Week 77: So This is IT...the Final Countdown!

I suppose that I should do something cheesy or sentimental for my last email... a testimony of how much my mission has changed me or something along those lines. It has. Oh my goodness, it really has. I am bolder, nicer, humbler, smarter (except about philosophy, pretty sure I've forgotten all that), more outgoing, more spiritual, more prayerful, more faithful, less selfish, so many other things that I can't even list them all. But I think that most people know that missions are great for that.

I have laughed so hard. I have cried. I have had my heart broken. I've worked harder than I have ever worked in my life. A mission isn't just physically tiring. It is! Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure that if I sit still for too long I'll fall asleep anywhere. It's emotionally exhausting... You love people, and sometimes they break your heart. Sometimes you have so much happiness that you are exhausted. It's spiritual boot camp, for sure. You're tested and tried, questioned, mocked, pitied... It's intellectually wearing, trying to stay on top of everything.

And it's all worth it. I am a part of the greatest sister and brotherhood in the world. I am about to get really cheesy, so bear with me. I have loved being a missionary. Every morning, I get to put on my nametag, and I am so so so grateful. It's changed my life, I hope for forever. I'm aiming at forever.

I am so excited to come home, to see my family, to begin another chapter in my life. But I am also sad that I won't be going out everyday as a representative of Jesus Christ, to preach the gospel as a full time missionary. I'll miss it. It's been an amazing, amazing 18 months.

Sister Devynne Barret

Week 76: Happy Birthday to Me!

Yay! I am so glad that my birthday falls on a P-day :) Also, I am sorry that you all are having to live with my manifestations of trunkiness... which mostly consist of not having the desire to write anymore letters or emails. I get to go on Facebook in two weeks anyway, right? And call all the people that I want?

Okay, I know, I'll do better.

Especially because we had a great week! Which culminated in Adrian's baptism this Saturday! It was such a beautiful day. Baptisms are just strong spiritual highlights. The part that a lot of people leave out is that it's also kind of stressful, planning everything and hoping that everyone shows up on time, and making sure that this and that works out... plus, I was the one playing the piano, which is always an added stress! But it all worked out, the service was lovely... The water in the font was very cold, but they just made sure that she went all the way under the first time and it all works out! Haha. She is super shy, so she was kind of nervous about all the people being there, but once everything started happening then it was good!

And the ward's support is definitely coming. That's the tricky part about baptizing a youth, is that there needs to be a lot of ward support. Especially because her family support is pretty slim. Her dad lets her come, but that's about all...

Anyway, that was definitely the highlight of the week! Oh, and I finished the Book of Mormon. I was thinking that I might try to finish it one more time, in my last fifteen days... Then I decided that would be way too fast. So I just started over :) Instead of a topical study, I've decided to just go through and annotate the things that stand out to me and all. Study insight from this morning: Nephi is always talking about how we should be faithful to keeping the commandments of the Lord. I thought about how when we are faithful to the commandments, we are demonstrating our trust that the Lord's plan and His will are so much greater than our own.

I got to go on two exchanges this week... Very fun! One was in Jacksonville. We went to their district meeting and they threw me a surprise birthday lunch, with spaghetti and cupcakes :) Very cute. I also got to go on exchanges with my baby! Sister Edgel and I had a great day together in Springfield!

I can't believe how fast time is going! I thought for sure it would slow down the last transfer, but I think last transfer felt slower than this one! Weird.

Oh well!

I love you all!

Sister Barret

Week 75: Walking through 6 inches = Really Good Exercise!

This week was crazy, but really good! 

We went on two exchanges, had a Zone Leader Training in Champaign, had our interviews with the mission president, and had a ton of snow. That's a basic summary... haha.

Okey dokey. SO.

Tuesday, we had a pretty good day. We visited a part-member family, and a couple of our investigators... average day.

Wednesday, we left at 7 in the morning (ugh) to go to our meetings in Champaign. We had a combined meeting with the zone leaders, district leaders, and us, before the zone leader training. It was kind of neat, because we got to give a training on a letter from Elder Ballard of the 12 Apostles. The zone leaders gave a training on valiance... It was a similar theme to the meeting we had with our zone last week...

Then we exchanged with the Danville sisters... I went to Danville. It was pretty fun, we got to do a lot of contacting :) I also had a Wendy's Frosty for the first time in ages. 

Thursday we had interviews with the mission president. It's always a pleasure to get to sit down with him and talk for those few minutes. It wasn't my exit interview... thank goodness. I'll probably have that within the next couple of weeks though.

Friday, we were on exchanges again, and I had probably the busiest exchange of my mission! We taught seven lessons, had a member dinner, and did service for another member, AND found two new investigators. Crazy! But lots of fun.

Sunday, the snow was six-eight inches, so church was cancelled, and we had to walk everywhere. We were pooped. But we met a less active woman we'd never met before, which was exciting!

Adrian's baptism is scheduled for Saturday! We might have to push it back a little because church was cancelled, but I guess we'll see next week!

Lots of love to everyone,

Sister Barret

Week 74: One More Month?

Today, I just want to share a brief testimony of how amazing it is to be a missionary, to be a part of the work of salvation, and to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love this work. I love being here.

When I came on my mission, I thought that I was doing it to "pay back" Heavenly Father, and to serve others. I was doing it for some of those reasons. But because I thought that I was doing it as a "bonus," because it wasn't something that I was required to do, I thought that it would be okay to just hold back little bit. A little corner of my heart. I wasn't quite willing to turn it all over to the Lord.

Then, about five months in, I had a change of heart. It's hard to describe. Piece by piece, I had been realizing that my mission WAS a requirement for me, and that, like King Benjamin describes, I was being "immediately blessed" for my service. So there was no way I would ever be able to repay the Lord. So I turned more and more of my heart over to the work, and finally I just had that one piece staked out, and I thought, "Nope. This one's mine. I'll give everything else over, but I need this little bit." But I received an answer about that, as I was reading the Book of Mormon one day in my personal study. And I changed. I gave it all up. It was a very, very humbling experience for me.

The next portion of my mission, I think, was learning about the Atonement. Okay, all of my mission has been learning about the Atonement, but I really started to learn how to apply the Atonement. And to recognize the promptings of the Spirit. I had another epiphany about that... I call them epiphanies, but really, they're just moments of revelation. Realizations that sound so simple and obvious when you put them into words, but are really quite profound when you ponder them in your heart and allow them to sink in.

Sunday, I had a turning moment, an epiphany, a moment of revelation. I was sitting in our ward council, the first one since our bishop passed away. It was an absolutely wonderful meeting about the vision of the ward in their efforts to serve and to rescue. But I had a moment when I was sitting there, where I felt sadness that I wouldn't be there as a missionary for much longer. I won't be able to see that vision fulfilled, and I really longed to see it! I knew that miracles were on the horizon, and while I'll be able to see some of them in the next month, I won't see them all. And I felt a twinge of envy for those lucky missionaries who WILL see those moments. But as I sat there, reflecting on this, this thought came to my mind: "I have set my hand to the plow. And I can never turn back."

My mission has blessed my life forever. I have been changed. My heart, my mind, my very nature have been changed. I am not scared to go home. The only thing that scares me is the thought that maybe I'll find that I haven't changed as much as I hope I have. But I'm not worried. The whole purpose of our lives here on Earth is to change and to grow, because that is how we will find joy.

Love

Sister Barret

Week 72

So, they weren't joking when they said that the emails will die off at the end of your mission. Forty-five minutes into email, I've already emailed everyone back, emailed the mission president, read a couple of the articles on Church News, and I'm starting this email... which I usually don't get to until last. Well, I can understand why though... I am not going to say that I've ever been the best at emailing missionaries! Besides, in SIX WEEKS I'll get to call all of you up and demand to know what's going on in your lives. Or just look on Facebook... 

I can't believe how time flies. I think missionaries probably talk about that more than anyone else, because we are constantly reminded by transfers ticking by. 

This week was a good one. Here's something cool, and a first for my mission! On Tuesday, we went on exchanges with the Danville sisters, and I got to step foot into the third state of our mission! Woohoo! I went to Indiana! :D Fun fact: there is one little town, Covington, in Indiana that's included in our mission, and I got to go there with the sisters! So now I've been to another state :)

It was a fun exchange, too. It's the first time I've left Springfield in a while, so I enjoyed getting to see a different place and meet some new people. And here's a cool story: our first appointment of the day, we were supposed to meet this woman at a shelter. We met a member there... and we asked for the woman at the desk... and she didn't show. Bummer! But we sat there for a while, because we thought that the woman could be late, and another lady came and sat by us. So we started talking to her... turns out her grandpa was Mormon! And the member who came with us knew him! And he used to read the Book of Mormon to her! She accepted a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and a return appointment. It was really cool. Just evidence that we are put where we need to be when we need to be there!

We had a good rest of our exchange. Then headed back Wednesday! Sister Herdman and I did service at the soup kitchen... I've got a real future as a lunch lady, let me tell you. Although, turns out I'm pretty deaf, because I can never hear the people's reply. Probably too much blasting Mormon Tabernacle Choir! 

Thursday, we had our district meeting. I gave a training on how to teach people about the Atonement. It was such a good training for me to prepare. One of my favorite insights I came across while preparing for it was about grace. Grace is the power of God that comes into our lives through the Atonement. The power that can bless us through the Atonement can be broken down into four categories: resurrection, redemption, healing, and strengthening or enabling. Resurrection: pretty straightforward. Redemption: ransoming us from the effects of sin. Healing: spiritual and physical and emotional healing all can come because the Savior suffered for that wound already. The enabling power of the Atonement was what I focused on. This is the power that can give us strength beyond our own, to face our circumstances and to become the ones who act. Each of these powers comes into our lives more and more as we "live the gospel joyfully," as President Uchtdorf counseled us.

Friday, we helped one of our investigators clean the house that she's going to start renting. It was pretty gross... lots of mouse poop and dead cockroaches. No live ones, so that's good! :P One thing about my mission I will not miss: Cockroaches. 

Speaking of which...

So, Saturday morning, we went to a memorial service (I know! No funerals for five years, and then suddenly I'm going to one every weekend). I was asked to say the closing prayer. It was for the mom of a recent convert. Well, afterwards, we went to their home to help them prepare a luncheon for their family in town, and Sister Herdman and I got the job of making deviled eggs. So we cut up the eggs and whip up the middle part, and Sister Herdman takes the job of sprinkling the paprika (she loves paprika). She gets it out of the cupboard, takes a nice whiff--yep, it's paprika--and then shakes it...

And out fall two dead cockroaches (plop plop) right on top of one of the eggs. We both freeze, look at each other... And then I say, "Well, no paprika for these eggs!"

Definitely a bit of a stomach turner.

Sorry about the gross email this week! Welcome to the Midwest ;)

Transfer calls came in, and I will be finishing my mission out here in Springfield with Sister Herdman! Very exciting. I am looking forward to the next six weeks. I'm in my prime, everyone! Haha.

I hope you all enjoy your Valentine's Day! I send my love from Illinois! Just remember Sister Herdman's motto: "love is dead!" At least for missionaries! 

Lots of love,

Sister Barret

Week 73: Kind of a Crazy Week!

But when is it not crazy in the good ol' Midwest! Ah, I love it. We went to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum yesterday with a couple of other sister missionaries, and one of them made a comment about how she thought that this area (it's her second) would be less crazy than her first. And I was like, "Oh honey. It's the Midwest." I love it! I also think that it's simply mission life... It doesn't get much better than this! 

Many, many things happened this week, and I can't even remember the half of them. Typical, for my emails. Typical for my journal too, I feel kind of bad! I hope that I have lots of good mission stories to tell when I get home. Okay, no, there's too many to count, but that's okay. 

I can't believe that Sara gets home so soon! We left the same day!! Foreign missions.

Anyway, some highlights this week... We've been working with our young woman investigator, Adrian. She's working towards baptism either on the 28th of this month or the 7th of next. Super exciting! It's so clear in this case how important fellowship from the ward is though. She is getting great fellowship from some of the adults in the ward, which is good news. 

We had a great lesson with Lori. She had been struggling a bit, and we could sense that there was a concern that she wasn't talking about. But Sister Herdman and I felt prompted to share the Articles of Faith with her, and #6 really answered her prayers. She said that she knew that that was a sign from God that this truly is the church that she's meant to be a part of. There's a part in Preach My Gospel that talks about how investigators' concerns are like icebergs... we only see the tip, and the rest is hidden. But if you are teaching by the Spirit, you really can be blessed with answering questions in their hearts. It's amazing.

It was officially the transfer on Wednesday, but it didn't feel like it, because Sister Herdman and I have already been together! It's a strange feeling, like the transfer is going to last 8 weeks instead of 6. Whatever works! haha. 

Thursday, we drove down to Glen Carbon, to spend the night with the other STLs, because Friday was... Missionary Leadership Council!

Oh, MLC is so great. We learn so much. The mission is doing really well! The work is truly hastening in many different ways. It's a little bit long (10-4) but the time really flies by. Meetings are some of my favorite days on the mission (weird, right?) because the Spirit is so strong when you gather with other missionaries. 

On the way back from MLC, we had a bit of a miracle! We had put all of our stuff in the car, hugged the other sisters good-bye, and gotten in the car. I was driving, and Sister Herdman was backing me. I put the keys in the ignition, and try to start it... and it turns over a couple times then fizzles out. Again. And again. So, we call our vehicle coordinator... doesn't answer. We call the elders... they don't help much. So, we're sitting in the cold car, thinking of how we're going to have to stay another night in Glen Carbon (which we really don't want to do) and how our plans are all going to be changed... And I say, "Let's pray. And try one more time. And then we'll go back inside and tell the sisters what's going on."

So we bow our heads, and the gist of our prayer was, "Heavenly Father, we understand if we're supposed to learn how to deal with trials this way. But please, if it be thy will, let the car start."

And I put the keys in, and it starts up like nothing had ever happened.

It was amazing! The power of prayer, and the power of faith is real!

Valentine's Day was pretty great. Sister Herdman made me breakfast (German pancakes). I made her dinner (Lemony asparagus fettucine alfredo, Italian soup, pan seared veggies, and a salad). Ate it by candlelight, as per my mission tradition. It was a lot of fun. It was a good companionship unity building time ;)

Anyway, that was pretty well our week! Oh, and I counted four hundred dollars in quarters. That was fun too. 

Lots of love! Have a great week!

Sister Barret

Week 71: Plot Twist....Surprise Ending!

Ha, just kidding. I probably will tell you the plot twist pretty soon here, actually.

So this week was pretty full of new things. New snow, new illness (an annoying cold. I've had a sore throat all week, and now it's transitioning to a runny nose. Only the second time I've been sick on my mission, and I do not cope well. I complain), new bishop (he's going to do a great job), new companion...

Wait, what?

Haha. Well, here's what happened. On Tuesday we got a call from the assistants (it's still an adjustment, getting regular calls from the assistants). Actually, we played phone tag with the assistants for about four hours, but eventually we got to talk to them, and they told us that Sister Martinez was going to be going to Glen Carbon IL to be with the STL there, because an STL was going home unexpectedly, and the STL there is going home in a week and they wanted someone to learn the area so that it doesn't fall apart. So Sister Martinez went there, and I got Sister Herdman (I think she's going to be my killer) and her past companion, is with two other sisters. Or more accurately, they're with her. And all these switches went down on Friday! So, from about Tuesday on, our life was fairly hectic. And it has yet to slow down :)

Oh, also, Thursday was Sister Martinez's birthday. I sneaky planned all sorts of fun stuff. We had breakfast with an investigator, a surprise birthday-themed district meeting, lunch at Olive Garden, dinner with our ward mission leader... It was great. It's hard to be sneaky when you're with someone 24/7, but I managed!

I like change though. I think I thrive on the challenge of adjusting to it. Sister Herdman is great. She's from Provo, and she loves missionary work and people, and is a great missionary. Like I said, I suspect that she'll be my last companion. No guarantees, of course. But I hope so, because I think that I have a lot to learn from her.

The latter half of the week really flew by though, because Sister Herdman and I went on exchanges to Jacksonville on Saturday, which meant that we had been together for less than 24 hours when we went on exchanges. Crazy! Haha. Seriously though, I'm being kept on my toes, which is the best thing for me, I think.

For my personal study this week, I have really been focusing (still) on the Atonement. I received a priesthood blessing a week ago Sunday, and one of the pieces of counsel I received was to study with a purpose. So I pondered what my purpose is while studying, and I decided that the greatest purpose I could have would be to strive to understand and apply the Atonement more in my life. Today, I was reading the definition of the Atonement in the Bible Dictionary, and this sentence really stood out to me: "The Atonement is conditional, however, so far as each person’s individual sins are concerned, and touches every one to the degree that he has faith in Jesus Christ, repents of his sins, and obeys the gospel." I loved that last sentence. The Atonement is applied in our life as we follow the basic principles of the gospel! There's no secret formula for bringing the Atonement into our lives. Have faith. Repent. Live the gospel.

Have a wonderful week everyone! Transfer calls are this Saturday, but I'd be pretty surprised if anything happened... You never know though!

Sister Barret

Week 70

Well, I just counted on the little calendar at the bottom of the screen, and I'll send 77 P-day emails total when all is said and done. That's... weird. Nerve-wracking. Exciting. Scary. All of the above. I've just been a bundle of emotions lately, and I can only imagine how that will continue for the next two months.

This week was a long week. Very interesting. I spent it all right here in Springfield, but we went on three exchanges. Tuesday, we exchanged with the Tuscola sisters, so a reunion with Sister Schwenke! We had fun. We had a chance to teach some lessons, including a really amazing one with the thirteen year old girl we're teaching, Adrian. We read a chapter of the Bible with her, and then said a closing prayer. Then as I stood up to leave, she asked "So, when do people get baptized?" I was a little surprised... okay, a lot surprised because she's been taught for quite some time and hadn't been progressing very much. But I answered that we normally teach some lessons, and then when people feel like they have received their answer, they decide on a date. So I asked, "Is that something that you'd like to do?" And she said YES! It was awesome. So we picked out February 21, and she's going to be praying about it. It's one of the greatest things on a mission: to see the Spirit working on someone so that they want to change.

On Wednesday morning, we received some bad news. Our bishop, Anthony Leggett, passed away. He had been battling colon cancer for a while, and over the last couple of months had really been struggling. The whole ward was affected. He was an amazing leader. You can actually read more about this, I think they have a Facebook page called "Fearless Leggett."

Thursday, we had our district meeting, and went on another exchange. This time I went with a sister who has only been out for about four months. There was an emergency switch (kind of like when I was with Sister Reed again) so she and her companion have only been together for a little less than a week. She was doing pretty well though, so that's good. It can be stressful to have so much change so quickly, but she really impressed me with her enthusiasm and readiness to jump in. I love the fire of new missionaries. They are ready to change the world, and they inspire me to do the same!

We actually had an interesting morning the next day together, because we had an appointment at 9:30. See, normally we don't take appointments before 10, but this was the only time that worked for her. So we went to see our appointment, which went well. She loved the plan of salvation! Then, because we were on the other side of town from our apartment, we went and did our companion study at Starbucks (I bought her a hot chocolate). It was a bit of a different sight: two missionaries studying in Starbucks :)

Went on another exchange, this time with a sister who has been out for the same amount of time as me. We had a really great lesson right before we switched back! We have been trying to meet with this potential investigator for a while, but she's always been gone or we didn't have time. But we finally sat down and she really is open and ready and willing to learn. I love meeting people who are searching for something more, because I know that the gospel will bless them with that "something" that they are missing.

After we switched back, we went to Bishop Leggett's funeral. It was a really nice service. He worked in the Department of Corrections so they had an Honor Guard there. It was beautiful. We sang in the choir that they put together, of a medley of "Our Savior's Love" and a children's choir singing "I Feel My Savior's Love."

And now I look outside and the snow is coming down! I'm just grateful it held off, I did NOT want to have to delay emailing :)

Being a missionary stretches you in different ways than you expect. And I am guessing that different missions stretch you in different ways as well. I think of my cousins, in Mongolia and Brazil, and I know that they have to be facing different challenges than I do. But the amazing thing is that Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for all of us. We are placed exactly where we need to be in order to be shaped into the disciple that Heavenly Father will need us to be. We are placed where we can bless the lives of His children in the best way, whether now or in the future. And central to this plan is of course the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He made it possible for us to be able to learn and grow through all of the challenges, all of the heartache, all exhaustion and sadness and so on. If I come out of the mission with nothing else, I want to be able to say that I learned how to rely on the Atonement. If we allow Him, He will place His yoke on our shoulders. We will be guided day by day, through the Spirit and through the words of the scriptures. And we don't have to bear any burden or face any day alone.

Sister Barret

Week 69: Hallelujah...the Sun is Shining!

Welp, my camera is officially broken. Not that either Sister Martinez or I took any pictures this week... Turns out we're both really bad at that.

We had a pretty great week this week! We had quite a few lessons, and the investigator, Lori, who came to church last week set a baptismal date for February 7. She has some challenges to overcome: she works every other week right now, and she has a lot of health issues. But she is super determined to do it! She loves the church, especially Joseph Smith, and she really desires baptism. She's been reading the Book of Mormon, and I think that it has really helped her out.

The tough thing this week... We were supposed to go on two exchanges, but instead we ended up going on NONE because of what we'll call "unforeseeable circumstances." Not our fault. But now we'll be going on three this week, which is always stressful. Especially because the way it shook out, I'll be staying in Springfield for all three of them. It'll be hard work, but I am looking forward to spending time with the sisters! That's definitely the best part of being a sister training leader.

Sorry, I don't know why I'm struggling with knowing what to write about this week! It was just an interesting week. Lots of ups and downs. Tuesday was an amazing day. It was one of those rare days on a mission where literally everything works out! It doesn't happen often, but when it does, you feel on top of the world. Well, it doesn't happen often out here in the Midwest. I don't know how it works out in other missions :)

A less active that we've been working with for a while came to church this week! That was really neat. She's been a member her whole life, but never really converted... Honestly, we don't even know why she came this week. We're planning on visiting her soon and hopefully help her make this a habit!

We found a new investigator who has been an investigator before. She is planning on feeding us lunch today. I'm nervous... She asked if we like fish. So, I might have to just grin and bear it...

Um....

Yeah. I don't even know what else to say...

We had a great Martin Luther King Jr Day! P-day is so very relaxed when you don't email :) We went shopping, and sight seeing in downtown Springfield, Sister Martinez got a haircut, we washed our car and did a LOT of cleaning. Which was nice. Early spring cleaning, you could say?

In my personal study, I've been reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning again (with the mission, by next General Conference). It is always so good. I love the power of that book. I've been reading with an eye on revelation, since I'm preparing to receive revelation at Conference! I loved this verse from 1 Nephi 18:3: "And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." It made me think of the temple. When we go to the temple, in a spirit of prayer, the Lord will show us great things. He will help us to understand Him, and our place in His great eternal plan. I am so grateful that the Lord is willing to teach us.

Lots of love,

Sister Barret

Week 68: You Know It's Cold When....

...you get in the car and say "Wow! It's 14 today! Sweet!"

...your hands and face are super chapped from the wind

...you've experienced -30 windchill

...32 degrees feels toasty. Who needs gloves?

Yeah. We had a couple of really, really, really cold days this week. WHY DIDN'T THEY SEND ME BACK DOWN SOUTH FOR THE WINTER???

Just kidding, I love Springfield! But it was very, very cold. This may be disgusting, but I've never experience actually having your nose hairs freeze when you breathe in through your nose! That was a new one. (Calvin and Hobbes, anyone?)

Other than the SUPER COLD WEATHER, it was a great week! I wish I had some pictures! I didn't take any this week. Sorry. I'll repent and do better this week on that... 

Monday night, it snowed as we were heading to our dinner appointment. Actually, this week, I've gotten quite a bit of experience of driving in wintry conditions. It's great! One of my goals for this winter was to learn how to drive in snow. Life skills you learn on the mission! Sister Martinez is a little terrified for her life, especially when I remind her that this is pretty much the first time in my life that I've ever driven in snow, but a little healthy fear is good for the soul, I think.

Tuesday and Wednesday, we went on exchanges with the sisters in Rantoul. That was fun! I had visited Rantoul last transfer too, so I got to see a couple of people that I had met the time before, and meet some new ones! It's always a good experience to visit a different area. If I have one favorite thing about being a sister training leader, it's being able to spend time with sisters that I normally wouldn't get to spend time with, and visiting areas that I normally wouldn't get to visit.

Thursday was our zone conference! It was so much fun. Our zone carpooled up to Champaign's stake center. Sister Martinez and I organized a "pre zone conference breakfast party." :) Because we had to meet at 7:30 to get to Champaign in a timely fashion. This was my last zone conference in the mission, which really made me sad to think about. These meetings, where we get together with a lot of missionaries, and lift one another up, really bless your life as a missionary. Sister Martinez and I did a training on the power of the Book of Mormon in conversion, which went really well. The bulk of our training was people testifying of how the Book of Mormon has deepened their testimony of Jesus Christ. The Spirit was super strong. The whole mission is going to be reading the Book of Mormon together by next April General Conference, which is really exciting. Reading the Book of Mormon is the best! :)

Of course, another one of those moments... I'll be home by April General Conference. I keep having these moments where it strikes me anew and I turn to Sister Martinez and I'll say something like, "Is there really only one more transfer after this before I go home?" or "Is it already Week 3?" I think it weirds her out. She probably thinks I have a terrible memory ;)

Friday, we invited two of our investigators to be baptized and they accepted! Then one of them came to church with her three kids! (the other one was sick). Another lady, Lori, we've been working with a long time. She is so great. Amazing testimony of Joseph Smith. And she came to church, for the first time, even though she had been in the emergency room until 1 am that morning. She was determined to make it though, and faith really does bring miracles! And prayer. The power of prayer is real.

So, a good week! Tough times, for sure, but that's okay. We don't appreciate happiness until we experience sadness, and so forth. Opposition in all things is a good thing.

Lots of love,

Sister Barret

Week 67: And A Happy New Year!

Speaking of New Year's, I am resolved to do better this week :) Budgeting my time and all that. I think the problem with the computers at the Lincoln Library is that it automatically updates your amount of time if there is nobody waiting for a computer, so you get way comfortable and think that you have lots of time... and then you are given a notice "5 minutes until you have to get off!" :P 

Anyway, this week was pretty darn good! It was transfer week, but whenever you stay with your companion for the transfer, and you don't go to transfer meeting, it doesn't even feel like transfers. So I have to remind myself that it's a new transfer!

We found three new investigators this week, and they all have pretty cool stories. 

The first is a woman named Krystal. We met her when we were out street contacting the day before Christmas Eve. She asked us if she could borrow our phone because she had missed our bus, and we ended up talking for a few minutes, and it turned out that she has been looking for a church and she said that we could come visit her in her home! There is no such thing as a coincidence ;) She missed our first appointment, but this time we were able to sit down and introduce the Book of Mormon and talk about church. She has the cutest three little kids... 

Then, that afternoon, we were out contacting less active members of the church, and we met a family where the mom was baptized back in 2010. She said that the two reasons she hasn't been to church much lately are "procrastination and transportation." Sounds about right for a lot of people! But better that than "I don't have a testimony anymore" or "I was offended." We have started teaching her 13 year old daughter though, and we're excited about that!

And then, Sister Martinez and I had an awesome experience driving home from our Missionary Leadership Council (MLC) actually. We had just left the Highland sisters' apartment (because we carpooled) and grabbed dinner at Subway, and we were deciding where to go next: home, or to try this potential that lives kind of far out from Springfield. And I said, "You know what? I'm super tired, I have a huge headache, and we haven't even thought about what we're going to do for exchanges. Let's go home and exchange plan instead of trying this potential." Sister Martinez said okay, and then we prayed over our food and before we started driving, and I just felt the Spirit say, "No, Sister Barret. Go contact this person." We finished praying and I turned to Sister Martinez and said, "Well, I just got super rebuked. Let's go see Kelly." And we did, and it was amazing. She is so prepared for the gospel: she's looking for more peace and for the truth. She accepted the Book of Mormon and the baptismal invitation. I am so grateful for the opportunity on my mission to have these experiences of recognizing the promptings of the Spirit.

Springfield is a great area! The biggest struggle we are having right now is helping these amazing people who want to get baptized to overcome addictions/fears/problems that are holding them back. We have several people who are just on the edge... the brink of coming into the church. They'll get there though! I have faith! 

At MLC, we had a really great training on goal setting. I've been thinking about my goals for this upcoming year, and really pondering what I want to accomplish. It scares me a little bit... This time last year, I knew exactly where I'd be at the end of 2014: Here! On a mission! So my New Year's goals were all about becoming a better missionary. Now, who knows what'll happen in the next year? I definitely know this much: I am going to do everything I can for these last couple of months of being a missionary. I can't believe how quickly time really does fly.

Sorry that I failed to get any pictures of our New Year's Eve! We spent it at our ward mission leader's mom's house. She made us lasagna, and we just hung out and enjoyed the evening. It was a good night. And then I slept through the New Year. 

I hope you all are enjoying the start of your year! 

Sister Barret

Week 66: Merry Christmas to All!

A little late, maybe, but hey, Christmas all year round! Or at least until the end of the year, which is only two days away! So maybe it would be more appropriate to say "happy New Year's Almost!"

Just got told I have five minutes until being kicked off... sorry for the abrupt ending...

We went and visited Lincoln's Tomb on Christmas Eve. The people of Springfield are really proud of Lincoln!

​

Thanks for the presents :)

Great week, slow for the work, but I made it through! Remember, He is the Gift! I'm so grateful for the power of the Atonement!

Lots of love,

Sister Barret

Week 65

Sorry, this is going to be a short one. I got the email this morning that my grandpa passed away yesterday, so I haven't been moving quite as quickly through my emails, and we're at a public library this week instead of the university. But I'll just share a few scriptures and such that have stood out to me this week:

Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

"Immanuel" means "With us is God." How comforting! God is with us. That is what the gift of Jesus Christ means to me. When He came to the earth, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, dwelt with mortal man. And after he ascended to His Father, He sent His Spirit to be with us, so that we can always be comforted and guided. Christ can be with us. And where Christ is, miracles follow. 

"Ours is the responsibility to be worthy of all the glorious blessings our Father in Heaven has in store for us." -President Monson, in the priesthood session this last General Conference

I forget sometimes how many glorious blessings Heavenly Father has prepared for each one of us in heaven. Do we remember our divine destiny when we make our daily decisions? Do we realize that the things we do now show whether we will accept the gifts that God is preparing? We're the ones who stop Him from showering blessings on us.

And of course, one of my favorite scriptures, about the real gift and meaning of Christ's birth:

"Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow." Alma 40:11-12

Merry Christmas everyone! 

Love

Sister Barret

Week 64: At This Point I'm Kinda Regretting Starting the Count

But it's too late now. For consistency's sake. 

Also, for once, I'm the slower companion in emailing, because Sister Martinez just told me she's pretty much done. I'm sorry! I was slow in responding, and I'm not sure why, so I'll try to be speedy now.

This week we tried a horseshoe from a place called D'Arcy's Pint. Look it up. It sounds disgusting, I know. A piece of Texas toast, topped with breaded tenderloin, topped with fries, topped with cheese sauce. Actually, it's delicious. Oh man.
​

Contacting at night can be a little sketchy... especially when it's dark and you realize that you are coming up on a ditch in the middle of a road. Guess we're not trying that house!
​

I am sending a picture of our Christmas decor :) I finished building it this week. In case you can't tell, that's our family portrait over the mantle haha. I was getting tired of not having any Christmas tree, so I spent last night (instead of writing in my journal... I know, I know) making the tree.

Our week went great! Not as many exchanges as last week, so that was more relaxing, for sure. We also had President interviews, our once-every-three-months opportunity to sit down with our mission president and talk one on one. It's the best. I know for sure that President Morgan was called of God to lead our mission. 

Okay, some highlights...

We are teaching some amazing people, by the way. I'll summarize. Lori is a woman who has been investigating the church off and on for YEARS, with a big gap there in the middle. She has cancer, and isn't in the best of health, but she loves the Book of Mormon. We think she's nervous about coming to church, but she REALLY wants to be baptized, and hopefully she will be in January!

Tim is married to a member. He loves the church since he's been introduced to it, and he wants to serve in the church also! He has been reading the Book of Mormon, and he has such a strong desire to be an example to his three kids.

Sheila's son joined the church, and so she began investigating the church also. She loves it. Her only reason she hasn't gotten baptized yet is that she hasn't given up smoking yet. 

Crystal is an older woman who really wants to get baptized by water and by fire, just like Christ taught.

Kassie LOVES the church. She had a strong experience with the Spirit one of the first times she attended church, and so she knows that it's true. 

There's more, but those are probably our top progressing investigators. Our biggest problem right now is that most of our investigators have maybe ONE concern or struggle that is keeping them from progressing to baptism. Many of them want it! They just need to take that next step :)

I probably should have put this last week, but I forgot. I finished the Book of Mormon last week! I prayed about it, and guess what? It's true :) But also, it was such a joy to read through the Book of Mormon this time highlighting the scriptures relating to the Atonement. There were so many. And as I focused my study on the Atonement, I found that my testimony and my understanding grew so much. It's not that I learned new facts or anything like that. But I understand it more because I was able to focus on it. It sunk deeper into my heart. It's hard to explain. But I know that the Atonement can give us so much more strength and power than we even understand. It is amazing. Jesus Christ is just waiting there, to reach out to us, to bless our lives, and to help us in EVERYTHING that we struggle with. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for the gift of His Son and I am so grateful to Jesus Christ for being that sacrifice on our behalf.

#DiscoverTheGift #EmbraceTheGift #ShareTheGift

Now I'm reading the Book of Mormon looking for Christlike attributes :) I was inspired by my favorite chapter of Preach My Gospel! 

Let's see, other fun things that happened this week... Um. We visited an investigator even after she texted to cancel (she'd been cancelling over and over again, so we wanted to talk to her in person). She started by saying that she wasn't sure if she had time, then invited us in and we had a forty-five minute lesson on the Atonement. It was awesome! 

We had our "powwow" with the assistants to the president, which is when we share the insights we have about the sisters to help the APs know what they need in order to progress for transfers. From what I understand, we give our insights, but in the end it's mostly following the Spirit. I know I have been where I'm meant to be each and every transfer, even when it's been tougher!

Happy Christmas everyone! Only 10 more days :) I don't know what we'll be doing for email next week, since I think that the college is going to be closed, so it might be a shorty next week, but we'll see!

Love

Sister Barret

Week 63: Now How About the Fact that Christmas is in 17 Days?

What a crazy week. I don't even know where to start.

Well, last Monday we went to the Lincoln museum, and I learned all about our 16th (I think) president.

​There were some fun exhibits with models of him and his family and the different things that happened in his life. It was also cool: A lot of the background/overhead music was MoTab! Woohoo! 

I went on three exchanges this week. I stayed here in Springfield for one.

I went to Champaign (with Sister Edgel!) for another.

​That was so much fun. She is such a good missionary :) I loved spending the day with her and seeing how much she's grown over the last couple of months.

And then I went to Paris for another. ​Which was kind of surreal! Being back in an old area is weird. 

So yeah. Lots of driving this week! And lots of meeting fun people that I probably won't see again. I learned a lot from these sisters, and I definitely had a good time. It was exhausting, but fun.

Let's see... It's just been such a busy week, and I don't know what to even talk about! We did service on Wednesday at a place called Bread Line, where they serve hot meals to those in need. Good news: if I need a job as a cafeteria lady, I should be in. ;) I aced handing people desserts.

Saturday was our ward Christmas party. It was huge! I think someone said about 150 people showed up. Very impressive. They served a nice dinner, turkey and all, and had a really fun Christmas video where they "interviewed" different members of the ward about their feelings/traditions with Christmas. It was sweet.

And we had some investigators come, which was great! Activities like that are a great way for people to mingle and get to know each other.

Sunday, one of our investigators came to church who hadn't been in about 2 months, so that was great. He really needs it! We've been praying for this, for sure.

In my studies and in general, this week, I feel like a big theme has been light. I have been reviewing last General Conference, and this week I read President Uchtdorf's talk about gaining a testimony. It's all about how to gain light! And there was a similar message this week in the Christmas devotional. One of my favorite quotes from President Uchtdorf was this: "The more we incline our hearts and minds toward God, the more heavenly light distills upon our souls. And each time we willingly and earnestly seek that light, we indicate to God our readiness to receive more light. Gradually, things that before seemed hazy, dark, and remote become clear, bright, and familiar to us." Sometimes we have questions or uncertainties. But the way to find truth? Keep the light and truth that you already have! 

Hope you are all enjoying the He is the Gift video... and sharing it with all your friends! Remember: tis the season for missionary work!

#seasonofmiracles

Love

Sister Barret