May 27

Happy Memorial Day Indeed!

I am not even sure where to begin past that! What I must say is that I am truly grateful for those souls that have passed in defense of this wonderful country! They enable us to do what we do every day! Freedom is not cheap! Religious Freedom is incredible! We can proselyte and share the amazing news of the Gospel and its Restoration! This is one blessed land! 

In Georgia, I have come to the knowledge that when it rains, it pours. Good for plants, but for white shirts and ties, less than ideal! Let me tell you what though, I think the rain is connected with the windows of heaven, because blessings were poured out on those rainy days! The first being safety! These lightning storms are fantastic! I also heard we got these storms from Houston… Thanks Dad!  

My newest companion is Elder Hanson! He is from Cedar City, Utah! He is quite country and wrestled! I tell you what, he is one of the hardest working humble missionaries companions I have had! Good things are at our finger tips here in Conyers! Elder Anderson, he’s practically dead, as we call missionaries that are graduating to the next mission. He is fighting hard! I have been blessed with two of the finest companions in the mission!  

Usually by this point, I have a good idea about what I would like to share from the week. There has been so many miracles, I don’t know where to begin. They haven’t been earth shattering miracles, but they have been miracles nonetheless! Memorial Day was magnificent! The Ward put together a party and we had several of our investigators there! 

I think the miracle that jumps out to me, stems from our Memorial Day feat! We had prayed, planned, and put together where we felt the Lord needed us. As we were on this one street, we felt nudged to go to this specific door. This was the one we needed to knock. Out came a man, Jimmy (yes he was thinking with his dipstick) who explained that he had been praying for help. He was searching for a church home for his family, four daughters and his wife. His wife was recently diagnosed with a terminal lung disease. He had a stroke early last year. He is working his tail off to make things meet, then we showed up! He accepted to be baptized! We will be teaching his family on Friday! God works through us to do His work. I am so thankful for that opportunity!

That is a wrap! Thanks for tuning in! That’s all for today folks! Please keep smiling, keep loving life, keep enjoying to the end! Love you all so much! Thanks for the support, love, and prayers! Fight the good fight, have a blessed up week! I will hear from y’all soon enough!

Love,

Elder Dallan Barnes

“You always got good reception with God.”

 The Happiest Missionary Trio out there!!!

May 18th

Look what we have here!

My family! Friends! It’s good to be back! It’s good to be back in black (on the inside)! What’s also convenient is the fact that those short sleeve shirts that you sent, Mom, they fit! It is sure heating up here in the South! Is humidity good for your skin and hair? Along with how many licks it will take to get to the center of the tootsie pop, the world may never know these things! Here is what I do know and know for a surety! That God lives! Jesus is the Christ! Miracles happened this week! I hope they have been abundant back on the western half of the continent! 

Our week was hectic! I was on exchange two days of the miracle mania! It was all totally worth it as Eric and Monica were baptized this weekend!! It was a special experience to see them begin listening, to being married, to being baptized and confirmed! They are now in the gate and on the path which leads to their happy ever after, if they prove faithful and endure well! I would trade everything to help one soul come unto Christ. We were blessed with two, and oh how great my joy is! These souls are precious unto me and the Lord! Amidst all of the stress around planning a baptism, we had an excellent week and we are now licking our chops as to who the Lord needs next! Elder Shepherd, in the font, with the Priesthood. Need I say anymore?! 

The transfer news, it’s disheartening. Elder Shepherd will be departing… The Lord has huge things in store for him, that is for dang sure! He will make a huge impact in the lives of many wherever the Lord will take him! We have a feeling of where he is going, but what does it matter. We are called to serve God! I will be getting a new companion and Elder Anderson will be departing on June 3^rd. Crazy stuff I tell you! Does real life change this quick and this much??

While I was in Stockbridge on an exchange we had a miracle of miracles! We were visiting a Less Active Member. To begin with, she had been battling her own emotional battles and asked for a blessing. We gladly gave her one. The ensuing events were astounding. We met her son’s girlfriend who had been really hurting spiritually. When I see people in that state of anguish it beckons my mind to our Savior, He felt that, He felt it all! She asked for a blessing and we also gladly gave her one! Immediately her countenance changed, the first words she said was, “I felt my burdens get lifted.” We explained  to her how she can access that power daily, by being baptized. She accepted a date to be baptized on June 20^th, wrote it in her Book of Mormon, and came to church on Sunday. The Lord puts us in the right place at the right time! 

I was on exchange with Elder Richardson in Jonesboro on Tuesday as well! It was so much fun to spend another day with him! We saw so many miracles as we biked in the humid heat! The Lord provided by way of people offering us bottled water. The big miracle was as we resorted to our back up plans we met a Liberian family (just like in Kennesaw Mountain). Alfred let us right in and we taught him the Restoration with a member with us! He accepted to be baptized as well! He has a huge family! African people are the best! Faith brings the power!

That is a wrap from me! The work is good! God is good! Miracles continue to happen! Georgia is the place to be! The Church is true! Keep fighting the good fight! Have a super blessed up week! Smile a little extra! Do a little better!

Love,

Elder Dallan Barnes

“You can’t ask Heavenly Father, that’s cheating.”

May 11 2015

M-to the-others!

Mother’s put the zing in amaze! Thanks for the chance to Skype just yesterday! It is almost as if you are all the same! Which could be good or bad, depending on the situation! Who am I joking, it is all good! It really was a treat to see, listen, and speak with everyone! Happy Mother’s day again Mom! Let me debrief on the week! 

We walked Eric and Monica through the baptismal interview questions! They both passed. They have both been smoke free since Wednesday! Keep them in your prayers! They came to church and loved the Mother’s day theme to Sacrament Meeting! Monica was in tears! There is power to the gospel! They will be getting baptized this weekend! Miracles, day by day! They seem so mature for both being younger than me! Their family is on a whole different trajectory now with the Gospel in their lives! 

Another of our miracles this week came right after weekly planning! We were praying about who was next to be baptized, after Monica and Eric. We prayed, labored, crafted the stones so to speak, and presented them to the Lord. We then went to follow up with a former investigator who had come to church many times several months ago. He has been hard to catch, but with Heaven’s help, we caught him walking into his home. We sat down and within five minutes he asked us when he could be baptized. We set him for this Saturday, the 16th! As he prayed, he thanked God for, “Sending the Elders my way to get my psyched for my baptism. I have been nervous but I know I can make it!” Miracles happen after all that we can do!!

One more miracle for y’all! Elder Shepherd and I were out and about, trying to see a Part-member family Saturday evening. We strived to get them to the door, they were even out back and we went to the fence, to no avail. As we departed, we were about to pass by this one cul-de-sac, and I felt the urge to turn the other way into it. We saw a sign of a graduate student, so naturally we took it upon ourselves to congratulate them. Good contact, then we got totally lied to, oh well. We knock the very next door, and out comes a man named Jamal, saying, “Are y’all Mormon’s?” We find out that he studied extensively ten years ago, enjoyed the church and missionaries, and then began teaching us the Restoration. As we offered to say a prayer with him, his wife and kids pull up. They let us right in and we taught them and committed them to Baptism. Jamal and Tanisha will be reading the Book of Mormon and finding out if it is true! The Tender Mercies! They cannot be contained!!

Mom thanks for the pizza dinner. I already mentioned it, but the pizza delivery lady, accepted to be baptized! We will be seeing her Sister within the next few days! Domino’s is of God! 

Thanks for everything! For putting up with me and the Love! I love you all so much! Have an incredible week!  Even a blessed up one! Fight the good fight! See you soon!

Love,

Elder Dallan Barnes

May 4^th 2015

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

What do you called four men standing on quick sand? Yes, you guessed it! Quatro Cinco! What a wonderful day to be alive and well! It is May! May first is May Day! When I think of Mayday I think of someone calling out “Save us”. So if you think of the Word “Hosanna”, it means “save us now”. Hosanna be to God! I am still convinced that Georgia is far superior as the place to be right now! Let me tell you about the fiestas that have been had! 

Our biggest miracle this week was easily the marriage that the ward put together in one and a half weeks for our investigators Eric and Monica. It was a special experience to see the fruit of the gospel so strikingly displayed! They are so eager for their baptism here in the next two weeks! They have goals to quit smoking this week! We had their whole family together in the church and they were touched by the generosity and the love that was shown. This is the beginning of something amazing!

 Other miracles were the fact that we had the privilege of traveling down to the mission home to be with President and Sister Harding, and the Mission Council! It is always a special experience to be in their midst, they are true representatives of Christ!

It was the first time that I have ever had the chance to put together a Zone Training Meeting, this past week! We knew Tuesday, got the details Wednesday, planned it for Thursday, ran it on Friday! It was a powerful experience to be with our Zone Family! These missionaries are incredible! At the beginning of the week, we weren’t expecting any baptisms, at the end, we had three! Unshaken Faith, coupled with exact obedience brings miracles! We were dead after it was all done! But it was so worth it! We had a Joseph Smith Experience as we unconvered a box of Book Of Mormons in the woods behind the trees! We also did a special musical number together, Somehow I will have to get it to y’all! In the Book of Mormon’s we had every missionary write one thing they want to get rid of in their life and one attribute of Christ to acquire through their studies!

Oh, and Todd Harrison was baptized Saturday! Elder Terhufen is getting the work done in Cassville!

Please, please, keep fighting the good fight of faith! I hope the Lord will bless all y’all abundantly! Have a super blessed up week! I love you all so much! Be safe! I will see you in six days via Skype!!

Love,

Elder Dallan Barnes 

I can’t do perfect, but I can do faithful.