CHERRY HILL IS COMING!! 8/12/2013

I can't wait to drive the convertible!!! Ha-ha! Right now I am stuck with a 2013 jeep compass... The only good thing about it is the four-wheel-drive... haha …its trail rated so it does that cool thing when one wheel starts to slip it and it fixes it and all that! Haha! not that we have tried it out or anything... :)... I looked in the consumer report, and it was the lowest rated in its class... But it does is good. And the mpg is horrible; it should get about 22 or something but we have to fill up every two days... :\ But then again we do drive a lot...

Yesterday was long... We drove for just a little over four hours... We live in the butt middle of nowhere, so it takes about an hour to get anywhere... And on top of that we have to drive down a wash (dry canal) to get to our trailer... But it’s a good sized place, I can’t complain... :) But on Sunday it took us an hour to get to church, then an hour back for lunch. After that we had to head out to the sells Indian reservation for the monthly group meeting. There was a total of six people that showed up... That was interesting... When that was done we had an hour drive back home... Needless to say we took a much needed Sunday nap... :)

The Indian reservation is interesting... There are no addresses and the whole place is an open range, so there is a bunch of wild horses and cattle roaming around! I should have got a pic of one horse, is was really pretty, Jess would have liked it! :) But we had our ward mission leader out showing us around so we could find people next time we came down... Its just weird for them to not have any addresses or anything... Our wml said he had some of the places marked in his gps so he could find them... That got me to thinkin... Dad, you need a better gps right? You should go buy a new one and let a poor little missionary use yours... haha

In this ward we have two sets of missionaries, us and a set of sisters... We cover a huge area while the sisters cover just the in-town where most of the members live. To give you an idea of how big our area is, in the mission if you get 1500 miles a month to use, that's a lot! And we get 3000 each month!!! Our area is bigger than most all of the stakes here in the mission. And it’s weird coming from having two wards, one companionship, on bikes - to one ward two companionships and a crappy jeep... But its good, I like is so far! :)

On Saturday we had a baptism, it was a Tongan couple... So you can imagine there was a good feast afterward! I was so full that day is wasn't even funny... haha But I just can’t help but want to always feel the spirit that is at a baptism... I know we always have the spirit with us, there is just a very special spirit that is present at a baptism... Being a witness and watching each individual get baptized is so cool!!! And the people that got baptized are totally solid, and already have an amazing testimony!

Well I have to go now... But it was nice typing to you! Ha-ha. Things are going good down here, and I hope all continues to go well back home! :) It will feel like a couple more weeks then it will be cherry hill all over again and I will be there! Haha! Time is going by way too fast... :\

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Love
E Barlocker II

PICS:
1. E' Mckenna is home now... :(
2. We are not weird at all...
3. Gila Valley zone pic! :)

8/2/2013 ANOTHER HOLIDAY OVER…

What has been going on with you?
Not much... Just doing work... Well mostly trying to find work... This area isn't too exciting when it comes to missionary work, but we are getting what we can done... We have to go down to Sells today to teach our only investigator, he is awesome though. I look forward to driving down there...

Anything exciting or fun?
Every day is fun! haha We went to the temple! It was awesome!

Best/worst of the past 2 weeks?
Yesterday was dumb... Everyone went out of the zone to go to lunch and didn't tell us... So we did absolutely nothing yesterday... There is such a lack of communication between everyone and I always seem to be on the crap end... But hopefully today goes better (I don't see how it can get any worse...).

Teaching anyone?
One guy... His wife is a member, very less active, and he just wants religion in his life... He is really solid and is way cool... I think him and his wife are about two years older then us so it makes it easy to get along...

What is your area like?
Big... This Sunday the EQ pres said that the ward is over 5,000 square miles... The sisters cover only a couple square miles, so that means our area is just a little over 5,000 square miles! It’s crazy... And there is not a lot out in our area... There is one part that is a new home development, but it’s kinda at the edge of our area so it a little drive...

What are your goals for the rest of your mission?
Read the BOM again (want to read it cover to cover each of my last transfers), read all of the D&C, and Read as much of the Bible...

What do you miss the most from home?
Being alone... haha I really don't miss a lot of things... Just being with you guys, going camping and being able to be alone... Don't get me wrong I love E Seare and most of my comps, but I just wish I didn't have to tote around someone everywhere, and have to be responsible for them... :\ But I guess it will prepare me for kids...

Any pranks lately?
No... The closest people to us live about 40 min away... But I have started on some pranks in the apt...

What did you do for Labor-day?
The weekend wasn't any different than any other... There are no more holidays as a missionary... And I did absolutely nothing on Monday .. And I am doing better since it is not Monday any more... haha But things are going good!

So yeah... I guess the biggest thing that has happened is the temple trip... I learned a lot from the session this time, the new video explained things a bit more. It made the week so much better! And one night we went up to the top of the mountain with some other elders to catch the sunset - it was fun... :)


Well thanks for doing those questions... haha it helps me remember my week! :)

I hope all is continuing to go well back home!!! Can't wait till next year at cherry hills!!! :)

Love you guys!!!!

Love,
E Barlocker II

P.S. Could you send me the instructions on how to make the peach cobbler... I really want to make some! Haha   Love Ya!!!


PICS:
1.Utah!!!
2.Sunset with some cactus :)
3. A horny toad we found outside our trailer!

7/29/2013 Going on in AZ...

What's been going on in Safford?
 Pretty good! The work is moving a long great now! And the weather has been awesome!

How are you Elder?
I am doing great!


Any spiritual experiences this past week?
Well we had a first lesson with a 9 y/o girl yesterday, that was cool... I love sharing the first vision! There is such a sweet spirit that comes along with it!

Who are you teaching?
Well other then that 9 y/o, we have a crazy guy in his 40's, and four drunkards that are moving... And when we are not teaching them we teach various active members and less actives!

Anything fun happening?
Not really... Just a normal missionary week... :\


What has been your favorite thing about the past week?
Probably just teaching that girl... Here family is a less active family and trying to get her baptized has brought the family back to church. And plus they are a pretty cool family... :)

Oh one weird thing that happened last night, was this. I was doing my laundry late at night, and i was about to fall asleep, but I had to stay up so my shirts wouldn't get wrinkled in the dryer... So I had to at least stay up so I could pull my shirts out... I sat there and listened to dryer waiting for it to stop. Then the next thing I know I woke up in the morning... I was like oh crap!!! Then when I went to the dryer my shirts were sitting on top... Then I remembered I had a dream that i did that... Turns out i was sleep walking... haha It was kinda weird because usually I don't remember when i do it...

But my mind is going blank right now... We are trying to get a lot done this morning to have some relax time later... I will send a letter later this week if I remember any thing...

Love you guys!

Love
E Barlocker II

P.S. Sorry no pics... my card reader is being used... :\

Oh I forgot! I had a pic in the news paper! It was the pioneer day celebration and we were just talking and got into the paper!

Here is the link:

http://www.eacourier.com/news/food-or-fireworks-it-s-all-good-on-pioneer-day/article_17e962fc-f345-11e2-97a1-0019bb2963f4.html

7/22/2013 Convertable Weather!

Well we had an interesting lesson with some new investigators yesterday... We had a pass off lesson from the YSA elders and so we went over with them... They turn out to be drunks :) There were three there at the lesson but only one of them was sober... One was way wasted and didn't say much, just shook his head when he heard something; and the other drunk one just kept going off on really random topics... I love being a missionary! But luckily the one that wasn't drunk seems sincere... :)

One lesson that really stands out to me was a baptism I had last transfer... The guy really didn't have a solid testimony of Joseph Smith, but he knew it was true. He has been bothered with joining the church by members for years, but he said he would do it when he knew he could put his whole self towards it. And it just so happens I was there at that time... :) But one lesson we had, after his baptism, he told us about before not knowing that Joseph Smith was for sure true... But then he said that he knew it would come, and it did! And last night I was doing laundry and listening to the song "Live Like You Believe", that is just what we need to do, members or not. If something doesn't make sense, or we do not comprehend it, we just have to live like we believe! Because if we have a hope that it is true and we live like we believe it, we will have our answer given to us... That so far has been the one lesson that just stands out to me; we as humans like to know things right away, but its all on Gods time, we just have to trust in him!

Yeah so this week has been good. Yesterday we got three more people with Baptismal dates, two drunkards ;) and one nine y/o girl. The Lord has to be hastening his work for this to happen in Safford! haha But we have been doing great! There is a goal in the mission, set a while back, to get 20 lessons a week... Last transfer wasn't so great, but this transfer has been awesome! This past week we finally hit 20 lessons! This new comp likes to work and if he is 'bored' he finds something productive to do... :) I am starting to have a better time here!

Nothing too exciting has happened, just teaching members and trying to see referrals... :) The other night, on the 20th, the community had the 24th of July celebration! It was pretty fun... They had a parade... the fair and fireworks were well worth it... And some newspaper guy came up to us and got our pic and asked questions! So I am gunna be in the next newspaper most likely!!! haha That should be interesting :) I just told him how we do work differently here then in other parts of the mission... Hopefully I can get a copy to send home! :)

Well if I think of more to say I will write a letter! :)

Love you all!!!

Love
E' Barlocker II

 

Our Wonderful Missionary 7/15/2013

How are you?
Good... haha doing a lot better with the new comp... :)

What have you done or seen this week that has strengthened your testimony?
Just seeing my new comps exzitment for the work. My last comp kinda killed my desire to work because he was such a doofus, but he has really made an impact on me...

Goals for the week/month?
Get back on track with doing the morning schedule... :)

Who are you teaching right now?
We just got a new investigator, our only one, a couple of days ago... But he lives in a place called "the looney bin" he is kinda crazy but we dont know to what extent yet...

Any leads from the members?
Last week we got nine referrals from one member. We had one of our AP's with us for a couple hours last week and he knew this member. So we went over for a visit and ended up getting nine referrals! We have tried to visit all of them, but only got to talk to like one or two of them...nothing yet...

Who have you heard from lately (family/friends)? Certainly not your siblings...:\ What monkeys!
I got a letter from the Jensens the other day! A set of elders were supposed to give it to me like a month ago, but I actually got it last Monday... It was good to hear from them...

Who have you written to lately?
The Jensens... I only write to people who write me...

Ups/downs for the week.
The hills...

Are you keeping up in your journal?
Not so much anymore... After I have a tough time and have to deal with stupid people I don't really have the desire to write; because I figure it isn't worth writing things that are not so positive, i already have too much negativity in there... haha

Anything we can send you?
Nothing that I can't live without... I am doing good right now... Thanks though! :)

Have I told you lately that I love you?
I Love You More!!!!

Nothing too exciting this week... Like I mentioned above we had one of our ap's with us for part of a day, that was fun. I guess they were just going around to the different companionship's in the zone and spending some time with them... And we ended getting nine referrals so it turned out great! Then two days after that we had interviews with President... That was good... :) Other then that we have just been trying to see referrals and visit members... Nothing too exciting...

And we have started to go walking/hiking in the mornings with a member, and our latest adventure took us through an old Indian location and we found some pieces of pottery... I will send a pic but I will have it all sent with a package I am gunna send in a couple days... :)
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So yeah we have had fun this week and be doing better with the work and all...

Love you guys a lot!!!!!!!!

Love
E' Barlocker II

PICS:
1. E' Ward and I
2.Pottery

7/8/2013 TIME FLIES!

Well its always good to hear things are going great back home! Things have been getting better down here. My new comp is awesome! It is gunna make this transfer fly by fast - as if they weren't flying by too fast already... The transfers just keep getting faster and faster! Its crazy!!! I say this a lot but it will be like two weeks then I am gunna be home... Hopefully time shortens just a bit when that happens... haha

A couple Sundays ago there was only one of the bishopric at church in one of our wards, so he had to take over... It was the first time I remember seeing the deacons and teachers quorum presidents sit on the stand... And its even weirder to think that they were 'next' in line... :\ But I got a hold of one of the handbooks, and have been reading it and this Sunday I watched to see if the bishopric did everything by the book... haha And they did it exactly by the book, i was proud of them... lol But I noticed that that whole missionary broadcast was in the Handbook II already. We have had most of that info for over three years and they are only now getting it started... But at least it has begun... :)

Lets see what has gone on this week... One day we were trying to find some houses of part-member families and half of the list was invalid addresses... We got a good bike ride out of it though... :) But as we were passing a home, some guy yelled out at us "six six six!" I think he was trying to scare us, I just thought it was funny! But not having a lot of work here in Safford, it seems that all there is to do is knock out lists of pm and la families... And I am not gunna lie, i was way excited when they announced that we were not to knock doors anymore... haha that is the second time people in Arizona have heard that. There was a big stake conf. a while back, that was broadcast over all of Az, and E' Holland said that the missionaries shouldn't be doing that at all...

The old way of missionary work is over. There was a time when missionaries had their role and the members had their. Now its the same role - we as missionaries just play that role 24/7... And I told my ward two weeks ago in my talk "You are on the front lines with us now! There is no more member cheer leading-squad... God is now the one on the sidelines helping us out, giving us encouragement..." I don't know how the work is in Utah... but I hope that you guys do your best to help the missionaries out in South Jordan... :)

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Well I will have to write a letter or something this week if I remember what else has happened... :)

Hope all continues going well back home! I Love you all!!!!

Love
E' Barlocker II

PICS:
1. Spider I found on a hike this morning... weird little thing...
2. Folder of all letters I get!!!

7/1/2013 Summer FULL BLAST!

Well my new comp is E' Ward!  I am having a good time with him so far!!! We are getting the work moving in the ward now. Yesterday we had to give talks in 2nd ward... That is the second time I have talked in that ward... :\ I think I have talked more then most of the members in the ward... haha But it was good. I don't worry about speaking in front of people anymore; and my talk papers have just been a bunch of thoughts written down... So I pretty much just have to make it up as I go, and it turns out to be about a 15 min talk every time... But this last time I kinda rebuked the ward for not being the best. I didn't straight-out say it, but I could tell they knew what I was getting at... haha And when I sat back down one of the counselors looked over at me, with kind of a surprised/scared look... It was awesome! Now I know why E Holland does it a lot... haha

Yeah E Kim and I have been buds for a while... I met him in my second area and we have served around each other quite a bit... And he is the only person that stayed here with me... And he got a greeny the same (mission) as mine. But we had a great time in Tucson... All I have to say is that if you need a three lane road for most of the roadways, then you have too many people in that area... It is kinda scary to drive up there... A lot of stupid drivers... :)

But as for the work... We are just getting things started...  we are just getting the wheels turned... :) But I have been on my bike more so I hopefully have been loosing weight... :) And I am surprised that eventhough I have put on 30+ lbs by waist has stayed the same... Not gunna complain about that! ;)

So things are going good down here... I am still trying to work through a couple of things, but all is well!

It is crazy to hear about all the missionaries out right now... Never would have guessed the force would be this big - especially from our ward! But it is good to see everyone is taking advantage of the oppurtunity... Now what does Marci think about serving a mission?...

Well my mind is going blank and I want to go shop... Thanks for all that you guys do for me!!!

I Love you all!!!!

Love
E Barlocker II

PICS:
1. My sunglasses (i think i have two more now...)
2. Zone Pic!
3. ME!!!