April 13 - A Long Letter

Familia,
Hi! I am doing awesome of course! I am loving being the Zone Leader!

Today is p-day and our new district is here. I have seen a few of them and they seem like they are going to be awesome. Hopefully they work hard and do what they know is right. I love my district but they just don't have that knowledge of why they are here. Following the rules, being on time and getting up with a good attitude is sometimes hard for them. I just hope that this new district doesn't follow their example because it is just sad. Plus it will cause more work for me as their zone leader.

So how are Jeff & Amy? And Max with the broken leg? I haven't heard anything from them.

Well this week has been going great. We are now teaching all lessons in Spanish. It is a little hard, but it is fun. We have these progressive investigators to teach every week. These investigators are fake. Its just Hermana Forsyth playing as Allison, which is a person that she taught on her mission. She plays the part so well that it almost feels like I am teaching a real Allison. Our other investigator is in the TRC place. We just sign up on the computer with some teacher and play as an investigator. Our investigator is Danny. We have only taught him once, but it went really well. Allison is a little further along. We have taught her 3 or 4 times.

Oh, my teachers started this game for our district. We have 5 cards for the morning, afternoon and night. So 15 for one whole day. We have to speak only in Spanish. If we get caught saying a word or phrase in English we have to give away one of our cards. If we get below 10 cards we don't get any mail for 2 days! It is so much fun! It is challenging and sometimes you just get excited and start speaking in English. I never realized how much I say about the things that are in my head. So that is fun, but the other half of the district doesn't take it seriously. I have caught them a few times, but they deny it.

The days here a very alike. The days are really long and the weeks are fast! The nights go by too fast also. I am learning SO much here! My testimony has grown alot!

I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesucristo. I know that Joseph Smith translated it through the power of God. I know that it is there for us and it will answer questions that we have.
Well I miss you tons and I love you so much!
Love, Elder Barnes