so i will try and take more pictures i just always don't think to take my camera when we walk out the door. Times are getting exciting for this little Hometown Branch. Actually, the Hometown Branch will soon cease to exist and will become the Hazleton Branch and probably soon (well after i leave most likely) Ward! We are moving to a new building in Hazleton it is a store front lease and the church is looking at a plot of land to build a new building and possibly stake center! this new building will not have a baptismal font though so it is on to the Susquehanna River! December 8th is the first day in the new building and last day of this transfer so possibly my last sunday in this area:( this area is difficult and i would love to go more south for the winter haha but there are a lot of awesome people here and the growth has been tremendous! Plus the Branch President already told us missionaries that we were going there for Christmas Eve and that would have been really awesome i was so tired last time but not from the food but from the conversation! it was just so spiritual! This area was hard.. but it has been good as well.
Monday night was ummm different. we met with Joe M. again he just loves taking us out to dinner and buying us steak haha but he is pretty frustrating. he is difficult to explain the most simple way to explain it is that he is a Christian Atheist.. he believes in the teachings of Christ but does not believe in a God. he does not like thinking there is something higher than himself. Wednesday we had zone conference and that was really cool we learned how to incorporate the pamphlets in our lessons better. it is hard to explain how exactly i felt just the spirit and the power in that building with all of us missionaries was incredible! The Church is true! haha.
Friday we met with Helen again (the 81 year old lady) with the Wilsons. She made us so much food!! her chicken stuffing was really good! i even ate the stuffing!! haha we talked about eternal marriages and how couples can be sealed for time and eternity instead of just til death. i don't know how much she took but we gave her a gospel principles book because she had asked for one and she will love that haha. in the beginning we talked about il divo for a bit because she loves them and the 3 tenors. Sunday we were able to set up a couple of dinner appointments with members so that was good:) for thanksgiving we are all going to the Fairalls. the branch clerk brother mousseau (who is a lawyer and his wife is a RN) invited us for thanksgiving as well but we had already told the Fairalls we are going there. but we are going to the mousseau's on saturday:) Sunday we were able to see John B. an investigator. we had been unable to contact him for a few weeks so we drove to his house and knocked on his door and he invited us in and we taught him God's Plan of Happiness. he had a lot of questions and a lot were on suicide, which for both Elder Parker & myself is a pretty tender topic. we talked a bit about Elder Holland's talk and we are going to email that to him after i send this email. Michael is still the most depressed individual i know and has had a very hard life but he just wants a miracle just like that instead of little blessings adding up. He is going to go to a VA hospital and to rehab for his drinking so that will be good. just a few hours ago we were able to meet with David (who we met at Angelo's) and we taught him about Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Lord's Gospel and about the Book of Mormon. i think it went really well and he accepted our invitation to read the Book of Mormon and find out for himself if the book is true. even if he doesn't he was just an awesome guy to talk to: humble guy, strong believe in God, trying to do the right thing, and just out going. and he bought us lunch haha.
i know that there is something i am forgetting but everytime i email my mind goes into a rush because i feel strapped for time.
i love you all and keep your faith in God. Hope is one of the most powerful tools he gives us with our fight against Satan.
love,
Elder Barker
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