Monday, May 19, 2014

Dear Family,

Well another week come and gone. Elder Anderson will be here on Wednesday to talk to us and São Paulo, Sul. I´m excited. I heard that Cleveland, OH will have Elder Holland this week. The Elders are pretty excited about that. Pres. Dalton sent emails to a lot of the missionaries. He said that he played basketball at Powell. He lived there for two years. He sounds like a great guy. 

We´re having a lot of success with the new program. The ward had 162 people on Sunday. With six missionaries in the ward, everyone is getting pretty excited. I was happy to hear that you fed the Sisters last week. Did you introduce them to some people?

 I like this quote from Parley P. Pratt after being called on yet another mission. It comes from a talk called `Becoming a Consecrated Missionary`

  Parley P. Pratt-

I have desired after travelling for 25 or 26 years , mostly abroad, to stay at home and minister among the people of God, and take care of my family, but God´s will be done and not mine. If it is the will of God that I should spend my days in proclaining this Gospel and bearing testimony of these things, I shall think myself highly priveligede and honored. And when the Spirit of God is upon me, I think it matters but very little what I suffer, what I sacrificded whethre I secure the honor or dishonor of me, or where I die. If it so be that I cdan keep the faith, fight the good fight and finish m course with joy. I have all eternity before me, in which to enjoy myself.` 

 This is the best work in the world. I love you all.

Elder BArker

 

Monday, May 12, 2014

Dear Family,

It was sure good to talk to you all yesterday! Sorry for the problems with the Skype. But it all worked out. President Messias was impressed with the size of our family. I love you all and I´m grateful for all the support you give me. You are all examples to me, and help me be better missionary and a better person. I hope that I can be all that I should be as a representative of the Savior. And I´m sorry for ever being less than I should have been in the past.

 Sounds like everyone had a good trip to St. George. How´s Meg and all the other missionaries? 

We had BBQ with Bishop yesterday for his B-day and mother´s day. It was incredible. Imagine Braza or Tucanos times ten. It was so good. And they had a passion fruit (maracujá) cake at the end. Heaven.

 I´m very impressed with the simplicity of the gospel. The family is central to God´s plan. The simple things make the difference, scripture study, prayer, and family home evening. I´m thankful for the family that I have. I love you all so much. Have an awesome week!!! Let´s win.

 Elder Barker

 

 

I just recieved an awful email saying I´ll be going home in 6 months. November, 25 to be exact. I´ve thought about it,alot, and I feel that I shouldn´t extend, even if I can. I´ll catch that spring semester of school. Have to move on, right? So I need some information to send to the secretaries.

1. Are you planning on coming to get me?

2. President Cluny´s email.

and... I think that´s it for now.

Can you send it to me?

 

Monday, May 5, 2014

Querida e amada familia,

 How is everyone doing? I´m doing fantastic. My new area is really great. The new retention project is going great. We´re having success reactivating people and we´re also finding people to baptize. It really was a great revelation from our leaders. It´s exactly what we need here. 

 Oh big news.. I got a package! The white shirts arrived with the PMG cap. And just in time, too. My shirts are getting worn out. Thank you so much!

And yes, I´ll be able to Skype 1 hour again! I´ll be using the stake president´s computor. I´ll get on at 7 pm which is 4 pm for you, I believe. If that´s a problem, send another email and we may be able to call on Saturday night again. It´ll be good to see you all again! I´ll be using the Skype of Elder Schleiger, michael.schleiger from Derby, Kansas (which is currently the area of Elder Wade Eyre) haha small world.

Thanks for the Family History story! I´m excited to read it.

I don´t think I´m getting taller, mom. It´s just because Elder Schleiger isn´t too tall. I think he´s pushin´ about 5´6´. But that´s a sensitive subject.

We have had a lot of funny things happen to us lately. Yesterday during lunch there were a bunch of grown men jamming out to `Girls just want to have Fun` in a bar. They don´t understand the words, so they just dance anyway. 

 The work is great and I love you all! Have you seen the video `Because of Him` on the church website? It´s really cool. 

 Love you and I´ll see you soon!

 Elder Barker

 

 

Dear Mia,

Thanks for writing me. I love hearing from you. Guess what... Last week when I was in the street there was this drunk guy that kissed me right on the face and he offered me 50 bucks. He kissed Elder Schleiger too. It stunk really bad, but he´s a child of God as well, right? ( I didn´t accept the money)

Also, we were running home the other night and Elder Schleiger biffed in the middle of road and there were a bunch of people on a roof top laughing at us. Pretty funny. He also got peed on by a cat in the middle of a lesson, on the next day. He was stinking all day and all of the cat´s in São Paulo were coming up to smell him.

The mission is the best!

Love you so much! Stay sweet and keep taking care of the family!

 Elder Barker