José y Esmerita

Buenas Dias family and friends!
I am so happy to report that we helped another family into the waters of
baptism yesterday! Their names are José and Esmerita! Their daughter Rosa
got baptized as well. Man, they were such a challenge! They live really
far away from us, deep in the mountains of Nicaragua. They live in a little
village called Aran Juez. It is an hour away from Jinotega in bus, and then
an hour more on foot because there isnt a bus that passes their house. (It
was a reference) Her sister lives in Matagalpa, and was baptized by Elder
Smith yesterday as well. It was so good to see them take this step as a
family. One step towards eternity. It was such an honor to be apart of it!
This week, I just really wanted to say thank you. Thank you for your
support and examples to me. I really wanted to say thank you to Alex Wernli
and His family. I am praying for you guys. I wanted to tell you how Alex
touched my life. Did you know that he emailed me everyweek? He sent me a
joke every single week. Though he had the most reason to be sad and talk
about problems, He always made me laugh. I will miss him. But i will not
forget him. Whitney told me that one of his goals in his life was to serve
a full time mission. Thinking of him makes me want to be a better
missionary-To not miss one person in the street, and not be timid with the
people. Alex has taught me to cherish every moment I have in the field. He
always wanted to come, and Here i am, whining about how hard it is? How
selfish am I. If He had the opportunity to come, I know he would have been
an amazing missionary. I think it is so so cool that he had the chance to
serve there. I know the Lord is so proud of Him. And I will be a better
missionary because of His example to me. I read a quote in an Ensign I
found from March 1991- and I immedietly thought of Alex--"“Even when we can
no longer do something for our fellowmen, we can still be something for
them; … no man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle,
and good without the world’s being better for that goodness.”
(*Ensign,*March 1991, p. 75.) Alex was something for me. I will
forever be grateful
that he was a part of my life.
Today for P-Day we Hiked to the Cruz--It is stinking high and I will
never be doing that again! I hope you enjoy the pics though! I love you
all-The Church is true. I know we can be families forever, and that Christ
broke the bonds of death for us. "He lives, and while He lives i´ll sing!"
Thanks for everything--Hermana Barrett
p.s. the little girl, Rosa, decided last minute to get baptized-so we didnt
have clothes for her--in this picture she is wearing the shirt i came in!
haha Jarron Azul!

Scripture Power

Good Afternoon family and friends!
Thanks everyone for writing me today-i feelin the love!

Ive been thinking alot about what i should share with you all this week. This week didnt go the way i wanted it too--no baptisms even though we had 2 families ready. But obviously my timing was yet again not in harmony with God´s timing. Anyways, I decided that today I wanted to talk about the scriptures.

I was studying this week in Alma 32 again,but this time some verses jumped off the page. This chapter reminded me of a primary experience.
I remember at least once in primary when Margot Gardiner gave us seeds in a cup. At first i was so excited--wow! A real seed in a cup! and then i would watch it grow.....or not. I dont know what happened-but my seeds never grew! BORING! Then my mom would get bored of this cup of dirt on her counter and then one day i´d come home from school and my seeds would have mysteriously disappeared.
This is how i was before my mission with the scriptures. I would get a lesson in YWs or a general conference talk or something to get me all jazzed to read the scriptures. And then I´d start and things would be going good...and then i´d get to second Nephi...and we all know what happens in second Nephi. ((2 nephi 11:2)Nephi´s soul delights in the words of Isaiah. Mine:not so much) and then slowly but surely that drive to read the scriptures would fade and eventually disappear.
But luckily I´ve changed. In Alma 32:28 we read:
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a ^aseed. Now, if ye give place, that a ^bseed may be planted in your ^cheart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your ^dunbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to ^eenlighten my ^funderstanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
That is how the scriptures are to me now. Delicious. I just live for personal study.When i read the words of the prophets, their testimonies and teachings, My faith is strengthened. And the more i study and learn about the gospel, the more and more faith i have until I can say i know its true. and then i dont need to use faith, because i know its true. that faith just becomes a part of who i am.

34 And now, behold, is your ^aknowledge ^bperfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your ^cfaith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your ^dmind doth begin to expand.

35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea....

The stories become realities. Scripture study becomes more than just reading--it becomes a time to be enjoyed. Time to be edified. This reminds me of an amazing song by James E. Faust-This is the Christ.

I read His words, the words He prayed
While bearing sorrow in Gethsemane;
I feel His love, the price He paid.
How many drops of blood were spilled for me?

With saints of old in joyful cry
I too can testify; This is the Christ;

When the scriptures become a part of us- we become a part of the legacy of faithful saints that gave their lives for this gospel. I know that I am not perfect in scripture study- i still need to learn to love Isaiah- But its true what this song says-With saints of old in joyful cry-I too can testify. I know that our Savior came. He lived. He established this church. He performed miracles. He was baptized to give us an example. He died for each one of us. He died for my sins. and Then He broke the bands of death. I know He lives. I know he is always there for us. I know He has felt what i feel. He knows how to succor His people--we just need to turn to Him. We have to give Him everything that we are--and He will Help us become the people we want to be. For that I am eternally grateful. And i am also so grateful for the special opportunity I have right now to be a witness of Him. The opportunity i have to help my brothers and sisters find their savior and feel the joy that i have felt. I will try to remember that this week. I will try to cherish every moment I have in Nicaragua. Thank you everyone for your love and support. Have a great week!!--Love Hermana Barrett.

the picture this week: Rodriguez and I are not big fans of contacting. Its hot and Im not big on rejection. So We stopped to get a chocobanano. Its a frozen banana dipped in chocolate with nuts! Delicious! anyways, keep on keepin on!