Week 11 - March 27, 2023

 Yo yo yo!  How's it going, Todos.  A very good and even longer week I have had this past week.  I swear last Monday felt like it was at least 12 days ago.  But we're here, back at it again with another p-day, and another weekly update.  Good stuff.  Let's jump right into it. 

So first, had a baptism yesterday.  My first baptism here in the mission, super stressful because we had to set everything up and it almost didn't go very well, but it happened and everyone's good, so I'm grateful.  Another member of the greatest church in the world in the books, let's go!  

Other than that, I've been learning a lot on how exactly faith works, and how sometimes, no matter how much faith you have in something, it just doesn't happen, and that's OK.  We gotta move on sometimes, things don't go as planned.  I'm still learning not to get frustrated from that.  One of the greatest pieces of advice I've gotten this week and just ever is to CHOOSE to be happy.  In middle school, our principle would say at the beginning of every day to "make it a great day, or not, the choice is yours!" and we always thought it was kinda dumb.  But now, five or so years later, I'm seeing what he meant, and the importance of it.  I learned if I let other people and circumstances affect my mood, my mission will be a miserable experience.  So, from now on I will always remember to choose to be happy in the difficult times, which isn't easy. 

So, I bet you're wondering what the title means--Coke and the eagle.  Sit back and grab some popcorn, I got some stories for you.  So, another missionary I live with had an uncle who, a while ago, worked on the temple we have in Haiti.  He lived there for a month or two, and as you can guess, the food there isn't always prepared well.  So, he got super sick for like a week.  His assistant, who was also Haitian, told him he should drink some coke because it can really help that kind of sickness.  He didn't believe it, but out of desperation he just chugged a coke, and the next day he was completely fine.  I got the chance to try it after hearing that, and let me tell you, coke here really is the potion of healing, the flask of happiness down here in the Dominican.  It changes you.  And it's only 25 pesos (like half a dollar)! 

Also, the eagle story.  During a lesson we were having, a member of the church told us this story.  There was once a naturist looking upon the land.  He saw an eagle land on a farm and eat the corn that was being fed to the hens there.  So, the naturist went to the farm and told the farmer that lived there that there was an eagle that was eating his corn.  The farmer replied, "No, I only have hens here.  So, the naturist said, "Tomorrow, I'll show you the eagle."  Sure enough, the next day, the farmer opened the gate, and all the hens came out to eat the corn the farmer threw to them, and there was the eagle in the midst of them.  The naturist said, "Look, there's the eagle with his great wings and potential.  This eagle is better than the hens, it can do and be so much more."  To prove to the farmer what he said was true, he picked up the eagle and told it to fly away, and it flew away.  The moral, is that as disciples and followers of Christ, we can do and be so much more than the people that just spend every day eating corn or doing the same things.  We can be an example to others and be a light to them.

Sorry this email was a long one.  I am also not a fan of long emails, trust me.  I learned a lot of really cool and interesting stuff though and wanted to share.  Thanks for all your support, and again, don't be afraid to reach out and say hi, how you're doing, I love to hear it.  Love you, talk to you next week!

I must go- Elder Barlow

Week 10 - March 20, 2023

Hey guys, another week in the DR and this week has been a good one.  Let's get right into it.  So, I've been working on myself a lot this past week and it's been getting better.  I'm starting to really enjoy this work a lot more and learning a lot more about myself.  We have a lot of people who are starting to progress too, which is great.  We were able to get seven people to church on Sunday, which is awesome.  I'm so glad to finally see some progress in people, but I also know I need to be more patient. 

I started doing an English Fast every day from about 1:30 to 9:00, where me and my companion only speak Spanish in the streets and stuff.  That's helped me a lot with the language.  I've been learning a lot about myself, as I have said before, all my strengths and weaknesses, and working to get better.  It's a long process, and I'm still not even close to the person I would like to be, but it's a process that is moving. 

For P-day today we went to a really really cool beach in Baharuco, which was super fun.  Got super sunburned somehow which isn't fun but hey that's life.  Hope you guys like the pics and email me and let me know how you're doing.  Love y'all!

I must go- Elder Barlow 

Week 9 - March 13, 2023

Hey, everyone, another weekly email from your favorite missionary, Elder Barlow.  Or at least second favorite, I hope. Things have been getting better for me here.  We have been having more success in terms of meeting more people who are actually down to progress, which is nice. 

There's this one guy who we met one night a while ago who I really think will progress, but we haven't had a lot of time with him (our first real lesson was yesterday) because he's just never home.  I always tell my companion we need to keep holding on to him because I just really feel like he needs the gospel in his life.  Good old Rubén Darío. 

We also have a couple that promised us they would get married soon so that they can get baptized because that's important, you gotta be living that Law of Chastity.  We have one lady who we have prayed to help her understand that baptism is something she needs to do, and hopefully that answer will come to her in time.  

Other than that, I'm getting used to missionary life, which is be awake for 12 hours a day every day and walking multiple miles every day in like 80 degrees.  Good stuff, I love it.  I'm getting more used to the food too, or rather, I'm getting used to the insane amount of food they feed us.  

Another cool thing, on Thursday, we made a goal to have 10 lessons every week with a member of the church present.  On Thursday, we had 1, so we needed to have 9 lessons with a member present by Monday, 3 days.  By yesterday, we had 6, and were planning to do 2.  Once we did 1 more that wasn't planned, we knew we just needed to do 1 more member lesson by 7:00 because that was our last planned lesson.  So, we said maybe we could go to this one person's house we went to a while ago and do a lesson with her.  I didn't remember where that house was, but I knew that's what we should do.  I said a prayer for guidance to help remember where the house was, and we just ended up making it there.  When we got to the house, it looked pretty different from the last time we were there, but I just felt strongly that it was the right house.  We walked in, she was there, we did the lesson, we got 10 member lessons in 3 days, and were having pizza to celebrate.  Good times, hopefully I was able to tell that story so it at least kinda made sense. 

I know this is God's work, bringing others to salvation, and I know he will continue to mold me into a great missionary.  It's a long process, becoming the person I want to be, but I have to stay patient.  Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.  Bueno, thanks again for the prayers, and again, let me know how you guys are doing, p days are kinda boring, and it would be so great to hear from some of you.  Love ya, bye- Elder Barlow

Week 8 - March 6, 2023

Man, what a great week this has been.  I've learned so much and grown so much.  Not much, to be honest, happened in the past week that is crazy enough to write home about, but I'll write about some cool things.  First, my progress. I feel like I'm getting more used to Spanish.  I'm speaking a lot more, still having trouble understanding just about everyone, but I'm content with where I'm at.  Of course, I don't boast in my own progress and victories, but I will boast in my God, who has given me his strength and his Spirit so that I can accomplish his work.  This work takes a lot of faith in order for success.  We haven't "succeeded" much, the people here love God but they have trouble understanding the importance of baptism.  We do everything we can here, but sometimes, or really most times, the people just aren't willing to change.  And that's totally fine, it's their choice, I can't force them into conversion.  I'm just patiently waiting until we find that one person who is ready for us; that one person who wants to change and will do whatever is necessary to change.

Miracle moment- we did a companion exchange on Tuesday, where two companionships swap for a day.  So, I had a new comp in a new area for a day.  This guy only spoke Spanish, and the area we went to was super cool.  The place was called Enriquillo, about an hour south of us.  I was able to communicate enough with my new comp in Spanish, which was good.  Anyway, before we get on the guagua (Dominican "bus") I pray for help with the gift of tongues or help with the language, and just for his Spirit to be with me.  Then, I see this Dominican guy walk by with a shirt that said, all in English, "Be strong, and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9".  It wasn't the first time my prayer was answered by someone else's shirt, but that message was definitely intended for me, there are no coincidences in mission work.

 

I'm doing good here, this place is pretty different from what I'm used to.  The food I think has been the hardest part of the adjustment, because it's just rice, and eating only rice every time we get fed by people isn't good for my stomach.  The people are really good, they all believe in God, but they just don't understand the importance of going to church.  We're trying to help them every way we can though.  It's super-hot here, but I got used to that I think, and I'm getting tanner, which is awesome. 

 

My comp's name is Elder Ross, and he's from Texas.  He has 16 months out here.  He's been helping me a lot with the language, which is great.  Our apartment is really good, too. We have a new fridge, cold showers, fans, it's nice.  We live with two other Elders as a 4-man house, which is cool.  

But yeah, really good week this week.  Thank you all for the prayers, I can see the blessings in my life.  By the way, I'm totally down to read about you guys!  Send me something new or cool that happened in your life, I'm super interested, I promise.  I might not be able to respond immediately, but I would greatly appreciate it.  Thanks everyone!

I must go-Elder Barlow