She's HOME!!!

Coming Home: I Love You Portugal

 It was so very sweet. The Ward had a special dinner celebration for Sister Call and me. 

I adore these people.

 Saying goodbye to my dear friends in Cascais. 

My Spiky Shoes!

Final Letter Home:

As a going-away, gift an Irma in the branch gave me these awesome spiky shoes. Best. Gift. Ever. 

So many emotions, I honestly don't know what to say or how to end this saga that I call my mission to Lisbon, Portugal. I will miss the cobble-stones streets, the pastries, the short people with no teeth, the beaches, the crazy drivers, the people, my friends, my recent converts, and the other half of my heart. I was having a hard time last night imagining what it will be like to NOT be Sister Barron. It just hurts. I love being a missionary and constantly helping others. 

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our lives are enriched when we willingly give our will to the Lord. I love the way I feel like a different person, I truly love reading the scriptures and talking with Heavenly Father in prayer. 

 My last interview with President Tavares was good, he told me that I have to be careful not to become the old Quincey....haha since he is Brazilian, he said my name like "Queenss"...haha close enough, Prez. But I truly don’t want to become the old Quincey, but continue on to bigger and better things. I want to continue to grow and have a stronger testimony. I want to marry in the temple and start my eternal family. Also, in my last interview President showed me the trailer for the upcoming Star Trek: Discovery series. IT LOOKS SO COOL! Literally we are the two trekkies of the mission, and it is really fun. Haha! I can thank my Daddy for that. We both decided that Data is our favorite character.

I love you so much and I want to THANK everyone for reading my emails, sending me encouraging thoughts and emails, and praying for me. I know this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ, our Savior, is a reality. I know that we have a divine potential to be so much more than what we are now. We are eternal beings. I love the young women of the church. I honestly feel that I was sent to Portugal to find and bless the lives of women. We have the power to create and bring up God’s spirit children. 

" And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!" (D&C 76:22) 

Sincerely, Sister Barron

Week 77: God Loves You

 We all love Shadi so much. 

She came to church with us this Sunday!

 Hanging out with Shadi at the park. She is so awesome. (They made me jump into this empty pool. Haha)

 She didn't smile for the pic, but this is Virginia! She is awesome! We love her.

 Our area at sundown.

 Ballrad with Virginia!

Our Prep Day tandem adventure!

 

 I found out riding a tandem can have it's challenges.....=D

 Cool wall art near Joaos house.

Letter Home:

So last week started off with us getting to ride on tandem bikes for Pday! Me and Sister Call were all gung-ho to go and.....within the first five minutes we crashed. Hahah the streets of Portugal are crazy! There was a bus behind us and I panicked. Luckily Sister Call got away with a little bruise on her hand. I, on the other hand, got a bruised knee, and scratched elbow, hands, and hip. At least my face was saved, I need to be able to get married someday. ;)

The theme of this week is an amazing lady we met named Virginia! Last week when we went to the cute dance at the old folks home, she noticed us talking to all the old folks and she wondered who we were. So she came out of the building, despite her sensitivity to sun, and talked to Sister Call. She is so sweet, really white with really soft hands and a cute accent from Madeira. She is an older lady with a really sweet personality. She has trouble walking. The first time we went to her house, she was so excited to see us. When we said the first prayer to open up the lesson, i opened my eyes and she was just crying big crocodile tears. We stayed silent for a minute which is something rare for 3 experienced missionaries that like to talk. Then I took her hand and I said "God loves you. You are a special daughter of Him." She closed her eyes and gripped my hand surprisingly tight for an old lady. She started trembling and she whispered, facing the sky, "Thank you, Jesus." We continued with the lesson, and she said she felt something really special that she didn’t know how to describe. She said she saw a light. We continued on and taught the Plan of Salvation, which really applies to her since she had her husband and two children die in a car accident years ago.

Later on, my comps went to her house and they taught her the story of Joseph Smith (I was on a division with an Irmã of the ward. So I didn’t actually get to go) and during the lesson they showed her the picture of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. She stopped and said "I have seen this picture before. Last time, when the other servant of Heavenly Father took my hand, I saw a light. I didn’t know what it was. But I saw this image. I didn’t understand what it was, but now I know" She knows this message is true and she knows she has found the right path. She is so special and we know that it is a grand privilege to meet her. She is so committed and special and believes that we truly are servants of the Lord. I truly felt the power of the Spirit of the Lord in that moment when I took her hand. She is being guided to the truth by the family members that have passed away. Virginia is so awesome.

I love you all so much! Miracles happen in the true church of Jesus Christ.

Sister Barron

Week 76: Two Weeks Left =0

 Ballrad contacting people after church on Sunday.

 Why oh why can I not own one of these to drive on the BYU campus? I could probably fit four friends in the back. Maybe more.

This is Ariana. <3 Sister Ribero and I found her and she was baptized this week along with 2 others that I helped teach!!!

 I'm so very happy!

Letter Home: There's More To Life Then Boats

So this week was made brighter when I found out that 3 people that I have helped teach or found have been baptized. How awesome is that! (I only got the picture of one of them) I know that no effort is without purpose and that some people just take a little more time to accept the gospel. I love this message that we have and we are trying our best to share it with the most people possible.

So Ballrad had an awesome week, we did everything from Mom Dancing to writing songs to staying up really late talking (oops.) It is literally so hot here. Sometimes I think I am melting. Seriously, our house is like an oven. At night I just lay there without blankets and try to focus on the fact that I am not dying from heat. But it’s okay, at least it chilled off a little bit today. We have wonderful plans to go bicycle riding today, so that should be fun.

We took Shadi, our awesome friend, to an activity of the ward in Oeiras. We found out (unfortunately) that she lives in the area of another ward, so she won’t be frequenting Cascais. Luckily, though, our district leader Elder Smith decided that we can continue to teach her since she is a 16 year old young lady. But I really feel like it was the right decision, she really needs the Sisters. Especially now that she is going through some hard times. The activity was games with water balloons, and at one point she was going crazy, chucking balloons at everyone. Haha She is a feisty little one. I love her so much. We are excited for her baptism on the 30th.

I had the cool experience to go to Setubal and do a division with the Sisters there. It was so fun to see my baby, Sister Bravender, again. She is a total soldier and I loved seeing her. She reminded me to keep rocking out to Enya. Can do, Sister B!

The mission is so awesome and fun, and literally so physically exhausting. I think my body knows that the end is coming up because my energy is close to zero. But I know I can finish these last few weeks and THEN I can sleep haha.

Of all the random things I have accumulated on my mission (among them trinkets and trophies and thing a ma bobs), the most important thing I have accumulated is my testimony. Thanks guys, I will be majoring in cheesy declarations! But it really is true. I know this church is true. I know that the scriptures make a difference in our lives. When people decide to leave the church, the first thing they lack to do is daily scripture study and prayers. Everyone can do better. I feel it, when I am with doubt, I can read the words and my heart is softened and the truth wiggles its way in there. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is the best big brother ever. I am so glad that I can trust in Him and His plan. The other day in the grocery store, we contacted an American man. He was a self-claimed Atheist. He said "There is NOTHING out there. I believe in none of it." and I said "So, would you mind if I asked you what the meaning of life is?" (That is a good question for all Atheists) and he said "The meaning of life is being on my boat and going to the beach with my wife. That’s it." there wasn’t anything we could have said to change his mind, but hearing that just made me really sad. He is so blind to the beautiful things that the true meaning of this life really has! I respect that he has his own beliefs and I hope that he really can find happiness on his boat. As for me, I pursue a happiness that comes from family, making bonds that will outlast death, and trusting that my Father in Heaven didn’t intend for us to spend our lives on boats, but engaged in good causes that will take us to the Celestial Mansion above.

I love you all! I hope you have a wonderful week! ONE MORE EMAIL TO GO!! Haha I will have to ponder and pray to make it a good one.

Loves

Sister Barron