E-Mail #45

E-Mail #45

April 17, 2012

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone!

 

 

I hope you all have had a good week. Mine for sure has been one i will never forget. First off, i didn't tell anyone but it was transfer week this last week. I didn't get transfered.....which i had guessed anyways so thats why i didn't tell anyone. So i am still here in the good old CHILLIMO. I am so glad, i get to spend another transfer with one of my favorite companions yet....Sister Larson, and we get to contiue to work at the temple open house! Last week was our first full week working at the temple open house, i worked Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. And man oh man, it has been such an amazing experience. Last wednesday it was such a huge turnout and most of the people that came through were not members of the church. It was so special to see the spirit in so many peoples eyes as they came out of the temple. You could just feel that they had a great experience. I am so thankful every day after these amazing experiences to be a part of this, to know that i am so blessed to help out in this at this time. I have had such wonderful experiences each time i've worked there, but i cant remember last weeks, but i do remember yesterdays so i will have to tell you all about those. But first off, last week on friday the group of members that volunteered to help with the tours and all other things were from the salina stake.....which includes JUNCTION CITY!!! that day i saw 20 people from Junction City. It was possibly the best day EVER!!! I cried a few times, one time i was in the gym and i looked up and saw Bishop Shurtleff making a straight line for me with this HUGE SMILE! i jumped right up and went over to him, and shook his had....although i wanted to give him a big hug, i probably would have if his wife wasn't three steps behind him to give me a big hug. I teared up and so did they, i just was so happy to see them. It felt like i was seeing my family again. Oh man, it just re-affirmed my love for those members in junction city. Such amazing people i got to serve with for such a long time! I really was so blessed to see so many of them that day! I felt like i was at home again with seeing so many of them all over. I just loved every minute of it! This weekend things got a little crazy, i got a phone call early saturday morning as we were at Sister Deardeuff's helping her, i got a phone call from home. I found out the sad news that my Grandma Barnum was not gone yet, but was going to pass away soon. It was a tough phone call to get, but i was so thankful to be with such a great companion and the wonderful loving sister Deardeuff. It was a tough emotional day. But it was okay at the same time, i as a missionary teach people about gods plan for us all the time, so i know the truth of where my grandma is. I imagine it was a wonderful greeting for her to see her parents again. Anyways, i am sorry this weeks email is probably totally weird and scattered all over the place. I currently for the last two days have had a very bad tooth ache. And as i am writting this email my mouth is throbbing so much i am trying not to cry....which i am failing at. And it hurts so much that i have no desire to focus on this email. So i'm sorry that it is weird and probably doesn't make sense!

 

 

Well to shortly sum up some of the great experiences yesterday at the temple. I had 2 ladies come up to me and ask me for a Book of Mormon. I went and got them each one and gave it to them and they were so happy, both of them were like...wow, yes, we are going to start reading this! they were so excited.

 

 

Also yesterday, i was questioned by a pastor from another church for about 20 minutes, him and his wife, they were friendly, and really nice. I answered all their questions, and later found out they were talking to another missionary, and he told me that his wife said to him 'why does this stuff make more sense than what we teach?' CRAZY I KNOW!!

 

 

I also spoke with a lady for like 20 minutes about our church and the way that we support one another and how we are all helping each other spiritually progress. She is the one i will never forget, she had tears in hear eyes a few different times as i spoke with her. You could see the spirit's light in her eyes. It was such a touching conversation with her. She really does love what we believe, i am excited for the day a missionary knocks on her door and she is ready to learn more and more!

 

 

I'm sorry this email stinks so much guys. I hate having tooth aches.....they affect me a lot. I hope you all have a good week.

 

 

Love Sister Barnum