Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Happy Hump Day!

March 9th marks 1/2 way through the mission!

What a blessing it is to have a missionary out serving the Lord and teaching the people of Mexico!

Preparing for General Conference

5 Marzo, 2012
querida Familia,
wow i am really shocked by this email. there were a lot of interesting things. it is amazing to see that chase and the rest are growing really fast. how crazy is that. everyone is so big especially chase. he is GIGANTIC!!! it is so cool to see all the fam together. i hope everything is going great.
i had a conference in the morning today and i got my second package finally. the jam somewhat survived. it spilled a little but thank you so much for putting the beautiful tie in a protective place. thank you so so much. i love you tons. it was perfect timing for my hump day.
wow one year has gone by. amazing how fast time has flown by. well right now i am really really excited for the next general conference. the third general conference in the mission and my second in this area. we have a big goal of investigators in general conferece. our mission presidente gave us the talks from the march liahona or ensign about how to prepare for the confference. the first thing it says is to be familiar and apply the teaching of the last conference. i hope all the family has read the last general conference to be prepared for this conference. this conference will be amazing. i am so excited. i am so glad that we read the ensign or talks as a family before my mission. i still hope that is something that you guys do.
i love you all and miss you tons. i hope everything goes good. you guys are in my prayers.
LOVE
ELDER BARNEs

Monday, March 5, 2012

What I Miss About Home

Querida familia.,
wow another week is gone. how is everyone doing? what is going on there in boise? how is the weather? the weather here is getting hotter. i am not excited because i am still waiting for the cold. how did this week go for you guys? so how are my siblings? i havent heard from them for awhile.

everything here is going great . . .but the other day i took another good fall on my bike hahaha. my name tag is a little scraped up. this name tag will be a legend. oh and i didnt get your email before i left but that is ok. it isnt that important. the important part is that i write to you saying that i am ok. and i am ok.
everything is going great here. we have a baptism planned this week but i think we will postpone it for next week.

this week we went to chihuahua on monday and got back on tuesday. this conference was really cool and they gave us this cool little pamphlets of some of the talks. one talk is about becoming a preach my gospel missionary. i am trying everyday to apply it to me.
for some reason the computer is not letting me send pics. i am not a fan of electronics. oh by the way, at the conference they were going to put the talk of elder bednar and some music on my ipod and they erased everything that i had on there. crazy huh. so now i dont get to hear baptism by paul cardall.

this week some people have asked what i miss about home i have realized that i really miss playing games with the family and having family home evening. i also miss the temple. i dont really miss the food. i do miss the meat there. here the meat is thin and not juicy like dad cooks it. tonight we are going to have a family home evening with the couple that just got baptized and we are going to play a game. hopefully it will be like the ones that we had in our home.

i am loving the mission more and more. it is amazing what a mission does to such young men.
well i better go now but i love you guys so so much and i love reading letters and recieving packages hahahaha. oh didnt get my package but hopefully i will get it soon.
thank you for all that you do. i love you tons and miss you a lot.
Elder Barnes

February 20, 2012

mi familia,
hey how is everything going? whats new? what has been going on? how is work going for dad and jeff or color craft?
well we came to the internet place early because we are going to go to chihuahua again for another conference. so that means that i will get my other package from you quys. oh i loved the tie that you sent. i got so many compliments about that tie. thank you so much. one question. . . you said that you packed my ties up. i would check on them because i had my favortie tie packed up in my luggage and the cloth starts to form different when it is folded. so be careful!!!!!!! so how is the FAM? how are the young kids in the ward?
well everything here is going great! we just had another baptism of a nice couple. very interesting, when i was with elder christenson he and i left some pamphlets behind with one member with a store. the wife saw the pamphlet and asked for it and later we passed by and now they are members of the church. they have very strong testimonies already. they have family members that are really good people and i think it would be hard but they are really strong and hopefully they work to getting sealed in the temple in one year because that would one of my last weeks here in the mission. this baptism was really special. she has a fear of water but didnt tell us until the baptism. i was the one to baptize her and everything went great. i only had to do it once and she was very calm. the husband was in the military and has made a big change in his life. he used to have problems with smoking and before that with drugs. now he hasnt smoked or done anything agaisnt the word of wisdom. they are both really strong converts and i hope everything goes perfect so that they can get sealed as a family. they have a little boy named Angel.i recently read a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott and he always speaks good of his wife. his wife has passed on but in this talk he talks about being sealed. one part in the talk he starts talking about his son and how he had a heart problem and sometimes would cry at night and his wife normally took care of it but one time he got up and cared the baby until his heart slowed down and went to sleep. a few months later the baby boy died. (i was very confused at why he was talking about his boy when he should be talking about being married.) after they left the hospital they stopped the car on the side of the road and cried together. he then said that it is easier to lose a son when he realized that they have been sealed in the temple.
i am so grateful that you, mom and dad, did everything that was possible to get sealed in the temple. i know i would not be able to live without my family in the life to come. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
I learned to make tortillas. it is one thing that is pretty important to know here in méxico.
well i hope everything is going great.
i need to go but i love you all so much and miss ya tons.
Elder Barnes
Mi querida Familia,
wow another went by and things are amazing here. How are things going there? what is new with the family? it is awesome to here about the business of your callings. without your callings who knows what you would be doing with all of that time. anything else new or anything else new with the ward?
well i just got back from chihuahua. we had another conference and we left yesterday after church and just back here in delicias. no transfers. this conference was very interesting but i learned so so much. right now we have a talk by Elder Bednar of how to become preach my gospel missionaries. it is amazing at what this talk says and what i need to work on. the first step is most important, it is that we must know that we represent Jesus Christ. he talks a lot about our thoughts and actioins and everything. my mission president talked about this a lot because there is a part that says that we dont represent our families or country but only Jesus Christ. so our president talked a lot about this. for example i should spend 30 minutes or more writing him. some missionaries have problems with writing to their friends and family so bad that they dont have much time to write all the things they should en the letter to the pres. we also talked about how we need to talk to our friends and family like we are representatives of Jesus Christ. so i am sorry that i havent been doing the best at that.
oh mom a thought just came to my head that might help you with YW. the president once said that we have an enemy in common. this means my companion and i have the same enemy. so we are on the same side and should work together to destroy and beat this enemy. just an interesting thought. i hope everything is going very good in your callings. i plan on writing a letter to the young men asap.

i am very excited right now to start working harder.

oh i got one package. one with the nice tie (that i am wearing right now), and some other winter clothing with candy. thank you so much. i cant wait to see the other package. i also got a letter from kaytlen. tell her thanks and that i will be writing people soon.
i need to go . i love you all so much especially you mom and dad.
Elder Barnes
ps i got the cable and it works. so here are some pics

Get Married Free on February 14th!

HEY EVERYONE!!!,
how is everyone doing? what´s new? Whats going on the whole president deal. who will it be? thats a bummer that the patriots lost again. i am also a patriots fan. i am not much of a nfl quy but thats my team also. its so weird because that is a big event in the u.s. and here it is somewhat big. a few people like to watch american football.
well we had a baptism this week and it was amazing. i felt the spirit so strong. it was a 17 year old girl and her mom didnt give permission for awhile but after so many missionaries we got the permission from her and she also went to the baptism. she didnt go to the confirmation but hopefully someday she will go to church.
oh something interesting, we are teaching a couple and they will be getting married here soon. here in méxico on the 14 of february that weddings are free. so we have heard that a lot of people will be getting married. crazy huh? so these investigators will be getting married. they also HAD problems with the word of wisdom. right now they are both going strong and obeying the word of wisdom. the husband smoked and she had problems with coffee but they have been going to church and have a strong testimony. also the wife never cries but this week in church i saw that she was getting teary eyed. really cool!!!! they should be getting baptized the 18 of february.
oh this week the presidente came WITHOUT my package but i got the package/letter from the ward for CHRISTMAS. a little late but i still loved it. tell everyone thanks for the cards.
oh yesterday we ate with an awesome family. . la familia Gamboa Pantoja and we ate a lot but at the end she brought out a cake for my companion and i. it was really good. oh and the birthday song in español is very long. we had to sit there for awhile just to blow out the candal.
my companion is great but just doesnt see the need to be obediente with exactness. but he is definitely a good worker and we are working together to beat satan.
i dont know if you heard of the name of elder whitaker. he is my district leader. he is from Idaho. well i should be sending a sd card soon but i only have one more. what happened with the two that i sent? well enjoy these photos.
well i got to go. i love you all and miss ya tons.
"Now that you can chose between the good and the bad, now choose between the good and the better".
"The people that dont know Jesus Christ should want to know him for meeting you"
"God can fix a broken heart, only when you give him all the pieces"
"Everything that i am,I owe to my parents"
thanks for everything!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Barnes

Every Baptism is Special

Querida familia,
hey how is everything going? anything new going on? well i got a bunch of letters today. i got one from jill and jeff and derek. thats awesome. how is everything else going. how is the weather? anything new going on?
well things are crazy here. as you know i have a new companion that doesnt have much time in the mission and it seems like i am the first companion to teach him about obedience. it is very different to be with him. i am learning a lot! our numbers dropped a little also, but we should be having another baptism this thursday.
yes baptisms happen quite often BUT they are very special. every single baptism is a spiritual experience. i wish to have baptisms for frequent but it is a lot of work.
the people that are secretaries and stuff are just called to that position and hopefully i never get those positions. i dont really want to deal with all of that kind of stress.
well i have had a great week this week. the president has been making us fast every sunday for the last three months. it has been very interesting!
oh have you read the book DAUGHTERS IN MY KINGDOM? my bishop here read the book and explained a little to me. it sounds like a great book.
i also heard of a new church movie called 17 miracles. you should watch that also because i heard that was awesome too.
oh i still havent gotten your package but hopefully i will get it soon!!!! i think we will have a conference this week. well i need to go.
sorry that this letter wasnt as good but i hope all is well.
oh tambien i was wondering that maybe you should read the talk by Elder joseph b wirthlin called sunday will come. it is a great talk. i encourage that you read it with Grandpa. i love that talk so much
well i need to go now. i love you all so much and miss you also.
Love
Elder Barnes
oh i dont hav emuch problems with answering in english but it is hard to ask things.

Forgetting How to Spell in English

23 Enero, 2012
querida familia,
well how is everyone doing? what is new? it is amazing to see snow!! (picture of the only snow Boise has received) wow. well transfers came and i have a new companion and i am STILL in panamericano. we had three people baptized also on your anniversary. happy anniversary.
my companion is elder Alonso. is from DF. DF is like Wash. DC but for méxico. everything is different with him. i am learning a lot with him. he only has three months in his mission and still loves to talk about his home. he is a very good guy though. i just hope i can teach him the importance of obedience. so i am missing elder carvajal un poco mucho
everything is going great. the weather is still really warm but they say that the cold will come again. i sure hope so because i am not ready for the heat again.-
well i dont have much time becasue we cleaned house today and went to cut hair. now i know to clean the house after internet and buying gracieries.
another thing i am starting to forget english and spelling. i can talk with people in english but if i have to ask questions, it is a little harder. very weird. its not really hard but i have to think a little and its not smooth.
well everything is going great.
oh mom there is a new book for the women called daughters of my kingdom or something like. you should look for it and read it.

well i need to go.i love you all and sorry this is a short letter. i love you tons and miss alot. ttyl
Elder Barnes

Loving the Mexican Food!

Querida Familia,
wow another week gone. the days are flying by. how is everyone doing? what is new? this letter wasnt very long mom! why? i love to hear about everything. oh una idea, maybe my sibling letters could be two every week because now i have to wait for almost 8 weeks to hear from them. idk just an idea.
well everything here is going great. the weather is really nice. right now i have my sleeves rolled up and it is sunny and nice. there is a little wind but not much.
oh tell jill that i am having fun with the glow sticks. my companion and i have wars right before we go to bed. we cut them open and spray each other and the whole room. so when we go to bed the whole room is glowing. pretty awesome.
yes i ate at Zandii´s house again. the food is amazing here. i love the food. it is really good. i also am starting to love to have spicy food. i got this one salsa called yucateco, it is really spicy but really good. even my companion says that it is spicy. oh also i love the hamburgers here. they are so good. also i had a hot dog the other day and it was amazing. usually i dont like hot dogs but this had beans, chile, onions, salsa, bacon, ketchup and mustard. it was amazing.
yes it has been cold some days. i bet it is freezing in juarez. crazy that this part of mexico gets cold.
well i dont have to wash by hand. this area has a washer but no dryer. none of the areas have dryers and very few have washers.
oh this sunday was really cool. we had a stake conference but it was a regional conference. so it was by tv. elder oaks spoke and elder ALONSO y ELDER rasband and hermana Cook. it was really cool. we had 11 investigators there. pretty cool. also we have 4 people that are going to be baptized. a lot of success.
oh package ideas. home maded rasberry jam with peanut butter. peanut butter is really expensive here. also captain cruch peanut butter. candy. ties, the usual.
well i need to go. i love you all so much!!! i miss you tons! tell my friends hi and that i want to hear from them
Thanks
BYE
Elder Barnes