Hi mom, Here are some pictures. The one with the umbrella is infront of a swap meet with tons of fruit, food and dancing and singing. The other is my companion and I studing at our desks.
4.11.2008
Pictures!!!!
Hi mom, Here are some pictures. The one with the umbrella is infront of a swap meet with tons of fruit, food and dancing and singing. The other is my companion and I studing at our desks.
April 9, 2008
Hi Mom,
Wow, I thought your headline (Happy Half-Way) was a joke until I counted that I really am about half-way done with my mission. I have no sense of time here. I don’t really know what to think other than I feel like I have so much to learn and so little time. However, I have learned so much already and have noticed that I have changed a ton.
This week was great. We were able to go to Londrina and watch conference. On Saturday, a girl in our ward drove us and the Elders to Londrina to watch it. And Sunday, a bus stopped by the members’ homes to pick everyone up and the branch went to Londrina together (it was like those cross-country traveling busses). Bruna, the girl that was baptized a few weeks ago, was the first one on the bus and waited anxiously with her little boy on her lap. She loved conference and I was so glad to see her there and happy. I watched it in English with about 5 other elders. I loved conference. It was also fun to see Maryanne’s mom speak and Trevor’s dad. Being with all the Americans and watching conference in English made me feel like I was at home.
I also got the Easter package. Thank you so much. That night I wrote a card to my companion and wrapped the hymn book and gave it to my companion. She has been wanting a hymn book in English since she was a little girl and loved it. She almost cried. Thanks for sending it. I loved the treats too. The Streeters also sent a package with colored Easter eggs, treats and an Easter coloring kit. I was so happy and was not expecting it. Tell them thank you and I absolutely loved the package. I think this week I will color eggs with the elders and a family in our branch. I will write a letter to them but can you send them an email thanking them for the package.
The Mission President started a program this week that focuses on members who have fallen away from the church and each day we are visiting one or two inactive members. We are focusing our efforts on bringing them back to the church and teaching their family members. We visited one lady and she had stopped coming to church several years ago. She was so glad to see us and cried and said she wanted to come back. She lives really far from the church and has little kids and so we are going to send someone with a car to pick her up each Sunday. We are also teaching Raulene’s family ( a young girl in the ward.) I don’t know if I already said this but her mom accepted baptism and is working on the papers to be married. Also, her niece wants to be baptized and she turns 8 next month. They want to be baptized on the same day.
We also found a few new people who are interested in the church and we will return this week to see if they have been reading the Book of Mormon. The girl we have been teaching English is progressing and loves the church and the Book of Mormon. Her family is Catholic so she is not wanting to rush anything yet. Also, last week a little 8-year-old boy in our branch was baptized and after they had a birthday party for him. We had some investigators there and it was a really spiritual experience for them.
Well, everything is going well and I am so happy here. I love teaching and helping these people better their lives. I hope you all are having a great week, and I hope it warms up a little. Next month it should start cooling down where I am at. I miss you and love you.
Tell Alex I am waiting for his letter. I love you. Tchau!
Love Sister Barbie
Wow, I thought your headline (Happy Half-Way) was a joke until I counted that I really am about half-way done with my mission. I have no sense of time here. I don’t really know what to think other than I feel like I have so much to learn and so little time. However, I have learned so much already and have noticed that I have changed a ton.
This week was great. We were able to go to Londrina and watch conference. On Saturday, a girl in our ward drove us and the Elders to Londrina to watch it. And Sunday, a bus stopped by the members’ homes to pick everyone up and the branch went to Londrina together (it was like those cross-country traveling busses). Bruna, the girl that was baptized a few weeks ago, was the first one on the bus and waited anxiously with her little boy on her lap. She loved conference and I was so glad to see her there and happy. I watched it in English with about 5 other elders. I loved conference. It was also fun to see Maryanne’s mom speak and Trevor’s dad. Being with all the Americans and watching conference in English made me feel like I was at home.
I also got the Easter package. Thank you so much. That night I wrote a card to my companion and wrapped the hymn book and gave it to my companion. She has been wanting a hymn book in English since she was a little girl and loved it. She almost cried. Thanks for sending it. I loved the treats too. The Streeters also sent a package with colored Easter eggs, treats and an Easter coloring kit. I was so happy and was not expecting it. Tell them thank you and I absolutely loved the package. I think this week I will color eggs with the elders and a family in our branch. I will write a letter to them but can you send them an email thanking them for the package.
The Mission President started a program this week that focuses on members who have fallen away from the church and each day we are visiting one or two inactive members. We are focusing our efforts on bringing them back to the church and teaching their family members. We visited one lady and she had stopped coming to church several years ago. She was so glad to see us and cried and said she wanted to come back. She lives really far from the church and has little kids and so we are going to send someone with a car to pick her up each Sunday. We are also teaching Raulene’s family ( a young girl in the ward.) I don’t know if I already said this but her mom accepted baptism and is working on the papers to be married. Also, her niece wants to be baptized and she turns 8 next month. They want to be baptized on the same day.
We also found a few new people who are interested in the church and we will return this week to see if they have been reading the Book of Mormon. The girl we have been teaching English is progressing and loves the church and the Book of Mormon. Her family is Catholic so she is not wanting to rush anything yet. Also, last week a little 8-year-old boy in our branch was baptized and after they had a birthday party for him. We had some investigators there and it was a really spiritual experience for them.
Well, everything is going well and I am so happy here. I love teaching and helping these people better their lives. I hope you all are having a great week, and I hope it warms up a little. Next month it should start cooling down where I am at. I miss you and love you.
Tell Alex I am waiting for his letter. I love you. Tchau!
Love Sister Barbie
4.02.2008
April 2, 2008
Hi mom,
I wasn’t transferred and I will stay with my companion Sister Ferreira. This will be our third transfer together. The Branch president told us last week that he had asked our mission president to keep us in Ibiporã, we knew a few days in advance that we would stay here. I am really excited and I didn’t want to leave yet.
This week President and Sister Leal spoke in our branch. Sacrament meeting was amazing and all our investigators felt the spirit. We have been teaching Edinea English for several weeks and she finally decided to come to church last week. She had visited several churches in the past and really didn’t like them so she was very hesitant to go. She works with one of our friends in the ward, Nancy, and the 3 of us are teaching the lessons to her. She absolutely loved the church and said she felt like she was at home and the branch was like a family to her. She said she has never felt like that before. She is planning on going to Londrina with us for general conference.
Also, a family that we had been teaching for several weeks, finally came to church. They are strong Catholics and it was really difficult for them to make the effort to come to our church. They loved it too and were anxious to mark a day for us to return to teach them. They have two young boys and one is participating in scouts every week.
This past week we went to an area we have never been and found a few investigators who seem to have potential. We will see what happens this week. We also have been teaching two teenage girls and their families (they are cousins). They love reading the Book of Mormon and are praying about baptism. One of the girls little brother loves basketball and at our last visit, told me all about the NBA. It was pretty funny because although I am so far from home, there is still a huge American influence here.
We have found a lot of new investigators and are really excited to stay in this area for a few more weeks. My friend in the ward said he sent the pictures to your email address. I also sent a ton of pictures and a letter. I don’t know now how long it will take and hopefully it will arrive in about a week. Also, I sent a birthday card for Michelle. Tell her happy birthday.
This coming week we are going to spent Saturday and Sunday in Londrina, watching conference and I am so excited. Conference weekend is one of my favorite weekends of the year. And it is a good thing they will have a room with conference in English, he he.
Hope you all are doing well. It seems so weird that there is snow there still. Oh, and spring break sounds like a blast. Amy and Alex will love a cruise.
Have a wonderful week and I love you so much! Thanks for all the prayers, love and support.
Love Sister Barb
p.s. Today, I cut my companions hair just below her chin. It turned out really cute. She also chopped my hair to my chin. Just kidding. She gave me just a trim. My hair is turning golden. I have blonde streaks the color of Sara Jane’s hair. The sun is super strong here. We use umbrellas with protector but the sun is still dying my hair.
I wasn’t transferred and I will stay with my companion Sister Ferreira. This will be our third transfer together. The Branch president told us last week that he had asked our mission president to keep us in Ibiporã, we knew a few days in advance that we would stay here. I am really excited and I didn’t want to leave yet.
This week President and Sister Leal spoke in our branch. Sacrament meeting was amazing and all our investigators felt the spirit. We have been teaching Edinea English for several weeks and she finally decided to come to church last week. She had visited several churches in the past and really didn’t like them so she was very hesitant to go. She works with one of our friends in the ward, Nancy, and the 3 of us are teaching the lessons to her. She absolutely loved the church and said she felt like she was at home and the branch was like a family to her. She said she has never felt like that before. She is planning on going to Londrina with us for general conference.
Also, a family that we had been teaching for several weeks, finally came to church. They are strong Catholics and it was really difficult for them to make the effort to come to our church. They loved it too and were anxious to mark a day for us to return to teach them. They have two young boys and one is participating in scouts every week.
This past week we went to an area we have never been and found a few investigators who seem to have potential. We will see what happens this week. We also have been teaching two teenage girls and their families (they are cousins). They love reading the Book of Mormon and are praying about baptism. One of the girls little brother loves basketball and at our last visit, told me all about the NBA. It was pretty funny because although I am so far from home, there is still a huge American influence here.
We have found a lot of new investigators and are really excited to stay in this area for a few more weeks. My friend in the ward said he sent the pictures to your email address. I also sent a ton of pictures and a letter. I don’t know now how long it will take and hopefully it will arrive in about a week. Also, I sent a birthday card for Michelle. Tell her happy birthday.
This coming week we are going to spent Saturday and Sunday in Londrina, watching conference and I am so excited. Conference weekend is one of my favorite weekends of the year. And it is a good thing they will have a room with conference in English, he he.
Hope you all are doing well. It seems so weird that there is snow there still. Oh, and spring break sounds like a blast. Amy and Alex will love a cruise.
Have a wonderful week and I love you so much! Thanks for all the prayers, love and support.
Love Sister Barb
p.s. Today, I cut my companions hair just below her chin. It turned out really cute. She also chopped my hair to my chin. Just kidding. She gave me just a trim. My hair is turning golden. I have blonde streaks the color of Sara Jane’s hair. The sun is super strong here. We use umbrellas with protector but the sun is still dying my hair.
3.26.2008
March 26, 2008
Hello Mom,
I am guessing you didn’t get the pictures that a guy in my ward sent. He said he sent you an email and a bunch of my pictures. . .
Anyway, this past week I wasn’t able to write because there were some problems with the mission web site. . . I wanted to write so bad because last week we had a baptism. The girls name is Bruna and she is only 17. She is married and has a one-year-old. She is the one who heard our plan of salvation lesson and wanted to be baptized. She smoked, her husband and her family. We made a plan for her to stop and she started the following day. She made progress really fast and wanted so badly to stop smoking. We also fasted together so that she could stop smoking and be baptized the following Saturday. It was really hard for her but she completely stopped smoking in two weeks and hasn’t smoked since her baptism. The baptism was awesome. She cried during the whole meeting and was so happy. There were a lot of investigators there and they were also very impressed with the spirit and atmosphere. The Lord really blessed us this week.
This week we started teaching her two cousins and her husband. He is only about 19 or 20. He went to church with her on Sunday and really liked it.
Also, one of our friends in the ward, Raulene is the only member in her family and we have been teaching her parents. They came to church with her and brought their niece. They loved it (it was their second time). The problem is that they have to get married before they are baptized which is a long and expensive process. But we are working with them and Raulene will be a big help.
We are teaching some other families but none of them are married. . . ã carumba.
Easter was really fun. The tradition here is that all the kids get a huge hallow chocolate egg with candy inside. Almost all of the Irmãs (the ladies in the ward) gave us boxes of chocolates and one gave us a giant chocolate egg. Our fridge is filled with chocolate. I told my comp about the tradition to color the hard-boiled eggs and she thought it was pretty funny. I also told her about Easter egg hunts.
This week we have transfers and I think Sister Ferreira and I will be transferred and our area will be closed for the sisters. Also, my other area in Sarandi was closed for the sisters too. But I am excited to see. I hope I can email next p-day.
I didn’t get the package yet. I will probably get it at our next conference. I did, however, get the package from Gloria and loved it.
Our mission conference was awesome. Elder and Sister Ellis spoke (they are from Utah). I am learning so much about the Savior and missionary work and I loved the conference. I also got to see my other two companions, Sister Fernandes and Sister Portes.
Anyway, what is new with you guys? It seems like I have been gone for so long but when I think that I have been out for almost 9 months, I can’t believe it. There is so much I need to learn.
Thank you so much for the letters, prayers, packages and all the support. I love you and miss you. I hope you have a great week.
Love Barbie
I am guessing you didn’t get the pictures that a guy in my ward sent. He said he sent you an email and a bunch of my pictures. . .
Anyway, this past week I wasn’t able to write because there were some problems with the mission web site. . . I wanted to write so bad because last week we had a baptism. The girls name is Bruna and she is only 17. She is married and has a one-year-old. She is the one who heard our plan of salvation lesson and wanted to be baptized. She smoked, her husband and her family. We made a plan for her to stop and she started the following day. She made progress really fast and wanted so badly to stop smoking. We also fasted together so that she could stop smoking and be baptized the following Saturday. It was really hard for her but she completely stopped smoking in two weeks and hasn’t smoked since her baptism. The baptism was awesome. She cried during the whole meeting and was so happy. There were a lot of investigators there and they were also very impressed with the spirit and atmosphere. The Lord really blessed us this week.
This week we started teaching her two cousins and her husband. He is only about 19 or 20. He went to church with her on Sunday and really liked it.
Also, one of our friends in the ward, Raulene is the only member in her family and we have been teaching her parents. They came to church with her and brought their niece. They loved it (it was their second time). The problem is that they have to get married before they are baptized which is a long and expensive process. But we are working with them and Raulene will be a big help.
We are teaching some other families but none of them are married. . . ã carumba.
Easter was really fun. The tradition here is that all the kids get a huge hallow chocolate egg with candy inside. Almost all of the Irmãs (the ladies in the ward) gave us boxes of chocolates and one gave us a giant chocolate egg. Our fridge is filled with chocolate. I told my comp about the tradition to color the hard-boiled eggs and she thought it was pretty funny. I also told her about Easter egg hunts.
This week we have transfers and I think Sister Ferreira and I will be transferred and our area will be closed for the sisters. Also, my other area in Sarandi was closed for the sisters too. But I am excited to see. I hope I can email next p-day.
I didn’t get the package yet. I will probably get it at our next conference. I did, however, get the package from Gloria and loved it.
Our mission conference was awesome. Elder and Sister Ellis spoke (they are from Utah). I am learning so much about the Savior and missionary work and I loved the conference. I also got to see my other two companions, Sister Fernandes and Sister Portes.
Anyway, what is new with you guys? It seems like I have been gone for so long but when I think that I have been out for almost 9 months, I can’t believe it. There is so much I need to learn.
Thank you so much for the letters, prayers, packages and all the support. I love you and miss you. I hope you have a great week.
Love Barbie
3.14.2008
March 11, 2008
Hi Mom,
Sorry I didn’t really reply to your questions last week. The pics took awhile to send and there was a lot of mail from the mission office.
Anyway to respond. . . I don’t know what was with Sister Isabel’s headband. he he. Did the film work? Were you able to watch it? I made another one and will try to send it this week.
Tell Michelle congrats and I can’t wait to hear if it is a boy or girl. My comp just found out that her sister is pregnant too. It is the first grandbaby in her family. She is due the same time as Michelle.
So how are the organ lessons going and the condo? Good luck with everything, I hope the lessons are coming along well and that the condo sells soon. Thanks so much for sending the package. I probably won’t get it until our next transfer which is in 2 and 1/2 weeks. We’ll see. But I am close to Londrina so maybe I will get it sooner.
This week was great. The 17-year-old girl who listened in on our lesson about the plan of salvation and progressing. We have taught her all the lessons and she can be baptized as soon as she stops smoking. The three of are going to have a special fast for her to stop smoking and I am sure it will give her the strength to stop. She is a wonderful investigator and loves studying the Book of Mormon. I couldn’t believe how fast her conversion was. The first time she read it she felt the spirit so strong and knew that everything was true.
We found a few new investigators that seem pretty interested and we will return this week to see how they are doing. We marked baptism for a family we are teaching. They accepted but they still need to go to church a few more times before they can be baptized. They have stopped drinking coffee and are living the word of wisdom. Yay. It is so wonderful to see how the commandments bring blessings into people’s lives.
Oh, also, there is a girl named Raulene who was baptized in December. We have been teaching her family and they are showing a lot of interest. They have seen how dedicated Raulene has been and believe that the gospel has changed her life. Her mom said that if you guys come pick me up she wants to make a special Brazilian dinner for our family.
Tomorrow we have Mission Tour in Londrina. It is a conference for missionaries and Elder Ellis and his wife will be the speakers (that is why p-day is today). It will be in Londrina. I am really excited. I love mission confereneces. I will let you know how it goes. Our last mission conference, the authority changed a bunch of stuff. We are teaching the lessons differently and p-day changed too.
I love teaching the gospel and seeing it change peoples lives. The ward is great and we have members teach with us almost everyday. There is also a family here with a car and the 23-year-old always helps us out with the appointments that are really far.
I miss all of you and love you so much. Thanks for everything. Have a wonderful week!
Love Barb
Sorry I didn’t really reply to your questions last week. The pics took awhile to send and there was a lot of mail from the mission office.
Anyway to respond. . . I don’t know what was with Sister Isabel’s headband. he he. Did the film work? Were you able to watch it? I made another one and will try to send it this week.
Tell Michelle congrats and I can’t wait to hear if it is a boy or girl. My comp just found out that her sister is pregnant too. It is the first grandbaby in her family. She is due the same time as Michelle.
So how are the organ lessons going and the condo? Good luck with everything, I hope the lessons are coming along well and that the condo sells soon. Thanks so much for sending the package. I probably won’t get it until our next transfer which is in 2 and 1/2 weeks. We’ll see. But I am close to Londrina so maybe I will get it sooner.
This week was great. The 17-year-old girl who listened in on our lesson about the plan of salvation and progressing. We have taught her all the lessons and she can be baptized as soon as she stops smoking. The three of are going to have a special fast for her to stop smoking and I am sure it will give her the strength to stop. She is a wonderful investigator and loves studying the Book of Mormon. I couldn’t believe how fast her conversion was. The first time she read it she felt the spirit so strong and knew that everything was true.
We found a few new investigators that seem pretty interested and we will return this week to see how they are doing. We marked baptism for a family we are teaching. They accepted but they still need to go to church a few more times before they can be baptized. They have stopped drinking coffee and are living the word of wisdom. Yay. It is so wonderful to see how the commandments bring blessings into people’s lives.
Oh, also, there is a girl named Raulene who was baptized in December. We have been teaching her family and they are showing a lot of interest. They have seen how dedicated Raulene has been and believe that the gospel has changed her life. Her mom said that if you guys come pick me up she wants to make a special Brazilian dinner for our family.
Tomorrow we have Mission Tour in Londrina. It is a conference for missionaries and Elder Ellis and his wife will be the speakers (that is why p-day is today). It will be in Londrina. I am really excited. I love mission confereneces. I will let you know how it goes. Our last mission conference, the authority changed a bunch of stuff. We are teaching the lessons differently and p-day changed too.
I love teaching the gospel and seeing it change peoples lives. The ward is great and we have members teach with us almost everyday. There is also a family here with a car and the 23-year-old always helps us out with the appointments that are really far.
I miss all of you and love you so much. Thanks for everything. Have a wonderful week!
Love Barb
3.05.2008
March 5, 2008
Hi Mom,
This week was awesome. One night we were teaching one of investigators, a single girl in her 30’s, about the Plan of Salvation. One of her friends walked in at the beginning of the lesson and listened for awhile. After we talked about baptism and the Celestial Kingdom, she asked, “When can I be baptized?” She also said she would wake up at 7am the next Sunday to be ready for church. Sure enough the two girls came to church and absolutely loved it. We marked them for baptism for this month. They both need to stop smoking but have a strong desire to do so.
Also, we have been teaching an old lady named Dalva. Her husband passed away a few years ago and she lives with her daughter. She understands the lessons really well. After one of the lessons, she said. “Girls, I am really worried because I know my baptism is not correct.” Hmmm, it was a perfect opportunity to talk about baptism and she accepted to be baptized this month. She also told us she feels something really different when we are with her and she loves having us there. I love her so much and she feels like family to me and my companion.
We are also teaching a really great family with two young boys. They love the messages, they believe everything, and they are reading the book of Mormon together but they are hard core Catholics and their conversion is coming along slowly. We had family night with them and a few other families from the ward. It was a blast and the family really liked the ward members and the activity. The 10-year-old boy wants to come to church and be baptized but the parents still have a few doubts.
This upcoming week we will have Mission tour in Londrina and I don’t know if I can write. I am so sorry that this email is so short but I am out of time. Tell everyone who wrote me that I will send an email next week and I am so sorry I couldn’t respond.
I sent some pics.
· The banana tree. I thought it was very interesting. I have never seen one until I came here
· We had a churrasco and I am holding the meat. There was a ton
· We found a way to get to the other side of town a lot faster by cutting through the woods. I am crossing the river.
· Me and one of our investigators daughters, Angela.
I love you so much! Thanks for everything.
Love Barbie
3.03.2008
3.02.2008
February 27, 2008
February 27, 2008
Hi Pãe,
Wow, New York. That is one place I would love to visit. How was it? What did that guy who you work with say about Rio? All I hear is that it is super dangerous and has a ton of favelas (really poor parts). I saw some pics of a member’s vacation and she wrote the places. I dont have them with me but she went to Cutatiba. There are beaches there and it looked awesome. Also, the temple in Cutatiba will be finished in the next month or two. I don’t think President Leal will let the missionaries go because it is out of our area. Bummer.
I am finally at the point where I feel like I have a personality. I am able to talk with people (more or less) and I am understanding a lot more. I still can’t express myself clearly and there is a lot I don’t understand but I pretend that I understand when the people talk to me. I am enjoying the mission more and more as I learn the language. I sometimes feel like I will be a missionary here forever. At times I never want to return to my normal life because here, I feel like I am making a difference. But at times I think, wow, it would be really nice to take a nap or take a break from being in the sun. But I don’t really miss much. Just my family and friends.
Although I haven’t had a baptism for a long time, I am learning a lot and have met a lot of great people. We are also able to help strengthen the ward members. I really want to baptize and sometimes I feel like I am doing something wrong because we are not baptizing. But I know there is a purpose for this and that we will find someone. However, I love getting letters from the 15-year-old girl who I baptized. She is darling and this mission is worth it even if I only baptize her because I love her so much.
Anyway, how are you doing? And the rest of the family? You were the only one who wrote this week so I am in the dark. And Michelle and the baby? I love you and miss you so much. I hope you are doing well. Love Barb
Hi Mom,
This week was our first week without the other Sisters. We ended up in their area and the elders ended up in our area. I love our new area although there are a ton of really steep hills. The majority of the members live in area and they have been helping out a lot. It is so nice to have help from the members.
We have been teaching Idinea English as well as the lessons. We gave her a Book of Mormon in English and she has been reading the Book of Mormon and O Livro de Mormon side by side. She also bought a dvd with Shania Twain songs that she is listening to and memorizing which is funny. She seems really interested in the church and always asks a bunch of questions about our standards and beliefs. I always look forward to teaching her. We are also teaching a really great family. We left them a little bit to read in the Book of Mormon and when we returned they had read all the parts as well as other parts dealing with sacrament, baptism, etc. Also the 10-year-old boy has started to participate in the activities at church. They seem really interested, and the spirit is always really strong when we teach them. We taught an older lady yesterday. She is very open and loves our visits. She and her daughter love to talk with me about the United States. She said she had the lessons from the elders several years ago and there was an American who taught her. She sort of laughed and said she didn’t understand anything he said and his companion had to translate for him.
Anyway, how is everyone doing? Did you get the cd of pics that I sent and the letter? How is everything with the condo? Has it sold? The people here always ask about the weather and the snow. Is heating up there yet. It is like an oven here and won’t cool down for months. The sun is so strong that through our sun-proof umbrellas, it is dying our clothes (or I guess lightening our clothes).
How is Michelle doing? How far along is she? And mom, your new calling. Have you begun to play in Sacrament yet? I received an email from dad about New York and it sounds like he is having a good time.
Anyway, I love you and hope everything is going well.
Love Barb
Hi Pãe,
Wow, New York. That is one place I would love to visit. How was it? What did that guy who you work with say about Rio? All I hear is that it is super dangerous and has a ton of favelas (really poor parts). I saw some pics of a member’s vacation and she wrote the places. I dont have them with me but she went to Cutatiba. There are beaches there and it looked awesome. Also, the temple in Cutatiba will be finished in the next month or two. I don’t think President Leal will let the missionaries go because it is out of our area. Bummer.
I am finally at the point where I feel like I have a personality. I am able to talk with people (more or less) and I am understanding a lot more. I still can’t express myself clearly and there is a lot I don’t understand but I pretend that I understand when the people talk to me. I am enjoying the mission more and more as I learn the language. I sometimes feel like I will be a missionary here forever. At times I never want to return to my normal life because here, I feel like I am making a difference. But at times I think, wow, it would be really nice to take a nap or take a break from being in the sun. But I don’t really miss much. Just my family and friends.
Although I haven’t had a baptism for a long time, I am learning a lot and have met a lot of great people. We are also able to help strengthen the ward members. I really want to baptize and sometimes I feel like I am doing something wrong because we are not baptizing. But I know there is a purpose for this and that we will find someone. However, I love getting letters from the 15-year-old girl who I baptized. She is darling and this mission is worth it even if I only baptize her because I love her so much.
Anyway, how are you doing? And the rest of the family? You were the only one who wrote this week so I am in the dark. And Michelle and the baby? I love you and miss you so much. I hope you are doing well. Love Barb
Hi Mom,
This week was our first week without the other Sisters. We ended up in their area and the elders ended up in our area. I love our new area although there are a ton of really steep hills. The majority of the members live in area and they have been helping out a lot. It is so nice to have help from the members.
We have been teaching Idinea English as well as the lessons. We gave her a Book of Mormon in English and she has been reading the Book of Mormon and O Livro de Mormon side by side. She also bought a dvd with Shania Twain songs that she is listening to and memorizing which is funny. She seems really interested in the church and always asks a bunch of questions about our standards and beliefs. I always look forward to teaching her. We are also teaching a really great family. We left them a little bit to read in the Book of Mormon and when we returned they had read all the parts as well as other parts dealing with sacrament, baptism, etc. Also the 10-year-old boy has started to participate in the activities at church. They seem really interested, and the spirit is always really strong when we teach them. We taught an older lady yesterday. She is very open and loves our visits. She and her daughter love to talk with me about the United States. She said she had the lessons from the elders several years ago and there was an American who taught her. She sort of laughed and said she didn’t understand anything he said and his companion had to translate for him.
Anyway, how is everyone doing? Did you get the cd of pics that I sent and the letter? How is everything with the condo? Has it sold? The people here always ask about the weather and the snow. Is heating up there yet. It is like an oven here and won’t cool down for months. The sun is so strong that through our sun-proof umbrellas, it is dying our clothes (or I guess lightening our clothes).
How is Michelle doing? How far along is she? And mom, your new calling. Have you begun to play in Sacrament yet? I received an email from dad about New York and it sounds like he is having a good time.
Anyway, I love you and hope everything is going well.
Love Barb
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