20 June 2011

Family,

So for some reason all of the usual flights were full, so we had missionaries coming in throughout the week, and staying for longer than they usually have in the past. So, we're pretty much out of food at this point. Anyway, we had a good week nonetheless.

We just had the Guam stake's first Stake Conference. They had President and Sister Dowdle speak, since they go home next week, and it all was really, really good. Saipan is part of the Stake, and we had them all set up on a video conference. It was pretty high tech having speakers from there and here on the same program.

We have this Chuukese investigator who comes to church every week, but for some reason won't be baptized. She said she wants to talk to her parents (in Chuuk) first, but that once she does she'll be baptized regardless of what they say (she's 21). For some reason she just won't talk to them. We went over this week to talk about it, and tried to just help her realize that she does in fact have faith in the things we have taught her and that if baptism is something that she wants, there isn't really a need for anything to be keeping her from that. She agreed to talk to her parents on Father's Day (yesterday) and then be baptized this Saturday. Well, it turns out that her father was sick and had to go to the doctor, so she didn't say anything. Hopefully we can get her to call in the next day or so.

For Zone Leader Council, we planned a service project with the local government. We went down to some really cool tide pools and picked up trash and cleaned up the place. Now they're making this big deal of it and want to publish our picture in the newspaper and put an article about the church and everything. It's all fine and good, I just didn't expect it, and now we have to write something to go in the paper. I think we'll just copy something from Mormon.org.

Yesterday, Elder Malit and I trained the Zone Leaders on change. How we are called on missions not for the people that we are, but because of our potential and who we can become. We talked about yielding our will unto the Lord and I think it all turned out really well. Elder Malit talked about himself and how he is happier than he's ever been. I just want to reiterate that to you guys. I can honestly say I'm happier than I've ever been.

Love,

Elder Barlow