New Address

Howdy! So I will be moving in one week on May 6th. Apparently, this company bought all these apartments nationwide and they have something against the church...so all the missionaries are kind of being kicked out. So I am being kicked out of my apartment! Woooh! That's exciting. :) They have an apartment for us now...but eventually we will be moved to a member's home. So since the move is inconveniently placed right before my birthday, if you are scared things won't get to me before the sixth, just send it to the mission office which is 1331 Airport Freeway Suite #305 Euless TX, 76040...because I don't know where my new apartment is. BUT really...I dislike my birthday...especially this one coming up and I just want Chansity. How little girlish am I? Yes, I want my stuffed dog please. And maybe my grayish hipster shoes? They are not like tennis shoes...but they do have a tongue and ties. Do you know what I'm talking about it? That would be awesome. Thanks. I love ya'll!!!

So weird to think that right now I'm supposed to be working at Disney World! That would've been supes fun but I know am needed here in Texas. Jim is getting baptized in the next couple of weeks and I could not be happier! My favorite part about being a missionary is to witness the internal change people undergo when they accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It builds my own testimony of this church. This IS the TRUE church! and lives and people are better and happier when they follow God's commandments and teaching. It is the only way to true and everlasting happiness! Jim will be a strong member in the church. He has good fellowshipping families and I know he is going to make it to the end.

Okay, Cassandra and Alyson were sleeping in the same room? How is THAT fair?! Jokes. Love them both. But what is up with all of these random people getting married?! Sadie and Braden I still can not get over and JILL?! Where in the world did that come from?! Send them my congrats!

By the way, when is church again? one? I'll have Sister Fierro contact you about what time I will call on Mother's Day, or I will just tell you next week.

Yes Mom! We do A LOT of service. It's my favorite. Yes, that was an elder's hand print on my face... We painted the Flower Mound fence and then painted a house. Like I said, we do service a lot. Hope you liked the pictures!

So jealous that you got to go hiking! I miss mountains. You took Ethan? Oh okay...just replace your little girl with Eeoturd. Great idea. Jokes. Glad ya'll had fun! I hope Grandpa is doing okay! :( Keep me updated please. And Dad, you need to work on your German! Ha!

I gotta run but I love ya'll and I love this work! Missionary all the way!

Love Sister Barnes

First of all...sorry I'm so terrible at letter writing. I seem to have zero time on P Days. Soooo yeah. I apologize.

Yes, that giant explosion was actually in my mission...maybe two hours away from here in Flower Mound. So sad. I don't know all the details but I actually saw that on the news for about 2.4 seconds...same with the bombing in Boston. It's so sad what is going on in the world, but I'm grateful for the gospel because that is what brings light in this dark and dreary world.

This week was completely different. We worked out guts out. Finally...This is what I came here for! And my how things have gotten better! When I first got to Flower Mound, they hadn't been teaching anyone... and now we have a giant pool of investigators. Funny how the Lord will bless you when you give Him your all. I love these people so much. It's such a great opportunity to have a taste of the love God has for each of his children. We just started teaching a girl named Katie with the most beautiful two year old daughter Ellie. Katie wants something more...something better in her life and she saw a happiness in one of our members...and she saw it again when we met with her. She has been keeping all her commitments and wants to go to church every week. Then Jim Pond....the one who was touched by my testimony in Sunday School...is getting baptized! Wooooh! I love him too. But complications...he lives about ten minutes away...but he's actually in the Dallas Mission. Awko Taco? Yes. But apparently they want him to stay here...and blah blah blah...i don't really know what's going on. So Mission President time? I think yes. But being a missionary is awesome!

I attended two baptisms this past week and they always make me cry! It truly is the gateway to eternal life and I love my role as a missionary! I am helping these wonderful people find that everlasting happiness. Just seeing them and how they've changed...and this new happiness...I can't even describe it. I love this gospel.

So padres! Last month paying my rent yeah?! How does that feel?! I am so grateful that ya'll are so amazing and helping me in this amazing opportunity I am experiencing. Can I get an AMEN! Ya'll are just....so wonderful.

SISTER BARNES SENIOR IS GOING HOME IN FIVE WEEKS?! I can't even believe that! I've been gone almost three months! Well kinda...Crazy how fast the time goes by. I'm in love with my sister and love the amazing example she is to me!

A member from the ward gave me the newspaper with John and Connie Porter's mission president thingy-ma-bobber thing! I screamed! So excited for them!

So funny...I got stuck in a British accent for a full two weeks...everyone asked me where I was from and told me they loved my accent. It got stuck! Literally! I couldn't remember how to talk normally! Just you wait...when I get home...I'm gonna talk like such a southerner and won't remember how to talk normally. I love Texas!

This church is true and I love my mission! Peace out girl scouts!

Love,

Sister Barnes JR

DAD! I swear I have been sending you my emails! Sorry I'm such a space case. And I've decided I'm basically the worst updater in the world. Other missionary's updates are not like mine! Whatevs. Dis is what ya gonna get. AUTUMN!!! I can't believe you're out there with my favorite Brazilian roommate!!! AHHH! I love her! Watch out for my little Nayane okay? Hopefully you can understand her better than I ever could. :) heh. But really.
I have nothing really exciting to say this week. It was a rough week. And I didn't run into a tree this week. But since this week was so slow.... more than anything, it just made us sisters want to work harder. We made a plan to work our guts out until we drop this next week. I am determined so basically that means that nothing is going to stand in my way. But only because of the Lord's help of course. :) I love Him.

Did it really snow in Utah today? It's already starting to get hot and humid here. It's only April. But it sounds like home life is still going well! :) I loooove Mountain Green. I love Texas but there are no mountains whatsoever. I'm lost....all the time. Sister Robinson and I are both obsessed with Mountain Green. We are truly blessed to live where we do!

Mom- you were blessed to have such wonderful parents. But so was I. I can not even express my appreciation and love for you Mom and Dad! So you can expect a letter soon of me trying to do so. I just can't believe how blessed I am in my life. I have really come to understand about what is important in life. I am so grateful for everything I have! God has been very good to us.

I know Mom! You would think the flu shot would prevent the flu! I'm thinking maybe it was food poisoning? But we couldn't figure it out, because we all ate the same things. Whatever. It's over now! :) I started taking vitamins. I know I know. Look out world. FINALLY. You've been trying to get me to do that for years! Well it's happening now! Have you ever seen so many exclamation points in your life? I'm getting a little excited here.

I love what Auttie was saying about how people cross the street before she walks past. SAME HERE! Everyone knows who we are! When finally someone opens the door, they reject us before I can even say a word! I looked in the phone book to see all the different churches. seven. full. pages. of different churches here. I am definitely in the world of bible belt.

I just can't express my love for this gospel enough. I love it so much and I know it is true with every fiber of my being. Like Sister Barnes Sr said...I wouldn't be out here putting up with all the persecution if I didn't know it. I can't help but to cry every single time I recite the first vision because I just know in my heart that Joseph Smith did see God the Father and His Beloved Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. He restored the true church of Christ back onto the earth and he translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God.

Peace Young Homies!

Love,

Sister Barnes JR (Soon to be just Sister Barnes!!! Cray cray!)

Constant Change

So I have come to realize that life as a missionary is a constant change...but I am not opposed to that! I actually welcome it! :) I got my new companion and am now in a trio. Her name is Sister Robinson and is a Idaho/Utah girl. She is a cute, nineteen year old and basically speaks the same language as me. You know like...abbreves...and a British accent... I'm working on it K! But I have been blessed with my companions so far! We have a good time and like to laugh while we work. :)

Mother dear....a few things. Thank you so much for the Easter package! :) It made me so happy! I have the best familia evs. Also, you have no idea how happy it made me that you kept up my tradition of banding the kitchen sink hose!!!! I'm sad Dad didn't get too wet but I'll just say that I had something to do with you getting sprayed a bzillion times. ;) He he. Finally, that was definitely a member sending you pictures of me and not my companions! I know you worry bout me, but I'm very obedient Mother. You really don't need to worry. :) So that member actually called you just in the other room and I was like "Ummmm....is this allowed?" Ha ha but that's Sister Fierro for you! She also told me to tell you that if you ever need to get me something to tell her and she'll get it... Wow. That was a mouth full.

Dad. I'm sorry I keep forgetting about the bike! We don't really ride them. We have a car and just walking on no drive days. We did ride our bikes to p day activity last week and right when I got on....I ran into a tree...and then a curb... Oh brother. I don't know how I've lived this long, but why did you want to know exactly?

So I actually got sick this past week. I had the 24 hour flu. I don't know what's up with my immune system lately! I never use to get sick! But yeah...it was nasty. We had to stay in for the day and then I had a babysitter at night...kind of humiliating. Ha ha. But it really wasn't bad at all and I'm all better! :) It was just a quickie sicky!

So how great was general conference?! Yeah yeah?! (Sidenote: Remember the picture of Auttie and me asleep on the couch? I always think of that pic at general conference. :)) Oh it is like music to my ears. The prophets and apostles are truly called of God. How bout President Monsen's talk on obedience? Wow. And I heard Helaman 5:12 a few times. So I hope we are all building our foundation on Christ! No matter how hard life gets, if we have that foundation, we never need be afraid. Never. I love this gospel so much...I know I say that every time but I can't imagine life without it. Life is hard enough as it is...Can you imagine how hard it would be without having this knowledge? That's why I'm here! To share the knowledge I have been blessed with with everyone so they can have that hope and that peace as well. How great is my calling!

Love Sister Barnes Jr.

P.S. Sister Barnes Sr. is coming home that soon? Family Reunion without me? PFFF! Have fun NOT having fun without me there! Ha ha joke. :) I love ya'll so much. Take pics and send them to me! :)

New. Newer. Newest.

So to explain the title...I'm gonna be a trainer!!! Ha ha. April Fools! But April Fools about that April Fools because I really am training... Who do these nineteen year old girls who decide they want to go on missions think they are?!?! So I'll explain. Sister Perkins and I are getting a third sister who we will be training because I still have six more weeks in my own training! So President told me that he wanted both Sister Perkins and I to train this new sister, but then next transfer Sister Perkins will train in a new area, and I will finish training the new sister! So basically I know what I'm doing for the next two transfers. So I'm training....but I'm being trained... I'm getting a sister but I will also be a mother.... Try THAT out for size! Ha ha! It's a little nerve racking. I barely got here and am still trying to get the hang of things. But I went to the new trainers meeting and received much comfort. There's only a few English sisters coming this transfer which I was very surprised about because I thought I would be the last choice! But President reassured each of us that he made no mistakes and that God has called us to this position. I know I am small, but God calls the weak and the simple. Alma 26:12 explains this perfectly. "In HIS strength I can do all things." So I'm really excited for this new sister! I call her Braunya because I'm pretty determined that's what her name will be... Heh. So another thing... I am very independent and stubborn as you may well know. I like to rely on myself and it is hard to ask for help. I found this in my studies this past Easter weekend... "None of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior of the world when he finds that His people do not feel confident in His care or secure in His hands." This really got to me. How often to I rely on myself when I should ALWAYS be relying on the Lord. I've learned that more now than ever. I can't do this alone. And what a comfort it is to know that I can have that help because I really can't do this alone! I just can't! I know many of us are familiar with the redeeming power of the atonement, but are we with the enabling power of the atonement? Another important thing to remember...He may let us slip, but he will never let us fall. How great is our God. What a great reminder this Easter season brings us of our Saviors atonement.

So Autumn...I'm jealous of your hair...How did it get sooo long?! And I have just had this guilty feeling lately about the time when I almost killed us on the beach of Mexico.... I know you know what I'm talking about. I'M SORRY OKAY?! You shouldn't have let me behind the wheel! But I'm pretty sure God knew we needed to be on missions because there was no way we were gonna make that. Sooo...I just thought I would finally apologize....three years later...And parents, I'm glad you are having fun without me!!! But really...I am. :) Stop being on TV until I can be with you DAD! It sounds like the family is doing well. I love you all! Ya'll are fab.

So my week... Well...everyone keeps asking me what my ethnicity is? It's like no one's ever seen a white girl with dark hair before! They don't believe me when I tell them... So unless you guys are keeping secrets from me and I'm actually adopted... I'll consider them crazy. Also, there's a girl named Bianca Rivera that will be trying out for X Factor in a couple of weeks so if you happen to see her on TV, I know her!!! Mary....Mary loves our church and accepted baptism but has no desire to quit smoking. But no worries! I have faith this will happen! Delma....made a breakthrough! She actually realized she felt the spirit yesterday. She is progressing but very slowly. But we are continuing to work with her. Jim...Jim came to the very first lesson that we taught in sunday school. His friend later told me that he was especially touched by my testimony....being so young and brand new. It just shows you the power of the Holy Ghost. PFFF!! I know it wasn't me! But through me, the Holy Ghost can tell people what they need to hear. So we're teaching Jim tomorrow and we'll see how it goes! :)

I have a question for ya'll. How is YA'LLS missionary work going? Another thing I have learned is that this work is definitely not for full time missionaries. This for ALL of us. We have been blessed with this great gospel. Should we not share it with our brothers and sisters? It is not just a nice gesture...this is our responsibility. Every soul is great in the eyes of God. Just remember that.

I love ya'll and I hope life is fantastic! I'm loving this gift I have to be on a mission and I grow and learn everyday. I know this church is true and I know this gospel is true!

LOVES LOVES!

Sister Barnes JR