25th Letter: "RAIN!! :)"

Dear Family,

Man it has been a good week!! It went by super fast I cant believe I am already here again writing you guys!! I need to do a better job keeping tabs of all the crazy stuff that goes on during the week so that I can have better letters home!! Because there is a ton that goes on in a week, and it is hard for me to soak in everything, let alone remember it!! Alamo is driving me crazy haha I just shake my head some times during the day. I literally am amazed everyday with how some people live and the mindsets that they have. Ugh I never thought the world was this bad until I came out on my mission!! I have faith that the Navajo culture can stay alive, but I also doubt a lot....plain and simple this younger generation is....CRAP!!! They have no sense of morals whatsoever and have never worked a day in their lives!! It is super sad the only thing that they care about is drugs!! Ha there is a gang here in Alamo and their name is by far the stupidest gang name I have ever heard!! Even worse than "Brown Pride" in Aberdeen. It is ICP "Insane Clown Posse"..... wow the least you could do is come up with a cool name!! Well anyways I have been doing really good though haha there still are a lot of really good people in Alamo especially in the older generation. It just makes me sad so I vent about it sometimes!!

 

So the new President Miller is the bomb!! I already know that I am going to love to work with him!! He is all about finding new investigators by contacting people on the streets! Its crazy I didn't know that before the mission presidents come out to the field that they are trained for a week straight from the first presidency and quorum of the twelve!! So he is kind of on a spiritual high right now! He knows that now more than ever there needs to be a big push for missionary work and that the Lord is preparing so many of his children to receive His gospel. I am just super excited to be able to work with President Miller he is a younger mission president 56 I think. And is very lively and loves to laugh!! I think we will get along just fine! Sports fan too!! Yeah so we have to go to ABQ today for the trainer trainee meeting and then afterwards we have our first interview with President. So its going to be a long day. We have 2 apt tonight back here in Alamo too.

 

So the investigators that are looking the most promising for baptism coming up are Vince Abeyta and Flora Abeyta. Vince is probably in his upper 30's.... lets say it bluntly he was a jerk for the first 3 transfers that I was here. Always drunk and flipping us off. And would never let us come over to see Flora. But he came to church randomly one Sunday all repentant and saying he wants to change his life. Told us that he has been off alcohol for 3 weeks and said he wants us to teach him. So we went over and taught him, committed him and Flora to baptism and Vince is just loving everything we are telling him. So July 20thshould be their baptism!!

 

So the Ronnie and Savannah saga continues............ shake my head..... both of them have drove me up the wall!! Both of their minds are permafried, I pray that one day both of them can totally get off of drugs and live a happy life, but I don't think they have the mental capacity to do it! So since the last time they had the desire to change, remember back in May when we had the crazy experience over at their house. They got back on drugs and all that goes with that. SO we go over to their place on Sunday and right when we pull up Ronnie is freaking out trying to hold Sierra (their 6yr old daughter) telling us that she is possessed when she isn't at all!! She was just trying to get attention by sucking on her thumb and wouldn't stop. Ronnie was trying to put the bible in her hands and he dropped it, and was like "look it she just threw the bible!!!" ha no Ronnie... you dropped the bible. Ah anyways we calmed Sierra down by telling her to give us a high five! ha and then started to talk to Savannah on the couch while. Ronnie decides to take off his shirt and go outside with his Book of Mormon while it is a crazy thunderstorm monsoon and starts crying to the Lord..... Just picture this in your mind.... that is what I deal with out here. And so we are consoling Savannah we get her to give up all of her drugs, she gave us a bong and another thing that we crushed up and threw away. Meanwhile Ronnie comes back in just delusional crying pleading to the Lord. He talks for about an hour like that we are just sitting there. Savannah goes and kneels down by him and they start telling each other how much they love each other and start making out... To make it worse Ronnie has a gallon of snot running down his face while they are kissing.... We get them to stop and give both of them a blessing and some council... again! But since Sunday things have gotten kind of crazy again... super long story, but thought you guys might like to hear it haha

 

On a good not though Hilbert is getting the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday!! I gave him one of my white shirts and a couple of ties!! And Norna, Anita and Terrie are all talking in Sacrement meeting on Sunday as well!! Definitely going to be a blessed day!! I cant wait!! :) We have been helping all of them with their talks, it is going to be great!!

 

So Angelita, Anita's daughter made me a legit Navajo rug made out of the sheep fur that we just sheered. It is awesome!! I couldn't believe it when she handed it to me!! It is easily worth $1000. It will be something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. And Anita told me that she is making me one as well. Man I love that family!! Angelita calls me her brother and Anita calls me her son haha!

 

So for P-days we are still going on our usual hikes!! I love it, it gives me an opportunity to kind of put everything behind me and to just relax, and enjoy the outdoors! The Crofts have meant so much to me as well throughout my mission, they do a lot for us!! It is great to be able to spend those hikes with them.

 

Well I better be off to ABQ, but I love and miss all of you guys!! Thanks for your continual prayers for me and for the work!! Take Care and have a good busy week!!

 

Love Elder Barrus

 

Scripture: Fulfilled prophecy!! I love preaching the gospel to the Lamanites!! Enos 1:15-16 15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
 16 And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.

24th Letter: "Hey!!! President Miller Jr."

Dear Family,

Hey Family guess what it is July!! Must be a joke right? Man it is impossible for me to keep track of time out here on the mission. I guess when you are just constantly busy that is how it goes. Ever since I have had more responsibilities it seems that I never even have time to look at the watch to see what time it is let alone what day it is! Its a good thing though. Well I think everyone is doing pretty well as far as I know! I have only been out for 5 months and the quality of your guys letters are dropping ha except for Tiff and Mom. You guys must not have anything really to tell me. No news is good news I guess. But I enjoy talking to you guys while I am on though, I just don't know what to talk about, and you guys don't either I don't think ha That's how it goes I guess. I know you guys have been really busy though so I understand. :) Cause I have been too.

 

Well what has been new in my mission life.... lets see. Well we are teaching more lessons that we ever have upper 30's and we are finding those that the Lord is preparing for us everyday! I think I told you guys last week about Cindy Garcia and her family! I am super excited to teach them the gospel. She has a 11 year old daughter that is a genius and super nice! She would go on a mission if she could! Pray for them! I really want them to receive the joys of the gospel. 

Other than all that we met the new President Miller yesterday and man is he a stud!! I love the old President Miller a ton he was the man too and taught me so much. But this Miller has a bounce in his step and loves to laugh!! He was cracking jokes throughout the whole meeting and has a great spirit about him!! Definitely a man of God. New Sister Miller was super nice too, her smile radiated and it would make you smile just looking at it ha I am super excited to work with them!!

 

Also I was blessed with one of the greatest blessings of my mission this last week as we found out that we are aloud to go to the wellness center in Alamo!! It is way nice and has a basketball court and weight room!! Plus it is free!! Since I have been here I have been told that it was Navajo only but I guess not they welcomed us pretty good!! I will have to get back in the basketball grove of things on P-days! Also a great way to find new investigators.

 

Well I am doing great!! I'm loving life and have enjoyed training Elder Gibson. I have been teaching him everything that I know which isn't much but hopefully it is enough!! No but we are doing great.

 

Hope you guys all have a wonderful 4th of July!! Navajos don't really celebrate it because we kinda stole their freedom!! It was kind of awkward on Sunday when we sung all of the patriotic songs. Lets just say none of the Navajos sang! Still a little bitter. Anyways Love you all!!

 

Elder Barrus

 

Scripture: Jacob 5:72 story of the vineyard.... I love it, I finally understood it for the first time this last Thursday at Scripture Study. I love this verse because it says that the Lord will go down into the vineyard with his servants (missionaries) this last time to prune the vineyard! And he truly is I see it everyday!!

23rd Letter: "FAMILY..."

Dear Family,

Here I am again... just another boring letter probably ha But I'll keep writing anyways. Well first off it is good to hear that y'all are doing great!! Makes me happy! :) I have been doing pretty good myself. Last week was probably one of my best weeks of my mission. It was amazing everywhere I turned I saw the Lords hand in the work. Saturday went great we had all 4 be baptized, I baptized Norna and Hilbert and Elder Croft baptized Terri and Lee. It was such an amazing experience. But what touched me even more than the baptism was the next day when they received the gift of the Holy Ghost. I don't know if I have ever felt the spirit so strong in my life. I gave Norna and Terri the Holy Ghost, and man the spirit was just radiating in the room!! Plus we had the largest sacrament meeting since I have been here. And just random people came, which was amazing. Ha oh and you wont believe what happened! I played the piano!..... Well it played itself, but I sat and pressed the button!! :) Well words cant really describe what all has been going on here.

Man wasn't that meeting on Sunday great?! Did you guys get to watch it? Man it pumped me up and was another testimony to me that we are in a really special time of the history of the world. "Never before has there been a greater need to do missionary work", and it is because the Lord truly is preparing his children to receive his gospel! I know it! Because I am apart of it and I see it everyday! We are living in a very choice time, and each of us missionary or not has been called to preach the gospel by a modern day prophet. So do it, search for those in your lives that the Lord has prepared member or non-member. I cherish those less-actives that I have helped come back into the fold of God. Oh and I am not too sure how the ipad and facebook thing is going to work out, Elder Eco-hawk is coming on Saturday, and I wouldn't be surprised if he talks about it. 

 

Well I am doing great my family!! I was a little concerned on who the next baptism was going to be after this last weekend, but the Lord reassured me that our work isn't done. And we found an awesome family yesterday that I can tell the Lord has been preparing. This truly is the Lords work and he is trusting us with his children what a great responsibility that I have. I thank the Lord for it each day and pray that I am doing it in a pleasing manner unto him.

 

Know that I love you all so much. Thanks for your support and prayers!

Love Elder Barrus

P.s Alma 29:1-2 :) 

and I kind of went at it with a preacher today who was telling me to stop teaching his congregation. I told him that I believe that the spirit teaches us the truth of all things not the philosophies of man. He said that he believed the same thing. I said good so lets see what the spirit will teach them to do. ;) Love my calling

 

and I will be hopefully writing some letters soon. Especially to you guys G&G sorry it has been a while, and thanks for the letter!! Happy late birthday Grandpa, Uncle Bart, and Chelsea

22nd Letter: ":)"

Dear Family,

Here I am again.... ha I never know how to start off letters. Well I have survived my first week as senior comp and district leader. Its a miracle!! Well I am doing pretty good, I'm starting to get control of everything that is going on and do the best I can with what I got. It sounds like everything is going good for you guys... everyone seems super busy, but that's a good thing!! :) Little-T looks adorable... good job Tiff and Kel, not a bad way to start! ;) Amanda is busy taking pictures of boys in singlet's ha nothing has changed... Dad is trying to manage his busy life and Mom as well, along with taking care of Bo.(love that dog) And Zac and Chelsea have 2 kids nuff said. And little ole Nic is out here dying in the heat of New Mexico... goodness I don't know if I can last 2 years like this. I will probably look like the anorexic wild horses out here when I get off of the plane. I feel like I am constantly sweating which is a horrible feeling. The heat is super draining also, so it is hard to focus. But through it all the work has never been going better. We had a really good week last week, one of my best weeks of my mission. We set 2 more baptism dates and taught 31 lessons and had 8 new investigators. Norna and Hilbert are just itching to get into the water, so I cant wait for this Saturday to baptize them, guarantee it will probably be one of the highlights of my mission. Lee Tsosie is looking solid for Saturday as well Elder Croft is going to baptize him! haha it will be awesome. Terri Apichito is looking pretty promising to be baptized on Saturday, she just always is super busy and is way hard to catch at home. But I am keeping the faith that she will be baptized Saturday.

 

Well Elder Gibson has been good, its been an experience, but it has been good. Ha he always makes random loud noises that scares me, and doesn't talk about much other than when he worked at Jimmy Johns. I am really praying that he develops a good relationship with the Navajos because it is crucial that they like you, before they will even listen to you. I think things will work out, it just takes time. Ha I don't know what I did, but it seems like the whole res is in love with me. Ha its kinda funny I made fry bread for FHE on Monday, and it has spread throughout the whole reservation. Every ones teasing that if a gomilie can make fry bread than so can you. They loved it haha my Navajo Shi'ma Anita birthday is tomorrow and she wants me to make her Navajo tacos. Ha we will see how it turns out. That reminds me that yesterday we went over to her place and helped her sheer he sheep. Ha that was a pretty cool experience!! I have been getting really close to Anita and her family, they are really starting to trust me which could lead to a bunch of baptisms before I leave hopefully. Anita and Norna are going to make me a legit Navajo rug, which just made my whole mission they are about $1000 dollars if you want to buy one, and they are super sacred here. Man it is going to be super hard to leave this place I have just grown to really love the people!!

 

Oh I think I forgot to tell you guys, but next Saturday we are having a special conference that Elder Eco Hawk is coming to!! And there is a rumor that on that Sunday he is coming to Alamo!! I'm super excited for that, I have always enjoyed his talks.

 

Anyways thanks for the time that you guys take out to write me. It really encourages and helps me to keep going. I pray for your happiness throughout your busy lives! Thanks for the prayers that you offer for me. I feel them. I love you all so much, take care!!

Love Elder Barrus

Scripture

Alma 26:12 :) READ IT!!..... APPLY IT!!

New Companion

Here's Elder Barrus and his new companion Elder Gibson from Shelley, Idaho

21st Letter: "...wow this is weird"

Dear Family,

Well here I am again, another week has come and gone. And man am I tired. It has been a crazy week, seems like I am going 100 miles an hour, and cant slow down. I'm just glad that I don't have to do this by myself. I feel the Lords help strengthening and giving my the confidence going forward. I am still in shock that I am a District Leader and that I am training..(all the missionaries call it a STD haha Senior Trainer District Leader) not the best name. Its super weird I feel like someone should be telling me what to do not the other way around!! I truly am being guided by the spirit in what I do. I don't know what I would be doing without it. But my new comp is Elder Gibson from Shelley Idaho haha another Idaho boy. Great missionary, has a great desire to get out and do the work. And really wants to learn. So I can work with that.

 

Last Saturday we had a baptism!! Only Rechunda Secatero, but it was still amazing!! Lee Tsosie had to postpone his baptism till the 22nd because he went out of town. So it looks like him and Norna and Hilbert along with Terri Apachito should all be baptized on the 22nd. So that should be an amazing day. What an amazing experience it was though to baptize someone. Ha man the spirit was so strong. And I just had an overwhelming experience of the spirit comforting my and telling me that my hard work is paying off.

 

Well yeah the work here in Alamo is moving right along. Less actives are coming back to church and our investigators are progressing towards baptism. Its so great to be apart of the work out here in Alamo.

I am growing so much and can see my testimony grow more and more each day. I wouldn't change this experience for anything. This truly is the work of the Lord and of no one else. I am but a menial part in bringing it to pass. I know that if I just continue to move forward with faith and with the desire to serve with all my heart that he will continue to bless me with success. All he asks of us is to have a willing heart, and he will make up for the rest. How true this church is and how blessed we truly are to be apart of it. Let us never forget that.

 

Thanks for all that you guys do for me. I feel your continual prayers for me daily!! Thank you!!

Love Elder Barrus

 

Scripture: Listen to Elder Hollands talk this last conference. LDS.org..... Plus if there is any way I don't know if there is but if there is, could you find a way to get me a bunch of his talks on CD I love them!!

20th Letter: "Crazy STUFF"

Dear Family,

Here we are in June.... Wow crazy!! Well I am doing really good!! My heart has been beating extra fast today, but I am doing good!! President Miller called us this morning and told me that I am pregnant!! My first Son!! I'm super excited for that! But I was about to say goodbye to President and he was like "I would also like to call you to be District Leader over your district"..... heart skipped a beat or two. I am so nervous but excited. The Lord really does know how to stretch us doesn't he? I know that this is going to be a huge learning experience for me and I am super excited to grow as a missionary. It definitely is going to be a trying experience though. Socorro's numbers have been really bad and now I have the responsibility of not only my numbers but theirs. So yeah and that's not all my Dad Elder Lish got a Zone Leader call!! ha he was so scared!! He has never left Alamo and was only a DL for one transfer!! Haha that's going to be fun for him!! He will be great. I'm super sad that we wont be together any longer. We have become super good friends and have loved serving together. So we have to go to ABQ tonight and will be there until Friday night. Tomorrow Elder Lish has a ZL training from 8-3 so I will be going with a Spanish elder on exchanges during that time. And he is a biking missionary ha that should be fun!! Then at 3:30 I have a Trainer meeting at the mission home till 5. And on Friday we have Zone Training in Los Lunas. So yeah It is going to be pretty crazy till next Tuesday when I get my new greenie.

 

So as far as the missionary work is going out here and Alamo.... Its been going really good. Lee Tsousi and Richinda Secatero are being baptized on Saturday. And me and Elder Lish will be baptizing Richinda, that will be an experience. She is stuck in a wheel chair. Norna and Hilberts date got pushed back to the 22nd. Hilbert has some issues with coffee, but he says that he is through with it!! And they asked me to baptize them! Im so excited for them. Terri Apachito's new date is for the 22nd and she gave us all of her coffee so that was a huge step hopefully she doesn't relapse. I bought her some Pero hopefully she will get hooked on that. Savannah and Lee Davis are also for the 22nd so that should be a good day too!!

Well I have a long day ahead of me. But I love you all so much!! Thanks so much for all of your prayers and support that you give me. You guys mean the world to me!!

 

Love Elder Barrus (Mosiah 24:14 Scripture I flipped to this morning, helped me a lot)