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

Week 7 - February 28, 2023

Hello, everyone!  Another week in the field, this one went by so fast!  We're starting to get to know the area and the people pretty well.  This update might be a little shorter, because nothing too crazy happened this week. 

I will say, this week has been a rough one.  Most of it was me getting used to the new way of life that I'll be living.  This is super hard work.  There have been many times where I have felt really confident in myself and then other times I have just felt hopeless.  Most of the time it's both in the same day.  The days here are just rollercoasters of emotion.  And one day I looked back on the day and realized that the only thing that keeps me confident and helps me to not fall into hopelessness is my faith.  Faith that through Christ I CAN do all things.  And that's the hard part.  Before the mission, and even sometimes here, I don't give myself credit for much.  I don't have a lot of confidence in myself, sometimes barely any.  I have a lot of faith in God and his great gospel and work, but the thing I learned is I also have to have faith in myself; that I can do all that is required of me.  And that's when I'm happiest, when I just don't care about the negative stuff.  Crazy right?  It took me 20 years to realize this lol.  My family was right all along! But yeah, I would be lying if I said I'm not enjoying myself.  I'm still getting used to the food here, it's really hard to eat a huge mountain of rice for every meal, but I know I can get used to that. 

Anyway, another great week, I learned a lot about myself, but I also learned something really cool in the scriptures.  Short little message time- in the book of Mormon, a great scripture is Alma 26:12, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore, I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things."  That really encapsulates my mindset.  Most of the progress I make here is never because of how good I'm doing or because of how awesome I am or how fast I learn or anything.  It's because I am a missionary of God, and he is simply helping me and strengthening me to accomplish his work.

 

Thanks for all your prayers, I can feel the love and support from all of you. Talk to you all next week!

I must go -Elder Barlow

Week 6 - February 20, 2023

This week has probably been the longest week of my life. I've never known what hard work was until now.  I have literally so much to share, I hope I can remember all the important stuff.  I'll start with the language.  The Spanish here is just like people said, super-fast and hard to understand.  I'm so grateful for my companion, he's the one that translates the Dominican Spanish to normal Spanish for me so I can teach better. Throughout the week, my Spanish is getting better, and I'm slowly starting to understand and pick out some of the words they say, it's awesome.  I have felt the Spirit so much when we teach the people, and I know God's hand is in this work. 

Miracle moment- I went to the bathroom one day and went to check the toilet for bugs on the inside because you can't blame me for not trusting the toilet here.  Then, my watch I had in my chest pocket came sliding out and fell straight into the toilet bowl.  That was the watch I got from the MTC, and I really wanted to keep that.  I took it out, tried to turn it on, and it was dead.  I set it down on the sink with disappointment.  Then I remembered what I just read in the Book of Mormon, Alma 15:5-11, talking about according to your faith you can do anything.  So, I prayed for, according to God's will, and my faith, my watch to be fixed and I could keep it.  About a minute later, I felt prompted to check it, and to my astonishment, it powered back on.  I now know for a surety the power of faith in Christ.  There have been other moments of being led to go down certain streets so we could meet certain people, and I know I have been led by God to do his work.  There were times I got frustrated with the language, and I even lost hope once, but I will continue to have faith as I know this is God's work and his glory, so he will help me accomplish it. 

The food is great here, not much variety because it's been either spaghetti or rice and beans, and I was a fan of neither one of them before my mission.  Luckily for me, these people have a special Dominican spice or something that makes their food actually really good.  There's this lady named Altagracia who makes literally the best food I've ever eaten, no exaggeration.  She's been making it for the missionaries since they first got here in this country, so at least since I was born. 

 

I love the people here, they all love God and Jesus, but they're just missing the joy that comes from the true gospel of Christ, that which I know I have felt, and can't deny its truthfulness.  One amazing week down, 99 more to go, and I'm excited to see what's in store for the people I serve and for me.  Thank you all for your prayers, nos vemos!  Elder Copeland

Week 5 - February 13, 2023

 Welcome to Dominican!  This place is amazing!  It was hard to say goodbye to all the people I got to know so well for the past couple of weeks in Mexico, but I'm finally here in the Dominican.  As I was driving through Santo Domingo, I felt welcomed by the mission president and his wife, and I thought, "What have I just gotten myself into?" lol. These next two years are about to be so crazy, I'm excited to start serving.  

Also, right when I got to the Mexico City Airport, guess what was playing on every TV?  The Kansas City Chiefs against the Who Cares Eagles, 35 to 35, 11 seconds left, and a field goal by the Chiefs would bring home the title of 2023 Champions!  I was so blessed to be able to watch that happen, and I know the perfect timing is no mistake.  I saw it as a little message from God saying, "You are where you're supposed to be."  Day 1 of the mission went nicely, just being welcomed and making myself "comfortable" or as much as I can get in this heat.  Ever since I got off the plane, my hands have been all moist and I've had sweat drenching my forehead.  I love it.  A lot to get used to, but I already know I'm about to change so much for the better.  I'm so glad I decided to do this, and I can't wait to see who God puts in my path to bless me and for me to bless them as much as I can.  Love you all, hasta luego!  

Elder Barlow

PS, no pictures this time because I couldn't figure it out.  Trust me when I say this place has beautiful scenery and culture!