Monday, April 28, 2014

 

 

 

 

Dear Family,

 

I had a very full week. Missionary work is awesome because you don´t even have time to think about anything else. So we´re always happy! We´ve been in meetings and trainings all week.

So, the mission received in email from the Area Presidency inviting us to do a ´Pilot Project` of retention. 50% of all our Proselyting time is now retention. We´ll be working with a very specific group of Recent Converts and Recent Converts that have already gone less-active. It´s a very detailed program. We´re going to be working with the ward very closely. They say that if it goes well they´ll apply it in all of Brasil. But we´re just going to be doing it until the third week of June. We´ve been busy relaying all the information for the bishops, ward leaders and members.

It was also announced that Elder Andersen, from the 12, will be visiting our mission on May 21. It will be a meeting together with São Paulo, South. Everyone is really excited about that. Pres. Pinho said that Elder Nelson will be here too, but he´s not going to visit our mission. 

I also got transfered. Elder Schleiger and I will be going to a new area in our same zone. It´ll be good. We´re sad to leave our awesome house, but excited about the new transfer.

We had a training from the Area Presidency last night about `Minha Familia` (My Family booklet). It was a broadcast in all of Brasil about Family History. We will be using it a lot more in our work now as well. Everyone is getting very excited about it. You had mentioned that you´re doing it back home as well, so keep it up! And if you have any cool stories or pictures of our ancestors, I´d love to see them!

 

Love, Elder Barker

 

Monday, April 21, 2014

My dear family,

 

I love you all so much. I´m so grateful in this Easter season for the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord. I´m grateful to know that because of it, our family can be together forever. I´m sad to see so many people everyday that don´t have the hope that we do. They either don´t know it´s possible or don´t believe that it can really happen. We are extremely blessed. 

 

So I´m with Elder Schleiger now. He´s from Kansas, and speaks my language. Literally, he is my first companion in about a year that speaks English haha. It´s been a lot of fun serving with him. We´re excited and having success with the ward leaders here.

 

Easter here is called Páscoa. It´s a big deal here. Everyone eats huge chocolate eggs. And Friday and Monday (today) are also holidays. So nobody is working or going to school today. And there is always a lot of food ;)

 

Well I love you all and pray for you. What a blessing to live in this time and be a part of the Lord´s church on the Earth!

 

I´ll be talking to you soon! A funny thing that happened, we have a sister in our zone that left 3 Nèfi: 3:7 with an investigator to read after the first visit instead of 1 Néfi. Read it, it´s pretty funny. (gadianton robbers)

 

Love you all,

Elder Barker

 

Monday, April 14, 2014

 

SCENERY

 

ANOTHER BAPTISM

CIPO ZONE

 



BRAZILIAN BBQ

 



 

 

 

ELDER DE JESUS

 

 

KARENA'S BAPTISM

 

 

 

RAIN, RAIN

 

 

 

 

Dear Family,

 

Wow a lot of big news this week! Isaac also told me that Matty J and Tyler Chandler are getting married. Is that true? I´m so excited for Connor, that´s awesome!He´s a great guy. Good to hear about Monte and Jake as well, when will he be getting married?

 

So my companion Elder De Jesus got transfered today and I´ll be getting a new companion tomorrow. I really liked working with him, but I´m excited for the future. There are a lot of great things happening in the mission. I like that shirt haha it´s awesome. There is so much World Cup merchandise around here, you wouldn´t believe it. Everyone is counting down the days until June 12.

 

I´m happy that everyone is getting to go to the temple! Remember me the next time you go, it´s been almost 6 months since I´ve gone, because of the large number of missionaries in São Paulo now. I can´t wait to go back!

 

I had a special experience this last week.  A woman named Daniela and her daughter Julia were baptized. They were very well prepared to hear the gospel. Her ex-husband is in jail right now and threatened her and her kids when he gets out. They have to move this week, but it was a special opportunity to be able to offer the gospel of peace in her life. After the first lesson she asked the soonest date that she could be baptized. They want to take a trip to see the temple before they move, I think we´re going to go there with them.

 

I love this gospel and know that it changes lives. I love you all!

 

Elder Barker

 

 

 

 

Monday, April 7, 2014

Dear Family,

Good to hear from everyone! General Conference was awesome. I got so much out of it! Now, just need to put it into practice. I was happy to sustain Raimundo Pacheco Pinho as a new area Seventy. His absence to see the ´knee doctor` didn´t fool me. He said in his email today that he was heading to the airport. I think he was there in Salt Lake for the Conference. He is a great man and a great leader. He will begin is service on July 1st, the day he is released as Mission President.

Give Monte a hug for me, Can´t believe he´s going home. Time is so precious. 

Conference is such a good time to make new goals and be better people. And especially a good time to remember the Savior. He has done so much for us. I`m grateful for the testimonies of our leaders and especially for the Apostles. They really know the Lord. It´s incredible to hear their special witnesses. And I love the simple profound teachings that they give us. Be kind. Love everyone. Be grateful. Put your family first. We can be forgiven.

Obedience really brings blessings. If we keep our covenents, defend our faith and serve for the rest of our lives´ we will return to live with our loving Father in Heaven. 

 

Remember that our 4 minutes are here! We´ve been preparing and learning for thousands of years in the premortal world, just to be here on this earth at this time. Now let´s take advantage of it, let´s Win!

 

Jesus Christ really lives and his Atonement has redeeming power. We really can be forgiven. And like Elder Bednar said, it also has enabling power to help us become what we really can become.

 

Love, Elder Barker