Called To Serve

a heart full of love

2010-03-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hello from Hollywood Hills,

What a week, what a week!! One thing that training has been doing for me is showing me my weaknesses. It is like there is a big neon sign pointing in my direction and then magnified for the whole world to see. I just pray that Hna. Hebdon learns from all of it, the good and the bad, and is a better missionary than I am…which is totally possible. She has so much potential, so much love to give, it will not be hard for her to be a successful missionary. She is teaching me so much about everything, especially about being humble. It is interesting how the Lord is so willing to humble His people. He will have a humble people. Kacey, pray for your trainer because it is not an easy job. everyone thinks your trainer knows everything, and don't be fooled, she knows more than you do, but she doesn't know everything and that is difficult to live with, especially since someone is relying on her for everything. training is difficult, but so worth it. the learning curve goes up dramatically when training is happening.

One thing that has been weighing down on my mind for the past little bit is how to get this ward to be a center of strength. President Monson, and also our Regional President has told Mission Presidents to put their missionaries in cneters of strength, or in wards where the members are using their missionaries. this ward is highly underusing their missionaries, unless you count piano playing as a vital role in missionary work, which i don't. They have some solid missionaries who know how to get baptism, who know how to get large numbers and accomplish large, seemingly insurmountable tasks, but here, for some reason, we have been working and running, with our whole hearts, into the same brick wall, members who just don't get it. We know that we need to work with our members. It has been shown to us time and time again that this is the direction we need to take, that the way to get this ward back into working order, without having a collapse like we are seeing now, we must work with our members. But it has been difficult because they have such false notions of what a missionary is. If nothing else, I have learned that obedience is essential, not only for you, but for those who come after you. Obedience is not just a cute slogan, but a way of life that leads to salvation and true happiness, for more than just you in the here and now. It has been so frustrating to work against those false notions, and even more difficult to love those who have come before. I am still learning that one, I suppose.

Bishop is such a loving man, so revelatory, but no one respects him. This ward is full of all manner of –ites with the auxiliary leaders taking charge of their groups and moving forward, without even the consideration of what the other auxiliaries are doing. As a small little misionera, this task is daunting, the task to unify, solidify, so that the next set of missionaries to come in will not have such a difficult uphill climb. I wish sometimes he would just get up to the pulpit and rebuke the members, call them to repentance, and then actually follow up with them. but, alas, not going to happen anytime soon. I love a good challenge, and I don’t mind priming the pump, but sometimes I would like to see the fruits of my exhaustible labors. The answer is simple, keep priming, keep praying, keep standing outside of the Bishop’s office until he lets us into PEC, keep AMT’ing, keep going, don’t stop, keep loving them and helping them realize their potential. I guess that is what personal revelation is for, find out what else I need to do, personally and as a companionship, to get this ward to start flourishing. It has the potential, I know it does because I felt it the first day I was in here. I love these people, because I have been serving with them for so long and we have grown together. I love this gospel because it is true. I love the Book of Mormon and my studies in it because now, as a fruit of serving a mission, I have my testimony engraved on my heart, it is a part of me. I know that God loves me and is helping me out over here, I just need to rely on that a little bit more, turn the revelation volume up a bit more and get back to priming the pump. If there is any advice or any suggestions you have, I would love to hear them.

‘Til next time,

with a heart full of love,

love love love

Hna. Barros

hey you

2010-03-22T11:25:00.001-07:00

My letter to president--didn't have time for more. but mom has pictures--have fun

Hey President,

Another, unprecedented week here in Hollywood Hills. I know you said that I would be training, but I think you are highly mistaken, because she is fantastic and I believe that she is training me!!!! When we talked about improvements or what she expects out of this transfer, and her whole mission, so that I could help her lay a solid foundation, she surprised me by saying some of the same things I want out of my mission. We both want to work with the Spirit. It is so cool working with someone who wants to work with the Spirit. She is so loving as well…what a sweet, inspiring and loving companion I have. I’m so lucky!! And she is doing fantastically. Her Spanish is not too shabby either, and her comprehension level is pretty high. She is so sharp!! I feel so blessed to be her companion, she is so good, so good. Though again I say, I don’t really feel like I am training her. I am more like showing her the hows and whats of missionary work, like this is the area book, and this is a progress record. She has got everything else. So cool!!! So COOL!!

Enough exclamation marks. We are both excited to go to Zone conference. We have been preparing ourselves for it as a companionship. We are coming to have our plate be filled and truly feast on the Lord’s word. Missionary work is exciting and challenging and fun. I can’t believe that I have been called to serve a mission here in the greatest mission ever, no quotation marks needed, among the greatest missionaries ever.

As for Hollywood Hills, I have had many thoughts relating to this area. The members need to become more involved and there needs to be no disconnect between the members and the missionaries, because in all honesty, missionaries are members too, just with a special calling to proselyte more. Hna. Hebdon and I are going to work really hard to get to know all of our members and get this ward in to gear. It is high time, and with a new fresh outlook on the work, this ward is in for a real treat. Member work is key. So we’ll keep you updated on all of that as time goes on.

That’s it for now,

Have a great week

Hermana Barros

takin' care of business, it's okay

2010-03-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

This week has been so busy and it is only going to get busier... But I love being busy as a missionary. If you're not busy then you have to knock some doors, and that is never much fun because your rejection level just grew exponentially.

First, yesterday we did those fun unifying games that we did in Zone Conference with our auxiliary leaders, who hardly showed up, the bums!!! But those who did show up got the point and now want us to do it with everyone. It started a fire within them, which is what we wanted in the first place. But it was good. The are some good changes in the ward that we are seeing. That is a good feeling to know that that is all getting back into to order. I have really gone to love this ward. it was hard at first, really hard because of this missionary who came before me and kinda coddled the members in a fake form of unity. then the ward just collapsed, like Zarahemla right before Christ came again, or actually, more like the Nephites at the end of the Book of Mormon, the secret combinations were their downfall. this ward's downfall is gossip. With all of the terrmotos in the world right now you would think that the members would wake up and stop the gossipping and spend their time getting their food storage all in order, but no. they are too busy about what "what's her face" said or did and look at what she is wearing. i think that members of the church have two great problems that prevent us from creating Zion within our wards/units. the first one is complacency. Not all is well in Zion. we get fat and lazy and we start to purr--satan is good. he knows our weaknesses and mostly our lazinesses. do not be lukewarm or you will be like that scripture in Revelation, God will spew us out of His mouth those that are lukewarm. The second is the things we put directly in our view that are just complete and utter time wasters. we waste so much of our time, our greatest resource, in the vain attempt to secure for ourselves those things which moth and rust doth corrupt. stop wasting your time people!!! WoW!! I am a bit on the pulpit pounding side of things. just look at the pictures i sent, that will show you my lighter side. oh, and who is soo excited for General Conference in less than a month?!?!?! ME ME ME!!! It is going to be good.

Autn:reference - http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/84/88#88

Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Tonight we have a baptism, Julisa. She was not very excited to be baptized, especially with a second interview “looming” over her head. But…after her time with President Acevedo, she was jumping off the wall, saying “he approved me to get baptized!” So, tonight we are going to have a great baptismal service. Elder Wardle is going to sing for the musical number. I didn’t know he could sing, I don’t think he knew he could sing either, but now we all know, the secret is out, and of course, I am going to utilize his little hidden talent.

Also, on Thursday we have another baptism. This is a guy who is less active, trying to come back into the church, and in his efforts they have discovered that his records do not exist. So, without a service, we are going to have another baptism on Thursday. My new companion and I will be teaching a lot in the first few days of her mission, which is what I wanted to have for her. I wanted her to be able to get out and teach the people as soon as possible because that is what I wanted when I got out into the field. I wanted to go and teach and talk to people and be a missionary. So, tomorrow, after some music practice, we are going out and teaching a whole lot of lessons. It is going to be a great day. I am soooooo excited! I am so ready for this, or so I think. I know that I might run into things that will test and try me, but I have learned some survival skills that will help me out through those little bumps and bruises. Nothing much else is happening. I am going to miss Sister Miller—it has been 6 months, poor thing doesn’t even kno0w her mission without me, but times come and go, and we’ll see each other later.

love love love love love

Hna. Barros

some items of business.

1. Tori--the EFY CD from 2009, i don't know what it is called, but it is so good. anyway, number 10 is my favorite. could you look it up and tell me who the singer is. i need to know his name. he sounds like a little more countrified version of damien rice. and, if you want to help a sister out, could you look up if he has any CD's out and then buy it for me and then send it to me???? please please please. i have wnated his CD for forever and now is my chance. please help me out!!

2. The ppictures are for your entertainment. When a sister turns 9 on the mission, or halfway, they take a pregnancy picture. here is acouple of them from my photo shoot. also, in the mission, when you train they call the trainee your "daughter" and you the "mom". ironically, i become a "mom" exactly when i turn 9. when i found this little bit of information out, from my companion, i laughed and laughed. anyway, enjoy. also, there are some pictures of the people i love the most here in Hollywood.

Someone Somewhere

2010-03-02T15:26:00.001-08:00

Dear Readers,

Another week in Hollywood Hills. What a fun week it has been. I have seen so many miracles and my testimony has truly been strengthened as I have been more receptive to the spiritual promptings that I receive, and then act on them in a bold and loving manner. This change has been so great; I have seen a need to work more with the members which means that I actually have to get to know the members. And then, after a relationship has been created, BOOM!! The work moves so much more quickly. I have found that a really spiritual A(ctive)M(ember)T(raining) is the grease that moves the wheel of missionary work. It is so much easier to teach a member referral than to teach one of your own investigators. I wish I would’ve known that sooner, way sooner. But I guess it is better to know it now than in my second to last day. Hna. Miller and I have been working like we have never worked before and it feels good. Plus we are gaining member trust. I love the people here!! I love the work, and I love love love working with Latinos! Except when they offer you food that looks like nothing normal or like anything you have ever eaten before. Then, as you eat it, you find out that part of it is not edible but you can’t spit it out and so you have to chew and chew, drink some soda, which helps break it down, let it sit in your mouth until it is somewhat edible, then swallow before you have too much time to think about what you are really eating. Yes, this experience happened to me on Saturday night. What an experience. At least I am not in Bolivia or India. Mostly normal food here with some exotic flavors that I have learned to love!!! Cuban food—oh man. Best food ever! I can’t wait to bring some of you back here to see some of the sights, to taste the flavors and to meet some of the best people ever! Mom asked me about picking me up after the mission and that got me to thinking, plus I had an experience yesterday that emphasized the need for me to come back and see all of these people again. I want to come back not as a missionary so that I can hug everyone (some men included) that have helped me during my sweet time here in Florida. But, enough trunky talk. I am getting old, but I am not old enough to be talking like this.

We have a baptism coming up this week, one of the Elders’ old investigators. We are ALL excited to see Julisa get baptized. One thing that we have started to do is talk more about our investigators among ourselves as missionaries so that we can support and lend a hand when needed. This includes Hna. Miller and I AMT’ing a certain family who we know could be a great influence in the lives of one of the Elders’ investigators. The work is so much easier—duh!—when we all work together! I don’t know why it took us this long to figure it out, perhaps because we have all found success in other areas and then we come together with OUR OWN ideas without the ability to tweek it accordingly to fit the needs of our NEW ward. Whatever it was that changed us and our outlooks, I am grateful for it because missionary work is so much more enjoyable when you have a support system behind you and when that system grows larger and larger as more and more members become converted

Personal Notes:

Kacey, how amazing was the temple? How did you feel, with your sleeves all funky and everything? And how can you not wait to go back again and again! And how about less than a month till you get to the MTC and only two transfers until you get out into the field? And start praying for your trainer now. I am going to be a trainer in a week and man am I praying for my trainee. I hae actually known that I was going to train this transfer for a while now and I have been praying for my trainee this whole time, praying that she is happy, healthy, excited, and ready to work and deal with the new lifestyle. Yes, it is a completely new lifestyle. WOW!!! What a change and what a roller coaster you are in for, which they call your first transfer. You will be so exhausted every night, especially with the time change. My time change was nothing and it still kicked my rear. And the information overload that you are going to face—what did they say? What did I say? Was that right? Was that false doctrine because I conjugated a verb incorrectly? But, enjoy it. Love it, embrace it. It is hard, but it is so much fun because you have never ever lived closer to the Spirit and you have never born your testimony like you are going to do to the French. That is one thing that I love the most—bearing testimony frequently and often and having the Spirit testify to ME that what I am saying is true. People are ridiculous. Yes, very ridiculous. Their excuses are stupid. I love it when someone says something about me being a fool or whatever about the Book of Mormon and I could find almost that exact excuse in the Book of Mormon that a prophet prophesied about. Their stupidity is prophesied in the Book of Mormon. It truly was written for our days. It was written for everyone, it was written for missionaries and for the French, and for the humble and for everyone. Use the Book as the rich resource that it is and the Spirit for the guide that He can be if we live worthy to be conduits for His testifying power. It is going to be hard but oh soooooooo fun. Embrace it, love it, and write it down to treasure forever. I love. There is a packie in the mail coming to you this week. It has special instructions. Follow them with exactness.

Bishop Perkins: I love that men so much. He has been the best mentor I could’ve ever asked for. He is an inspired man who has helped me through the hardest times of my life. He says it how it is and he loves with such a pure love. I am so grateful for him. He is invited to my wedding, most definitely. He is one of my greatest friends, strongest supporters, and one of the best examples I have ever met. He will do splendidly in his new calling. I am only slightly jealous and sad, for selfish reasons, that he won’t be Bishop anymore when I get back and have to date again!! Yikes—dating, the real world. NOOOOOOO!!! . Anyway, I think that is all that I have for today. Have a good week. I love you all so very much.

Love love love love love love love love love love love love love love

Hna. Michayla Barros

Follow the yellow brick road...

2010-03-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Another great week in Hollywood Hills SOUTH!!! Yep, we have finally settled in, our plans are made, we have started meeting with the members and that relationship has been formed. Sometimes I feel like it is a precarious relationship, both sides waiting nervously for the other to either produce something or to botch it big time. What a fun, scary, thrilling, nerve-wracking time. Sometimes, as a missionary I feel like an underpaid, overworked baby-sitter. No, really. We have to make sure that people actually know what their calling is and then see if they do it, especially when it comes to our investigators/recent converts/inactives. Boys, do you remember that feeling. Walking into PEC or Ward correlation, just praying that an auxiliary leader actually remembered their assignment and that they actually did it? Or that stomach wrenching feeling right before Sacrament meeting, with a giant prayer in your heart, that one of the 50 or so people you invited to church actually made it. Or right after the Sacrament, when all of the late people flood in, hoping that one of your people will stumble in, looking completely lost until they see your face and their faces just light up. OH MAN, Sunday is the refiner’s fire, the day of judgment. If the final judgment is at all like a Sunday for a missionary, then I will have to use the bathroom before I get in line. It is just so nerve-wracking and exhausting. Then, to make matters worse, you don’t even get the traditional, and oh so needed, Sunday nap. In other words, it was a rough day yesterday. I find life as a missionary to be a highly humorous one because it is not reality, but more like a spiritual life on steroids.

Hna. Miller and I feel like we have three weeks to get this place moving, get the kinks worked out so if one of us has to leave, the other feels nice and tidy and ready to go. A large task, since really we only have 2 weeks to do it all in, but it is kinda fun at the same time. There is nothing better than starting over with a companion you know really well in a ward that already knows us. To say the least, we have been crazy busy and loving it. We have become more like sisters, hna. Miller and I. She and I even fight out loud. But then, after a nap and some food, we come together apologetically and move on. This happened yesterday actually. We were out contacting and there was some miscommunication. Someone said something to offend the other, the other got really mad and raised her voice. Then the first said something cutting. Then we both stopped. Looked at each other and said “This is where I am coming from.” The other responded, “Ok, this is what I was thinking.” Then we found a solution and actually found a couple of new people to work with. It was the craziest thing. Two months ago we would’ve given up and said nothing to each other for the rest of the day. I guess I am growing up and learning how to love people. I just hope that I can keep this temperament and use it when I get married because, let me tell you, if marriage is anything like having a companion, anything like it, than I am learning a lot of things about myself and how to work with someone, even when they might be dancing on your last nerve.

We really REALLY want to work with the members and start getting them self-sufficient. So, we are meeting every one of them, active or not. We really don’t know names, sadly, so this has been quite an adventure. That is our new phrase “I guess it is going to be an adventure!!” We say it whenever a wrong turn has been had, an address does not exist, or if someone hung up on us. Or, if a street needs to contacted on, but we have no stinkin’ idea where or why!! Most of the members are quite happy about the change, well…mostly the Relief Society. One mom even told us that she is so excited to have the missionaries come over and not be the only woman in the house. She then offered to hold an FHE this week with a couple of her friends because she thinks it would be fun. As long as there is a non-member there and we get to teach a little something something, ok. Then there a couple of inactives that are just thrilled that someone would call them up after so many years. We have seen so many tender mercies here, and though our numbers are a little on the small side, we feel peaceful and calm, knowing that we are doing the best we can with the resources we have. Plus, it was cool to actually know the Elder’s investigators because they used to be ours. Now the ward feels more like “ours” instead of yours and mine. Or, in other words, a little more like Zion. We still have challenges, this change has not magically fixed everything. But it feels like a good positive shake up for the ward and the missionaries.

There are so many more trailer parks in our new area. Some are pretty ghetto. Some are pretty normal and then some of them look like Trump lives in them. Those are usually the snow birds from Canada. There is one trailer park, it is huge, full of French speakers. They all drive really nice cars. Their trailers are pristine and beautiful. We even comment on how nice they look and if we would rather live in this one or that one. Then we stop ourselves and remember that it is a trailer park still. It is the funniest, most ironic things ever.

Talking about irony—I’ve got a great story. The other day my companion and I were having the worst day ever and we forgot to pack a lunch, so we decided to eat our feelings and eat something greasy. That all equated to McDonald’s (we both grew up a little more on the poor side, so going to McDonald’s as kids was quite a treat. We were looking for a treat at this time…). After we got our food and after everything was blessed we anxiously bit into our first greasy bite of a Big Mac meal. The McDonald’s we were in had two TV’s that would play the news. As we were eating this is what we heard from a CNN reporter:

“Bill Clinton was admitted into the hospital today after complaining of severe chest pains. As we all know, Clinton did not have the best eating habits. While in the Whitehouse he would jog to McDonald’s and then eat French fries, a Big Mac and a milkshake…”

We didn’t hear the rest, that was enough to ruin our treat. Well, not really. We just died laughing because when do you sit in a restaurant listening to negative information about that restaurant? Oh the irony!!

Hey, mom. We were teaching a man named Max in our old area. Ever since we met him I wanted to tell you about him, but I have forgotten until now. His name was Max, and we taught him. Then one day I asked what his last name was. “Medina.”

“Hey, it’s Max. Maaaaax Medina.” I said this to my companion then I had to explain where it came from. Now, whenever we talk about him we always say Maaaaax Medina. Funny.

Anyway. This letter wasn’t so serious, just a little more humorous. That is how our week has been. Ironic and humorous. I hope you enjoyed.

Love love love love love

Hermana Barros

PS—I got some great pictures—thanks!! And Brandon and Sarah. Thank you for the e-mail. I loved it. I sent you a post-card, but…when I put it into the irretrievable mailbox slot, I realized I didn’t fill the entire address out. So, there is the thought. I hope it counts. My little face fell as I realized, without the ability to fix my mistake, that I had made a huge error. Oh, and there is a picture attatched to this e-mail, just for little mr. Payton.

Love love love,

O sea, les amo--me

Last One

2010-02-16T12:31:00.001-08:00

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.

I can see clearly now the rain is gone...

2010-02-08T11:31:00.001-08:00

February 8, 2010

Hey,

This is the first time in such a long time that I have nothing to say. I am sitting here in front of my computer, at Nova Southeastern University, in a little computer lab on the bottom floor of the library, looking at the pictures of my companion’s niece and I have nothing to say. Absolutely nothing. How weird. i didn’t get a lot of mail this past week. I did get my birthday pressie from Brandon and Sarah. Thank you so much. I haven’t eaten there since before my mission. Actually, I have only eaten at McDonald’s only once since going on my mission, and that one time it made me sick.

Umm…the headaches. I finally went to the doctor’s office. That was an experience I’ll never forget. It was like walking into the world from living in a temple for a month or so because in the waiting room they were playing a rated PG-13 movie, culture shock. The music in the background of the movie was a little on the ghetto side, something I am not used to. It was so weird. I was like, send me back to the Latin ghetto, and give me some more accordions. It was a weird weird feeling. But I got to see a nurse practitioner and a doctor. They prescribed me some head stuff and told me it was tension related and that I needed some alone time every day. I wanted to ask them if they knew what I did everyday and that I always have to be within sight and sound of my companion, but I didn’t. They probably would have thought that I was a complete fool or completely crazy for living the lifestyle that I live. They just think that missionaries are sight-seers who go out and teach the good word every once and a while. WRONG!! So, I am taking the medicine and I find time to myself, even if it is a quick little nap here or there in the car or in my bed or on the couch. And I have gotten pretty straight up with my companion. If she annoys me, I let her know and the funny thing is that she listens to me. I asked her why and she said it is because she loves me so much and that she wants to make me happy. Weird.

Hey, did any of you watch the Super Bowl? I’m pretty sure Dustin did. Well, that was filmed about 40 minutes away from me. And man was traffic bad! But it was kind of fun to see all of the different types of people and hear the hype about everything. We even got invited to go to a few Super Bowl parties, my favorite invite was from a man was smoking a cigar and drinking directly from his Jack Daniels. His name was Disco, from Haiti. It was very generous. But now I know, with a surety, that I could never ever take anyone seriously if they start out their pick-up line with “Hey there pretty ladiessshhh. You look so nisssh and professssssional. You should come over to my party tomorrow. I’m the cook!” Bad line, my Islander friend. A major thumbs down.

So, some other funny things that happened this week. Last night we went to teach someone about tithing and offerings. We usually ask this man to pray, which is funny because he prays for everything, “bless the animals in the fields and also the animals in the houses that there will be water enough for them, whether from the rain or from the house. And please don’t send us a trial so that we have to remember Thee, we remember Thee.” When it was time to pray my companion started it off, so we could avoid his prayer. Sometimes she prays for a very, very long time, but not as long as Felly. As she is praying I hear this shuffling coming towards us from the street. This is not too terribly odd because Felly lives with a bunch of people who come and go. But the shuffling was coming right towards us, bee-lining it towards us. I got a little scared, so I opened my eyes and this man was walking towards us. Then he turns towards Felly and holds out his hand and mumbles something in English (Felly only speaks Spanish). Felly reaches into his pocket and pulls out some change, outs it into the hand of the man. They give each other high-fives, then the man gives my companion a high five and then he shuffles away. Apparently this man stops by Felly’s house a lot because Felly gives him money. There are dos locos that Felly helps out whenever they come by. That warmed my heart a little bit. My companion then finished her prayer. It was a sweet moment. Weird, but sweet. It also made me a little sad for those dos locos who have nothing and have to beg for money for food from the humble of the humble.

We taught this gangster last week, Felito. He is pretty hard-core. We tried to go and see him awhile ago but he was in prison, so we had to wait til he got out—don’t worry, though. He turned himself in, so he is not completely dangerous. And he was once in love with a girl named Betty because he has her name tattooed on his neck, right next to the NY Yankees insignia. Anyway…we taught him about the Book of Mormon and then left him the first two chapters. We stopped by 3 days later to see how it was going. He said it was a little confusing, but he had only read one chapter. We told him that was okay because as he got more into the book it would start making sense. He said ok, but he didn’t look like he believed us. So I asked him to go and get his book and we would explain a little bit more about the book. He pulled it out. He had read all of 1st Nephi, thinking that that was the first chapter. Ummm…so, when we finished explaining it to him we asked if we could back the next day and teach him about Joseph Smith. But we left him some homework, to read a little bit more and then pray about it. He said that he would read the second chapter and the first chapter once more because he wanted to understand it all. OK. That’s cool. Then we stopped by yesterday to talk with his mom (Felito is 21). She had been reading the Book too and she told her Pastor about it. He told her that she shouldn’t read the book because it would confuse her. She said that she was going to read it all because she liked reading it and she knew it was a book about God and shouldn’t we read books about God? The answer, YES! This also happened to another one of our investigators who we thought was going to drop us. She said that she could never change and that she has her Bible, why would she need anything more. We left her 2 Nephi 29-31. When we stopped by the last time before her trip to Mexico this week, she had a grin on her face. She said that she had read it and that she was thinking that she had her Bible, why did she need anything else, then she read the part in the book where it talks about people like her and then she said that she felt guilty about her thought process. She said that she knew that the Book of Mormon was the word of God. Now that she is going to Mexico for the week, to spend time with her very Catholic Mom, she said she is scared, but she knows what she is going to tell her mom. Mom, you might not like this book, but it is the word of God and I am going to read it. She also liked the part about Christ’s baptism and how it makes sense to not baptize babies. It was so cool. Baby Steps.

The church is true. The book of Mormon changes lives. Kacey start reading the Book and get to know its pages, its doctrine, get to know the words of the Savior because those words, that book changes lives. It is the thing that converts people because it invites the Spirit into their lives and into their hearts and then they are willing to make the changes necessary in their lives. What a cool job I have. What a blessing we all have to have the church in our lives. Love everyone and read the Book of Mormon. ITS TRUE!!!

Love love love,

Hna. Barros

I've tried so hard and got so far

2010-02-04T13:15:00.001-08:00

Hey friends,

Another week in Hollywood Hills…sometimes I wonder what I signed myself up for when I signed on to go on a mission, but it always seems to be worth it in hindsight. These last two months have ended up being the most difficult time in my life up to this point. I have been tested on every front, emotionally, mentally, spiritually…the list could go on and on. By the beginning of last week, when transfers were announced and there was not going to be any changes, I got really really discouraged. I didn’t know where to go, where to turn, and I didn’t know if I could do it all over again. The Lord just seems to be stretching and pulling me like salt water taffy on those machines and it seemed like the time was finally going to come when I just fell apart. I spent a lot of time and a lot of tears on my knees asking for anything to come, any sort of peace or any sort of something besides darkness. Then, when I thought I couldn’t take any more, it got harder. My prayers were not being answered; I was failing as a missionary and as a companion. I was done.

Then I decided to get a blessing. What a relief that was. I am so terribly grateful that the Lord uses 19-21 year-old missionaries to officiate in the priesthood, especially for a little 24 year-old misionera. The Lord spoke right to my heart and said the things I needed to hear. The Lord promised me some pretty tender blessings if I endured it well and that I will come off conqueror. He also told me that this time is essential for my eternal progression. The Lord even said that He knew He was pushing me to the outer borders of my capacities, of every one of my capacities but I need to learn this now so that I can do other, harder things later. But most of all he wanted me to know that He is smiling down on me. When they say that missions are hard, they are not kidding. But when they say that their missions play a large role in everything else they do in their lives, they are also not kidding. And that is what eternity is, progression, better get used to it now.

My headaches are still there, but I do have moments of relief every now and then. I went and saw Chris Brown—what a cool woman!!! She zoned my feet. For those of you who don’t know what this is, what she did was do certain motions/massages to certain parts of my feet to relieve the pain. Every part of you foot has an accompanying part to you body. The curvature of you inside of your foot matches exactly the curvature of your spine. Every little bumb/muscle/everything is related to another part of your body. So, by adjusting your feet and messing with your feet in a very precise and scientific way, you can adjust that part of the body. It sounds very metaphysical and off the wall, but I believe it. It is pretty cool. And if a part of your foot hurts when she does her thing, then that part of your body is not exactly healthy. So, when she was doing it she told me I have a very healthy body. She didn’t feel any tumors. The only thing that she felt that was off (I thought the shoulders because, I am a missionary) was my thyroid, but she said it was fixable. She worked on my feet and didn’t think that what she did could necessarily help with the headaches. We are going to give it a few more tries, see if it takes me a little bit to get working, but she doesn’t think it will really help. I think there are a few more options out there for me because there are a lot of reasons that a person gets headaches. They include allergies, which would require a doctor’s visit, or even my eye prescription is old and I need to update that. So, along with Chris’ feet help, I am going to see if any doctor can help. It will get better, it has to, and the Lord promised me that it would. I just have to keep playing the guessing game for now. So, do not fear, I am being taken care of. That is one of the cool things about being sent to a state-side mission, you have the luxury of good doctors within a reasonable distance to you.

Sister Miller, my companion, and I are complete opposites. It has proven very difficult for me, very difficult. Because not only are we different, we also think that we are right and so issues arise. But I have come to learn that I just need to love and respect her for who she is and what her talents are. That is difficult as well, but the speed bumps (or speed humps as they call them in Florida) are fewer are farther between. We both are dedicated to the work and we push through our difficulties and get stuff done.

The elder’s in our unit/district have also been very frustratingly frustrating. They are very solid, but I sometimes feel like the sisters get pushed to the side. Plus the ward’s idea of a sister missionary is very different than my idea of a sister missionary so, again, we just get pushed to the side. We have value too. But I learned a valuable lesson. Just because there are not very many General presidencies with women in them does not necessarily mean that the women in the Church are any less. Or just because they only talk once in a great while and not for long, does not mean that what they have to say is less valuable. No, it just means that when I do get the chance to speak I have to choose my words very wisely. So, I must be an Elaine S. Dalton. Her words are to the point and powerful. And she testifies and sustains the priesthood. That is a part of her power. Ok, I can do the same thing. I just need to give these 19-21 year-olds the benefit of the doubt.

So, Hollywood Hills feels like settling the Arizona desert and it needed a change, a big change. Changes like this one do not come overnight. I just have to remember that and move forward. I think that is my motto. Remember who you are and move forward. There is no need to dwell in the past or wallow in the mud of self-doubt. No, pick yourself and move forward, and like we learned yesterday, keep praying because you probably don’t have the whole answer anyway. When I leave here, Hollywood Hills will be different, it will be a little bit more like Zion. And then, someday soon, it will experience tremendous success. I guess I don’t necessarily have to see that success to know that I helped prime that pump.

I have one matter of business that I would like to discuss. There is a package coming, I don’t know when, but it is coming. It has birthday pressies in it for Dustin and Joe. All I ask for in return is a qhole bunch of pictures of those babies and of all y’all. The last group of pictures I got was from at least 3 months ago. Could you help a sister out and send some more please. Also…oh, I forgot what else I was going to say. Which is good because it is time to say goodbye.

Love love love love love—Hermana Barros

oh, i remembered--we should pray and fast for all the members of our family who are not active members of the church and get a copy of the Book of Mormon ready to send to them, when the time is right. Just a thought, but think about it, okay?

blackbird singing in the dead of night

2010-01-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

Hey you guuuys…

Another transfer in Hollywood is coming my way. I have asked myself the question so many times, why me? Why Hollywood? What am I supposed to learn? Heavenly Father has yet to answer my question, but I keep asking and one day, probably in five years as a young mom, Heavenly Father will let me know exactly why I was put in Hollywood Hills at this time with my companion. I have been having more and more frustrating days, but it will get better. Everyone in the unit feels that a light is coming, o sea, a relief from all of this frustration. I haven’t gotten that confirmation yet, but maybe I am blessed with the Spiritual gift of believing in the testimony of others, at least for now. All I know is that with the priming we have been doing, success is inevitable, one day or another.

The other Sunday one of the sister missionary’s parents came to visit our ward before they left on their cruise. I have been having a hard following this sister because her way of doing everything is so different than my way and the ward just loved her. Trying to fix a broken ward, especially one where the ideals of what a sister missionary is has been skewed has been so difficult. Her little spirit has been following me around and I wonder when her memory will ever fade away or just die from their memories. Then her parents come into town and take over and then there are little parties, for the few and select, to hang out and talk about how amazing this missionary is. I usually want to puke. But, I have come to the firm realization that this is not high school, though it sometimes feels like it, and I just have to keep swimming.

Progress is being made, I just know it because I feel the Spirit, and I wouldn’t be anywhere else, I just wish I could buck up and take a couple of more punches. I just get tired of the no success thing. I do feel a little punch drunk. (This statement always confused me because does it refer to the punch served at the party has been spiked. Or does it mean that I have taken too many punches to the head in the boxing ring and now I am a little off, like that movie with Cary Grant and the crazy guy who once was a great boxer? Oh well, I am sticking with the latter if the two). I feel a little out of whack, what do I do now? This area is sitting quietly, doing nothing, not even purring, and I have tried all of my tricks. And, not that I have written that, I kinda feel like I just got my answer. I should have listened to it yesterday, but I think I finally understand it now. I have worked so hard and I have tried everything I have known. I have tried to do all of this with revelation, but it just is not coming. Then, last night as I lost it because I JUST DON”T KNOW WHAT TO DO in this area which I am going to be in until I figure it out came suddenly. The Lord said this to me “For behold, I do not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion; for, as I said in a former commandment, even so will I fulfil—I will afight your battles.”

OH. Ok.

Then I remember this experience. Yesterday we taught a Jehovah’s Witness man. Wow, what an experience. By the end of the lesson, which was full of the Spirit testifying, to me at least, the man accepted a Book of Mormon. He then told us, matter-of-factly that he “was not promising to accept the book, {he} was only promising to read it.” I then added that he missed a part of our invitation. I asked if he would pray about it too. “Yes, I will also promise to pray about it.” Ok, then I reminded him to read it with an open heart, or else he would be wasting his time. He got the hint and then told us he would call us when he had finished the whole book. Then his wife turned to us and said that she would love to see us on Saturday if at all possible. It was quite the lesson. We have been teaching a lot more of these lessons full of the Spirit. That has been fun to watch. Go with the Spirit because the Lord is going to be fighting my battles, I don’t need to worry about it, I just need to go and do!

Ok, well this has been quite a cathartic letter for me.

My birthday was so so good. I am sending you pictures of it. The members/investigators did so much to make me feel loved. I did feel loved. Now I am going to go aout and buy some new shoes. And then take a guilt free nap because a nap is something that prepares me for my next week of fighting the good fight.

Thank you so much for everything. Mom—I love the cases. I even like the material.

Love love love love love love love love love love love love

Hna Barros

a picture says... something...

2010-01-26T18:16:00.000-08:00

ok, so some explanations--

i had four different cakes. for latins it is customary to have the birthday girl take a bite directly out of the cake, so there are a few of those shots. then there is a picture of my companion and i with yennifer, our cuban investigator/best friend ever. then there is one of yennifer and i saying queso--it doesn't really work, the translation that is. then there is a pisture of me in front of a birthday sign, a picture of me with juanita, a less active not living the law of chastity very frustrating, but very loving woman, and then there is a picture of my aprtment partying it up!!!

hope you like it!

love you,

me

What a wonderful world

2010-01-21T09:04:00.001-08:00

So, I didn’t get a letter off to you, Kacey, or anyone else for that matter, so I think I will continue on with the things I learned so far in my short time on the mission. These are the things I wish someone would’ve told me before, but I think I wouldn’t have understood until I got here and got out and about the world among the people.

3. Learn to love the scriptures. You probably think you do love the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, but let me tell you, you have no idea what it means to love the Book of Mormon until you testify of it every day. One of my favorite lessons we teach is to families, especially recent convert families who have gone inactive or missing in the last 6 months, is just the first verse in the Book of Mormon. The first verse says so much. It talks about the central role of the family, it talks about prophets and the need to have guidance from on high, and it also talks about the need to seek our own personal revelation. It is incredible to think about how Nephi wrote a seemingly little introduction to his words that has such veracity to our days. The Book of Mormon is so true, and if one professes to be Christian than they should not be afraid to open another testament of Jesus Christ and just give it a try. I am reading a blue copy of the Book of Mormon and highlighting all of the references to Jesus Christ and His names and what not all in red. Let me tell you, the Book looks like a severely embarrassed child with the chicken pox it is dripping with so many references to Christ. The Book is sooooooo true. So true!!! I know it to be true. Get to know it now, write it in the fleshy tablets of your heart.

4. Christ-like attributes are not just fun little things that we should try to work on, but a commandment. And if we truly want to be joint-heirs with Christ, we’d better be prepared to be like him and offer up a sacrifice like Abraham was asked to offer. Also, charity is number one. If we truly have charity in all that we do, then everything becomes a little easier. Repentance becomes more frequent and the commandments no longer are a burden, but a huge blessing.

As I get to this point in my letter, I have decided that perhaps you need to know what is going on right now in Ft. Lauderdale. It has been a very difficult transfer. I was sent into a very “sick” ward with some very wrong ideas about missionary work and how a missionary should act. (5. Be exactly obedient. It doesn’t just affect you, but everyone around you and those who will follow after you. Be obedient!!!!) So we have been trying to work as hard as possible to get the ward back on track. Complacency is such a strong way that Satan destroys the elect. It has been very difficult, but we are finally (FINALLY) seeing results. But our numbers have been really low. I was getting really worried and was thinking that I should just be transferred because I have not been doing something right. WRONG—the good things with the richest rewards take time. I finally saw that. We walked into another chapel last night, to teach a lesson to a member referral from the English ward, but the referral only speaks Spanish, and we felt the Spirit was soooo strong, almost like the temple. We came to the realization that what we want to accomplish in Hollywood Hills Ward is totally possible because the ward who meets in that chapel from last night was in our boat just 5 months ago. It just takes time. Change does not occur overnight. Great things are possible, and they are coming, we just have to wait and prime the pump.

How wonderful is the work of the Lord. Going on a mission is not a sacrifice, but a wonderful opportunity to learn how to be a better member of a family and a ward and a better daughter of God. It is so funny. No matter what we offer to the Lord He still gives us blessings. We will always be indebted to Him because He is always willing and ready to bless us. Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. Sometimes it feels like we are being left alone. Oh no, those are the times when we have to look a little bit harder, or a little bit deeper within ourselves to see the true miracles going on or taking place. That is when the Lord is gearing up, getting ready to show His power. It is like Isaiah said, quoting Christ—brilliant because then Christ quotes Isaiah, one eternal round kind of thing—“They may forget, yet I will not forget thee, O house of Israel.” He never forgets us because He has graven us upon the palms of His hands. His arms of mercy are extended towards us always. I know that. I can’t believe that I actually thought I would be ok without a mission. I can’t believe a lot of things, but I know that mission has caused me to awake and shake off the dust. The Lord is merciful and loving and kind and great and perfect and…the list is endless. But I just want you to know that I love you all. I love my God, and how grateful I am to be here now as a special witness, and selfishly, to gain these priceless experiences. Be good, all of you, so we can be a forever family in every sense of the word.

Love love love,

Michayla

Ps—sorry for the lecture, but it is my testimony, and that is the best gift I have to offer.

Pps—I gave a talk on Sunday in Spanish. I felt good about it. The Spanish wasn’t the best but the spirit was there, that’s all you really need in a talk anyway. But, I thought you would like to know that.

Love love love,

me

Come what may

2010-01-11T22:39:00.001-08:00

i will love you, until the end of time--

So, though this letter is for you all, I really want to direct it to Kacey, since I know exactly what she is going through and I know what is about to come. I want so badly to call her up and just talk heart to heart, sister to sister, missionary to missionary about everything, but since I can’t, I will tell you the things in this letter that I would tell her on the phone. But, be assured, I will try to get a real, honest to goodness letter out to you as well. But, time flies on p-days, no joke.

1. Companions are hard sometimes. Just love them. Let them into your heart and into your life. One of the best ways to have a good companionship is to give your companion the benefit of the doubt. Do not assume the worst. And most of all, love her. Learn all about her, learn about why she has a testimony, share with her your fears, your joys, you family, your passions, everything you can. The more vulnerable you are, the better you will feel as a companionship, more equally yoked. But also, don’t let her walk all over you. You have equal stewardship over every single one of your areas, don’t let her take over. Be equally yoked. And some of your companions will be stupid and ridiculous or just weird—deal with it. Come what may and love it, especially because you will probably get a new one in 6 weeks (that is one of the reasons why the mission is better than marriage0.

2. IT GETS HARD. Really hard, but that doesn’t matter. Just keep swimming. Just keep praying. Just keep loving. Love is everything. And when you love the children of God, He loves you. He really does.

I ran out of time. There will be a letter in the mail.

Just know this, I know that this is the true and living church of Jesus Christ. It is perfect, and there is a living prophet on the face of the earth right now. You can be ministered to by angels—live worthy of it. Jesus is the Christ, the messiah, the redeemer of the World.

Love the temple and go often. That is one of the things that I miss the most. I miss learning from on high in that sacred place. I plan on being a regular attender, once a week baby, for the rest of my life. Go often with mom. That was and still is one of my most treasured experiences. Love those around you, serve all you see, and remember to always look for the good. People are crazy—love them for it.

Love you so much. I am so proud to have a little sister who had a desire to serve a mission, long before I did and now gets to go out and serve while I am out too. It is worth it. I can’t imagine living a life without these experiences.

Ok—gotta go.

Love love love

michayla

if you're going through hell, keep on going

2010-01-11T22:38:00.001-08:00

WOW!!! Hollywood. WOW!!! The work gets so daunting sometimes. And sometimes I feel like I am not doing my best or doing what is right because I can’t see the fruits of my labor. Then I have to step back and think about the last time I felt the Spirit, which usually isn’t too long ago. That is the best remedy for that negative way of thinking. And then the Lord sends some sweet little tender mercy, just for my companionship that tells us that “All is well!” So, I pick myself, dust myself off and go back to work, showing Satan that he will not win today. We are working so hard to convert the members. Bishop Ayaviri is so in on this, it is so cool to see how revelation and the priesthood keys work in our lives. Sister miller and I have also been AMT’ing the ward mission leader and missionaries. It is a little on the rough side, but I think they are finally getting what we are trying to teach them. Two quick tender mercies I have seen this week, the buds of fruit I might venture to even call it.

1—We went over to a ward missionary’s house to AMT them on making Sacrament meeting an integral part of our investigator’s lives. Before we even started our message, the hermana stopped us and told us that she needs to go out with us on Tuesday night because we need to go visit one of her neighbors who has yet to hear the gospel. OK—sounds good. Then, we AMT’ed them. The Spirit was so strong. I have learned that our key indicator numbers don’t always mean everything. I have not worked so hard in a transfer with so little numbers. But the Spirit is so strong, I know that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. WE just keep swimming swimming swimming…then we keep swimming some more. He put me here for a wise purpose, with some of the greatest missionaries ever, I just have to keep going. They never really tell you how hard it really is going to be out in the mission field. But it is hard, and sometimes you really don’t want to get out of bed—but you do and then you see some pretty cool blessings! The Lord is so good.

2—We were out driving last night to our next appointment and I saw this very well dressed man in one of the most ghetto parts of our area. I was shocked and kept looking to see who it was, because it was so terribly odd. Then I realized that it was our ward mission leader going out and visiting one of our investigators who has a baptismal date. He was all alone, but he was out trying his best. He truly is trying his best. And that is one of the biggest lessons I learned this last week. Recognize when someone is trying their best. We are not all on the same level, but we are all trying. When someone is trying their absolute best, that is worth so much more than perfection. Did that make sense? I guess I learned that I need to love people for who they are strengths and weaknesses and then go from there.

Anyway, sorry it is short, hopefully the pictures make up for the rest.

Have a great week!!

Love love love love love

Hermana Barros

Picture time!

2010-01-11T22:37:00.000-08:00

picture time--ok, so there are some pictures of the nasty pig that the cuban family was cutting up and preparing for chirstmas. i thought you would enjoy it. Then there is a picture with just me and an elder. ok, stroy time...this elder's name is Elder Hirschi. he was one of my EFY kids. he tells everyone that, so eveyone thinks i am anciant on the mission. so, in response to his propaganda, i tell everyone that he hasn't changed much since he was in high school. but, i do remember that he was one of my favorites because he is so down to earth and so stinkin' funny. then there is a picture of hna martinez and i with elder keeler, the one with the glasses (the one that wanted to sit next me at christmas conference) and elder bacon, who is now my disctrict leader. he, hna miller and i where in hialeah together, now we are in hollywood together. its kinda fun. when he becomes AP, i am going to take over the world.

ok, then there is a picture of me with a member, who we have nicknamed "elder" torsac. he makes us food for after our ZDM's and DDM's. he is a cool old man who just happens to own the most ghetto suits. so, of course i needed a picture. and then there is one of Oswaldo, a recent convert. this kid is crazt and funny. this is a pictue of us reading each other's minds, which he thinks i really can do. anyway--disfruten!!

love, me

We built this city

2010-01-11T22:27:00.001-08:00

Hello there my dear loved ones,

It has been another great week in Hollywood. Things have been really difficult for me lately, but the work continues to progress. In the midst of these difficulties I have found an inner strength that I didn’t know existed. I have found that I can do really hard things, seemingly impossible things, and it feels great! Hollywood Hills Ward has had a lot of misinformation placed in them throughout the months/years about what a missionary is supposed to be or what they are supposed to do. One missionary’s motto is “be best friends with the members because most of your investigators will fall.” WHAT!!! Talk about no faith at all in the Atonement. Some of the missionaries worked really hard to be in the in crowd in the ward so that they knew all of the gossip going on. Or some knew how to work the system so that they hang out with the members more. As Elder Oaks says “No more hanging out!!”It is hard breaking those false preconceptions and notions and to remind them of their responsibilities as members of Christ’s true church. Of course they don’t want a missionary in their ward who won’t drop everything so that they can hang out with you. Of course they don’t want to work hard.

It is a tremendous task with very little external successes, but we know that with our efforts here and now, some missionary somewhere will reap tremendous success in the way of baptisms and retention will never be a problem for them. But, getting to that point is arduous and slow moving. One experience that really pinpoints this inner change happened on Saturday night. This last week we have been really working with our ward mission leader, trying to get him to catch the vision of true Christ-like missionary work. He caught on, like a moth to the flame, but apparently he got too close to the flame because he burned out really quickly and told us that he didn’t have time to find rides for our many investigators. I parked the car (my companion was on the phone as I was driving, and when he said this she looked at me, with the blankest stare, and asked what she should say to him). So I parked the car, took the phone, and walked outside pacing around the car. I think I even punded the outside of the car a bit. I was sooooooooooooo frustrated with that little man from Columbia. So I told him what I thought. Now, for those of you who don’t know me, I really don’t let loose on people very often. Oh, but I did. Another side note, don’t criticize Hna. Barros’ missionary skills, especially when she has a headache the size of the Grand Canyon because she will not just lay there, oh no no no!! It was a very liberating experience for me. Then, one of our investigators (who I was inspired to call after that) told us that she had just made empanadas and we should come over and eat them. This same investigator had dropped us the day before, but I guess not. We talked about the temple a little bit more and then she just up and said that she wanted to be married in the temple. Perfect, you need to be baptized first. She said that she also wanted to do her family history. What a tender mercy. The night before I had cried when I thought that she had dropped us, but really she just had to work a few things out first. The Lord is so mindful of us all.

My companion is amazing. She helps me with everything, and since we are so young we both lift and carry the other throughout everything. We are equally yoked, something that feels amazing. We even drive around in our car “discussing the doctrines of the kingdom” because we do not have time to waste on frivolous/worldly things. We seek revelation and repent diligently, for that truly is a sign of a diligent servant, and that is what we want to become.

The work is progressing, we are actually teaching a lot of families, which I absolutely love, they just require a little bit more time, something I am not used to, but am finding it enjoyable when compared to teaching single men, especially as sister missionaries—blah, and sometimes a huge waste of time, double blah.

And we have been teaching a lot of Cubans. I love Cubans. Everyone needs to meet and become friend with at least one Cuban. There is nothing better. It is funny when people think I am from Cuba because I am so pale with a “Hispanic” apallido. They always ask me where I am from. Cuba? No, just Portugal and Europe. They then ask the age old question, how would you say your name in an American accent. My answer –BEATS ME.

It was so great talking to you all. I hope the babies love their dolphins. And that mom puts that flamingo up in her car; hanging on the rearview mirror (it is to remind you of all of our conversations in the car as I tried parking at BYU. Happy New Year!! We are going to a Cuban’s New Year, which will prove to be interesting because, let’s be honest, if anyone knows how to party, it is a Cuban. We even get to help clean and dress the dead pig—yum. Good times are coming.

Have a great week,

And love love love love you

Hna. Barros

be [my] guest, be my guest, put our service to the test!

2010-01-11T22:26:00.001-08:00

as most of you know, last week was transfers. i stayed in my area but also had another area merge into mine. so, where there was once two companionships, there now is only one. What a great week we have had here in Hollywood!!! there have been a lot of changes in this barrio. there used to be 9 missionaries here, only three of them stayed and three new ones came in. one of the ap's came and is jr. companion to our new District leader, Elder Bacon. Elder Bacon and I served in Hialeah 2 transfers ago. He and i are the same mission age. he and i are great freidns. he really respects me for who i am and what kind of missionary i am and he is so stinkin' hilarious. he and elder isom, the old AP are revelatory giants. they try so hard to always receive direction from the Lord. They have also inspired me to do the same. I have been given a great companion. In the last 5 days we have had some truly revelatory experiences. I don't know why i was chosen to be here among the noble and great ones, but i am so glad i am. but, not only are they great and so inspired, i feel like i am one of them and that i truly do belong among these giants. so, i guess i just answered my own question. i am here so that i can learn and grow and i can help others. This group here, though...man!!! noble and great. AND we are all on the same page!! we have been talking about things and then someone will say something and i will say YES, i've wanted to do that from day one here in Hollywood. YES!!! we all want to change things around, wake up this flojo barrio, and we are all willing to work to see it it happen. our first change was to get rid of dinner appointments. here is the reasoning behind it. We are not allowed to eat in a members' home without an investigator. well, those latin mamas who just want to feed the poor missionaries as their service to the missionary effort have started making us food and then giving it to usin plasticos. drives us nuts because we have to dr0op everything to go and pick up the food that they probably couldn't afford anyway. i don't...the food thing was getting way out of hand. plus the missionaries before have tried to be buddy-buddy witht the members, but let's be honest...that does not build trust. trust comes when a missionary works hard and has Christ like love and a true desire to serve the Lord. the members have gotten lazy and we need to wake them up. this has done it. this whole experience has opened my eyes. i mean...my worth is not based on how many people in the ward love me, or if i am in the popular crowd or not, or if i know everything that is going on in the ward. NOO!!! My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, member or non member alike. I don't have time to waste on getting in weith the in crowd. please, i am not in high school. so, this week we have had to painstakingly dismantle the unrighteous traditions of the missionaries from the past. it has been rough. some members are so mad at us, we even made one member cry (not because of the food thing only, but because she isn't even living some of the basic commandments). Please, all who are within the sound of my voice--keep the commandments. Wickedness never was happiness!! NEVER!!! oh, and the law of Chastity is called a law for a very good, brilliant perfect reason. it keeps you from destroying yourself.

I love my companion. She is so strong. She tries so hard to listen to the Spirit and say the things that need to be said to those who we are teaching. and then she says it. she is so bold, i just sometimes sit and listen to her teach and think that one day i might be half as bold as her. then she will turn to me, after the lesson, and say that she loved how i taught with the Spirit. I didn't even know, but when she says that, it all makes sense. it is so wonderful to work with the Spirit and to say the things Christ would say. We don't have time to beat around the bush. we have been roommates ever since she entered the mission field, since septemeber. now we are companions. because we have had so much time together we don't have to play the stupid get-to-know you game that every companionship needs to play befopre truly becoing successful. we just get to move forward.

We have been studying the scriptures int he car, discussing the doctrines of the gospel as we have any spare time. we have learned so much. we will learn something in our companionship study, then when we get together as a unit, someone from another companionship will pull out a scripture, saying that they learned that principle/doctrine today and then share the same exact thing we had studied too. I love revelation like that. and then, when you taste of the fruit of revelation then you don't know how you ever lived without it, nor do you want to live without it. and we MUST be diligent!!! which i have come to believe is repenting constantly and making sure that your life is truly in line with the Father's and make corrections as soon as possible and whenever possible. so, that is our companionship goal, to be diligent in all things, all things. all things.

we just had lunch with our unit. and we all just sat around discussing the things that we need to do to have faith, repent...all those things that are essential to our eternal well being. it was such a great conversation, especially with baleadas (the food from the goods via honduras). at one point i just felt this imense love for everyone sitting at the table. then one of the elders stated "i love you all so much! Everyone is so willing to work hard and work with the Spirit. That is what true unity is." He said eveything that i was feeling right then too. it was so cool. my heart has truly been changed and i feel love for so many people. itis so overwhelming, especially when they slam the door in my face or make fun of me, but i really do love so many people.

oh, we had Christmas Conf. this last weekend. I was put in charge of the music. i was so glad it was over. it was too stressful for me. but, after the conference we got this really cool meal and every missionary was there. anyway, i say next to elder ball from my MTC district. then all of my favorite people came and sat down at the same table. it was so amazing. i felt so much love. one elder even pushed his way in between an elder and myself because he wanted to talk to me and see how my new area was going. it was so cool. that is what the celestial kingdom is going to be like. after a long hard job we'll all get to rest for a bit and see and talk with all of those we work alongside and those we have truly come to love. so, for christmas, i want to invite us all to be worthy to sit at my Celestial kingdom table because i love you all so much and there is no other family i would rather be with and eat dinner and discuss the mysteries of the universe (which won't be mysteries anymore) than those who have the last name BARROS, for the time being. whoever else gets this email, you too are cordially invited.

with that, i sign out.

merry christmas-

talk to you later

love love love love love love love love love

michayla

oh, so the song choice is dedicated to my celestial kingdom dinner party and also to dustin--a big shout out to no longer being at the OG. put that service to the test suckahs!!!

love ya

mb

oh the weather outside is frightful...

2009-12-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

it's not snow it's not snow it's not snow---it is merely a lot A LOT A LOT of rain. Wow, it has been in the 80's this whole week, which sounds delightful, but it isn't because it doesn't feel like Christmas and i am sweating like a pig, and my clothes are getting boring because it is the same season all year round. but, then again, if you drive really fast with the windows rolled down, listening to Christmas music, it almost feels like winter--almost.

hey, thanks for all of the great packages this week. i got one from kansas! i only opened one of the pressies--the CD's, because i knew it was at least one CD, but then i was shocked to find 5!!!! oh, it has made my week, and many more weeks to come. Thank you! The other one i am saving for Christmas. I also got one from Provo. Thank you, it is also waiting for Christmas. And yes, there is a TJ Max kless than 2 miles away, which i just learned yesterday. Mom--you would be so proud. there were so many cheap skirts at TJ Max, but i did not buy them because i have to wait until after Christmas, like you made me promise to do. I also got a package from Hanford. Come to find out, my companions and roommates love pistachios, and we will just sit there, planning for the next day, passing the bag around and a little cup which we have dubbed the spittoon. So many great things. i don't know if that package from Mom and Dad is here yet, but the mission office is in my area, so we might just have to make some stops and find out if it has arriaved.

transfers are this week. I am staying in the area, and the two sisters areas are combining again. right now, at this very moment, we have over 10 progressing investigators. and also, three new members, since Sunday. we will be very busy. my companion is sister Miller. i don't know if i have talked about her before, but she came into the mission the transfer after me. she was trained by my trainer in my training area, if you recall i was just switched to the other area in Hialeah. she and i then moved to hollywood together. the poor thing has had me as a roommate since her mission started and so for her, she has never not been around me, if thatmakes sense. we are both pretty young in themission, but we are going to have a great transfer. she and i have become good friends, which was shocking to me because she is one of those ditzy, cute girls who flirts with everyone and that normally drives me nuts. but she has a heart of gold. plus, i think one of the elders from Hialeah, Elder Bacon, who is so awesome and one of my best friends ever is coming to hollywood this transfer. it is like my little dream team. i am so nervous to be senior companion. this last transfer i wasn't senior comp, but i had to do a lot of the leading because my companions are kinda young and they needed some kind of guidance. i just silently took lead, while letting them know that they were in charge. but now i really am going to be senior companion and i am scared!!! oh well, we have already talked about it, since President told me this was going to happen in PPI's on Tuesday. I have some ideas that i think will work, and i know that we will work together to strengthen, support, and uplift each other, along with the ward and our newly expanded area. it is going to be new and different.

oh--sarah, that memory card isn't working, so i will send it with the christmas package that is being sent later today. Oh, i am sending two packages home. one is of stuff i don't need anymore and one is a christmas package, so keep an eye out for it all. oh, and i don't know if i told you enough times, but you can call the mission office (954)462-6959, when kacey gets her call and then they will forward the news on to me. oh, and what was grandma's Christmas card all about? i didn't get it.

Something cool i want to remember always and that i want to share with you.
Sunday we had 2 baptisms in the Northeast. It was really cool. One experience really taught me a lot about the Spirit and how essential it is to our life here on earth. One of our investigators, who was supposed to get baptized came into the chapel with a dark cloud hovering over his head. He exclaimed that he could not get baptized and then listed a few of the most lame excuses ever as to why he could not get batized. Then one of the members said that it was ok not to get baptized yet because the missionaries were probably just pressuring him anyway. Sister Deloya left, taking the member with her…we weren’t very happy with him, he was destroying our work and efforts. Then Sister Schulthies and I sat down with Mateo, the investigator, and shared a couple of thoughts with him. His demeanor did not change. So, we sat there for awhile, listening to his lame excuses until a thought hit me.
“If Jesus Christ were here right now, at a baptismal service for Mateo, what would He say to you specifically?”
“Pues (his favorite word)…I would just sit there and listen.”
“No, what woul he say to you?”
“I don’t know. Something magnificent.”
“He would say this…’Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world. Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.’ Notice how this doesn’t say all who are perfect He just extends the offer to all. And then Jesus did something else, after everyone had the opportunity to witness for themselves…something before He even started teaching them. Jesus gave the power to baptize right away. Baptism is essential, that is why Jesus taught it right away.”
His demeanor lightned a little bit, but he didn’t fully believe it. Then a thought came to my head, and I know it was the Spirit because it was too good to be from Hna Barros. I was told to open to Doctrine and Covenants 4. I asked if he wanted to ‘embark in the aservice of God?’”
“Yes.”
Will “you serve him with all your heart? Might? Mind? Strength?”
He answered yes to all of them with a nod of quiet assurance.
“Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are acalled to the work.’ Do you have the desire?”
“Yes.”
“Then, right here Jesus says you are called to the work. Not if you are perfect, not if you know everything, but if you have the desire. You have that desire Mateo. Now let’s go and get this baptism started.”
Mateo got baptized that night. Now, I don’t tell this story to bring glory to myself, because I would never have thought to use this scripture in such a way, it was so brilliant it had to be from the Spirit and I know that the Psirit wass the ture converter in that moment, I was just an instrument in the Lord’s hands. I learned a very valuable lesson, though. I want to be worthy to have that inspiration come when I need it, not for myself, but for others. I want to cultivate this Spiritual gift so that when I am a mom I can utilize it when teaching my children. I want it as a visiting teacher, a member missionary, as a wife, as a Daughter of God. I want to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands, this is a desire of my heart.

the other man who got baptized was the man i talked about last week, that we found playing basketball one night. His name is sergio. He is such a cool guy. Anyway, the night before his baptism we went to see him and fill out his baptismal record. when we were done we told him that we have transfers this next week and that Hna. Felton and Hna. Deloya were leaving. eh said that it didn't matter because he knows the church is true and he will always go to church. he then told us that we can come back in a year (which i plan on doing) and we can ask for Sergio and he will be there, still going to church because it is the truth. SOLID GOLD. what a pleasure it is to serve with these people. i only hope and pray that i will see him after this life and get to talk to him. there are only a few people i want to really sit down with in the celestial kingdom and ask them how their life went after we parted ways, and Sergio is one of them.

also, since i have been talking about the dream team and the celestial kingdom, i plan on going to the lecture circuit, or maybe even sponsoring the lecture circuit put on by Isaiah, James E. Talmage and Nephi and maybe John the Beloved. I would love to sit in a large auditorium and hear what they have to say about everything. my personal study has been 2nd Nephi (isaiah) Jesus the christ, james E., and Revelations. All of these things blow my mind. So, i think i am going to start petitioning a lecture circuit in the Spirit World. Whose with me?!?!?!?

anyway, that is enough. i got the matters of business done. I got to bear my testimony and then share the spirit with you all, and then i got a bit of blasphemy out as well. i guess i should've stopped when i was ahead, but i have never done that before, why start now.

love you all soooooo much!! take care and...can't wait to talk to you all shortly. Don't have too much fun without me. and if you play pinnochle, please bid into the 300's once in awhile.

love love love
michayla

I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad...

2009-12-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

Hey,

Whoever can guess this song gets...to know the song i suppose. This song kinda matches my mood for the last little bit. Let me explain.

It has been a VERY difficult week for me. The Lord is trying me and I have been found weak. I am so prideful, so willing to forget the things that the Lord has provided and I get soooooooooo frustrated with people. Why can't they just let their hearts be open for a milisecond and feel the Spirit? Or, why can I feel it, but they can't--which goes back to my first question. Just open your heart!!! Man, oh man, it’s been rough. I have just felt like a failure these last few days. But, the work moves forward. I can either jump on the bandwagon or be left behind sitting and moaning. Sometimes, though, I want to just sit and moan and mourn my loses. This life is rough sometimes. This week I have had to deal with a lot. One person dropped us because they erroneously believe that joining this church will cause their family to grow farther apart, instead of closer together—well, thanks for giving it a try. And I smashed my stupid finger in the car door—it wasn’t bad just super annoying. Then our stupid wrecked car had to go to the insurance people—which means it is never coming back in my mission, and we got an old, ghetto car. The CD player completely died with ALL six of the CD’s inside. Supid, ghetto car. It mad me so mad. Plus, when you smash your finger in the stupid door and you are getting dropped faster than a bad habit (which never has made sense because no one wants to drop a bad habit, or they do, they just are too lazy, so the proverbial saying is pretty false) all you really want to do is listen to music. We got so frustrated yesterday that we went and found a park and just went on the swings. A waste of time—I think not, it saved me from smashing more of my fingers on purpose! People are so aggrivating!! Just shutup and listen!!
I guess that isn’t how Christ did it—more like Satan. So, this is why I am a failure.

We have two, possibly 4 baptisms this Sunday from our little area. There is Sergio, a really cool guy, with such a sad life story. He was married in Mexico to this woman. They had two children, and then she went crazy. They got divorced, but will not allow him to visit his own children. It was very sad and hard for him. Then, as an attempt to restart his life, he remarried. His second wife had one child and then died. That child is being taken care of by his grandpa, who is dying. Then he got remarried and that woman cheated on him. I don’t get it. He is such a sweet man who just tries to do his best, but he just keeps getting the short end of the happiness stick. Asnyway, Sergio asked us last night if we think that he is ready for baptism. We went over the baptism questions and then part of Mosiah 18. The Spirit was really strong. And he now knows that he is ready. He has felt the Spirit, come to church and is growing a solid testimony. It is so cool to see changes in one life. We found him playing basketball. I saw this Latin playing basketball all by himself with a half-broken net. I thought it was such a strange sight, so as my companions were talking to someone(I really wasn’t needed), i thought i would go and see what this man was up to, 5 feet away. I asked if i could see the ball, went to the free-throw line and MIRACULOUSLY made three baskets in a row. he was shocked that there was a blonde girl in his neighborhood who could do that, I was pretty shocked too. we set up an appointment and the rest is baptismal history (if all goes well, which it should). From him we found a couple of other really solid people who now have bap dates.

Also, the two Guatemalan brothers i talked about last week might be getting baptized this Sunday. If not, then on the 23rd, for sure!! There is a lot of work to be done, so we just move forward. I think we are completely booked until either Thrusday or Friday. we just keep finding, and then dropping, or being dropped, or progressing. It is an exciting time to be in Hollywood.

Anyway—it has been fun-ish. Man oh man, this last week has really been awful. I hope to get out of this funk soon.

Anyway,

Love love love,

Hermana barros

How Firm a Foundation

2009-12-01T08:45:00.001-08:00

I have learned a lot of things this week. There were a lot of learning curves thrown at me this week. It is so funny how the Lord works in our lives, especially in the missionary life where relying on the Lord is a must. I have noticed that in this arena, the missionary arena, we have to look for the Lord’s hands in our lives or we might mistake some of the most beautiful moments for something less brilliant. I really love going through the day and seeing the tender mercies of the Lord. And one thing I have learned is that the Lord is soooooooooo good. He is so smart. I mean, some of the things He does to get everything done is so cool. I just have to be in the right place at the right time. So, here are some of my special experiences…
On Saturday we went “fierce Finding” with our ward. The turn-out wasn’t that great, but there were some very evident miracles. The first person we talked to was a young man from Guatemala on a bike. We have gotten really good at handing pass-along cards out while someone is riding on their bikes around us. We tried out our new found skill on this young man. He stopped and asked us to pray for him and he seemed really interested. It was cool, so we set up a time we could meet the following day.

Then, on Sunday, we get a call from this same young man, saying that he wants to come to church; could we get him a ride? We hurriedly found someone and he and his brother came. His brother had been severely electrocuted a year ago, just getting out of the hospital two weeks ago. Because they are illegal, they did not get any compensation for his accident. This poor man and his brother. They asked for a blessing. President, the Spirit was so strong. When the blessing was over I dared not open my eyes because I just knew that this man was going to be whole. The faith of those two men, and the Spirit in that room, I was fortunate to be there. We went to the appointment we had set up on Saturday. We taught a quick lesson and then said a prayer. Once again the Spirit just overwhelmed me. I knew, and I know now that this young man, Jeranimo, is a very special son of God, and that He is mindful of this little Guatemalan man. That our meeting was not an accident or merely chance, but a large tender mercy. The Lord is aware of us. He knows us. He loves us, and he cries when we cry, and Smiles when we smile, and is soooooo good to us. I am grateful for this opportunity to share this message with everyone I meet, even those who pass by on their bikes.

And dear Family, we are seeing miracles here. We have been working so hard and yet we run into these giant brick walls and I get so frustrated. What am I doing wrong? What is my problem? Things like that that Satan puts in our mind to keep us down. But, the Lord showed me that our efforts were not in vain. The work is moving forward, I just can’t see it all the time. Yesterday, the North area (both companionships of sisters. Ok explanation—the area I am in now is a temporary area. Next transfer we are dissolving one of our areas and making it into one solid area. That means that this transfer we are supposed to work really hard and get things done so that next transfer it will just BOOOOOM) Ok, back to our regularly scheduled program. Yesterday we had a total of 11 investigators at Sacrament Meeting (the poor elders only had two between the two companionships). And we have a few more solid families that didn’t have enough time to prepare for this Sunday, but have promised us the following Sunday. We’ll see. We have a lot of dates coming up in December. Oh man, Hollywood is going to have a white Christmas full of baptisms. Our goal is 13 on the 13th. I just know it is possible, we just have to work hard. And whoever inherits this area, the two North sisters’ areas here, is going to be one lucky companionship. Is it going to be me? I don’t know. Whatever happens is cool, I just hope that whoever is here knows how lucky they really are to be getting some of the choicest associates out there.

Anyway, have a great week,

Hna Barros

PS—had a Cuban and Mexican Thanksgiving. I got to eat Mexican hot-dogs, yes, for Thanksgiving. And the Cubans, what funny people, had turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, Cuban rice and beans (which are to die for) Cuban sweet potatoes, which are a lot like yucca—very starchy and not so sweet, but pretty tasty, and then Flan with chocolate ice-cream. So funny and fun. I’ll send pictures sometime. I need a cool little usb adapter that I can put my memory card into so I can directly upload and then send my pictures to you with. Christmas maybe?

Any way—love love love

Christmas

2009-11-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

We've been bugging Michayla about what she wants for Christmas, so she sent us this. Mom thinks we should coordinate, so reader beware!!! Someone has already claimed the gift of a bag....

christmas...
ok, another miracle. those CD's i asked for, one of my roommates had them all so i am going to make copies of them, so you don't have to worry about those. but i would love the following--
1. Jospeh Smith, the prophet of the Restoration soundtrack. someone said it wasn't out yet, but it is on my wish list.
2. Gladiator Soundtrack
3. Some of the music on my computer, the soudtracks from Finding Neverland, The New World, Road to Perdition...just the stuff i have on my computer
4. I need a new bag, the one i am using now i got in the free bin at the MTC and it is rapidly falling apart. I need a good, smallish, pack. maybe i could just buy one of my own, now that i have money, because i am pretty picky.
5. i do need scripture covers, individual for each BOM or Bible in englsh and spanish because mine are also rapidly falling apart.
6. i can't think of anything else

the weather is perfect. sometimes i wear a cardigan, but not very often. it is perfect, perfect. we get cold if it gets into the sixties. i still don't waer nylons--no need.

thanksgiving we are going to a slew of member's homes, kinda like the gilmore girls who have so many thanksgivings. it is giong to be a treat. we can eat with membres, but only if they have a non-member present after the hour of five. it is so that we can use our prime pros time effectivly. members know that and don't know anyone, so they make us food and send it home to us. we have been eating a lot of hondurean food (i am a honduras magnet--where ever i go there is a new family from honduras. i love them!!!!) on sat we have two appointments--someone is taking us out to lunch, and someone is feeding us dinner--miraculously enough i am still losing weight, evryone keeps telling me that and my skirts are getting smaller.

what does brandon want?

anyway--time's up.

love love love
michayla

strawberry fields forever...

2009-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

or at least summer forever here in FL

It is odd not to start off with "another great week in Hialeah" but it has been another great week. There are a lot of things on my mind as i sit down to write, so i hope they all get out in an organized fashion. Like president said in PPI's, yes this is a very different look for me. I am now in a little place called Hollywood, right outside of Ft. lauderdale, which is funny because my area covers downtown Ft. lauderdale and the coast and the ghetto and...everything. There is so much to see. One day we got lost and then all of a sudden we were on the side of a big canal, full of these $1,000,000 yachts and penthouses/townhouses. No big deal. It was like we were in a whole new world. But because of it, there is a lot of differences too. More money equals less likelihood to listen. Some of these ghetto apartments, full of drunk latins, cost 1,000 dollars a month, and they only have one bedroom and one bath, and they are roach infested (and the roaches here are HUGEEEEEEE!!).

I am also in a three-some. i am with sister felton, a girl from las Vegas who takes the bull by the horns and does her thing. she is only a transfer ahead of me, so it is like two greenies leadng the blind. her spanish is not the greatest, which means that i a relied on for a lot of things. The second of my two companions is Sister Deloya, a sister from Temple Square. She is here for two transfers. She is originally from Mexico, which means her Spanish is good, but she teaches like a Temple Square Sister. She doesn't know how to get to the point or how to end a lesson and move on. This is mainly because she is used to giving tours and dealing with anti's. When people don't have the spirit it is impossible to teach. so you plant a seed and leave. she doesn't know how to do that and it gets frustrating for me. A three-some requires different diplomatic and leadership tactics that we all get to learn about and deal with this transfer. also, because we have so many sisters, they kinda made up an area for me and my two compaions. We split Hollywood Hills North down the middle, we took the "drier" side of the two halves, mainly because Sister Martinez, my old companion, showed me how to find in any situation, so I thought it would be nice to try that out. It has been a little rough, and soooooo different. I have learned a lot already. I am also learning how to deal with two very different companions. The Lord is truly humbling me. I just wish the humbling process was a little less painful sometimes. But, the key to getting over this is to work harder. So, that's what we do, we get out of the car and go contacting in some of the coolest places, and in some of the ghetto-est places, while being safe of course. Then we find someone completely unexpected and the mission feels like a success because i found one of God's children. like yesterday, i saw this girl that was smioking and gardening. she was acting like she was a retired old lady, but she was only 20. i was intrigued and decided to stop. That is one of the joys of being a missionary. when you see someone odd or intriguing you can go up and talk to them and see what they are like. it is harder to do thisas a regular person. anyway i went to go talk to this lady, Rachel, and found out that she has a three-year-old boy. she is about 4'10'' with died black hair and pale as can be. her son, jason is so cute. anyway, she asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses (we get that lot).
"No, we're not."
"Good, because they don't know how to listen. they just preach and preach and then when they start condeming me, i get really annopyed, but they don't leave because they don't know how to listen."
"no, we're not Jehovah's Witnesses" we then talked to her about her life, well, she told of how she got pregnant and was always willing to find a church, but none of them stood out to her. perfect, because we've got something you might like. She speaks English, so we'll have to pass her off to the english elders (who happen to be the AP's. cool story, one of them had a dream about finding a woman named Rachel. When we told them about her, they got really excited to teach her. It is cool how things like that happen).

this apartment is very different, a lot of different personalities. The ward is also very different, and at times it feels competitive in the worst ways. I feel like the missionaries here need to become unified and all on the same page. We need to remember that we are not here to be in a popularity contest, to see how many, or which of the members are our friends. we need to include everyone and we also need to look beyond ourselves and just serve. I am still trying to figure out what kind of missionary i am, and the process of refining that is a difficult, uphill battle. It is hard to find the balance between loving and lifting someone up and standing on your soap box chastising others. so, i just sit back and think about what Jesus would do. he was so good at everything, i just wish i could be more like our Father in Heaven and remember how to love and serve.

in other words, the Lord has given me quite a few challenges this transfer and i feel slightly overwhelmed, like my talents aren't needed (which is ridiculous, i know). People look to me to see what i will do, how i will react, how i feel about things, and honestly, i am just me. i am a 23 year old girl who is trying to figure all of this stuff out too. i feel really burdened, like i am not quite up for the challenge that i face. but, that is whining. i am done now.

i know that i am blessed to be here, in the best mission in the world. i know that this is an inspired transfer. i just wish i knew what i could do to help others more effectively and how to say the words the lord would have me say. so, now that that is all said, i just want you to know that i will do my very best, and if it is not my best, i will try harder. i promised 18 months to the Lord, and if that means doing really hard, seemingly impossible things, i will do them and i will succeed.

this weekend is sister's conference. an RM sister missionary, married to Shawn Bradley of the NBA is going to speak to us. It will be really good. i'm looking forward to it. i'll tell you more about it next week.

i just thought that that was so cool to hear about kacey's tuition experience. it didn't hit me til now how blessed and grateful i really am for that. and now as i write about it i feel this overwhelming power of love from my Heavenly Father. I don't need to worry about things out of my hands, i just need to be my very best, work hard, and be...my very best. So, He does answer prayers. And He does love me. he knows his missioaries. he knows us as a family and he wants us to return to live with him one day. let us do our very best to live worthy of that. i love you all and need you all with me for forever. let us do our very best to live worthy of the celestial kingdom together. i want to have barbeques up there because our mansions will be next door and i want to be missionaries there too. so work hard, marry good people (which the two boys have already done). i love you all soo much. i really do. mom, go to the templ this week for me. i wish i could go, i mean i am aguiring all this knowledge now, i wish i could go to the temple and learn more and receive that personal revelation. so, would yuo go for me this week? i know it will bless yur life, and i know that i will feel close to you this week. i kinda need that now. i am so weak, i just need you to go to the temple and think of me, ok?

Have a great week,
and i love love love you all,
Hermana Barros

come one, come all!!!

2009-11-04T05:51:00.000-08:00

to the feast of fools--

This has been a very sad and frustrating week, and though this e-mail is short, i am sending some pictures with it and there will be a lot of mail going out in the next two weeks--i promise.

This week has been very frustrating for me. I have learned a lot of things, so when i train i will teach the things that need to be taught and teach the new mission culture. i read beware of pride this last week and i have been thinking about it a lot. if you read the book of mormon looking just for the word pride, you will find that the Lord is very mindful of our natures to slip into pride and thinking only of ourselves. I have seen the negative effects of pride this last week and so i now know to BEWARE of pride. companions and roommates can teach a lot of things, that is one of the great adventures of going on a mission. but i am excited to move out and experience something new. get a breath of fresh air.

hermana martinez is a great companion. i am really lucky to have been trained (for my last training transfer) by her. she has taught me a lot of things that i think will make my mission something grand. i can't wait to get out and try some of these new things out with my new area and companion(s). hermana martinez has been building me this last few weeks, telling me that i am moving on so that i can help other missionaries learn things and help them grow. that i need to go somewhere else and be an influence for good somewhere else. it makes me sad to leave hialeah and such a wonderful companion, but in know that she will be ready to train a new missionary. she is ready to run with hialeah. and i have a feeling the hialeah ward will soon be splitting. on sunday i noticed while playing piano for sacrament meeting that there was no room for anyone else. and if we grow, which we will because hna martinez and i finally figured out how to use our members (something i am going to utilize in a new place) and the work has exploded for us. and if someone is dropped, or they drop us, it is sad, but then we feel like it is totally fine, we can spend time with those who are ready to be baptized now. yesterday we taught a member referral who is solid. he has come to church a couple of times and is so eager to learn. a lot of our investigators are ready and hungering to learn. that is exciting. also, we got a new ward mission leader who is a return missionary (a Preach My Gospel missionary) who knows what it is like to be a missionary and understands our purpose. this ward is going to explode. it is going to explode. maybe i can help other places explode. my goal for next transfer is to get a baptism (at least) a week. i know i can do it. i have fasted and prayed for it, i know that it is possible and that i can do it if my eye is single to the glory of God.

ok, i might send those pitcures again because i don't know if it is working.

oh, thanks for those lydia pictures--soo cute. she is getting so big and animated! i miss my little friend. and payton--what a goofball! BRandon, get good grades.

love hna barros

oh, p.s. I ate cuban pizza yesterday--best pizza ever. and Materva and Ironbeer--two Cuban soft drinks are soooo good. Why do i have to develop such a love for cuba as i leave?

so, some info on these pictures. some are from halloween--we had a baptism ono halloween too! his name is saul from bolivia. then there is one with a family. this family is my favorite ever. their little boy, who is also in a picture with me, i nicknamed michael jackson becacuse he is a four year old who dances just like the deceased pop star. he and i are BFF's and he only responds to the name michael (or so his mom says). i really am going to miss them, but that is how it goes.

love you
m b

new new new email!!!

2009-10-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

could you tell everyone that my address has changed...i went to my old account and i noticed a lot of emails from people. new address
michaylaabarros@gmail.com

Yo ho yo ho a pirate's life for me!!

2009-10-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

well, a missionary's life for me

to start i wanted to give you a quote from president's weekly email to us all--

I bring you the love, admiration and congratulations of your ongoing success from Elder Bednar of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Sister Hale and I had the opportunity to meet with him this last week in Orlando. He was upbeat, positive and most enthusiastic about your efforts and all that you are accomplishing. Truly you are bringing the “infusion of enthusiasm” of which President Hinckley spoke!"

it is cool to hear from the apostles that our efforts are being closely monitored by the brethern and that our success means more than just numbers, it means a new temple and perhaps Cuba being opened. we have a lot to do. but, i have learned that the impossible is not and it is so doable to really hard, insurmountable tasks that the Lord asks of us.
We had PPI's last week. i love PPI's. why did nobody ever tell me about them. it is so cool to be one on one with the president. he asked me how my two companionships have been. he gave me two different companions, one right after the other. i learn things from both of them, things that i want to improve upon and things that i really like about myself. he said good. he said that by doing those things i was becoming the best sister barros. he then told me that my next companion is going to be very different than the first two. ok, great. i think i am the sister who gets along with everyone and makes a companionship work and so i am put with those who no one wants to be with, or who have a bad rap--i hope so anyway. i don't want to be one of those annoying companions who no one likes. i don't want to leave a foul taste in anyone's mouth.
he then came out and said that i was moving. i was going to a place where there are hardly any cubans and lots of mexicans and guatemalans--he said some other things that lead me to think that i am going to go to a certain place up in the north. i told mom, just so that you know my train of thought, i'm 89% sure of my next place, and i am really excited. i will get to see the beach all the time, i will be leaving the ghetto of hialeah (which is sad. i love the people here. they are crazy funny and wierd) and i will be seeing more white people--wierd. people always stare at me because i am a white girl in hialeah. i didn't understand it at first, but i got it now. i even stare when i see a white guy walking around. i wonder how he got so lost to be here. but this new place i am going to is really touristy and it will be a lot of fun. plus, i think donald trump's house (at least one of them) will be in my new area. but we'll see. transfers are next week. i really will miss hialeah. but, i signed up for this mission, which means i will do good with anything that coes my way.

we have one baptism on saturday, which means we doubled this areas baptisms in one transfer. we also have another 6-8 people with very real and solid dates coming up in the beginning of november. it is so much fun being a missionary.

lots of love to all of you all over the world!
michayla barros

p

2009-10-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

some pictures for your enjoyment...
one is a picture of hermana martinez and elder Bacon, my companion and an elder in our district who entered the MTC at the same time as me, making caramel apples at the fall fest last week. it was such a success--the pie eating contest was the best thing i have ever seen in my life. it felt a little like i was the mom of the birthday boy who was five, i don't liuke big productions like that, but everyone had fun and will remember it always, that's all a proud mama could ask for.
one is of my companion and i with our pumpkin in the pumpkin carving contest. i am dressed very brightly because for my costume i was an old cuban grandma. Sister martinez wore all black and i wrapped her up in fake spiderwebs. everyone dressed up, it was a lot of fun to just hang out with friends.
another picture is of our zone at ZDM last week. The faces on everyone totally shows their personalities. I love elders. they keep life interesting. the Lord knew what He was doing when he decided top send 19 year old boys out to preach the gospel. they have a different way of looking at things, they feel unstoppable and confident, and they have so much energy. i love these little elders here. they are like my little brothers and friends.
ok, and a few are of me and my companion in our mumus. i bought one so that i could be a cuban grandma, but i found out that it is waaaaaay comfy so i wear it to bed. well, companion decided that she wanted one as well. this last week we were on a scavenger hunt looking for a mumu that she liked. now we do our nightly planning in our mumus before we go to bed. they are so comfy. old grandmas get things so right sometimes.
oh, and the collage. we have an investigator getting baptized on saturday. well, he has this picture of the miami heat dancers in his room which we really really hate. (his dad just died and he has been having a hard time living alone and working two jobs, so one day we went and cleaned his house while he was at work. we saw the picture and knew something had to be done. he also had a thing of vodka--bad news. so i put a picture of Jesus on it with his hand outstretched and then i wrote "do not drink!" it looks like jesus is putting his hand out to tell saul to not partake. it was so comical for me, and he said that he threw it away because of it. job done) ok, so i decided to make him something to put in the place of the women, so i made a collage of jesus and the temples. he loves it and now it sits above his head board. job number 2, accomplished.

ok, now on to the real letter
love you
mb

the job's a game!! (p.s., the pictures are reversed)

2009-10-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

some more pictures for you--

the first two are of our cuban bread. for $1.25 we can buy a big loaf of bread that is longer than my whole arm that is better than french bread. these are the ingrdients on the label, in this order
1. water
2. Flour
3. Lard (this is the key--tasty stuff lard)
4. yeast
5. salt

yes, that is it, and it is so gooooooooood. we buy it at the bakery so it is nice and fluffy and warm and makes our car smell like a bakery. i wish i could send you some, it is that good.

the next one is a dollar discount store, which has many many cousins all over the place. and they al have signs in such horrendous spanglish. it keeps it interesting. once there was a sign that said "sandwishes". i though i took a picture of it, but i can't find it now.

the one with the dogs--this is around the place where we turned left and found that family. ok, look at the sign. it says beware of the dog. there are a few things wrong with that sign. first, there is more than one dog there. second, they are not doing anything but staring at us. plus, they are not even a foot tall. not very intimidating. i just that it was so comical and that you might enjoy it as much as i did.

oh, and lastly, they name their busses. i thought you would like to see what i mean.

anyway. Florida always provides something new to look and and laugh about. i have met some of the craziest people ever! and i have walked in some of the oddest places too-but it is all good. i'm a missionary. if i didn't meet weird people it wouldn't be the same.

oh, and dad-i use a blanket every night. we have to keep our air on and the highest it can go is 75 degrees so that we don't get mold. it gets very cold at night. but, oddly, it has been chilly outside (well, for the past two days) it has been getting into the sixties. so, when we walk into our apartment it feels warm, which is odd. plus, we need a sweater to keep warm in the eveningins (the past two evenings). it won't last forever, it is too good to be true.

love you both tons and tons. if you want, send the pictures and everything else to my fan club throughout the US.

love,
michayla

With every job that's done there is an element of fun

2009-10-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

This week has been fantastic! We had another baptism, another Hondureano, Victor Escobar. He is a sweet 19 year old who is related to the other men that got baptized the last week and who were confirmed just yesterday. It is so much fun to see the Lord's had in other's lives as they move forward with faith and start changing their lives for the good. Victor is such a sweet guy, and maybe he will one day serve a mission, we'll have to wait and see. He would be a great missionary. I love Honduras. Everywhere we go we find another person from Honduras. We go out to find someone in some random part we have never been before and boom! there is someone from Honduras that we just taught about the Restoration right there on the street. Hna. Martinez and I feel like Honduras magnets. last night we went to see a woman named Sullapa (weirdest name ever) and i thought she was from Cuba. We contacted her a week ago, but she didn't have time for us. We kept going back to her house, but she was never home. Last night, Hna Martinez gets this feeling to go see Sullapa. Ok, whatever...so we go and do. We give everyone three chances, or three door stop bys. This was her third. We get there, i am fully expecting an unanswered door. We knock and wait. A face pops out of the window, and then pops in again. This is usually the sign that we are being "ignored." But we still wait (the light was perfect for shadow puppets, it was 8:35 pm, almost time to quit, and it had been a long day). We wait for a while, and then the door opens to Sullapa. She was sleeping but she let us in and told us her life was kinda difficult right now. So we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with a focus on Faith and repentance. She soaked it all up. She believed what we said. We left her with a commitment to read and pray. We are going back on Wednesday to teach her and her husband. It taught me a lot. You just never know. Oh yeah, we found out that she is from Honduras, Olancha, where everyone is from. When we asked her where she was from she said Honduras. My companion asked if she was from Olancha--she looked at us surprised, and said yes! She thought we were a Godsend. we just are that good.

Sister Martinez has taught me a lot about faith. We both discussed that we have problems with faith, so we decided to have a faith goal. Our zone wanted to get 50 new investigators, so we were going to get 25 of those 50. We decided that if we set that goal, trying to help the other companionships in our zone reach that goal, with the Lord's help we would be able to see the fruits of the labors of our faith. We worked really hard and ended up getting 24 new investigators. We ended up teaching 39 total lessons, with 5 AMT's. It is phenomenal to see that if you focus in one area and are efficient in that one area that the rest of the areas also increase. This week our faith goal is setting 15 baptismal dates because our zone goal is 35. I don't know how we are going to do this, but the Lord has shown me that if we can get 25 new investigators, starting on Thrusday with only 6, then 15 baptismal dates is totally doable. Plus, we have all these new investigators who need dates, so, we are just going to have to work hard with those we have. It has been interesting also, because when we would go to visit a potential or a new investigator, if those certain people did not end up being intersted, the Lord would place others in our path who were interested.

There is this one set of streets that i have always wanted to go on because it looks so cool on our area map. so one day we decided we would go contacting down that street, just to appease my curiousity.So we go, no one is down any of those streets. we see a bunch of kids playing on the street (finally) but i feel like we should keep going, turn left actually. So, we do that. We turn left. We run into this 16 year old kid who is pretty cool. Then his dad comes out to talk with us. He is golden!!! He tells us about his beliefs--he is LDS he just doesn't know it yet. Tonight we are having an FHE with his family because he loves his family and wants them to be together to hear this (good) and he also invited his siter-in-law and some other in-laws because they should hear it too (great!). So, by turning left we ran into an entire family who wants to hear our message. That took a lot of faith, because to the right we could see people, to the left there was nothing. but, when listening to the Spirit we found someone who was ready. The Lord knows what's up.

And the Lord also taught us that we need to rely on the little promptings of the Spirit. If you feel like you should turn left, though that doesn't seem logical, turn left. If you only have 20 minutes left in the day, but you feel like you should stop by someone's house, who is never home EVER, you stop by and then teach them the thing they need to hear from God at that moment. It is so much fun, and so humbling, to be the Lord's instruments. It is amazing to think that He trusts me, little old 23 year old me, with such important tasks, like listening to the Spirit so that I might give comfort to one of His children. I am humbled to be here now, among so many choice associates, in and out of the church. My heart is bursting as the Lord answers my prayers and helps me do seemingly impossible things. He has helped me with my Spanish, He is helping me with my faith. He is allowing me to have this opportunity now to serve Him full-time. I am blessed.

THis week we are going to have a scavenger hunt--we are looking for a couple of things and throughout the week we are going to find them, a scavenger hunt for some new black shoes from a five dollar shoe store (these things are so cool. they have name brand shoes for 5 dollars or less. i don't know how legal these shoes are, but we don't ask questions. plus, its not like we are in a dark alley, they have a store and everything. i just love that they are so cheap!) We are looking for a map of Honduras so we can see where Olancha is and where we want to go when we have the chance, in the future, to go to Honduras. I have to go to Honduras, I just have to. they have the sweetest people there and we have baptized half of the country already). We have a couple of other things we want to remember our companionship by.
We are having a fall festival today too as a zone--the ZL's put my companion and i in charge of P-day activities. so today we are carving pumpkins, dressing in costumes, eating caramel apples, having a pie eating contest and all that. i will send pictures for you all next week.

I love these emails because they trully give me the opportunity to reflect on my week, verbalize my thoughts. I write in my journal, but they seem to be more about the daily things, and they too are spiritual. But writing these letters, for someone else to read, is different, a good different.
anyway--

Love love love y

Tenga buen dia y una grande semana-
Hermana Barros

I believe I can fly....

2009-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

hey you guuuuys,

this week has been outrageous, and the Lord really does love us. A lot of time has been taken out of our proselyting time but because of the importance of these other things (zone conf. and the likes) we have been able to redouble our efforts in all other aspects. It has been cool. Our numbers are almost the same as normal weeks if not a little higher than last week, well, our member present lessons have been knida weak, but that is going to change here pretty quickly. It is interesting that the Lord helps us out. One thing we have been working really hard on is trying to get more new investigators. So i, under the influence of the Spirit, because it was too smart to be just me, asked one of our recent converts if he had any family in the area. he did, so we got their information. we went to see them and found five new investigators and taught five people about the restoration in a half an hour. WOW!! I wish that would happen more often. So now i think i am going to ask everyone if they have any family nearby or just anything to get new referrals because it is easier to find someone who has a connection to the gospel and teach them than finding our own people to teach, which is not always fruitful.

Sister Martinez is teaching me alot, things i don't even think she is trying to teach me. I just have learned how to be a better me, though that is hard sometimes. But, in zone conf. i learned that the Spirit works with me in different ways than i thought. I do not need big outbursts of emotions or the chills, i just need the confidence the Spirit brings, which is good for me so then i can move forward. That is important informtion for me to know. she is a little rough around the edges, but one thing i learned is just because she is alsways on the defense doesn't mean i need to be as well. i just need to love her at all times. most of the time we get along really well, but sometimes she drives me up the wall and that is when i go to bed early and hope and pray 'that the sun'll come out tomorrow.'

the really big news--we had two baptisms yesterday; Wilson and Ovidio. After their baptism they shared their testimonies with everyone. We haven't been working with them that long, but they are solid. ONe of them bore their testimony on Joseph Smith and his role as a prophet who restored the gospel of Jesus Christ. The other bore his testimony that he had never felt happier in all of his life. Great!!! That is what you want to hear after every baptism. It is so amazing to see lives change. We have a pretty cool job.
One of their friends, Victor, was supposed to be baptized, but saturday afternoon came around and he decided it was too soon for him. it was a little heart-breaking because when that is said then you never know what is going to happen. sister martinez and i bore testimony about the correctness of this decision, and then left it at that, telling him the only way he would feel ready was through reading and praying. he came to the baptism and afterwards i turned to him and told him that the next one it would be him. he smiled and said, yes, i know, i'm getting baptized next sunday, i already told hna. martinez. so, in less than one day he received his answer. that is cool. that is the converting power of the spirit. we are excited to see his life change and join his friends among the members of this church.

some cool facts about the templ that i learned during zone conf. we are probably going to get a 2-40 sized temple, or two endowment rooms that seat fourty, it is mid-sized. one thing that president said was that the heavens were opened that weekend for us and "our will aligned with the will of the father's" that day. that was cool to hear. also, he said that 20 minutes before the sat. afternoon session Pres. Eyring called to congratulate us on getting a temple. Pres. Eyring also said that the Lord is watching Ft. Lauderdale and He knows our mission and the missionaries there and He is blessing our efforts here. I know that we hear that a lot, that the Lord loves His missionaries, but when a prophet says that the lord loves you as a distinct group, that is some strong power. Also, pres. said that it was pretty cool because Pres. Eyring started crying when he was on the phone, and Pres. Hale cries all the time, so here were two grown men crying, twenty minutes before conference. the cool thing is, a prophet was calling us 20 min. before conf. he could have done a myriad of other things, yet he was calling us, little old South Florida to talk about a temple. now our prayers have turned to those in the development process so that the site and the political work can get done in a mannerly time. prayers are always needed and prayers are always answered.

another cool fact is that our mission is #1 in the world when it comes to doubling our baptisms from last year. so, last month we got 61 baptisms for the month as a mission. last year we only had 30 or so. we are doubling our baptisms. and we are going to do it again. with the temple will come even more success. how fun!!

i think that is it for now.

love love love-
hermana barros

ps-kacey, you have a birthday card sitting here in FL but there is no address for you so it is going to sit here until i get a letter from you. Tori, you too are under condemnation because you have been in school long enough to be able to write me a little note. you two better watch your backs for a lack of blessings from FL.

2009-10-13T09:39:00.001-07:00

Put your shoulder to the wheel, push aloooong

2009-10-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

MIs Familias across the nation,

This has been an exciting weekend for me. First, the Temple. Wow!! What a cool experience, right? I couldn't believe it. We fasted as a mission last sunday for this announcement and we have been praying mightily that we might receivev a temple. i didn't think it was possible, but we prayed as a zone sat. morning and then i felt this strong surge of power, telling me that anything is possible for the Lord, who am I to limit Him. So, I learned that lesson. and i do have to say, i have never wanted to call home more than at that moment to talk to mom and dad and say--see, the Lord really does listen and answer MY prayers. He knows me!! But, I did not, you already knew, and if not, the Lord will let you know what you needed to know, and plus, i am writing it to you now in an email (kinda like that story of the girl who knew that her brother's trap wouldn't work because after she prrayed she went and smashed it to peices.).

This weekend Hialeah West, my old area, got a baptism. It was so exciting! It was the first baptism i have been to where i helped teach the recent convert, Rafael Castillo. He is an ex JW who finally gave into the spirit and followed the example of Jesus Christ to be baptized. What a cool experiencec to see someone get baptized that felt the Spirit with you at the same moments, if that makes sense. I have discoverd the greatest feeling in the world, watching one of your progressing investigators become a recent convert. I think at that moment, when i felt that sweet and simple love, that God allowed me to feel what He feels for every one of His children. Our Heavenly Father is so merciful to allow me to have these sweet experiences "while in my youth."

This weekend coming up is going to be fantastic. We have a few baptisms scheduled for some Hondureans. Victor, Ovidio and Wilson are getting baptized on Sunday. These men are so faithful. Ovidio and Wilson came to three sessions of conference, and when i asked what they learned from it, they said that they learned "muchas cosas." I think that they loved hearing from the prophet's mouth. Ovidio even said that he loved "If ye love me, keep my commandments." IT just made sense to him. We took advantage of this sweet spirit to teach him about the Word of Wisdom, which he gladly accepted, though he really loves his cafe. These men are solid and of pure gold. I am so lucky to teach them, and i know the Spirit is there because we are both edified. I learn something new everytime we teach them.
we are also hoping that Saul, an investigator that we've had from the beginning of last transfer will also be baptized this sunday as well. But we will have to see, he is struggling a little bit in his personal life and because of this, going to see him has become difficult. but, he is good. I just have to have faith in the Lord's plan for all of His children.

The weekend after this one will also resulti n several baptisms. we are teaching all the time, with people who are solid. they come from investigator referrals. Those are the best, because then they have their own little built-in support system. It is amazing to see that planning happens throughout the day as more and more people want us to come back and help them prepare for baptism.

my new companion, sister martinez, is so much like Kacey, it is scary. It is as if Kacey has been preparing me my whole life for the six weeks of transfer. Martinez is hotheaded, stubborn, only has one way of seeing things, her way, and she doesn't mind tellingyou what she thinks, no matter the consequences (kinda like Kacey, but don't be offended. Martinez is a fantastic missionary, and a great companion, i just need some time away from her before she kills me or i kill her. i would like to imagine that that is kinda like a marriage--it's good, but not all the time, you always need some space). The new girl is super eager to do anything, and she does a lot of things that are not exactly kosher, but her trainer, my old trainer, doesn't tell her what's up. if this next transfer happens the way i think it will, she will be my companion, and i might have to clean up the mess her trunky trainer is creating. trunkiness stinks!! I pray that i never get trunky, EVER!! those missionaries just suck the life out of me. She isn't tht trunky, but she always is crying because she is going home, or talking about home, or...whatever. that is the end of my venting.

Mom--i got the package and your letter this week. note--if you send it UPS the office can't forward it to me, so it sits in the officeuntil there is a zone conference or someone from up north goes down south to my area. the best way to get it to me is through the USPS. Also, letters only take about five days to get to me, not too bad. i know it isn't as fast as we would like, but you would be surprised at how often those letters get to me at the very moment i need their messages. Ps--those of you who haven't written to me are not getting birthday cards-you know who you are. thanks for the flower press. my companion laughed at me, but she doesn't know the power that little press has, and the miraculous things i can now create-mwahahaha.
i was wondering if you could e-mail me dad's e-mail address. i thought i was sending him stuff, buti am getting no response to my personal email;s i am sending him. i need it fast!
this is a good work, it is fun, challenging, exhausting, but good and fun. It is amazing what the Lord trusts us with, but it is also so cool to see how He molds and refines us, well...me, in order to move His work forward. I just feel so lucky to be here at this time to "put my shoulder to the wheel. the Lord has need for willing hands" and my heart is willing. It is amazing to see that when we are willing and trust in the Lord, miracles happen, not because of anything i do, other than my obedience, but because of the converting power of the Spirit.

Can't wait til Zone Conference this friday, it's going to be good. I was wondering if the return missionaries would write me a note of what they feel is the most important thing they learned whiel on the missions and some advice for me. i would love that so much because i love you so much and i would treasure and value your experience and wisdom (did i butter you up enough?)
the church is true. The book of Mormon truly is the word of God. I love that I get to testify of this everyday. Teaching people is the best thing ever, especially when you are teaching so much that you are never tracting--good news! Love you all.

Hermana Barros

Let it be or Letter B

2009-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

The work is truly progressing. Yesterday we had two confirmations, one from our area and then one from the elder's. This week we have one batism scheduled, Saul, from Bolivia. He is ready for baptism, his heart is pure. I have only met with him a couple of times, but he is pretty cool. then on October 11th, something amazing happens, we have five baptisms scheduled. They are all men from Honduras. This is a fun story. A few transfers ago, Sister Green and Sister Martinez baptized a cool man, Antonio, from Honduras. His son moved in with him, and Antonio told him that he could only live there if he took the missionary discussions. That was the man who just got confirmed yesterday, Franklin. These two amazing men have since invited one or two of their friends to come to church/baptism, Wilson and Ever. When we get ahold of them and then teach them, these new investigators invite their friends, Victor and Arturo, all of whom accept the gospel and baptismal dates after the first lesson. They are like a clown car full of ready Hodureans each inviting someone of their own, Joaquin, Jose and Manuel. It is perfect, they find, we teach and baptize. they are solid. It is so much fun to be a part of this miraculous work. These men are so much fun. Ok, then my trainer and I contacted a man from Honduras about a month ago, Ovidio. When we went to teaach him we found out that he lives in the same little complex as the other men and that he is roommates with Arturo. Apparently honduras is ready to be baptized. They just are so cool. Yesterday in Elder's Quorum, we were invited for a special missionary focus exercise. we came in and found that the quorum was divided by missionary areas. Hna Martinez's and my area were full of two recent converts and five investigators. Our efforts almost doubled the size of our Elder's quorum. It is so much fun to see them progress. Then, we went and visited some of them after church and one of them, who i doubted a little bit, was really really excited to be baptized and the other just kept talking about how our church is different and how he likes it so much. he loves the church. His name is Wilson, he looks just like, and he even sounds like, Morgan Freeman. He dresses like a cowboy. he is so cool, so willing to give up his much loved coffee because, "if i pray, then Jesus will help me" Solid testimony! I love Honduras!!! and i love Baleadas--a Honduraen food that is like a very very good quesadilla. I wish i could go to Honduras. That is now on my to-do list. I think that these men are ready beause they will go back to Honduras one daya and share the gospel with their families there and because there is a temple being built in their country. miraculous things happen when a temple is being built.

Hermana Martinez is a great companion. She lets me figure things out on my own and she just is great! She is a little rough around the edges, says things just like they are, and she always speaks her mind, which is good for me becauswe it is causing me to have thick skin. She also lets me say what i need to say when i need to say it, and the Spanish just comes. I thought that this transfer was going to be just like it became (did that make sense), so i have been worried a bit about Hna. Martinez, but she and i have learned to get along and find success. We met all of our goals, and even over-exceeded them this week. We don't know how that was done, because we were far behind on Thursday night, but then the Lord stepped in, because we didn't know what to do on our own, and then the goals got done. He loves us so much, and because we are His servants and we are on His errand, he steps in and provides. That is cool to see. I'm glad that i get to stay here in Hialeah. I just got to know the members, so it is great to be here for a while longer and work with them. Some were sad that i am no longer the missionary in their area, which is sweet to hear, but they'll be okay. I'll miss them too, but i'm still here. This is just a step, or a baby step, to how it will feel when i leave the area for good. But, that won't be for a bit. If i am correct about next transfer, like i was this transfer, i willbe staying here, but going back to my old area and finish training my trainer's greenie. She is full of energy, and very different than me, kinda annoying, but she is trying her hardest. So, if that is to be, then, let it be-eeeee. I might be here in Hialeah til after Christmas, which is just fine by me, at least right now anyway. Talking about the members, though they are hard to get to do things, i think that with time, and the energy of the missionaries here and our efforts and energy, Hialeah Ward will get back into action and work harder to find friends/family who are ready to hear and accept the gospel. this will increase as we get a temple here too, just like Honduras.

This is a fun fun time to be here, i'm glad to have this sweet opportunity to share my testimony and invite all to come to Christ and be baptized. Hialeah is a great place, and with the members help, we will be able to see tremendous success. The Lord blesses our lives in ways that seem impossible, but with our hearts and our efforts in the right place, He provides. I know that now more than ever before in my life. The Lord is good to me to let me have this experience, to serve Him and HIs children for this brief time, in a wonderful (and hot) place like South Florida.
Ok, I guess you get a testimony today, but since I share it with everyone I meet, why not you too?!!?

Love love love you all...
Tara and Sarah, thank you so much for the letters and pictures. They go with me everywhere, and they are a great resource to contacting others. Those two little ones are growing up sooooo fast and your lives are moving forward. The Lord loves you, I see it in your letters and in the little blessings you tell me about. You are two very special women, the boys were smart to marry you two, plus the babies are so much cuter than normal Barroses. Keep going, you can do it!!! And you will find that the hard things now will produce some of the sweetest fruits later. And sometimes we have to wait for the best thing to come, though a lot of good things are passing in front of our eyes and they look really good, the best will come and then you will see the Lord's hand and how His timinng is perfect. I wish i could talk to you two on the phone, but that will have to wait until Christams, if you even are at Madera for Christmas. You're great!! Keep being awesome!
Kacey, you had better write me a letter or I will disown you--not lying. Do or die.
Tori, school is great, hard, but great. keep having fun, don't let kacey take over too much, and have fun when the snow hits, in about...3 weeks. gotta love the 'burg.
Kit--BE GOOD. being good does not mean submitting to someone else's will, it just means that you have self control. Self control is good, it is the reason we are here on this earth, and the perfect example of self-control is Jesus. He had it pretty hard, and people were really really mean to him, but he was always in control of himself. You can do it too, if you ask for divine help through the atonement.
joe--I love you. You had better write to me soon or you won't get any letters from me or my kids when you go out and serve a mission. no, i will, but i would love to hear from you. You are a great boy! Keep trying hard, and be good. help others be good too, which sometimes means just keeping your mouth shut and letting them do what they want. you don't have to join them, agree with them, or anything but just keep ing your mouth shut.
Dustin and Brandon--you are my best friends, besides your wives and mom. you are amazing, and i am so lucky to have big brothers. keep going and doing your best. there is one thing that i have learned out here and that is the lord blesses His missionaries, before, during and after their missions. so, if you live worthy of blessings, or even miracles, you will receive blessings and miracles.
Dad--you are so awesome. Do good, and breathe deeply (as in, don't be too stressed out). You're a good dad and a wonderful man. Rely on that, along with the atonement and you will be blessed. you bless others with your wonderful love and personality. I am so glad that i have a dad like you, who always encouraged me to do everything i wanted to, or didn't want to do, but which was good for me--like this mission thing.
and Mom--i'll write you a little e-mail right now. so, don't feel jipped.

love you all. if you don't get any personal mail it is because i am so busy and sometimes a nap once a week is more important than writing a pathetic little note. i love you all, but there is just no time.

love love love
michayla
Hermana Barros

Ch ch ch ch changes!!

2009-09-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

So, this week...what a week. I have learned to no longer say that a day or a week was hard because that seems to be common. They are all hard, and they are all happy, and they all have something wonderful in them. So, no more saying that it is hard, it is just a given. But one thing my dad says to me all the time is that hard is not bad, it is just hard. Ok, I can do hard things!Noemi and her son Lester are getting baptized this Sunday. We were hoping to have her husband baptized at the same time, but that will just have to wait for awhile. We taught her about tithing, and I was afraid to do it because their family is so poor. but, Satan, though he plants these littles dounts and fears in my mind, it is evidence thata it is probably something i should do, so we taught them about tithing. The next day, as Noemi was thinking and pondering about tithing and the effects of giving up 10 percent of her hard earned income up, the Lord showed her a miraculous witness of paying her tithing. She learned that she just has to have faith in the Lord because He will provide. It was such a treat to meet and teach this family. I am going to miss this tomorrow and the next transfer, but at least I'm still in Hialeah so I'll get to see their baptism and their progression with the gift of the Holy Ghost. in 3 Nephi and also in the New testament i have learned of the importance of the Gift of the holy Ghost--let me expound. When Christ visited the Americas He did three very important things from the beginning of his ministry.
1. He testified of Himself as the Savior. He then let all who were present to feel His wounds--to gain a witness for themselves.
2. then He called someone up to receive the authority, or preisthood, to baptize in His name.
3. He commanded the people to be baptized and then they would be able to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and then would they be prepared to learn all that He had to say to them. In the New Testament John the Baptist came first to baptize and be a witness of the Christ. Then Christ came and baptized with the Spirit and then he would teach. Ok, the lesson that this teaches me is thus: we can only go so far, only learn so much without the gift of the Holy Ghost. I always knew that we could only progress so far without baptism because it is a special ordinance that opens the gate to the temple, our ultimate goal. But, we can only learn so much without the spirit. that is why Jesus had everyone be baptized and recieve the gift because without it, the people would not have gotten eerything, they would not have been able to progress as much as they did. that is why we, as missionaries, must invite all to be baptized within one or two lessons. yes, that is our goal in this mission, and i have seen that those who are trully willing to listen to this invitation, and are ready to be baptized accept this invitation from day one. we do not have to hide baptism under our chairs for three or four lessons and then boom! surprise trhem with it. no, it needs to be done now so that their knowledge and understanding can increase far more than without it.Omar was not baptized this week. He had a rough week. He has severe depression issues which we've known about since day one. But, this week they became very apparent to us. he tried to kill himself and now he is in a crisis center. It is really hard to watch him struggle in such a place. He has had prayers answered, he has seen the hand of the Lord in his life, and then this happens. He asked his dad to ask us to come and visit him, which we did because he is trully a special kid, a son of God and he really just needs friends right now. It has been hard on Hna. Halversen and I to deal with this because it is such a stark place, and Omar is in a dark place in his life. I just keep wondering what Jesus would do if He was sitting next to Omar in such a place. that is when i feel inadequate, because i am not the Savior, i just invite him to heal Omar's heart, which is my job i suppose. I just wish i could do moer--the inner mother coming out, i suppose. It was hard!! My companion and i cried a lot this week. ROUGH!! it doesn't help that she and i are the exact same person, so though we know how to help the other, we can't because we're feeling the exact same thing.Yesterday the Lord showed me my potential. I finally feel like i have the ability to do great things and that not only is that my potential, but it is a very real thing--in fact i am commanded to be powerful and to make big changes here in hialeah. I am ready to move forward, not looking at my inadequecies, but to find those who need my message. oh, which takes me to my title. transfers are tomorrow, that is why i am writing this today, because on transfer weeks we proselyte on mondays (PROS MONDAY!) i am staying here in Hialeah, just switching companions with Hna. Martinez, one of the other sisters who has been here for a bit, and my trainer is training again. we kinda knew this was going to happen. i think i am going to be here in Hialeah for awhile. and i think i am going to train way before i am ready, but the Lord knows all things, and plus this is a young mission. next transfer we are losing one spanish sister, my trainer, and we are gaining four new ones. which means i will no longer be one of the young'uns but old and experienced because half of the girls are leaving and coming in november and december. i mean, in december we are losing one, we're losing one tomorrow. YIKES, i'm stoppong this thought process now!! i can't handle thinking about training. i can't even speak the language yet!! The Lord is good to me,, though, He lets me figure this stuff out on my own. He then helps me progress leaps and bounds beyond what i ever would have thought was possible. the work is good, hard and good.

love love love

hna. barros

ps, i miss lydia and payton soooo much. those pictures go with me everywhere nd i show them to everyone!! Lydia is so expressive, it just kills me. and payton, i wish i could just hear his little manly voice of impatience! I hope law school is going well, that dustin can find a job soon, and that tori is having a blast in the 'burg and that kacey is still going on a mission (read "the challenging and testifying missionary") and i hope that dad is still sane and not so stressed out of his mind. and i hope that Kit cleans up her mouth and realizes that she is an awesome person. and i hope joe is having a great time knocking into people with his football gear on, and i hope that pookey is not crazy lonely, and that the cats are just plain crazy still, and i hope that mom is happy even though she is so busy!!!

And the whole world has to answer right now, who's bad?

2009-09-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the reason for the title is thus: There is this little kid named Emmanuel who is four. He is about two feet tall and he is just the funniest thing ever. Anyway he dances just like Michael Jackson, and that is his nickname. We had FHE with his family, mom, dad, grandma, old woman neighbor, two older brothers (Andres, 13 and Alex, 9 (I teach him piano lessons)) and older brother's friend and the non-member tennent and then the two missionaries, and for the activity he danced for us. Now, imagine a little latino boy, two feet tall, with all the spunk in the world, dancing to Beat It and Bad, just like Michael jackson. It was the best FHE ever. The mom apologized for the craziness of the family. I said it brough me back to my home, and therefore there was nothing better in the whole world. when emman, that is his nickname, finished dancing for me, he sat down beside me. he then whispered that Step Up Two was his favorite movie. i told him it was mine too and then we proceeded to have a discussion about the coolest dance moves ever and then he did the moon walk. it was the best day ever. plus, i got to listen to something with a beat and not feel too guilty about it. This family is my favorite family. They are so amazing and fun. They just moved in from Utah and they are so cool. We are trying to build good relations with the members so that they will give us referrals or go out on exchanges with us or anything because without the members we do not get as much done. We need the members. So, i have adopted a few families for my own. there is a family full of teenage girls that i have bonded with-jenifer, ashly, and alison. Fun little girls who love to make fun of my spanish, which i recognize is very comical.

some of my investigators...

1. Omar Columga is getting baptized on Sunday! Yay! He is the first person I ever taught in the mission and he is getting baptized. He tried to drop us a few times, but I feel like I was supposed to be the missionary to teach him because we seem to have a lot of the same type of trials. So, he not only could never drop us, but he is getting baptized!!! He is such a sweet kid. He even said that he wants to go on a mission. My jaw dropped when I heard that because all I could remember was our few appointments where he said that he didn't want to be Mormon. He went to the single's branch and loved it, saying that everyone was very nice and he really liked it. On Sunday he reminded me that he really really wanted to still go on a mission and go to the temple. Ok, we can do that! What a special treat to witness this young man's 180 degree turn around. His prayers are specific, he receives definate answers to his prayers from the Spirit, witnessing that what we are telling him is true, and he really can not wait to serve the Lord. COOL!!!

funny story. Well, i took an investigator to the single's branch, (in miami beach!!! the chapel is right on the water overlooking yachts and the cool downtown buildings and everything, i will send pictures, i have to because it was unbelievable!) on a fast and testimony meeting-dangerous. but it was so entertaining. there was this mentally handicapped guy, who is 40 or so, who was a walk-in last week but as he was walking up the stairs and got hurt pretty bad. some of the members of the single's branch gave him a blessing and so he came to church on sunday. he got up to bear his testimony and told of his blessing. he pulled on his eye and said that his black eye was gone "my lip got cut, and it is still cut, but it doesn't hurt that much. and today i went to another church, the Calvary Chapel and I had some Cuban coffee. it hurt my stomach and i got really dizzy. I'm glad that is over!" it was really funny because no one knew who he was. Then in sunday school he sat in the front row. we were talking about the martyrdom of the prophet and he simply asked "who is that? Because i don't know anything and these two missionaries are going to come by my house and tell me everything and i want to know now." someone told him about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. he then esponded "Wow, i can't wait to read this book. i'm on fire!" then, as the lesson continued, someone said that they love the book of mormon because it answers all of their questions. His hand flew up and he asked "excuse me, but how does this book do that?" when the question was answered, he responded "Oh, this is a good book, i can't wait to be baptized! but, my mom said that once i am a mormon i can't go to any other church, can i go to other churches?" the teacher said that you always have your free agency but he would only want to come to our church because it was the only true church. "How is it true? and how do you know?" the teacher told him it is the same church that Christ established when he was one the earth. "That's amazing!!!" omar turned to me and he is getting baptized on sunday!!!!

2. The Rivas family accepted a date as a family last week, but did not show up to church. We have tried to get a hold of them and visit them, but we can not get into contact with them. It is so disheartening to see this in such a young and special family, I don't know what's going on in their lives, but they need to come to church and partake fully of the blessings that baptism and the Atonement offer all of us.

3. We were teaching this man named Alberto. He came to a ward FHE and loved the people. But, when we went to visit him on Saturday he gave us the drop talk! I couldn't believe it. He was progressing, he had a baptisimal date and he was set to go, but then all of sudden he was telling us that he doesn't trust us and that he is looking for the truth. It broke my heart because THIS CHURCH IS THE TRUE CHURCH!!! but, the Spirit was not their in that session because of what he was saying, and he was kinda rude to our member present. Maybe one day I will know what is really going on in his life, but for now I am really confused and sad that he rejected the truth that he so despeartely is searching for.

4. We met this other family, the Expositos, they are pretty promising, but they lead very busy lives, so it might be hard to teach them. But I know they felt the Spirit when we taught them about the First Vision and the need for a Restoration.

5. Our investigator pool is looking a little dry. We have been going through all of our contacted people and checked up on them, trying to find those escogidos, but rejection is becoming the common thing in our searching. That's ok, we're looking for those who are ready to listen to our message and change. the others who reject us, vehemently even, are having seeds planted. Sometimes it is hard to see so much rejection. But, as Omar said it, "If this is the true Church why are there not more members? Or why do so many people hate Mormons?" The answer that I gave him was that because it is true, Satan fights really hard. That doesn't stop us, it just shows that we have to work harder. He liked that answer, and he still wants to go on a mission. And I don't blame him. Though there are doors slammed, or angry, hateful words spoken towards us, there is no better job or calling in all the world! The Lord has allowed me to see the joy in the work though the fruits of our labor are not always evident.

Ok, those are my thoughts, there are a lot of them.
Love love love
Hermana Barros

ps, the pictures, if you get them are as follows. A picture of Sister cCane and I with omar right outside of the chapel on our fun adventure to Miami beach to go to a single's ward as missionaries. fun times. ok, funny fact--sister crane and i were in the same ward at BYUI and we know a lot of the same people. she is sooooo fun and i love having her here for a few weeks because sister Fiala is doing a mission tour and sister crane is filling in for her. we have had so much fun. like eating crepes at a cool little crepe shop here in town. the picture is of my and my companion eating our crepes full of meat and chees. we did it in honor of proslelyting monday (because it was a holiday we had p-day today instead of yesterday). then there is another picture of...Omar standing in front of the chapel showing you how close the chapel really was to the water. mostly this is a bragging picture because, i mean, WOW!

i love you all so much. the letters you send are wonderful. mom, i am not mad in the slightest about the amount of mail. it is just great to get anything. oh, my PPI. President hale is so amazing. He is like Bishop Perkins. He comes out and says what he is thinking, and sometimes it comes out wrong in some opinions, but mostly, it is the right thing to say. he said some really cool things, but my favorite thing was that he told me that he was very glad i came on a mission. he said that he doesn't just say that to anyone, and not to every sister (though he loves and favors the sisters more than anyone else, it's a wide spread rumor that persident favors the sisters, and at zone conference he said, yes i do, now get over it!) but he said that he and i are going to be great friends and that we will get a lot done and that i will be training a lot sooner than i think. ok, president, bring it on.

ok, love love love
mb

You had the grace to hold yourself while those around you crawled...

2009-09-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

Exerpts from my letter to President Hale

Fierce Finding was very exciting. It was fun to go around different parts of Hialeah and contact, with the member’s help, as many people as we could. It was tons of fun, and doing a singing program with a short message in between really invited the Spirit into the homes or doorsteps of those who we had a chance to talk to. Then, we had a movie night out on the lawn in front of the chapel. We showed “The Testaments” with a projector and everyone sat on blankets or chairs eating popcorn and watching the movie. Every one of our progressing investigators was there with their families. It was really great! They put forth an effort, and when one of your investigators does that, there is a special desire to get them to do more and more until they are being baptized and then going to the temple as a family. One of our investigators, Omar, has been giving us a pretty difficult time trying to get him to go to anything. He came to the movie night, with lots and lots of questions about the Book of Mormon. His questions were sincere and I was blessed enough to be able to answer them sufficiently to satisfy his curiosity. I think he has a friend who is anti-Mormon, but Omar is slowly figuring this whole thing out. Last night we invited him to go to an FHE with another family tonight and before I could finish telling him what it was, he said he would go. He didn’t even know what he was committing to, but he made the commitment. Next step is church. We’re thinking that the Single’s Branch would be good for him. So we’ll see how this week goes for Omar.

One thing I learned is that we need to find the people who are willing to make the commitments and change their lives now. This is hard to do, dropping investigators, but some just want us to preach so that they can feel good, but they really don’t want to change. Yesterday Sister Halversen showed me the power of being bold. We have been teaching this family for a while but they just aren’t progressing. Finally I told them that baptism in our church was special and different because The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only true church in the world. They stopped me and said that they didn’t know that they could believe that. I told him that if he prayed, with a sincere desire to change, then he would get an answer. It was so amazing to testify and to be bold. We were not beating around the bush. I felt that I needed to tell them that without baptism in Christ’s church, then they would not be able to receive the blessings of the priesthood in their home, or go to the temple to become a forever family. I think they got the message that this is not a church full of spectators, but full of those who get off the bench and play the game. It was a very cool experience for me.

Items of business:
1. my address in FL is as follows:
Hermana Michayla Barros
7951 SW 6th St. Ste 110
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33324

this is the mission office, but all the mail gets to me. this will be easier because no matter where i get transferred i get the mail. also, Kacey, if you are the one in charge of forwarding this, please make sure Tara and Sarah are getting it. Tara mentioned not getting it, so if you could remedy that, i would love you forever, though i already do.

2. i need my piano music, churchy stuff, sent to me. President and Sister Hale have asked that i get all of my music sent so that i could share my talent with everyone. plus, i would just love having it with me. So, i think kacey has some, and the family has some. could you collect it all and then send that to my address? Also, tori, i put you in charge of making me a CD. are you still doindg that? I just need a few fun CDs of church music and soundtracks and anything uplifting because we only get to listen to CDs and MOTAB is getting old.

3. did you get my pictures from the last email? If not, i need to know so that i can send you hard copies in the mail.

4. mail takes about a week for me to get, so, if you need to know anything fast, it will at least take a week. but really, i can't imagine anything that you'd need to hear about from me really quickly, unless someone is pregnant, getting married, or getting their mission call, which means i would just have to wait for snail mail anyway, or you could email me and i'll check it monday. you can send little emails if you want, just nothing too big or time concuming because i only get an hour to email you, president, and anything else i need to get done on the internet (approved sites only, of course)

5. someone asked what we do to prepare for hurricanes. we do the following:
a. we buy lots of canned food and jugs of water every p-day so that we can store it. when a hurricane hits, we have an evacuation plan, but sometimes we just need to stay inside, so we, little by little, buy supplies that we can live off of until we can go outside or until we are moved out.
b. we never lte our gas in our car go lower than half way so that we have enough gas to get us to a safe place, or up to the mission home, or wherever we need to be. this is the rainy season, and it does rain everyday, but nothing like i imagined. it is kinda weak sauce some days. sometimes i feel like we need to swim from our car to the apt. because it is so crazy outside. but we've never been in danger of anything. plus, if you are obedient, you shall not fear.
missionary work is hard (this is not a hurricane thing, it is just some of my thoughts)!!! asome people just use as as "the feel good police" as i call it. they have us come over and preach the good word of God to them, and then they do nothing to change it. then they say something like, i have jesus in my heart, yet they are unwilling to do anything about it. so, what does it mean to have jesus in your heart? to me, it means walking the stright and narrow path, repenting, or getting back on the path when we fall, and helping others on their way. it is not just saying that Jesus is with me. notpe, for to be able to say that means you have to do something about it. so, my encouragement to you all is to get in the game and help others on their way. which means not yelling at seminary teachers, or sitting idly by, wasting time, waiting for someone else to do something good. take the first step. that got a little pulpit pounding, but, you know it is coming from me, and i'm just telling you things that i just barely figured out for myself.
love you ao very much. grateful to have you forever because eternity would be pretty boring without my peeps!

love love love

hermana barros

First week here = hot hot hot!

2009-09-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Soooo,

We are, once again, at a stand still. i have yet to receive mail from any of you all. how sad sad sad. but, that is how it goes. i am so busy here. the mornings go so slow and then the nights fly by. this is my new email address. here is my day, kinda.
i wake up at 6:30, which is not anything new, except it feels like 4:30 Utah time and then i find myself very tired. we then go run around our block, which is fun because it feels like running in a sauna. but i am so tired so i don't feel anything. we just run for twenty minutes then i do a ten minute yoga session.that's my favorite part because it keeps me awake. then we get ready and start personal study by 8. we live in a two level condo with three bathrooms and two bedrooms. we put all of the beds in one room to make one giant bed, which sounds interesting and not like something i would like, but it is pretty ok and fun. then at the end of the night, the four of us hermanas all go around the room saying te quiero porque...but that is bedtime, and i was talking about getting ready. i try to eat breakfast during personal study because it keeps me up. but if i can't then i walk around and up and down the stairs and all around the house and i do laps and it is so much fun trying to not fall asleep. by the time that hour is up, i have fallen asleep at least once and i have gotten a solid five minute nap in.

then we do comp study which is good because we go through the things that we need to focus on so that we can help our investigators. this ward is hopping. there are six missionaries in this one ward that covers a lot of ground. at first when i heard that there was going to be six of us i shuddered, but now i am glad because one set of missionaries could not do it all. last week we extended 11 baptisimal dates, got 13 new investigators, and taught a total of 19 lessons. that is a lot of teaching considering we only teach, really, in the afternoon and evening. it is hard though because we contact so many people who give us their information and we can't see them because we have others we have to see first. priorities, priorities.

you should see me now. i actually go up and talk to people about the church. i try to listen to what i feel, act on the thoughts that i have and then move forward, instead of worrying about every little detail.our goal for this week is for me to feel slightly comfortable on the phone in spanish, which is a very divvicult task because latinos/as speak soooooo fast and very unclear. we also are going to go through all of our floaters, those we have contacted but haven't taught yet, and weed them out and try to find the escogidos. my companion and i have started extending baptisimal commitments in the first lesson. i know ths sounds crazy, but people accept them, plus then they know that that is the point of our message. this is not an idley sitting by church, ni we have to act and that means you can't just have the missionaries over, feel good for the rewst of the day and then go back to doing thigs the way you want to. sorry, but it doesn't work that way. christ didn't teach that way, neither do we. and the cool part is, the spirit tells us to do these things and people, if their hearts are softened, are willintg and ready to accept the dates we extend. then comes the hard part because sometimes they just want to be baptized but not to change. i.e., the santos family. this family is a clown car family. everytime we go there about three new faces show up. they all shout and yell at everyone to come in, they gather aaround us and wait to be taught. the questions they ask are sincere and pure. the trouble is, they don't want to change. plus there is an older brother who is VERY baptist and he kinda poisins their minds with his (i learned it in prison) bible talk. the other day, we went through the baptisimal questions and when we got to Joseph Smith we pulled a picture out for the young kids. well, he couldn't handle the idea of the thrinity being three seperate beings. by the end i just wanted to ask, is it at all possible to even consider that what we are telling you is right? but my companion turned to one of the younger siblings and asked her how she felt. she felt good. the brother wanted to then bible bash. oh, the spirit is going to leave, i thought. but then, we told them that we didn't not come to argue, but to invite and that the only way to know it is true is to pray to find out. he then told us that he prays everynight. and wanted to turn that into an argument.

i was very annoyed, but they all agreed to go to church, we even got members to get them rides. but, they didn't show up. i am ready to give up on them. well, to be quite frank (which is a very popular saying for some of the really religious people here in this community) i wanted to give up on them from day one, but i couldn't do it. now i am really ready to give up on them. i am not some travelling preacher who goes around making people feel good. NO. i am here to invite you to come to Christ and to learn of him and eventually return to live with him. the only way to do that is through baptism and the other covenants that are offered through the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints.

ok, positive story time. there is this sweet little family named the rivas. the wife, noemi is a sweet little thing with so much faith. her husband believes, but he has a hard time giving up the drink. they have three little boys, lester, 8, jarek, 4, and jimmy (the devil child)2. they are so sweet and the spirit is always present when we teach them. this last time, however, noemi broke out in sobs. jimmy, her husband, was passed out on the couch because he had been drinking and she had to leave the kids with him in his drunken stuppor. she put on a happy face, but when we asked her to pray she shook her head no, a big first, and started to cry. no one said anything, except little jimmy, who was trying to shove a fourth peice of gum into his mouth and jarek who was telling him to stop. we then taught her the first lesson, with the focus being on joseph smith. we had the boys help us out, hold pictures, and draw in our agendas, just so that noemi could feel the spirit. when we were finished, we asked her if she believed that joseph smith saw God the father and Jesus Christ. she nodded, and then whispered yes, with a smile one her face. we asked her how she knew it or why she knew it? and she said, i don't know, but it is true. Ding ding ding. yes, it is right, yes it is not logical to most, but yes, it is true. she is planning on being baptized, with lester, in two weeks. we were hoping to get jimmy to come along too, but we'll just have to wait and see.

there are so many cool stories. there are so many interesting people. cubans...they are so fun. you don't know a cuban by looking at them because they are all different, black with blue eyes, my kinda white with black eyes, chinos who only speak spanish (we are teaching a chino-cubano family now) and everything else. the people are so fun and funny and willing to listen to the truth. i am blessed to be here now. Hialeah is the best. President said that if he ever had a daughter who served a mission he would want her to be trined by my trainer and sent to Hialeah. he then said that he doesn't say that to everyone. it is a good place. about a half hour from miami, hot and humid with sporatic rain/lightning and thunder storms. (PS, there is lightning everynight and it lights up the whole sky and i love it!

ok, i gotta go.
love you all.
this church is true and i get to be a missionary now in the greatest mission in all of the world!
be good
share the gospel
love

hermana barros
p.s. everyone loves my last name because i am a white girl with a latin name and everyone has to ask where i am from. people always ask me if they've seen me before. i mean EVERYONE. my first day here three people asked me about it. then, just right now, someone asked me if i was so and so. NO, i am not. i have never been here before. the funny thing is, when i tell people this they don't believe me, but then, without fail, someone else walks up to me and asks if they know me.
i have decided i was student body president in the spirit world and that is why evryone knows me.
so, vote for me, because you already know me.

last email from the MTC

2009-09-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

ok, first, the business...

1.i need phone numbers because i get to call home on tues when i am in the airport. my flight leaves at 7 in the morning that day. i was going to call the east coast, aka Brandon and Sarah and then p-town usa, aka Dustin and Tara around 5 or 6. so, i need those numbers. i know its early, but i am calling you anyway, bwhahahahahaha. then, i have a layover in atlanta at around 1 to 3, so i was going to call CA at this time. ps, these times are in the time zones of the areas, so just be there when i call. so, if i could get those numbers dear eldered to me, that would be great, unless you don't want phone calls, then i will call home and talk to dad that early, because i know that he is up at that tim eof the morning. but i am calling home, i am i am.

2. i was wondering if anyone has been watching my banking accounts and making sure everything is being taken care of? also, could you put some money in there so that i could pay for my luggage, a new red skirt (i need it!!) and some new garments?

3. i am sending two packages-one is going to dustin and tara with instructions inside the package. and the other is going home. you can just put the whole box in storage if you want. it is full of letters and memorabilia that i just don't want to take around florida with me so they are going home.

i think that's it.

my companion had surgery yesterday, so she got to call her family twice, which made me a little homesick because, well..you know. so, that is why i sound a little harsh about the calling thing. i just miss you all and i won't be able to do this again until Christmas!!! anyway.

my legis doing sooooo good now that i have a physical therapist. once, while i was waiting for the shuttle, i ran into an older lady from Guatemala, who was so sweet and only spoke spanish. she and i chatted it up and then, at the very end, she told me i had a beautiful accent. i told her she had a beautiful soul for lying to me about that. she laughed at that and then told me to tenga un buen dia. i did! i can't wait to get out into the real world and chat it up in spanish and find those escogidos. i have, though, noticed that i had it really good here at the MTC. i didn't know how good i had it. i got a gym to work out at almost everyday, i got to go to the temple oncew a week, i got to socially interact with other missionaries so much everyday, and i didn't have to do dishes. so, in other words, i am going to miss the MTC, but only a little bit because i am sick of the food and the fake scenarios. i want to get out and teach real people and testify to those who have never heard my message before and feel the spirit on behalf of those i am serving. i am ready and waiting anxiously for this moment. this week is going to fly by, if two of the elders don't kill each other in the process, and some of us learn how to focus when all we want to do is pack and talk about our missions--it is just too exciting.
> i know the church is true. yo sé que esta obra es la obra de Dios y es un milagro. Yo sé jesucristo es nuestro redentor y Él es el Cordero de Dios. José Smith es un profeta de Dios y tenemos un profeta hoy, se llamo Thomas S. Monson. El sacerdocio, o el poder de Dios es en la tierra otra vez. Dios nos ama y quiere que oramos sinceramente cada día. Él sabe todas cosas y todas personas. no necesitamos tener fe cuando el Señor es en nuestro lado. Esat iglesia es de Él. Yo sé estas palabras son verdaderas. Digo estas cosas con amor en mi corazón para todos ustedes. Ustedes son mi familia y mis amigos favoritos.

con mucho amor,

h. barros

Two weeks left and then off to... really bad humidity

2009-08-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Past Half-way

2009-07-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

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.

One Month and almost halfway done!!!

2009-07-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Ok,

Before i get to the real letter (it's a good one too) i need some stuff!
1. i need my camera charger. it should be in one of those blue boxes marked "michayla 2009".
2. i need my mission call and packet--this should be in one of those two boxes as well.
3. i need some better quality full-length (and horrendously restricting panty hose).
4.i would LOVE some soft insole thingies for my shoes
5. this is a want, most deffinately--it would be cool to get some postage.
6. Plan ahead now, though i will know more later--i will fly into Florida on August 11--i will try to call you at home at that time, whenever i am in the airport. i just want you to write on the calender now so that i am not calling an empty house (plus i don't know any cell phone numbers if you are out of the house).

ok, now the fun stuff--

Thanks for the letters. we didn't get mail at all on the 3rd or 4th, everythying came in on the 6th. i got 9 letters and a very large package! everyone was really jealous, i was quite excited to hunker down and drink my milk, eat some cookies and read everyone's letters. it was like chrsitmas for me! so thank you. i love hearing from you. sadly, my p-days are getting busier and busier (the Temple has reopened) so not everyone is going to get a personal note this week in snail mail, but i hope that if you don't that you don't also think that i don't love you (So many negatives in there--did it work? i think in spanish it would've worked--ahhhh, the ease of the spanish language!)

I wanted to tell you about my 4th of july. it started out like any other day, going to class and trying not to fall asleep during MDT. During lunch we had the mission presidency and some volunteers walk around in costume of people who appeared to Wilford Woodruff and were baptized. some of them i did not believe were there, they just were in the cafeteria becuase they had appropriate costumes for those characters (like Jane Austin and Charlotte Bronte). The wigs were highly ridiculous--i was pretty amused. Plus there was a rumor flying around that there was going to be a play for us that night--YAY entertainment! Then, after lunch, my companion and i had MDT again. we found a nice shady bench and studied. i fell asleep for a couple of minutes. it was the perfect holiday nap. but, later, to my chagrin, i discovered that the bench was not as shaded as i thought because i got sunburned. i was pretty happy though--it seemed appropriate for the 4th.

Then, our teacher let us out early after dinner (which consisted of red, white, and blue jello and rice krispie treats) so that we could watch a play put on by the mission presidency and the senior couples that are here for a couple of weeks. (PS, the senior couples are so cute and fun! they walk around smiling all the time and saying hello and everything else. we feel really blessed to have them, our little grandmas and grandpas with us on campus for a while!)

the play was kinda--not professional and the subject matter was way too broad. i mean, they tried to represent the whole first lesson (The Restoration) starting with the creation, including Jesus' time, the early Restorers (John Tyndale and Wycliff and Calvin) to Benjamin Franklin, Washington, Jefferson, to Joseph Smith. The wigs were absolutely ridiculous--very very very entertaining. Ben Franklin's hiar was more horizontal than vertical. and the hairsprayer had way too much fun (appropriate for UTAH). It was entertaining. John the Baptist, or the guy playing him, looked like the uni-bomber. and Ben Franklin (poor guy) was way too skinny. All in all, it was fun and funny and good to get out of our little classroom for a while.

then we got to go out into the parking lont and watch the fireworks from stadium of fire. it was so cool. it was fun to watch the fireworks with so many homesick elders. we all cheered, even though they weren't that great, because we got to stay up late and go outside and feel like it was really a holiday! Freedom meant something new to us all there (except those English speaking Missionaries--3 weeks is not forever when compared to the slavish 9 of even 12 weeks).

Fast sunday was good except there is a thing called Mission Conference which is right after sacrament meeting and lasts for two hours--a trial of my faith. sitting down and actively listening for so long is sooo hard and exhausting. but, at dinner we had roast beef and zanahorias and papas y HELADO!!! it was good!

anyway-time's up.
Love you all,
Give the misionaries refferals
Pray and Study and Listen the Holy Ghost

Hermana Barros

Week three down, week four to come

2009-06-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

hey,
so, i hope these emails are getting forwarded to the family, grandma, james and monica. i was alo wondering if you could send them to bishop perkins? but whatever you want to do. now i get to answer questions, how fun, right? for me anyway.

ok--lots of questions about the MTC, or the CCM en Español. Sleep--i get to bed before 10:30 so that i might get a full eight hours of sleep because a tired hermana is an unhappy/unChristlike hermana. I sleep on the bottom bunk in a room with 5 other girls. that means that there are five different tones and alarm clocks that go off at five to fifteen different times. my favorite is the alarm clock that starts slow and then gets faster and faster, and then when the owner hits the off button it says, as chipper as possible, "GOOD MORNING!" Mickey Mouse Style. it is not a good morning if i am not awake before that clock goes off. i don't know who owns it because if i did then i might hold a very big grudge against them. one time i was so tired in the morning, and i didn't have ample time to wake up that i drowsily walked to the bathroom. i ran into a stall to find a worker restocking the toilet paper. she apologized, i grunted and then looked for the next stall. i was so out of it. the first few nights were hard for me because i couldn't sleep so early. but now i try to go to bed as soon as possible becausei am so tired. sometimes, when my companion and i are studying together, i tell her i can't focus and could she give me a few minutes. That is when i put my head on my hand, strtegically placed so it lookes like i am reading the book of mormon, and take a cat nap. those little cat naps have saved my life and also my companion's.

there is a store here, for those of you who don't know. it is an extension of the BYU bookstore. but missionaries get a really good discount. i have learned, the hard way of course, that you don't yell out for your elders in the middle of the store because about 40-50 pairs of eyes turn to you wanting to nkow what you want. i laughed, they didn't. i mean, c'mon, that's funny.p-day is tues. it is my favorite day. i'm sad to say that. but i do have to say my close second favorite day is sunday. we get to watch movies after the fireside. and i get to take a nap-30 min. the movies are the church movies everyone has seen, but when a bunch of missionaries never get to watch anything on a big screen, we feel like it is a saturday night out in a theater with all of our friends. it is funny though, because when the subtlest and sweetest little peck of a kiss comes on the screen you hear the hooting and whistling of a couple of hundred elders. any entertainment is good entertainment. i laugh at them because it is so hilarious. the most innocent kiss seems sooooooo awkward and contreversial in this particular audience.

we do eat our food on paper plates. it is going to be sad when we go back to regular plates because it is so easy to just throw everything away in one simple toss. well, i say that as if i throw my own stuff away. usually our elders take our trays and open our doors. i have gotten so spoiled that when i see an elder within 20 feet of me and they don't make an effort to open my door, i get a little angry. com'on, be a gentleman!

on to teachers--most districts have two teachers because the day is divided into three 4 hour segments. one is Missionary Directed Time (MDT) and two are lead by a teacher. my district, which consists of 4 elders and 4 hermanas, has had 12 teachers in total. it is really frustrating because i feel really lost when it comes to some parts of the grammar but it doesn't matter because tomorrow we are going to have a new teacher. yesterday i broke down though. my district wanted to learn subjunctive but i don't even understand pronouns quite yet. oh well. onward and upward.

ok-spiritual thought. this last week was Mission President's week. the cafeteria is cut in half so that they can decorate and beautify the other half for the presidents. they also get catered food (we saw a chocolate bowl full of vanilla mousse and lots of fresh strawberries once in the garbage and i know that was not one of our options). we also couldn't use some of the buidlings. it was quite inconvenient. but, all of the 12 and the first presidency were here. one day, sunday, we had all of them except president packer here. we were taught from elder holland. on sunday my companion and i were randomly sitting by the door where the prophet enters and exits. we waited because hermana barfoot wanted to see the prophet--she never had, but we were going to be late to lunch (the best meal of the week because there is an ice-cream sundae bar). i had a thought to promise her that if we were obedient she would see the prophet. i kept it to myself--who am i to make such a promise? The thought came to me three or four more times--promise hermana barfoot. but i didn't. as we started to walk to our residence hal;l, a few hours later an elder said that if we wanted to see the prophet we should go up a hallway to our right. we went, and there we saw the prophet and president eyring. i should've made that promise. it taught me that i can, as a missionary, and under the direction of the spirit, promise things. that will be so important when dealing with my investigators. i can promise you that if you do this, if you make this sacrifice, you will see blessings.

it was cool to see the prophet. it reminded me of the savior in america where the people came and touched his wounds and then they told others about their experiences. we missionaries got to see the prophet, and then we will go all over the world and testify of his exsitance and reality.

i'm out of time. too bad, i have some good stories about:
> foursquare,
> my elders,
> the gym,
> new companionships
> and more
but for now i must go and be obedient.
love,
hermana barros

Week Two

2009-06-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hey,
So, i am here again writting another letter on the end of the second week. and, the shift key doesn't work, so i am not being blasphemous, just unable to capitalize or exclimate ( i have also lost the small ability i once had to spell. i mean spanish is amazing--phoenetics. english just tries to make everything difficult, like an engglish major). i know it is probably bad to count down the weeks, but everyone at the ccm does it. i mean, we all count down to el diá del campo de misional. everytime we watch or hear something inspirational or motivational we all get really excited to go out and teach the gospel in our areas. but we all have to wait--its like doctrine and covenants 11:21--obtain my word then preach it. this is always apparent when we have to teach in the trc. we do good, but we need more practice. it is good to know that you get a trainer out in the field--not two greenies thrown together to figure it out on their own.
so, yes, we taugh in the trc with volunteers who pretend to be investigators. we did okay. then we taught again that night (this was saturday). we keep being taught to give the conditional baptisimal commitment but it feels so hard to get to after the first lesson. well, yesterday, my companions and i did it. we commited our "investigadores" to baptism. it is not a firm commitment, but one in which we ask if what they read is true and they know that the church is true, would they be baptised. of course the elders that we were teaching said yes, so it felt a little fake, but we still got really excited. i mean, it was our first commitment to baptism, even if it was fake. and i have decided that i don't mind the play-acting. the spirit is so strong no matter the activity level of our "investigadores". as missionaries we are called to invite all to come to christ, so that means everyone, including the fake investigators.
the spirit is so strong i sometimes forget that it is here because it is a constant feeling. but whenever we teach the spirit just bam hits you square in your chest and testifies that what we are saying is true. it is also fun to be the "investigator". apparently we are really hard to tech--we ask too many hard questions and are too hard hearted. but i have decided that if a missionary invites the spirit from the beginning and teaches with respect, the spirit testifies and we become easier to teach. without the spirit we are nothing as missionaries. we are the preachers the spirit is the teacher. when we testify the spirit is able to peirce their hearts. that is one of the most important thing i have been taught this week. i also have been thinking about christ and his ability to love all. how does he do it? i have been thinking about that a lot and i have found myself praying, in a mixed version of english and spanish, that i might be able to have a ,little bit of that love so that i might be able to be used as an instrument in his hands. love is one of the quickest ways to invite the spirit.
this week is mission president week, so i should run into some pretty cool general authorities. but it is bad because we don't get to use all the gym. gym time is a happy time because it is out of our little prison cell of a classroom. also, the temple is closed for the next two weeks--p-days are very empty, which means nap time (reposar?)
se amo. please write back. my district doesn't believe you actually exsist.
love
hermana barros

June 16

2009-06-16T08:23:00.000-07:00

hey y'all, Hermana barros here!
I don't know where to star, especially since i already began a written letter. I do want to tell you that i wish i had more mail. but i am so happy. The first day was ROUGH! i didn't like it one bit and i wished i could go home, but i thought that i had could not come home. the second day was hard, along with the third. by the fourth day, the days seemed a lot shorter and funner. now it feels like i wake up and go to sleep (in my bed) n about 3 hours. Side note--this keyboard stins, so if there are misspellings, i feel like my time would be better spent writing than editing-pardon all the mistakes. I've decided to bear my testimony of the things i have learned throughout the first week at the MTC.
1. i know that knee-highs are true. Nylons are the epitome of confinement and in an environment where you go from classroom to a meal, to a classroom, to a meal, to a classroom and then one more meal, confinement is the last thing you want. my companion let me have one of her pairs, so i was wondering if someone could send me a whole bunch. they are important for my attention span.
2. i know that companions are important. those of you who read my first letter know that i started out as a solo sister. i now have two companions--hma. Hammar and Hma. Barfoot. Hammar is from Rgby, ID going to Houston South. Barfoot is fom CO going to Argentina. they are sweet and so lovely. We have one little problem though, we make each other laugh way too much. Here at the MTC i find that i can sit for LOOOOng periods of time without feeling it until we get out our himnarios and sing a song. i have a problem when singing hymns--i sing the wrong words/verse on accident. that problem hasn't gotten better in espanol and the sisters hear my every mistake. We laugh uncontrollably, we all end up crynig, the elders just look at us like we are stupid. it is sad because both sisters laugh silently and i laugh like...a phillips=LOUD. I look like the irreverent sister. But it is so good for my soul to get a good bit f laughter in.
3. I know that 19 year old boys arecalled of God and that He helps them become the missionaries that they need to be. I love my district so much. Thet are like my little brothers--I love them! they make me laugh! one, elder Ball, who is also going to Ft. Lauderdale, and i fight on a daily basis, as friends though. i am so grateful for him and that i will get to see him throughout my mission. HIs growth and progression is going to be fun to watch. the elders always have something to say whcih crcks me up. One once wrote backwards so that we could read what he was writing on the chalkboard. He commented that his hand hurt doing that. Hs companion told him to stop then, quite simply. the situation was hilarious, though as i write it it sounds dull. Perhaps after the 10th hour of class, anything is funny. las Hermanas y yo laughed and laughed and nuestro maestro got kind of mad. Well, he is always mad because he is getting married on SAT. Poor guy comes in every day and looks at us and reems into us if we're late. Or he tells us how his day has gone wrong. i think after his wedding, he will be a lot happier--i hope. But, you all know how engagements are--HARD!
4.I know that i have been called of GOd. I have never known something so much in all of my life. I know this church is true. i knwo that Jose smith vio una columna de luz y dos personajes cuyo fulgor y gloria no admiten descripcion. Yo se que dios nos ama y nuestros sus hijos. Yo se que jesucristo es mi salvidor y el salvidor de todo el mundo. Yo se la iglesia de jseucristo es verdadero y nuestro un profeta del mundo y su recibe reveacion para nosotros. ( that was all from the heart--no copying!)
5. i love you and i know that la familia fue establecio a dios for the happiness of his children. I am grateful for yall and for your patince ni getting me here. i know i am supposed to be here and i am so happy!
6--i also know that i need to switch my lads and i am running out of time. gotta go. love ya.

i'll write more in my letter.
hma barros