Wow sometimes I promise, I feel like I am living the dream. The
missionary life dream. Our new area, Northampton is gorgeous. I
thought that it would be hard to adjust from being in London, but it
is so posh here. It's so nice!! And my new companion is so amazing.
Sister Moraes (pronounced like More eyes:) She is from the North of
Brazil (just like my other daughter!) We understand each other 50% of
the time. I love being with language missionaries, the spirit always
surrounds them so strong and it helps so much to be able to focus on
what is really important in missionary work and that is the spirit.
Basically we just Proselyte around all these posh streets and let the
spirit guide. I've never had more fun in my life! The members here are
incredible and gave us a huge, warm welcome. They are excited to have
sisters back in the area.
Our first day here, as we were speaking with people we found a girl
that came and sat right down in the library with us and had a lesson
right then and there. The next day, we had interviews in Bedford and
so we had a Skype lesson with her and she accepted a date to be
baptised! We also met a wonderful guy, S, this week who has been a
huge blessing! He gave us chocolate when we met him and was so excited
to come to church. He came yesterday and absolutely loved it! I was so
humbled and grateful for these miracles.
The work is going well here and I am super excited to continue all of
these good things in Northampton. I know that there are so many
blessings that Heavenly Father is just waiting to give us, all we need
to do is to simply ask. I am so thankful for his truth and I am
thankful to be a missionary!
Christ has no hands but our hands
To do His work today
He has no feet but our feet
To lead men in His way
He has no tongue but our tongues
To tell men how He died
He has no help but our help
To lead men to His side
-author unknown
XOXO
Sister Barnes
Greeting my loves! This week was my last in Enfield and I will be
receiving my new greenie in the morning and traveling out to the
boonies of Northampton. Goodbye London:) Sister Pail and I are
spending the day in a place called Camden Town in central London, it's
a super colorful and fun place, there are pictures below. And also
pictures our ward mission leader in Colchester sent (they came and
surprised us with their cute girls this week) and also a sneak peak of
our finding (in the SNOW again! But we won't talk about it. . .)
There were many miracles in Enfield this week, we met a guy on the
street that wouldn't set up a return appointment with us but ended up
being super solid and coming to church. He is Jamaican and ended up
totally bonding with our Caribbean bishop and all the rest of the
amazing members. He told me then minute he walked in that he would
stay for an hour ONLY. But he ended up staying for all 3 hours:) I
guess that's just what happens when you find the true church.
My testimony was really strengthened this week of setting goals and
involving the Lord in achieving them. Heavenly Father is always here
willing to help us and work with us. It's something that I never
understand before but it has truly changed my mission and my life. I
love the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all of my heart.
Have a wonderful week!!
XOXOSister Barnes
Hello friends and family! This week we were visited by Elder Paul V.
Johnson, General Authority Seventy and the Area President of Europe
and he shared so much with us. I felt so inspired and instructed on
how I can be an even better missionary. The spirit was so strong. One
of my favorite things that he talked about was how in the Olympics
there is a podium, and only those that won gold, silver, or bronze get
to stand on the podium because there is only room for 3 people. It
doesn't matter if someone performed the better than they ever have in
their life, if they are not the best, there is absolutely no room for
them on the podium and they don't get a metal. He compared this to how
sometimes we feel this way in the church, we feel like if we aren't
the best or if we don't have that one calling or if someone's
testimony is more progressed than our own than we will not get to
stand on the podium and get a metal. When in reality, there is no one
that can knock us out of getting into the Celestial Kingdom. If
someone does better, if they fulfill a calling, if they progress in
their testimony, that has nothing to do with you or your salvation.
There is room for everyone in the Celestial Kingdom. The only person
that stops you from going there is yourself. And the person that makes
it all possible is our Savior Jesus Christ. I just love Him so much.
Being His Representative out here in England is truly the best thing I
have ever done or will ever do in my life, I can't say it enough!!
It has warmed up and feels a lot like spring!:) We extended so many
baptismal dates this week to some amazing people. It was really
fulfilling. We are excited for them! We also were able to participate
in Stake sports day! It was THE biggest treat for me because I got to
be reunited with all of my friends from Watford and Hayes. It was
awesome. Such an epic reunion. Members over here just love with all of
their hearts, I was so happy that they all remembered me so well from
serving there a year ago. And there were some recent converts as well
that were SO good to see. All day I would hear, "Hey it's Sista
Bahhhns!!!" (Now I almost don't even respond when someone says my name
and it's not with an English accent because it sounds so foreign when
it is said differently) It was all around a wonderful week and I am so
thankful for my lovely companion Sister Pail and all of the work we
have been able to do here in Enfield! We are living in a 4 man flat
and so we have 2 other Brazilian sisters with us and it is the
funniest thing ever!
Wishing you a joy filled week!
XOXO
Sister Barnes
Sorry for being so negligent, I just have really had no time!
Transfers came and although I wasn't expecting it President told me
that he had a special assignment for me. . . It was the most intense
transfer call of my life, we were with our Bishop and he was so
enthralled listening to it haha! But I will be training a new
missionary from Brazil who is learning English, she comes into the
mission in 3 weeks, so for now I am with Sister Pail (from Austria and
from my MTC group!) in Enfield. In 3 weeks I will go open up a new
area in Northampton with my greenie. Pretty crazy stuff! So this week
I said goodbye to Sister De France and all of the amazing families and
people in Colchester and headed to London again!
I have LOVED this week in Enfield. It feels so good to be back in
London with the awesome bus system and a super African ward. It
stormed really hard this week, there was actual snow in England and a
lot of it! Apparently we got some cold air front from Russia or
something that hit us, they called the storm "beast from the east". To
be very honest, it was the coldest I have ever been in my entire life.
It was FREEZING! Heavenly Father blessed us so much and we were still
able to find people that were willing to talk with us when we went
finding. That says a lot because the world shuts down for English
people when it snows, they really hate it and don't know what to do.
This week there were so many miracles, I think one of the biggest ones
was when we met a guy at a bus stop who basically came up to us and
asked us what we were doing. We had like 5 seconds to talk to him
because our bus came right at that exact moment (thanks satan!) so we
quickly got his number. And then he came to church and brought his
brother!!!!!!! They are both super good and they loved the service, we
are seeing them again this week! Also in the midst of "beast from the
east" we met this other guy and it felt like we literally had to force
him to talk with us. But, after church yesterday he came for a lesson
and is now progressing towards baptism. Miracles have not ceased my
friends!
Sending my love from across the pond!
XOXOSister Barnes
