Teaching and Rain

Barry displaying Duct Tape Christmas gifts from the family:
Book cover, wallet, glasses case, pocket protector, and... Tie!
All handmade by those who love him best!

This week was kind of rough, we worked hard, but nowhere near as much success. It rained, hard. This place floods like mad too. We went through this neighborhood, and there was a big old lake where we had to cross the road. so, we skipped rocks with the kids that were there, then got their addresses and invited them to church, hahaha not slackers!

Yesterday it was raining soooo hard! We put our backpacks under our coats and ran from place to place because the rain gives us energy, and because it was pouring so hard. There was seriously rivers in the streets, I wish that I had had my camera...Haven´t gotten the jersey yet, but I'll send a picture of it home when I do.

WE FOUND S. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the way home from emailing you guys last week we ran into him, set up an appointment for a lesson, and had it. But then, he came to church too!!!!! I was right he hadn't quit smoking, so figured he couldn´t come to church. but we invited him and he came. I even gave him the 1960 edition of the Bible we had in our house because he was worried he didn´t have one. He is still lowering his smoking too, he is down from 4 boxes to 12 cigarettes a day.
He is so honest and real I love it. We set a new date with him and he is really excited. His new date for baptizm is the 27th of February. That day we are having a baptizm together as a zone. Everybody is going to bring one person to the Stake Center to baptize and we´ll all be there and it will be super spiritual. I am so stoked. When we were talking to S I could picture him there dressed in white at our big baptizm, and I felt the Spirit so strong at that point, it was brilliant. Thank you so much for your prayers for him.
That is crazy about Brother, uh, Bishop K. That is crazy. Things are about to be shaken up over there. I think he could do good though, that area kind of needed some renovation hardy har har. The foothills park ward! No way that is awesome. Is bishop still the bishop? That is so crazy that they changed it! That's exciting too.
My spanish is improving a lot. I can understand people really well, usually, but speaking I´m slow, but I can communicate what I want to say. We bought hats that we are allowed to wear tracting!!! I think we are allowed to because there is like a hole in the ozone here, everyone always tells us to, so we finally bought them today. They are country folk hats, not cowboy hats, but probably still shouldn´t tell dad. The rule is that we can wear these kind of hats, but not baseball hats, or I would be all over it hahaha. It also keep water out so I´m stoked because it has rained all week here, and when it rains it pours. But the Columbia coat is perfect. I stay 100% dry underneath it. I love it and it doesn´t overheat me, because even though it rains, it is still way hot sometimes.

Clapping Houses

We met this way awesome guy the other day out in the boonies.

We were out clapping houses. Clapping houses, that's what we do.

Most people have a gate in front of their house here, and the proper thing to do is stand outide of the gate and clap so the people inside know that you are there. At first I had a greeny clap, weak and kind of girly, but now my clap is manly and strong. Truth be told, the clap is what converts people. they hear my new and improved clap and they´re like, "dang! is that the spirit I feel? I suddenly have a huge urge to go swimming!"

Anyways, the cool guy we met. We were clapping doors, and we saw this sign saying that they were selling ropa "clothes" and the prices were cheap. I figured that the clothes were probably stolen, so we should check it out. So we clapped and this guy B came to the door. He had us come in and look at some clothes. they had a bunch of really cool shirts, all for less than ten dollars American. It was just him and his wife and their little baby boy living there. They are from Ecuador. That means he speaks normal Spanish, not the Castellano that they speak down here in Uruguay. So for me he was really easy to understand, because that's what I learned in school.

They were super nice, and gave us free juice. Then he showed us this jersey he had. It was a Team Uruguay soccer jersey. we were so pumped about that, its the ultimate souvenir. We both ordered jerseys, less than 15 dollars American, and they´ll be here in like a week. And because he was such a legitamate guy, we don´t have to pay until we get them.

Also, we shared a little about the church, and they were actually interested. I was loving life. It's great to see miracles every day. 

It was all in the clap.

Funny quote: "we just met her other personality, I think thats a contact." Elder B the first.The first, because I get a new companion today named, dadadada Elder B! Two Elder B's in a row. Weehoo!

Zone Conference

Hey fam! I finally got the package, and the letters from yáll.

This week was crazy. I am in Montevideo for the second time since my last email. We got to go to the temple! It was so cool, and I could understand most of it, it was in all Spanish. then we had a really cool zone conference with the president, and we got to see a few friends from the MTC that are in the other mission, it was the best ever. Now I am here do do a urine test and a blood test woohoo eh?

I'm in a huge ol´hurry, but the work is moving forward, it is the best, and we set a date in our area too, for S, it's for the 30th. Its that far away because he has to quit smoking, but he really has the desire to, so I think he can do it.

I love you guys a lot. I work hard everyday to make you proud. I sent letters home a few days back.

Love Elder Barry

New Year's Day

Hey really sorry, I've got to rush today... this week was alright, I had an exchange with a Latino for a day, that was wild. but I only taught with him for like two hours, because it was New Years Day and we spent most of the day with members. Two of the missionaries we were with were really slacking off. I felt terrible, so me and another elder went out to do contacts.

It was neither of our areas, but we still went out. even though we had slacked off most the day, we were blessed. We met this golden lady while we were knocking doors, and asked her to be baptized and she said yes! Her date is the 30th, too bad she isn't in my area hahaha. but we made sure she was in good hands.

We have met people with cool names like Macarena, Facundo, Zully, Fabiana, Jimena, and Zulma. crazy.

Love you, thanks for the emails. Barry

And... a hand written letter from November 12...

I went out tracting for 7 hours last Saturday, it was crazy. We talked to about 7 million people and a bunch of them flat-out rejected us. (even a guy with no shirt on, he was flabby too!). But we had a bunch of people listen too. We talked to these three guys, one of them was really drunk and kept yelling at us, but his friends were interested so I just preached over him. After his friends told him to shut up multiple times, he finally did, and I got my message out. His two friends both got Book of Mormons and we got hteir contact information and told them to go to church. It was amazing.

Elder Barry

Teaching with the Spirit

As you will see this is an old letter that somehow didn't get published in the blog. It has a wonderful teaching experience in it that I wanted to share with you, so even though it happened about a month ago before Barry left the Mission Training Center, I am publishing it now. ~Jenny

December 3, 2009 From Elder Barry

I heard that most new missionaries get a Latino companion, which makes me so scared that mine won't speak any English. That could be kind of tough to deal with, but for sure my Spanish will go through the roof. So part of me hopes that that is what will happen.

We had class combined with a Latino class one day this week, and it was the greatest thing ever, I understood almost every single word that the teacher said, and I gave the spiritual thought completely in Spanish. I felt like my Spanish was improving by the second being completely surrounded by Latino, so hopefully being out in the field will have that same effect.

Thanks for your email and frequent letters, they are the best... I´ll be sure to look out for drunk partiers on Christmas, because they taught us not to teach drunk people because when you are drunk you can´t feel the spirit, lame right?

Well I only have a week and a half left in the mtc, then look out Uruguay.

I wanted to tell you about my great experience last week, with the appointment with J and V.
We taught them this great long lesson, about the plan of salvation, and we really did a great job on it I thought.

Last week we had asked them to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and go to church. They weren't able to go to church, but J had started to read the Book of Mormon, in the introduction. He had underlined things to ask us questions about. It was the coolest thing ever, and we were totally able to answer his questions. But as we got towards the end of the lesson, the Spirit of the Holy Ghost was really strong, and before Saturday, while we were planning, we had talked about asking them to get baptized, because this is the last time we would be able to see them ever. I turned to elder T and said, in English, should I do it? and he said yes. so I turned to our new friends and asked them if they would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. J kind of just looked at me.

I could tell he knew the importance of the matter. He just told me that this was really serious and not a game. I agreed, I said that this is not a game that this is a really important decision. He said yeah, it was really important, but not a difficult decision. My heart leapt through my chest. He said at this moment he thinks he will be baptized, his wife too, but he needs to learn more. I said that he does need to learn more, and also needs to go to church, but that it is a really great thing and that him and his family will be blessed and I really want those things for them, because I love them. Because I love them, at that moment I felt a little slice of the love of God for these great people, and it was amazing.

Then I did something I never thought I would do. I had heard stories of this from Preach My Gospel, but thought it was way too bold to ever actually do. I asked J if he would pray to God to know whether we were true messengers, and if baptism was the right thing to do. He said of course, but then I said, right now, with us. He looked shocked and then admitted that he didn´t know how to pray. Our teachers hadn´t taught us to teach how to pray yet, but I did my best, and got the point across. so he started, then halfway through he stopped and asked me for help, even though I was just feeding him the words for how to do it, the Spirit was so strong. When he was done, elder T asked how he felt, and then said that that was the Holy Ghost.

We explained a little bit the grand importance of the matter, and then I got another thought, revelation I hope. I said, we can´t come back ever again, because we have a new area this next week, will you promise me to read more and if you feel like its right, that you will get baptized? he promised me, said it was no big deal, and they said that they would go to church that Sunday. I really hope it all works out for them, I really do love them more than I could really explain... I will miss them. I hope it all works out.

This week was awesome, we learned tons of crazy stuff in Spanish, I feel more prepared, I love you a lot. bye.

I love you tons.

elder barry

Merry Christmas

hey family! it was really great talking to you on the phone today!
here is the information for the email account that anyone can send me stuff at

urumontemission@gmail.com

well i love you all very much, you will receive a much longer email on monday i promise.

feliz navidad

elder barry

its true

P.S. from Jenny: This email goes directly to the mission. They print it out and add it to whatever mail the missionary receives that week. Since he can only receive email from family this will simplify things for the rest of you... ie. no stamps, no searching for the address, no remembering to put it in the mailbox....

Alive and Well!

Today we received an email titled:

YOUR MISSIONARY HAS ARRIVED!

Barry is now in Uruguay. He's happy. He's loving life and he looks great.

It's so good to have a picture and see that he is well!
Here is his email for the week:

Hey Dad thanks for the email early, Tuesdays are my p-day now so we got lucky. What bowl are the ducks going to?

Alright, I don't have that much time, I'm in the bus station, I got my new companion, Elder B, he seems pretty legit. Thanks for sending me that stuff, I'm glad that the elders had something to donate I'll put it to good use.

I can call you, on Christmas, just be ready, we have an hour to talk.

I love you guys a lot thanks for all your letters and love. Cheer real hard for the beavs to kill the cougars. (for those of you scoring at home... The Oregon State Beavers are playing the Brigham Young University Cougars in the Las Vegas Bowl. As alumni of both, we are very excited for the game to be played on Dec. 22 and will be cheering for the Beavers.~Jenny)

I'm so excited to be an actual missionary it's unreal, this is so crazy awesome.

I've gotta go, but I really love you.

love Elder Barry