side and the I have been "set apart", Set apart from the world and everything that goes with it. I'm learning how to be better and work better this week.

This week the zone put a challenge up. Do 25 contacts everyday for the rest of the transfer. It's been pretty cool to see the people that we meet. We are changing and opening up to all the chances we have to talk with everyone. It's been so great. I'm sure that I'm changing. Actually I know that I'm changing. I'm glad I'm changing. I'm working better, working harder and being a better missionary.

Today I was studying about how we need to be devastated when an investigator doesn't read the Book of Mormon. I learned that I need to help them realize that they are doing this to their own souls. Everything that they choose is either for their salvation or the other way around.

Endure to the End
Te Amo
Signing Out
Elder Barry

Rowing

Dear Family,

We had a transfer... and nothing changed. I'm staying with my companion in the same area... I'm way excited because we are learning the things we need to do to help people be baptized.

I have not received the shoes yet but I bet they are coming. Today is transfers and when the other dupla gets back from ASA Norte (where they have transfers) I bet they will bring them... I hope they will bring them :D

Nice Juicy Letter... I'm actually scared to write a nice juicy letter... because I don't want it to turn into pride, with an attitude of look at me and the things I'm doing. I've been keeping my letters a little stripped of this... because I'm scared of the things I'll say. Does that make sense? But I'll try to show you stuff that's going on.

But I'll put it at the end... because I like to end with a bang.

Thank you for the companion study paper... I will start to put that into play... talk with my companion... maybe translate it because my companion doesn't know English.

Mom, I'm guessing that phrase that you "dominate their faces off" means that you just are amazing and really know how you teach and let them know what they need to do.

Well, lets start with an experience I had about baptism. Last week me and my companion didn't have anyone that could baptize, no one was progressing and all of our investigators had fallen through. One day we decided to do the Challenge of the mission... It was simple. Mark three appointments with people that have already been taught for the next day and mark three appointments with families. We started this and it didn't turn out good. We only marked one with an investigator and one with a family. Well we returned the next day to the investigator that was already taught. Her name is Amanda. We returned and just started to talk to her. We asked why the missionaries stopped visiting her. She said "Eu acha que eu parei indo pra a Igreja" Which means in English that she stopped going to church. We started teaching her, marked a date with her for the weekend. We found her on Wednesday and she was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. It was an amazing experience because I can see how following our leaders and doing the things they ask will help us find more people. Also... In our mission we need to do 10 contacts per day. This day I just decided to do 30. So when I did thirty... we found someone to get baptized... Because of this and some other stories that have happened to other missionairies... we have decided to just do a whole lot of contacts every single day.

So I want to tell a story that I heard that has really changed the way I think of things... This story... I have named it... The Rower's wish.

On a ship there was a rower. He had been working on the ship for about 2 years as a rower. One of his friends named John started working the same day. But after two years, this rower was still a rower and John was an assitant to the Captain. The rower was wondering why he didn't have a position like John so he went to the captain to ask. He said, "Captain, John and I have been here working for you for 2 years. With the same amount of time, why is John your assistant and I'm just a rower? I want to do something bigger to help the ship."
The captain stopped and thought a little and said "Ok, If you want to prove yourself, I need someone to row over to that land to see what is going on there. Can you do that?"
The rower agreed to do this, left the ship on a little canoe went to the land. When he arrived there he saw a giant building in the middle of the island being built. So he rowed his little boat back to the Captain and told him about the giant building.
The captain said "Thanks, but what is this giant building going to be?"
The rower said "Let me go check, I'll be right back"
The rower left and rowed his way back to the land and started to ask the people what the building would be. He learned that it would be a palace. So he rowed his way back to the ship to tell the captain.
When he returned, he told the captain the information he found out.
"Thanks" the captain replied "But why are they building a new palace? Who is the king? And what happend to the old palace?"
The rower, feeling really tired but anxious to show that he can work, left on the instant to the land. He arrived there and found out the information the captian wanted. He learned that they were building a new palace because the old palace was just too small to fit all of the king's court and the king's name was James.
The rower, really tired, slowly made his way back to the ship. When he arrived, he told the captain all the information that he knew.
The captain thanked the rower for his efforts and called his assistant named John.
The captain told John to go to the land and see what was going on.
John left on his way. When John arrived at the land he saw the giant construction, asked if he could talk to the man in charge and found his way to the king of the land. When John returned he told that captian that there was a giant building that way going to be a palace because the old palace was too small to fit all of the king's subjects. This palace will be done in 3 months and to top it off John had marked, for the next day, dinner for the captain with the king.
The captain thanked John for his help and returned to the rower and said "This is why John is my assistant and you are just a rower."

I told this story because it helped me realize that I need to work more than what is asked. If we only do what we are told to do, we will only receive the minimal blessing, But when we do more than what is asked of us, The Lord will bless us more and more. Bless us with more opportunites to work and more miracles.

I have decided that I want to see miracles in my mission. I know that I need to work a lot to reach that goal.

I love you

Endure to the End

Signing Out
Elder Barry

Funny Story. I have a photo of our ninja show. We did this on P-Day. It's the missionaries I live with and the Zone Leaders are there too. We had a District Study with the Zone Leaders. They came on P-Day... so... before they left... after study... We had some fun.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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