It has been a nice week up here in Devils Lake! This week we had to figure out Mina's baptism, and let me tell you it was rather chaotic at times! At the beginning of the week she didn't know her work schedule so her baptism was up in the air for Friday or Saturday. And she told us she wouldn't know for sure until Tuesday! But she eventually figured it out and told us she wanted it on Friday! So we had to emergency call the District Leader out here from Grand Forks to come and interview her super fast! But Mina was baptized on August 23rd by her husband Darryl Johnson. They were married last year on August 28th at the church here in Devils Lake. Darryl is in his 70's, and has been a member for quite some time! He is 70 years old and still gets up on ladders for his painting career in the summer, and gets on snowy roofs to shovel the snow off in the winters for his winter career. But he is a great friend of mine here in the Lake Region Branch! The baptism went well me and Elder Garfield had the musical number again, and we sung "When I am baptized" or in other words "I like to look for rainbows". It was a touching moment for me, because that same song was sung at my baptism by Aunt Marry Ann. I am not sure if my version was quite as pretty as hers but the Branch sure does love their "singing missionaries". We had two investigators at the baptism this week! We had Layel, and Linda Reese. Linda really enjoyed the baptism, and everyone really fellowshipped her well while she was there! I am not to sure if Layel enjoyed the baptism as much, but we are still working with him. This week me and Elder Garfield wanted to eat healthier so we can increase our fitness level. Well of course after making that plan we received night after night dinner appointments. We had dinner with our landlord Jeremy, and his wife Wendy who is from the Philippines. And they fed us a Phillipino meal on Tuesday, that was very good! We went over to Brother and Sister Story's from the branch and we had a fruit dip dinner on Wednesday that was really good! We then went out with Brother and Sister Marshall from the branch to Pizza Ranch on Thursday. Which when we fly back after my mission we might want to stop by Pizza Ranch! And then two nights later on Saturday we had a dinner with Emmy (who is a member) and Layel our investigator. And tonight we are going back out to Oberon with the Perisho's for dinner tonight! You definitely do not have to worry about not eating well here. Our fridge is so full of food I am half considering sending it home to you guys. But we are thankful for those who give us food in the branch they really are amazing people!
I love being out on the mission! The spirit can be really strong out here! It seems that every week I am spiritually growing and maturing. I really love the Ensign magazine, and its kind of funny because at home I didn't ever really care to read much out of it. But now that I am a missionary the Ensign is probably the only magazine on Earth that is worth reading (besides those other church magazines). I really love the August Ensign they just sent out, and I definitely loved Henry B. Eyring's message of giving thanks in our prayers. I would definitely invite you to read more from those magazines. I read the story this morning in the back of the Ensign of the mother duck losing her babies in a storm drain. That was actually a pretty powerful lesson. I also liked the article about the ten dollars. I really enjoyed hearing that story about Ruger, and I hope he isn't getting to fat! It sounds like he has grown a lot and I hope he is becoming more obedient, and not chewing things! This week we had a lesson that really seemed to be a spiritual drain. We came back and we had that pit in our stomach of the absence of the Holy Ghost. And my companion shared with me a wonderful scripture that I never knew existed. It is D&C 6:34 it reads "Therefore fear not, little flock; do good; let Earth and Hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail." When I heard that me and my companion thought of those here in Devils Lake who are in the Lake Region Branch. We have around fifty members in our branch, and of course some are less active. It showed me how we are just a "little flock" out here. But then it made me think of the world where there are only fourteen million Latter Day Saints in a world of seven billion people. We are what the Lord calls "little flock" but in that scripture it gives us a wonderful promise. If we are built on the Lords Rock let Hell and Earth combine, and they will not prevail. I know that it can be overwhelming to think about how small we really are compared to the rest of the world. But we have the great power of the priesthood of God on our side, and nothing will ever stop the work or the progression of God, and his church. I love you all and I pray for you all! I hope you can all be strong in a world that seems to grow in wickedness as the days go on. But as that scripture says fear not. I know that I am still working to be built on the rock of the savior, and I hope we can all try and be built on his rock. I love you, and I pray for you all. I definitely miss you but it's crazy that I have been out two months today! I hope you all have a great week and I have enjoyed your letters!
Love Elder Barber
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