Espero que todos vocês estejam bem!

Yesterday was pretty awesome. So I guess the missionaries aren't cool enough to have a special conference with Elder Bednar. (He is here in Porto Alegre), but yesterday our stake had a special conference with Elder Gary Stevenson, the Presiding Bishop of the church. He talked about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is different from every other church.....authority. Because of priesthood authority the church isn't just true, it is living!!!!!! He also talked about his love for missionaries, so I of course felt super special. I was able to talk to him and his wife for a second after the meeting. I was one of the few there that was able to communicate with him. (He doesn't speak Portuguese, so he had a translator.) He said that they have property in Morgan because they like to hunt. Small world. 

This will be the last week of this transfer. It is a transfer of 7 weeks to make up for the transfer of 5 weeks that we had right before Christmas. I only have 3 transfers left!!!!!!! 

This week was good. We found a few people these days that have a ton of potential. The work has been really hard these days because everyone is at the beach or vacationing for the famous Brazilian Carnival! But......the work must go on!

I am sure Lisa's farewell was amazing, because she was amazing! I am super proud of her and this desire to serve!

I love you all and I love this gospel. I LOVE being a missionary!

Sister Autumn Barnes

Ola!

Today is one of those days when I am brain dead! I can't even think about what happened this week! I am super tired! But, I am grateful to be tired because it means that I am putting all my energies into what I am doing. 

I took a shower with a lizard today! My companion (the Brazilian of the bunch, mind you) thought that was super gross. I thought it was super cool! I will miss Brasil! 

This week we experienced more rejection than normal. I know it is because I am training!! Thank you Heavenly Father for giving me this challenge when I already feel this huge responsibility on my shoulders!!! 

One thing I have been amazed with here on the mission is how the Spirit works. Sometimes, most of the time, we do things without knowing why. Sometimes we do what the spirit tells us to do, and things don't go right. But the Lord leads us on a wild goose chase of sorts........that thing that didn't go right, but put us in a position for something else to happen. I feel like that has happened with me these past weeks. Sister Araujo hurt her ankle so I went on divisions with a lady in my ward. While I was walking with her on the street, I had the strong impression to talk to a lady walking past. The spirit pretty much pushed me to do it. I didn't even have time to mentally prepare myself, so I pretty much attacked the lady and made just about the ugliest contact a missionary can make. (All with the member right there with me. How embarrassing. But the important thing is that I listened to the spirit and opened my mouth). Turns out the this lady and the member I was with knew each other a bit. Because of the member, I was able to make an appointment with this lady. Long story short, we weren't able to make it to the appointment when we had scheduled, so we went to her house yesterday. She was at home, but was hiding. I saw her, but she didn't come to the fence to us. So, I decided that because we were there and our appointment fell through, I would knock the door of the house next door. We knocked and out came this man and his girlfriend. Yeah.........super interested. Super cool! Thank you Heavenly Father! 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! The church is more than true!

Sister Autumn Barnes

 

It rained SOOOO hard the other day!

Leticia! She is an angel!

Sister Araujo and Sister Barnes

Da Mish

Hahahahahahahahaha got snow?

I bet you are all super jealous of me right now! 

But you shouldn't be! Because as cold as it is there.......is as hot as it is here! 

Can I get a Halleleluia? (Don't judge me.....I know I didn't spell that right at all!) Sister Araujo is walking on her ankle now! Oh yeah! I was dying! It was good to hit the pavement again! However, I realized that being cooped up in my apartment for a couple days gave me a special energy boost! 

Because I hadn't been able to share the gospel for a couple of days, the second I stepped outside, I couldn't help but talk to everyone that I saw! At the beginning of my mission, I was super afraid to make contacts with people on the streets or in the park or whatever. I have really grown to love it though. My companion thinks I am super crazy because I stop people on the sidewalk, talk to punk teenage boys, anyone and everyone. Sister Araujo is new on the mission, so she is super afraid of rejection. Yeah, of course it is sad when someone rejects your message because you know how much it could bless them, but even when I am rejected I AM SO HAPPY because I know I put the message out there. I am SPREADING the gospel. I am doing my part by informing everyone and letting them exercise their agency. My missionary advice of this week: Don't be afraid to open your mouth and share the gospel! You NEVER know who will be receptive! 

Yesterday, we made a contact with a man in a park. I was really wanting to give a Book of Mormon to someone, but didn't want to give it someone who would just throw it in the trash afterwards. We started talking to a man named Luciano who was sitting on a bench watching his kids play soccer. We talked with him a bit and asked us if we were "Mormons." We explained that Mormon is a nickname we have. He asked where this nickname came from. Booyah. Perfect lead in to talk about the Book of Mormon. I whipped out my Book and Mormon and said, "Because of this book right here." I explained a bit about it, testified about it, and gave him the Book of Mormon. He took it and was looking at it with so much admiration and hunger to know more. He said, "Thank you so much for coming to talk to me today. I was really needing this." Because I am the most unlucky human being on this planet, he doesn't live in my area, but we passed his address on to  some Elders that will teach him. I am disappointed that it won't be me that will teach him, but I am grateful to have been an instrument in the Lord's hands to find this special son of God. 

Word is going around that Elder Bednar and Elder Oaks will be here in Porto Alegre this month. Pray that they will call a meeting with the missionaries here!!!!!! 

I love you all so much! There is no greater call in which to be engaged than that of the Lord's!!! 

Sister Autumn Barnes

Feliz Ano Novo!

I can't believe that it is 2013! I can't believe that I left for the mission in 2011! Whoa. 

I am so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. I was thinking about this last year that I spent as a missionary, and I realized that I could have been so much better. Thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can put this in the past and resolve to have a better year this year. I can repent and be forgiven. One of the things I have learned here on the mission is the beauty of repentance. I have seen unhappy, sinful people turn their entire lives around. I have seen them apply the Lord's sacrifice in their life and turn a new page. 

This week at church we had a special fast. We fasted as a ward that our ward would be able to grow and that we would do everything necessary to make that happen. Yesterday at church as we were all fasting, two couples showed up at church saying that they had just moved in. I am convinced that prayer coupled with fasting is so powerful! I knew that before.....but this strengthened my testimony of the fact. 

I am getting so good at teaching classes at the last minute!!!! If someone doesn't show up to teach or to give a talk during sacrament meetings......"Ask the Sisters.They will do it."

Sister Araujo is still in the boot. We have been working a and walking a little bit, but we aren't able to do a full day's work yet. 

I got my Christmas package, Mom and Dad! Oh yeah! Loved it! Sister Araujo LOVED the stocking. 

I love you all!

 

Sister Autumn Barnes

Because I spent forever writing an email to congratulate my little sis on receiving her mission call to TEXAS.......I don't have much time to write much in this email!

But, I am super proud of my little sister, Lisa, for her desire to serve the Lord! I know she will be a great missionary and will represent Jesus Christ, the church, and the Barnes Family fabulously!

This week has been kinda hard. Christmas Day, Sister Araujo fell and twisted her ankle. It got super swollen and she couldn't walk on it. The next day, we went to the hospital. She sprained it. The doctor told her that she was supposed to stay off of her ankle for TWO WEEKS, and they would have to put a cast on. We negotiated a little bit and she was able to  put on a boot and a promise to stay off of it for one week. Wow.....it is like the worst thing to stay at home all day on the mission. You can't watch TV, movies, play around on the internet. I asked pretty much all the members to go on splits with me, but everyone is traveling for the New Year, works during the day, or can't be exposed to the sun. Yep........sitting at home is THE WORST on the mission. I couldn't take it the other day, so I made Sister Araujo walked to the town square to make contacts. Her ankle hurt afterward, so we can't really even do that. Ahhhh.....pray for me and my companion! It has been rough!

Other than that, I am great! Learning and growing everyday! I loved being able to talk with the fam on Christmas Day!!!! I am so blessed to have such wonderful, supportive, and sarcastic people in my life!

Love you all and Happy New Years! May we all set good goals to live more fully in accordance with God's will for us!

Sister Aut Barnes

FELIZ NATAL

This week has been the craziest week of my life. Not to mention the weirdest Christmas I have ever had in my life.

Normally, when you are called to train someone, the mission sends you an email saying that you have been chosen to be a trainer! Yeah....I didn't get that email. So I went with Sister Matiaco to the bus station in Porto Alegre where we do our transfers thinking I was just going to be picking up my companion like normal. Nope. They told me I would be heading to the mission home to pick up my new companion. You know what that means...........my new companion is a greenie. Yes.....I am a trainer. Yes.......I was scared out of my mind. All of the trainers had a little training and pep talk from the assistants where they talked about he we pretty much have to be perfect because we are raising the next generation of missionaries in our mission. Yeah, I was feeling the pressure. Still am, but that's how we learn I guess! 

My new companion is Sister Araujo. She is from Rio de Janeiro. She doesn't live right in the city, but lives in a little town just outside of the capital. I knew we would get along just fine when she told me her favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice. I gasped and told her that I watched that movie almost on a weekly basis with my sister! Training is hard. Sister Araujo is embarrassed to talk. But it has been really good for me as well. You all know me. You know that I expect a lot from myself and oftentimes don't feel like I measure up in anything. Training someone fresh from the MTC, I have been able to see how much progress I have made since I was fresh from the MTC. I have been able to see how much I have grown since then. My confidence has grown a bit, and I can actually think of myself as a good missionary now. The Lord works in mysterious ways!!!!!!! 

You are not going to believe this. Sister Araujo was bit by a dog her SECOND day in the mission field!!! We entered someone's yard and the dog advanced on us. On me first, but he didn't bite me. Sister Araujo took off running, so the dog bit her in the leg. Second day training and I already had to call President to tell him the my trainee was bit by a dog!!!! 

You are REALLY not going to believe this. The next day, we were talking to a few kids. They were standing in their yard and we were on the other side of this little cement wall. Sister Araujo was leaning against the cement wall, and out of nowhere their dog jumped up and BIT SISTER ARAUJO's ARM!!!! Two dog bites in 2 days. I had to call President again, and he told us to go to the hospital. To make a long story short, the hospital wouldn't even look at her (pray that I never need to go to a hospital here!!!!!!! Not my idea of quality services). To make an even longer story shorter, Sister Araujo was given a blessing and is doing fine! I am an AWESOME TRAINER!!!!! Oh yeah.....totally protect my companion from evil. 

Anyway, things are going well. I am super excited to call home for Christmas! I am so grateful for the Christ child and this beautiful time of the year in which we commemorate his birth! Love you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Feliz Natal!!!!

Sister Autumn Barnes

Feliz Natal!

Yeah......I feel like a gingerbread man........like I am being baked in an oven!!! Fazer o que né? I will send pictures, evidence of how my skin is being cooked to a crisp. I think you will get a kick out of it.

On to the important stuff...I think I forgot to tell you all. But transfers are today. This transfer was just a transfer of 5 weeks so all the missionaries who would have gotten home the day after Christmas if it were a normal 6 week transfer can be home for Christmas. I am staying here in Fernandes, but Sister Matiaco will be transferred. Everyone keeps saying that I will be training this transfer, but I haven't received the news yet! Pray for me that it is not true!!! Just kidding...if the Lord wants to give me this responsibility, I will gladly assume it. 

We had our Mission Christmas Conference this week. It was sweeettt. All of the districts had to present a skit or a song or something. My district's performance was one of the best if I do say so myself. We sang "So This is Christmas" a third in English, a third in English, and a third "mission style." Then we sang "Feliz Navidad' (yeah I know that is Spanish) complete with ayayayayayyyy's (hahaha yeah. no other way to describe it). Todo mundo adorou! And we received a little gift from President and Sister Wright.....the little mini Preach My Gospel's in Portuguese. It really is such a cool gift, because they are impossible to get here!!!!!! One of the Assistant's (American) is from the same stake as the guy who owns the Brazilian Airline "Azul." The owner was born here in Brazil, was raised in the US, served his mission in Brazil, and started this American/Brazilian airline. Anyway, the AP called the owner of this airline from his stake and made arrangements to have these mini Preach My Gospels flown into Porto Alegre before Christmas. It really was a miracle that we got them! 

We found some really good investigators this week. It has been really hard to find people that actually progress. However, we are teaching various member referals right now, and I believe that they will progress all the way to baptism. We are teaching a girl named Bruna right now. She is 15 years old and has told us that she has tried to kill herself about 5 times. She is super intellectual and understands everything that we have been teaching. I was really able to open up to her and show her how the gospel has made me happy, how it has given me confidence and purpose. I am convinced that the youth nowadays are naturally way more intelligent than passed generations! It is so much easier for me to teach younger people, because they have this amazing intellect! But......the youth these days have SOOOO many temptations! Especially here in Brazil, I think! The Lord armed these youth before he let them come to this filthy world in these last days! I am here to protect them from wasting away their potential or help them realize their true potential! This protection and realization comes through the gospel! 

Last night we went carolling with members of the ward to investigators' and less active members' houses! Amei! 

I hope you are all having a great Christmas season. It is really hard to be away from home and loved ones during this time, but it is not every Christmas that I will have the chance to testify of the Lord's birth, life, and Atonement like I have here and how. I know that he lives, and because of his sinless life, we too can gain eternal life! 

Amo vocês! Tenham um Natal maravilhoso! Até mais! 

Com carinho,

Sister Autumn Barnes

 

A family in the Ward

Me with my mini Preach My Gospel

My feet!