WEEK #65

Wow I don't even know where to start...first of all this transfer has been crazy. Should I make you wait or tell you now? Alright I'll tell you...well it looks like I'm going to die (that is how missionaries describe finishing the last of their mission) here in Castellón!!  Hermana Wallace left to San Sebastian. I got a new companion named Hermana Solos. She is from Minnesota and she just got out of training. She is fresh and ready to work. My testimony really grew this last week when I realized that the Lord really was listening to my prayers. He knows exactly what I needed to end my mission right. I'm excited to work with Hermana Solos and I'm excited to stay here in Castellón. I can't wait to spend Christmas here with all these crazy people! So a surprise of transfers that's for sure.

I'm trying mom to always have a smile on my face. Truth is I feel myself getting more and more tired every day, but don't worry I'm still smiling and talking to everyone. I love the mission and the more I think about coming home the more sad I get. I mean I miss you all, but I don't want to leave yet! It's going to be a weird adjustment home. That's so awesome about the sisters (we have great sister missionaries in Danville and love having them over for dinner). I hope they feel loved and welcomed. My attitude about missionaries has changed completely. I'm so glad you are close to them and help them. I know that means a lot to them. More than you will ever know. I'm glad you get to see all the pictures that the JAS take here (The JAS are the young adult group in the church where Rachel is serving.  They take pictures with Rachel all the time and post them on Facebook so we get to see her almost every day!  We can tell they love her). They are big "Selfie" and Facebook people, but that's good. It's easier for me because then I don't have to send so many pictures home to you all. The JAS are awesome here though and they accept me just like one of their own. They help us a lot as well with our citas and our investigators. I couldn't ask for more. It's definitely weird without Rita here, but I know she's doing great things in Chile. (Rita was one of the young adults in Spain who because a very close friend to Rachel, but she just left to serve a mission in Chile).

Well as for the work here, it's going. We have some great people. This week's miracle was that Gustavo came to church alone!! Gustavo is married to a recent convert who is struggling to come to church herself. Gustavo doesn't really talk much so we don't really know where he is with all the religion stuff. This Sunday though, he showed up. When I asked where Luz was he said, "I came alone?...is that not allowed?"  I just laughed, but was so excited for him. I know he is super close to baptism he just needs to accept it and see it for himself. The best Christmas present would be to see him get baptized...keep him in your prayers. 

Also Christmas is already starting here. Because they don't have Thanksgiving, they jump straight to Christmas. IT'S AWESOME!!! I'm already listening to Christmas music in piso...my poor companion. Also, we get to go to Valencia for the stake Christmas celebration and I'm so excited! I'll get to see everyone again! It's going to be great. I also realized that I started my mission in the Valencia stake center with my very first testimony and I'm going to end with my last testimony in the exact same building...how many missionaries can say that?? That's super cool. It really is a blessing to end my mission here. I'm so excited for this next 3 months and all the miracles and blessings we are going to see. 

Well that's really all I have for you today. A fresh start is exactly what I needed. I'm ready to get working and to find those people who are waiting for ME and my personality...get ready Castellón!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Hermana Barker

WEEK #64
 Hello family! Can you believe that from tomorrow I have three months
left...really it's kinda crazy! This transfer went so fast and I can't
even imagine the next two...it's starting to really scare me. What
am I going to do with my life? Just kidding I'm not that crazy..yet.

Well it looks like it was an eventful week in Danville with choir and
homecoming and the cutest little grandpa Ron ever!! Seriously that
picture brought tears to my eyes. I knew you were going to be the best
abuelos ever! You better save some love for my kids one day in the far
future! Courtney looked BEAUTIFUL!! Seriously how come I never
looked so good in high school...call me the ugly duckling of the
family, just kidding but really Court...so hot! Be careful dad!
And Tay you gotta love that choir show. Choir is definitely different
here in Spain. I'll leave it at different. I do miss choir though
a lot actually. More than I thought I would. Enjoy the runouts this
Christmas! And tell Mr. A hi for me!

Well as we speak Rita or Tamy is being set apart as a missionary!
(Rita is a young women in Rachel's Castellon ward.  They have
become very close friends).  We had her farewell on Saturday night and
then last night we talked to her for an hour. She is so nervous, but
excited. It was awesome to remember the feelings of a new missionary
again. She really has become a great friend and of course I'm going
to miss her, but I know she is going to change so many lives. She is
a great spirit and a special daughter of God. So proud of her and all
the youth in Castellón. This makes a total of 7 missionaries in the little
ward of Castellón! It's incredible what is happening here!

Transfers are in a week. I really have no idea what is going to
happen. It really could go either way. I could stay one more or I
could leave now to end in another area...who knows. Truth is I would
love to stay in Castellón, but at the same time I love changes...well
see.

So this week was pretty uneventful. We had to go to Barcelona for one
day...long day of traveling (6hours in a train) to do my paperwork
again because I was illegal. But it was fun because it was a giant
reunion with everyone! It was so fun to see people I haven't seen in
forever! I also got to be reunited with HERMANA WALKER AND GITTINS!!
they are serving together! so jealous. It was fun though to catch up
and see how everyone was doing. Hermana Walker goes home in
December...so weird!

Well really there is not much else going on. We are working on finding
new people and picking up the work here in Castellon. We also started
running twice a week. Its nice because we live in front of the park so
we have a perfect place to run. I can't wait til you get to come out
and see where I've been for the last year and a half!! 90 days can you
believe it!??

Love you all! Have fun on halloween and eat a lot of candy for me! I'll
tell you all about transfers next Tuesday.

Con amor
Hermana Barker

TIA HERMANA BARKER .........

WEEK #63
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I honestly just cried for 5 minutes staring at Mason. 
(Kelli and Marks baby boy was born Oct. 7th.  Mason is the first grandbaby 
born and the first Barker boy! making Rachel an Aunt)
He is so cute!! His feet are HUGE! Honestly it feels a little
surreal for me because I haven't really been a part of it, but you
better believe that I am going to hold that baby for 3 days without
letting go when I get home (unless he poops...that's not my job :)  Really though,
 I count our blessings that all is well and everything went smoothly.
Kelli remember all the details because in three months you're going to
have to remember it all and tell me step by step so I can relive it
with you okay? I know he doesn't really open his eyes much yet, but show Mason my
picture so that he knows who is favorite aunt is going to be! Sorry
Tay and Court. I honestly can't put in to words my emotions right now.
I'm sad I'm not there but I'm also so happy to have a little baby!!!! Of
course people here showed me pictures the day after. Marius saved
pictures on his phone to show me! It was so cute. Every time I see
baby clothes I just want to buy them all. The clothes here are soo
cute! Enjoy every minute you have with him and give him a big hug for
me!

Well I didn't really hear about anything else but Mason haha but I hope
all else is good. The decorations for Halloween look great court! I
was going to do a Halloween party here but I don't know if I'll be here
and they are already having a stake party in Valencia so this year I'm
off the hook.

This week has been just like the rest. We are working hard to find new
people. We had a great cita with a man named Grimaldo. He has a lot of
questions and he just doesn't understand why there are so many
religions. He always looks for the bad when he reads and when he
listens. This week though, we called him out on it. He said he wanted
an answer but never felt like he was getting one and that he didn't
really feel like the book of Mormon had anything for him. I told him,
"Well if you really want an answer you're going to need to open your
heart because right now you're searching for a closed heart and you
won't find anything that way. If you really have a desire to find the
good you have to look for it. It's not going to pop out and hit you in
the face. Open your heart to us and to the scriptures and I promise
you will find something you've been looking for." Then Hermana Wallace
asked him to be baptized. The spirit was sooo strong and he didn't say
yes, but he said he would read with an open heart and look for the
good. Then he started naming things that he actually liked about the
church and for once he wasn't arguing. He was listening with an open
heart. I know that he will one day change and feel the spirit. It was
a great lesson though and the spirit was definitely at the head of the
lesson. Change of heart...its sometimes the hardest part.

We are also working with a man named Jonathan. He wants to get
baptized, but he won't keep his commitments. He always has excuses for
why he can't read or come to church. I know he has the desire...but
until he acts, he won't change. Little by little we will get there. He's
Dominican and sometimes he talks sooo fast that neither me nor my
companion can understand him hah. He's funny though and he's ready to
change...he just needs to want it more than the things of the world.

There are some good things happening though here. Transfers are on the
28th and I don't know what's going to happen. I only have two more
transfers so I really don't know what President is going to do. It'll be
interesting though to see what my fate is for my last two transfers. I
think I'll have one more area...but you never know ha. 100 days?! That's
nothing! But you better believe that's 100 more days of miracles and of
working my butt off before I go back to the real world. It's slowly
starting to hit me. Rita leaves next week and I'm going to be so sad
when she goes. She really has become one of my best friends and I just
want the best for her. She's going to be an amazing missionary.

Well really that's all I have for you. I'm still just shocked as to the
fact that Kelli and Mark are parents...what the heck?? You're not old
enough yet! haha just kidding,  it just seems like yesterday that you
were at BYU-I with me. Time flies and things change, but everything is
changing for the better. This transfer has really opened my eyes to
how much I really have changed. Things that used to be no problem now
bother me alot...especially with obedience and work attitude. The work
has just come to mean so much more to me and this transfer has really
made me see just how much it means to me. And how much each one of
these people mean to me. I want all of them to just know what I know
and that I can be with my family forever. My family...you all...are so
important to me. The more I teach about families, the more lucky I
feel to have a family that is so close and so willing to put God in
the center of the home. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! especially little Mason! AHH
so crazy! haha

CON TODO MI AMOR
Hermana Tia Barker

WEEK #62
Well another week gone. I really can't believe that the baby still isn't here! He is definitely a fighter...but luckier for him that his birthday wasn't on conference weekend every year...count your blessings. I really do hope he comes soon. I know he's just waiting a little longer so he can still be a little baby when I get home. Sorry Kel he's making sacrifices for me! That's insane that it's been so hot there! It's still pretty warm here, but it's starting to cool down. It rained a lot last week and it always looks like it's going to rain but I hate the rain so I pray every day that there won't be rain during the day at least. It's too hard to work in the rain!

Conference was great...except that we had technical difficulties and no one was able to watch it in the church..yes that meant that everyone we invited wasn't able to come. Luckily though the Rojas family was nice enough to let a  million people come over to watch it at their house. They even let us invite some investigators so at least we got to watch it. Every time I watch conference it gets better and better. This weekend there were some very inspiring talks and I really felt like they were all meant for me. It was incredible. I also thought it was so cool how they let some speak in their own language. My new goal in life is to go to conference session one day in Utah. I don't know why I've never been before, but one day I will...everyone's invited! I hope that you got to enjoy it and that you really enjoyed the cinnamon rolls and breakfast that mom made...SO JEALOUS! I miss those breakfasts! 

I got to see Belen Mambo from Valencia!! IT WAS SO FUN!! Even though I haven't seen her for 9 months it was like seeing a best friend again! She is still as crazy as ever.

The work is going. It's been a little stressful this week because of rain and conference and all that. We did have interviews with president this week though and that was just what I needed. He is amazing and he always knows exactly what is going to help me. I know things are going to pick up here though as long as I keep working hard. The girls are good. They are super busy with school so we don't get to see them as much, but they are happy and doing great. There are a lot of people who are so close but just haven't fully opened their eyes to our message. We are working though and there are so many members helping so that's been a huge blessing. The work is going forward and I'm working diligently because I want to make every minute count. 

Love you all and am really so grateful for every single one of you. I don't think I ever realized how much I was given until my mission. Conference just made me even more grateful for the blessings I have. We are really blessed to have the knowledge we have of our Loving Heavenly Father. I am so blessed to be able to share that love with those of spain. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world!

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Hermana Barker

ps mom don't send any christmas gifts...it's better if you just wait til you get here and we can get cool spanish stuff haha :) and plus I'm going to need a few things when I get home so it's better if you just wait. Don't worry about me. The members spoil us and so I'll be good I promise. And I'm not sending anything either...I'll just save it until I get home. We can have Christmas in February !