Monday, March 24, 2014

Dear Family,

 

How´s life back home? I´m doing great, don´t worry about me. Thank you so much for the pictures, you are all looking great!! I have to admit that I was planning on sending pictures this week, but I realized that I haven´t taken any new pictures... But I will get on that. I´m doing very, very well. I love this work so much and I love the people that I get to work with. I wish you could see how humble and pure they are. Clearly there are the heard hearted as well, but it seems like the Lord just puts us in front of the best of the best. They are truly prepared to hear our message. (There are angels preparing the hearts of men in this very moment). 

We have transfers tomorrow. I will be staying here with Elder De Jesus, so I´m excited, but we have a lot of missionaries in the zone being transfered. We´ve seen a lot of progress, and now it will be almost like starting from scratch again. I guess that´s the wisdom of the Lord, that we never slip too far into the comfort zone. It´s going to be great, there are a lot of new missionaries that got visas.

Sounds like St. George was fun! How´s the March Madness? 

Man, I can´t believe Scott Davis is already home. It passes by in the blink of an eye.

Everyone getting excited for General Conference? I am. When the prophet and apostles speak, I feel the Spirit. It´s the same feeling I have when I read the scriptures. The Spirit testifies of truth and I really know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. 

Love you all and have a great week! Remember that we are the master of our fate and the captain of our soul. Pres. Pinho always says that the past is in the hands of the Atonement (Christ) and tomorrow is in the hands of the Father. Today is our day!

 

Elder Barker

Monday, March 17, 2014

Dear Family,

Só alegria aqui em Itapecerica. 

Everything is going great! This week that passed by we had some sad things happen with investigators choosing to not be baptized, but I guess it´s part of the plan. Free Agency frustrates me sometimes. We´re still teaching some great people, especially a couple from the North East of Brasil. Their names are Roni and Simone. They´re not legally married yet, but they go to church every Sunday. The have a two year old son named Karllyson. Simone was baptized a long time ago, but went inactive shortly after. One day we just talked with them in the street and they love the church now. They´re a great family.

It´s basically a pattern now, that at 4 o´clock in the afternoon it rains, everyday, for about an hour. And it rains really hard. And then it´s sunny again. The weather here changes even faster than it changes in Evanston, if you can believe it.

I´ve been thinking a lot about the Book of Mormon lately. ( I finished in Portuguese a few weeks ago) And more than ever in my life, I´m seeing the pure truthfulness of it. It is the truest book on Earth and we will truly come closer to Christ as we read from it every day. I´ve never had such a strong knowledge that Christ lives. The Book of Mormon is true and I know it. It is the keystone of our religion and a blessing in each of our lives. 

I love you all and pray that you all stay safe and healthy!

 

Elder Barker

 

Monday, March 10, 2014

Dear family,

 I´ll answer your questions first, so I don´t forget. I´m doing more than great, I feel like I´m flying. Só alegria. And no I didn´t get the shirts, but don´t worry about it, I´ll ask Sister Pinho to get some for me. So you don´t need to send another package. Who knows, maybe it will show up this week.

I´m very happy for Grandma and Grandpa.

Wow, sounds like the setting apart was awesome. I´m so happy for them. There´s no better feeling than being a missionary. They´re great exmples for our family.

Do they have a new email now?

Big news, wow. Life just keeps going on.

So Pres. Pinho authorized us to read a book called Evoking the Powers of Heaven. (I think that´s what it is in English) It is by Grant Von Harrison. It is very, very good. It talks about our attitude and our faith making things happen. We are not subject to circumstance. We are not just dust in the wind, but we are truly children of God. Nothing is impossible for him and if we are worthy and make the necessary sacrifices He will bless us with all that we ask. 

 

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled us on what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ:

“To gain unshakable faith in Jesus Christ is to flood your life with brilliant light. You are no longer alone to struggle with challenges you know you cannot resolve or control yourself, for He said, ‘If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing isexpedient in me’ (Moroni 7:33; italics added).

“If you are despondent, racked by transgression, are ill, alone, or desperately in need of comfort and support, I solemnly testify that the Lord will help you when you carefully obey the spiritual law upon which that help is predicated. He is your Father. You are His child. He loves you. He will never let you down. I know He will bless you” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1991, 118; or Ensign, Nov. 1991, 86).

And He will help us in all aspects oflife, not just callings in the church. I´m so grateful for our loving Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. It´s such a blessing to be able to serve them. 

"How ever fast we run, it´s not fast enough. How ever little sleep we´re getting by on, we need to get by with less. There is an urgency that increases with every passing day." - Jeffrey R. Holland

These really are the last days, and I bear my witness that the Lord is hastening His work. Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Barker

Sorry my email was so long mom, but I also wanted to see if you have ever watched the little film "Billy Peck".

President Pinho showed it in a training. It´s the best example of attitude. I think President Monson mentioned it in a talk one time as well. It would be great to show in a family home evening or something. PMA is the Way!

Love you so so so much. You´re incredible.

 

 

Monday, March 3, 2014

Dear family,

Thanks for the update and for all of your love and support. Happy birthday for everyone back home! And when are grandma and grandpa leaving for Texas? It´s hard to hear about Aunt Marcia, but such a blessing for us to be able to understand the plan of salvation.

 Hope some of the pics make it there, I´m not sure if I´ve already sent some of those to you. I´ll take some more of my new area.

I´m doing well. We had a good week. We had interviews with Pres. Pinho yesterday. It was the first time in a long time I´ve been interviewed by him. It was good. He is very concerned with leaving the mission ready and good for when Pres. Dalton comes. I think it´s June... maybe July. But it´ll be a smooth transition I´m sure.

I´m excited for Alec, he´ll be awesome.

I´m getting pumped for General Conference already. I can´t believe it´s March. March Madness!

I love you all and bear my testimony that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I know it, and I know that the Book of Mormon is true.

Love you and have a great week!

 

Elder Barker

 

                                                  Baptisms with the other Elders in Parelheiros.

 

                                      Elder Bowers, my MTC companion that is now in São Paulo, West.
 

 

                                           Lots and lots of hills. It was hot. And we were fasting.
 

                                                         
                                                             A sketchy bridge in Barragem.

 

                                              Our study tables. I´m trying to be more organized.

 

A rainy day in Parelheiros, it made our alley a little waterfall.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Dear Family,

Hope everyone is having a great Monday! I am. Sorry, I won´t be able to send pictures this week, but I´ll be sure to send some in a letter or next week in the email.

I´m doing really great. I´m still on a spiritual high from Saturday. Elder David F. Evans from the 1 quorum of the 70 and Missionary Dep. came to São Paulo on Saturday. It was incredible. It was the leadership of 5 missions. North, West, South, East and Interlagos and the mission presidents. He stayed in Pres. Pinho´s house. Sister Tanner is a former General Young Womens President, and she was there too. Her husband is the president of São Paulo, South. It was 3 and a half hours of Elder Evans. He told us that he had come on special assignment and explained a lot about the office of a 70 and apostle, and then he laid down the law. It was really, really good. He talked about the Work of Salvation, he talked about our full purpose as missionaries and especially about the FAMILY. I think that Brasil has had trouble with retention for a very long time. He taught us very clearly that our purpose is not only to find, teach and baptize. We are to help our investigators and members make it to the temple. He read a lot from the Family: Proclamation to the World. (Which he said will probably be in the scriptures soon) And said that the seperating factor of us and the world in the last days will be the family. We will be a peculiar people because of the family. 

I´m so grateful that my family will be eternal and I love all of you so much!

Elder Barker

 

Monday, February 10, 2014

Dear Family,

I got the call last night that I´ve been transferred. It surprised me a little, but I think I´ve been in Parelheiros about 4 months. I´m sad to have to leave, this has been a great area. I´ve learned so much here. I´m also going to have to miss a few baptisms that we have planned for this week. I might be able to come back if they choose me to baptize them. They are really special people, one is named Giancarlo. He´s a future bishop. He´s 57 and he is very intelligent. He stopped us in the bakery one day and asked about our church. He had already heard a lot about the church and said that everytime he passed by he had a strong desire to enter. He explained that it was like a type of ice cream that he knew was tasty and that he is hungry! He´s a funny guy, but has really taught me a lot. He showed up at church in a suit and everyone thought he was a representative from the stake... He´s already wanting to do missionary work and serve in the church. Sadly, his family doesn´t want anything to do with the church, but they will in the future. 

    The mission is the best. I´m excited and anxious for the future. I know the Lord has great things in store. I was called as a zone leader as well, so it´s going to be full of new experiences.

     I´m very grateful for our Lord Jesus Christ. I´ve learned a lot about His nature. I´ve felt real sadness for the choices that I´ve seen people make, but at the same time sincere joy for the great people that I´ve met. The gospel is something that heals, changes and really develops us as people. I´m so grateful for the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation. And I love all of you!

 

Have a great week!

Elder Barker

Monday, February 3, 2014

Hey family!

Blow out Superbowl? That´s lame. I think the only real Seahawks fan I know is Robinet at the high school.

My back has been great mom. It hasn´t given me trouble at all. But as for the package... The secretaries finally got a note that said it was waiting at the post office. (Sometimes the post office holds it there, usually when there´s something valuable) Anyways, when I got there they had already sent the package back to the U.S. So they told me I should make a complaint and they´ll send it back. So I´m in the process of the complaint still, but if it makes it back to you, you can keep it. Because I´m pretty sure it would be expensive to send again. But thank you so much!

Another new movie at the temple? What do you mean?

Our week was solid. We have an investigator that read the Book of Mormon in one week! His name is Emerson and he´s 22. He´ll be baptized this weekend. He was just a contact in the street that the Lord had prepared. He´s a great guy. 

I´m loving life. I love being a missionary. It´s hard, but it´s changing my life.

Transfer next week, I´ll let you know what happens!

Tchau, tchau!

Love you all!

Elder Barker