A Better Week

Olá!

To start off my letter this week, I just want to let you all know that I ate a goat and a bunny this week, so you should all be proud of me for trying new foods ;)

Lots of good things happened this week, even though we didn´t really find anyone new to teach. On Tuesday, we actually found and taught a nice couple in the park. They were from Brazil, and gladly let us talk to them. They asked lots of really good questions, and understood what we were talking about. While we were talking, the man was obviously touched by the spirit, for he started crying. 

Then, as we presented the Book of Mormon, he became really attached to the book. We could hardly put it down, as he was leafing through the pages. He told us that he would definitely read the book with an open heart. He even asked us to teach him how to pray!  The only downside from this visit was that they don´t live in Portugal, they live in England. 

But nevertheless, we invited them to seek out the church when they get home. I am almost certain that within the next few weeks, some missionaries in England will get a really happy surprise :).

 Also, the way we were led to this couple was something of a miracle, that I think I´ll save for my journal. 

On Wednesday, we had a Family Home Evening with an investigator family--a Mom, Dad, and two daughters. We sang a hymn, showed a short church film (Finding Happiness) and then played a game. This is a family that has already been taught since January, so they know a lot about the gospel. But the film we showed them seemed to answer a lot of the questions that one of the daughters had. It was a really good night, and I´m really excited to keep teaching this wonderful family! 

I learned how to put in a ceiling this week! Kind of. One of our members (Irmã Lourdes) asked us to come help her sons put in the ceiling in the extended part of her home. Her sons did most of the work while we just basically handed them things, haha. 

But Irmã Lourdes was really appreciative and happy that we were able to help her. No matter what type of service you do, you can always feel happy that you could help somebody else.

I want to end my email by saying that I know the Lord guides and listens to His missionaries! Yesterday we were eating dinner at a less-active member´s home. He is a friend of the Elders, and always helps them out. He comes to Sacrament Meeting every once in a while, but he always talks badly about the members, and isn´t very respectful towards Heavenly Father.

 While we were with him, I silently said a prayer, asking Heavenly Father to help me know how best to help this member. To be able to know what to say to him. A little while later, I started talking, and I don´t even remember what I said, but what I do remember is the strong spirit that was there afterwards, and the more respect this member had in how he acted. I also remember feeling lots of love for this member and for the branch of the church here in Castelo Branco. 

I miss and love you all! I hope you all remember how important each of you is to our Heavenly Father!

Love,

Elder Barker

Olá

Olá Familia e Amigos!

This week was a week of lots of changes!

A new companion; a new district; a new area; new members.

Tuesday was the day that we had transfers, but we also still had to have our last district meeting. I was grateful to be able to see the missionaries in my district one last time, because I really became close with these missionaries. Under the leadership of our district leader, we set realistic but challenging goals for the transfer, and worked hard to achieve them. Together we fasted each Sunday, we prayed for each of our branches ( Abrantes and Tomar), we called to give support to one another, etc. Each Tuesday District meeting was not only uplifting, but  they were always fun as well. I will always be grateful for the time that I had in this district, and for the missionaries that I was able to become friends with : Elders Santos, Maloy, and Pratt, and Sisters Cabañas and Peixe. 

Monday was the day that I had to say goodbye to our youth, Diamantino, Jesualdo, Rosa, and Claudia. We went to their house, I shared one last scripture with them, and then I let them know about the transfers. I was doing ok, until the end when I had to say goodbye for the last time, when the tears started coming. It was so embarrassing :). I am so grateful to have been able to teach these youth, and to see Rosa and Claudia be baptized. This family truly is a special family, and I am confident that they will stay strong in the gospel. 

I will never forget the experiences and the things I learned in Abrantes. This branch really became something like a family to me, and I was so sad to have to leave. I actually think that I cried more having to leave here, than I did when I left home. I loved the branch of the church in Abrantes, and I am forever grateful to have served there for four months. 

But now, I am in Castelo Branco! My new companion is Elder Tavares, from Cape Verde. He has been on his mission about three more months than me.  He speaks a little bit of English, but not too much, so we speak in Portuguese all of the time (How many native companions have I had?). From what I´ve seen so far, he´s pretty nice :).

The city of Castelo Branco is a lot bigger than Abrantes, but a little smaller than Leiria. The church here is small though, with about 25 active members. The chapel is another rented space, but is bigger and has more rooms than the chapel in Abrantes. The city is about 50 KM from Spain, and we can actually see some of the mountains of Spain in the distance. I can already tell that this area is different than Abrantes, and that it has it´s own challenges. But I am willing to work and I hope to be able to give Castelo Branco my best!

I hope you all had a great Easter and were able to feel the love of Christ and His Atonement in your lives yesterday! Even though none of the members invited us over to eat for Easter, I didn´t mind. We had the opportunity to go from door to door to to wish random strangers a Happy Easter! I am grateful that I can serve a mission for my Savior, and the only thing I want to give Him is my best! I am grateful for the things that I have learned on my mission so far, and I am excited to continue to learn!

I love and miss you all, and I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Com Amor, 

Elder Barker

PS. Sorry I sent this so early, my companion likes to email earlier in the morning here :). 

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Baptisms of Manuel and Susana; Abrantes---> ???

Olá!

So two big events to talk about this week: 

1) Manuel and Susana!

They were baptized this past Saturday, and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday! Manuel was baptized by Elder Roque, and Susana was baptized by Elder Santos. We really tried to focus on them this last week, to make sure that they could really take this step in their lives. We made sure to contact them everyday (whether by phone or a personal visit), and we fasted at least twice this last week. Every prayer that we said, we made sure to include them. In the end, they really were ready for baptism. 

One time as we were at their house this last week, I saw that Susana had been marking certain verses in her Book of Mormon. I became so happy to see this! From the time that I met Manuel and Susana in January until now, I have seen such a change in them. I have been able to see them progress in their testimonies, and truly become converted to the gospel.

Their baptism was held in the chapel of Tomar, because Abrantes still doesn´t have a baptismal font (we have a river, but Susana wouldn´t let us baptize her there, haha). Practically no one in our branch has a car, but a lot of them wanted to come to the baptism. What did we do? The Roques borrowed the mission van and we stuffed everyone into it, haha. We were lucky that one other person had a car, because we were able to have a seatbelt for everyone! It must have been funny to see us arrive in the van, but oh well, we made it to Tomar. The baptisms went very well ( well, maybe besides the fact that Manuel almost drowned, lol), and I hope Manuel and Susana felt lots of love and support.

Sunday they received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and I could tell that they could feel something different. The members are starting to get to know them a little bit more, and are befriending them more easily as well. This Sunday was also Testimony Meeting! Manuel got up to bear his testimony, and it was so touching. He bore a true testimony, and he did so reverently (unlike in January...). It was a great weekend for them, and I am so greatfull for all of those who included them in your prayers this week. I know without a doubt that those prayers helped, and that Manuel and Susana could feel the strength of them. 

When I went up to bare my testimony, I had to do it quickly, because when I thought about how much I am going to miss this branch, my voice caught in my throat. 

why?

2) because I am being transferred to Castelo Branco!

I have been serving in Abrantes for three transfers (or since December), so I knew that I might be sent to another area this time around. We received the phonecalls last night, and we learned that I will be serving in another small branch a little further north. 

Honestly, I wanted to stay in Abrantes! The branch of members here have turned into my family, and I am not looking forward to saying goodbye. I feel that I have learned a lot here in Abrantes, and that I have changed as well. When we go to our "jovens" tonight, I know that I will cry, haha. I love Abrantes so much, and I was looking forward to the success we would have this next transfer. But, I know without a doubt that every area, every transfer happens for a reason. Before we received the phonecall, I had said a prayer that I would go where He wants me to go. And so, I´m going to Castelo Branco! I know that I will learn a lot there as well, and that there are people that I need to meet there! 

I miss you all, and I love you all so much!

Wish me luck in the next chapter of my mission!

Com Amor,

Elder Barker

8 Months Serving the Lord

Olá!

I usually base my emails off of what I write in my journal during the week, but it seems that I slacked off in the journal department this time...haha. Lots of good things happened this week though, so I will do my best to remember them all!

This last friday, we had a branch activity! Our mission presidente wants every ward or branch in the mission to have a specific activity planned by the missionaries each month. This month´s theme was the Plan of Salvation. With the help of the Roques, we were able to plan a pretty good activity! We had each room of the chapel represent a stage of our eternal life ( Pré Existance, Our life here on Earth, and Life after death), with food, videos, and short explanations. 

However, the end was the best part, because we surprised Elder Roque with a birthday cake (it was his birthday the next day)! He had specifically told us that he hates to be surprised, and didn´t want anyone to know it was almost his birthday. Well, Sister Roque didn´t listen to that, haha. We sung happy birthday (the portuguese version), and celebrated his birthday there with most of our members. I´m sad that I didnt take any pictures, but it was still fun.

Manuel and Susana--I am so excited for their baptisms this Saturday! Everything seems to be falling into place for this to happen this time! They came to two sessions of General Conference this weekend, and seemed to enjoy it. In fact they came to one of the sessions where none of our members showed up, haha.

 In one of the lessons we taught to them last week, we brought one of our members, and I am so grateful we did. The member we brought with us was able to get to know Manuel and Susana a lot better, and was able to become friends with them. She didn´t help much with the teaching (in fact she said a few things that made us cringe, haha), but what matters most is that Manuel and Susana were able to feel welcomed by her. 

We are trying to do everything possible to help Manuel and Susana this time. All of my prayers have included them. We will have contact with them everyday. We have fasted for them two times already. One of those fasts, we did as an entire zone of missionaries for all of those people who have a baptism date. Our zone leaders sent out a message with the names of those we should fast for, and when I saw the names of Manuel and Susana, I felt so touched and so grateful for everything. 

When I think of them, all I can feel is pure love, and I know that that is the love that Christ has for them. I know that if we continue to work and have faith, everything will go well this weekend. I just ask that you guys pray for them as well!

This weekend we had General Conference (where the prophet and apostles and other leaders speak to all the members of the Church around the world). To watch the sessions live, we watch them at 5pm and 9pm on Saturday and Sunday. The 5pm sessions we watched in the chapel with the members, and the 9pm session we watched half of in the chapel by ourselves.

 I always love General Conference and the guidance we receive from Heavenly Father through our leaders. I always try to take notes, because if I don´t, I will forget everything, haha. 

I think I got the most out of the 9pm Sunday session, because I decided not to listen to help myself, but to try to find ways to help others through what I learned. I felt so much more guidance this way, and I felt the Spirit so strongly. 

I love you all, and I hope you all can follow the counsel that we find in General Conference to live joyfully, follow the Savior, and to have an optimistic view of the future! 

Com Amor,

Elder Barker

P.S The picture that I´m sending is of me and Celso Mendes, the cousin of Jesualdo, Rosa, and Claudia. He is leaving today to live in Guiné-Bissau again for a year. We will all miss him!