Hello my dearest Family,
So Natal (Christmas) is coming. It's right around the corner. It's comin quick. 7 days.
I'm fine now. I don't really feel sick but I'm keeping the same weight. Not going up or going down.
I would love to skype and talk with you alls. In the last letter we got from president they changed it to 45 mins. I can skype totally tranquilo (peace). Wow, some sayings in portugues just don't work in English. But I honestly don't know what time it will be at... yet... It's not a good thing that I don't know. Maybe you might just need to be ready because I don't know when my companion will talk with his family and I don't know when the Brasilians will talk with their families. So it's all up in the air about the time. You just might get an email the day of telling you. I'm so sorry, mom. Just have the e-mail on your phone open and ready to roll. (Sorry, This year is not so organized)
So, we had practice today for the Christmas Conference and it was pretty good. The music is hard and for missionaries, they are doing fantastic. They are doing wonderful. They sound sooooo good.
I'll let you know what happens next week from the Christmas Party.
We had the branch Christmas party this last Saturday and it was pretty fun. We had 3 Investigators there and a whole bunch of people. A funny thing from the party is that it was supposed to start at 7 o clock. But it really didn't start until 8:30ish. It's called Mormon Standard Time mixed with Brasilian Standard Time. Things never start on time. It's guaranteed. (Sorry for the spelling)
But since it started at almost 9 o clock and we probably had to go before we could eat, our Branch President took one of our phones, called the President of the Mission and asked him if we could stay longer. The Mission President said we could stay out as long as we liked just as long as we were with the Branch President. Woah. We got risky and got home at 10:25 and I was sleeping at 10:30. Talk about risky buisness.
Just a side note. I never thought it would be easy to sleep on a bus. I slept on one for about an hour today. It was strange. That has never happened before in my life, especially on the mission.
So I'm working in a zone that is trying to make a stake. Does that make sense? We are trying to help the Stake split right now. But that isn't the main focus. The main focus is to invite others to come unto Christ through faith, repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost and Endure to the End. All the rest of the things we do are just bonuses.
It's amazing how God helps us and gives us revelation when we need it. I was studying the scriptures 3 weeks ago and ran into something interesting about murder and things like that and repentance and forgiveness. So I put a sticky note on it and continued studying. Yesterday, me and my companion were talking with the people we were living with and they telling us their difficulties and we were telling them ours. It is amazing that one of their difficulties was directly related to the scripture I marked 3 weeks ago. I got to share it with them. It's amazing how God guides and leads.
Love you
Endure to the End
Singing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 05, 2011
Happy and Tired
Dear Family,
I'm exhausted. I feel like one of the Elders from "The District 2" The one who says "I'm so tired, I don't understand how I can be so happy when I'm tired."
So Mom, I'll get the innfomation so that we can talk on Christmas. I'll know tomorrow if we can Skype or just talk on the phone. The mission president didn't set a time. He just said "Be wise" or in other words "Don't be Stupid". If you have a small family, don't talk for 10 hours. If you have a big family, you can't talk to them all within 1 hour... so We just need to be wise. I'll plan with the other missionaries in the house about the times and when we will talk. I don't know if it will be on Saturday, Sunday or Monday... I don't know what days or time. But I'll let you know.
We had another practice today and it was good. I'm just tired. We are singing for the Missionary Christmas Meeting. There are about 12 elders and 12 sisters, 1 pianist(who has to play the hardest music ever) and 1 violinist. It's pretty fun. These missionaries are from almost all the zones in the mission. That zone that is forever away will have their own Christmas party because they can't bring them all back.
The part member family didn't get married. The husband is fishing around for excuses... I don't know why but he is just delying the time over and over again. Elder Johnson and I are going to go there and just help them... some how. I don't know how... but we will follow the spirit, He knows what to do.
Winter? It's summer right now. It's the rainy season. It's rains cows and horses and a couple of whales. (Not just cats and dogs.) The rainy season is literally the rainy season. Everyday basically rains... and if you forgot your umbrella then you are getting soaked. It's pretty hot too. It's hot when it doesn't rain. Lets just say... it's always hot. When it's hot it rains.
I got one Christmas package, I'm debating on opening it now... or finish opening it now... or wait. I don't know. I bought a little Christmas tree to put on my desk... so I might put the rest of the presents under the tree.
Well. I honestly don't know what to say more. How about Jacob 6:12. Good Scripture. It is basically a new rule in our mission put in by Elder Evans. He said "Don't be stupid" I think "Be Wise" Close enough.
A cool saying from our mission president: "A man that works like 10 men is valuable, A man who makes 10 men work is so much more valuable." I'm sorry if it sounds a little weird. I can't think of the words to trade it from Portugues to English. Wow my English is off.
I love you.
Endure to the End
Singing Off
Elder Barry
I'm exhausted. I feel like one of the Elders from "The District 2" The one who says "I'm so tired, I don't understand how I can be so happy when I'm tired."
So Mom, I'll get the innfomation so that we can talk on Christmas. I'll know tomorrow if we can Skype or just talk on the phone. The mission president didn't set a time. He just said "Be wise" or in other words "Don't be Stupid". If you have a small family, don't talk for 10 hours. If you have a big family, you can't talk to them all within 1 hour... so We just need to be wise. I'll plan with the other missionaries in the house about the times and when we will talk. I don't know if it will be on Saturday, Sunday or Monday... I don't know what days or time. But I'll let you know.
We had another practice today and it was good. I'm just tired. We are singing for the Missionary Christmas Meeting. There are about 12 elders and 12 sisters, 1 pianist(who has to play the hardest music ever) and 1 violinist. It's pretty fun. These missionaries are from almost all the zones in the mission. That zone that is forever away will have their own Christmas party because they can't bring them all back.
The part member family didn't get married. The husband is fishing around for excuses... I don't know why but he is just delying the time over and over again. Elder Johnson and I are going to go there and just help them... some how. I don't know how... but we will follow the spirit, He knows what to do.
Winter? It's summer right now. It's the rainy season. It's rains cows and horses and a couple of whales. (Not just cats and dogs.) The rainy season is literally the rainy season. Everyday basically rains... and if you forgot your umbrella then you are getting soaked. It's pretty hot too. It's hot when it doesn't rain. Lets just say... it's always hot. When it's hot it rains.
I got one Christmas package, I'm debating on opening it now... or finish opening it now... or wait. I don't know. I bought a little Christmas tree to put on my desk... so I might put the rest of the presents under the tree.
Well. I honestly don't know what to say more. How about Jacob 6:12. Good Scripture. It is basically a new rule in our mission put in by Elder Evans. He said "Don't be stupid" I think "Be Wise" Close enough.
A cool saying from our mission president: "A man that works like 10 men is valuable, A man who makes 10 men work is so much more valuable." I'm sorry if it sounds a little weird. I can't think of the words to trade it from Portugues to English. Wow my English is off.
I love you.
Endure to the End
Singing Off
Elder Barry
Monday, November 28, 2011
High Five from Brasil
Family,
Alright mom, I'm just joking about the High five letter. I just wanted to see if I could get a shorter letter than Mark. It's competition. Bring it on.
Welp. "One more (P-)day" (Les miserables)
Thanksgiving was great for us. We had a mission conference with Elder Godoy. It was amazing and I loved it. I'll share a little bit more about it later. But on that day we went to an 'all you can eat buffet' as a mission. We Americas were just pounding that food down. President finally called (cause he wasn't there) and told us to get out of there, leave. I was still eating. I had to leave my plate of food and split. But it was an amazing Thanksgiving Lunch.
This week we had another music practice and I am learning more and more about how to lead a choir and the preperation that goes into it. I am loving it. Especially when it all comes together. It was a really good practice. We are going to sing (in Portugues of course) 'Joy to the World', 'What child is this?', 'This is the Christ' and 'Oh come oh come Emmanuel'. It's going to be fun and I hope that some of these missionaries find time during the week to practice. It a big thing to ask because they need to do missionary work too. But this is for our Christmas Party on the 22nd of December. It's going to be good.
Study time is something that I love to have. It is so much fun and I learn so much. It's cool how you learn how to study and what things to look for. But that is something I will also talk about later.
Sidenote, I was in a trade with a new missionary and it is amazing how well prepared these new missionaries are coming in. He told me not to speak in English cause he knows Portugues. So we talked in Portugues all day.
Tonight Elder Johnson and I have a Family Night in the house of a part member family. We are trying to get hold of the Branch President to get him there too with his family. This part member family is also going to get the process for marriage started tomorrow or Wednesday. We are excited for that.
So When Elder Godoy came, he talked about a lot of things but one thing he talked about is something that only missionaries will understand (or maybe ex-missionaries too). He said that there are two types of missionaries, well maybe two types of teaching styles. One is the Christ-Like Attributes missionary and the other is the Chapter 10 teaching technics missionary. These are the two sides. The Christ-Like Attribute missionary just thinks about the spirit. He is always asking if you have felt the spirit. He is timid to talk with others but has very good personal studies and personal prayers. The Chapter 10 missionary is very good at talking with people. He teaches and uses everything in the right way. He does contacts easily but his personal study is not the best. he can't concentrate on his study and during his prayers. He's a go and do it missionary.
It is amazing how true this is about every single missionary. But now we think of this as a scale we should always strive for 50% Christ-like attribute missionary and 50% chapter 10 missionary. We will have the spirit and we will open our mouths. It was something that I thought was cool.
Another thing he taught was about the size of our calling as missionaries. When we arrived on the mission, we weren't really close to the size of our calling. But as we strive, we grow. By the end of the 2 years we should be the size of our calling. We should have grown completely through-out the 2 years. He then warned us to not be at 1 year on our mission and have only grown the size of a 5 month missionary and not to be at 1 and a half years and not have grow at all.
- Hide quoted text -
Who isn't progressing, is falling behind
I love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Alright mom, I'm just joking about the High five letter. I just wanted to see if I could get a shorter letter than Mark. It's competition. Bring it on.
Welp. "One more (P-)day" (Les miserables)
Thanksgiving was great for us. We had a mission conference with Elder Godoy. It was amazing and I loved it. I'll share a little bit more about it later. But on that day we went to an 'all you can eat buffet' as a mission. We Americas were just pounding that food down. President finally called (cause he wasn't there) and told us to get out of there, leave. I was still eating. I had to leave my plate of food and split. But it was an amazing Thanksgiving Lunch.
This week we had another music practice and I am learning more and more about how to lead a choir and the preperation that goes into it. I am loving it. Especially when it all comes together. It was a really good practice. We are going to sing (in Portugues of course) 'Joy to the World', 'What child is this?', 'This is the Christ' and 'Oh come oh come Emmanuel'. It's going to be fun and I hope that some of these missionaries find time during the week to practice. It a big thing to ask because they need to do missionary work too. But this is for our Christmas Party on the 22nd of December. It's going to be good.
Study time is something that I love to have. It is so much fun and I learn so much. It's cool how you learn how to study and what things to look for. But that is something I will also talk about later.
Sidenote, I was in a trade with a new missionary and it is amazing how well prepared these new missionaries are coming in. He told me not to speak in English cause he knows Portugues. So we talked in Portugues all day.
Tonight Elder Johnson and I have a Family Night in the house of a part member family. We are trying to get hold of the Branch President to get him there too with his family. This part member family is also going to get the process for marriage started tomorrow or Wednesday. We are excited for that.
So When Elder Godoy came, he talked about a lot of things but one thing he talked about is something that only missionaries will understand (or maybe ex-missionaries too). He said that there are two types of missionaries, well maybe two types of teaching styles. One is the Christ-Like Attributes missionary and the other is the Chapter 10 teaching technics missionary. These are the two sides. The Christ-Like Attribute missionary just thinks about the spirit. He is always asking if you have felt the spirit. He is timid to talk with others but has very good personal studies and personal prayers. The Chapter 10 missionary is very good at talking with people. He teaches and uses everything in the right way. He does contacts easily but his personal study is not the best. he can't concentrate on his study and during his prayers. He's a go and do it missionary.
It is amazing how true this is about every single missionary. But now we think of this as a scale we should always strive for 50% Christ-like attribute missionary and 50% chapter 10 missionary. We will have the spirit and we will open our mouths. It was something that I thought was cool.
Another thing he taught was about the size of our calling as missionaries. When we arrived on the mission, we weren't really close to the size of our calling. But as we strive, we grow. By the end of the 2 years we should be the size of our calling. We should have grown completely through-out the 2 years. He then warned us to not be at 1 year on our mission and have only grown the size of a 5 month missionary and not to be at 1 and a half years and not have grow at all.
- Hide quoted text -
Who isn't progressing, is falling behind
I love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sorry
Dear family,
Sorry... unfortantely that is the first word of this email.
My companion and I are so tired. Today we played soccer as a zone and we are barely getting through our emails. My companion is just typing with one hand because he's exhausted. To put more on top we helped move a family this week too. It was amazing. They needed it Elder Johnson and I loved doing it. But now all the physical stuff is getting to me. Moving on Saturday, soccer today... I'm about ready to fall asleep... But Endure to the End is always the motto.
I learned some unhappy news. You know how the mail was on strike here. Well since there were so many letters. A lot of places threw away about 80% of the letters. Sorry if you sent a letter fam. It probably was thrown away.
We have an investigator who is really good. He was a reference of a member. He went to church and loved it. We need to work with him a little bit more. He has little problems with A palavra de Sabedoria (The word of Wisdom) but he really wants to change his life. His name (get ready) is Mike Tyson. I couldn't believe my ears when he said that. His dad named him Mike Tyson. But he'll definately get baptized some day.
Edicarlos is doing fine. We are excited because he won't work this Sunday and he can go to church. We are really excited for him to actually go and experience church.
I was studying in the "First World Training Leadership Meeting". There is a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley where he talks about missionary work. It is an amazing talk. I loved it. It talks about all aspects of missionary work from members to the missionaries themselves.
I love you.
Every single one of you.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Sorry... unfortantely that is the first word of this email.
My companion and I are so tired. Today we played soccer as a zone and we are barely getting through our emails. My companion is just typing with one hand because he's exhausted. To put more on top we helped move a family this week too. It was amazing. They needed it Elder Johnson and I loved doing it. But now all the physical stuff is getting to me. Moving on Saturday, soccer today... I'm about ready to fall asleep... But Endure to the End is always the motto.
I learned some unhappy news. You know how the mail was on strike here. Well since there were so many letters. A lot of places threw away about 80% of the letters. Sorry if you sent a letter fam. It probably was thrown away.
We have an investigator who is really good. He was a reference of a member. He went to church and loved it. We need to work with him a little bit more. He has little problems with A palavra de Sabedoria (The word of Wisdom) but he really wants to change his life. His name (get ready) is Mike Tyson. I couldn't believe my ears when he said that. His dad named him Mike Tyson. But he'll definately get baptized some day.
Edicarlos is doing fine. We are excited because he won't work this Sunday and he can go to church. We are really excited for him to actually go and experience church.
I was studying in the "First World Training Leadership Meeting". There is a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley where he talks about missionary work. It is an amazing talk. I loved it. It talks about all aspects of missionary work from members to the missionaries themselves.
I love you.
Every single one of you.
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 31, 2011
Pedregal - one big hill
REPLY!!!! NOW. GO!!!!
Hello my dear family.
Thanks for all the Birthday wishes and all the love that I have been getting. It's great. Thanks for the package... I literally got it... today, two hours ago but I haven't opened it yet. With the mail strike and everything I was thinking that I was going to sing like Harry Potter. "Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, no presents, no body, happy birthday to me." But now I won't have to. The mail has opened up and I got flooded with letters today. One even all the way from Kenya (Elder Hodges). That was an awesome suprise. He is already done with his first transfer. That's just crazy.
Something that totally turn my world over was that our mission president said we could get on Facebook ONCE and update it with our testimony. I thought that was pretty smart.
Well, I'm actually doing pretty great. Wonderful actually. My companion and I are doing our best to milk our area, leave with members everyday and talk with more people. We are having some pretty good expereinces but wow... we are working so hard that when Sunday comes... we are so tired... we literally can't get out of bed. But we do. We go to church and word a little bit more. It's pretty fun.
Life is just flying by. Honestly... it's crazy how fast it flies by. When I got the email asking when my release date would be my world basically turned upsidedown shook itself for a while, did a couple of backflips as my body exploded. The computer quite literally went straight through my mind. But normality has been established and with a quiet fright, I move on. It's literally coming too fast.
Anyways. Just so you know I'm wonderful.
On the 10th of Nov we are going to have some visits from general authorities, Elder Mazzarguard and Elder Evans. It's going to be so cool. The mission has been quite low in baptisms in the last while. Honestly, it's like we were running, then got tired, now we are walking taking a joyride looking at all the cool things. But me and my companion have been seeing some amazing things happen around us and with us. Missionaries finding miracles and receiving blessing, baptisms happening. My district leader is having weekly baptisms and I want to be like him. He is actually one of my old companions, Elder Romero, if you remember him. He is an amazing missionary and is baptizing almost everyweek.
Anyways. I'm sending some pics. I hope you like them cause I do.
So I have been working on memorizing D&C 4 this week and it has been giving me added strength. It's so cool to see how scriptures help. Honestly. Memorize one. See the added strength you with receiving.
Endure to the End
I love you
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 24, 2011
Forgiveness
Hello my dear family,
So I'm not as tired today, So this letter will probably be a lot better. I hope.
The only problem is that I have no clue where to start from. I don't know.
Well, today we had interviews with our president and that was pretty fun. Also the Sister of the mission went and looked at our house and let me tell you, it was not very good. Our house is pretty much a mess. From other missionaries to us. We just haven't cleaned it up yet. We started and halfway through our process, Sister Gaertner went to our house. So that might be an interesting thing for you to hear. I'm still working on those clean organized skills unfortunately.
So yeah. Mission.
So in the area I'm working in right now I have only worked about 3 full days. Because of sickness, trainings, district meeting and trades I haven't had a lot of time in my area. After 2 weeks, I don't know any of the members... yet. But I will get to know them and me and my companion have high hopes that we will get done what needs to be done.
So lately I have read "the Miracle of forgiveness" Wow!!! That is a great book. It is so spiritually strong and is amazing. I loved it so much. The way it is written is so good and I loved learning about Forgiveness that we have for the wrong things we do. I am working to be better everyday so that I can help God even more everyday.
Well I Love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
So I'm not as tired today, So this letter will probably be a lot better. I hope.
The only problem is that I have no clue where to start from. I don't know.
Well, today we had interviews with our president and that was pretty fun. Also the Sister of the mission went and looked at our house and let me tell you, it was not very good. Our house is pretty much a mess. From other missionaries to us. We just haven't cleaned it up yet. We started and halfway through our process, Sister Gaertner went to our house. So that might be an interesting thing for you to hear. I'm still working on those clean organized skills unfortunately.
So yeah. Mission.
So in the area I'm working in right now I have only worked about 3 full days. Because of sickness, trainings, district meeting and trades I haven't had a lot of time in my area. After 2 weeks, I don't know any of the members... yet. But I will get to know them and me and my companion have high hopes that we will get done what needs to be done.
So lately I have read "the Miracle of forgiveness" Wow!!! That is a great book. It is so spiritually strong and is amazing. I loved it so much. The way it is written is so good and I loved learning about Forgiveness that we have for the wrong things we do. I am working to be better everyday so that I can help God even more everyday.
Well I Love you
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 10, 2011
Transfer - Pedregal
Caro FamÃlia
It is 15:30 hours and I'm doing good... and you?
So, news. I have been transfered again. I left ValparaÃso (which probably is my favorite area up to now in all my mission, I was sad but I know that the Lord needs me somewhere else) and I am now in Pedregal. Pedregal is just a hill... from what I've seen in the last 2 hours... I think I'm going to have pretty toned legs after this area. Wow... Hills, hills and more hills. This area is famous in breaking missionaries too. There was a missionary who broke his foot here and also an other who got knee problems from this place. I'll take pictures of the crazy hills for you... They literally are crazy... you will get tired just from looking at them.
I don't know anything about the area, nothing about my companion except that his name is Elder Johnson and he is from Ogden, Utah. Elder Johnson has about 1 year and 6 months on the mission and from what I've seen this transfer is going to be awesome.
Pedregal is a branch but it is really close to becoming a ward. Really, really close. This place (from what I've heard) is just a miracle. It's growing so fast and the branch is working so hard. We will see what happens... I'm excited to be here.
I want to do an activity with you.
Grab a paper
Write down something that is really noble, something that is noble to do or to say. Anything and everything.
John 15:13 is a good and noble thing.
Matthew 22:36-40 is also something noble and is actually a commandment.
There are many things that are noble in our lives. Many many things. Just remember to do them. Do the right things. Be noble
Endure to the End
Te amo
Signing Out
Elder Barry
It is 15:30 hours and I'm doing good... and you?
So, news. I have been transfered again. I left ValparaÃso (which probably is my favorite area up to now in all my mission, I was sad but I know that the Lord needs me somewhere else) and I am now in Pedregal. Pedregal is just a hill... from what I've seen in the last 2 hours... I think I'm going to have pretty toned legs after this area. Wow... Hills, hills and more hills. This area is famous in breaking missionaries too. There was a missionary who broke his foot here and also an other who got knee problems from this place. I'll take pictures of the crazy hills for you... They literally are crazy... you will get tired just from looking at them.
I don't know anything about the area, nothing about my companion except that his name is Elder Johnson and he is from Ogden, Utah. Elder Johnson has about 1 year and 6 months on the mission and from what I've seen this transfer is going to be awesome.
Pedregal is a branch but it is really close to becoming a ward. Really, really close. This place (from what I've heard) is just a miracle. It's growing so fast and the branch is working so hard. We will see what happens... I'm excited to be here.
I want to do an activity with you.
Grab a paper
Write down something that is really noble, something that is noble to do or to say. Anything and everything.
John 15:13 is a good and noble thing.
Matthew 22:36-40 is also something noble and is actually a commandment.
There are many things that are noble in our lives. Many many things. Just remember to do them. Do the right things. Be noble
Endure to the End
Te amo
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, October 03, 2011
Become 'fat'
Dear Family,
Yeah, that is kind of bad about the mail strike. I don't know what will happen. If the package you sent gets here and just sits at the post office then someone might think... "Hey, I wonder what is inside this one. It came from the United States. I wonder what will happen if I open it." I'm just kindding... maybe. I don't know. I don't know how long it's going to be out of service. The banks are on strike too. They don't accept the public inside. You can go to the ATM. But besides that... it's nothing. The good thing is I only need the ATM..
I just am feeling old. Really old. I don't know why. I just do.
Wow, I saw the photos on the blog of Leah's break and wow, I don't think I've ever done it that way... ouch. I think it might have hurt and it makes me cringe a little. Leah, I know your pain. I got my arm "Manipulated" which means they are going to rebreak it. So I might of felt what you are feeling.
I wish I would of gotten 8$ per tooth... wow.
I hope all the neices and nephews are doing great. I think it's weird that there are a couple... not a couple... there are a lot I don't know yet. They are growing up. People are changing. It's so weird. How is this all happening. It's going by too fast. 21 Neices and Nephews is a lot. wow...
I would love to hear from you Fam. Any news, even insignificante to you is wonderful for me. I love you, so the things you love are the things I love too. That's what love is, isn't it?
When they announced the second temple in Provo, I was in the "English room" with a whole bunch of missionaries. I'm the only one from Provo, Utah. I literally screamed with shouts of joy. I can't wait til it's done.
Man, Costco... that is something I haven't heard about for about a year. I forgot about it.
Anyways. CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!!!!
I LOVED IT SO MUCH
IT'S LIKE THE SUPERBOWL FOR MISSIONARIES!!!!!!!
I had 3 talks that I loved the most. 2 for now and 1 for the future that I liked.
Elder Holland's talk was amazing. It was powerful, bold, vigorus and had so much love. It makes a person want to change. I want to change. I want to be on the right team. I want to open my mouth. I need to continue to become better and better. That's why I loved this talk.
Also Matthew O. Richardson was amazing. I loved how he talked about teaching. It was something that I can apply here on the mission and also think about after the mission. But for now just for the mission.
Then the talk about raising your daughter. Honestly, I'm glad I don't have to worry about it right now but it's amazing how the Lord will calm our fears or give us information to keep so we can use them in later years. God is thinking about the past, the present and the future all at the same time. He knows that there are many men who needed that talk.
I was looking at my notes this morning from conference and I came to the conclusion that the theme in General Conference was 1 Timothy 4:12. We must look to the youth. Help them grow by being an example to them, an example in everything. That scripture was used so many times during conference and I think I could sum everything up in it.
"Be thou an Example of the Believers"
I like how it doesn't say "Be thou an Example" or "Be thou an Example of Men" or "Be thou an Example of the World". It tells us to be an Example of the BELIEVERS". It tells us to be an example to our friends in church, at school and with everyone who believes.
How can we be "Examples of the Believers"?
The scripture answers it for us. In word, thought, deed, charity, purity and others too.
Well how do we gain these things?
Lets go the the scriptures again.
2 Nephi 31:20. Feast upon the Words of Christ for they will show you all things that ye must do.
2 Nephi 25:26 We preach of Christ, teach of Christ, talk of Christ so that our posterity will know by which source they should look to receive redemption, forgiveness and love.
Ether 12:27 We are humble before Christ so that He can make us strong.
D&C 112:10 Be thou humble
And there are so many more. Feast on them. Learn of them. Study not just read... FEAST!!!
Who goes to a giant banquet and only eats 1 pea? Now we go to eat everything we can until we can't. Then we stop, wait some more and then do it all over again. It's just like Thanksgiving. How many times a day do we stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving? Many times.
The scriptures are the same thing. We will feast then the next day feast again. Then the next day feast again. With food that is probably an unhealthy habit but with the "Words of Christ" we will grow and learn. We will become better. We will have more knowlegde.
So let us study everyday.
Let us become "fat" on the "Words of Christ"
Endure to the End
Be Thou and Example of the Believers
With Much love
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Yeah, that is kind of bad about the mail strike. I don't know what will happen. If the package you sent gets here and just sits at the post office then someone might think... "Hey, I wonder what is inside this one. It came from the United States. I wonder what will happen if I open it." I'm just kindding... maybe. I don't know. I don't know how long it's going to be out of service. The banks are on strike too. They don't accept the public inside. You can go to the ATM. But besides that... it's nothing. The good thing is I only need the ATM..
I just am feeling old. Really old. I don't know why. I just do.
Wow, I saw the photos on the blog of Leah's break and wow, I don't think I've ever done it that way... ouch. I think it might have hurt and it makes me cringe a little. Leah, I know your pain. I got my arm "Manipulated" which means they are going to rebreak it. So I might of felt what you are feeling.
I wish I would of gotten 8$ per tooth... wow.
I hope all the neices and nephews are doing great. I think it's weird that there are a couple... not a couple... there are a lot I don't know yet. They are growing up. People are changing. It's so weird. How is this all happening. It's going by too fast. 21 Neices and Nephews is a lot. wow...
I would love to hear from you Fam. Any news, even insignificante to you is wonderful for me. I love you, so the things you love are the things I love too. That's what love is, isn't it?
When they announced the second temple in Provo, I was in the "English room" with a whole bunch of missionaries. I'm the only one from Provo, Utah. I literally screamed with shouts of joy. I can't wait til it's done.
Man, Costco... that is something I haven't heard about for about a year. I forgot about it.
Anyways. CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!!!!
I LOVED IT SO MUCH
IT'S LIKE THE SUPERBOWL FOR MISSIONARIES!!!!!!!
I had 3 talks that I loved the most. 2 for now and 1 for the future that I liked.
Elder Holland's talk was amazing. It was powerful, bold, vigorus and had so much love. It makes a person want to change. I want to change. I want to be on the right team. I want to open my mouth. I need to continue to become better and better. That's why I loved this talk.
Also Matthew O. Richardson was amazing. I loved how he talked about teaching. It was something that I can apply here on the mission and also think about after the mission. But for now just for the mission.
Then the talk about raising your daughter. Honestly, I'm glad I don't have to worry about it right now but it's amazing how the Lord will calm our fears or give us information to keep so we can use them in later years. God is thinking about the past, the present and the future all at the same time. He knows that there are many men who needed that talk.
I was looking at my notes this morning from conference and I came to the conclusion that the theme in General Conference was 1 Timothy 4:12. We must look to the youth. Help them grow by being an example to them, an example in everything. That scripture was used so many times during conference and I think I could sum everything up in it.
"Be thou an Example of the Believers"
I like how it doesn't say "Be thou an Example" or "Be thou an Example of Men" or "Be thou an Example of the World". It tells us to be an Example of the BELIEVERS". It tells us to be an example to our friends in church, at school and with everyone who believes.
How can we be "Examples of the Believers"?
The scripture answers it for us. In word, thought, deed, charity, purity and others too.
Well how do we gain these things?
Lets go the the scriptures again.
2 Nephi 31:20. Feast upon the Words of Christ for they will show you all things that ye must do.
2 Nephi 25:26 We preach of Christ, teach of Christ, talk of Christ so that our posterity will know by which source they should look to receive redemption, forgiveness and love.
Ether 12:27 We are humble before Christ so that He can make us strong.
D&C 112:10 Be thou humble
And there are so many more. Feast on them. Learn of them. Study not just read... FEAST!!!
Who goes to a giant banquet and only eats 1 pea? Now we go to eat everything we can until we can't. Then we stop, wait some more and then do it all over again. It's just like Thanksgiving. How many times a day do we stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving? Many times.
The scriptures are the same thing. We will feast then the next day feast again. Then the next day feast again. With food that is probably an unhealthy habit but with the "Words of Christ" we will grow and learn. We will become better. We will have more knowlegde.
So let us study everyday.
Let us become "fat" on the "Words of Christ"
Endure to the End
Be Thou and Example of the Believers
With Much love
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Monday, September 26, 2011
Baptisms and Training
Family
Today is the 26th of september in the year 2011. I am in a Lan House with weird video game sounds going on in the background. My companion is next to me. I'm wearing a silver/white tie and have a mechanical pencil and an orange pen. I'm wearing a watch and of course all my clothes. Black pants. White shirt. Black/Brown shoes(because of the dirt).
Well, first the bad news. The mail service here in Brasil is on strike... So I won't be sending or receiving letters for a little while. Not forever... but still send them. When they open up then I'll get a whole bunch of letters. Remember, I only can send and receive e-mails from my FAMILY, not everyone else. Just my FAMILY. :D (Mission Rule)
Well, good news. It rained here. After about 4 to 6 months without rain. That was welcomed. We are entering the rainy season and it's going to be wet. I accidentally left my umbrella in my last area so I need to buy a new one somewhere. One that won't break fast too.
Leah broke her Wrist? Congrats!!!! It's a first in a life time. I know exactly how that feels. It has happened to me, too. I think out of the 4 broken wrists (I think it's four... there have been a lot) 2 of them (our 1 of them) was on a scooter, too. But I have never had to get any pins, screws or rods. We'll leave those to Mark and I think Jess. Just hope they don't have to do "Manipulation" on you. One good thing about broken wrists was that in middle school (like leah), I actually got a Laptop from the school to take notes and to write papers and everything. But that was because it was my right hand. The writing hand.
I feel fat. Not bloated... But I have extra skin in places that I didn't even know that I had skin at. I'm getting pretty good at sticking out my belly though. I got the pants you sent... and the shirts too.
Yeah. It's only on Sunday... Our Zone has taken a little fall... But It's because some of the missionaries need to be remained on what to do. But I think it's going along better with D&C 58 Verses (I think) 26-29. The ones that say that men need to be engaged in a good cause with their own and free choice.
I know how it is to go through clothes... I've stopped liking them and just wear them. I try to look nice. The only things that I really worry about are the ties. Because they can't really be replaced as easy. Don't get me wrong. I'm using everything nicely. But ties are just a little bit easier to clean.
Yeah. I'm so grateful that I got here really fast and easily.
I really wish I had just the straight up trainings. I would have loved it. Spiritual training is really good. I know a missionary who is really close to leaving that is really good technically but you don't feel the spirit. Then I know a lot of missionaries who have little technically but everything spiritually. Usually the Spirit, well always... the spirit is better.
I have not heard much about a new training really. We have all the lessons with the Doctrine of Christ – the Missionary purpose, The role of the Holy Ghost in conversion, revelation through the Book of Mormon, through church attendance and through prayer. Teaching people, not lessons and inviting people to make commitments. but nothing really big on training them. We try... but we need a real program. The DVD really helps out with that part though.
Oh that's right. We now are using DVD players in our mission. Every house has 1 so we are using it a lot.
We just got out of the cold season... Because there was no rain for 5ish months... But now it's getting colder and hotter everyday. It's strange I know... But hotter because it's summer (almost) here and colder because of the rain.
We had a baptism... it was really happy and amazing. The person getting baptized brought about 10 friends to watch the baptism. It was a miracle. No on came to church though which was sad but the lady got confirmed which was good. So like always... We are sad but stay happy. Sad the people don't want to learn about this amazing plan and church God has for us and happy because D&C 18:15-16. So we continue. We have a lady here (Fatima) that said (about the last baptism that she couldn't go to) "e logo meu chegará" which means... soon, my baptism is coming. Fatima is the mother of 3 childeren who have about 25 years of age. She has about 50 years of age and really is loving the church. She's really progressing. We are going to take her to General Conference then she'll get baptized probably on the 8th (which is also the last week of transfers.) She is amazing. She's happy and loves the church. Pray for her that nothing will stop her from being baptized.
That's us here in ValparaÃso. Everything is wonderful and great.
Stay Happy
Do What is Right
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Today is the 26th of september in the year 2011. I am in a Lan House with weird video game sounds going on in the background. My companion is next to me. I'm wearing a silver/white tie and have a mechanical pencil and an orange pen. I'm wearing a watch and of course all my clothes. Black pants. White shirt. Black/Brown shoes(because of the dirt).
Well, first the bad news. The mail service here in Brasil is on strike... So I won't be sending or receiving letters for a little while. Not forever... but still send them. When they open up then I'll get a whole bunch of letters. Remember, I only can send and receive e-mails from my FAMILY, not everyone else. Just my FAMILY. :D (Mission Rule)
Well, good news. It rained here. After about 4 to 6 months without rain. That was welcomed. We are entering the rainy season and it's going to be wet. I accidentally left my umbrella in my last area so I need to buy a new one somewhere. One that won't break fast too.
Leah broke her Wrist? Congrats!!!! It's a first in a life time. I know exactly how that feels. It has happened to me, too. I think out of the 4 broken wrists (I think it's four... there have been a lot) 2 of them (our 1 of them) was on a scooter, too. But I have never had to get any pins, screws or rods. We'll leave those to Mark and I think Jess. Just hope they don't have to do "Manipulation" on you. One good thing about broken wrists was that in middle school (like leah), I actually got a Laptop from the school to take notes and to write papers and everything. But that was because it was my right hand. The writing hand.
I feel fat. Not bloated... But I have extra skin in places that I didn't even know that I had skin at. I'm getting pretty good at sticking out my belly though. I got the pants you sent... and the shirts too.
Yeah. It's only on Sunday... Our Zone has taken a little fall... But It's because some of the missionaries need to be remained on what to do. But I think it's going along better with D&C 58 Verses (I think) 26-29. The ones that say that men need to be engaged in a good cause with their own and free choice.
I know how it is to go through clothes... I've stopped liking them and just wear them. I try to look nice. The only things that I really worry about are the ties. Because they can't really be replaced as easy. Don't get me wrong. I'm using everything nicely. But ties are just a little bit easier to clean.
Yeah. I'm so grateful that I got here really fast and easily.
I really wish I had just the straight up trainings. I would have loved it. Spiritual training is really good. I know a missionary who is really close to leaving that is really good technically but you don't feel the spirit. Then I know a lot of missionaries who have little technically but everything spiritually. Usually the Spirit, well always... the spirit is better.
I have not heard much about a new training really. We have all the lessons with the Doctrine of Christ – the Missionary purpose, The role of the Holy Ghost in conversion, revelation through the Book of Mormon, through church attendance and through prayer. Teaching people, not lessons and inviting people to make commitments. but nothing really big on training them. We try... but we need a real program. The DVD really helps out with that part though.
Oh that's right. We now are using DVD players in our mission. Every house has 1 so we are using it a lot.
We just got out of the cold season... Because there was no rain for 5ish months... But now it's getting colder and hotter everyday. It's strange I know... But hotter because it's summer (almost) here and colder because of the rain.
We had a baptism... it was really happy and amazing. The person getting baptized brought about 10 friends to watch the baptism. It was a miracle. No on came to church though which was sad but the lady got confirmed which was good. So like always... We are sad but stay happy. Sad the people don't want to learn about this amazing plan and church God has for us and happy because D&C 18:15-16. So we continue. We have a lady here (Fatima) that said (about the last baptism that she couldn't go to) "e logo meu chegará" which means... soon, my baptism is coming. Fatima is the mother of 3 childeren who have about 25 years of age. She has about 50 years of age and really is loving the church. She's really progressing. We are going to take her to General Conference then she'll get baptized probably on the 8th (which is also the last week of transfers.) She is amazing. She's happy and loves the church. Pray for her that nothing will stop her from being baptized.
That's us here in ValparaÃso. Everything is wonderful and great.
Stay Happy
Do What is Right
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Elder Barry
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Miracles in Valparaiso
Hello FamÃlia
So I'm here in ValparaÃso and from what I've been hearing from Dad and from Elder Mace, ValparaÃso is a place of miracles in the USA and in Chile too. Whelp, here in Brazil it's a miracle too. Let me tell you a quick background about ValparaÃso here in Brazil. It's was named after ValparaÃso in Chile. There was a monk (I'm pretty sure it's this way) that came here from ValparaÃso, Chile and settled... ValparaÃso Brazil. So anyway from that cool stuff it definitely is a miracle.
But just to make all of you sit on the edge of your seats... I'm doing a detour.
On the mission I have really learned the strategy of problem solving. I wrote down all the problems of our area this morning and then found a solution that could probably cover all our problems. Our solution is Contacts. We really need to do a lot more. Open our mouths and just talk with people. I'm happier when I do it. So it must be a good thing because nothing good will go against Christ (Moroni 10:6)
I'm also learning how not to be stressed out. But that will also be spoken about... later.
Detouring still.
I'm learning more and more how to work with the members and get them involved more and more with missionary work. It's a wonderful thing that happens. I love it. The members here in ValparaÃso are just amazing. They love to help. The only thing we need to do is invite them to help and keep inviting them and they'll do amazing things. They literally do everything that we can't, which is another thing that will be spoken about later.
Elder Evans is wonderful. Our relationship is amazing. We are working really well together and have so many inside jokes and funny stories of things that have happened to us. The best part is that Elder Evans lives in California... so when he gets back... it looks like a road trip!!!
Sad new. Tania, that really good investigator, still wants to get baptized but she is placing a lot of things before God. This week she said she couldn't go to church because of the equivalent of the USA "Drivers ED". So that's going to have to wait for a while longer unfortunately. But you know we can't force them, just love them.
Anyway, after the road tripping detours... We have arrived at the point where you can let go of your seats.
We have seen a lot of miracles this week, I mean a lot. Let’s just say Baptism, Spirit, Members and Dates.
There is a girl named Mônica who is going to get married to an inactive member from another ward. She actually wanted to get to know the church a while back and she asked her inactive boyfriend to take her. So he did. She lives in our area. She came to church here one week, one week somewhere else and went back a forth going to church every week. Well, last Sunday she told some members that she wanted to get baptized so the member found us and we talked with her. We went to her house (which is in the farthest neighborhood in our area.. of course.) Taught her everything in 2 visits and yesterday she was baptized and loved it. That was a miracle. The spirit was so strong and she cried. I included a picture of it.
Another miracle. There is a wife of a member that was part of another church. After 3 years she has decided to get baptized and we marked a date for the 24th of September. Another miracle and amazing thing is we had a member in the lesson with us. When they (the non-member wife and the member husband) didn't really accept the baptism date the member jumped in and basically marked the date for us. We are really glad that member was there because this lady didn’t understand our Portuguese. (I don't know why but she basically didn't understand a word, maybe she will get used to it. Or maybe I need to work on my Portuguese a lot more... I think the second choice is better.) So now she's going to get baptized in two weeks.
Another miracle happened this week. We marked a date with a lady for this weekend. She's excited about the church and really is amazing. It's Fatima that I already told you about. She has a date now and will most likely get baptized. We are way excited. She is really strong and is going to all the activities that the women are doing here.
Well that's it for my amazing week.
Pictures are of the baptism.
A downed power line we found as we were walking through the city.
The district I'm in. (The really funny missionary that's really close to the camera is my companion.)
I love you all
Endure to the End
Signing Out
So I'm here in ValparaÃso and from what I've been hearing from Dad and from Elder Mace, ValparaÃso is a place of miracles in the USA and in Chile too. Whelp, here in Brazil it's a miracle too. Let me tell you a quick background about ValparaÃso here in Brazil. It's was named after ValparaÃso in Chile. There was a monk (I'm pretty sure it's this way) that came here from ValparaÃso, Chile and settled... ValparaÃso Brazil. So anyway from that cool stuff it definitely is a miracle.
But just to make all of you sit on the edge of your seats... I'm doing a detour.
On the mission I have really learned the strategy of problem solving. I wrote down all the problems of our area this morning and then found a solution that could probably cover all our problems. Our solution is Contacts. We really need to do a lot more. Open our mouths and just talk with people. I'm happier when I do it. So it must be a good thing because nothing good will go against Christ (Moroni 10:6)
I'm also learning how not to be stressed out. But that will also be spoken about... later.
Detouring still.
I'm learning more and more how to work with the members and get them involved more and more with missionary work. It's a wonderful thing that happens. I love it. The members here in ValparaÃso are just amazing. They love to help. The only thing we need to do is invite them to help and keep inviting them and they'll do amazing things. They literally do everything that we can't, which is another thing that will be spoken about later.
Elder Evans is wonderful. Our relationship is amazing. We are working really well together and have so many inside jokes and funny stories of things that have happened to us. The best part is that Elder Evans lives in California... so when he gets back... it looks like a road trip!!!
Sad new. Tania, that really good investigator, still wants to get baptized but she is placing a lot of things before God. This week she said she couldn't go to church because of the equivalent of the USA "Drivers ED". So that's going to have to wait for a while longer unfortunately. But you know we can't force them, just love them.
Anyway, after the road tripping detours... We have arrived at the point where you can let go of your seats.
We have seen a lot of miracles this week, I mean a lot. Let’s just say Baptism, Spirit, Members and Dates.
There is a girl named Mônica who is going to get married to an inactive member from another ward. She actually wanted to get to know the church a while back and she asked her inactive boyfriend to take her. So he did. She lives in our area. She came to church here one week, one week somewhere else and went back a forth going to church every week. Well, last Sunday she told some members that she wanted to get baptized so the member found us and we talked with her. We went to her house (which is in the farthest neighborhood in our area.. of course.) Taught her everything in 2 visits and yesterday she was baptized and loved it. That was a miracle. The spirit was so strong and she cried. I included a picture of it.
Another miracle. There is a wife of a member that was part of another church. After 3 years she has decided to get baptized and we marked a date for the 24th of September. Another miracle and amazing thing is we had a member in the lesson with us. When they (the non-member wife and the member husband) didn't really accept the baptism date the member jumped in and basically marked the date for us. We are really glad that member was there because this lady didn’t understand our Portuguese. (I don't know why but she basically didn't understand a word, maybe she will get used to it. Or maybe I need to work on my Portuguese a lot more... I think the second choice is better.) So now she's going to get baptized in two weeks.
Another miracle happened this week. We marked a date with a lady for this weekend. She's excited about the church and really is amazing. It's Fatima that I already told you about. She has a date now and will most likely get baptized. We are way excited. She is really strong and is going to all the activities that the women are doing here.
Well that's it for my amazing week.
Pictures are of the baptism.
A downed power line we found as we were walking through the city.
The district I'm in. (The really funny missionary that's really close to the camera is my companion.)
I love you all
Endure to the End
Signing Out
Monday, September 05, 2011
Dear Family,
Well, I'm here. I'm alive. I'm pretty happy. Excited. Great. I'm pretty sure that these last few day have been wonderful days. I love to think of it that way. I've been learning that a bad attitude won't help anyone and that we need to always be happy.
Wow, the world is going by so fast. Things are moving so fast. Mom, I agree, when will this slow down or in other words when will this speed up, too. I feel that everything is going by so fast but then everything is going so slow. There was a poem that our last Mission presidents wife sent that left these same feelings. Things are moving so fast when you want them to go slow. It's a little bit confusing but Mom, I understand the feeling.
Ashlyn Ann Barry!!!! WOO HOO!!! Para Bens!!! Para bens pra você minha querida. O batismo é um da coisas mais importante. Continua lendo O Livro de Mormon e confia em seus pais aqui na terra e lá no céu. I love you so much. Gain a strong testimony about the Book of Mormon and never leave it. Build it up so that no one can ever try to take it down. Eu Te AMO!!
Wow, 21 Sobrinhos that's crazy awesome. I tell members and pesquisadores (Investigators) about this and they just flip out. It's not very common here in Brasil to have a giant family. Well at least in the area that I'm working in. When I tell people about my family and show them pictures, they think we are crazy, amazing, heros e down right strange. Mom, I have heard that you are such a hero from so many women here in Brasil. Same with all my sisters. All 8 of you women are down right heros. (and down right strange too, but hey, who isn't in our family.)
Eu Amo Vocês
One thing I'm happy about the mission is that I can learn to be like Elder Haw. Mom, I really need to do better. A lot better, I need to stop using the personal account for stuff. I need to organize everything and plan everything out so that I can live with a lot less than what I'm using. I'm not the best, but I'm trying.
Elder Allred sounds like an amazing missionary. I can improve so much, I can do things a whole lot better.
So here in our area right now, we are planning a treinamento or a training in English for the ward about how to talk to people . We are going to plan an activity so that they can invite friends and everyone to come to church. It's something that I'm excited to get going. We also are planning that church tour, This week we are going to really focus on that and plan everything with the LMA (WML or Ward Mission Leader). Also our LMA is amazing. He's so excited about the work and has this amazing idea to put on an expo in the Shopping Mall here with giant pictures and missionaries and put down all the chapels in this region. That's more of a problem here, people want to go to church but don't know where it is or we never find them or they just have never seen it. There really are a lot of people who really know nothing about the church here, so we are going to start the planning of this giant expo.
So yeah. Our week was pretty good. I felt like there was more improvment in our work. The people we met, taught and invited and everything. I really am pretty happy about our work and I know that I'm here so that I can grow and learn from my companion and from the investigatos and from the members too. I love this area.
This last week we met some new people and we actually marked 4 dates this week which was a giant miracle. A really, really big miracle here in our area. Some of course have fallen since but the ones that we are still working with are amazing, Golden and just perfect. I can't believe it. I have never seen so many people who want to learn more and progress to being baptized. I honestly never thought it would happen, but as Elder Holland once said about the blessings from the Lord "Some may come now, Some may come later and some won't come until Heaven" I'm sure that there are things waiting for me to do and people that are waiting for me to talk to them.
We have three maybe four people who we are looking as possibles to get baptized this month.
Tião (and his mom Raimunda)
Fatima
Tania
Tião is amazing and a little crazy, but his crazyness is just from his love about the gospel. When we were teaching him, he said that this church is probably the most correct church or the Correct church. He's really excited to get to know the church. His mom, we have only met once but we have great hopes for her because she said (Translating from portugues to English) "This church has the name of Jesus Christ so it must be his church and the only true church" So we are going to work that one out and help them go to church this sunday. I'm excited.
Fatima we actually met about 2 weeks ago but she is loving the church and is going to all the activities of the women. She just loves it. I heard that she actually taught the Plan of Salvation about the Three Kingdoms and who goes to all the Kingdoms. Fatima actually doesn't want us to walk past her house to get her to go to church because she said that if she gets used to it and only goes for us, she wont stay strong. She wants to go because she wants to go.
Tania is a cousin of one of the members in a different area but she is golden too. She loved church, already has a testimony about the church and knows that this is the only one and true church. She just has some questions about the Book of Mormon so we are going to help her with that. Tania also wants to stay firm. She doesn't want to get baptized and fall away. That's her biggest fear (Because that basically happened to someone she knows.) She want to be firm forever.
We have other amazing people that we have met. Brasil is just amazing actually and I'm so happy that I'm here.
Our Recent convert Renan wants to serve a mission but unfortunally can't because he will turn 26 in 2 weeks. But he is studying a lot. He's read the Bible and is reading the Book of Mormon. We got in contact with the bishop and he is going to give all the "Teachings of the prophets" books to Renan. Renan is just amazing.
I understand with everything there is an opposite. It even says that in 2 Nephi 2. I'm pretty sure that everything that happens in our missions is suppost to make us stronger and help us grow. So when I find the harder things, I know I'm doing the right things. Pray so that I will have the hardest mission ever. I want to grow. I don't want to stay the same. I have learned that the best things in life are the hardest. Bring It.
I love you
Endure to the End (which doesn't mean just sitting until the end because people say endure and think "Oh I will endure it and not like it, it's more like Work to the End, Work until the end... then work a little bit more and love it. You'll be a whole lot more happy.)
Signing Out (with Love)
Elder Barry
Well, I'm here. I'm alive. I'm pretty happy. Excited. Great. I'm pretty sure that these last few day have been wonderful days. I love to think of it that way. I've been learning that a bad attitude won't help anyone and that we need to always be happy.
Wow, the world is going by so fast. Things are moving so fast. Mom, I agree, when will this slow down or in other words when will this speed up, too. I feel that everything is going by so fast but then everything is going so slow. There was a poem that our last Mission presidents wife sent that left these same feelings. Things are moving so fast when you want them to go slow. It's a little bit confusing but Mom, I understand the feeling.
Ashlyn Ann Barry!!!! WOO HOO!!! Para Bens!!! Para bens pra você minha querida. O batismo é um da coisas mais importante. Continua lendo O Livro de Mormon e confia em seus pais aqui na terra e lá no céu. I love you so much. Gain a strong testimony about the Book of Mormon and never leave it. Build it up so that no one can ever try to take it down. Eu Te AMO!!
Wow, 21 Sobrinhos that's crazy awesome. I tell members and pesquisadores (Investigators) about this and they just flip out. It's not very common here in Brasil to have a giant family. Well at least in the area that I'm working in. When I tell people about my family and show them pictures, they think we are crazy, amazing, heros e down right strange. Mom, I have heard that you are such a hero from so many women here in Brasil. Same with all my sisters. All 8 of you women are down right heros. (and down right strange too, but hey, who isn't in our family.)
Eu Amo Vocês
One thing I'm happy about the mission is that I can learn to be like Elder Haw. Mom, I really need to do better. A lot better, I need to stop using the personal account for stuff. I need to organize everything and plan everything out so that I can live with a lot less than what I'm using. I'm not the best, but I'm trying.
Elder Allred sounds like an amazing missionary. I can improve so much, I can do things a whole lot better.
So here in our area right now, we are planning a treinamento or a training in English for the ward about how to talk to people . We are going to plan an activity so that they can invite friends and everyone to come to church. It's something that I'm excited to get going. We also are planning that church tour, This week we are going to really focus on that and plan everything with the LMA (WML or Ward Mission Leader). Also our LMA is amazing. He's so excited about the work and has this amazing idea to put on an expo in the Shopping Mall here with giant pictures and missionaries and put down all the chapels in this region. That's more of a problem here, people want to go to church but don't know where it is or we never find them or they just have never seen it. There really are a lot of people who really know nothing about the church here, so we are going to start the planning of this giant expo.
So yeah. Our week was pretty good. I felt like there was more improvment in our work. The people we met, taught and invited and everything. I really am pretty happy about our work and I know that I'm here so that I can grow and learn from my companion and from the investigatos and from the members too. I love this area.
This last week we met some new people and we actually marked 4 dates this week which was a giant miracle. A really, really big miracle here in our area. Some of course have fallen since but the ones that we are still working with are amazing, Golden and just perfect. I can't believe it. I have never seen so many people who want to learn more and progress to being baptized. I honestly never thought it would happen, but as Elder Holland once said about the blessings from the Lord "Some may come now, Some may come later and some won't come until Heaven" I'm sure that there are things waiting for me to do and people that are waiting for me to talk to them.
We have three maybe four people who we are looking as possibles to get baptized this month.
Tião (and his mom Raimunda)
Fatima
Tania
Tião is amazing and a little crazy, but his crazyness is just from his love about the gospel. When we were teaching him, he said that this church is probably the most correct church or the Correct church. He's really excited to get to know the church. His mom, we have only met once but we have great hopes for her because she said (Translating from portugues to English) "This church has the name of Jesus Christ so it must be his church and the only true church" So we are going to work that one out and help them go to church this sunday. I'm excited.
Fatima we actually met about 2 weeks ago but she is loving the church and is going to all the activities of the women. She just loves it. I heard that she actually taught the Plan of Salvation about the Three Kingdoms and who goes to all the Kingdoms. Fatima actually doesn't want us to walk past her house to get her to go to church because she said that if she gets used to it and only goes for us, she wont stay strong. She wants to go because she wants to go.
Tania is a cousin of one of the members in a different area but she is golden too. She loved church, already has a testimony about the church and knows that this is the only one and true church. She just has some questions about the Book of Mormon so we are going to help her with that. Tania also wants to stay firm. She doesn't want to get baptized and fall away. That's her biggest fear (Because that basically happened to someone she knows.) She want to be firm forever.
We have other amazing people that we have met. Brasil is just amazing actually and I'm so happy that I'm here.
Our Recent convert Renan wants to serve a mission but unfortunally can't because he will turn 26 in 2 weeks. But he is studying a lot. He's read the Bible and is reading the Book of Mormon. We got in contact with the bishop and he is going to give all the "Teachings of the prophets" books to Renan. Renan is just amazing.
I understand with everything there is an opposite. It even says that in 2 Nephi 2. I'm pretty sure that everything that happens in our missions is suppost to make us stronger and help us grow. So when I find the harder things, I know I'm doing the right things. Pray so that I will have the hardest mission ever. I want to grow. I don't want to stay the same. I have learned that the best things in life are the hardest. Bring It.
I love you
Endure to the End (which doesn't mean just sitting until the end because people say endure and think "Oh I will endure it and not like it, it's more like Work to the End, Work until the end... then work a little bit more and love it. You'll be a whole lot more happy.)
Signing Out (with Love)
Elder Barry
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Joy of Baptisms
Dear Family,
How are ya’ll?
I’m doing dandy, Just dandy. I’m wonderful. Happy, Feliz, Alive, awake, alert, Enthusiastic!!!!
ValparaÃso 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
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
New Apartment
Oi minha FamÃlia,
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
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
Thursday, July 28, 2011
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.
ValparaÃso 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
"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.
ValparaÃso 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
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Valparaiso
Hello my Dear Family,
How are you?
I'm doing great.
We had transfers... I'm now in a place called ValparaÃso 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
How are you?
I'm doing great.
We had transfers... I'm now in a place called ValparaÃso 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
Saturday, July 16, 2011
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
...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
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
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
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
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