THANKSGIVING 11/25/2013

1.  What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

- We have a family having us over, the Roberts, they are freaking awesome! Brother Robert kinda reminds me of uncle Lynn, just without all the guns... haha But then the day after Thanksgiving we are having another Thanksgiving meal with another legit family... haha

2.  What are your plans for your slump day?

- I don't even know... The tradition is to burn a pair of pants, so I'm going to do that of course... ha-ha But it'll just be another day as a missionary... :)

3.  How is the GPS working?

- By electricity as usual... duh... ;) But it is doing us whole bunches of good! :)

4.  Do you still like getting letters in the mail, or just email?

- I love getting letters, I just hate trying to write back... But having an empty mailbox is kinda depressing... ha-ha But emails are always a plus too... haha

First off I haven't forgotten everyone back home, you can just say Ashley and Sean... haha in fact there was a poster down in Tucson last year that had a guy that looked like Sean... ha-ha And I'm going to miss Thanksgiving... ha-ha But this'll be the last one I'll be away for!!! :)

This week we had a jdub come to our door... haha Out of all the places to get someone at your door I never thought it would be here... ha-ha She came early and we weren't even ready for the day so we were still in our pj's... ha-ha Kinda just threw a pamphlet on us and went away... I kinda wish she came a little later so two missionaries would have answered the door... haha. But we were both so shocked that someone was at our door, we didn't even try to contact her... ha-ha

So we had a half mission conf. this past week... An Elder Johnson of the Seventy came and spoke to us... It was crazy to see how many missionaries were there... We filled the whole chapel and then some... Last year that is how big the whole mission was, now it only takes half to fill a stake center... ha-ha But it was a good mtg. and I got to see some old pals from the mission... :)

A couple days ago we went to go and see a referral that we got last week... After meeting with him and setting up another appt. we had a lot of time left before our next appt... But as we were driving out of the neighborhood, we saw a man in a wheelchair trying to get his mail, so we decided to go and talk with him... He was way nice and we had a good discussion with him. Then we took in his trash cans and helped him get back into his house... I don't know how in the world he was going to get back up his driveway without anyone's help... He was really tired and it was getting cold, and we just happened to show up and be able to help him back in... He gave us his phone number and we are going to go back sometime this week to visit with him and his family... :) It was cool to see how God places us in certain situation like that... :)

The rest of the week has been pretty normal... Locked gates and no one home... But it's all good... We had a good week. Plus we had a great time in Sells... :) I freaking love that place! I'm gunna ask President Killpack if I can be assigned specifically there... It would be a lot of work but fun!

A comment on me sending more pictures... If I get more pictures from you guys in the mail, I'll send more to you... Deal?

Well, I've got to get on with my p-day... It should be a good one... :)

Hope all is going well back home!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Love

Elder Barlocker II

PICS

1. Elder Larsen and I

2. The half mission conf...

3. Elder Black, Seare and I :)

WINTER IS TRYING TO COME… NOV 18, 2013

-How have you been doing? Good... :)

-Have you been using the GPS? Does it work? Yes and yes! It helps a ton!!! Thanks!!!

-What was your favorite thing(s) we have sent you? The GPS and the fixin's for peach cobbler... :)

-Do you need to send a few things back before you come home?

Probably, I'm gunna try to slowly get rid of things this last little bit... But we'll see...

-Anything funny/fun happen these past few weeks?

Um... People have answered the door this week! haha It's kinda funny to think we have to worry about that... lol But it mostly is a problem that their gate is going to be locked, everyone out here has a gate... :\

-What are your spiritual experiences lately?

Just the lessons we have with our investigator! He is freaking awesome! It's hard to find a person that is so willing and wanting to learn of the gospel, I always look forward to the one hour drive to his house! haha

-Will you please send a pic of you & E' L? No...

-Are you two getting along ok?

Not at all I hate the kid to death... lol It would be really hard not to get a long with him! He is an awesome missionary and friend!

-Any investigators? One... :)

-What is your best memory/experience so far on your mission? Let me get back to you on that... :)

-What pranks have you done lately?

None... :( Elder L doesn't like pranking... But I always have silly string and a water gun at the ready... haha

-What pranks were pulled on you? I'll have to write about it all... But none lately

-Who is your Dist leader? Elder L... Hey question: was dad any type of leadership on his mission?...

-Do you know any Spanish speaking elders? Elder L and about half of our mission... haha

-DO YOU STILL HAVE THE CHRISTMAS TREE & DECORATIONS? Or do we need to send more?

No. And if you want to send me more you can, but please nothing with the tinyest bit of glitter...

-What are your plans for when you come home in 6 months? I have no idea... haha

-Any questions or concerns? Too many... haha

But this week was a good one... I was going to bring my journal so I could tell you what went on but i forgot... ha-ha Plus all the spanish missionaries have taken over our library and I had to wait over an hour to email... ugh... So I forgot half the things I was going to tell you... ha-ha But if I do get around to writing a letter, I'll tell you everything... :)

And honestly, members have the easiest job in missionary work... I can't wait till I get home and have it easy... ha-ha But like you said it does take a lot of getting use to... Please utilize the gospel and its blessing as much as possible... No matter what... It's worth getting made fun of or ridiculed over the gospel... :)

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Hope you week turns out great!!!

Love

Elder Barlocker II

WHATEVER NOV 12, 2013

Sorry I didn't email yesterday... Dumb holidays... haha At least I get to look forward to Christmas and Mothers day! haha :)

This week has been interesting... I didn't think what happened would effect me so much... It's weird to think of how fragile our lives are... The lives we live are fragile, but the life we have is not... Idk if that makes sense... But the treasury makes cents so... ;) But I got a blessing from my comp a couple nights ago and that really helped... :) I'm am still amazed at the power the gospel has in everything...

But this week has been the same old same old... Except for we went down to sells three times this week... haha I wish I could always be down there, we have a lot more success on the nation then in town... haha Unfortunately we had to cancel the sells mtg. this week because someone else had the building we use reserved... The member that coordinates it tried to get another building, but no luck... We're shooting for next week so hopefully it happens!!!

My birthday was good... Birthdays on the mission are dumb... haha Can't do anything fun, just the same old same old... And in three points it gets really old... haha but I like it out here... Not too many people can handle this area, but so far i'm holding up... I just hope I stay this next transfer so I don't have to move before Christmas again...

But yeah, it's been a weird week... It's picking up though! And i'm sorry that I don't have a lot to write about, my minds been going nuts the past few days...

I'll be sending more letters out as they come! Thanks for not forgetting about me! haha

I'm so dang close to the end of my mission... Crap... You guys better be ready for me when I get home... I don't know if i'll be ready to come home... haha But I'm staying strong!

Thanks for everything!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Love

-Elder Barlocker II

Ps I wrote a poem in honor of Ryan... I'll attach it also... It kinda shows how precious life really is...

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PICS

1. First egg nog of the year!!!

2. My last District... well minus two

3. One of the other two not in the picture before! (Elder Huff - awesome kid!)

Missionaries over for dinner 11/6/2013

Hi Bro. and Sis. Barlocker,

We recently had your son, Elder Barlocker, and his companion and two sister missionaries in our home for dinner. After dinner, I took a couple of pictures of them and I thought you might enjoy seeing them. I've attached them to this email. I also want to let you know that your son is doing very well here in southwest Tucson. He's served in our ward for a couple of months and he's an outstanding missionary. He and his companion, Elder Larsen, are very hardworking and diligent and we are very blessed to have them serving in our ward. They definitely brought the spirit into our home this evening and we appreciate so much all that they do for our ward.  Thank you for raising such a fine son. 

 

Take care!

Marilyn Baird

WEEK OF FUN & OTHER THINGS NOV 5, 2013

-How was your week?

It has been good! :)

-What is your new comp like?

He is awesome! Think of the nicest person you have ever met and thats him! ha-ha

-Where is he from? WV

-Getting along so far?

Heck yeah! ha-ha It would be hard not to get along with him... :)

-What's the weather like lately?

Great! Not too hot and the nights it gets cold!

Well this week was just another stressful week... Not too stressful though, Elder Larsen has made it the most bearable transition so far... :) We've just been getting him use to the area... There is a lot to get use to cuz it is so different from all other areas in the mission... ha-ha. I took him down to the Nation (reservation) last Saturday and we didn't get as much done as I wanted, but we had a good time! It just makes me sad how little attention they get down there... I hope you guys are giving the needed attention to people back home - you have not excuse not too, they're all within walking distance! Just sayin'...

But it's still the same old same old... It's going well though... :) Sorry I didn't email yesterday, Elder Larsen got really sick... So we spent the whole day at home... But he is doing better now! It was really hard for me to be stuck in the trailer all day long... ha-ha But I got a lot of study in, so that's good! :)

Sorry I don't have a lot to talk about... Everything is going good and nothing too exciting has happened yet, so... I'll let ya'll know if something does come up... :)

I'll have some pics next week too... sorry...

Love You ALL!!!!

Love

 Elder Barlocker II