How's life?? Has the world collapsed while I've been behind these gates? Have the Aliens come yet? Sorry, I really wouldn't know. It feels really weird seeing things beyond the fence. This truly is it's own world. It's almost as magical as Disneyland but it's definitely more miraculous. I've seen BYU a couple times and had sort of mind blowing experiences. Sometimes I get caught thinking that the world has stopped but no, I walk outside in the morning and still can see the beautiful sunrise, our beautiful mountains that I'll miss so much and watch as people drive by in their cars as they rush to work. I really hope life is going great for all of you wherever you are and in whatever you're doing. You are all truly amazing people. Thank you for all that you have taught me. I can feel the power of those experiences here as I work hard to become a better missionary.
So, I am in a trio with Elder Mason and Elder Kulka. Elder Kulka is such a jock. He loves Football and Baseball and enjoys Basketball. Because you can't play those first two here, he has to settle for Basketball. He's really competitive and gym time is his heaven. He's from Detroit and was raised a Mormon but man, he's very different than me. He loves talking to people and is a very jittery kind of guy. He keeps me on my toes which is good for me. He's awesome and he keeps our district energetic and helps us smile more. Elder Mason is such a rock. He has a really strong Testimony and is really good at studying. He amazes me. He's so humble and he knows how to improve. I have been so grateful to have him here. He is always interested in my life and is the kind of missionary that I want to be like. We have eight total missionaries in our district and we all bring a different element to the table. I have loved working with all of them. We have two teachers, Brother Holmes(sorry, his first name is not Sherlock) and Brother Nielson. I really love both of them. My mind is consistently blown by the teaching methods that they teach us. I always knew teaching was hard but never as multidimensional as this! I love learning though! It's so cool to see yourself improve!
We have three investigators, Bill, Ben and Olivia. I'm most intrigued by Olivia so I'll talk about her. Olivia goes to BYU, studies English and is really smart. She's married but was introduced to the church by a friend that recently left on a mission. She has been to a lot of different churches but really, she's focused on just learning more about our church. We struggled on our first lesson and she kind of shut us down but we picked it up later. She is keeping with her commitments and so we're going to continue to encourage her to read the Book of Mormon and pray. We are trying to help her feel the spirit in her life. I'm learning how to step into someone else's shoes and teach them what they need to hear.
I love it here. My testimony is growing so much stronger as I stay humble and continue to improve my teaching skills. I have never felt the spirit as strong as I have felt it here. I am learning how important prayer is. I have had a couple really powerful prayers during my time here and I can feel God's love for me as I put my trust in him. I love the Gospel. I watched a talk Elder Bednar gave on Sunday night in which he emphasized to look outward. So, my spirtual thought is this. You need to have more than just a testimony. Become truly converted to Jesus Christ. Come unto him. He is there for you. Constantly look for places you can serve others. Attempt to understand other people's situations and know that God loves you more than you know. I love you all. Thank you so much for all you have done for me.
With Love,
Elder Barnett
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