photos now and address later

Sorry for the absence. You know...life...

Rach is doing really well! It was such a treat to talk to her on the phone on Christmas! It was so wonderful and when her time was up and we were all getting so sad to hang up the phone, we couldn't help but be happy and at ease because she was so happy and ready. She knows who she is and what she is doing and has a lot of dedication.

Here are some pictures that she sent us a few weeks ago, with their original captions. 

 Christmas Lights at MTC

 Clover Hill District. They are wonderful. This was at our "District Christmas Festival." On christmas eve. The joseph Smith movie, playing "Scum" and two games of basketball speed. It was a party!

  Kathy and Sarah Fortier getting baptized!

Waldon Pond!

(not really... but the street right across the road from this house is called Thoreau)

SANTA!!!!

This house was c-razy. And so beautiful. (santa was in the back.)

 This was the BEAUTFIUL mosaic we found at the nursing center we caroled at on Christmas Eve. wow.

 Our balcony on Sunday- last Sunday- the day after Christmas. 

Safe Travels

Hello!

Thanks for all of the news! I love reading your updates! I am so happy to hear about Julia's little trip to the temple and all of the reunions! How fun. Wish I could have been there.

Biggest news from me today, I'm moving to Glouschester! I think that's how you spell it... I don't know my address yet. I'll get there on Thursday. My new companion will be Sister Ward-- please pray for her. haha
I won't lie and say I'm not sad. I don't want to leave the people here in Manchester. But I know that Heavenly Father needs me there and that it will be really good. I know it will be.
I'm just really sad I won't be here for Robbie's or Jeanie's baptisms. Or Adam's. Oh well I guess. More people to meet and experiences to have down there.
It's in the Newport News area. And I was told it was by the beach... but S Dickson thought it was country. So we'll see.

Speaking of Robbie, we taught him on Thursday and set him for baptism for  February 12th. It was easy peasy. haha But really, he is so excited to get baptized and to do this for himself and his family! I just love them so much! We had dinner and a lesson with them again yesterday (on Sunday). It was their little family, her sister and her family and their mom. It was a party haha. Four little kids running around and playing.

Adam is doing well too. We've been texting (--Yes. TEXTING! Crazy huh? yeah. I know. haha) him little scriptures during the week to read and help him with strengthening his faith, but he wasn't even really sure if there was a God. He's been praying for a couple of weeks but hasn't been sure he's felt anything. Anyway, on Wednesday or Thursday I texted him a scripture about faith, and I wasn't really sure which one to send, but I was just flipping through my BofM and stopped on 1Ne 2: 19-20 and I told him to insert his name for Nephi's and that was it. And then at church on Sunday, he came up to me and asked if I was the one who sent the scripture and I said yes, well both of us sent it... (because we've been worried that he might like one of us...and i didn't want him getting any ideas...) and then he asked what made me send that one, at that time. And I said we were just making some calls and sending some messages and we just thought we could send you a little scripture. And then he said, it was pretty crazy because he had JUST said a prayer right before we texted him and that scripture was an answer to his prayer!!!! Can you believe it? I was SO happy!
Yeah. So he's making progress! :)

It snowed on Friday, and is supposed to again on Tuesday.

We met an atheist. He was really nice! His name is Rob and we -- well, Sister Dickson is going to teach him on Thursday with her new companion. Hopefully he can open his mind and heart to receive the spirit and the truth.

I love you all very much! Have a great week! Thanks for all of the support and thought and prayers and letters. They help A LOT.

love,
Sister Rachel Barney

Ring out Wild Bells, the old year is dying, let it die!!

Happy New Year, my dears! Don't worry, Mom and Dad, I slept through it as well and didn't even see one firework. But I'm perfectly ok with that.
We had a sleep over with the other sisters in our district on New years eve because we were going to do exchanges the next day. It was super fun! We had to be inside by 6 so we got some pizza and ate and played speed scrabble and talked and laughed and then read a little bit out of the missionary handbook. haha perfect missionary new years eve! It was a party! haha

Thanks again for all of the support everyone! I couldn't do it without you! And mom, I LOVE my black skirt. Let me just tell the world. I love it. Thanks.

Well, we had a good week! We did do exchanges, like I mentioned and it was fantastic! I think I have really gotten more comfortable this past week. And I think doing exchanges really helped because I wasn't afraid to talk to these random people on the street and ask them if they want to learn more about Jesus Christ, because I knew I would never see them again because I wasn't in my area. haha does that make sense? I don't know. I just felt like I could do anything. And it was really great. Then I came back to my area Saturday evening and we went to talk to some less actives and I was the old-unsure-quiet self again, but not AS much. So, it's getting better. I'm just trying to be myself. And letting people see that I am happy and I have something important to say. Does that make sense? I hope so. It's getting better.

Lewis didn't come to church yesterday. I was sad. BUT! We taught Jeanie the Word of Wisdom and she said she would give up coffee!!! Hooray! She said it was really great and interesting! haha I wish you could all talk to her. She is hilarious. She's the one who said I needed a haircut and that we had too many kids in our family the first day I met her... haha I love her.

ALSO!!! Another miracle, there is a big family in our ward... like the parents, and their kids and their families and such... and one of the daughters has a husband who is not a member, and they have a little baby girl (like one) and another baby on the way (in March). I've been over there a couple of times and both times the husband, Robby, has never really participated or shown any interest. And S. Dickson told me that one time he told her that he wouldn't join the church because his family wouldn't let him work in the family business anymore.
But, I really like them a lot. And, yesterday, they were at church! (First time I've seen them there) And then they called us last night, and Sister Parrish (that's there name) asked us if we could come over this week sometime to teach them! And we said of course!! And she said great, Robby wants to be baptized before March, before the baby comes!!! He just wants to learn everything as soon as possible and he is just so excited! And he said he had a dream and he really wants to tell us because he thinks it's symbolic!! We're going over on Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We were f-reaking out!!!! Isn't that just wonderful!?? I am just so excited! I can't wait to go over there! I love there whole family!  :)))

There are so many miracles every day.

Also, it was in the 60's two days ago. And now it's in the 40's again.

Oh! I something I had to tell you. Vera, our beautiful black recent convert, gave us black eyed peas on new years eve because she said that's a black tradition. I told her on Sunday that my mom always used to make black eyed peas and she said, "Really? I thought that was a black thing?" hahaha I love her so much. She is just so great.

We are having a Family night tonight at the church with all of our recent converts and some other people from the ward. We thought it would be a good idea becuase our recent converts don't know how to do FHE or they are single and it would just be really great! The lesson tonight is on Lehi's dream of the Tree of Life! We're going to draw it on the chalkboard! haha it's going to be good.

I'll find out if I'm being transferred this coming up Sunday night! So. I'll let you know.

have a great week! Loves
Sister Rachel Barney

December 20. 2010

I hope all are doing well. Christmas is this week! Hooray! I hope you're all excited!

 

This week was good. Kind of weird because we couldn't go outside on Thursday because it snowed and stuck! There is still ice/snow in out parking lot and on some of the roads out in the boondocks. We had to cancel all of our appointments, which is really sad because we were going to have a first lesson with a man named Lewis, who we tracted into the first day I was here! But, we'll get him.  

 

Jeanie is wonderful. We were able to teach her more about the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, Endure to the end) on Sat and at the very end of the lesson, Diego came home, se we talked with him for a bit. He LOVES S. Dickson because she can speak Spanish. haha I think he'll come around eventually. He was just a little scared off when he got anti-ed with a bunch of temple stuff. BUT!! We found out that S. Dickson and Diego are both Leos AND then we found out that Jeanie and I have the SAME birthdays!!! Crazy huh?? They were really impressed, astounded by that. haha I think they took it as a sign or something. haha Whatever works! Just kidding... the Spirit is the only way to conversion.

But I just love Jeanie. She is probably my fav right now. And we are going over there on Christmas!! Which will be great!

 

S. Dickson and I are volunteering at the Nativity at the ZOO this week! Some of the members of our ward own the zoo here and every year they put on a nativity with real people AND animals!! haha it's going to be awesome! I just pray it doesn't snow all day before. It can snow half way through the performance-- that would probably be pretty magical. :)

 

We were at a members home last night for dinner (the Doyle's) and they had the Christmas radio on and Bruce came on!! It was a tender mercy. I love him.

 

Happy Christmas to all! I love you and thank you for everything! Have a supa great week and holidays!!

Love Sister Rachel Barney