It's the final Countdown

I cannot believe that this is it. I am done. Just a long bus ride and three flights left. How do i feel? Well, super happy. Really sad. Relieved. Accomplished. Excited. Nervous. Confused. Hungry. Ready. Not nearly prepared. Scared. Wiped out.

Yesterday in my last day in church, we had a really good sacrament meeting. after the sacrament they asked me to bear my testimony, and a lot of feelings that I had been suppressing came up. I had been fighting against myself all week long to stay focused and a couple times I lost the battle so I was feeling bummed out and not very worthy, but when I got up, the Spirit hit me really hard.

The mission has been the greatest thing for my life. I have learned a ton and grown up. God has helped me so many times in so many ways. Really God loves and helps those who follow Him. Basically I got up and rambled about that and then sat down and tried not to cry.

We had a miracle happen this week. We had a lesson planned with S, an investigator for her to come to the church in the evening on Thursday. She lives far away so this was to keep our legs in good shape and so we could bring a member. We waited for her for like half an hour, and nothing. Then I called her and she said she wasn´t coming because her husband was sick. So as we leave the church a guy who we had talked to a few weeks ago stopped me on the street. He said, "are you guys ever gonna come by my house, I have been going through a lot of problems and I really want to talk to you." So right then we invited him into the church and we talked. He has HIV and cancer in his leg. He was recently robbed and is without work. A couple of weeks ago we had given him a pamphlet in the street and he said that he had read it every night since then. He knows that if he follows God, his situation can be fixed. its incredible the faith that he has. He asked how to join the church because he wants to become a part of what we have. So we explained baptism and he is all over it. Then we set up his baptismal date for the 29th of October. Then on Saturday we had another lesson with him and he had started the Book of Mormon. Yesterday he came to church and liked it a lot. Hopefully he can flourish, because if he keeps going and progressing, the Lord will bless him beyond belief.

They are putting sisters here in la Paloma now, so today we have to prepare everything for them. Hopefully they don´t screw up our work, I love these people so much that I would come back and give these sisters a kick in the pants if they mess this area up.

Saying goodbye is hard, but its super weird because I am sad as can be but I can´t wipe the smile off of my face, I get to see my family again! I love you guys so much.

So how does it work to get me released? Does President W know I´m coming home?

This week goes like this. Today, p-day. Therefore, pack and buy alfajores.

Tomorrow early, leave la Paloma for good, get to Montevideo, have lunch in Paso Carrasco with a member family (ca ching) and then go to the temple. Have a family night in the mission home. Then sleep. Then on Wednesday, leave Uruguay :,( its a sad moment. Then go to Santiago Chile, then LA, then SEATTLE!!!! dang. the end is here. its not even trunky anymore, its just reality.

I am looking forward to all Mexican food and real American food. Krispy Kremes would make me cry.

I love you See you in a few days. ELDER Barry

ps. a dog followed us twice this week. we named him fitty cent. at first he was Heaton, named after our district leader, but then we saw that he has a lot of battle scars on his face, and he wasn´t responding to Heaton, so fitty caught on. its the only thing he responds to now. i HAVE grown up on the mission, i swear. hahahaha.

10-10-11-10 days to go!

Wow that is so cool that C bore his testimony! He is great! and brave, I also bore my testimony, mostly because we only had 15 people yesterday and there was a huge gap and I was sitting on the stand and I had to fill it.

Sad news. G started refusing to talk to us this week. We think that she got offended because I didn´t sit with her in conference. Along with that we had the suspition that she liked me a little too much, also has mental issues, a little. But we were ignoring that in hopes of her gaining a real testimony of the church. It didn´t get that far. Maybe in the summer the hermanas can help her out.

D said he was going to go to church and that he was going on his motorcycle so we didn´t need to go by his house, but he didn´t make it and we´re not sure why. But he has been going well. Also S is progressing, her son F had a soccer tournament in 33 this sunday so she couldn´t go. Kind of a bummer that we aren´t going to have a baptizm before the end of the change but at least we have good progress.

I´m glad the cougs won, go byu. I had an interchange with Elder A this week, he is from Honduras. It was super funny, it was pouring down rain with very high winds. Both of our umbrellas broke and we were soaked. but we had a super good lesson at night. It was with a family that they had just found. It was really awkward because elder A wasn´t taking control and I had no idea what the situation was, we ended up teaching the plan of salvation and it was really spiritual. The mom dad daughter and cousin all agreed to get baptized after they read and prayed. In the end I said the prayer and when I knelt down to pray, a bunch of water came out of my boots onto their floor. When I got up there was a big puddle where I had knelt down. But honestly like 3 or 4 cups of water came out of my boots! It was really awkward but they had a tile floor so they didn´t get angry jajaja.

Well enjoy your last full week in an empty house.
I love you guys
Elder B

3 October 2011 (never thought this month would get here!)

Well that was a super good conference. I enjoyed it a lot. for some random reason the talk about men raising their daughters really hit me, I loved that talk. Also the great talk by Elder Holland about Satan was super powerful, but only the men saw that one. That is awesome that Sam got to be the mascot, I don´t have time to write him now, but I will write him by hand, hopefully it gets there before I do.

G. went to conference with us on Saturday, but left before it ended, I didn´t see her because I was in the gringo room, but I was super stoked that she came. She is on line for the 15th, which btw is my last saturday in the field... 

This week we didn´t have high numbers, but the few lessons we had were really good and directly helping investigators to progress. For example, we saw the family S and talked about baptizm. I asked if D could really see himself baptized. He said, baptised yeah, but married no. Then other D chimed in and said that during the day she had gotten this FEELING that why not get married, what the heck, just do it. So she talked him into it. They are getting a date this week to get married later in the month. The spirit works in mysterious ways. 

I love the gospel and I know its true. I got my fight plans this week. Super weird, but the idea of leaving is becoming acceptable to me. I am used to the idea, kinda, and I feel good. Which is saying something.
I love you guys a lot.
chao

26 September 2011 (24 days and counting!)

Hello family. heck yes i am going to send emails home on the 17th! it might be lame, but it will be an email. that's cool that you finished the roof, I´m glad that I don´t have to play 14 feet off the ground with you guys.

Anyways, the area. la paloma. how goes la paloma. yesterday in church we had TWO INVESTIGATORS!!! the one that we are more excited about is named G. We have been talking to her for about two weeks, and we almost stopped visiting her because it seemed like she wasn´t really understanding. But the other day we passed by with a member and G. was having issues and she said that she needed the gospel. Then on Saturday we went by and taught the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith repentance baptism holy ghost endure til the end ) and she said that she would get baptized and we set up for the member taxi to pass by her house. It did . She came with her 4 year old C. The first hour of church we were all together for relief society and priesthood. The stake presidency talked about the correct order of the church and that only leaders can get revelation for the branch. it was way good, but there was like 90 things that they talked about that G had never heard before. She laughed out loud the first time they called our group a branch of the church, and then the priesthood and all that stuff. my oh my. But she seemed pretty enthusiatic about church and like she is going to continue. But that was basically the longest hour of my life, just hoping that she didn´t get offended or misunderstand in a bad way. Tomorrow we are going to set the date with her for the 15th of October. We´re pretty excited, but the C´s are out of town and the navy family just got back the other day, hopefully we can stay in contact with them. Good thing they have member friends.

I love you guys all a lot. keep it real.
elder b
I´ll try to talk to Sister L. at changes to tell her that I will see her bro.(There is a missionary serving in our ward who's sister is serving in Barry's mission! Small world... ~Jenny)

19 Sept. 2011

Hello.

Sadly, we only had one investigator in church yesterday, a granddaughter of the relief society president. But... we had a member family be missionaries this week! They had their neighbors over this Tuesday when we came over. We got to know them the first time, and they accepted to hear more and on Friday night we taught them the restoration and they said that they will get baptized when they know its true. It was one of the most spiritual charlas ever. The best. They couldn´t go to church because he is in the navy with the member guy and he had to work, military work isn´t something you can just skip out on. But we are really pumped to see them, because most of the other people we have we weren´t able to see this week, super frustrating, the C´s were out of town and the S's were visiting family when we tried to go. But we at least saw them once, we restarted them with the Book of Mormon. but the greatest part of the week was A and A, they are the friends of the members. they are so cool, because they are normal, she says that she knows how to make cupcakes so in the next lesson she owes us them. She was sick on Friday, so she wasn´t going to come, but she decided that they weren´t going to ditch us. YEAH BABY! This is exactly what we are trying to go for. This family wouldn´t have ever had the chance to talk to missionaries because we aren´t allowed to knock doors on the military base where they live, but if they keep on going in the route they´re going they will be an eternal family (tear drop...) I love teaching normal people.

I´m glad you guys prayed about the roof thing, you better be careful, wait until I get home to have catastrophes, okay?

dang Utes.

Never thought I would say that.

I´m glad C is a menace already I was nervous for her. But she is awesome and rad so there was no reason to worry.

I love you guys a ton my dear family, there aren´t too many of these emails left.

I realized this week that when I left on this great journey I wasn´t really ready to be adult. I have been through a lot out here. It has been rough at times, but overall the happiest time of my life. I feel like now I am finally at the point to where I am ready to be a missionary, and its time to come home. I think I grew up. a little :)

elder b

love ya

12 September 2011 38 days but don't tell Barry

hi.
That is crazy that C is already gone off to college. I'm glad that cw and k could help her out a bit. I have never met k, but she wrote me once and I already feel like we´re best friends.

This week we worked hard, but I feel like we had little success. Especially since no one went to church. With some of the people we have its amazing that they didn´t come. S on Saturday said she would come but come Sunday she couldn´t because they had to go to Rocha to be with her sister who just found out she had a lung tumor (its not a tumor! name that movie.) {Challenge from Momma Jenny: Name that movie and get a prize!}

Anyways, we set goals to keep the members more informed and to always set real appointments with the people and remind them the night before. I am determined to get baptisms this change, forget it being my last, the branch needs more people and fast.

I have a small trunky thought. My drivers license expired last week, and wasn´t it just a paper that you have to turn in to get it renewed? If possible, could you please look that up for me? 

We made sloppy joes this week. they were good.

We had a good week . Overall we did good things, it was weird not going to changes this week, but we got more work time so its all good. It is weird not being the dl, and I am not used to the new one, I was really liking talking to the zone leaders every night, both elder C (ZL) and I were bummed to not be able to talk every night anymore.

 Well hopefully my pictures get to you,

Every week we have been picking a new attribute of Christ to study and this week I picked faith, I want to study more about Christ and put Moroni's promise into effect, I know that the Book of Mormon is true already, but I also know that a renewed testimony will not only help me but more importantly the investigators.

I love you family. Keep up the good work, and don´t get trunky, it aint over till its over, and then comes the longest plane ride of your life.

chao

 elder barry

5 September 2011

Hellooooo family.
Sorry, that was a Spanish translation about the house. We weren´t planning on living in the dorms dorms, but in an apartment, you know me, I´m not dishing out dinero for a house. YYEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHH SSSS!! yes, he is going to RUSSIA! woo yeah russia! 

I´m not going to lie, its gonna be a little rough to cheer for my boys up at the Y, but I´ll catch on. I'm glad they won though. super stoked about the game we get to go to too. Go Beavs. thanks for the great package, the Dew was great and I almost cried when I saw that you fixed the racket. We ate my cake last night waiting for change calls, but nothing changed, except President is letting me have my last change free of duty. I am officially just a senior companion on a mission to baptize a million before the 18th of october.  

This week for my birthday, the branch threw a little family night party in the house of one of the members. It was super fun, well old people fun. We were in charge of games and we played church jeopardy. It was really nice of them and on my bday another sister made me a cake. I felt loved. thanks for the money, its all going towards stuff that is super cheesey that says Uruguay. 

We had a really good week. We were not able to talk to the C family because they went out of town but we did set up English class with F and his friends, and also the nephew of a member and some friends need help. Thats like 6 nonmembers in the church. Amazing. It sounds like they have a pretty rough English teacher. The S family are kinda iffy. He is super excited, but she seems less and less interested every time we go, I think we scared her a little with the word of wisdom. darn it. 

But we fuound a new family, the O's. They weren´t able to go to church, but they want to get baptized, if all goes well, it will be on the 24th of Septiembre. 

We are working or trying to work a lot with the members, and it is way better, we still haven´t gotten it into their heads 100 percent but we´re going around to them.  

My shoes are trashed, or rather, the tops are fine, but the bottoms are kinda messed up. I love it. 

Well this week I start my last change of the mission, so I am going to work my guts out and hopefully we can baptize the 9 people we have with a baptizmal date.

I love you guys a ton.
Elder B