5/11/15

5/11

Hey Dad,

it was really great to see you all yesterday i was glad to be able to talk to everyone. I can't believe how big the girls are getting!  Utah would be nice and it would be great to have everyone closer. So if you do move up there i am completely behind you. 

This week went a lot better than last week for sure, last week we only got 4 lessons, this week we got 13 and we should continue to get more. On Saturday we just stopped by a whole lot of people we mapped out in the southern part of our area and dedicated the whole day to down there. We stopped by some inactive members that haven't been in contact with the church for years and one of them told us how just 2 weeks ago, his active family members (who he hasn't talked to in 15 years) stopped by and he just felt love and then out of nowhere we stop by and that he didn't want to run from the gospel anymore. Other people we stopped by also were very willing to have us over and they haven't been in contact with the church either in years. Later that night we were walking to another house and we stopped and talked to this guy who was just sitting on a chair on his porch and he told us to take a seat after a few minutes of talking. He was a really cool guy named Kyle and we talked about the Book of Mormon and cleared up some misconceptions he had and gave him a copy. Towards the end he asked us when we were going to be stopping by again, so hopefully we are able to see him again this week and talk more. 

The Santiago family, the man who said hi on skype yesterday. Was talking to me yesterday afterwards and he told me how much his family has grown stronger in the gospel since they started having us over for dinner weekly (Elder Mask and me) and having "Deep Dish" haha. Their oldest son, 15, never was sure about a mission but now he talks about it more and his Brother Santiago believes it is because of the Spirit that has been present when they have had us over and it really meant a lot to me to hear that. I definitely want to visit them again after I am home. They're oldest daughter, Zoila, is leaving for her mission in the Dominican Republic where she was born on the 20. It's weird to think that my mission is almost over, so i just don't think about it haha. I have seen Elders get trunky, and I don't wan that to happen. 

I have loved my mission so much thank you again for helping me decide from an early age to serve!

I love you Dad

Love,

Elder Barker

ps. be sure to have Nate email those videos of the dunk contest he won!!!!

Email from 5/4

5/4

Hey Dad,

A couple things first, could you give me the DMV number so I can call them and work it out like last time? This week was the first time I had driven for the first time since I was still being trained in Tamaqua and I have loved it. I decided a long time ago that when I am home one of the first things I need to learn is how to drive a stick. So maybe Steve or Mitch can show me how.

With the call next week, I'll just call after church. I don't have wifi in the apartment anymore since we moved so I might have to go to the church. I don't know if I'd want to impend on a member on Mother's Day so most likely it will be at church. Oh for college before I forget I am looking at some places my old comp sent me and I'll let you know. Here is what he's sent me: Mountain Lofts,The Towers, North Point, The Gates, & Windsor Manor. 

Baptizing someone in Spanish was really cool and super nerve racking, in a way it was talked about in my patriarchal blessing. I am really sad I won't be able to meet with them anymore. Those baptisms were the 5th and 6th on my mission but my first where I did the baptizing. If possible I'd really love to talk to Nate one on one whenever. When does Dixie st start? I'd really like just some time where we can hang out and talk when I'm home. No news on my release either President said he'll let me know.

This week was pretty stressful since we basically doubled in, or white washed the area. We don't  have any plans from the past elders so it was pretty slow this week. Thursday was District Meeting and the first one I've ever led. I didn't know what to plan on so on Tuesday I prayed and said I'm going to flip to a random page in PMG and I'm going to talk on that subject. So I did and flipped to finding people. So I started searching and so many things started to flood to my mind it was really cool. But I'm still nervous for having to do that again this week haha.

Someone in Spanish that we found came to church! That was really cool, a lot of Spanish people came up to me and gave me a hug, I guess they do miss me, I always thought I was just "the gringo" and I realized even more how much I miss them. 

We confirmed Tiseam (got baptized two weeks earlier) and as we were sitting in testimony meeting, I leaned over and challenged him to go up if I do. He got up after I did and bore just a simple and sincere testimony it was really powerful. Things are going to go better this week. I can feel it, just thinking of the week ahead I can feel the spirit and I am so excited:)

I love you Dad!

Love,

Elder Barkerd

Email from 4/27

4/27

Hey Dad
Okay so first off, I am staying and my companion and the other elders in
the English Ward are leaving. I am taking over two areas now and I was
called to be the district leader. This district is only going to have one
other companionship and its sisters (we call it a double date district, 2
elders + 2 sisters) so I'm not too fond of that but hey I'll do my best.
Also I need my license renewed ASAP! I kept forgetting to tell you the past
couple weeks but it expires on my birthday! So if you could renew it and
send the driving certificate to my address I would really appreciate it! Oh
and since I am staying go ahead and send the package to my address.
So now on to the long stressful and amazing week!
Well we had 2 baptisms and confirmations!! We went to the Freddy & Adrian's
on Monday night and at the end of the lesson Adrian (the son) asked Elder
Mask if he would baptize him and Freddy (the dad) asked if I would. I was
terrified because it would be in Spanish. I read the prayer in Spanish over
and over again. My heart was pounding on Saturday haha. Adrian was so
excited the whole time especially when it came time to baptize him. As I
got in the water with Freddy my heart was still pounding but I said the
words right and everything went well. He afterwards said how he felt
different than he's ever felt before, he said he felt so humble.
On Sunday we went over to the Santiago family for our weekly session of
"Deep Dish." It's hard to explain but it's named after me haha, basically
we just start on simple gospel truths and dive into them. It's really fun
and it's always so spiritual, they never want us to leave.
I have to be honest I am so so nervous for this upcoming transfer
especially since I don't know if I'll still be in the Spanish branch or
not.
I love you Dad
Love,

Elder Barker

 

Email from 4/20/2015

Dear Dad,

I am currently on my way down to Philly so I am not going to have much time to email so I'm typing this in the car. 

This week was very long and stressful filled with lots of tracting which, as far as I know, didn't accomplish anything. 

Monday was very stressful because we had to drive down to Broomall and pick up our car and then drive back to our dinner appointment where we were super late (we got there at 7:30). We got a call from a Spanish member at like 5:30 asking if we were coming over for dinner that night and they made food already. So we got there at like 8:40 and just grabbed food and left. They never even signed up and they were like, "how did you not see us sign up?" It was a stressful day. 

Tuesday, we tracted a lot for the sisters. We had a lesson with the the Medinas though and we invited Adrian to be baptized on April 25th and he accepted!!! He is so happy to get baptized he has wanted to for such a long time. We are meeting with them today to finalize everything for it. We invited his dad but he wasn't sure but he asked us to pray for him so that he would want to be baptized. Oh on Sunday we spoke with him and he told us that with all the sincerity of his heart he wants to be baptized on the 25th. 

I am so excited for them! There is a youth temple trip on May 2nd that Adrian will be able to go to and hopefully elder mask and I get to as well! This is what happens when members introduce their friends to the missionaries. We have been working so hard trying to find people to teach and I am exhausted but members are starting to bring others to church and it is such a blessing. Tracting can be pretty hard. Member missionary work is the most powerful tool in missionary work. I love this area but it is definitely one of the more stressful areas. I find out on Friday if I'll be transferred so I'll let you know next week. With baptisms and people preparing to go to the temple (possibly New York) I would love to stay. 

I hope everything is going well and I will send another email in response to yours when I'm able to download it

I love you Dad

Love,

Elder Barker

Email from 4/12/15

Hey Dad, 

So I am typing in the car because we have to drive to Broomall (2 hours one way I might have to) soon to pick up the car that my last companion beat up. Didn't even get to do laundry so we'll have to use time tomorrow. Since I get carsick I'm not sure how long this will be. 

Anyway, so was Nathan's last game bad? Did you get footage of his good game or dunk contest that I can have?  

Answers: my mailing address is 51 N 2nd st. apt 310 Stroudsburg, PA 18360. Transfer calls are on April 24 though so I'm not sure if I'll be here or not after the 27th. So you can send it to the mission home or wait until I know where I'll be.  

With college, President has given me permission to look into that so you don't have to worry about it I already knew that registration was in June. I don't know if I'm going to be rooming with anyone in September from my mission as most of them are going in winter and/or are engaged and might be married by then. It might just be like the first time and see what roommates I get. 

This week was good we got 14 lessons (an area high) and got tracting time in (yayyy). We made a lot of progress though with a lot of people. We met with Freddy, Monica, and Adrian a few times and they are starting to progress as a family which is great to see because there have been some moments of contention there. Adrian told us that he wants to be baptized and his parents said that that's okay. I don't know if I told you last week but Monica (the wife) is a member! She was baptized at 15 in Ecuador and never went back. There is a youth temple trip May 2nd and Adrian really wants to go so we want to get him there with some names.  

All of the lessons were in Spanish however but I was to feel the spirit in them. It's so interesting, I've never had a full conversation with these people, but I love them so much and I want them to get closer to their Father so bad. I'll miss this area whenever I leave. Well I am starting to feel sick, I'm sorry I know it's short. This will send whenever I get wifi. I love you Dad.

Love,

Elder Barker

Ps can I have bishop coggins email as well as president aragons?

Email from 4/6/2015

Well I just accidentally deleted the whole email I typed up so I'm gonna have to make this quick. Real quick- did Nate get my card? This week we had zone conference and we talked about being a full purpose missionary.  General Conference was really great I loved President Uchtdorf's talks (as always). Elder Oaks kinda threw down on teenage me, but he's right, we can't just coast through the gospel and expect to live a

 good faithful temple worthy life. I have realized that more and more on my mission.

Anyway, i was really sad to see how President Packer was doing. It was a really good talk but there were so many things I only caught because of subtitles. I wouldn't be surprised if that was his last conference but I hope he gets better. President Monson also looked like he was starting to age a lot. Also he spoke very little this conference and

didn't even close the conference. I hope he's doing okay. What was with the boos? President Uchtdorf handled it like a boss though. I really enjoyed the Sunday morning session that was my favorite I think. The themes I got though (I have to get going) were family, honoring and magnifying our priesthood, and honoring the sabbath. I am so grateful to be able to have modern prophets and apostles to help guide us today. Their words always make me reflect on what I can do better and habits I need to develop now. It's weird that that was the last one I will watch on the mission.

 Well I love you Dad.

 Love,

 Elder Barker

3/30/15

This week was crazy! I am so tired we taught 13 lessons (not much but it's the most this area has taught since being opened. I do feel bad because the majority of lessons are in Spanish and so its all Elder Mask pretty much. Anyway so on Monday, I almost dunked (gosh I have fallen so far), we went to the Santiago family for dinner after P-Day and that family is crazy! It's so chaotic but so much fun they are a great family 

On Tuesday we were able to teach a new investigator named Julio. He was born Catholic but he is not really sure what he believes. He really dislikes the fact that he didn't get to choose to be baptized catholic, instead his parents "forced it on" him when he was a baby as he said. He believes that he doesn't receive help from God, he believes he has everything he has because of himself. It was a Spanglish lesson and so I didn't get all of it, but he was very nice and honest about what he believes so that was good. 

Later that day we saw the Freddy and Adrian. Even though they are Spanish speaking (well Adrian can speak English) I still feel so much love for this family. I remember on Tuesday the week before, I don't remember if I told you this or not, I had a prompting the whole time that I needed to bear my testimony of the Book of Mormon to this family. I tried paying attention to understand more and I could tell that they were coming with more and more doubts about the Book of Mormon and it got close to the end of the lesson and the spirit then told me that I would deeply regret not sharing my testimony, I then had a quick picture in my head of them dropping us. I then lean over to Elder Mask and asked if he would translate for me so I can speak. I then bore testimony of how the Book of Mormon has blessed me and my family, how in the darkest and lowest times it has brought me to light, how it has shown me God's love and that it can strengthen their family as well. Fast forward to this last Tuesday and and he told us that "it's time for me to stop waiting and ask God" (in Spanish) whether or not the Book of Mormon is true. It was a good end to the lesson. 

Then right after that we saw a less active sister named Carmen. She is this sweet Hispanic woman who loves the missionaries. We read with her from the Book of Mormon (2 Nefi 33). I read as well (in Spanish since that's relatively easy to do) and she was so impressed and thinks I can speak Spanish now all of a sudden haha. She kept saying, in Spanish, "Wow you learned very quickly! Very good" haha.  

On Wednesday we had an English lesson!! It was with the Otis family, they're members that recently moved from New York City. We had a good lesson with them about FHE. They hadn't done it in about a year. They have a puppy German Shepard and I might get one, it'd be one of the few dogs I'd be okay with having. And she came to church this Sunday! It was great seeing her and her kids. 

Thursday we didn't have any lessons but we had 2 dinners back to back, OH MY GOSH, haha. And members, especially Hispanic members, always pile more on your plate, a lot more haha. So I was already full when we went to the second dinner. Anyway yeah haha

Friday gosh, we went to a less actives family home for dinner and they want us over a lot. So this Friday it's happening again! 

Saturday was a good day. We saw Freddy and Adrian again and as soon as I saw Freddy you could tell that he had finally prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true. He was happy and so excited to see us. Long story short we invited them to be baptized on April 26. It was a really great week even though I'm exhausted every single night. Elder Mask and I are starting to turn this area around and it's great to see.  

I've been meaning to write something and I've completely forgotten the past few weeks. I want to challenge you, Nathan, Amanda, Mitch, Amber, and Steve to all finish the Book of Mormon (wherever you may be in it) by the time I come home from the mission. I want to finish the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon by that time. It's 4-5 months and I am completely confident that you all can do that. 

With me going home, it's not up to me it's up the presidency of the 70. 

I love you Dad

Love,

Elder Barker

Sent from my iPad