35th Letter: "ALLLBUQUERQUE!!"

Dear Family,

So here I am again! Sorry about last letter I didnt plan out the time very well that I had to write so it didnt work out, but hopefully I will be able to do a better job this time. So my life has continued to be a race. I have just realized that Heavenly Father doesnt want me to feel comfortable. He is always pushing me and pulling me in ways that I never thought were imaginable, at times I just think to myself.... man will I ever get a break!! But then I realize why we were sent here to earth and what our potentital is to become, and that doesnt involve breaks!! As Heavenly Father has tried me throughout my life I look back and see all of the strengths that I have developed from that trial. Being a Zone Leader definitely is a trial/ oportunity, there are so many added stresses that come with the calling of a missionary. Being over 26 other missionaries, trying to help them with there issues in concerns while you still are trying to develop as a missionary is very difficult to do. But I know that this is just an wonderful opportunity for me to grow and to strengthen myself!!

 

So kind of to describe my Zone. I am in the very very heart of ABQ and all of the missionaries in the Zone are as well. Part of the Zone covers the UNM campus, and just alot of downtown ABQ. So in our Zone we also have the Assistants, Mission Office, Mission Home. So we do alot of added work helping the assistans and helping the president with random projects and trainings. This Thursday we have Zone Conference and we have to present a training for that as well. All the other ZL's call us the Assistants to the Assistants. haha

 

So the ward that I am serving in is great! They feed the missionaries nightly which isnt helping to the continuing of trying to loose weight haha but they also come out nightly with us on visits which really helps alot because our mission really emphasises member presents. 

So a cool story as far as our investigators here is going is: My first week here we went and contacted a refferal from the assistants and her name was Roxanne. We went and saw her and she welcomed us in like we had been friends for years. Not only was she there but two of her friends were there as well. One of which finds out to be a inactive member of the church that has an amazing testimony but went through a rough patch in her life that took her away from the church, her name is Chrichelle. So we had an Restoration lesson with them and they soaked in everything that we taught and Chrichelle added her testimony to like everything that we said. Anyways so Roxanne and Chrichelles two kids have a bap date for the begining of October right now!! :)

 

Also I forgot to let you know that Crystal and Damian in Alamo got baptized! I was super bummed to have missed that baptism by a week especially because she wanted me to baptize her but hey she got baptized and thats all that matters.

 

Craziest thing happened as we were eating with a member this week. So I came to find out that the lady I was eating with is a Hatterly girl from American Falls. She looked super familiar to me when I first saw her but I couldnt put a finger to who she was. She knew me and our whole family really well. I guess she was in the same stake as Zac and Chelsea in Denver too which is crazy!! Ha she said that she was following our family around I guess!! 

 

So that is my quick little update for the week! Hey I always love letters, but I would especially really appreciate some letters right now in my mission. It has been kind of a challenge as of late so it would be much appreciated if you would have the time to write me.

I love you all and care for you a ton!!

Elder Barrus

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Btw I met the assistant coach at FSU back when coach Nugent coached there and when Lee Corso coached there haha he was a neat old man!!

 

Also met Prince Fielder (1st baseman for the Tigers) aunt when we were tracting last week!! It was awesome, her brother is Cecil Fielder who was an awesome baseball player as well!!