Monday, December 2, 2013

Dear Family,

So Thanksgiving was this last week... I was confused and thought that it had already passed. I got Dean´s package, by the way. It was great! 

This Thanksgiving we had a mission tour with Elder Jairo Mazzagardi, from the 2nd quorum of the 70 and the Area Presidencia of Brasil (you can find him in the Liahona). The meeting was from 8 in the morning until about 3 o´clock. It was an amazing experience.

 At about 7:55 I was getting off the train in Santo Amaro (a little bit tardy). I was with E. Pereira, my zone leader, and he said, I will not be late for this meeting. So, we started running for the church, which is  about a mile from the train station. I wish someone would have got my mile time, because I PR´d. When we got there it was just a bit after 8, I was sweating and dying. So we went to the bathroom to wash up really fast. When I got out the Assistents were talking on the phone with Pres. Pinho and said Elder Barker, come with us. I thought I was going to get in trouble for running to the meeting. It was like getting called to the Principal´s office. They said, just wait here, You´re going to be interviewed by Elder Mazzardi. Luckily, I caught my breath a little bit before the interview and it was a really great experience. He asked if I was worthy of a temple recommend first, and then about my family, my companion, area, mission president, and a lot of other questions. He asked if I was having success on my mission and about goals after the mission. It was really cool, I just wish I would have taken advantage of the opportunity and asked more questions, but I was caught off-guard. I think what impressed me most about the interview was how humble he was. When he sat down, he almost slouched and just talked to me like we were long time friends. He said that he´s been to Evanston, Star Valley and Jackson. He said he went there with Elder Anderson, of the 12, and that he went fishing and snowmobiling. His life is amazing. I wrote a bunch in my journal, but one of the coolest things he said was that when he has meetings with the 1st pres. and 12 in the temple, they bare their testimonies much more ´openly´. He bore his testimony that Christ lives, and it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. I learned so much. I was one of about 10 or 12 missionaries to be interviewed. I don´t know why Pres. Pinho picked me, but I´m glad I had the opportunity, and also that I got to the meeting on time.

 I also had the opportunity of meeting Elder João Grau, an Area 70 that was here for stake conference. Also an amazing man. This week was a spiritual feast. At stake conference, I also saw some of the recent converts that I taught from Cipó, super cool.

 I don´t know if you remember Nelson from my last area, but I also heard that he was baptized recently and that he´s going to be baptizing his son this next week. It´s really amazing to be a part of this work. To at least be a part of the conversion of these people is a special experience. 

Love you all! and remember to extend a hand for at least one person before Christmas! Missionary work is the best kind of work.

Love, Elder Barker

 

P.S. Duck Dynasty arrived in Brasil. The Brasilians get a kick out of it.

 

 

Monday, November 25, 2013 HUMP DAY?!!!!

Dear Family,

Happy Thanksgiving! We were eating on Thursday in the house of a member and I looked at the other American Elder and said, It looks like thanksgiving dinner. And he said, yeah but thanksgiving is still a few weeks off. And then I thought about it for a minute and realized that it was really thanksgiving. So strange how the time passes. 

I found out this last week what day I´ll be going home. The old mission secretary knows all the dates and he was trying to make me homesick (didn´t work), but, more than likely, I´ll be boarding the plane 1 year from today. He said I´ll catch the plane the 25 and arrive home the 26th. Holy smokes. How did that happen?  A mission is an extremely short amount of time. 

I think it´s Isaac´s birthday tomorrow, so send him an email if you get a chance. Sounds like he´s doing well in the américa central. 

Good to hear about Grandma and Grandpa, I´m excited for them. Sounds like basketball is going to be great this year.

Love you all so much. I feel so close to my Savior lately. I really feel like I´m getting to know Him. Obedience really is the key to happiness.

Have a great Week!

Elder Barker

Monday, November 18, 2013

This week was awesome. The temple was a great experience. The new video arrived in Brasil and it really was amazing. I love going to the temple and I got to see a bunch of old companions and friends. I got called as district leader this last week. It´s been a good experience so far. The zone leaders are in my district and I´m learning a lot with them. Our district is made up of the two companionships in Parelheiros and the two in Casa Grande. 

It looks like we´ll be moving into the new house 10 of December. So for now it´ll be a little bit tight, but it´s all good. Elder Dudley and E. Neris are our new house mates. Elder Dudley is from Michigan and Neris is from Fortaleza, Ciara (Brasil). They´re great missionaries and both have about 4 or 5 months on the mission. We´re going to divide the area this week. 

Snow storms, closed roads and basketball games... winter arrived. It seems so far off for me, it really is strange. It´s been really hot here, with a lot of rain. Real Rain. It´s the kind of rain that soaks you even if you have an umbrella (I didn´t have one). I was unprepared because it was a really clear hot day, but I won´t make that mistake again. 

And my guess for Grandma and Grandpa is Cleveland, OH. They´ll be working there and also a little bit in the Kirtland visitors´ center.

As far as the package goes... I´m happy with whatever ;) but I would like a step counter and maybe deoderant if it were possible. PB is always a prized possession.

Love you so much. Thank you for everything!

Will

Hey mia,

Don´t worry, I know your life gets pretty busy. I´m doing great! I ate Mcdonalds and Subway, but just one time. And I made french fries and hamburgers last P-day, so that was good. My companion is Elder Parraguez. He´s from Chile. But I live with two other missionaries too. They´re really cool. I have a weight in my new house, so I get swell now. And I go running. It´s so cool here! I love you so much! Make sure everybody in the house is reading their scriptures!

Love, Will

         Dear William,

            Hey, sorry I haven't Wrote in a while.  Life's great! How are you doing?  Do you get to eat American food much? Basketball just ended:( . But volleyball is just starting, at least my traveling team is :) . I miss you so much :( . But I know you are doing the right thing.  (First grade is going great.) fourth grade is good to. But my back pack is way to heavy. Who are your companions? Please write back soon!


                                                                                              Love,
                                                                                              Mia

Monday, November 11, 2013

Hey Family,

Another week come and gone. Good to hear that everyone´s doing well! Haha putting up flags... good times. When I think about it, the things that prepared me most for the mission were things like putting up flags, service projects, collecting fast offerings, shoveling snow, working on the ranch, home teaching and things like that. Seminary and Mission Prep. were important too, but the mission really is just work. What makes a good missionary is his desire to work and willingness to serve the Lord. I´m really finding great joy in His service. I have so many things to get better at, but I know that the Lord accepts our service when we work with our heart, might, mind and strength.

I can´t believe it´s November. I´ll be going to the temple on Thursday, so I´m excited about that. And we´re going to receive the new missionaries tomorrow. I think we´re going to move to another house, too. Lot´s of exciting things going on right now! The Lord is hastening His work, and we get to be a part of it. It´s awesome. This is certainly a historic time.

 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Hello!

I´m doing great in my new area. We are working really well with the ward and we´re already seeing great progress.

Transfer is next week and we´re going to receive two more missionaries here in our area. It should, be good. We´re going to get Bunk Beds and divide the area and everything, so it will be exciting. 

So the pictures, from top to bottom are 

1. The payphone outside of my new house. Basically in the middle of nothing, but it comes in handy for us.

2. My old district. (Elder Ribeiro, my trainer is in the front right. Elder Cerda is at my side)

3. My Ward Mission Leader in my last area. He´s awesome. Osmano. He lived in the U.S. 11 years. His wife his Filipina.

4. Hiking up to our new house. It´s way, way up there. In the picture is Elder Pereira and E. Colunga, they´re in my zone. They just helped us haul everything to our house.

I´m excited about Olivia! That´s really cool. They´ll have to send some pictures for me.

Love you all, and keep up the good missionary work! Our family will be blessed because of it. I´m proud of you guys.

Keep me updated on the mission call of Gma and Gpa.

Love, William

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, October 28, 2013

Hello from Parelheiros!

So this week was exciting. Feels like it was a longer than a week, because so much happened. 

I got thrown into another emergency transfer. I got called on Wednesday and I came here on Thursday. I´m opening an area called Parelheiros with Elder Parraguez. He´s also from Chile, Santiago. He has about 4 months on the mission. Neither of us are familiar with the area, and it´s the biggest area in the mission. It´s more interior, and it´s actually neighboring Cipó, my first area. And the districts have changed since I left, so I´ll be going on exchanges there in Cipó! It´ll be cool to see everyone again.

I don´t really know why President closed the area, but for this to happen is very rare. It´s been a little bit challenging, but it´s good for us. President said that he trusts us, so it´s a good feeling.

Parelheiros is really cool. It´s a HUGE area. We have to take the bus to get to a lot of the neighborhoods. And there´s a lot more trees and hills here, so I like it. President also said that we´re going to have another companionship here in a couple weeks, so that´ll be nice to split up the area. So they say there´s an indiginous tribe in our area... but it´s not as cool as you think. They have houses and everything. I imagine it´s a lot like the indians from 

Rawlins.

Life is good. It was good to hear from you. I loved the pictures. I tried to send pictures, but it didn´t work and I got frustrated and quit. But I´ll try again next week. And I did get the package with the shirt. It´s awesome! 

Happy Birthday to Bridger and Happy Halloween! (They don´t really celebrate here, just little things... lame)

Remember Elder Ballard´s talk, and extend a hand from now until Christmas for at least one person ;)

Love you all, 

Elder Barker

Monday, October 21, 2013

So, we´re four hours ahead now instead of three. And... We spoke in church yesterday. It went a lot better this time. Everyone understood what we were saying and everyone is getting more excited about missionary work!

President Pinho got super excited after General Conference and we have a new program that we´re going to apply. It´s based on the talk that M. Russel Ballard gave. Estender a mão para apenas um entre hoje e Natal. Que presente maravilhosa para o Salvador. It means to extend a hand to at least one person from now until Christmas. What a marvelous gift for the Savior. Elder Ballard said that If everyone in our wards and stakes invites at least one person to talk with the missionaries, we will help millions of people join the church.

We´re going to pass by the houses of all of the members now and ask a lot more referrals. I´m inviting all of you to extend a hand as well. In our family alone it would be 6 more people in the ward, if you don´t count Zoe. It will be awesome!

I feel great satisfaction in the service of the Lord. There really is no feeling like it. Even though sometimes we don´t see the results we want, I sleep well at night.

Is Bridger getting excited for his Birthday? Happy birthday B-ridge! (much warmer than the happy birthday he gave me a few years ago) Happy birthday, jerk. I think it was over a Frosty at Wendy´s that he got upset.

Love you all!

Elder Barker