Past Half-way

Hey--

its another week down here at the MTC--wahoo! I know that sounds bad, but i can not wait to get out into Florida and teach the people and get to work. This time of preparation is killing me. We have had a sub this whole last week and a half who just pumps us up so we can...go to bed, not go out into the feild and commit people to baptism. it is rough. i feel like a football player, put me in coach, but he still has me on the bench until the time i am ready. but man, when i get to Florida, i am going to hit the ground running and not look back.

this week i was called to be the new coordinating sister for the branch. this is a bit like the RS President, but with more gabbing. it is my job to make sure all the hermanas are getting along and that they are happy. i am the liason between the branch president and the hermanas. my gaol is to meet with every one of the hermanas every day. because i was put on the spot the last meeting we had and when asked if the hermanas needed anything i had nothing to say. this time i am going to have something to say. there are 18 hermanas in my branch, which is odd because the branch next to us has five and the other one has four. so, i have a lot of little lambs to look after. it gets exhausting because when i would usually go to bed or do my own thing, i instead find myself wandering off into some hermana's room, i don't know why, and talking with them. i feel very blessed to have this new "calling" because i had such a hard first night and now i can prevent bad nights for other hermanas.

on saturday we went to the Teaching Resource Center, which is where you role play and try to teach ïnvestigators. Hermana Barfoot and i had such a good experience. it was our fisrt time teaching in Spanish and teaching the word of wisdom, but the Spirit was with us and we got the things out that we needed to say. At the very end, Hna Barfoot said that we would be able to help the family with the word of wisdom. then, out of no where i thought to say and Christ's atonement is always there for you. then, the words the God wants you to be3 successful, came out (in spanish of course). we were a powerhouse! then, pride (orgullo) took over. We taught the first lesson again that night in spanish. i could not think. i could not think about the order of the lesson, i could not think in spanish. i was a mess and Hermana Barfoot had to step it up and tech the entire thing primarily by herself. she went into some detail because she was left to herself. she even asked our catholic investigator if they had heard of the 10 commandments. they looked at her oddly, and answered that of course they had heard of the ten commandments. ( we laugh about that still--whenever we get frustrated we look at each other and ask if we have ever heard of the 10 commandments) then, by the end, i thought-Hermana, you know the first vision and you kno0w how to testify-now do it. And that is what i did. i got to joseph smith, said the first vision, and then testified. that was all i could do and i did it. the lord taught me a powerful lesson right then and there. don't get proud, because that is when the Lord will leave you to your own devices, and believe me, your devices are not good enough. and second, testify. testifying is what gets the spirit into the lesson and then He, the third member of the godhead, can solidify and convert the investigator. mostly i learned the humility one, which is good for me.> someone asked me about food, again. in all honesty, the food was good to start out with, but by week 4 i was over it. now, into week 5 i am WAY over it. my favorite thing though, which they served on SUN was chicken cordon blue, which was not really chicken cordon blue, but it is so good. plus they have a giant ice-cream sundae bar every sun and wed. i think they do it on those days to show the newbies (on wed) that the food is fantastic here and that they shouldn't miss their mommies, and on sun to impress the branch presidents and their families. i mainly just eat salads because they have a wide variety and cottage cheese-which i usually destest but have grown quite fond of.

well, i'm running out of time. i love you all. thank you so much for the letters and packages! It is so fun to read about your lives and to hear about you woes and joys. i love to hear from you, and i am blessed because i do not get homesick when i read them. i know i am supposed to be here and i know that i will find the Lord's escogidos. that is my job, that is what i am supposed to do, so i don't miss home that much. i do, when i feel a need to think about home, listen to LOST soundtrack--that's when i miss those late nights over christmas break when we were all together. you are all my best friends! i am lucky to have you. i pray for you all individually evry night. i want you to be happy and i want you to be with me forever, especially christmas 2010.> love you, be good and happy,

Hermana Barros


ps-i just don't have that much time to write to you all individually. it doesn't mean that i don't love you, it just means i don't have time. if you don't get an individual letter, know that i love you anyway and that i am trying to write as much as possible in these emails. LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!


P.s-mom-i need a couple of things.
i need my camera charger. the cord you sent was incorrect. the one i need has a usb connection and then the samsung connector on the end. if you can't find it will you buy me a new one. i have a samsung camera so that shou8ld be enough info to buy another one.
i need full length nylons. i loved!!!!! the knee-his, but i need one or two more pairs of full-sized.
i had other things that i needed, but i can't remember. i'll write them in my letter tonight.