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
Monday, January 11, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
oh the weather outside is frightful...
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
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
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad...
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
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
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
How Firm a Foundation
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
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
Friday, November 20, 2009
Christmas
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
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
Monday, November 9, 2009
strawberry fields forever...
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
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
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
come one, come all!!!
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
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
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