Learning Patience

Here's an adorable little child with Will

Here is Will's former companion in one of the beautiful parks with a white, furry rabbit. Will says that there are lots of little animals running through the parks.
This is something that Will would spot from a mile away - a basketball court!!!
This looks like a shoe store named after me - ha ha. I couldn't believe that it is spelled exactly like my name.


Hola family,
Well it has been another good week here in Bucaramanga. This week I have been given the chance to learn about agency and improve in patience. I wrote last week telling about all the great people we had found and the experiences we had and our many progressing investigators. This week they have basically been dropping like flies. Ha not to say that anyone died but like I said the Lord is giving me a chance to learn about patience and the agency of people. Literally 4 investigatoes that had goals for baptisms this month, now do not. One fell back into a drug habit that he had stopped for 6 months and has now moved to another city. Two others that have promised us to go to church for 3 weeks again didn’t come. Its tough but we are taught over and over that if people don’t progress and comply with assignments we have to move on to the people that will progress. Ha it’s frustrating because we can hand wrap the gospel, plan lessons, bring it to their door whatever time they want but if they don’t do their part they can’t receive the blessings and learn for themselves, so we have to move on to the people that are escogidos (the elect) that are waiting to hear this message. But I know it’s just a challenge and I’m excited to work with the people that we have and keep looking for the elect.

Today has been a P day of just relaxing and taking it easy to recover from a long week. I found a little sandwich toaster thing so I have been experimenting by making cool sandwiches. I used it to make us lunch today followed by some reading and a nice nap.

We got some really exciting news. Today one of the new gringo elders will get here from Bogotá. They say his name is Elder Wagstaff so I wonder if he is related to the Wagstaffs in Evanston. He will be in my zone and live in the same house as Elder Lee in Giron.

Here's the answer to your questions. My morning schedule is to get up at 6:00 A.M., have personal and companion prayer, exercise from 6:30 to 7 (sometimes running or else pushups and jump rope in the house). I iron my shirt at 7 and then into the shower, make a quick breakfast (recently my famous toasted sandwiches) and then personal study at 8 o’clock sharp.

As far as the mission approved library, I bought the ones I didn’t have in the mtc so I already have them all I'm pretty sure. With the last package I did get the pillowcase with all the good mom advice ha-ha and the CTR Rods, I put one in my keychain. Elder Araujo is very happy with the camera and takes lots of pics.

As far as Diana, (who had been in jail), the final decision is that the first of May, when her probation ends she can get baptized. Sadly I probably won’t be here to see it but we keep visiting her to make sure everything goes well. Two of the teenagers who accepted the invitation to get baptized are the ones that we just can’t get to go to church, so we may have to let them go and look for others. No new parcels have arrived here yet but they might be in the office in Bogotá.

Well I really love you fam thanks for all the support, you’re in my prayers always.

Mucho Amor, Elder Barnard