Talofa!

How was your week? Hope it was glorious! This week was an ok start for the transfer, but we had a lot of solid lessons! On the 4th of July we had to be in at 6pm, so we saw like 3 fireworks :(

Lately I have been reading a lot about concerns and questions people have about the church. Its been a really cool experience learning more about why we do things and the importance of the things we do. Awesome way we found teaching Priesthood Authority is comparing it to an ice cream man! So you are speeding down the road and you pass an Ice Cream Man and all the sudden he tries to pull you over! Would you pull over for him? Well what if instead of the Ice Cream Man, it was a Police Officer? You would pull over because he has the authority to do that! Same thing with the Priesthood... Its pretty awesome! 

With our investigators we taught a lot on the importance of church and what we do at church, and 3 people came this week so thats a good thing! This week we did a lot of service, like a ton! we did service like everyday and it was great! All for investigators too! Well hope you have an awesome week! 

<Kia Kaha>

-Elder Barney

(email from July 7, 2014)

Hey!

Hey! Whats good!

So this week was a pretty great week! We had a lot of quality lessons. We helped quite a bit of people by just listening to them and being there for them. It was a really cool week. Elder Kneupper was a great companion but he is now in the land of eternal p-days! I am grateful I was able to be his companion! I am grateful that I was able to stay in Normandy Park. Its a great area, and a lot of good things are going to happen this transfer, I can feel it! 

My new companion, Elder Savage seems pretty cool! I am grateful for what the mission experience is doing for me. I am growing in a lot of ways that I didn't know was possible. It is a great experience! 

So I read in Malachi 3 and in verse 3 it says that "he shall sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver" That is a way cool verse. The process of purifying silver is really cool. So the refiner puts the silver into the furnace to clean out the impurities in the silver. As the silver is purifying the refiner has to keep his eye on the silver so he does not injure or burn the silver. So he has to watch it constantly. And how does the refiner know when the silver is ready? He knows its ready when he can see the reflection of himself in the silver, then the silver is ready to come out of the furnace. Jesus Christ is the perfect refiner. He knows exactly how long we need to be in the Furnace because He never takes His eyes off of us. Though the trials and hardships are tough, He knows how much we can take, and He will NEVER give us more then we can handle. He will NEVER let us become injured. He takes us out of the Furnace when he can see himself in us. Trials and hardships bring us closer to God especially if we ask for His help throughout the trial. We will always come out on top if we ask for Gods help. 

I am grateful to be a missionary at this time. I love you all!

<Kia Kaha>

-Elder Barney

(email from July 1, 2014)

Greetings from Seattle!

What up!!

  

This week was kinda slow...but we learned a lot and the lessons we did have were pretty solid! We have been struggling so hard to get our investigators to come to church! They aren't making it a priority, we did get a couple less actives to church though, which is just as good because they are taking a step forward! Elder Kneupper is still staying focused which is good because he goes home in 6 days! 

Today we went to the temple and it was a great experience! It was really cool seeing all the missionaries together in the temple! I am thankful for the opportunity I have to serve at this time with all my heart, might, mind and strength! I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what a blessing it is! 

Hope all is well, have a great week! Peace out!

<Kia Kaha>

-Elder Barney

(email from June 24, 2014)

Hello!

Hey!

Seattle is so awesome! I am so grateful to be here! 

Well, this month our mission has a goal to baptize 100 people. We were challenged as a companionship to baptize at least 8 people. The cool thing is, we have 11 people who are willing to do the things necessary to be baptized! Our mission is really focusing on setting High Expectations for yourself. When you believe you can do hard things you can achieve anthing. Our investigators are doing really well. They are absorbing what we teach them and they are grateful for the Gospel. 

I love you all!!

<Kia Kaha>

-Elder Barney

(email from June 9, 2014)

Hola!

Don't have a lot of time left like 5 seconds, but I am grateful for Missionary Work and the blessings I have seen come from it. I am grateful for trials and how after them we have the experience to get through even harder trials, we always grow for the better! 

Love you all!!!!

<Kia Kaha>

-Elder Barney

Here are some fun pics from this week:

 This is Gloria and Efren - a brother and sister that they are teaching

 and…typical photo from Elder Barney :)

 Normandy Park Missionaries!

And…the prison…hmmm :)

(email from June 2, 2014)

Good Morning/Afternoon

Hey everybody!

This week was a pretty good first week of the transfer! Our investigators are doing really well. They are really Gloria and Efren are still super great, Brooke is still solid and Trina is super cool. This week I was studying the Atonement and how to better understand it! To understand the Atonement you have to understand the Fall of Adam, to understand The Fall of Adam you have to understand the creation, which are three essential stages of the Plan of Salvation, which is the knowledge that keeps us going! All of the Gospel is connected, when you understand one thing, you better understand another.

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be on a mission and what I am learning, I know that the experiences I am having out here are experiences that are once in a lifetime. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I heard today from another missionary that what we learn in a transfer is like what we would learn in a year, how true that is. What we do everyday, how much we do everyday, and who we are with everyday prepares us for our lives after the mission. Being within sight and sound of the same person for 24/7 and required to have the spirit with you while you work, prepares you for life!

<Kia Kaha>

-Elder Barney

Hola!!!

Hey everybody!

Well today was transfers and Elder Kendell is outta here...and Elder Kneupper is in! I really don't like doing only one transfer with a companion but its alright, I will get over it haha. Normandy Park is a great area with a lot of potential! It has been really sunny here and really warm, so thats good.

Our investigators are progressing really well. They are really absorbing what we are teaching them. Gloria and Efren are still rad, Brooke is still solid and Trina is super cool.

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be on a mission and what I am learning, I know that the experiences I am having out here are experiences that are once in a lifetime. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I heard today from another missionary that what we learn in a transfer is like what we would learn in a year, how true that is. What we do everyday, how much we do everyday, and who we are with everyday prepares us for our lives after the mission. Being within sight and sound of the same person for 24/7 and required to have the spirit with you while you work, prepares you for life!

Don't count the days, make the days count! - Muhammad Ali

Love you all!

<Kia Kaha>

-Elder Barney

(email from transfer week - Tuesday May 20, 2014)