Aug 25

This just in from the Grand Land of Georgia!

Missionaries run rampant through the streets of Decatur proclaiming that Christ's Church has been restored.

Sometimes I have to live up to that poster that hangs in my room, I mean, I am kind of a big deal if that is the case. I still need to find a good colorful suit to bring on home! Any who, thanks again for the constant and consistent emailing! I really do appreciate all the pains and toils of sending me a snippet of your week, I've been there before... It makes all the difference! I am so blessed to have y'all in my life!

Up! I have officially finished another Journal! By small and Simple means are great things brought to pass! I cannot wait to review some of my experiences later on down the road. The Book of Mormon was practically a journal. Although, I doubt my work would ever constitute for modern scripture. But should be good for a couple of laughs.

Up, Up! I had been wanting to go see a family I met two months back from Sierra Leone, and finally made our way over there. We met a lady named Marina, a mother, and she wanted to have us speak to her son, Paul, who is 19. For some reason, we hadn't been back, but finally pulled the trigger. Come to find out, Paul had asked frequently to when we would be back. He wants to join the church as soon as possible. That is a missionary right there who will affect many! He soaked up the Restoration and planned to read the Book of Mormon right after we left! The Holy Ghost does work according to our faith! I am so grateful for that gift!

Up, Up, & Away! I was out with a member one evening, and we were inspired to go see a referral we had spoken too. He was pretty prime from what we gathered, but stopped taking our calls. So we just dropped by. Come to find out, he doesn't live there, we get let into this house where they don't know the name of the man we are looking for, and then proceed to teach the Doctrine of Christ. A lady named Nubia came out and she was stand off-ish at first, but really soaked up what we had to say. She had just moved from Minnesota to escape a bad environment, has a young daughter, and looking to start over. She teared up as we spoke of Christ and the Church. The Lord work's in mysterious ways, for which I am grateful! I love a good surprise (kind of like that Mustang I got on my 16th birthday...)

To Infinity & Beyond! Rick and Tiny are the Bee's knees, if they have knees that is. Who ever came up with that expression? They are preparing more and more to be married and baptized here in the coming weeks! They are so battle tested, and the members have been chipping in with more help to make sure they don't go hungry! Rick has an interview this week! I am just so grateful that our prayers were answered that day to find a family, and that their prayers are continuing to be answered!

Little Down: Our A/C broke this weekend. 85 in the apartment at night makes things interesting. And sweaty. It was Lake Powell-esque though! A member brought some fans for us to use, that is making things manageable.

Transfers aren't for two more weeks I believe The mission provides CO detectors, so no worries there Mom. Our appartment is all electric too. Challenge accepted with the Domino's delivery boy! It has happened before! What a great story that will be!

Love each and every one of you so very much! Keep up the good work! I am so proud of each of you! Thanks for all that you do for me! Let me know what I can do for you! Have a blessed up week and we will chat in a weeks time!

Love,

Elder Dallan Barnes

"God's backhand is the most beautiful slap in the face you can ever take. I hope the hand of the Lord keeps slapping me some more." Jeff, our investigator, who is apparently losing brain cells each slap.

Aug 18

Life is like a box of...

Who is Forest Gump's Mom to tell you what kind of box, what is in the box, etc. Imagine your own box with whatever goodies you want inside! For me, Georgia is the box! We are at a different Library, so my time will be a little shorter than usual. Less is more?

Up #1: Rick and Tiny, our investigators, who have been through Hell and High Water, have moved back into the area. They are going through quite the gauntlet, but we were able to catch them one evening. I wish y'all could meet them! They sat down and visited with Bishop, and they are choosing a date to be married, and then to be baptized! The Lord's timing and placement is so clutch, as some would say! We lost contact with them for two weeks, but they will have the testimony that would make a lion curl up into the fetal position.

Up #2: We were so blessed to see six investigators at Sacrament meeting! It was a hip hop and happening place once again in the land of Twin Oaks! Sundays are the busiest for sure. I think, someone important, said it was like, a day of rest? One thing I have come to realize, that there is no rest for the Righteous! We had Rick, Tiny, Kia, David, Derek, Christian all there! Big things are to come. We prayed and yearned for many to come to Sacrament, and voila. Ask and ye shall Receive, Knock and it Shall be opened unto you, seek and ye shall find. Pay attention to the first letter of each statement (A.S.K.) coincidence? I think not!

Down #1: Major down, Brother & Sister Allen are down. They have officially departed after serving in the Great Atlanta Mission, and they will be sorely missed! I do not know how I will in any way shape or form be able to repay them. I know when it comes my time to do what they did, I will think of them, and continue to pay it forward like they have. I am excited what is in store for their next adventure! They are such lovely and incredible people! I love them so very much!

 Love you all so very much! Have another super blessed up week! Fight the good fight! Let me know what I can do to help, if there be anything amongst you!

Love,
Elder Dallan Barnes

"The Book of Mormon was translated from Gold Plates, so when I say it is Golden, trust me!" I told and investigator that on the phone.

Aug 11,

Mi familia y amigos!

How is everyone doing this fine day? I am doing just dandy, in case you were wondering. God is good, and this life is supposed to be filled with much happiness. Thank you for being happy! And if you aren't, do what you can to be, or just change the attitude. Let me jump right into my week!

Up #1: Jericka was baptized!!! Satan even threw in all of the hiccups he could have thrown. He is such a loser! Her phone stopped working, we had some scheduling communications. Almost called the whole thing off, but we pulled through! And it was a really touching experience. It was nice to see another individual enter in by the way, into the best decision they could make in this life. There was one difference that made it so much more powerful, I was asked to baptize her. I was a bit of an amateur, but the Lord delivers! And when he delivers, he goes all out. 

Up #2: We will be going to the temple tomorrow, which will be such a great experience to unwind, reload, and get back out to find these lost families. They aren't just lost, they have been taken, by the adversary. While it is good to make sure I am well, it is far more important to labor diligently so that everyone we re supposed to save, will make it. I would hate to have that weighing on my head, that I missed someone. Go to the temple if you get a chance! I could go for some peace real soon!

Up #3: We had an awesome lesson with an investigator who has been struggling overcoming his past (which is quite astounding). I was on a split, just me and a member of the church, and we brought him to the Savior, and explained repentance. I have not seen such a noticeable change in someone's countenance in such a short time. This message surely has power. Another individual I taught with a different member, the first question he had right out of the gun, "What does it take to do what y'all do?" Then he asked us how long it could be until he gets baptized. This young man happens to be Jericka's brother, and he will be a profound missionary! I am so thankful and grateful for the members out here. They help when they can! They make all the difference!

Up #4: The gift of the Holy Ghost is so real. It has been pouring this whole week, like cows and horses. The Lightning storms have been super impressive as well. We found ourselves outside in one of them, and we had one warning strike really nearby, but then had one right over head, and the Spirit just told us to high tail it out of there. So we obeyed! Not sure what would have happened if we didn't, but I know it wouldn't have been good. It is also a good thing that we are water proof. 

That's about all I got for today! Thanks again for the email, time, talents, thoughts, prayers, everything! Let me know what I can do for you! Keep fighting the good fight! Have another blessed up week!

Love,

Elder Dallan Barnes

"When you get to the End of the Tunnel, it is not the End of the Path." Bro. Hopkins

"I like Nephi, he got no shame in his game." Jericka

Aug 4^th 2014

Already August, oh the Joy!

It is so good to hear from everyone once again! Thanks for everything that you all do for me, the emails are always just what I need to get the week going, or to conclude the week that has just passed. God is Good, Georgia is great as well. Seems like everything is still in tact out there in Utah, which makes me so happy. Let me tackle a pinch of my week! I am all for suggestions and ways I could make this email better, so throw them out! For today, I will do the Ups and Downs!

Up #1: Most certainly it has to be our new companion! Elder Leavitt is the man! He reminds me so much of myself! He is from Kaysville, Utah (he lives next to a road called Barnes Dr. Coincidence?!). He just recently graduated High School, but has a Scholarship for track at BYU. He runs the 400m. He has such earnest desires to serve the Lord, and is miles ahead (maybe cause he runs so fast) of where I was when I first came out. He has such potential and I know that with the Lord's help, he will achieve all of the expectations the Lord has. He keeps things fun and interesting, but he is sharp as a tack!

Up #2: I need to brag up our three investigators that will be baptized this month! Jericka is going to be baptized this Saturday, and she called herself "a big ole peach pie, all sweet and everything." She really is one of the sweetest and funniest people I have met. She's up there with Nieta. Impossible to walk away with anything less than a smile from our conversations. She keeps telling us how her Baptism isn't coming quick enough. Splash-down, ETA 5 Days. Rick and Tiny were taken to Monroe, Georgia by family that is all up in arms not about them getting married, but about the church. They were only supposed to be out there a day, but they were kept there the whole week. They told us that it didn't matter what the family said, because they know that it is all true. They are another set of people that you cannot walk away from without a smile on. I am so blessed by the testimonies of those that I teach! Another way the Lord bears me up!

Down #1: I don't have any downs. What an amazing week!

Up #3: We had quite the prayer answered this past week. We were in a neighborhood, truly seeking for the family that the Lord had prepared to hear this message, and we were led to some teenagers playing some ball in the street. They heckled us a little, then we put our money (we don't have much as missionaries to begin with...) where our mouths are. The Lord provides! I feel like I was jumping higher! I think the Lord might wear Air Jordan's instead of the Ecco's that I had on. We took it to them, and afterwards, they were more than eager to hear what we had to say. They all took copies of the Book of Mormon. One of them was totally serious when he looked at us and said, "I am going right to my room, locking my door, sitting down, and reading this." We ended up finding three families that day and we are so eager to show them that when you are on the Lord's team, you always come out on top.

Up #4: The Allen's (the senior couple) They offered to buy me two new suits, because the ones I had gotten smaller (or I am getting bigger, probably the latter). It was one of the sweetest and most touching things. Their only invitation was to pay it forward when I am in their situation down the road. They are true disciples of Christ. They should probably be careful because they may just get translated if they get any sweeter. I am forever grateful for them. They are such examples of what I want to be like down the road. Love them so much!

That's about it! Thank for all that you do for for me! I am so happy, blessed, and proud to be surrounded by such amazing family and friends! I know that none of this is coincidence. I love each and everyone of you so very much! Keep being amazing! Keep the faith! Have another blessed up week! Let me know what I can do to help you!

Love,
Elder Dallan Barnes

"There is nothing more powerful than a Mom." President Harding

"Anonymity is your best friend when being pantsed." Our Elders Quorum President

"The Book of Mormon is awesome....is it okay if I say that in a prayer?" Jericka (during a prayer)