Dallan Discovers Georgia

June 23

 

Family! Friends! How are all y'all?

It is so good to see that I survived another week out here in Hotlanta, and it is warming up right quick! But we are thriving! This has slowly become my element! Georgia is so great! God is too! Thanks for the letter! I will jump into my week (the time is far spent!).

Monday we had a pretty mediocre Pday, helping one of the Elders Pack. It was good we were there, to have a little bit of bro time! The Roylance's had us over again for dinner! They are the greatest ever! I found out that there is over 750,000 people in the area of the ward. There is some serious work to be done out here!

Tuesday, put together my last District Meeting for a while! It was kind of sad to see things changing, especially since there were two missionaries that were headed home. I won't get to see them for a long while, but they be aight! Me and Elder Skouson had a monster last day though! We kept praying for families, and by golly the Lord delivered! We found three families of four, and a family of 5. Unheard of out here! I also treated Elder Skouson to a last supper, to a place called Soul Food! Let's just say, we got soul now! I love southern cooking!

Wednesday, the transfer day! Such anxiety! I knew where Elder Skouson was going, and his new companion made sure to introduce himself. I hope he is doing well in the Spanish Area! Transfer meetings are so much better the longer you have been out! I got to see some of my Lost Mountain Families! I saw Bro. Miller and Sis. Shell! (It seems like you had a good time with the Phillip's too!). Everyone somehow knew of my new assignment, and was congratulating me. I'm still just a missionary, so no congratulations required. It is interesting how people view leaders. I just thanked whomever for being a missionary. My new companion is Elder Rawlings, from Bountiful Utah. He came out two transfers before me! He played college basketball at West Minster. We get along all too well! He reminds me of Russ Walker, a lot! It seems like I have known him for a while, and I just knew that we were going to get work done this transfer! He serrved two transfers with Elder Savage, so all I can say is President Harding is inspired! And, we got the car. It was weird driving after 10 months. What would we ever do without cars? We are in for some good times out here!

Thursday was pretty busy.  I came to realize that me and Elder Rawlings are quite similar in work ethic, but have a different way of teaching/personality. He's on the bolder side, myself on the loving side. We complement each other I feel like! We had some experiences with people that I couldn't touch as much as him, and vice versa. We also taught a gay guy wearing a kilt, and his partner walked in. Talk about an elephant in the room... We helped with Scripture camp which was super fun, I do really love kids.

Friday we were super led again, finding families after families. I am just so grateful to have been given the Holy Ghost to know where to go and what to say. We got three families on date, it was quite miraculous! Teaching and Testifying, inviting all to come to Christ. There is true power in that. We taught Patience again, and she is rock solid! She has been praying about her Baptismal Date, and did so kneeling in front of us after the lesson. We also prayed about and set a goal of Baptizing 6 Souls this transfer. Lofty, but I know God will deliver!

Saturday, was full of meetings, so we fell short by not being able to find for at least 2 hours and to not invite anyone to be baptized. But it was Stake Conference, which was so great!

Sunday was Stake Conference as well, so we were certainly edified and uplifted! We prayed about where we should go, and wound up at a neighborhood to see a person we had been teaching. We were thinking of going elsewhere, but we felt inspired to turn back. We found three more families in there, and invited all of them! Fourteen people got invited to come to Christ! I love fulfilling my purpose!

Today, not sure what we will do! We don't have to rely on the other Elders for a ride, but I hope we do something together, although I would be okay with doing less than usual. Planning Pday was stressful when no one else had opinions. Good things are to come this week! I can sense it! 

Hope everyone has a blessed up week! Let me know what I can do for y'all! Love you so much!

Love,
Elder Dallan Barnes

"For every optimist that sees a glass half full there is a pessimist that sees the glass half empty. For every optimist and pessimist that see that glass, there is an opportunist that came and drank the water."