Insert Creative Title Here!

I don't know how people have such creative titles...It's kind of stressful...I give up.

Thanks for the updates! It's good to know that life still continues even though I'm gone! Ha ha! but really... I hope Grandpa is doing okay. :/ Sounds like Abbie is also recovering? How scary is that?! And Amber is moving? Amy is still staying strong and good for Andy! Oh...and Autumn...I always forget about her. Joke sis! Chillax! Stay strong til the very end! (P.S. My Brazillian roommate was called to your mission. Her name is Sister Lima so keep your eye out for her!)

Dad! You're like famous! I wish I was on TV as much as you. Hang in there! I just remembered the story of how you kidnapped Mom while you were dating. I'm pretty sure throwing your girlfriend in the trunk of your car would send you to prison nowadays Daddy.... Heh heh. Mother! You're so busy STILL! You should definitely have a spa day. :)

Let's see...what's going on with me...Well, I know why God didn't send me to Asia! There is an oriental family in our ward. Chinese language all up in dare.. I understood a speck of what they were saying...and the foood. My mouth has never hated me so bad. No worries. I stayed strong! But I love it here in Texas and I know this is where I am supposed to be!

Let's see...more connections. I swear everyone knows someone who lived in Morgan. So we went to a member's house for dinner and they had some friends over. The friend asked where I was from and I said Utah. He said "I'm familiar with Utah! I have a daughter who is moving to a Mountain Green, Utah this week." Oh my puke "that's where I'm from!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" So their last name is Hansen if they happen to be in our ward. He also has a sister who lives in Morgan (the Lubecks) and his niece just happens to be Bailey Lubeck! I played tennis with her and gave her rides home from BYU! Small world. She apparently got her mission call so that's awesome. Small world in the church!

I KNEW he was going to pick Catherine!! Dez is the next Bachelorette? I sooooo got you addicted Mom! HA! I apologize. Yes. Stay strong. Just watch like the final two episodes with Dez...we want her to pick a good guy. But you're right...you don't need to watch it and it is very stupid. :) Which reminds me...I have found fellow Walking Dead Fanatics in my district! It's kind of bad...I forgot my love for the show and I have been reminded. Now I run around like a zombie...or pretend like zombies are after us.... Sometimes we have these "think fast" exercises where we say...A zombie walks through that fence and starts eating Sister Perkins...What do you do? K...maybe it's not very spiritual like but it prepares our minds for any emergency situation right? Oh my spaz attack...back to real life.

What I have learned this week. Just how freakin' awesome the Book of Mormon is! I mean...I've always loved the Book of Mormon but my eyes have been opened AGAIN! It is truly the fulness of the gospel. It relates so much to my life. It makes me feel so close to my Savior. It gives me strength and comfort. It is such a powerful tool in conversion. It is the EVIDENCE that this church is the TRUE church! and I absolutely love it! I just want more time to read it and dig in! I know that if we read that book everyday and feast upon the words...our lives will just be better...in EVERY aspect. Papanwa...Thank you for the messages you share every week. I truly love the scriptures and the spirit I feel when I read them. Missionary work is fantabulous.

Sister Perkins and I taught Sunday School again and Mary loves it! There were also a couple other nonmembers and now we have some new investigators! So excited! :) Mary also came to watch a convert baptism with us yesterday. She loves it all! She loves the church...but I think she just thinks it's just another denomination. No worries. I love her so much and will not give up on her! Everyone NEEDS this gospel and this church...even if they don't know it. That's why I'm here...to help people fill that hole in their hearts that they don't realize they have.

Peace and Blessings. Peace and Blessings.

Sister Barnes JR

There is SUNSHINE in my soul TODAY!

Howdee!

I can't believe Sister Barnes Sr only has two transfers left! and I can't believe that I've been in actual Texas for a month! Where exactly did the time go? I have no idea... But I will make the most of it! It is truly such a short SHORT time. We need to make the most of it! Not just the mission...but our lives!

I finally had the new missionary training meeting this past week. I got to see my whole MTC district! The sisters and I were literally like crying when we saw each other...It's only been four weeks...but I think as you come closer to God, you develop a greater love for the people around you. So I love them okay?! But it's crazy to hear about all their experiences. I am in the Flower Mound bubble. Like...it's not much different than home! But my fellow Fort Wort missionaries....they are in TRUE Texas. It is the complete opposite of where I am. They have to shake cockroaches out of their shower curtains....and everybody wears cowboy hats to church... Why am I so excited for that? I have no idea but I so totally am... But I do love FLO MO immensely! :)

It's already starting to get really warm....It was 83 degrees two days ago. It's March. Sometimes I can't wrap my head around it. I'm a weeeee bit worried about the summer. Especially after everyone I run into says "Oh. You're gonna die..." Thank you. Thank you for that. So it's already hot but we still have a good 4 to 5 months before it gets HOT. Pray for meee...

More connections. I was talking to this teenage girl in one of our wards. She mentioned she use to live in Sheboygan Falls. Say whaaa? That's where my sister lives! Yep...she totally knows the Palenske family! And then she talked about how adorable my nephews are. I KNOW! So cute. But so funny. I also came in with an elder who I met last year at Philmont. He worked at PTC and I was introduced to him when we visited. I met him at the MTC but I didn't make the connection until he mentioned it here in Texas. I also found out that one of my good friends who worked with me at Philmont is here in my same mission! He had to leave Philmont early because he was coming here on a mission! Yeah...I never made that connection either... But he's here somewhere. I haven't seen him yet but I'm sure he will! What a small world! Most of the members have some connection with Morgan. and while we were tracting, I even met a non member woman who knows a lot of people from Mountain Green! SMALL WORLD! Love it.

MARY! So Mary still loves us. We could never go over to her house because her mother doesn't like the mormon missionaries. BUT...we met her mother and she basically loves us. But Mary still doesn't want us to teach her while her mother is home. And Mary has had serious trauma and a lot of health issues...so her learning is very slow but we will continue to work with her! Oh...and she's very addicted to smoking. Bring it on. Anything is possible with the Lord! DUH! Ha ha haaaaa...but really. It's true.

I am sooo happy! I love Texas! I love Texans! I love church! I love teaching! I love the scriptures! I love Heavenly Father! I love my Savior! I love the Holy Ghost! I love my family! I love my friends! I love my calling! I love my scrunchee! I love the word ya'll! I love all the scary dogs! I even love my blisters! Okay...I'm getting a little carried away there...But I am just grateful for everything I have! We have SO much! Never forget the blessings that we receive and continue to receive everyday! This church is so incredibly true! It will bring us not only happiness in this life but for ETERNITY. That is a very long time! Totes a BD! (big deal) LOVES LOVES

Sister Barnes JR. 

 

Okay! So some pictures of the MTC. Blondie was my companion. Some pics of Sister Perkins and I! A lady in my ward likes to do my nails on P Day. I'm spoiled...

 

 

 

 

Nosotras somos misioneras de la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos dias. Tenemos una mensaje acerca de Jesucristo y como ha restaurado su iglesia en el mundo hoy. Podemos compartir esta mensaje con ustedes? Sooo...they switched me to Spanish speaking. K that's a lie. But I try to talk to Hispanics a lot and then I remember that I kind of don't know Spanish. So a Spanish elder told me to say those lines when I run into them...But problem....what would I say after they reply????

Mom. Okay, they are just blisters. My shoes are fine. My feet are awesome. I drink water. I eat food. I am healthy and strong. Don't worry bout me mother! I am not going to literally kill myself....that was just a figure of speech.

Dad. It seems like you are still crazy busy with all the kids out of the house! That's gooooood! Arizona looks like fun! and warm...

So more connections. There's like a bzillion and twelve connections that I have with people here, but here are some of the new ones! So remember how Amber and Derek visited Dallas? Well...It was actually here in Flower Mound! In my ward! Ha. and remember my friend Alec Fairbanks from Morgan? I went on a few dates with him, but he use to live in my ward here in Flower Mound before he moved to Morgan!

So my Sundays are pretty as well! We're at church from 7 AM to 4:30 PM because we cover two wards. So I definitely know what you mean! Mary came to sacrament again! We basically just need to ask her to be baptized but still haven't been able to meet with her! This week.

I gave my first training in zone conference last week. You're baby is growing up so fast! :) and I signed the movie consent form for the MTC training video. I hesitated because I remembered my big zit...Can't they just like...edit that out or something?

So wanna know some things about Texas? Football is kind of a big deal...but I kind of love that. I get talking football with some of the members here, but I still don't know if I like any of the Texas teams... and apparently band is a big deal. All the cool kids are in band. Since when did that happen? Every house with a school aged kid has a sign with whatever they do....band, drama, football, soccer, etc. They also tend to fly the Texas flag higher than the American flag... and the freeways are freakin' weird. All the moms and ladies have really short hair and everyone says ya'll. But other than that...it's basically the same.

So a few people have asked me if I'm fat yet...Eeo cough cough. Not yet, but I most likely will be soon. I was warned about the MTC so I was careful and I actually lost weight there but here in Texas....it's my worst nightmare.... If I am given one more box of girl scout cookies, I might just throw up. I am fat and VERY spoiled here in Texas. The members are very good to us and always make and give us desserts. Not like....a slice of pie, but a whole cake basically. That's the killer...I can't just say no. That's impolite! There's also a member who buys us fast food at least once a day and sometimes even twice a day. She even bought me a whole pizza and my companion a whole pizza. Worst. Nightmare. I think I look the same??? But it's only been three weeks... When I get home, I'm gonna be one of the nutty health people.

Yes, missions can be rough at times, but missions can be totally fun! Can I get an amen?! Whenever we make a mistake or get rejected hard core, we have learned to just laugh about it instead of being discouraged. It keeps us happy and determined. I love being here and I love being a missionary and I don't want that to change!

So a few things the mission has taught me! I think the mission is definitely preparing me for marriage and motherhood! Someone told me that the MTC should stand for Marriage Training Center....so true. But I have really grown to realize WHAT is important. My perspective has really changed. Another thing I have studying is about our will. The only thing that we can give our Father in Heaven that he doesn't have already is our will and our hearts. Sure I am here for 18 months giving up my time, talents, family, friends, school, and using my strength to help serve Him....but He was the one who has given me all these things in the first place! The only thing I can do, is to let MY will be swallowed up in HIS. After I studied this topic, there was a CES devotional right here with David A Bednar! The missionaries weren't allowed to go, but I watched it on LDS.org and you should too! But Elder Bednar talked about that very topic! and he asked if we had enough faith NOT to be healed. Usually it's the other way around! But would we have enough faith NOT to be healed if that was the Father's will?

Parents! I want to thank you for being so charitable! How ungrateful and selfish I always was, but my eyes have been opened and I am so thankful for all you have done for me, our family, and for the countless amount of others you have helped. I LOVE YOU.

The work is starting to pick up and I am so ready for it! This work is amazing and I challenge all of you to be missionaries in your own daily lives! This church is true and I know it! Love you all!

Sister Barnes JR

Mary Is A Little Lamb, Her Hair Is White As Snow

So had kind of a rough week...I got bit by a dog...TWICE. Then sprained my ankle... HA! Kidding Sister Barnes Sr. But I understand the whole hating dogs thing. Everyone and their dog has a dog in Texas (Ha. See what I did there?). People only open the doors a crack because they don't want to let the dogs out. I hate all the dogs in the whole woooorld. (Nacho Libre anyone? Yes? Yes? No? Moving on.)

I have decided I am the worst street contacter ever and I wish you could all be present to see it. So once this past week, this couple was walking by so I was like "HiiOWWWW!!!" and I rolled my ankle, fell, and then tumbled down a hill. Okay, maybe I just rolled my ankle, but I'm pretty sure the couple thought I was crazy. My goal is to start jogging with joggings and try to tell them about the restoration. If they don't stop, I'll just throw a Book of Mormon at their face. Ha ha ha funny thing is...you all think I'm joking.. But with practice and the help of the Lord, I will become a better street contacter!

We had zone conference this past week. I love President Sagers!! He kind of reminds me of Dad because he has the "suck it up" kind of personality and I LOVE IT! No offense, but all us missionaries need to suck it up sometimes. Just sayin'. We get a new president this July! Thanks for telling me a little about him Mom! I really was praying that it would be President and Connie Porter but my new president looks pretty cool too. :) They truly are called of God!

OKAY, I don't understand. All the members here know where Morgan is. The Texans know where Morgan, Utah is. Utahns don't even know where Morgan, Utah is!!! So I've found a lot of cool connections with the members and with the other missionaries here. It's a small world when you're a Mormon! Ha ha :) The members are so nice here! And generally the Texans are too! But there are about a thousand MILLION different denominations here. Everyone has such strong faith which is amazing, but hard at the same time. But I love TEXAS!!!

I love my trainer Sister Perkins! I probably put her in a negative light last week which should not have been done because I love her. :) I do wish we could work harder though, but she gets migraines daily so it kind of slows us down. But she likes to work hard. I just know that me, Sister Barnes Jr, could work harder. :) 

Funny story. We have a walking day every week, but we don't exactly live in our area so we walk three hours there and three hours back. So I could feel I had a couple blisters, but it's whatever right? I get a blister everytime I wear shoes! But we get home and I take my shoes off and it was like..."ewwww..." I had thirteen new blisters.... A man who saw my blisters thought it was frostbite...Ha ha. Then I didn't do anything about it, so they got bigger. After a couple days, I finally put bandaids on them...so they calmed down. But our walking day is in a couple days, so hopefully they don't keep growing! But before Mom calls the mission home... I'm fine! I get blisters all the time, so they really don't effect me! :) No one ever died from a few little blisters! :) 

MARY- did you like my title? I'm so clever sometimes... So Mary is actually someone we tracted into one of our first days. She turned us away. But so do a lot of people! After about ten minutes of knocking on other people's doors, I got the feeling that we needed to go back to that lady's house. Saaay whaaa?? But I couldn't shake the feeling. Sister Perkins even asked if I was okay because the feeling just took over my mind. I am so ashamed to say it, but we didn't go back to the house. NEVER DO THAT! ALWAYS follow those promptings! I am such a terrible missionary sometimes! But I hardly slept night...I just couldn't get that lady's face out of my mind!!! So the next day, I was impressed to write her a letter. I don't even remember what I said. It was very simple and all I did was testify of the restoration. But the important thing is that I was being guided by the spirit and wrote exactly what she needed to hear. So we went back to her house and I gave her the letter with our number on it if she needed anything. She texted back that night! She thanked me dearly for the letter and said "Thank you for listening to Jesus. I needed to know he loves me." She's texts us everyday since and came to church with us!..and it just happened to be fast sunday and I just happened to bear my testimony and teach sunday school! wink wink. Ha ha we haven't been able to meet with her to teach her at all though. But last night, she texted me and said that she remembered she had a Book of Mormon in her couch cushions (she apparently has investigated the church before!!!) and she pulled it out last night and is reading it! What in the world?!?! But I love this white haired lady Mary. She is so sweet and I truly believe that she is ready to receive this gospel. But what if I hadn't knocked on her door again? What if I completely ignored that prompting that I felt? We would have completely missed her. God is preparing people! We must be obedient and follow the spirit and God will help us find those people! Oh how my testimony has grown since I've been out here...and it's only been a month! How great our God is!

I hope all is well at home! I hope you are surviving Dad and I hope Grandpa is okay! and I hope Mother can find time to relax now that I'm gone!

This church is so true and I love it! It makes me soo happy everyday! We all NEED this gospel! God is our Father! Christ is our Savior! Joseph Smith restored the true church! Thomas S. Monsen in a prophet called of God! The Book of Mormon is the word of God! I love you all!

Peace and blessins...peace and blessins...

Love,

Sister Barnes JR