ERIN!!!! GO BRAGH!!!!!!

Whoa... That was a week? It was another one of those weeks that seem like a month but pass by in a day. If that makes any sense at all... I realize that it doesn't- BUT seriously... CRAZY!

 

So...Where to begin? I guess I'll start at the beginning and when I get to the end stop!

 

MONDAY: Good day. P- day is always so nice. And I ABSOLUTELY love LOVE hearing from you all! thank you so much for your updates and stories.

 

TUES: So! we had a lesson with this Spanish guy. In Spanish. and It's been a while since I've taught in Spanish....... But I guess that he understood. It was so funny, I would say something and then look at him to make sure that he understood and then he'd say the word I actually meant. So really he taught himself. I was just prompting. OH yesh, some random dude swore at us as we were riding down the street. Thanks dude.

 

WED: We finally contacted a guy who had said that he wanted us to stop by sometime and talk. That.... was interesting. He really was interested, but...(not like wanting to bash or anything) he got off on some tangent and told us all of the woes and sorrows of his life. Whoa dude. We don't need to here your confession. In fact we aren't authorized to hear your confession. STOP! GAAAAHHH!!! so... That was weird. BUT later we had about the coolest lesson ever. This girl was like AMazing! We'd teach a principle and then she'd expound on it with stuff that we hadn't even covered yet. AWESOME!

Oh yeah. We're still trying to teach Carmen, that old Spanish woman, how to read. She's having a little bit of trouble figuring out that you can sound out words or parts of words. Hmmm... difficult.

 

THURS: Crazy day. I can't even condense it. OK I'll try. District meeting, teaching Carmen some more, contacting less active members that actually turned out to be active members, Stopping by a member's apartment where she is helping a friend kick meth, long chat with an atheist dude about theater productions that he's in, got dropped by some investigators, read a bit with a less active member, raced to an investigator's home but he was busy, talked to the husband of a less active member, and then went back to our apartment. Long day...

 

FRI: Lots of lessons. OK this time I'm really not going to try to condense it.

 

SAT: Long day with lots and lots of people who were not receptive at all. Long day... In the morning we got a knock on the door. Yes, Jehovah's witnesses! When ever they knock on the door they're like:

 

"Oh... hi... Um.... 

 

*to each other:  "What do we do?"

"I don't know just give them a flyer." 

"But they're missionaries."

 "I know. But you can't just stand there looking silly."

 "Do something!"

--- Um... here's a flyer. Have a good day."

 

Yesterday was a rough day... Man, people are rude sometimes. And sometimes they have absolutely no drive at all.

 

If I saw a miracle would I recognize it?

Well, in other news, WELCOME to the world Maile! We are so happy that you arrived safely. And we're so happy that you're part of our family! Welcome!

 

KJ! I LOVE YOUR GUTS! and I miss you like a fat kid misses cake.

 

Oh yeah... I'm six months "old" tomorrow.... weird. Well I've got three more of those to go!

 

I'm so sorry to hear about Mark Brewer. it's times like those that really bring the reality of mortality into perspective. But it also is accompanied with the reminder that Death isn't an end of existence. In fact all it is is the door into the next scene. Which makes a kind of sense when you look at every exit as an entrance somewhere else.

 

I love you all. More and more each day.

 

 

Confession: I'm not wearing green for St. Paddy's. Reason: I don't have any! Ba ha ha ha!

 

So, I love you all. Thank you all for your emails, and letters, and love and all that other good stuff.

 

Be well.

 

-Elder Barker 

Whew!

HEY!

 

I love Mondays. So good to hear from you all. Things sound like they are quite mad but Insanity is just the spice that makes life FUN!

 

So! Ahhh the week was so fun. First of all last Monday we had dinner with this fun family and their son who is like... 40's I'm not sure about age But! We gabbed all evening about Theater stuff- because when he was younger he was an aspiring thespian. SO fun! and he just HAD to pull out is Ben-nye [make-up] kit and show it off and he just HAD to pull out his prized hat collection and show them off. It was such fun! Oh the theatah the theatah What's happened to the theatah?

Then on Tuesday we stopped in to say Hi to a lady on our ward, and she invited us in and gave us delicious zucchini bread and we chatted about Hawaii, and it was such fun. OH that's right! While I'm on this food kick thing, I made a delicious Banana cream pie with berries and good stuff. It apparently was a hit. I only had one piece . my companion took care of the rest. ;)

Then on Wed I was on exchanges and the people I met... goodness.... NUTS! ALL of them are NUTS! Like I was laughing my head off nuts. But I digress. So we taught this one guy who lives in this halfway house thingy that should seriously be in a horror movie. The thin hallways- Welcome to the hotel California playing in the back ground- crazy people looking at you through the corner of their eyes-don't want to be here past dark kind of place. ha ha! I love it! 

OH and we met a few people with trach (sp?) tubes. Eugh... Or at least there used  to be tubes there. Now they are just those gaping holes that pulsate and it's so hard to look away and it obvious that you are staring but you can't stop staring because of the gravitational pull of the void and then you realize how weird it would be to have a hole in your neck and your neck starts tingling and you find yourself covering your neck right where their hole is on their neck and then you run away screaming and shouting "You can't have my neck!" ..... okay .... maybe not that dramatic....but It was a little creepy.

 

Ha ha! So on Saturday we called the phone number of Bret (big guy who just got baptized) And this Vietnamese guy picks up "Ahh... Bre-na-heah! bac-ah-six!" And when we went over at 1:00 anyways, Bret was there! Ha silly Vietnamese guy. Tricks are for kids.

 

OH! We saw the craziest person on Saturday! She reminded me of that scene that Mae did in acting class. the one of the homeless lady who was swearing up a storm and just wanted to drink her pelagrino in peace. Well this gal wasn't swearing up a storm she was just Singing up a storm. Very badly by the way. And she would get up from her table and dance and then she'd sit back down and go back to singing, "Boom-boom-boom! alay-alay-alay!" Ok... then she went outside for a smoke and was tramping around like she was on parade and then she'd burst into these Charlie's angels/CATs poses and point her fingers at people and go "Bang-bang-bang-bang!!!"     coo-coo. ha ha. Oh the people we meet.

 

So... that was my week. I'm so glad to hear that you are all well, and ALIVE! and all that fun stuff. Keep on keeping on.

 

Amanda: thanks for the package

kj: I swear By the moon and the stars in the sky- that you are bonkers.

 

Everybody else: Letters soon!

 

I love you all!

 

Be well

 

-Elder Barker

Happy Birthday to me!

Goodness what a week. I don't know where to begin.

First of all, THANK YOU ALL for your well wishes and letters and emails! I LOVEthem. Like  them.

So! Oh, I don't remember if i told you last time, but we played Ultimate Frisbee for our district activity. I was sweating so bad. And then I remembered that it's Feb! AH HA HA HA HA HA! I'm sweating IN FEB!!!!!!! 

Sorry.... I couldn't help my self from RUBBING IT IN YOUR FACES!!! AHA HA HAH AH A HA HA HA HA HA HA!

 Ahem... sorry 'bout that.. where was I?...

Oh yes the week! So we have been super blessed this week. We had Zone conference and it was AMAZING!!! 

So first we were supposed to have it on Wednesday, but Wednesday morning, the zone leaders called up and said, "Nope! just kidding! We are having it tomorrow--on Thursday!" Craaaaapppp that meant that we had a Huge gap of time that we had to fill up with knocking or maybe finding people and all of that stuff. Oy... our less active members are driving me up a wall. They are so far gone that most of them don't even believe in God anymore! Oy! Guys! Come on! and we had a really rough day, we got kicked out of an area that we were just about to knock and we got bashed with by this old woman from Poland and Crazy stuff. Then came the sunshine for the day. We taught a less active member and she has a daughter, Laura,who is the sweetest girl that I've seen for a while now. She's the kind of girl that when you look in into her eyes you know she's pure. She has some mental issues and can't really communicate, and she's a paraplegic (sp?) Oh how i miss my sister! MAREN! WHERE ARE YOU WHEN I NEED YOU!!!! But Laura is so sweet and we arranged for the youth in the ward to come over during our lesson and introduce themselves to her and she just screamed with joy and loved getting hugs and just beamed with joy and blew kisses and signed that she loved us. Wow... I love my work.

AND THEN! if that wasn't enough of a cherry on top we had zone conference! and then if that wasn't the whipped cream on top of the cherry on top, we had a lesson with this woman who is married to a recent convert and she was amazing. She really understood the lesson and was prepared to hear and when we read over Moroni 10:4 "and when ye shall receive these things I would exhort you that ye would ask God the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost." She only got as far as 'having faith' Before she started crying and said, "This is what I've wanted. This is what I've been searching for all along." Wow... That was amazing.

Then the sprinkles on top of the whipped cream on top of the cherry on top:  the next day we were knocking and we went back to a family that said come back tomorrow, and we went on and taught a lesson and they want to hear more and come to church! Whoa! Awesome things are happening right now. I'm just glad I'm here to see it.

Well, one of the people who was baptized last week wasn't at church yesterday , so we'll have  to confirm him a member next time. Oh well.

Well it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. A beautiful day for a neighbor. Won't you be my neighbor? NEIGHBOR! 

Have you seen Mister mumbles? HA!

I'm going mad- if you couldn't tell.

Well, thanks all for your Valentines and goodies! I love them.

109- Thanks for the canteen with the notes, they really help.

Em-Thank you soooooooooooo much for the tape! I love It!

Mom! Thanks for the Box and letters!

Dad- Thank you for your letters I LOVE THEM SOOOOO MUCH!

Everybody else GET ON THE BALL! Just kidding.  

Everybody else Thank you so much for your letters and cards and emails and love and prayers and good thoughts. I need all the help I can get.

Much love,

Elder Barker

Happy Valentine's-chineese new year-double baptism-president's day!

WOW!!!!!!!

What an area! I'm loving being on bike! My legs on the other hand... aren't really too thrilled about the whole set up BUT who cares about legs right? Who needs them anyways?

Well as a welcome present from the Gods of weather they provided me with a SOAKING Tuesday!  I have pictures to prove it. It was hilarious, just when you thought the rain couldn't get any harder It would pound down and by the time we raced back to our apartment My shoes we like two buckets of water tied to my feet. They still weren't dry the next day. Ha! I Loved it though! I was singing and dancing and biking -in the rain, do-da-do-dooo-doodle-do-da-do-dooo doddle-dooooooo.

Let's see what else is new?... It's weird feeling like I'm not actually in California anymore. SO many Vietnamese people and signs and stores and this past week of Chinese new year- so many fire crackers. It's been so fun.

 

Oh, I'm writing about this in letters- BUT I almost got run over by a car!  My bike tire (Hmmmm.... maybe I shouldn't share this story with a worrying mother on the other side... NAH!) So my bike tire got caught in a rut and I tried to avoid getting stuck and the whole gravity thing knocked me over and I feel into ONCOMMING TRAFICC!!! DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUNNNN!!!! And this car was like  coming and it's wheels were like right there and my head was like right where 'there' was going to be in a second and I pulled a cat like reflex-matrix-crouching tiger hidden dragon Roll and, Short story Long, I still have my head on my shoulders. But it was almost like a scene from Master and Margarita.

 

We had two baptisms this Sunday! Wooo hoo!!! This one girl who has been investigating the church for some time and then realized that she wanted to be baptized, so the missionaries have been teaching her and I taught her a bit this week and she just got baptized this Sunday! YAY! and the other one was this guy who is about the sweetest guy you could ever want to meet and he just sort of started coming to church and then three weeks later asked the missionaries how he could get baptized. So they taught him and I got to teach him once on Saturday and then Assist in his baptism, because he's a bigger guy and has knee problems so he needed a little extra help getting up out of the water. But after the pulling and shoving,and struggling, we got him up and he said, "Hey! that was easier than I thought it would be!!" Ha! so funny.

 

We share our church building with a Samoan Ward. OHHHHH ma-ma. How I wish that I could speak da kin' and not be sucha haole. But alas, it is not so.... But! it was sop funny, because one of the Samoans in our ward was like, "after the baptism we'll be providing a few light refreshments." Oh ok some veggies and cookies right? WRONG! light in Samoan apparently means plates of sandwiches, platters of fruit, tones of veggies, chips Cakes, cookies, desserts etc. HA! I love it!

 

We are working with a lot of less actives in our area. So it's mostly trying to get them excited about coming to church again, and re-kindling (sp?) their testimonies. It's tough stuff. but it has taught me something: I never want to be less active. EVER! goodness the sadness that these people feel is just -ugh- gut wrenching. and it drives me bonkers! SO! that's not on my to-do list for the future.

 

The best thing over the week has been Seeing somebody look at me biking past with a big smile on my face, and seeing them smile back. That... is just...money. ;)

 

Ok... That's all for now. More in letters. Oh, and A few of the letters should be good ones so- be ready.

 

OK! I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOO MUCH!

 

109 thank you for the package, and the SHIRT! MUPPETS! ah ha ha ha! I love you all.

 

Em, thanks for the card and tape, Haven't listened to it yet, but I'm super excited.

 

Empathy Girl, thanks for the letters!

Kj: I love your guts more than I love corndogs, and that is saying something.

Mom: I love you sooo much! I'm glad you had fun in NY!

Dad: You are the bestest ever! I can't wait to see pictures of your adventures!

 

Everybody else: If I had time to list you all I would But I don't.... So Thank you sooo much for all you your love and support and letters and stuff. I love you all!

 

Be well.

 

-Elder barker

One thing- one thing can bring you round- Changes!

PART 1

So! I'm being transferred today.  {Editor Mom, here:  His address remains the same, however...}

I'm leaving the safe harbor of the YSA branch and my trainer and (sniff*) all that good stuff and Racing off to the next level of the adventure! HA HA!

It's kind of a bummer though because I won't be able to be here to see some of our investigators progress, but I know that the Elder who is coming in to my spot up here is really really great. so no worries there.

well... besides that Mrs. Lincoln...

So! we got this list from our new Branch Mission leader of the Young single adults in the acacia park ward and we've been contacting the heck out of these less actives! it's been good. and it's really brought the importance of constantly renewing covenants and staying faithful to my view. Man... It's a rough world out there. It's a wonder anybody survives without the Gospel.

Ok funny story!

We went out to eat at this AMAZING hot dog place. (Sooo good.) And When I ordered toppings on my kilbausa (sp?) I asked for the usual: peppers, onions, ketchup, mustard, and then I saw Sauerkraut up on the list of things to order... I also saw Coleslaw. Meaning to say 'saurkraut' I ordered Coleslaw. The lady looked at me, puzzled, and said, "On top of your sausage?" I said, "OF Course!" thinking Duh... it's sauerkraut. So... I got a sausage with coleslaw on top. HA HA! Silly brain:  tricks are for kids.

I'm going to miss being with the people up here in Fullerton. President Redd is such a good man. I would say that he is a godly man indeed. And the members! So fun! I'm really going to miss them...

BUT! I'm off to the new area where the Lord needs me!

Let's see, another cool experience of the week:  We were knocking this area and this couple invited us in and we chatted and then we talked about the restoration and introduced the Book of Mormon to them and then invited them to church. It was soo cool! I love teaching people on the spot! Hopefully they will want to learn more and follow the example of the Savior.

OH YEAH! I had a really weird dream. I dreamt I came home for a week, and saw the fam and I saw MAX! and I saw Melissa Borjas (sp*) we talked a bit in espanol. and then Dad flew me back out here. It was a very nice shore leave in my dreams. It was like the break that Ender got between battle school and the commander's school in Ender's Game. 

And it was so good to see you all. 

I miss you guys.

Sorry if letters last time and this next time are a bit short. I'm pressed for time right now. But! Fear not! I am well and I still exist!

I love you all

Peace!

-Elder barker

PART 2

All righty then... time for part two of the saga.

 

I'm now in my new area, Garden Grove. or as many people pronounce it Darden Dov. Yes many people of Asian decent here. You should see the architecture of the things out here. Even the bus stops have that turned up tip that is so popular in the orient. Ha ha. Noah I feel like I can kind of relate now. I'm in little Saigon! But I can only kind of relate. Props to you for going so long without English!

 

Let me see... what is new since 6 hours ago... At transfers it was so good to see a few of the elders from my district at the MTC. Awww... I miss those guys.

 

wow... I really don't have much more to add...

 

Oh yeah. I'm now on bike. So I get to bike around and lose some of the weight that I picked up in Fullerton just sitting in the car all day! YEah! Woot! I'm going to be Iron Man when I'm done!

 

so, now I get to start over. But I get to come in just as an investigator is getting baptized. This Sunday! very cool. I love baptisms. They are just wonderful. It's so cool to have that sort of jump start in my new area.

 

Ok... that's all for this week. for reals this time.

 

 

I love you. Thanks for the letters and emails! I love hearing from you all. Especially you.

 

Be well.

 

-Elder Barker esquire III

Australia-Australia-Australia-we love you-AMEN!

And now for something completely different!

 

What a week... We started Wednesday looking for one of our investigators and instead of finding him we found a new one! Cool! We talked to him a bit and hopefully we can meet with him more but it's looking like his work schedule is totally crazy and the time just isn't there for us to meet up again. Ooof-dah... But hey! We are finding people to teach.

 

Thursday we had a couple appointments fall through but we found some potential investigators. Cool! (is it just me or am I sensing a pattern? When we are in the right area at the right time we can find the right people.) Cool!

 

We went on exchanges again. This time I stayed in my area and Elder Whited came over and we went all over the place trying to find people to teach. OY! I missed driving, but after a day of driving all over the place i'm ok with being the passenger. ;)

 

Let me see what else to write about...............

 

So, we were talking to this woman yesterday and she wasn't interested but she said we could pick some oranges from her orange tree and take them with us. We did. They were delicious! Oh man, they were good. I squeezed myself a glass of hand squeezed homemade homegrown hometown homely home-dog Orange juice. Yeah-we're thinking about going back for more oranges ;)

 

Ha! Spanish is so funny! We'll be talking to someone and then they will say... something... and I have absolutely no idea what they are saying. HA HA! So... the conversation probably translates to something like this:

Hi! We're missionaries.

-Oh yeah, I've talked to you guys before.

That's great! So you got a chance to sort of sit down with them and talk for a bit?

-Nah.

Oh, well we'd love to share a message with you. Could we?

-You want to talk about church and that kind of stuff?

... ... ... Um Sorry, I didn't quite get that.

-you want to talk about church and that kind of stuff?

... ... .... Um Sorry, I didn't quite get that. Could we share a message with you?

etc.

Ha ha. Sometimes I feel like that voice on the phone when you are checking for the movies at the theater. You know the one who is all interactive until she can't quite catch what you are saying. Oh well.

 

 

What else... what else...

 

I don't know what else to write.

 

HAVE A GREAT! WEEK!

 

OH! I know- Everybody join in: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOO YOOOUUUUU!!!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOO YOUUUUUUU!!!!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DAAAAADDDD!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YOOOOOOUUUUUU!!!!!!!  

 

and manny moooorree....

 

 happy birthday dad. Man, you did it! you survived another year! Wooo hoo!!! I hope you have a great day full of time to read books (Dicky Smothers) and take walks (IN THE SNOW?!?) and write poems (Ahem! this is my poem. it is no one else's it is mine. the following is my poem... Ahem... Hem HEm AHEMMM EMEHE HEHM HOOEWM AHEMNYHUUUEM AHEM!!! hem... the next thing that you shall hear from my lips is my poem, which is mine.

Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you

happy birthday. (it's a haiku.)

 

Any who... That's all for now!

 

Thank you soooooo Much for your Emails and Letters. Wow! I love hearing from you all. 

 

I love you all sooo much. and I think about you all the time! Be well.

 

Love ya!

 

-Elder Barker 

Blue-no YELLO-O-O-O-o-o-o-o-o-w-w-w-w-w....

So!

 

What a week! I'm not even sure where to start... maybe at the beginning is best.

 

MON: Our car battery died. and so we had to get a jump and then have a new battery put in. OY! What a drag that was. But thankfully our car works now! Yay! But it took along time for us to get back out work, so we decided to check up on some potentials and then Check up on David. David greeted us with a big, "Hey guys! Guess what?! I'm going to be a Dad!" ... Yay? "And I'm Moving in with her!" (she lives out of our area) DARN YOKO Ono's:  they always break up the band.

 

Tuesday: Two solid appointments fell through. OY! So we decided to go out knocking. The first Door where someone answered the Guy (Brad) was interested in hearing more and we sat down with him and talked about God and Prophets and The earthly ministry of Jesus Christ and How after The Apostles and their followers were killed the authority that they had was lost. and then we talked about Joseph Smith and how God and Jesus Restored that Authority through him and we talked about the Book of Mormon and it was really good talk. So that was cool. OH then we had FISH TACOS! I know... sounds weird BUT Oooohhhh man... They are so good. I ordered two and ended up eating Five.

 

Wed: I went on exchanges with Elder Lancaster up in the North Hills. and We talked with alot of less active members. and ate at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. MOM! I've found it! POG!!~!~~!!!!! I wasn't able to get my hands on it but I know where to find it. Ohhhh boy. Passion Orange Guava Here I come!

 

Thursday: A lot of clearing up weird Ideas about the Church. "Aren't you guys a Cult?" nope here's why... "Don't you believe that Satan and Jesus are blood brothers?" Nope, here's what we do believe... "Don't you believe that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy ghost are one person?" Nope, I don't know how you would think that we believe that because Joseph Smith saw God the Father who said pointing to Jesus Christ "This is my beloved son Here him" two people. Lots of stuff like that. Then we met with Brad again and talked more! Wooot! Cool stuff.

 

Fri: oy... long day.

 

Sat: Talked with lots of people.

 

Sun: Stake conference!!! Sooo GREAT! Elder Holland and Sister Matsumori and President Uchtdorf Spoke. SOOOOOOO good. then we met with Brad again! Soo long week but it ended on a high note.

 

 

Let me see what else to write... um....

 

 

well, you asked me a few questions: How was my week? See above.

 

What new things have I tried that I have never seen before? Hm.... FISH TACOS!!!

 

What does it Smell like here? It depends on where I am. If I'm in a Hispanic area, Mexican food. If I'm in a Indian Area, INDIAN FOOD! OOooo curry... so good. If I'm in a English area... not much...

 

What is my name? My name is James Tiberius Kirk!

 

What is my favorite color? Blue... no YELLO-O-OW

 

 

MOM! I love the pictures of the Living room! It's about time that room had a little fung added to it's shwey. I like it alot. and thanks for the hug. I can feel it all the way out here! Ooof... Can't... breathe...-There. that's better.

 

DAD! thanks you soooo much for your letters! I LOVE THEM! AND YOU! So... The young men met together and planned the year out eh? Ahh the memories... so fond. and (this just shows how far behind I am on the whole new thing... you took KJ to the airport. Well... the sooner she goes then sooner she can come back, right!

 

KJ! I'm sitting here talking about you and you're right there. How rude of me. How are ya?! I hope all is well in the world. I LOVE YOUR GUTS!

 

MAREN! Guess what! I met this girl who I think you'd like. her name is Natelly (sp?) and she has Hydrocephalus. She reminded me of you.

 

KJ! Natelly has a shunt. It took all I had in me not to say, "I'll tell you one thing Doc: I Love My Shunt!" ha ha.

 

Yes I know... I'm insane.

 

well. That's it folks! 

 

Thanks for your letters and email! they are a stream on golden light when all about is dark. Their coming brings us pleasure and their departure leaves us longing for more. (anyone? anyone?)

 

OK! I'll catch you later!

 

I LOVE YOU!!!

 

-Elder Barker (Esquire the Third)

 

;)