Our entire zone of missionaries going to Portugal!
You can never get bored of pictures
of groups of missionaries standing
in front of the temple, right?!
At least you get to see our different outfits. =)
Letter Home:
This week was pretty hilarious so I will make a list of the funny things that happened this week:
1. So every Sunday night all the missionaries get to watch a movie. It's always a gospel related movie of course, but everyone still gets a little thrill from actually watching a movie. Haha a lot of people like to watch the Joseph Smith movie because it has a little bit of romance when he meets his wife, Emma. hahahah missionaries are so goofy. Anyway, my family sent me some microwave popcorn in the mail and me and Sister Dixon went a popped it beforehand so that we could eat it during the movie. Oh my goodness EVERYONE was looking at us haha. The smell must have been driving them crazy. Sister Barron and Sister Dixon are here!!!
2. So me and my district decided as a group that every time we are late to class at 7 in the morning we have to do 10 pushups as a punishment. Well the sisters and I HATE pushups, so every morning it is a frantic sprint to the classroom in the darkness. Haha running with a huge bag, in a skirt is not my idea of fun. I always think I am in a nightmare or something. But hey, what better way is there to wake up than by running in the freezing cold in a skirt? Haha
3. Another district challenged us to a "tower challenge" where we try to eat all the cereal in one of the cereal dispenser thingies. That is A LOT of cereal! Honestly I was afraid. But we all worked together and we downed that baby! Haha I never want to eat frosted flakes again. I'm pretty sure one of the elders almost threw up. Wow I just looked out the window and it is snowing like crazy! Time to wear my tights!
4. A sister in our room (Sister Runyan) received nerf guns in a package. We had soooo much fun ambushing random people outside and in our hall. I am not kidding, I think they are sending all the crazy sisters to Portugal. We cry laughing probably everyday. I am having so much fun with them.
5. Sister Dixon's skirt was wayyy to big on her, so one day I brought my tiny sewing kit to class and we went into a study room and I fixed her skirt! We just kept hoping no one would walk in on us. Thanks mommy for teaching me life skills like sewing!
6. Me and Sister Dixon had a dance party this morning. But because we can't listen to music, we had to get creative. I set my alarm for a minute in the future and when it went off we went crazy! It was actually wayyy more fun than I thought it would be. There's even a drop and everything! Haha we will definitely do that again. Go and try it!
Okay, so that you know I don't just goof off all day, I will now tell you guys some of the more serious spiritual experiences I have had. There have been plenty and I love it!
This week was fast Sunday. We resist eating food for two meals and the money we would have spent on that food goes to those who need it. All church members do this once a month. It was such an awesome experience. I felt like all of us, youth together in the gospel willingly giving up food for two meals, was such a power for good. It shows that we have self control. If I can't resist the temptation to eat a pop tart, how will resist when Satan really throws a curve ball? I am so glad that I had the opportunity to fast with my fellow elders and sisters. We also got to go to mission conference with the whole MTC! We had awesome speakers, they all had really uplifting things to say. Our leadership here is truly divinely inspired.
I also had the opportunity to have a temporary transfer for a few days. I switched companions for 2 days. I was working with Sister Steagall. She is such a spiritual power and so talented in the language! Our lessons together were like a piece of art! The spirit was so strong. I am so glad I got to work with her. She is funny because whenever she starts laughing she literally cannot stop for probably 10 minutes. Then I start cracking up watching her. It's a never ending cycle. I loved working with her.
The language is going great! We are now learning all different sorts of verb conjugations, like preterit and imperfect and stuff like that. I am understanding pretty much everything we talk about! I know that once I actually get to Portugal the language will probably punch me in the face, but for the MTC my language abilities are totally sufficient! I love it! I have so much more capabilities than I ever imagined. I always thought I was bad at learning a language, and here I am, entirely capable of having a gospel discussion in Portuguese! Like what?! I totally believe the gift of tongues is real. Us missionaries are totally blessed.
Me and Sister Dixon are loving our duties as zone sister training leaders. We get to welcome a bunch of new missionaries into our zone this week! We have 7 sisters coming in and 3 elders! Wow, soon the number of Sisters will succeed the number of Elders in the MTC! Wow, sister power! I love feeling so useful in the hands of the Lord.
This week I have read this one chapter in the Book of Mormon over and over. It is so applicable for so many things in our lives. I used it in multiple lessons and discussions. It is 2 Nephi chapter 31. In it, we can read the actual words of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He just wants us to "follow" Him. He lead such a perfect life, all we can do is try our best and do everything in our power to be like Him. I challenge you all to read this chapter. If you don't have the Book of Mormon, you can access it online for free. I love you all and I know these words will uplift your day as it did mine.
This week I have read this one chapter in the Book of Mormon over and over. It is so applicable for so many things in our lives. I used it in multiple lessons and discussions. It is 2 Nephi chapter 31. In it, we can read the actual words of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He just wants us to "follow" Him. He lead such a perfect life, all we can do is try our best and do everything in our power to be like Him. I challenge you all to read this chapter. If you don't have the Book of Mormon, you can access it online for free. I love you all and I know these words will uplift your day as it did mine.
Thank you all for your sweet emails and kind words! I read them all and I love hearing from you! I know most of you probably won't read this, but I just wanted to put my testimony in here in Portuguese. I know this church is true!
Eu sei que Deus e Jesus Cristo vivem. Eu sei que eles querem ser um parte de nossas vidas. Eu tenho muito amore for meu Salvador. Eu sou grato servir uma missão for meu Senhor. Eu tenho muito saudade estar com meu Pai Celestial em céu, mas Eu sou grato por este opportunidade servir. Eu sei que nos somos mais poderoso que nos sabemos.
Keep up your growth! I love you all!
Sister Barron
