YOUR YEAR TO COME HOME! 1/6/2014

-What did you guys do New Years Eve?

Elder Larsen fell asleep early, so I just tried to stay up... I ended up falling asleep on the couch, but woke up about five min till midnight... So I went to the fridge, got the Martinelli's out, poured a glass, and waited till midnight; at which point I drank the cider, and went to bed... At that point my year was complete... :)

 

The holidays are hard out here... Nobody in Sells was home so we didn't get to go out this week, but we did have a better time in town... The other day we didn't have anything to do, so I brought up the idea that we should drive down to the more densely populated part of our area and ride our bikes to all the members and less-actives! And that is just what we did... :) Biking is fun when you don't have to do it everyday... Even when I did do it everyday I still liked it; it just is hard to ride with someone who doesn't like to ride... haha Plus mtn. biking is fun too if you have someone who is willing... :)

 

Yesterday was nice! We now have 11 o'clock church!!! It is nice to have time to really study in the morning... Plus when we would have ward council, we'd have to wake up at 5:00 and get ready fast then head out to the church... Driving 40 min to church early in the morning is not fun at all...  But this new time is awesome! We usually don't fill up the chapel at all during sacrament, but yesterday we did!!! We had to open up the overflow for a few people even... haha It is really really unusual for that to ever happen... We all decided it was because of both the new time and people starting on their n/yrs resolution to get back to church... haha But it was cool to see so many people there!

 

The most recent convert got up and bore his testimony... It was amazing! You could tell he knew what he was talking about was true! I had gotten up and sat on the stand before him, but let him go ahead of me; it made my testimony easy to give... haha Not much I could say after it... :) But yesterday was like the second or third time I had felt the 'burning in the bosom' on my mission... While I was sitting in my seat I knew I just had to get up there and do it... Someone in the audience needed to hear it, but so did I... It's cool how the spirit can touch so many lives in a simple moment of ones testimony... :)

 

But yeah, this week has been slow... But we did get to see one of our investigators and a bunch of other people that needed an uplifting... :) One lady we visited while riding our bikes had moved in in July and nobody had been able to get a hold of her since then... And we just showed up at the right time! They have had a really hard time in their family... Just before they moved the dad died (in fact that's the reason they moved), and right after that the moms dad died, and I guess a couple weeks ago she just lost her job... But things are going to get moving now that all the ward leaders know when and how to get a hold of her! I love how the spirit directs us to places and people without us even knowing it... :)

 

Well, this week should be a good one!  We are going to the temple tomorrow and we have a bunch more appointments set up! I'm excited!

 

Hope all is going well back home still! :) Keep up the good work!

Love you all!!!

 

Love

Elder Barlocker II

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 12/30/2013

-How the heck are you?

Doing good! Things are continuing to pick up here so I can't complain!

-How was your week?

It was long... The holidays were good, but it just made the work hard for those days hard, so it slowed down for a bit... But nothing bad happened so it was good... :)

-Any good experiences?

One day last week we had to go get our tire changed... And on the way back we stopped by Walmart so Elder Larsen could pick up another white shirt... And the whole day the sisters in our district were not answering any of our texts, which was really weird... But when we were driving past their street to go back to our area, I had a feeling I needed to check on them... I just thought it was nothing, but just in case - I said in my head that if I saw a cop car with its lights on I would tell Elder Larsen to turn around... And not two seconds after that I saw not one, but two cop cars on the side of the road with their lights on... So we turned around and the sisters had just barely gotten to their place to drop something off and were about to leave... It turns out their phone was acting weird and hadn't received hardly anything for a couple of days... So I helped them fix it (restarted their phone) and almost 30 messages came in on it... haha After that they needed someone to go with them to their investigators home to get the baptismal program together for the next day... And if we wouldn't have showed up at that exact time they wouldn't have been able to go... And since we did show up, they got their phone fixed, and they were able to get the baptism in order!

 

And the baptism they had was one of the coolest ones I've been to... The spirit was just so strong! And the confirmation was even better the next day! The spirit is cool... :)

 

It was way fun to talk to you guys!!! It was good to see all your ugly faces! Except for Kate... I only saw her once... Rude... haha jk

 

But things are going good! I don't have much more time to be on here, but I hope you all know I love you all and pray for you each night!

 

Thanks for everything!

 

Love

Elder Barlocker II

MERRY CHRISTMAS 12/23/2013

1.  Can you Skype on Christmas Day?

Yes!

2.  do you know about what time?

We are going to the home we are Skyping at, at around 12ish...

3.  Did you get the second Christmas box from us?

Yes I got both! :)

So things are going good down here... The past couple days it rained on and off... Still nothing compared to snow, but I don't mind... The drivers down here get really bad when it rains, I can't imagine what they would be like if it snowed... But it has been getting a little cooler down here (like 50's)... Doesn't feel like December though, but it feels normal to me... haha I'm glad i'm not coming home in the winter... I would die!

So its just been another week on the mission... Except for the fun surprise that we got! We found out we have bed bugs... I was making my bed one morning (I'm the only elder that I know that does that) and I saw a little bug on my blanket... I squished it and it exploded with blood... So I checked my box spring and sure enough there were little bugs down there... We had two companies come to estimate the place... It is not cheap to get these things gone... But we are getting them exterminated on the 26th! :) It'll be nice to sleep on a bed...

Other then that, its been a normal week... We have gone caroling a couple times and it has been pretty successful... We only had one guy shut the door on us... jerk... But everyone else was glad to see us and didn't mind that we were missionaries... :)

But life is good right now! Things continue to pick up and get better... :) I am looking forward to seeing you guys on CHRISTmas!!! I'll be Skypeing from Sells! haha I'm excited! :)

Well I'll see ya in a couple days! 

Love you all!!!

Love

Elder Barlocker II

This winter stuff is really getting old! 12/16/2013

-How is my favorite missionary doing? Really, how are you?

I am doing great! This week has been filled with really good feelings and really awful feelings... But I talked to President Killpack and things are all good... :) I love being a missionary!!!

-So what's been going on in AZ? 

Really big coats! haha The people down here are whimps! haha Not that I have much room to speak, I have been wearing that sweater the past couple days... And the temps have been in the 50 and 60... I'm glad I'm not going home in the winter... haha

 

-Anything interesting, fun, spiritual, or just plain boring?

I had a cool experience the other day while teaching an investigator... I asked him a question but then realized right after I asked it, I didn't know how to answer it... haha I was freaking out inside, but just tried to stay calm... And when I had to answer him, I just started speaking and the words just came out and he understood... It was cool... :)

 

-What has been the good, bad, ugly?

The Good: the weather

The Bad: Appointments falling through...

The Ugly... Jessica?... idk At least the last time I saw her... :P

***Do you know where and when you will be able to Skype us on Christmas day?***

NOPE... :)

 

-So have you reached your goals of reading the BOM and Bible?

The BOM yes... I'm still working on the Bible... I'm just reading the new testament and should have it done by CHRISTmas eve... :)

-What are your highlights from the past week or two?

Just getting more work done and seeing more of the impact I have as a missionary... :) It's hard too see how much, even as members, of an impact we have on the people around us - and even ourselves sometimes... :)

 

-Investigators doing well?

Yup... :) They are all awesome!

-So what are your plans for this week?

Get work done and have fun! haha Nothing big this week planned, just the normal awesome lessons with great people!

-What are your plans for Christmas week - if you know yet?

All we have planned for that week is our dinners... Yet nobody is feeding us on CHRISTmas as of late... :\

But this week has been awesome! We walked in a parade down in Sahuarita and it took a whole like five min for the whole parade... It was really short but there were a lot of people seeing us! It was fun... :)

 

I can't believe that i'm so close to the end... These past few weeks have been the hardest yet most rewarding... I know if I didn't come on a mission, or even if I came home early, I wouldn't be doing the things I need to stay true... It's really tough, and I know we are all blessed to be member of the church! I hope everyone can jump on the challenge and finish the BOM before I get home! It'll be good and Moroni 10 has some great promises if you just do what it says! (and yes that was kinda directed toward Marci...) But I hope Kaitlyn, Jessica, Kevin, Nathan, and Dad also take the challenge...

Well my time is being cut short today... Hope all keeps going great! Keep being awesome!!!

Love you all!!!

 

Love

Elder Barlocker II

IT IS SNOWING...well at least in UTAH! 12/9/2013

Yeah so we had transfer calls last night... And it sucks because our zone is always the last to be called, so we were up until 11:30 waiting... ugh... But come to find out only one person from our zone left... So Larsen and I are staying another one!!! :) That means I'll have six months in this area and after that I'll probably only have one more area... :\ It's weird...

And no I didn't get the package... Both the mailing system down here and the mission office aren't too good... But I'm sure I'll get it sometime this month... :)

 

This week has been stressful... Every transfer week is... I even got sick because of it... :\ I can't wait to get home and not have to worry about transfers... I just can't wait to get home! ha-ha But I'm doing my best to stay focused... :)

So I get another six weeks to work on the reservation... :) It is fun to work out there... Last Tuesday we had a big zone exchange and I took one of our zone leaders out there and we had a blast! ha-ha There is one member down there that live like three miles from the border, so when they didn't answer, we went and saw the border... ha-ha It was cool... :) Oh and there is a pic for Jessica.. HORSES!!!! ha-ha

Other then that exciting stuff its been pretty normal... We have a LA family feeding us on CHRISTmas eve, and the dad is a gourmet chef... It should be good... :) And that all we have planned so far for the holidays...

We got another investigator this week and he is actually in town! ha-ha Turns out not all our work is on the reservation anymore... ha-ha The work is slowly picking up... :)

Ugh... Sorry I don't write too much... I do write in my journal every night but I cannot remember anything that happened at all... I had to think hard to remember seeing the border... ha-ha My brain is turning to mush...

 

I hope everything is going well back home... Things are getting harder but easier down here... :) I'm loving it... :)

 

I Love you all!!!

Love

 

Elder Barlocker II

A New Year Approaches 12/2/2013

-So what has been going on this past week or so?

Missionary work... haha We got permission from President Killpack to go down to the reservation more often... Before we were only allowed one time a week, now he gave us two to three times!!! I expressed how there is a lot more work happening down there then before (more then in town...) and I told him that he should split the area this next transfer; so we can get more attention down there... He called me last Monday and worked out some things to see how much work really is out there... I don't know why, but I really feel the reservation need to have its own set of missionaries and I am willing to do anything to get that for them... :)

-Anything good/exciting/new?

Read above :)

-What have been the best times this past month?

Teaching our investigator! :) And now we have a second one, they are both in Sells! haha They are both pretty solid in their own ways... They both know what they want and know how to get it... :) It's just a matter of time and work... :)

 

-What were your challenges in Nov?

Being really really trunky... haha

-Who are your investigators?

We have two peeps in Sells that we are teaching... :)

-What has been your saving grace on your mission? (what makes it all for the best)

Everything I get to learn from and that pushes me to be better... :) Without my mission I can almost guarantee that I would be inactive... Just being out here has made it worth it... :) Plus all the friends I have made, make it a lot more worth it... :)

-Is there anything we can do for you/send you?

That grey sweater that has the little zipper at the top... :)

-How are you and E Larsen getting along?

Really well... You keep asking this question... Do you expect us to not get along?...haha

-When are next transfers?-

On the 10th...

So Thanksgiving was fun... :) We got a lot of freaking food... haha And it was all good... :) Last Thanksgiving was the first time I remember trying the cranberry stuff and I love it! haha On Thursday we had a huge meal! There were ten people there, the family and then both the sisters missionaries in our ward and us... It was fun... :) The family we went to is one of the ones you can joke around with a lot...

 

Our second Thanksgiving dinner on Friday was great! We had chicken instead of turkey, but it was still really good... :) One thing that stood out to me this Thanksgiving was all the things we do have... Back home I always had everything I needed and really couldn't comprehend not having everything... But since being on my mission and seeing those who don't have all they need or even want, it makes me thankful of what little I do have... I mean I sat down to two huge meals with ease while there are some who maybe only got one little meal... It's interesting to see how the gospel can give more, both spiritually and physically... :)

 

This past Saturday we helped the family we ate at on Thanks giving move... They just moved to another part of their neighborhood... We got there at 9:30 in the morning, and finished the move at almost 9:00 at night... haha It was a lot of work and it was a stressful move, but it is done and we had a good time... :)

 

But things are going well... We are getting to talk to a lot more people in Sells and the work is moving a long... :) Only six more months and you'll have to deal with me again!!! :P

 

I love you all!!! Keep being who you are!!!

 

Love

Elder Barlocker II

PICS:

1. Tucson from a hill in our area...

2. The tank in Sells (idk if i'd shown you this...)

 

 

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 :)