Below are some of the things discussed in Barry's Christmas phone call home. Questions we asked are in red. Things Barry said or asked are in blue and comments from us are in black. It was wonderful to hear from him and he sounds great! Morena tested his Spanish and he is picking it up quickly. The Lord is truly blessing him.
Have you played any soccer?
I've played once at my first zone activity.
How is Journal writing going?
It's going ok I kinda got lazy a little bit. I'm catching up.
What did you do for Christmas Eve?
Went over to new Senior couples house and ate fondue stuff and stuff like that and played a couple of Christmas games like Christmas song games. You have pictures and guess the Christmas song from the picture.
What did you do for today for Christmas?
Elder Wilkinson called his family (parents) in the morning and then went to the Branch mission leader (Bro. Lilly) who had son, daughter-in-law and two grandkids there and helped them put their hot-wheel tracks together.
Recibiste los tres paquetes que te habiamos mandado? (Did you receive the three packages we sent?)
Si, recibi' tres paquetes. (Yes I received the three packages)
How is DVD player working?
Good, we just watched a Joseph Smith movie.
How has the weather been affecting your work?
First of all today it was a white Christmas. But when it snows hardly anybody knows how to drive in the snow. The roads are really slick which is why we got stuck in Chattanooga. Sometimes we don't go out because of driving conditions.
You mentioned your area is huge? Could you use GPS system?
Ummmm. I could but I don't know if it would be necessary cause we already know the area pretty good. There's three main places we go to and we know them pretty well. If there's somewhere we need to go and don't know how to get there we have a member drive us.
Samie's Question: What is your favorite thing about being a missionary?
Favorite thing? Huh. Probably just offering people a chance to come unto Christ.
What do you miss doing the most (worldly life)?
Hugging people/girls.
What is your favorite scripture this week?
I don't know. I'm not good at picking favorite scriptures.
2 Ne 25:26 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
And why is that?
Because Christ is the reason for the season and it talks of us talking of Christ and speaking of Christ and all that.
Have you written to Ryan or Darrin or Joe or any of your buddies on their mission?
I've written to McKay, I was going to write to Ryan tonight. Which reminds me I need to make sure I have Ryan's correct address.
Morena: I have to give a talk in Church tomorrow and I'm supposed to talk on the benefits of Missionary Life and I want to know what changes have you noticed in you by serving a mission?
I've noticed that I'm a lot more loving. I am able to love people for who they are and I don't judge people like I may have used to. I love everyone now and I've grown a lot here like a lot a lot.
Morena: I want to give you a chance to ask us questions. What questions do you have for us?
Barry: How is everything going?
Paul: Really good. We all got together at the Mandarin Buffet, about 40 people. Pretty much everybody was there.
Barry: What was it that you were saying when I first called you earlier?
Morena: [speaking spanish]
Barry: Ok.
Morena: [more spanish]
Barry: hmm. Ha ha ok?
Barry: She's a nurse and her last name is Clark.
Paul: Your Aunt Koni broke her wrist while walking her dog.
Morena: What else do you want to know?
Barry: Is the grass in the backyard still doing good?
Paul: Really good. We had more rain in the last seven days then we normally have in a year and a half. [Recounts the flooding and the control of it]
Sam: I went on a cruise to the Bahammas and I ran into a celebrity. Did you every watch Bones? You know detective Booth? I saw him at the Bahammas but I didn't have my camera on me. We were supposed to go to another island but the captain wouldn't dock because of heavy wind and ice. Went to Nicolodian resort and Disney World.
I still haven't got my test results back from my arobics instructor test.
Barry: Is Sean still having missionaries come over yet?
Sam: No he hasn't started yet. He's actually here.
Sean: Hello.
Morena: Have you been translating or interpreting in Sacrament Meeting?
Barry: I've translated twice.
Morena: How has that been?
Barry: It is pretty rough cause umm. Louden wasn't really a Spanish area. We didn't really have many active Spanish members so we weren't really speaking. When I got here I really had to practice more.
Paul: I had to interpret on my mission. Pretty tough but helps you to learn.
Morena: What benefits have you obtained so far from being on a mission?
Barry: Probably goes along with what you asked me earlier. Well umm I'm trying to think. Oh I've become a little more outgoing because I kinda have to be.
You're not as quiet?
Yeah everyday your coming up to random people saying hey how's it going?
Has B. L. made progress?
What did I send you in my email?
Tithing was an issue.
Barry: We just taught her the doctorin and committed her to pray about it... She believes it's true but doesn't have a testimony. [relates benefits of praying about tithing] Baptismal date dropped so she wasn't baptized yesterday. Senior couple Blacks are supposed to be meeting her some time this week. She felt like she was being rushed. She believes everything but she is like 80 something years old so she's making a really huge change in her life. We're going to try and do it more at her pace so she feels a little more comfortable.
What is the Very best thing you have experienced so far?
I would have to say my first day here in Fort Payne. We went to Collinsville and had a meal appointment with Vanessa and her mom. I didn't know anyone or what was going on and another Hispanic family was there as well, afterwards we were going to give a spiritual thought and Vanessa popped up and said "oh yeah I want to be baptized". It was pretty awesome because the first 6 months of my mission I was working my tail off and didn't see anything of it and I get here and my first day I get a baptismal commitment?
What is the strangest thing that has happened so far?
Last transfer I was on exchange with my District Leader Elder Carpenter and tracting going from one building to another a guy sitting on some steps waves us over and says "You worship Joseph Smith" and asking us a bunch of questions and the whole time Elder Carpenter and I were calm about it and standing still being calm about the whole thing and he was pacing back and forth like he wasn't in control of himself and he looked at Elder Carpenter's eyes and says "I see a soul and it wants to be saved" after more back and forth he steps up close to me and says something to me that I didn't really understand and I asked Elder Carpenter what he said and he said he said "he wants you to remember what he said" and I said I guess it didnt' really work since I pretty much forgot instantly what he said.
Jackee: how are you doing wanted to make sure you are ok. Any other interesting stories?
Barry: Yes, I am doing ok. Hey I just remembered I got a letter from Victoria when I was out for 6 months. Did you know Joe was an AP? He's awesome.
Janice: Hi Barry. If I sent you a video of the kids would you be able to watch it?
Barry: Umm. I'm not sure. I have to ask President Griffin. Cause that would be awesome.
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