Dear fam,
This week has been so full of things. Next week I will try to give you a day in the life of a missionary, but this week was too special to waste time on that.
On Monday, I think one of the elders in the district next to ours offered us a Thai pepper. I was like, hmm I bet this is hot, but I ate it anyway. bad. idea. That pepper wasn't just hot - it was pain, pure pain, no taste, just... pain. Later I was informed it was like the 3rd hottest pepper in the world. Hmm, wonder why the elder that offered it to me left that bit out... anyway, my fellow companions ate it as well. I was suffering silently, but they were like, "We are not staying here we need something to eat" so we ran across campus to our dorm (another bad idea) and I got some gum and that helped quite a bit. Our stomachs were finicky all day. Anyway, we got over it (kinda) and went on our day.
Later that day we taught Phii chang. We went in planning to invite him to church. As we started I was having trouble getting things out and then something incredible happened. I spoke Thai. Not flawlessly, but better and less haltingly than I have before. I was using words I had heard but never used. It was a small miracle. As we came to the end, Sister Peterson un-scripted invited him to be baptized, and he accepted! It was fantastic. I was so thrilled. I wish I could express the power of that moment. I think I know what Nephi meant when he wished he was better at writing. I knew in that moment that God was filling my mouth with words. Since then I have felt satan trying to tell me that I did that myself, but I know that is not the case.
Then yesterday (hmm, skipped a few days there, but I may go back) we were awoken at 4 in the morning by what I would have sworn was a jackhammer, but I quickly realized was the sisters that were leaving DRAGGING THEIR SUITCASES DOWN THE STAIRS at 4 in the morning. It stopped fairly quickly, but then at 6 the same noise started up again! I was like "Okay Sister Barber this has to stop." So I went out determined to be pleasant, and said: " Hey, I know you're not , but we are trying to sleep." They looked at me, and kept dragging their suitcases. I was like, mmmmmm oh no, you didn't, so I said (louder bordering on shouting): "That was a suggestion to pick up your suitcases instead on SLAMMING them on the stairs." I went back to bed, the sound stopped.
Later that day we (my district) were rather unruly. I think we were all too tired to focus ( the elders had a similar experience in their dorm.) Poor Brother Thrap was trying to get us to quiet down. He was interviewing us, and we were doing a practice of inviting someone to be baptized; Sister Ellis and I were teaching Sister Peterson. Sister Peterson took the character of someone she knows who isn't a member. We were teaching and we had invited her to be baptized. She said she didn't know if she could because her family was opposed to her being baptized. I told her I knew she would be blessed, and I started to tell her it would be hard, when I was (as I described it) attacked by the spirit. I have felt the Holy Ghost many times in my life, but I have never felt it with such force. I could not help it - I started crying, then I started laughing because it was so silly to be crying when we were practicing teaching. And then Brother Thrapp walked in the room and looked at us like, what on this beautiful earth....? ...because I was sobbing, Sister Peterson was crying, Sister Ellis was crying but we were also laughing. Anyway, I continued on and had a really special moment.
Yes, this week Elder Martino spoke in devotional. I was sitting there early, (because I am in choir) and I saw the name flash up and I was like, "Hey, I know him." He gave an excellent talk about members helping with the teaching, and Sister Martino gave a talk on how to succeed as a missionary. We sang another wonderful song. It was Where can I Turn for Peace, but better. I wrote down who wrote it, but I don't have it with me.
I got your package Mom, thanks! I also got a package and letter from Aunt Lenora! Somehow she knew exactly what I like to eat. I can't imagine how that happened.
That's all the memorable part of the week. I love y'all! I know that this is the Lord's work, and he is helping me even in the MTC.
-Sister Barber
This week has been so full of things. Next week I will try to give you a day in the life of a missionary, but this week was too special to waste time on that.
On Monday, I think one of the elders in the district next to ours offered us a Thai pepper. I was like, hmm I bet this is hot, but I ate it anyway. bad. idea. That pepper wasn't just hot - it was pain, pure pain, no taste, just... pain. Later I was informed it was like the 3rd hottest pepper in the world. Hmm, wonder why the elder that offered it to me left that bit out... anyway, my fellow companions ate it as well. I was suffering silently, but they were like, "We are not staying here we need something to eat" so we ran across campus to our dorm (another bad idea) and I got some gum and that helped quite a bit. Our stomachs were finicky all day. Anyway, we got over it (kinda) and went on our day.
Later that day we taught Phii chang. We went in planning to invite him to church. As we started I was having trouble getting things out and then something incredible happened. I spoke Thai. Not flawlessly, but better and less haltingly than I have before. I was using words I had heard but never used. It was a small miracle. As we came to the end, Sister Peterson un-scripted invited him to be baptized, and he accepted! It was fantastic. I was so thrilled. I wish I could express the power of that moment. I think I know what Nephi meant when he wished he was better at writing. I knew in that moment that God was filling my mouth with words. Since then I have felt satan trying to tell me that I did that myself, but I know that is not the case.
Then yesterday (hmm, skipped a few days there, but I may go back) we were awoken at 4 in the morning by what I would have sworn was a jackhammer, but I quickly realized was the sisters that were leaving DRAGGING THEIR SUITCASES DOWN THE STAIRS at 4 in the morning. It stopped fairly quickly, but then at 6 the same noise started up again! I was like "Okay Sister Barber this has to stop." So I went out determined to be pleasant, and said: " Hey, I know you're not , but we are trying to sleep." They looked at me, and kept dragging their suitcases. I was like, mmmmmm oh no, you didn't, so I said (louder bordering on shouting): "That was a suggestion to pick up your suitcases instead on SLAMMING them on the stairs." I went back to bed, the sound stopped.
Later that day we (my district) were rather unruly. I think we were all too tired to focus ( the elders had a similar experience in their dorm.) Poor Brother Thrap was trying to get us to quiet down. He was interviewing us, and we were doing a practice of inviting someone to be baptized; Sister Ellis and I were teaching Sister Peterson. Sister Peterson took the character of someone she knows who isn't a member. We were teaching and we had invited her to be baptized. She said she didn't know if she could because her family was opposed to her being baptized. I told her I knew she would be blessed, and I started to tell her it would be hard, when I was (as I described it) attacked by the spirit. I have felt the Holy Ghost many times in my life, but I have never felt it with such force. I could not help it - I started crying, then I started laughing because it was so silly to be crying when we were practicing teaching. And then Brother Thrapp walked in the room and looked at us like, what on this beautiful earth....? ...because I was sobbing, Sister Peterson was crying, Sister Ellis was crying but we were also laughing. Anyway, I continued on and had a really special moment.
Yes, this week Elder Martino spoke in devotional. I was sitting there early, (because I am in choir) and I saw the name flash up and I was like, "Hey, I know him." He gave an excellent talk about members helping with the teaching, and Sister Martino gave a talk on how to succeed as a missionary. We sang another wonderful song. It was Where can I Turn for Peace, but better. I wrote down who wrote it, but I don't have it with me.
I got your package Mom, thanks! I also got a package and letter from Aunt Lenora! Somehow she knew exactly what I like to eat. I can't imagine how that happened.
That's all the memorable part of the week. I love y'all! I know that this is the Lord's work, and he is helping me even in the MTC.
-Sister Barber