Elder Barrus' Mission Blog: 44th Letter: "Rioooo Rancho!!"

Dear Family,

Well family things have changed quite a bit in just this past week it has been pretty hectic. Surprisingly I found out that I was getting transferred to a different stake last week and now here I am in the Rio Rancho stake. Haha My mission has been crazy so far!! I never get a chance to catch my breath and smell the roses, but I guess thats alright because thats not what I signed up to do. So it was super hard leaving the Academy Heights ward when I did, I really grew to love it and the work was going great! We were having tons of success not only in our own area, but within the Zone as well. The Mckays are set to get baptized next Saturday which is the hardest part about leaving for me. We also had a huge miracle this last week and set a baptism date with a young lady named Lindsey Qualo who we invited on the first lesson we had with her, she is super solid and excited to learn. So needless to say I was pretty bummed to have found out that I was leaving, and coming to a Zone that has really struggled for a long time!! As a whole zone there has only been 19 baptisms this year which is definitely going to change. I go forward with faith unlike Lot's wife, and I look at the challenge at hand as something exciting and as an opportunity to grow as a missionary.

So I really don't know too much about Rio Rancho, other than it is a pretty new development of a pretty upper class people. There are alot of super nice homes and what not, so basically in the missionary sense of things, there is alot of pride, but also theres is some kingdom builders waiting to be found!! :) Rio Rancho is basically a suburb of ABQ, they use to be two totally different cities that were divided, but as ABQ has grown they have pretty much merged.

FYI Mom dont worry we have somewhere to go for thanks giving! :) It definitely wont be as good as your cooking though!! But we wont be starving. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!! It truly is such a wonderful time of the year!! Cherish the time that you are able to spend with family, because you never know with how fast goes by when you will get another time to be gathered together. We had a Christmas miracle this last week!! It snowed!! It was so awesome!! :) It was all melted before noon, but still it brought back the feel of Idaho to me. :)

Well my new companiaro is Elder Black from Moses Lake Washington. He is super awesome, I knew him pretty well already since we were both District Leaders in the Los Lunas stake. He has only been a Zone Leader for one transfer so we are both really young zone leaders. And since I have been a ZL for only one transfer longer I am the senior companion. He has been out on his mission the same amount of time as Elder Lish so about 14 months. I am super excited to be serving with him.

Family know that you are they greatest!! I couldnt be doing what I am doing without all of your love and support! Thank you!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to be thankful for all that your Heavenly Father has blessed you with!! Gratitude is more of a blessing to us than to him, because it enables our Heavenly Father to continue to bless us. I am so eternally grateful for the many wonderful blessings in my life and for the oportunity that I have at this time to be serving the Lord. No greater joy have I felt in my life than as I have been dilligently trying to move this great work forward.

Love,

Elder Barrus

ps. new address

2909 Turf lane SE, Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124