17 Oct. 2011

Family,

So on my mission I've only been told to go to hell twice - twice that I can recall anyway. The second time was this week. We walked up to a house to teach a few of our investigators, and the less-active woman that I told you about last week was there so we said hi, but she had to go cut bananas for the market the next morning. Anyway, her husband walked over and before he said anything, the people we were teaching told him where his wife had gone. So he walked off and we continued our lesson. A few minutes later we heard some yelling coming from next door and then the husband came back and told us never to come to his house (he didn't know that we'd been going there pretty often, he just thought we came to talk to her that night - which we didn't), because he worships a different god than we do, and if we come he'll show us how to REALLY use a Bible, and then proceeded to condemn us to hell. I felt pretty bad, not because of what he said to us, but because he thought it was okay to yell at his wife like that. He's actually converted from the Protestant church to another church that I won't mention, and everyone in that village said that since then, he's been different. He became pretty mean. Sad. Anyway, I don't think we'll be visiting them again for a while.

Also this week, we got a new senior couple, the Johnsens. The are the first senior couple the mission has received in a while that are classified as "proselyting". Usually they are over S&I. But, since there isn't one over S&I, they'll probably take over that responsibility too. They asked me to go over the branch directory yesterday and tell them who is active and who is not, and they're going to do their best to find who they can and they seem really excited. He was an accountant for Exxon Mobil and they're from Houston most recently but they've lived all over - from Illinois to California to even Guam.

We finally watched conference this weekend too. Dad, it was cool to see Elder Callister speak, everyone here really enjoyed his talk. I think President Monson is getting more and more lively as the years go. He's got to be so comfortable speaking at this point.

Another thing, I got a bug bite on the bottom of my foot and in the middle of the night, it woke me up - unbelievably itchy. So I scratched it like my life depended on it. Anyway it got infected - evidenced by the red lines running up the side of my foot the next morning. So we called the doctor that I told you about who's here with the Army, and he said "oh that's not good". Thanks doc, but not what I want to hear. So he had us come to the clinic and he gave me a double antibiotic. Probably the biggest pills I've ever taken, or even seen, in my life. It's better now, but before, it felt like I was walking on a rusty nail - it was pretty uncomfortable. All's well in Zion again - no need to worry.

I still haven't prepared my talk - I just don't know where to start. Maybe I'll just wing it.

Love,

Elder Barlow

P.S. Just kidding I won't wing it. I'll think of something.