WEEK 10- Email QB Style!!!

 Porto, Portugal!

 My awesome Companion Sister Jones!

 Porto North Zone Conference

An awesome day!

 Me and Sister Jones in front of a cool castle. These are everwhere in Portugal.

 And I bought a butterfinger at the American store at the mall! They do not commonly sell these in Portugal, so it was kinda a big deal. You know how I like me a butterfinger ;)

Salute USA!

  Today we went on an outing into the city! It was super fun and totally awesome. The city here is beautiful. Kinda like when we went to Spain, but in my opinion prettier. Being a missionary, everything is suddenly so much more beautiful and exciting! This pic is of me on the streets of Porto.

Here are some good pastries I tried this week. They were delicious, cream in the middle and peanuts on the outside. Mmmmm the pastries are so good, so cheap, and EVERYWHERE! =)))

 This is of my kitchen. It is pretty tiny, we have a tiny washer in the background. We do not have a dishwasher (or a lot of dishes haha....we could probably get more but we are too lazy to ask.)

 This is some homemade icecream that we made. It looks so gross, but it was actually really good! 

This is what it looks like to be on a bus in Portugal. We ride the buses here all the time. It's either that or walk!

My letter home:

Hey everyone! I don't have a ton of time today, so it is going to have to be a short one! I will make a list:

1. We see a lot of old women here in Portugal and for some reason they ALWAYS are wearing purple....we call them purple grannies. Family, you will know what I am talking about. =)

2. I had a lesson this week with 4 people at once, and it was crazy! They were all talking all at once, so fast I could hardly understand what they were saying. It sounded like they were arguing with eachother! I only found out later that everything was good, that's just how the Portuguese are haha. They LOVE to talk. We have had street contacts that have lasted like 40 minutes because the people just talktalktalktalktalktalk. =)

3. I went to zone conference! It was so fun! And I WAS IN A MUSICAL NUMBER! We didn't know until we saw the program! And it was probably the highest notes ever =0.....and now someone in the ward has signed us up to sing at an upcoming baby shower! ummmm people, we are not singers! Haha I guess being a sister missionary means you are automatically musically talented. 

4. We invited 16 people to be baptized this week!

5. I put a pass along card in the hat of a sleeping homeless man...…Sister Jones dared me. =)

6. The pianist in our ward is 8 years old! They are in desparate need of a musician....when they found out that neither Sister Jones or I could play, they were very disappointed. Practice your music, boys and girls!

7. I bore my testimony in church on Sunday. Everyone thought I was so ´´courageous´´ haha.....is that code for ´´your portuguese needs practice´´? Hope not. =)

8. I ate BLOOD OF PIGS!!!!! And it wasn't even that bad. It looked like this dark brown spongy stuff mixed in with the meat.....lol What's next, bring it on!

9. We invited a man last night to be baptized. His name is Rui (pronounce the R like you are clearing your throat....so kinda like hooee)...He is an old man (surprise) and he is kinda lonely.  I think he is really interested! He came to church on Sunday and LOVED IT!!! He really loved our church because he said it felt like a family. It was a total miracle, because we had only ever talked to him on the phone. We had his number from some past missionaries. Later that night we went to his apartment and taught him the story of Joseph Smith in the doorway. I felt like I was in that garage scene in Sons of Provo because the light in the hall was on a timer and would go off like every 2 minutes. I had to keep pressing the button. But even though it was probably the most distracted lesson ever, it was SO powerful. I think he really felt the spirit of what we were saying. He said he felt ´´lift´´ when he came to church......like relief and peace. I hope all goes well and he is baptized this upcoming Sunday. I know it will bless his life more than he can imagine. 

I love you all! Big ol´ beijinhos! I know this church is true!

Sister Barron <3

Missionaries of Amial (aka best ward in the country)

We got another email the next morning!:

My zone leader let us email this morning because we only got like half an hour yesterday. And I'm really happy because we had a totally awesome experience last night!

A little note beforehand: Last week we were walking around Ermesindes trying to find a street (as usual) when we ran into our Stake President, President Gimes! He is really awesome, and he helped us find our street. We told him a little about the man we were going to see and asked if he knew anyone we could help. He gave us some names and then said goodbye and left. The next day at church he went up and bore his testimony. It was a few people after I bore my testimony.. and during it he talked about us. He said he was walking down the street and saw two ´´anjas na rua´´ or ´´angels on the street´´....he tearfully bore his testimony about the missionaries and how we are called of God, and how he knew it when he saw us that we were truly angels of God. It kinda took us aback, we do not consider ourselves angels, but it was such a sweet thing of him to say. We loved it.

We went back to see Rui that night. We love him so much. He is just drinking in this gospel. He was asking us all these questions about his upcoming baptism this Sunday, like what to wear and bring....whenever he would look away me and Sister Jones would look at eachother with these shining faces of amazement and excitement! =D We were kinda nervous though, because the night before he had talked a little about how he loves to drink coffee and how he thinks it's really healthy for him. We were not looking forward to the Word of Wisdom lesson we would have to have the next time we saw him. Anyway, the time came for us to tell him that coffee is not good to drink. He was a little surprised when we said it at first, but he immediately agreed to live by this law. It was a total miracle. It was so amazing. He said ´´Para mi, ja acabou´´ or ´´for me, its already finished´´......the spirit was so strong. He is so ready to change. He was totally prepared. He had quit smoking and drinking a few years earlier and has totally seen a difference in his life. He seems really excited for his baptism, we just hope we can prepare him adequately. 

When we said goodbye that night after praying with him, we turned to leave, and he stood outside his apartment to watch us leave, waving the whole time...and when I saw that I remembered Brother Gimes words about how we are angels. In Ruis eyes, we are angels! We have brought him something that he has been searching for, a peace and a lift that he can only find in this gospel. Each time we pray he tears up...and I know he feels the truth of what we teach. We are so excited for him and I hope everything goes smoothly for his baptism. I know that this gospel is rolling forward, we are finding these people who have been prepared, we are doing everything we can to save these precious children of God. I'm just glad I am here to witness it.

I love you guys! Stay golden!

Your Girl