Hola Mi Familia...
Wow did i have a lot of e-mails to read when i got on here this morning..luckily i just printed them off so it didn't run out all my time. about the letters or e-mail factor i like getting letters because i get them on other days other than wednesday.. but either one is great.. i love hearing from you guys.. i got a letter from you on Tuesday the one you sent monday and it was exactly what i needed to hear and gives me the spiritual boost.. i got fun leters from tales and mindy also but mindy's letters always make me cry.. i dont know why.. but they do! I miss you guys and love hearing from you... luckly everyday i have been in the MTC which has been 14 days now i have gotten at least two letters everyday!! So i am loved! ha ha..but i get really behind writing people back and that is why i just write you an e-mail.. ill be better at writing more letter letters! So after p-day last wednesday we had class as usual. then on Thursday we had class and study time all day again but we were really nervous because our companionship had to go teach the first lesson on Friday and we had to contact someone in Spanish at the Teaching Center here at the MTC... they are just volunteers from BYU but they still try to act like investigators.. so on thursday we were pretend teaching our teacher Hermano Cave and i was telling him we were missionaries from the church and that we had a message for him... but instead of saying message... i said we had a massage for him.. ya don't worry about it.. i was dying laughing and so was he. Then on thursday i was feeling really really nervous with my spanish and we went to a language study workshop and it was amazing what i got out of it... the only thing holding me back from learning this language is my unbelief... faith is a gift.. faith had always come so natural to me before but now i am praying for it and working for it. I have had some great conversations with my Heavenly Father this week and man is he blessing me. On Friday we had our teaching appointment and contacted three people in spanish...even though it was pretend i still felt the spirit there and afterwards our teacher Hermano Cave said we did the best of all the sisters he has ever had... so we felt pretty confident.. then he told me that instead of saying the Atonement of Jesus christ with is expiacion.. i said the expiration date of Jesus Christ... expiracion!! so ya.. i'm doing great... people will think i want to give them massages and expiration
dates!! ha ha.. but we taught the first lesson for the first time and i said joseph smiths first vision from memory and the spirit was so strong... the investigators told our teacher afterwards that they gave us an 8 out of 10! For our first time.. I'll take it!! Sunday we got to hear from Elder D. Todd Christoffersen's wife during Relief Society which was amazing and she talked to us on faith going right along with what i was striving to work on for the week! Then after relief society the branch president asked to talk to me and called me as the cooridinating sister for the zone when the old one leaves in two weeks.. so i get to go to branch meetings and stuff so it will be fun to get to know the presidency more! But he told me not to tell my companions or anyone in our zone yet.. so that is under wraps but exciting!! The old coordinating sister that is leaving in Hermana porter the one who has become like my best friend here and i am so depressed she leaves so soon.. but it is so funny because she was in my room the other night and saw the picture i had up of me and Nikki Anderson Mahoney.. and she was like NOWAY!! Her cousin is my ex-fiance... ha ha.. then we figured otu that i have hung out with ehr before at the
anderson's house and in california before!! The lord truely loves me and constantly blesses me with such tender mercies.. On sunday at Four we did get to go to the Draper Temple Dedication which was amazing to me.. i started bawling when i saw the brethern especially the Prophet in white and it reminded me about the first time i went through the temple and saw my whole family in white!!... the prophet is my brother.. and he loves me like his sister and guides me today!! i know he is a true prophet.. then when he prayed for the missionaries in the dedicatory prayer all i could do was bawl.. there is something unreal that happens inside of you... such a peace when you know people are praying for you.. especially the prophet.... That night for devotional we had the coordinating director for all of misisonary work and he just went over all the rules and being obedient.. it is all kinda getting repeatitous but it is good!! 100% obedience here!! On Monday's we have service, gym and normal classes... then yesterday on Tuesday we had Gym, classes then we had another devotional from a elder in the seventy named Kenneth Johnson.. he is from England and did an incredible job.. hereminded us that we can never get burned out on the mission only on fire by the spirit!! he also told us that here we discover who we are.. it is amazing that i am 21 and through this experience i am finally seeing who i am, what i want to be, and what the lord wants and expects me to accomplish in my life! Then we had district meeting which is always a treat since our
district is so close and the boys are like spiritual, funny giants.. it is like hanging out with Brad, Smalls, and scano again.. great fun.. but one of the elders said, "if you are having a bad day, or discouraged the only people you are hurting are the people you didn't teach!! " I think that is will stick with me the rest of my mission.. i am trying to loose myself in this work.. i struggle with it a little since i love all my friends and fmailiy and loved my life before the mission... but it is slowly coming.. i can't believe i have been here for two weeks but at the same time i can't believe it has only been two weeks!! Some times time flies other times it drags on.. I really like it here and i am doing so good and have such a spiritual high!! i love all of you and miss you so much.. please keep writing me.. especially letters.. thanks for the e-mail mike, kara, mindy, and kinda matt!! ha ha!! I love you all!!! Mom i am happy so don't worry about me.. dad thanks for your sweet e-mail... i love you and you are truly in my head always telling me to chill!! and you would be proud of me i have been quite relaxed! !ha ha.. the language will come with the help of Heavenly Father!! Love you!! my time is blinking at me so i better sendthis!!
Love you,
Hermana Barber!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My First Email
Hola mi familia!!!
So i only have 28 minutes left to write you guys and there is an annoying red number count down on the corner so i'm gonna try to write everything since I have no more time to write a letter today. So this experience has definitely been a roller coaster ride of emotions. I cried on Saturday and at least of a couple of times asked why am i here...but everyone said to wait till Sunday and it gets better and they were right! My first day and a half here we had already learned to bear a simple testimony and prayer in spanish. They really push us here and it is hard but great!! I have two companions... Hermana Crandell who is going to the New York, New York south spanish speaking mission and Hermana Christsensen is going to Texas with me. Hermana Crandell is a sweet heart that is always working and constantly pushes me to be better. Hermana Christensen makes our companionship more of a competition and loves talking about herself... i definitely think this is the quietest I have ever been.. but i am striving to get along with them and love this opportunity. We have fun and laugh together most the time though! I have two teachers that go to BYU named hermano cave and hermana evans and they are great and really fun teachers. My district is actually great and there are four elders all going to New York, New York spanish and they are so funny and spiritual giants... love them! To answer some questions mom asked me.... the food here is alright i mainly eat the salads or the wraps from the bar... we can make our own!! I eat the ice cream from the BYU creamery on Wednesday and Sunday though!! YUMMY!!! Yes i am so happy i brought my seseme street blanket and my max a million teddy bear... they have helped the homesickness... I'm not gonna lie i miss my family and my freedom! I miss being ALONE and not having a companion stuck to your hip but i also know that i was suppose to come on this mission... I was suppose to come spanish speaking it has truly humbled me...made me see my weaknesses and realize i need to relie on God more!! It is amazing the spirit here at the MTC... i think i have prayed more in the last week than i have in my entire life, but during personal and companionship study i almost feel like Heavenly Father is sitting right next to me explaining the scriptures and doctrine to me himself!! My understanding of the scriptures and applying them to myself have been drastically changed and I feel the strength of this
knowledge already. About the gym time we get to go five times a week and there are basketball courts, track, volleyball courts.. i usually go run or bike for twenty minutes, do Charlene's ab routine, then shoot the basketball around.. my first gym was on Saturday and I know it saved me.. i was getting so restless in this place. We also get to go to a place called the RC where we get to make outbound calls to real people to ask them if they have recieved the videos or books they have requested. I talked to a handicap guy on the phone for ten minutes while he just kept telling me he doesn't want anything but the word of God and that our religion was just man made!! All i could do was bear sweet testimony but he wouldn't listen to me or let me
go!! I guess I just got a taste of Texas...but i felt so bad for him.. i wish he would soften his heart and just listen! On Sunday's and on Tuesday nights we have devotionals and on Sunday it was just a guy from the Presidency at the MTC...but they don't tell us who is going to be speaking on Tuesday night devotional.. but guess who it was? ELDER L.TOM PERRY!!! I got to hear from an apostle of the Lord.. i was singing in the choir so I had good seats. It is amazing the feeling of the spirit so strong when they walk into the room... our branch president related it later to how investigators or non members will feel when we as missionaries walk into their house..we must alway stay worthy of that spirit. I definitely got a rebuke though when Elder Perry started talking about the importance of loving and unifying your companionship...since then our companionship has had a complete change of heart and are having a blast and working hard together. My district had a meeting right after the devotional and all our Elder's bore their testimonies and were crying.. they are spiritual giants... They don't even annoy me at all!!ha ha... Brad so i found the perfect girl for you.. her name is Hermana Porter.. 23 and going to Argentina... so i show her a picture of you and Benj from my Homecoming... what a small world she went out with Benj right before she went on her mission!! ask Benj about a Lauren Porter.. she is my coordinating sister here in my zone and she has been my lifesaver and tender mercies. she is just like me and we laugh together and vent to each other... so nice!! oh and by the way anyone can e-mail me i just can only e-mail you guys back!! well i have to run! love you guys so much and i miss you more than you will ever know!! PLEASE WRITE!! Love you!
Hermana Barber
So i only have 28 minutes left to write you guys and there is an annoying red number count down on the corner so i'm gonna try to write everything since I have no more time to write a letter today. So this experience has definitely been a roller coaster ride of emotions. I cried on Saturday and at least of a couple of times asked why am i here...but everyone said to wait till Sunday and it gets better and they were right! My first day and a half here we had already learned to bear a simple testimony and prayer in spanish. They really push us here and it is hard but great!! I have two companions... Hermana Crandell who is going to the New York, New York south spanish speaking mission and Hermana Christsensen is going to Texas with me. Hermana Crandell is a sweet heart that is always working and constantly pushes me to be better. Hermana Christensen makes our companionship more of a competition and loves talking about herself... i definitely think this is the quietest I have ever been.. but i am striving to get along with them and love this opportunity. We have fun and laugh together most the time though! I have two teachers that go to BYU named hermano cave and hermana evans and they are great and really fun teachers. My district is actually great and there are four elders all going to New York, New York spanish and they are so funny and spiritual giants... love them! To answer some questions mom asked me.... the food here is alright i mainly eat the salads or the wraps from the bar... we can make our own!! I eat the ice cream from the BYU creamery on Wednesday and Sunday though!! YUMMY!!! Yes i am so happy i brought my seseme street blanket and my max a million teddy bear... they have helped the homesickness... I'm not gonna lie i miss my family and my freedom! I miss being ALONE and not having a companion stuck to your hip but i also know that i was suppose to come on this mission... I was suppose to come spanish speaking it has truly humbled me...made me see my weaknesses and realize i need to relie on God more!! It is amazing the spirit here at the MTC... i think i have prayed more in the last week than i have in my entire life, but during personal and companionship study i almost feel like Heavenly Father is sitting right next to me explaining the scriptures and doctrine to me himself!! My understanding of the scriptures and applying them to myself have been drastically changed and I feel the strength of this
knowledge already. About the gym time we get to go five times a week and there are basketball courts, track, volleyball courts.. i usually go run or bike for twenty minutes, do Charlene's ab routine, then shoot the basketball around.. my first gym was on Saturday and I know it saved me.. i was getting so restless in this place. We also get to go to a place called the RC where we get to make outbound calls to real people to ask them if they have recieved the videos or books they have requested. I talked to a handicap guy on the phone for ten minutes while he just kept telling me he doesn't want anything but the word of God and that our religion was just man made!! All i could do was bear sweet testimony but he wouldn't listen to me or let me
go!! I guess I just got a taste of Texas...but i felt so bad for him.. i wish he would soften his heart and just listen! On Sunday's and on Tuesday nights we have devotionals and on Sunday it was just a guy from the Presidency at the MTC...but they don't tell us who is going to be speaking on Tuesday night devotional.. but guess who it was? ELDER L.TOM PERRY!!! I got to hear from an apostle of the Lord.. i was singing in the choir so I had good seats. It is amazing the feeling of the spirit so strong when they walk into the room... our branch president related it later to how investigators or non members will feel when we as missionaries walk into their house..we must alway stay worthy of that spirit. I definitely got a rebuke though when Elder Perry started talking about the importance of loving and unifying your companionship...since then our companionship has had a complete change of heart and are having a blast and working hard together. My district had a meeting right after the devotional and all our Elder's bore their testimonies and were crying.. they are spiritual giants... They don't even annoy me at all!!ha ha... Brad so i found the perfect girl for you.. her name is Hermana Porter.. 23 and going to Argentina... so i show her a picture of you and Benj from my Homecoming... what a small world she went out with Benj right before she went on her mission!! ask Benj about a Lauren Porter.. she is my coordinating sister here in my zone and she has been my lifesaver and tender mercies. she is just like me and we laugh together and vent to each other... so nice!! oh and by the way anyone can e-mail me i just can only e-mail you guys back!! well i have to run! love you guys so much and i miss you more than you will ever know!! PLEASE WRITE!! Love you!
Hermana Barber
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