Last One

Hey Family,


We have had a crazy busy week this week, crazy busy. It all starts out with a phone call from President Monday night at about 6 pm. He called and asked me to get out of earshot of my companion so that we could communicate “without an audience.” So he and I had a twenty minute chat about everything, everything. Kinda like a PPI but more intense. We then found out three days later that we were being moved to another area within the ward, but closer to the chapel and closer to the members. So, two days later we found that the Elders and we were switching apartments. Yes, we are now whitewashing an area and we just moved into an elder’s apartment. So many changes in so little time. It is going to be nice getting back to proselyte time again. The move was good. But moving into this apartment just once again proves to me that there is a vast difference between girls and boys and how grateful I am that I am a girl. It is just a cleaner, nicer smelling world. But the change is going to be so good. We have been running as fast as possible, but the problem was that we were on a tread mill, not exactly getting us too far. Now that we are out in the open we are going to take off and see progress. Sister Miller and I have started a list of things that we are so excited for. I have decided to give you a few of our highlights, and then maybe one or two of my own personal “I’m so excited for”.

1. We are soooooo excited to work with the members!!! We cannot even begin to express our happiness to work with the members. We have dreams of actually getting the standard of excellence when it comes to member work and we cannot wait to work with the Young Women in the Ward. We know that this special age group needs some strengthening in this ward and we are here to help!!!

2. We are excited to live so close in our area for various reasons. Getting to the church is a snap, riding bikes around our area will be a BLAST!!! Being out and among the people is something that Sister Miller and I have never experienced because we have always had such large areas. That is no longer a burden. We are charting undiscovered territory and we are excited to go out and work in full force, especially with our Senior Companion. It will be hard, but we can do hard things. We have in the past and we will keep doing hard things until the Master comes and says “Well done, thou good and faithful servants!”

3. We’re soooooo excited to try new things!!! This is uncharted territory, but we are ready to blaze the trail for others. It reminds me of that story President Monson relates about the bridge maker who builds these bridges so that others may get over a little easier. I think that that is what we are about to be doing, and I think that this is an essential aspect to creating Zion.

4. We are so excited to work with Bishop Ayaviri. He really respects and loves sisters, and there is nothing better than working with someone who has high expectations of you because he knows that you can do it. He is a very Christ-like man, a very revelatory man, and it is a privilege to get to work with him a little more.

5. Now…I’m so excited to try some new things out, to get to know new people and see a change. I have grown to love this ward and now that I actually get to work with more of them, I am thrilled to see what good things are going to come out of Hollywood Hills. I know, because I have received little bits of peace and comfort throughout the last few days that this is going to be the best thing ever. Hollywood Hills will be a safe haven and a delightful place for missionaries to come home to, this has always been my goal, now it seems likely to be achieved.

6. This one is more of a wish, a desire of my heart if you will. President, I think I am ready to train. I want to train. I haven’t felt that way ever, EVER!! But, the realization came to me this week that I could totally train and it is a desire of my heart. So, there…I’ll leave that in your hands.

7. I am so excited that my headaches are lessening. Yes, they are still there, but they are lessening. Now that I know how to manage myself and my time so that my body works and functions properly, it actually works and functions properly! Crazy!!

Anyway, ran out of time. The girl sitting next to me is genuinely interested in the Church and so for the last 20-30 minutes I have been talking to her about prophets and the restoration. I have got a good job!! I am a pretty lucky girl to be out here teaching the people.

Love love love love love

Hna. Barros

PS--Lydia has hair!!!!! What the...?!?!?

oh, and Kacey, that picture of you and mom, i had to take a sceond look because i trhought it was a picture of me. Weird. Sorry.