Push Back. 9-22-14

C

Corey Barber

to me, Conco
6 days ago

Details

Dear family and friends,

                      This has been a great week! And luckily for us we have not had any more snow! We actually have had some really great temperatures! This week we were able to meet with Janessa a few times. Before our first visit with her Elder Bench and I both felt that we should push her date back a little ways. So when we sat down with her she told us that she wont be able to be baptized this week because she was going to be out of town. We also told her that she needs to be living the Word of Wisdom, and the law of Chastity. She also had a tragedy happen in her life this week. We were able to give her a priesthood blessing, and I was the one who performed the blessing. It was absolutely amazing. It was one of those blessings where you didn't know where the words were coming from, but when it was over it was hard to have dry eyes. It really built my testimony in Priesthood blessings. We had an awesome success meeting with Monty a couple times this week! He is still struggling with the Word of Wisdom. We taught him about tithing this past week. It is really funny trying to teach Monty because you can get so side tracked so fast! We were teaching about tithing and next thing we know he's bringing out his bow and arrow to show us. So it is hard to keep him on task, but we will find a way I'm sure. I was on exchanges with Elder Black on Thursday in our area, and we didn't have a dinner appointment. Which for Casper is quite a shocker. A thought came to me to go ask Ronald for a dinner appointment, but also commit him to invite his neighbor Rose to dinner. So we acted on it as soon as we could. Ronald accepted having us over for Dinner, and he also accepted the commitment to invite Rose. He invited her and she accepted! It was awesome just to fellowship her for the evening. We were able to share a message with her about having Faith in Jesus Christ. It was awesome! Though she isn't investigating she now knows that we worship Christ and he is the Center of our Religion. We had great support from our members this past week! We taught nine member present lessons!! It was an awesome week! Well that is about all for this week! I hope you all have a great week!

Love Elder Barber

Early Winter. 9-15-14

Dear family and friends

                      It has been a great week out here in Casper! September 11th sure brought us a nice surprise from Winter! Around 6:30 A.M it was like misting outside and it was really cold! And then it quickly turned to sleet, and then of course SNOW. It was RIDICULOUS! Snow cannot be flying this early in the season. The ground was pretty hot from the summer season so it didn't start sticking until about 5 or 6. But it snowed ALL DAY LONG! It was crazy! If it was winter time we at least would have gotten a foot of snow! It was crazy! But now it is back to good temperatures! So we still get to see a nice transition into fall (at least we hope so ) But this week was a pretty awesome week! We are working with Janessa and she made the personal goal of being done with smoking by last Sunday. We are going to follow up with her tonight about how it's going. Her baptism is on Saturday the 20th so we hope she can make it! Her boyfriend Justin is still here and wont be leaving until Thursday. We love Justin don't get me wrong, but she does need to be living the Law of Chastity to its fullest. But were hoping and praying she gets baptized this Saturday. I guess you will have to wait and see what happens next Monday. I am sorry to leave you all in suspense. If it makes you feel any better I will be in suspense for most the week too! Monty was supposed to be baptized this week, but we pushed him back to October 18th! He told us he wasn't going to be able to make it any way because he will be working this whole weekend, and he still needs to be living certain commandments before baptism. But we are pretty confident he will make that Date! We have been working with Ronald lately the less active. We have really been going over there a lot to help him prepare for the temple. When I first got to this area we thought it was impossible to ever get him to come to Church. And now he is coming pretty regularly, and he is preparing to enter the temple. This last Sunday he even set up a time where he could talk to Bishop Gallup about going to the temple. The Lord has really been blessing us! Even if he did send snow this week I am confident that he loves us and he supports the work that we are doing! Well I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Love, Elder Barber

Starting the Transfer Strong. 9-8-14

Dear family and friends,

                 This has been a great weak out here in the Casper 5th ward! It was weird starting off another transfer in Casper. I will try and enjoy this area as much as possible though the members are great, and I know there is a work for me to do. This past week we had a meeting set up with Monty McDaniel. We were just  a tad late to the lesson, and he called us up asking "are you coming? I have questions!" We apologized for our delay and got on our bikes and cruised on over to his apartment. When we got there he reported to us that he had been reading in the Book of Mormon. He was re-reading 1st Nephi so he could better comprehend it. While he was reading the overview of 1st Nephi at the beginning of the Book he got caught up on "The Daughters of Ishmael". He wanted to know who the Daughters of Ishmael were. So we had to give him a little overview of 1st Nephi. But it was awesome that he was reading and actually putting forth an effort! We taught Monty about the Word of Wisdom and he's got some things he will have to work through before baptism. But he has a strong desire to come to Church and he feels that this is all true! We have been teaching Janessa this past week! She is still doing pretty well! Recently her boyfriend Justin has returned from Job Core in Montana and is living in the same house as her. But he should be going back up to Montana soon. They assure us that there is no Chastity issues right now. But we will see how things will play out over the next couple of weeks. Well that is about all for this week! It is great to hear that you are all doing well. I hope the rains don't wash you all away this week! 

Love, Elder Barber 

Defying the odds. 9-2-14

Dear Family and Friends,

                      It has been another wonderful end of a great Transfer in Casper, Wyoming. This week we were able to teach Monty twice! Which was really awesome because sometimes we are lucky to only see him once! Aaron our recent convert was able to fellowship him on both visits! In each visit we hard invited Monty to come to Church! He kept telling us  "I will have to get my nice suit out". And on Sunday Monty came to Church in that nice suit! It was way cool! He told us after the meeting that he wanted to come to Church each week! So hopefully we start seeing him every week! Janessa is still looking forward to her baptismal date on September 20th! We were able to meet with her twice this week as well! We are really excited to see her get baptized! We are still working with her to get over her Word of Wisdom issues. This past Saturday were transfer calls. We had the Casper Mills Elders come pick us up to go take a media time. While we were getting ready to walk out the door we heard a phone announce that it was getting a call from one of the Assistants. It was the Casper Mills phone. Elder Wood got a call to go up to Fargo to be in an area. I knew that they usually call 5th ward in order (so if one fifth ward cell phone gets a transfer call the other phone will get one shortly after.) I expected that phone to ring, but it never rang. So it turns out I will be staying out here in Casper for another transfer. Elder Bench will be my longest lasting companion. I know that at times missionaries can get what we call "area trunky." But I know that the Lord has a purpose for me staying here. Though I can't immediately see that purpose I can trust that it is there. I am excited to hopefully see a couple of baptisms before this transfer is over. I think every member in the 5th wards jaw hit the floor to hear that I am still going to be here for another six weeks. I am truly excited for these six weeks because I know that I will learn a lot and continue to have uplifting experiences! So now is the time to get to work, and when a transfer call comes it will come! I hope you all have a great week! I love you!

Love Elder Barber