Chula Vista - Week #33 - Dec 17, 2013

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... or should I say springtime...

Hola familia!

 

More miracles! They just keep coming!! I love missionary work. I wish I could just tell you everything. So the Sanchez family are progressing so well, it's insane. They act like they're already members, it's so cool. They've come to church every week along with all the activities and they're even feeding us tonight. We had a lesson with them last night and they asked us, "Can you sisters come over every day? We really want be as prepared as possible for our baptism because it's coming up!" We were planning on telling them that we needed to come over every day anyway but they were just one step ahead of us. So solid.

 

Manual is another one of our super solid investigators. We had a lesson with him last night as well and the first things he said to us was, "Hermanas, I read the chapter you assigned me, and then I loved it so much that I read the next chapter. Then I read it again."  What?! Haha I have never witnessed such prepared people in my life! We invited him to a baptismal date and he prayed about it right on the spot and then accepted it. He is so awesome, he's this super intelligent 54-year-old Cuban guy that has traveled all over the world! His family lives back in Cuba. But this guy knows how to dance! We had our ward Christmas party this past Saturday, and he came and showed everyone down! It was so cool! I'l try to send a video. But he told us that right when he walked in the church building and saw the painting of Jesus Christ, he thought to himself, "This is my place!!" Haha so prepared. So solid.

 

Randon stuff this week:

--I got to go on exchanges with Hermana Hughes last week!! It was quite the reunion! It was cool to see each other's progress since we were companions two transfers ago. We saw a lot of cool miracles with her investigators. Loving investigators and everyone is the most important and most effective way to be a missionary. Hands down.

--We went Christmas caroling to some of the members' non-member friends last night and it was so powerful! So many of them cried! Spreading the gospel through music around Christmas is the best!!

--The weather has been so perfect lately! Last week it felt like Utah but this week it feels more like Spring or Summer. Try not to get too much frostbite up and Utah and I'll try not to get too sunburnt down here in Chula!

 

During this week, I want you all to imagine yourselves being present at the birth of Jesus Christ. What gift would you have given him? What would you give him this Christmas? My amazing companion asked this question to a less-active family in our ward and they committed to coming to church one time before the year is over as their gift to Jesus Christ. So cool and powerful! So I just want you to think about what you want to give Him for Christmas this year. Maybe more time? More service to others? Jesus Christ lives! I love you all!

 

Hermana Barnes

 

Pictures:

1) My awesome companion and I.

1) My awesome district at the ward Christmas party!

2) Some people leftover after the dancing showdown (no missionaries allowed). Manual is the tall guy in blue in the back'

Chula Vista - Week #32 - Dec 10, 2013

There can be miracles when you believe!!

Familia!

 

WHAT. A. WEEK. Oh man! I don't even know where to start. Things are getting lit on fire down here in Chula Vista!!! Even though it is much colder than you all think... sometimes it feels like good ol' Utah. So we had been struggling the last couple weeks to find new solid investigators so we started praying very specifically that we would find the people that God had prepared to receive the Gospel at this time. Ready for this? 

 

Miracle #1: We contacted the Sanchez family last week and they are so solid!! They came to church on Sunday and participated in all the classes. They accepted a baptismal date last night for Dec. 28!! Wahoo!!

 

Miracle #2: The Casto Family are friends of a member in the ward, and they've come to church twice and they participate in all the classes as well. I totally thought they were members at first. Wait for it...

 

Miracle #3: The Enrique family. We contacted Alberto Enrique and this is basically how the conversation went:

Alberto: "Is there a way I can get a Book of Mormon?"

Us: "Yes, Alberto, yes there is."

Alberto: "Okay great, I need to learn more. Can you hermanas teach me what I need to know?"

Us: "Yes, Alberto. Yes we can." 

Alberto: "Perfect. Also, I need to go to church. Do you have a church nearby that I can come to?"

Us: "Yes, Alberto, yes!!"

Ahh!! WHAT?!?! We have an appointment with him tomorrow and I am stoked! Haha I've got a lot of hope for this family.

 

Miracle #4: Manual! Oh man, basically the same scenario as Miracle #3. Where are all these prepared souls coming from?! Prayer is so real, people. Coolest week EVER!!

 

Love you all! Que tengan una buena semana!

 

Hermana Barnes

 

Pictures:

1) Mi componera Hermana McBride y yo

2) Our ugly sweater family district photo on p-day!

3) We got to take some investigators to see the temple lights! So beautiful and spiritual! I'll send more pictures later

 

 

Chula Vista - Week #31 - Dec 3, 2013

Lupe and Estreya's baptism!!, Guess where I got transferre​d..., Thanksgivi​ng, and other great stuff

Hola familia!

 

Lupe and Estreya got baptized on Saturday!! Happiest day ever!! They were both so happy. Just watching Lupe's face when her daughter was getting baptized was priceless. I love the happiness the Gospel brings to families. It's been so amazing to see them grow. Whenever Estreya gets in trouble, she reads from the Book of Mormon. That is her punishment but... she told us she secretly enjoys reading it so maybe Lupe should change punishments and take The Book of Mormon away from her instead... Haha.

 

I'm in... Chula Vista baby!! Wahoo!! It is 100% different from Ramona but I love it! I'm serving in the exact area that "The District" was filmed, how cool is that? We are even teaching one of the investigators from The District, Ofelia! She's the lady the sister missionaries were teaching and gave a church tour to. You'll have to watch it. She's so awesome! She's been investigating the church for a couple years and has been dropped and picked up again and again over the years. She has so much potential but has problems commiting because of her husband, it's tough. But she is going to get baptized this transfer, I can feel it :) My new companion's name is Hermana McBride, she rocks! She's from Holiday, Utah and has been out a little longer than I have. We graduated the same year. The area we're serving in is super cool, one part of our area is super duper rich and the other part is super duper poor. We're 10 minutes from the border and the ocean. There are so many awesome/crazy people here it's great!

 

It sounds like Thanksgiving was wonderful for you all! I hope you ate a lot of extra turkey and pie for me! I know you're all wondering what Thanksgiving was like for me so here you go. We ate at a member's house, The Gallegos, for Thanksgiving. It was great. Definitely not normal, but still good. We had fettucine alfredo, little bit of turkey, potato salad, and Flan... haha too good. Gotta love Mexican Thanksgivings! I was surprised we didn't have tacos. Maybe for Christmas with the Tamales. That night, my district went and Christmas-caroled to the people waiting in line for black Friday at the mall and gave out millions of pass-along cards and tried to teach the Gospel! It was actually pretty successful.

 

Well, I sure had a lot of gratitude on Thanksgiving for you guys and the fact that we have the Gospel. I love you all so much and I hope you have a wonderful week full of miracles!

 

D&C 78:19

Hermana Barnes

 

 

Pictures:

1. Lupe and Estreya's baptism! Cutest mother and a daughter ever.

2. Thanksgiving at the Gallegos! Hermana McBride was pretty hungry

3: I wish I could take you all to meet this investigator, Maria. She's from Spain and she is the most insane lady I have ever met! I love her so much! Just imagine the craziest, funniest, sweetest, oldest Spaniard grandma that you would see in the movies and that's Maria. Please remind me to tell you stories about her when I get home. 

Ramona - Week #30 - Nov 26, 2013

TTFN... Ramona :( But Happy Thanksgivi​ng!!

 

Hola!

 

I just got the news that I'm getting transferred out of Ramona tomorrow... :( But right when the Zone Leaders told me, I felt right about it. It was cool. But I'm going to miss everyone so much! All of the members and investigators here aren't just members and investigators. They've all become such good friends and I love them all too much! I also love Hermana Contreras to death and we only got one transfer together... so... that'll be a tough separation. Haha it'll to be hard to leave, but I know that the transfer is right.

 

What a past couple of weeks! Sheesh! Hermana Contreras and I have been having some crazy weeks full of a lot of hard work and success. What a great way to end the transfer.

 

--Such good news: Lupe and Estrella had their baptismal interview on Sunday and they're all set to get baptized this Saturday!! Wahoo!!! I am so grateful for the revelation we have received for them. It's a pretty big miracle this is happening this week. I'm so happy for both of them!! Depending on whether my new area is close enough, I'll be able to go to the baptism so that'll be awesome.

 

--Miracle: one of our investigator's brothers, Carlos, was completely closed off to listening to us last week. He doesn't like to talk at all and he seems pretty stand-offish and doesn't believe in God. He loves to play the piano though, so one day we went over there and just jammed with him at the piano. He would play one song, then I would play one, then he would, and we would just keep taking turns. It was so cool because he started opening up to us! He started asking us questions about what we believed and told us how he felt and said he wanted us to come back. WHAT?!?! Haha miracle! It was confirmed to me that it is SO important to build a relationship and show the people that you really do care and have interest in their lives so that they trust you and have the desire to listen and accpet the Gospel. So cool.

 

--I've had a lot of opportunities with music lately, it's been so sweet. The branch is going to sing at the Mormon Batallion for Christmas so they've been having choir practices the past couple weeks... and they basically put me in charge of teaching everyone their parts. Haha it is the funniest thing, because a lot of the members have never sung in a choir in their lives. So it's been a challenge, but also so cute to see them get so excited when they learn their part. They are so grateful for my piano playing, I didn't realize how grateful these people would be. I feel so bad that I won't be able to help them out anymore! But I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has been giving me so many awesome opportunities to share that talent with others. I got to play a special musical number in sacrament meeting with an Elder and some others that left to go home today. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to see Heavenly Father bless others through our talents. Don't hide your talents!! Heavenly Father gave them to you to bless other people so go bless other people already!

 

Well mi familia, I just want you to know that I am so thankful for each and every single one of you. I love you all so much. I hope you can feel my love and gratitude, because I can barely contain it! Have an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving! Eat some extra turkey and pie for me, because I might be eatin' tacos instead! Haha les amo tanto!

 

Alma 34:38

Hermana Barnes

 

Pictures:

1 & 2: Some of the members were able to take some of the missionaries to Barona, a super sweet buffet/casino, for dinner (totally looked like the great and spacious building in the midst of all the wide open land space and fields in Ramona) to celebrate a birthday... I'm surprised we were allowed to go. We only did a couple slots ;) Just kidding mom and dad, we were obedient I promise!

3: Last district picture in Ramona!

 

 

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Ramona - Week #29 - Nov 19, 2013

Continue staying tuned...

Hola familia!

Good news... We went to the temple today!!! One of the members in our branch (Cesar Chavez) got his endowments out because he is leaving on his mission soon and we were able to go!! Missionaries are allowed to go every 90 days. Wahoo! It was incredible, and always is. The temple is my favorite place to be in the world, hands down.

Bad news... I don't have any time to write again. Sorry! Next week for sure! Keep praying for our investigators! Every prayer matters! Les amo con todo mi corazon! Sigan fuerte!

Hermana Barnes

Ramona - Week #28 - Nov 12, 2013

Stay tuned...

Mi familia!

There have been problems with the computers so we don't have any time to write today. I will write next week! Be good! Love you!!!

Hermana Barnes

Ramona - Week #27 - Nov 5, 2013

Wonderful week in Wamona!

Mi familia!

 

Wonderful week in Wamona!

 

I told you already about the member in our branch, Hermana Chavez, who was just diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to have intensive surgery last month. Well, they're having three big fundraisers this month to raise money for the surgery and chemotherapy and everything else they need. So we've been able to help out and it's been so amazing to see so many people come together for this great cause. We washed cars for 4 hours on Saturday! I'll send a picture. Pray for the Chavez family! 

 

A few days ago, we brought their son, Cesar Chavez, out with us for some appointments. One of the investigators we taught, Adrianna, had a best friend that just barely got diagnosed with cancer. What a blessing directly from God to have Cesar with us to testify of trusting in God through hard times because his mom had just been diagnosed with cancer too. It's amazing to me to see how much God really is in the details. Miracles, big and small, are happening people!!

 

Have I told you that the majority of the people we talk to are illegal? Haha I love them all. Most of them are just trying to work and save money for their families that still live in Mexico. It's hard for me to see them struggling like that without their families and security, but it's such a blessing to be able to teach them and help them see that there's more joy, peace, and blessings for their families they can find through the Gospel. We are so blessed to already have the Gospel. My testimony of that grows every day, it's insane.

 

Les quiero tanto!

 

Hermanita Barnes

 

Pictures:

1. Hermana Contreras, me, and Hermano Pastor Salmoron: the cutest old man in the entire world! He gives us dulces every single time he sees us.

2. Part of the branch and some of the missionaries at the car wash fundraiser for Hermana Chavez. Mucho amor!