It was another great week here in Plano and the last week of miracles for Hermana Kleinman and I!!! SAD DAY!! We got transfer calls on Saturday and I am staying here in Plano and Hermana Kleinman is off.. There are no new Hermana's coming in so neither of us are training...we're not too excited for the change...but God knows best right??
Monday: I went to the doctor to get my MRI analyzed... well i have tendonitis in my right wrist and a syst in my left wrist that will eventually need to get cut out but the doctor said it is not an emergency so i'm gonna wait till i get home.. in the meantime i will be on ibprofen and braces... fun!! ha ha At night we taught a man named Miguel Escalante, a media referral, who told us his story and he sounded exactly like Joseph Smith about going to all these churchs and just wanted to know which of all of them was true... we had an amazing restoration lesson with him and he was so excited to read the Book of Mormon. We taught Ariel about the priesthood because he received the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday and he was so excited.. he is already done with Alma in his reading and is just moving along with the strongest testimony.
Tuesday:WE had a COME TO CHURCH lesson with one of our investigators, Juanita... after district meeting we had a lesson with a lady named Ulga who works nights and almost fell asleep during the first lesson.. then taught a less active who hasn't come to church in 21 years and doesn't even remember who Joseph Smith is..we watched the Restoration DVD with Judith Del Angel, the sister of a member in the branch and a former investigator... before we watched it we asked her 9 year old Joana if she remembered who Joseph Smith was and she told us his whole story almost word for word. After the lesson we asked Judith why she didn't get baptized before and she said, "Because no one ever asked me!" ha ha.. so she is know praying about a baptismal date for June. We taught Ariel with a member and we followed up on the challenge we had given him to share the gospel and a book of mormon with a friend.. we asked him how it went and he told us that his friend just looked at him and said he was crazy but his reply was.." I'm crazy? look at all the bad things your doing in your life... you're crazy." then he told us he was going to find someone else to share it with...I love how he didn't let it discourage him from sharing the truth!
Wednesday:We taught Mildre and Jayro... they were the only two that were there from the seven people we taught last week. Mildre's husband was there but gave us the "I'm Catholic" brushoff but the other two really wanted to learn. Mildre remembers when the Elders used to come to her house 6 years ago in Guatemala to teach her family and remembers the spirit the Elders used to bring and wants to learn more. Jayro doesn't know how to read or write and is really slow when we are teaching him but has such an enthusisiam to learn. At night we got to go teach a young lady named Viviana in english... a member who is 21, Lani, called us the night before and said she had been talking to her friend at work and wanted to know if we would come teach her the first lesson. OF COURSE.. she had a strong catholic background but said she notice things that just weren't right and has been going to tonz of churches looking for the missing link. We had an amazing first lesson with her.. at the end she told us she couldn't say she KNEW it was all true after on lesson but it all made sense..she said the closing prayer while bawling thanking God for showing her the right path to answer her questions. We had to turn her over to the english elders in Sherman but I know if she reads and prayers she'll get baptized..
we got to teach Mayela and Juan Carlos about the temple.. baptisms for the dead and getting sealed in a year... Mayela was so excited.. she just kept asking when she could go and how she could get her reccommend and how she could get all the information about her ancestors. She is serious AMAZING!
Thursday:We had three canceled appointments before noon :) then had a planning session and had the opportunity to contact. we taught a guy from the Phillippeans (?) then a lady from Iraq (obviously weren't tracting in a very spanish area!) We got to teach the lady from Iraq a little about what we must do to live with our families forever..she said she remembered two years ago when she got here from Iraq some missionaries bringing canned food to her door to help her and her family out... thats why she let us come in. She also told us that the way her and her husband met is he saw a picture of her then called her mom to "engage" her.. don't even think about it mom!! :) We then went to contact a member referral in the same complex we were in.. no one was home so we were walking away from the door and we went out of our way to contact this lady in the parking lot that was just getting out of her car.. after talking for a bit we figured out.. she was the referral we were trying to contact.. perfect timing or in other words.. the Lord's timing! At night we took a girl from the branch with us that is thinking about serving a mission to knock some doors in a trailer park.. it was fun.. we even got to "talk" to a Jehovah's witness for awhile.. successful night!! ha ha
Friday: our first three lesson definitely made me so thankful for my childhood, family, and all the things i have. The first lesson we had the lady was freaking out because he husband was in jail for drunk driving and they didn't have the money to get him out or get their car.. next lesson was with a lady named Thomasa who's house smelled like pee and they only had one little table in the corner of the house and all the chair were completely ripped and broken.. she couldnt' read or write but she actually really got the restoration and was completely humble.. it just makes me so sad... then in our next lesson one of the kids had just hit the other kid over the head with a remote control and his head was bledding super bad.. sorry mom!! ha ha.. We had a lesson with Manuela that night and she is almost done with the Docterine and Convenants and carried her triple with her in her purse no matter where she goes. She shared her favorite scripture which is in D&C "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God." there is no greater happiness then seeing people you've met and helped be baptized continue to grow in their testimonies.
Saturday: During the day we had a lot of punched appointments but had some time to contact which is usually a good time with lots of fun stories... we met a man from another church going to door to door "spreading the good word" and selling cheese.. still trying to figure out how the two of them go together. We also met another guy that was pretty creepy so we gave him a pass-a-long card then we tried to hurry and leave so i just stuck out my hand to shake his hand and he went to KISS it... luckily i have "sister missionary" wierded out by boys reflexes and pulled away super duper fast and told him we couldn't do that as pretty much running away!! ha ha..We got to teach a new family we met while contacting in the trailer park, Andres, Paula, and their 15 year old son Zach... we had an amazing first lesson with them and we had to swing back by their house to give Zach a Book of Mormon in english and before we had even driven away he was sitting on his porch reading it... I hope they progress better thent he Busto family did!!! We got transfer calls that night... Hermana Kleinman is leaving and I'm staying.. we weren't too happy about spliting up but change always happens and something good always comes from it.. even if it is just a growing experience. Hermana Kleinman has been here for 6 months and this is her first area on her mission.. it will be good for her to get to see other places.. after this transfer I will have been here for 6 months also... 6 weeks in Irving, 8 months in Carrollton, and six months in Plano..haven't moved much have I? But there are obviously other people who need me this transfer so i'm excited to find them.
Sunday: Mayela showed up to church wearing her new outfit we had bought her.. she looked so cute... the Toro's came and Lisbeth was so excited for her baptism... the three girls always wear bows in their hair.. everyday.. so they bought and gave me some bows to wear with them.. it was super cute. Lisbeth's baptism was really nice.. Hermana Marrero baptized her and her aunt was their from Honduras who is not a member so it was an awesome missionary opportunity for their family.
Life is going great and excited/nervous about my new companion tomorrow!! PRAY FOR ME!! thanks for you support and love.. keep the letters coming!!
love,
Hermana Barber
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Ariel and Mayela...just waiting to be confirmed!!
This was honestly a great week and so full of joy!! First off CONGRATS MICHAEL GLENN BARBER!!!!.. can't believe you're a dentist... you're awesome! I can't wait for y'all and Mindy and Tales all to be in Utah again.. the Barber Gang will all be back together!! YAHOO!!!
Monday: We went to go contact a referral we got a for a man named Derby... you can imagine how surprised we were when a young man opens the door and says, "Hi sisters!!".. it turns out that Derby is actually a member and lives with two other members that are RETURNED MISSIONARIES! They havent' been to church in three years because of work but we're helping them get back... they asked their bosses the next day for Sundays off and Marvin and Derby are getting every other Sunday off. I'm so excited!! Then we helped the Bustos that night to move into their new trailer...I really will always care for them a ton... but they're just so comfortable with life they're not willing tow open their eyes to whatelse they need. Alejandra also told us that she's pregnant.. Jose Luis doesn't know yet but now he will marry her. It's so crazy how Satan is using complacency to keep people from listening to us.. they're lives are good enough so why should they change.. listen to us. What they don't understand is how much BETTER they can be! It was funny though because when Alejandra was telling us she was pregnant we said.. oh wow your 6th child and she said no my 8th!! we were like.. what?? where are your other two.. she laughed and said "Hermana Klayman y Barbie!" Man how I wish she got it! Before we left that night Jose Luis asked me to say a closing prayer in their new house and bless them and their new changes in life.
Tuesday: was interviews and training which I always LOVE.. it's fun to see President and Sister Smith and hear their trainings. We had trainings on how to include members more in the conversion process so that after baptism converts are stronger. My interview with President Smith was AWESOME as usual.. he is amazing. and for once instead of me crying in an interview.. he cried!! :) He talked about when the day comes when he stands in the presence of his Savior and it brought him to tears.. he really is an amazing man. You know you really are on the downhill when he starts bringing up that your going home in your interview... TIME JUST STOP!! After interviews and training we went to get the oil changed at a Pep Boys.. and I am for sure a weird sister missionary.. i asked the guys at Pep Boys to turn off the TV because it was talking about not such good things so i could read my scriptures.. yep it happened! ha ha
We got ahold of Juan Garcia again after two months.. he's still confused but we're going to try to teach him again... We had a lesson with a new family we met.. Miriam and Luis... they are super smart and really get the message of the Restoration. It was super embaressing though because during the openning prayer their little girl was on the couch next to me playing with a loud music toy so i couldn't hear the prayer at all. So I was sitting their and all of a sudden heard just silence... I said Amen and looked up to Hermana Kleinman and then just staring at me... then Hermana Kleinman just asked if i had fallen asleep and they all started laughing at me. At night we taught Juan Carlos and Mayela the ten commandments, tithing, and fasting... then we found out it was Juan Carlos' birthday so we ate little mexican cake things with them and sang. We also planned her program and got permission for Juan Carlos to speak at Mayela's baptism... they were sooo excited!
Wednesday: the best day of tracting EVER!! fun stories to let you know how tracting goes down here... we meet people from all over the world and from all different religions.. even their own made up religions... So we were trying to contact a less active who wasn't there so we knocked around his house. We knock on this door and waited then heard someone knocking at us through their window... it was an old lady.. she read our tags then turned around and walked away... her daughter came to the door a little later and was super sweet but her mom was in the background tell her to tell us we already have a church and to go away. The daughter yelled back.. "They're christians, mom" and the mom yelled back in spanish "no they aren't they're mormons" ha ha so i talked back to her in spanish and she was a little shocked... it was funny! then right after that we went to contact an african american man that was sitting outside his garage.. we started talking to him and he told us that he had gone to a lot of churches and that their were a lot of Bible but the one that was most correct was the King James version but even that one was mission things... we were super excited... so we started teaching him about prophets and he told us that his mom was a prophet... and then out walked his mom! We introduced ourselves as Sister Barber and Sister Kleinman then she introduced herself as Sister Jones... we finished contacting her son and were walking away when she stopped us to talk. She starts wobbling and bowing down as she telling us that she has been called and anointed by God adn that she has been prophesied about in the Bible in the books of Isaiah and Jerimiah.. that she is the Daughter of Zion talked about in those books. She proceeds to show us her palm and clams she has a star of David and a Z in the creases in her hand.. I couldn't see it. Then she told us that at night the stars spell out ZION above her house with a question mark because she can ask God anything she wants.. then some airplanes flew by and she yelled in the middle of her sentence "THERE GOES MY HATERS.".. She then tells us that all the destruction that is happening in the world she prophesied about a couple months before... she then saw a pass-a-long card we had with a picture of Jesus on it and started telling us that Jesus is black and if we didn't stop preaching about the wrong Jesus Christ we were going to Hell.. so at that point we told her to have a nice day and walked away and she called after us all down the street calling out scriptures and telling us we are going to Hell... it was sooo funny!!
Thursday: We taught Ariel that night about the interview questions for his baptismal interview. It is so cool how sincere he is. He pulled out a notebook to take notes on the questions so he could study and pass his interview... but as we went on he realize he already knew all the answers and was super excited to get baptized. We taught Luis and watched Finding Faith in Christ with him and talked about the importance of following Christ example then set another date with him for the 9th of May to be baptized with Lisbeth.
Friday: We taught a couple lesson but the people were just too confortable to really listen again... this whole week i just kept thinking of the quote that says the gospel of Jesus Christ is here to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.. we just have to cause a need for these people so they'll actually listen. We had dinner with Manuela and actually talked to Leo again and he promised to come see Luis' baptisms which is a huge step for us and him again. That night we gave Mayela one of those necklaces that you sent me mom.. she loved it!! thanks!! And Hno. Marrero picked up Mayela and Ariel for their baptismal interviews.. they of course passed!! and they seemed soooo happy!!! I couldnt' wait for Sunday.. it felt like waiting for Christmas!
Saturday: we did a lot of service... we went to visit a less active family and showed up right as they were moving all their stuff to a storage unit because they had lost their house and were going to live in a hotel for a week till they can figure otu what they are going to do.. so sad. We also went and bought Ariel a white shirt and tie.. he was sooooooo excited!! He tried it on for us and we said "Lord I would follow thee" with him and had a prayer... honestly I almost cried because the spirit was so strong. Ariel really has changed his whole life to follow his savior...there is no greater feeling then being able to be apart of helping someone come to know their Savior and feel his love and cleansing power!
At night we finished all the lessons with Lisbeth Toro so we will spend next week gettign her readdy for her baptismal interview... she is so cute!
Sunday: the GREATEST day!! Mayela, Juan Carlos, Ariel and the Toro's all showed up at church. Mayela was wearing her necklace and Ariel his white shirt and tie. Juan Carlos bore his testimony during testimony meeting about the importance of this church in his life and how big of a miracle this day was for him and his family... The baptismal service was absolutely beautiful and Juan Carlos did an awesome job on his talk on the Holy Ghost.. he was super nervous though! After the baptism we went in to help Mayela get ready and asked her how she felt and she just kept saying soooo good.. then said so grateful. After second of my mission is worth it when you see people change their lives like that!! I LOVE IT HERE!! There really is no greater joy!
Thank you for all your prayers and support!! love y'all and miss you!!
con carino,
Hermana Katie Barber
Monday: We went to go contact a referral we got a for a man named Derby... you can imagine how surprised we were when a young man opens the door and says, "Hi sisters!!".. it turns out that Derby is actually a member and lives with two other members that are RETURNED MISSIONARIES! They havent' been to church in three years because of work but we're helping them get back... they asked their bosses the next day for Sundays off and Marvin and Derby are getting every other Sunday off. I'm so excited!! Then we helped the Bustos that night to move into their new trailer...I really will always care for them a ton... but they're just so comfortable with life they're not willing tow open their eyes to whatelse they need. Alejandra also told us that she's pregnant.. Jose Luis doesn't know yet but now he will marry her. It's so crazy how Satan is using complacency to keep people from listening to us.. they're lives are good enough so why should they change.. listen to us. What they don't understand is how much BETTER they can be! It was funny though because when Alejandra was telling us she was pregnant we said.. oh wow your 6th child and she said no my 8th!! we were like.. what?? where are your other two.. she laughed and said "Hermana Klayman y Barbie!" Man how I wish she got it! Before we left that night Jose Luis asked me to say a closing prayer in their new house and bless them and their new changes in life.
Tuesday: was interviews and training which I always LOVE.. it's fun to see President and Sister Smith and hear their trainings. We had trainings on how to include members more in the conversion process so that after baptism converts are stronger. My interview with President Smith was AWESOME as usual.. he is amazing. and for once instead of me crying in an interview.. he cried!! :) He talked about when the day comes when he stands in the presence of his Savior and it brought him to tears.. he really is an amazing man. You know you really are on the downhill when he starts bringing up that your going home in your interview... TIME JUST STOP!! After interviews and training we went to get the oil changed at a Pep Boys.. and I am for sure a weird sister missionary.. i asked the guys at Pep Boys to turn off the TV because it was talking about not such good things so i could read my scriptures.. yep it happened! ha ha
We got ahold of Juan Garcia again after two months.. he's still confused but we're going to try to teach him again... We had a lesson with a new family we met.. Miriam and Luis... they are super smart and really get the message of the Restoration. It was super embaressing though because during the openning prayer their little girl was on the couch next to me playing with a loud music toy so i couldn't hear the prayer at all. So I was sitting their and all of a sudden heard just silence... I said Amen and looked up to Hermana Kleinman and then just staring at me... then Hermana Kleinman just asked if i had fallen asleep and they all started laughing at me. At night we taught Juan Carlos and Mayela the ten commandments, tithing, and fasting... then we found out it was Juan Carlos' birthday so we ate little mexican cake things with them and sang. We also planned her program and got permission for Juan Carlos to speak at Mayela's baptism... they were sooo excited!
Wednesday: the best day of tracting EVER!! fun stories to let you know how tracting goes down here... we meet people from all over the world and from all different religions.. even their own made up religions... So we were trying to contact a less active who wasn't there so we knocked around his house. We knock on this door and waited then heard someone knocking at us through their window... it was an old lady.. she read our tags then turned around and walked away... her daughter came to the door a little later and was super sweet but her mom was in the background tell her to tell us we already have a church and to go away. The daughter yelled back.. "They're christians, mom" and the mom yelled back in spanish "no they aren't they're mormons" ha ha so i talked back to her in spanish and she was a little shocked... it was funny! then right after that we went to contact an african american man that was sitting outside his garage.. we started talking to him and he told us that he had gone to a lot of churches and that their were a lot of Bible but the one that was most correct was the King James version but even that one was mission things... we were super excited... so we started teaching him about prophets and he told us that his mom was a prophet... and then out walked his mom! We introduced ourselves as Sister Barber and Sister Kleinman then she introduced herself as Sister Jones... we finished contacting her son and were walking away when she stopped us to talk. She starts wobbling and bowing down as she telling us that she has been called and anointed by God adn that she has been prophesied about in the Bible in the books of Isaiah and Jerimiah.. that she is the Daughter of Zion talked about in those books. She proceeds to show us her palm and clams she has a star of David and a Z in the creases in her hand.. I couldn't see it. Then she told us that at night the stars spell out ZION above her house with a question mark because she can ask God anything she wants.. then some airplanes flew by and she yelled in the middle of her sentence "THERE GOES MY HATERS.".. She then tells us that all the destruction that is happening in the world she prophesied about a couple months before... she then saw a pass-a-long card we had with a picture of Jesus on it and started telling us that Jesus is black and if we didn't stop preaching about the wrong Jesus Christ we were going to Hell.. so at that point we told her to have a nice day and walked away and she called after us all down the street calling out scriptures and telling us we are going to Hell... it was sooo funny!!
Thursday: We taught Ariel that night about the interview questions for his baptismal interview. It is so cool how sincere he is. He pulled out a notebook to take notes on the questions so he could study and pass his interview... but as we went on he realize he already knew all the answers and was super excited to get baptized. We taught Luis and watched Finding Faith in Christ with him and talked about the importance of following Christ example then set another date with him for the 9th of May to be baptized with Lisbeth.
Friday: We taught a couple lesson but the people were just too confortable to really listen again... this whole week i just kept thinking of the quote that says the gospel of Jesus Christ is here to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.. we just have to cause a need for these people so they'll actually listen. We had dinner with Manuela and actually talked to Leo again and he promised to come see Luis' baptisms which is a huge step for us and him again. That night we gave Mayela one of those necklaces that you sent me mom.. she loved it!! thanks!! And Hno. Marrero picked up Mayela and Ariel for their baptismal interviews.. they of course passed!! and they seemed soooo happy!!! I couldnt' wait for Sunday.. it felt like waiting for Christmas!
Saturday: we did a lot of service... we went to visit a less active family and showed up right as they were moving all their stuff to a storage unit because they had lost their house and were going to live in a hotel for a week till they can figure otu what they are going to do.. so sad. We also went and bought Ariel a white shirt and tie.. he was sooooooo excited!! He tried it on for us and we said "Lord I would follow thee" with him and had a prayer... honestly I almost cried because the spirit was so strong. Ariel really has changed his whole life to follow his savior...there is no greater feeling then being able to be apart of helping someone come to know their Savior and feel his love and cleansing power!
At night we finished all the lessons with Lisbeth Toro so we will spend next week gettign her readdy for her baptismal interview... she is so cute!
Sunday: the GREATEST day!! Mayela, Juan Carlos, Ariel and the Toro's all showed up at church. Mayela was wearing her necklace and Ariel his white shirt and tie. Juan Carlos bore his testimony during testimony meeting about the importance of this church in his life and how big of a miracle this day was for him and his family... The baptismal service was absolutely beautiful and Juan Carlos did an awesome job on his talk on the Holy Ghost.. he was super nervous though! After the baptism we went in to help Mayela get ready and asked her how she felt and she just kept saying soooo good.. then said so grateful. After second of my mission is worth it when you see people change their lives like that!! I LOVE IT HERE!! There really is no greater joy!
Thank you for all your prayers and support!! love y'all and miss you!!
con carino,
Hermana Katie Barber
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