We're workin hard and having fun!!

This is our week, we have a couple of appts here and there and a couple of service activities, then 2 church sessions on sunday. monday might be our p-day cause tuesday we fly back to P.R.

This is the update on our gators:
Allison (gator) will not be baptized this week she needs a little bit more time to prepare. That and she hasn't been taught everything and needs to be coming to church for more then just 1 hour, but she has a testimony and loves church loves and looks forward to our appt. so we'll see.

Kareem and Asauri are back on track after a week of shelf. we had a great lesson with them on Monday and set a baptismal date for 18th of July!! We won't be here but hey they'll get baptized. that's the most important thing.

I just love these people. I can't wait for you guys to meet these amazing faith filled people. We found a man named Andrew whom we gave a book of mormon and he called us 2 days later saying he'd read half of it and that he will prob. finish in 2 more days and we meet with him tonight.

Other than that not too much! We're workin hard and having fun!!

p.s. tell erika to pack light, you know how she is. I love this living out of a suitcase thing! it's fun!

Alli's mission report...

I may have told some of you a wrong date. They switched Allison's reporting date to Sunday, July 25th.

Just in case anyone was interested.

I don't feel like I'm going home...

Okay, the trio...it's great! I love these girls that I'm working with. They mean so much to me. being with them helps me see the changes I've made this past year and a half.

GATORS...
We're working the St. Philips area as well as Barbados since we'll be turning it over to West Indies at the end of this transfer. There are five of us here in Bajan land but three of us go home leaving the two to move into the West Indies. So we took on gators that St. Philips had.

Meatha--is 17 years old with a baby and a b/f. Yesterday we taught her the restoration and watched the DVD. We asked her how she felt and she said, 'I felt happiness ans a sense of I know it's true.' She is so cute. She has a baptismal date for June 19th. Pray for her.

Kadeem and Asauri--they have a cute lil' 2 year old and alot of questions but we have felt a chnage in them so we are super excited to teach them again tonight and set a baptismal date.

Allison--is 30 years old and has a date for June 19th, too. She knows it's true, now we're just trying to teach her everything.

Sheron--is the same as Allison, knows the Book of Mormon is true and loves the church but she's living with her b/f and knows she can't.

We're also teaching a 17 year old girl that told us she doesn't believe in Jesus Christ...wow, that made my heart sink. I wanted to cry. She's read so many different things and visited so many different churches that she's confused. But i felt hurt when she said that. How can one not know what he did for us? HOW? WHY? WHO? God knows her and will help her find her way but only if she'll open her heart to him.

We had our last zone conference monday. I don't feel like I'm going home at all. it hasn't hit me yet. I'm too excited for everything that is happening here.

i hope everyone is good. Send my love to all.
Hna Barnhurst

"...I've got 6 wonderful weeks here..."

...know that I'm focused. yeah i'm excited about home but even more excited about working in BARBADOS again with Borders and Guzman. We're teaching a cute lil' couple that are on the border line of dropping us or learning more. We are helping other converts come back to church.
And since Barbados will be going back to the West Indies mission in July we're doing major work to get maps and areas up to date and ready to hand over to the other mission. I'm just super excited that I'm back here and working on this beautifulisland again!

Going home....to Barbados

The call came in yesterday that Hna Borders and Hna Guzman (my first companions in the MTC) will be a trio back in Barbados!!! I'm so excited, yet sad...I love it here in Fajardo. It was hard saying goodbye to Ivelisse and Jose. And this morning I cried sharing a scripture with my companion. i'm going to miss her and this area. Oh yeah, and they're taking the sisters out of this area anf the elders will be moving in. WHITE WASH! Crazy huh? So much is going on, I'm excited for it all. I know the Lord knows me and will help me finish out my mission strong. I'm going home...BARBADOS!!!

Last week...

Wed-we taught lesson 1 about the restoration and it was great, at least full fo the spirit. I quoted first vision in spanish perfect and I felt so good. And from the lesson we asked if she knew anyone we could share this message withand she referred us to her neighbor and called them to see if we could come over and sing to them, cuz she said we sing like angels. Then we taught part of lesson one & lesson two. As it turns out the father is a less-active member for about 12 years. ROCK ON!!! and they've been reading as a family every night since. WHOOP WHOOP

We dropped one of our other gators, or she dropped us. She's got too many different things going on in her cute 'lil 75 yr old head that can't be changed. She thinks we pray to Joseph Smith, which is weird cuz in all our prayers with her we have NOT AT ALL said in the name of Jose Smith, Amen...(COME ON PEOPLE) So it's been an emotional roller coaster to teach her.

Thanks for all your support
Hna Barnhurst
P.S. I gave a talk Sunday about missionary work, and if everyone of us bring ONE soul unto Christ how great would be our joy.

In Alli's own words...

ok, I just took a look at my blog and I need to add a lil' spirit to it.

This morning my companion and I studied in Alma 26. We talked about how it applied to us, it was awesome. I know that I have not been through what Ammon and those missionaries have been through. I haven't been stoned or bound or cast into prision. But I've been sick, had a hurt back, ingrown toenails from walking, laughed at, rejected (I can't tell you how many times) and more but I know that the people that I have found and the people that have harkened, will be blessed and seeds have been planted.

I know that this is MY mission. I've been called here and I know there's a few more people that I need to find before my times up. Whether it's in the mountains or under rocks...I'm gonna go diggin for them and hiking for them!
I love this work!!
Hna Barnhurst

Release date, since you were wondering...

Alli's official release date is Thursday, June 24th. I can't tell you yet when she will be reporting since the following week is Fast Sunday and the week after that is high council Sunday. (I say bump the high council speakers, but that's just me).

Alli's day by day, week.

weds: we went to el yungue! It was fun. (I have nooooooo idea what that is)

thursday: we showed up to a members house and did service we swept and mopped and then cleaned her fridge (mom i love cleaning.... other peoples house)

saturday: we were planning a baptism for Ivelisse and Jose but turns out there not married by law.... that's gonna take some time.. wow i've got to write you about this stuff it's a long story.

this morning: a member took us to Jcpennys, there's a sale and wanted to buy us something. she's awesome.

i'll send the card home next week. after confrence....did i miss anything??

(yeah, that was it! Did she seem anxious to get on with her day or what......sheesh)

Mom and Dad,
I don't have alot of time today. I'm frustrated because the library wouldn't let me log on today So I used my companions access instead of waiting forever for maintanance. Whatever! But I'm excited because today we're going over to OLD SAN JUAN! with a member. I can't wait!

Ok, so we went looking for less actives and we found one who said I go to the Baptist church now and I like it there, but your church is one of a kind. It's the best I've been to. She talked as if that was a lifetime ago and doesn't remember that she was baptized a member...SAD. I hope you people are doing your vivsting teaching and home teaching to help our brothers and sisters remember why they're here!!

So last night we set a baptismal date with a guy named Luis who came to church Sunday. It's set for the 27th of March!! Rock on. And we've still got Edith the 18 yr old, and Ivelisse and Jose who came to church again Sunday and they ROCK TOO! I love this work and I love all those who just get it! Where the light just CLICKS "oh this is important stuff!!" ahhh DUUHHH!!! Thank you. anyways...be good and can't wait to have more time next week!
Love your missionary
Hermana Barnhurst

A new companion February '10

Mostly sporting a sunburnt face

Missionaries need haricuts, too!

Doing what missionaries do...

loving the members...

and sharing the Book of Mormon

Tail end of 2009

A few more picutes of Christmas '09

Mission Pres. and wife More of Fajardo...it doesn't look like December.

Dad and Mom,
Last week we had a meeting and told us that our mission will be going back into one mission July 1st. It'll will be in the news March. So how nice of the president and 12 to create a mission just for me and then close it down right after I leave...rock on. No really there trying to focus on the stakes and make them stronger..and they're taking away Barbados, it's going to the Santo Domingo Mission I think.

Well gators...we've got Lola still set for the 13th of feb. We're workin with her on reading everyday and gaining a testimony. It'll be good. We've just gotta be one set ahead of the game.

Oh by the way if you want to send that sim card so I can send mine, it's not full but I know you guys are just itching for new pic's of me... i know i know you all miss me. It's ok i've got 3 more transfers you guys can last that long....can't you?

Did I tell you I gave a talk a couple weeks ago?? it was on blessings from living the gospel and church standards. It was cool. My comp said I did good!

Just trying our best and different ways to find gators to BAPTIZE!! I love you all so much! It's been a long hard 2 transfers and I thank you so much for your help and love!! when I'm surrounded by great people it really helps me pull through and alot of prayer! The spanish is going good, it depends on who I'm talking to. Some say it's good and some think I'm talking English......ouch that hurts. But I'm just still working on it!
Much love!
Hermana Barnhurst

Elder Bednar's visit

Familia
The HIGHLIGHT of last week was that Elder David A Bednar talked to us missionaries here in Puerto Rico! It was great! The first thing that happened when he walked into the room and my eyes filled with tears. Tears of comfort and joy and peace!! WOW indescribable!

The conference was just awesome...it's weird but ever since he was called as a 12 I've always felt something for him...as if he would cross my path one day. He was serious and funny and knew excatly what to say. It was more of like an open question thing...they gave us talks from him to study 2 weeks before then he told us that it was an open floor to ask questions that we might have! He said study up about the creation and how the world was made by the priesthood... then he said for example God said there is matter unorganized let us go down, Haiti is matter unorganized and through the power of the preisthood it will be organize...it was really something to be in his presence. He has a true respect about agency and the power to choose and prayer and faith...I could go on and on but really trust me it was AWESOME!!! Once and a lifetime thing for sure!!

My spanish is getting better. I am loving it here.
But I love you all and I'm grateful for your love and support!!!
Hna Barnhurst

Alli and the Plan of Salvation

Happily serving...

Our Christmas Tree

Improvising...