#districtdab

Something I failed to mention last time is that the night we arrived to the MTC my companion and I were called as Sister Training Leaders over the entire MTC, it was so overwhelming but it has been the biggest blessing to be able to just focus on all of the girls here. Makes me a lot less homesick! My companion is the greatest person, me and Sister Abeling will be friends forever. Like literally. I feel like she is my sister in every way! I could go on and on about how amazing she is. I just love her so much! 

This week we had our first missionary experience and went finding in Manchester! We were out in the big shopping center they have in the POURING RAIN and we just walked up to people and started telling them all about the book of Mormon. It was quite the experience. Me and my companion handed out 7 Book of Mormons and got one contact! We met so many amazing people in just 2 hours. There are so many people who are ready to receive the Gospel. People are definitely a lot harder on the Elders though haha! God bless these poor Elders, they had a rough time! 

Me and Sister Abeling are also in charge of the England MTC Choir. like dang. We may not be as big as the Provo choir but we are ten times bigger in spirit. I got to be the chorister for the practices and it was so fun, on Sunday we sang Nearer My God To Thee and there were only about 5 people in the audience since almost everyone in the MTC sings in the choir.

           Really there are only about 60 missionaries here, it's awesome:)

We are also able to attend the Preston England Temple on P-Day. MY NEW FAVORITE TEMPLE. I can't even express how beautiful it is inside. It's very simple on the outside but the minute I walked in I was in complete awe. It is so gorgeous. All the missionaries were able to attend with Elder Rocco from Madagascar and Sister Sun from China. It was their first time ever going through the temple so it was a very special day. 

I love England so much. The toilets here are so much better than in America. 

Another random thing, my district is obsessed with dabbing ( the dab dance move or whatever) and so we call ourselves District Dab. We dab constantly and we even but dab in front of all of our last names, hence the nickname dabarnes. We are so dumb but I love it. Our teachers are Brother Nolan and Sister Barrett and they are so amazing. I have just learned so much!! God is real! Have a great week everyone!

XOXO

Dabarnes

P.S if you ever visit England NEVER try "mango chutney" it is the most horrible thing you can imagine​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Sister Barnes                             

Ello!!

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Well hey. I'm in England. Let me repeat that: I AM IN ENGLAND. Imagine like a fairytale land or the prettiest place you've ever seen and there you go. That's where I am:) The England MTC has been the most amazing place this week! It is so beautiful here! cold, wet, and rainy, but so greeen and gorgeous! I have the most amazing companion, her name is Sister Abeling, and we've been rocking our lessons. I have learned and grown so much in just 6 days. Our district is probably the most diverse one that is here right now, we are the only Americans and the rest of the missionaries in our district are from Lithuania, France, Australia, Canada, Belgium, and Tahiti. It's pretty amazing! I have made so many friends here! They feed us like Queens at the mtc right now, and we eat potatoes everyday in some form, so I'm very happy about that! I just feel like I'm living in a fairytale honestly. There is no other way to describe it. We are right next to the beautiful Preston Temple and just tucked away into a spiritual england fortress:) I will try to attach pictures to this but no guarantees! Thank you to everyone who has thought of me and prayed for me because I have definitely felt that! I feel your prayers every day and it is what keeps me going! I have never been healthier or happier and my most favourite part of all of it is how everyone calls me Sista Bahhhns with  their British accents!:) I love it here.

XOXO

Sister Barnes

Farewell

I gave my farewell talk on October 30th, 2016! (The day before Halloween, my most favourite holiday of all time:) It really shook me to see so many of my family members travel a long distance to be there that morning. I gave my talk at 11 a.m in the Meadow Lane Ward. The other speakers were my Young Women Leader, Amie Leonhardt, and the cutest girl from my ward, Marlo Caudle. It was so funny because just the night before I had been telling my mom how I wished Amie would be speaking too, and when I got to the church that morning, there she was! I just love her! I didn't write my talk down, I really just wanted it to be from the heart, but what I spoke about was the love of God, something has been really inspiring to me has been the take on 1 Corinthians:

Love is patient, love is kind

It does not envy, it does not boast

It is not proud

It does not dishonor others

It is not self seeking

It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth

It always protects

Always trusts

Always hopes

Always perseveres

Love never fails

I know that this is the kind of perfect love that Heavenly Father blesses us with. It is the love that I feel for the people of England, and the love that has been shown to me by my friends and family. If there was anything to be taken from my farewell talk, it was just the unchangeable fact that perfect love exists!


After I spoke, we had a luncheon at my grandparents house that was SO FUN. It was amazing to see everyone there! I have the most amazing family and friends ever, seriously. It meant so much to me to be able to see so many people that I love before I left, and I can't believe how much support I have been given in serving a mission. It is truly an amazing thing.


At the end of the day, there were some hard goodbyes. Harder than I thought it'd be. But I got home, and had a good cry, and moved forward with the happy knowledge that this is what I was always meant to do and London, England is the place where everyone I love wants me to be. I can't wait to get there❤️