E-Mail #39

 E-Mail #39

March 5th, 2012

 

 

 

Hello everyone!

 

Surprise, i am still in Chillicothe.....which really is not a surprise. Haha. But i am glad i am still here, I'm just not ready to leave this place. Which means i will be here when she work at the temple open house! yay, it is getting so close, i just cant wait! Last week on pday, i was able to go SHOPPING with my tax returns, it was so awesome, i got some cute new shirts, and some new flats for the summer, and of course a chillicothe hoodie! who wouldn't want that! i know you all reading this don't have one! :) Best part is, this week i am getting my hair done!! WOOHOO!! I am so excited, something i have seriously missed since being a missionary, and i am so glad to spend some time getting my hair done! I love it! 

 

 

Tuesday was a really great day, we taught so many lessons, and it was just super productive. We went back to the crazy house to meet with our new investigator Raymond. It was fun to sit down with him some more and talk to him about his relationship with god. We also found out WHY he is in longbloom(crazy house)......nothing big.....don't worry.....just second degree murder.....haha. Its okay, the guy is just an angel, literally, you can see it in his eyes. We also now will ALWAYS have a member with us when we teach him, because we KNOW president Keyes would not approve of us being there without a member present. So no worries mom! We also went to a former investigators house which was awesome, she wasn't able to talk with us because her kids were sick, but she asked us to come back, and set a return appointment.....needless to say, we have NEVER had that happen since being here. So that was pretty cool, we were excited to go back and teach her. We also were out and about checking on some more former investigators when we met this guy named bill. It was such a tender mercy from the lord to meet him, both for him and us. We found out that his daughter died a year ago, and he has just been struggling ever since. It was a tender experience to share with him how the plan of salvation provides so much comfort when we loose those we love. We left him a pamphlet and are going back tomorrow to see him again. I just know HF needed us to meet him, he said he isn't even usually home from work this early, he just got lucky that day. I know HF is aware of this man and his heartache with his daughters loss, and i cant wait to share more with him! It will be so great to give him that light and comfort he deserves. We also had another tender mercy that day. We went to the house of one of our investigators who we haven't seen in a while, and caught his wife home, who we have not been able to talk to. Well we were able to have like a 45 minute talk with her on the porch, she was super open with us about the loss of her son a few years ago, and how her faith has carried her through, and she agreed to having us back to talk with her, and share some of the stuff we have shared with her husband with her! It was just such a blessed day. I am so thankful for it. It really showed to me that Heavenly Father is aware of how hard it is to keep going in this area, and how tough it is, and how draining it can be, but he continues to show us, that as we stay faithful and strong he will bless us, and he will show us that he is aware of us! I am so thankful for those experiences, especially out here! 

 

 

 

Which it was such a blessing that Tuesday went so well, because Wednesday was STINKY!! haha

 

 

Friday was sis Larson's year mark!!! it was fun to celebrate for her, i made her a sign and put it on her bed, and then wrote all over the mirror happy year mark!!! it was so fun!! I cant imagine ever hitting a year mark, but i also never thought i would make it half way, and this Sunday is the official HUMP DAY, on the downhill of my mission time left....WEIRD!!! Of course, because we always end nights on a good note around here, we went to visit someone who missionaries had met before, to see if he was interested in learning. and he was SUPER RUDE!!! got to love those moments! NOT.....but what is cool is we have been finding a lot of people who are willing to have bring a temple open house invitation to them! I know the temple is going to bring a lot of good things, i cant wait to see the missionary work just BOOM after the open house, it will be so great. 

 

 

Saturday we went to visit some less-active members are a local rest home......haha.....rest homes.....they are fun places! Well the first guy we talked to that was less active was super nice, it was fun to talk to him. Then we went to talk to a member who had just gotten moved their the day before, who we thought might want a little uplift since she just got put there. Oh no.....she is super funny, she is super negative, and hard of hearing so she talks way loud. Sis Larson told her she was going to challenge her to not say anything negative the rest of the day. her response is 'well i don't think i can do that....I'm a NEGATIVE person' hahaha, we were giggling, she also told us how she told her daughter she refused to sleep in the bed there, it moves up and down, and it just doesn't make sense....haha, i love old people, they say the funniest things! Then she comes to church on Sunday, and it got even funnier. During sacrament there was some confusion about if everyone got the sacrament, and this wonderful old woman is saying this stuff out loud....'whats going on....oh they missed someone.....i got the sacrament.....did you get the sacrament.....they must be confused' hahaha i was covering my mouth from laughing so hard!!! it was great! and then in relief society, our teacher was not speaking loud enough for her to hear her, i guess. so after she was done teaching the lady pulled her over and said 'hunny i couldn't hear a thing you said, but your smile tells me that the things you were saying were important and good' HAHA!!! it was soooo funny!!!! I hope to be one of those old people, totally embarrassing my kids one day! They can get away with whatever! HAHAHA!  LOVE IT!!!

 

Well that's all that i have for this week. I am super thankful for this week, it has been hard, but so blessed. I have felt my Heavenly Fathers love carrying me through the tough times, and his small but big blessings every day to tell me he is aware of me! I am so thankful for those moments and those days. I am thankful that i get to serve a mission, i realize that my life would be completely different if i didn't do this, and i KNOW why Heavenly Father has me doing this. I think of how much my life has changed the last 9 months, and how much more i will keep changing before i go home. I am thankful for a Heavenly Father who knows what i need best, even when i wanted to resist going on a mission, he knew best, and he knew this is what i needed!!! I have a Strong and immovable testimony, and it will never change, i know this church is true. I know Christ lives, and i know he has done so much for me personally that i may return to live with him, and my family, but even more importantly, to see my father in heaven again. I look forward to that day in my heart so much. I am thankful for my loving heavenly father, who carries me through the tough times, who hears me complain and still blesses me, and shows me that everything will be alright ALWAYS. Thank you everyone at home for all your love and support, thank you for all that you do for me! I love you all so very much. I hope you all continue to grow closer to your father in heaven everyday!

 

Love you so much!

Sister Brooke Barnum