Week 34

Good morning everyone!!!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day in the neighborhood... okay, not so much today actually, it's pretty cloudy and windy, but yesterday was perfect weather. Low 70s, sunny, slight breeze... perfect day for tracting!

But anyway, this week...

We kicked off the week last P-day by heading off to the St Louis Zoo! World-class, and best of all, free! Who doesn't love a free zoo? It was pretty cool. I don't really remember going to the zoo much, so I enjoyed seeing all the animals. Don't know how much you can see, but this is in the butterfly house. It had sooooo many butterflies, it was really cool. They would just fly around you.

  

I got a souvenir for Quinn at the zoo, but I'm holding it ransom for a letter.

Anyway. This week, one highlight was that everyone in the ward decided to feed us. Maybe they felt bad because they saw that we only got two meals last week? But this week we had dinners six out of seven nights, which was pretty nice. I hardly have to buy food this week now!

Of our investigators, we invited a young single mom to be baptized this week. She has three kids and is Bosnian. She didn't say yes, but she also didn't say no... she said that talking about baptism made her kind of have a scared feeling, which Sister Nelson and I decided meant was a good sign. She was feeling something! Apprehension, anticipation, whatever, it was something!

Lots of less actives we worked with this week... and some active members that the ward council asked us to work with. Tends to be the focus of our work in this area, because there aren't very many investigators. So, we visit a lot of less actives, and we tract, and we try to contact people.

Tracting this week, we actually found a really good potential! Her name is Dawn, and she said that we could come back this week, hopefully that works out. We weren't too hopeful, because she had one of those Catholic statues in her yard, and the rest of the neighborhood had been either Catholic or Muslim, but she listened, accepted a Book of Mormon, and accepted a return appointment, so that was exciting!

I'm working on the art of selfies, it's a work in progress. So if you're wondering why I'm always way off to one side, that's why!

On a more spiritual note, I am all the way up to Alma 50 in my reading of the Book of Mormon for our zone challenge of reading the Book of Mormon by the end of the transfer! It is a lot of fun to read the Book of Mormon this quickly, it really helps to see the bigger picture of all the stories.

And I really enjoyed reading through the missionary accounts in Alma this time, especially for the sons of Mosiah. My favorite missionary, I think I've mentioned this before, is Aaron. He spent most of his first while with the Lamanites being persecuted, being tossed into prison, smitten, starved... and having very little success outwardly. Then they have to wait for Ammon to come and save them. But then after that, it says:

"And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth."

This part really stood out to me. It's a lesson I'm learning over and over again on my mission, but really, this is the Lord's work! It will happen on His timing. Aaron and his brethren... Abinadi... Alma in Ammonihah... these were very righteous missionaries, who certainly were doing everything in their power to bring others closer to Christ. And you can bet that they were doing quite a bit. But they didn't baptize everyone in sight, because the people they were teaching had their agency, and the Lord sent the missionaries there for a wise, but unseen reason.

Then, for Aaron, after all that tribulation, the Lord began to bless them with investigators. It happens when the Lord sees fit! So, different areas, different reasons that missionaries are sent there. We have to cry repentance, sometimes because people desire baptism, and sometimes because that's that person's chance to accept or reject the gospel.

Anyway, you should all remember, open your mouth! Can't be as bad as it was for Aaron!

Or Abinadi, for that matter. Wish me luck, by the way! I'm giving a talk on Sunday!

Love you all!

Sister Barret

Week 33

And the 8 month mark was commemorated this week with Mother's Day!

So, as promised...

Breakfast for Mother's Day, as described... Baked French toast, banana blackberry muffins, ham, and a fried egg. So good!

SIster Nelson and I tried to make good purchases at Dollar Tree... fail. The jump rope was about two feet too short, and the hula hoop she's holding does not hula. I can't hula hoop anyway, but she was disappointed :)

​This was some good food that I forgot to tell you about! It's a place called Hodak's in St Louis, it's reputedly got the best fried chicken in the city. And it was pretty darn good. A couple of members took us there, and I was pretty impressed. Not too expensive either.

Look at those giant flowers! They were just outside a house that we were visiting, and they match my dress, so there you go. This picture was taken during the weird cold snap we had where it went from about 80 to 50... thus the sweater. Missouri weather is something else! :)

There you go, proof that I do​ take the occasional picture!

The highlight this week was of course talking to the family on Sunday. We also did exchanges this week, and I stayed in Oakville. Nothing too exciting, don't worry! I'd tell you if there was :) I should probably take more pictures, is what I am realizing.... I will try! Promise!

Anyway... I'll hopefully take more pictures today, because we're going to try to go to the zoo! Fun fun fun! :) And free! What's not to like?

Love you all!

Devynne

Week 32

First! Here is a picture of the family that was baptized only a few weeks after I left Poplar Bluff. Sad I couldn't be there, but so happy for them. Sister Reed was there to represent...she had called to let me know that this family was getting baptized and sent me a few pictures. Hurray!

So, I'm quite sad. One of the companion goals Sister Nelson and I set this week was to try to take at least 1 fun photo every day this week. So I actually took pictures this week! ...and then I left my camera at home today. Very sad. Guess that just means that you'll have extra pictures next week!

This week felt like it went quite quickly, so I'm having a hard time actually remembering what happened... It's kind of a blur. Here are the main things that happen almost daily:

1. Visiting less active members, either ones that we have appointments with or trying to get into contact with ones that we have yet to meet. We taught seven lessons to less active members this week, so it was a good week for that. Now to get them back to church!

2. Tracting and contacting potential investigators. We are trying to find, find, find. Finding people to teach is probably one of the biggest parts of missionary work. It is so important. We have to find those people who will accept the gospel message for themselves.

3. Teaching investigators. We currently have five investigators, we found a young woman this week who had taken some of the lessons before. We think we might have to drop a couple of them though if they don't start either keeping commitments or showing some more interest in the church. Dropping an investigator is one of the hardest things on a mission, but it's necessary. Sometimes it is not the right time for someone to learn about the gospel. They need to have more time, or more experience, or whatever.

4. Visiting active members. This could be dinner appointments, or families that the ward council has asked us to focus on, or visiting members to support and strengthen them in their missionary efforts!

So, 1-4 was our week. Pretty fun stuff :) We also had a Dollar Tree expedition to get some things for our apartment... I wish I had brought my camera. So sad that I forgot it, but next week! you shall see our Dollar Tree finds :)

Yesterday, we also had a chance to teach Young Women's. Man, it feels like forever since I was in Young Women's! I could barely remember how to recite the theme, I felt a little embarrassed actually. But the lesson part went pretty well. We talked about modern prophets, and in particular about the push for more missionary work :)

Our zone is doing a Book of Mormon challenge this transfer, to read the entire Book of Mormon in 34 days. 15 pages a day. So, I have started the Book of Mormon... again! Plus I'm doing my personal study in 2 Nephi still. It's really such a privilege though, to be able to be spending 30 minutes or more a day studying just out of the Book of Mormon. My testimony of the truthfulness and power that comes from the Book of Mormon grows deeper the more I read it. There is definitely a sense of peace that comes as I learn more and read through it. And really, gaining a testimony and conviction about the Book of Mormon is what will give you a solid foundation in the gospel. I'm so grateful that I can read it and study it over and over again.

Anyway, I hope that everyone is having a good week! Love you all!

Sister Barret

Week 31: Blue Skies & Sunshine

You all must know that I am dying. Because Quinn's play looks so amazing. I know, I know, it's a sacrifice that I chose to make... and I'm not angry or anything. But I must see more pictures. Because it looks awesome.

So, this week was transfers! I kind of love transfer time on a mission. I think that all the change is what makes the time fly past.

Also, you should all be so proud, because I actually took a picture with my new companion before we got to the library Monday morning!

The first few days of this week were crazy busy. When someone's getting transferred, especially after they've been somewhere for 4+ months, there are a lot of people to say good-bye to. So, Monday, we visited James, the recent convert that Sister Esterholdt taught. I think that that was pretty rough on her. I know it was hard for me to say good-bye to a lot of people in Poplar Bluff!

We also cleaned a lot on Monday :) had to make a good impression for the new companion!

Tuesday was insanely busy! We were running around half the city. We had lunch with a member and we went to a place called The Blue Owl, in historical Kimswick. It was so cute, you all would have loved it. Oprah mentioned their famous apple pie. They put 18 apples in their apple pie. It is  basically a foot tall. You will have to Google it, because it was amazing. And pretty darn delicious. I should have taken a picture of it! Sorry!

We taught the first lesson to our new investigator, Ray. He is a retired pastor, who married a less active member. Should be an interesting go of it! His main concern is definitely the priesthood, because he doesn't believe that the priesthood authority was lost from the Earth after Christ. We talked a little about priesthood keys, but it could be his major stumbling block. So, we're emphasizing the importance of prayer. If he prays about the Book of Mormon, and receives a witness that it is true, I have no doubt that he will be baptized. Satan's just going to be working extra hard to make sure that doesn't happen.

Then dinner at a member's house, and she fed us a ton of food. Oh my goodness. I felt like I was going to explode, especially after eating a foot tall piece of pie at lunch. No wonder sister missionaries gain weight on their mission. Thank goodness for the gym at our apartment complex!

Wednesday was transfers! Transfer meeting is always fun because you get to see people :) and meet your new companion! My new companion is Sister Nelson. She's from St George, and she has been out on her mission for about 13 months. We had a lesson with one of our investigators, which went pretty well.

Thursday was District Meeting. We had district lunch at Panda Express, which is the first time I've had Panda in just about forever, it was better than I remembered. I like chow mein.

We also had a lesson with a semi-active member, and it was a pretty interesting lesson... I think it freaked out Sister Nelson :)

On Friday, Sister Nelson wasn't feeling well. But we did our weekly planning (always an adventure) and visited some people. We also started putting some decorations up on the wall, because the walls are pretty bare here. I'll try to send a picture next week.

Saturday was busy. We saw some less active members and tracted. One of the less actives we saw was a really nice girl, who's graduating this year and plans on being the first member of her family to go to college. Unfortunately, in order to pay for college, she's working a job that makes her work Sundays :/

This week, in my personal study, one of the things that I have been kind of studying is cheerfulness. I was reading in 2 Nephi 10:20: "Seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads." And then, in verse 23: "Therefore, cheer up your hearts"!

Wow, what a reminder. God has given us so much to be grateful for! He has given us such great knowledge, most importantly about the redeeming power of the Atonement. Through Christ, we CAN be cleansed of our sins, and thereby return to live with our Father in Heaven. We can live with our families forever. This life is not the end. I loved the talk in General Conference by President Uchtdorf. He talked about how we can have that cheerfulness, and how we can avoid hanging down our heads.

It comes back to gratitude. And the knowledge that we can be most grateful for is this: "The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions—temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful."

Most sadness in this life comes from endings, but they are not endings. They are just pauses. So we can lift up our heads and rejoice, that there is more coming after this life.

I love you all! Hope you are having a wonderful week. Enjoy studying Preach My Gospel, it's a good one :)

Love

Sister Barret