April 26, 2016

Dear Family and Friends!

What a cool week! This past week had our exchange with the assistants which was so super cool! I worked the day in Charleston with a missionary named Elder Jacklin! He is so awesome! It was in Charleston that we taught Penny who is so awesome! So unfortunately she isn't actually one of our investigators in Buena Vista, but it was still cool to teach her! She is so ready for the gospel! She recently told the Elders in Charleston that she knows the Book of Mormon is true so YAY! It is so exciting to hear other people's testimonies grow!! I love it! 

Also this is transfer week and Elder Maloy and I found out that we are both staying in Buena Vista! YAY for more good news! Haha :) but a lot of people in our zone are getting transferred and we have to plan how all the missionaries are getting to and from their new areas, so that has been pretty busy, but its also been pretty fun! It's almost like putting a puzzle together but if I mess up, the consequences are a lot different! Ha! Its great! :) 

Our week has been pretty packed with all that, but we have also been able to see a bunch of our investigators! We are still working a lot with ........ who will be getting baptized at the end of next month! She has some health problems and the only thing that she is struggling with is coming to church because of those health problems, so pray that she will be able to come to church this week! If she can come this week, it will be huge for her!!

All of our other investigators are doing great and it is so much fun to work with all of them! I love my mission and all of the wonderful things I get to experience and learn as I work with these wonderful people! I know that this is the Lord's sacred work and getting to help people experience the joys of living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is so amazing! I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week! :)

Elder Barazoto

This is a picture of our district when we went on that hike a few weeks ago! They're so awesome! Haha!

Investigator Penny

April 18, 2016

Dear Family and Friends! 

Another great week! I would love to share all the details, but I am so short on time! :(

The highlight I think of this week was my studies this morning. I learned some profound truths about who I personally am and how Heavenly Father views all of His children. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much. He wants to see us be the best that we can be. He knows our potential and will help us become the best that we can be if we let Him. We are also all very unique and different. He does not want to make us into the same cookie cutter person. What He truly wants is for us is not only to be ourselves, but to be our BEST self! As I have been disappointment and felt inadequate this past week, I was grateful to have been taught that He doesn't want me to not be myself because He needs me to be my BEST self in whatever calling or assignment He extends to me! I am so grateful for my Savior and especially the atonement because that is what enables us to improve and be able to press forward! I LOVE this gospel so much! :)

Elder Barazoto

April 10, 2016

Dear Family and Friends!

I dont have a lot of time at all this week to talk about everything so I am going to be pretty brief! The main highlights of this week was something called MLC on Tuesday! Its where all the zone leaders in the mission get together in Charleston, WV and discuss how to improve the mission! It was super fun and I really enjoyed seeing some missionaries that I havent seen in a long time! Then we had a zone meeting that following Friday! I was conducting and it was honestly a little nervous! By the end of zone meeting, it got the hang of it and wasnt nervous at all! I think I even enjoyed it too! Ha! 

Our investigators are continuing to progress towards baptism and we are seeing a lot of great things here in Buena Vista! Sorry for the short email this week, but next week I will have more time! I love you all!

Elder Barazoto

April 4, 2016

Dear family and friends!

What a great week! So much has happened especially with general conference! :)

So Wednesday we had a pretty neat experience that happened to us! It needs a little bit of a back story, So 2 weeks ago we were on exchanges and Elder Maloy (my companion) and Elder Sievers (Another missionary in the zone) went tracking in Buena Vista! They ran into a super nice older lady who told them that she was baptist and wasnt super interested in learning more about the gospel. They asked if she needed any service done and she said no. A few days later, Elder Maloy and I get a call from a member in our ward who told us that that same lady wanted us to do some service for her! It was pretty strange because that usually NEVER happens, but we gladly did it! We planted some flowers in her front yard and she was super grateful that we helped her! Then as we were about to leave, we asked again if she wanted to her a little more about us and why we serve missions and she said yes this time! It was so awesome to literally see how service can soften hearts and prepare people for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! So cool! 

The other highlight of the week was of course conference! I dont know if I can put my finger on exactly which talk was my favorite because I honestly felt that all the talks were directed towards me specifically! I have gotten so much more out of it because this time I had specific questions that I wanted answers to. As the general authorities spoke, either their words or the Spirit taught me what I needed to learn at that time! All my questions were answered and even some questions that I didnt know I had! It shows and testifies to me that this church really truly is His church! More importantly, that Heavenly Father lives and love each and every one of us. Jesus Christ is our Savior and because He suffered for us individually, We together can return to live with Heavenly Father and become like Him! I love the gospel so much!

I hope everyone has an awesome week! :)

Elder Barazoto