Spiders and Temple Trips

July 11, 2016

Hey everyone! 

This week was super awesome!! We saw so many blessings. We have been praying more specifically to be put in the paths of prepared people, and WOW the difference that that has made. We really didn't teach very many lessons (Usually our average other lessons is about 30 and we only taught about 15) But those lessons we taught were with really awesome people that have a TON of potential and that we see really loving this beautiful gospel. I have learned that first impressions made such a difference. 

Haha so we were in a lesson this last week with a lady named Martha and she decided open the shades to bring in more light and I was right in the middle of speaking when she did and as she opened it there was a HUGE spider and I just kinda went speechless and all I could do was point. So she took care of it and after that her and my companion couldn't stop laughing at me... I really REALLY don't like spiders.... ​​ 

So our investigator Elma is getting BAPTIZED!!!! I love this lady so much!!! We are hoping for the 22nd of July!!! We are so excited!!! We started teaching her the week I got here. She is a sweet heart. She also came to the temple with us on Sunday (yesterday) and she loved it! She can't wait to go back home to Panama and bring her husband to the gospel. She has already been telling him all about it over the phone and she really wants to be sealed (being married for time and all eternity under the guidance of God, which allows us to live with our families and Heavenly Father forever after death, instead of being married until "death do us part”) in the temple to him. 

The members here have been so awesome to her and have really taken her under their wing. My testimony of member missionary work has grown so much! It is almost impossible to have a fully converted member without support and help from the members, we rely on them so much! SO seriously, ask the missionaries in your ward what you can do to help them, it would take so much weight and stress off their shoulders. We are always worrying about how we can best help the investigators and ward and strengthen everyone, but sometimes we feel like a burden when we are always asking, so don't be afraid to ask the missionaries! 

I am really starting to notice a difference in the language. It's nowhere near perfect but I am defiantly understanding a lot more and I am stating to be able to speak a lot more too. I a so grateful to be serving here, I love the people so much and I have been blessed with a super good companion! She is so awesome! We are best friends and we just click so well, which is a HUGE blessing, and she is helping me to learn so much with both the language and the gospel. 

Thank you all so much for all that you have done to show me your love and support, it really helps keep me going.

I love you all and hope you all have a great week! 

Love,

Hermana Rebecca Lynn Barnes