Jun 21- One midnight gone

So!

I have officially moved in!

-And the last seven days didn't count because...?

Because I finally unpacked the last box, So now it's official! ha ha ha!

Ok but seriously, one week done! Woot!

It's a really mixed ward. It's so cool. Like there are Tongans, Samoans (Hey! Sule!), Mexicans, white folks, Europeans, and Asians! Pretty cool. and the work is pretty good too.

We are working with some cool people and helping them to see how the gospel can help them in their lives.

OH the other night when we were trying to contact a family that we are working with there was this guy and his son getting their fishing pool and gear all together, so I asked him what he was fishing for, and It turned out that he was going of for mackerel! AHA HA HA HA! My specialty! So We chatted a bit about the best kind of jigs to use and about that kind of stuff and then we talked a little about the gospel. He wasn't too interested but Hey! It was cool to have a quick connection like that. Those don't come around like that everyday.

So, we had dinner with Brother Harmer, the second counselor in the bishopric, and his family, so fun. But in the closing prayer I said, "Help us to have more opportunities to open our mouths and share our testimonies with those around us." and after the prayer Brother Harmer said, "I just received revelation! Elder Barker, would you give a talk in sacrament meeting this Sunday (two days away)." ... so I got to speak my first week in the area! Brothers and sisters!TALO-O-O-O-FA!

Speaking of Samoan phrases I learned a new one: Fia ai. That means "feed me" and then Fa a Fe Tai Fai Mea ai. That means "thank you for making the food." very important phrases in Polynesian culture. ;)

OK, so one cool character in the ward is Ron. He is a Samoan who is getting all of his papers and stuff together to go on a mission. He's so cool, and He's a midget. He's like a Polynesian hobbit! we take him out to lessons with us all the time. way cool.

Elder Robertson is way cool too! I wrote this in a couple letters but He seriously reminds me of Cousins. He is a mix of Kimball barker and Zach Davis! Too fun! We are doing really well together.

Well... That's all for now... I think.

Thank you sooooooo much for your letters emails and such. I received a package this week with a wonderful gift in it. Thank you all for that, and thank you Emily for putting it together. it was an awesome pick me up. You all rock! and If I was to describe you all in one word it would be: The-greatest-people-that-I-could-ever-wish-to-be-friends-and-family-with.

I love you all!

Catch you on the flip side later!

-Elder Barker

Jun 14- I've moved (but address is still the same).

So... Now I'm in South Coast! YAYAY!!!!!

And I'm In car again! YAYAYAYAY!

And I have a new companion, Elder Robertson! YAYAYAY!

And KAYLEEE GOT BAPTIZED YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYY!

SO, Let me up date you on some of the highlights of the week.

Monday We tried to be nice and help the other elders to have enough time to email and do that kind of stuff, but the library in our area was a mean bunch of money grubbing blaaa so... that didn't happen.

Tuesday was a long and tiring day. And It was so funny. I was reading Elder Ballard's book "Our search for happiness" and he was talking about how if you don't believe that the lord is with the missionaries just spend some time with them and see what they have to go through and how they can't go through that without the help of the the lord. And I thought to my self, "Well, It's not that bad." Oh-Oh-Oh... That was asking for it. So all day we had cancellations and everybody was not home and madness! So... that was Tuesday.

Wed was crazy and mom we had a sort of similar situation with a family for dinner on wed. So! They had signed up to feed us and we called on Sunday to put the time at 5:30 because we had a potential lesson at 6:30, and it was all good. and Tuesday night we figured we didn't have to double check, but when we showed up for dinner the mom was like, "What are you doing here?" So... we were like, "um You signed up for dinner" and so she whipped up some grilled cheese sandwiches. Ha ha. Ooops.

Thursday was good, but not too eventful.

Friday Kaylee passed her Baptismal interview! and we talked to her mom and she was like, "It's amazing ! I'm coming yo church, I want to be active, I see that Kaylee is having a good time . And just a few months ago I said, "Don't even try to convert me! Cause I won't!" You guys are amazing." Too nice, but it wasn't us doing the work. That was the spirit prompting her and that was her following the promptings.

Sat we worked all day and at night we got the transfer call, Elder Saxton is staying in Garden grove and training a greeny. and I am off to south coast. Sad But I'm ok with it.... now.

Sunday! KAYLEE GOT BAPTIZED! It was soo good and the young women sang and her family was there and her friends came too and a whole bunch of people were there to support her and it was great! and I accidentally dropped my camera and it now says lens error. Arrgh. Hopefully I can get that fixed. then we went over to Kaylee's and gave her a memory book with testimonies and congratulations from everyone who came and with pictures we printed off and it was so good to give it to her and I LOVE THAT FAMILY! they were so sweet saying that they want me to visit and write and I was in tears by the end of our visit. The spirit has worked in that home and now it is moving in the direction that Heavenly father wants them to be. SO COOL! It's amazing.

Hurrah for Israel!

Well. Thank you for your letters, emails, packages, cards, well wishes, prayers, vibes, and thoughts. I couldn't do this with out you.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Be well.

_elder Barker

June 9- Sorry Sorry Sorry!

There was an earthquake! The flood gates broke! The sewer backed up and a sludge monster took over down town Garden Grove! I was stuck in traffic! the Freaking library was full and they wanted me to pay $45 to get a library card! WHAT! (yes that last one was true.)

So sorry about the radio silence. I bet you were thinking," ok, either he's dead, or he lost his Internet privileges because of selling his internal organs on ebay for outrageous prices" (Kidneys by the way are going for $50 a pop. any takers? eh? eh?)

But seriously, Things are fine here. We're fine, I'm fine we're all fine. How are you?

SO! Update! Monday was memorial day...

Tuesday! We taught Kaylee and then had an awesome meeting with Bishop About how we can work better at fulfilling the ward mission process, and all that fun stuff.

Wed. We did a bunch of crazy fun stuff. then later, because last Sunday Brother Schenck asked us to be a part of the youth's mutual thingy where some older members of the ward shared stories from their missions, we dressed up as really old missionaries (like 1850's) it was fun! We wore beards and had cool hats and there are pictures in the mail! It was so fun!

Thursday: We tried to work the spirit gum out of our side burns. Ouch. and we taught Kaylee more review about the plan of salvation, and the great conversation of the day was this:

-Hey! Watch out! My dog will get you. Didn't you see the sign?

(this is all in Spanish mind you)

-We don't see any dog.

-Yeah but he's right there, watch yourself! He'll kill you!

-Hm.... ok. Well in the meantime, can you tell us if Noel lives here?

-No one by that name lives here. Watch out!

-look Mame, we are servants of God. A little dog isn't going to hurt us because we are protected by God.

-Do you want me to get him?!

-Sure!

So she went to the end of her drive towards the back of the house and opened the gate to the back yard, and out trots this chocolate lab. HA ha. The dog was more scared of us that we ever would have be of it. Silly lady. Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on us! ;)

Friday: crazy planning for the week. and a Delicious Dinner at Kaylee's. They are so cool. Sister Francis made fried chicken and we had a party with a couple of Kaylee's friends from church.

Saturday: We had tried to arrange a tour of the family history center, but everyone fell through, humph... So it was a very long day.

Sunday was madness! We had a million meetings where we presented training and assignments to people and is was crazy hectic teaching 13 yr olds and surprise investigators showing up at odd times and sharing messages in other classes and it was a roaring good time!

And now you're caught up!

So transfers are this up coming Monday. :( I'm scared to hear what the transfer will be. I don't want to leave. I don't want Elder Saxton to leave. I think we should stay forever! so there! 'cause transfer calls are awfuller than all the awful things that ever were I don't want to go off don't want to move out or to ship off- Not ME. _not I -NOT ME! SO THERE!

Ok That's most of the fun and fancy free that's been flying around this part of town.

Thank you soooooooo Much for your cards, letters, emails, pictures, prayers, thoughts and all that jazz. I need it.

You are the bestest ever! and I love you all!

be well.

Catch you on the flip side laters!

Jun 9- BAAAAHHH!!!

Happy Memorial day everybody!

so, because the libraries ere closed last Mon. I am writing a quick email today!

So sorry if it's abrupt but TIME TIME WHO'S GOT THE TIME!!??

Mon: We had a loverly Family home evening With Kaylee, and it was wonderful!

Tues: We had some miracles! We had been praying to find a bike for one of our less active youth so he could bike to seminary and LOW AND BEHOLD a friend of ours was moving back to Washington and He had to get rid of his bike! HALLELUJAH! and then we had a great meeting with Bishop!

Wed:The night of the screaming children! What was the problem eh? I don't get it. Every time we would be talking to someone their children would start screaming. No matter what we did and it would be at the worst THE worst moments. Right during the opening prayer, in the middle of a testimony or du4ring a scripture. Why?!

Thurs: Exchanges we crazy! I was in my area with a different elder. and My spelling has become horrid. Sorry. We had some great lessons and committed one of our less actives to follow the Word of Wisdom and give up the Coffee.

Fri: PLANING MADDDNESSS!!!

SAT: miracles with changing Kaylee's bap from the 20th to the 13th! YAYAYAYAYAY!

Sunday was Sunday.

MAY 17- A Wop Ba-ba Loo Bop!

A Wop Bam-BOO!

Wow what a week.

Sorry I don't have much time to write all the crazy details so I'll just sum up quickly!

Mon: was Monday, and it was rather uneventful

Tuesday: We did some major searching for potential investigators from years ago. Like the records we found these in were buried under a pile of bones found in the land northward old. And because they are old we ran into a lot of situations where the people had moved. One we got to the trailer park and went to the lot and the whole house was gone. We figured either they were taken into heaven like the city of Enoch or they fled into the wilderness with all of their household. ha ha,

Wed: we had the funniest thing happen. We had a lesson with this lady and at the end we asked if we could leave with a prayer. she said yes and got to her feet and stretched out her hands to hold hands during the prayer. OK- not too weird, but then her yippy black poodle started up and wouldn't stop, so Elder Saxton and the Lady both took a paw and included him in the prayer circle. HA HA.

Thursday: Was Busy buys busy, and Yet nothing worth mentioning happened.

Friday: was another long day of planning out the next week.

Saturday: the youth had a fifties dinner and did a song skit thingy with the music from Grease. Ah Grease: good times great memories. I MISS YOU GUYS!!!!! Anyways... That was fun!

Sunday: started out like any other Sunday. Kaylee made it to church and things were normal when what to my wondering eyes should appear but the Jeff Davis Clan and My Dear Kajirsty-Beerst! WHAT! Crazy stuff. Yes, they crashed our sacrament meeting. So silly. Although it was great to see them I DO NOT SUGGEST IT TO OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS! The only reason it worked was because they were busy heading off to the next place and I was busy trying to keep track of people and heading to class. But... Worlds Colliding.. not good.

Anywho!

I love you all! SOOO MUCH!

Thank you all for your letters and cards and warhead drops and Stuff.

Catch you later!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Hello!!! MAY 10th

Goodness gracious Great balls of fire!

What a great end of a pretty good week. It was soooooo goood to talk to you Mom and Dad. I think I can make it another 7 months.

So this week started out with a busy preparation day. we had lessons scattered throughout the day, and in the evening we had a lesson with a former investigator who half way through talking with us, turned pale, rushed inside and promptly threw up all over the floor. Thankfully it wasn't because of us that he threw up it was that he had eaten tooo many hot Cheetos.

then two days later when we came back for our follow-up appointment he was tripping out on vicadin or something. It was weird. he was like chattering his teeth and mumbling to himself and weird stuff. Just WEIRD. So... That was fun. And we got to be doctors for a minute or two, his mother was like, "Do his stitches look right to you?" and thankfully I know enough medical terms that I could flounder my way through a response that sounded educated, "Yes, but I think that 20 milligrams of morphine and a day of bed rest and preparations for a rectal ectomy and 50 cc's of hydrocloridoxid at 30 min intervals in an intravenous drip to avoid infection of the retinas would be good." Fun stuff.

We were able to meet with Kaylee everyday this week! WOOO HOO! so that was totally Awesome! She is so ready to be baptized, all we need to do is set a date! It's been great teaching her, because her grandma (Frances Francis) has been sitting in on our lessons and has really felt the spirit too, and it has changed he totally around. It's just great to see how the Gospel helps people to be better.

We did a bunch of organizing of our ancient records from like ten years ago. We put our potential investigators in areas so when we are over there we can check up on them and see what their stories are, and good stuff like that. but because we were preceded by a bunch of unorganized missionaries we spent quite a bit of time planning and fileing and My dreams have been full of those mundane things like counting rocks and sorting papers and stuff like that. THERE IS NO ESCAPE!

Anyways. The one conversation that was kind of funny, kind of strange, Besides the guy tripping out on his drugs, was this one guy who said, "So I know you guys volunteer for this- but what do you get out of it?" -The joy of service. "No, no. Not that. You know. Don't they like at least pay for you schooling or give you a high position or something?" -No... that wouldn't be volunteering anymore.

Elder Barker's Statment of the week: Little dog's need to be swept off the face of the earth. Or at least sedated.

And... that's all for this week.

Thank you all for your letters and emails and love and support! I wouldn't be able to make it with out you.

I LOVE YOU ALLL SOOO MUCH!

Be well.

Be happy!

-Elder Barker

It's the most wonderful time of the year -MAY 3rd

(Seriously? he's starting off the subject with Christmas music again? I thought we were done with that. Oh well, If he thinks he's being funny I guess we'll humor him.)

HELLO!

So, a reason for the Christmas quote, We just had the most wonderful Sunday. Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came and it was Amazing! He is so fun, and funny, and amazing, and I could listen to him all day and not get tired. Wow what a joyous experience to be in his presence. I have had similar experiences twice before. Once when I met Elder L. Tom Perry, and then when I met Elder David Bednar. Those men are amazing. What a testimony to me that they truly are called of god. The glow that radiates off of them is just- ah I can't describe it. Check out Heleman 5 for a reference.

He shared a cool story about most breeds of cow that face their rump into the wind when the snow and winds come and get blown down hill up against the fence and then die, and then another breed that faces head on into the wind and weathers the storm. It was cool to see how when we face things head on and ask help from God we can make it. He also talked about how we need to stand as witnesses of Christ and many other things he did tell us that, if I had time I would share but... I don't so I won't!

Um... other that that... OH! Transfers happened AND! I'm still here in the same area and Elder Saxton is still my companion! Huzzah! This is going to be a great transfer. Hopefully we can get some awesome work done. We see what the ward needs to do and the tricky part will be helping them do it. But challenges are fun right? Of course right.

Things are going good. We are meeting with Kaylee and helping her to understand things better, but the funny thing is that she already gets it and knows it. It's so fun to teach her.

Oh funny line of the week: "Oh sorry we're headed out to the doctor's right now."

-Oh, but we're here to share the gospel with you and how God has a plan for you. This message answers the questions we all have, namely 'Where did we come from?' 'Why are we here?' and 'Where are we going after this life?'

"Well we already know where we are going."

-You do! Wonderful. Where are you going?

"To the doctors. Goodbye."

ha ha ha.

And another experience I gotta share:

We were biking along and we saw this guy at the bus stop. So we pulled up to him and Elder Saxton said, "Hi! We're out here sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people. Do you believe in Jesus Christ?" the guy (who had orange curly hair, freckles and a poofy orange beard said nothing but looked around in a non-engaging kind of way. "Well, we'd love to share this with you," Edler Saxton continued, "What do you believe about God?" The man still said nothing, but he spat on the ground and glarred around him. "Can I at least give you a card?" Elder Saxton asked. And the man answered, "Are you looking for a fight?!" "Um... no," was our response. "Then keep going. Just keep going." "but-" "Keep Going!" "OK have a nice day!

Wow... some people.

Well that about wraps it up.

Thank you soooo much for your emails and letters, You are all in my prayers and thoughts. I love you!

Be well.

Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Barker