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.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
One Month and almost halfway done!!!
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
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
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Week three down, week four to come
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
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
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Week Two
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
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
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
June 16
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
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
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