We Leave for Barcelona on Tuesday .......

Week #5 
Wednesday, Aug 28th, 2013

So since I have no email from mom (I, mom, wrote a letter to Rachel but instead of sending it to her I put it in my "drafts".  I felt horrible when I realized what I had done! What mother does that?) I will email everything to you dad this week (because Ron did not put his letter in his "drafts"  Thank goodness!).  Tell mom I am so hurt right now! Just kidding. Tell her I love her and I hope her strength is doin well.  I miss you guys more every day but I am doing so well.

Today is our last p-day so its now going to Mondays, just a heads up. We leave for Barcelona on Tuesday and thats pretty much all I know as of right now. Today was the last time going through the temple here in Madrid and I did it in Spanish!! It was hard but such a cool experience. Also rumor has it that the Barcelona missionaries may get to go to the Rome temple open house!! So tell grandma Bev to be looking for that email so I can see her there! 

So this week has been so weird considering it's our last week! We are all trying to cram in learning but it has also been a lot of fun. Last week at the park I gave Manuel the chess player (her first contact in the park in Madrid, two days after arriving in Madrid) the Book of Mormon with my testimony. He said he was going to read it and told me he was going to email me. I told him he was my grandpa of Spain and he laughed. He is so cute! It has been really fun to get to know him. 

 Also you asked about President Sitterud last week (The Spain MTC President). To answer your question he is awesome! He knows everyone by name and we write letters to him every week to tell him how we are doing and he writes everyone back. He is great and he talks very highly of President Pace (Barcelona Mission President) so I am excited to meet him.

This week the theme of our classes seemed to be "vive su vida sin miedo"! Basically it means to live our lives and to do our missions for ourselves because no one else is going to do it for you. Also we talk alot about turning out to the people and not worrying about ourselves. My favorite scripture has been D&C  84:88 (And whose receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels around about you, to bear you up).  It is so comforting and reminds me of all the angels I have back at home who are supporting me. 

This week Hermana Fuller and I sang in Sacrament meeting. It was so awesome. There were people crying and the Spirit was so strong. I am very blessed to have a mom who showed me that you can bear testimony through song as well as through words. Hermana Fuller was my companion at the park as well and sometimes when we weren't talking to people, we would stop and just sing in the middle of the park. It was really cool.

Can you all do one thing for me? Tell Josh (her cousin who is leaving next week to serve a mission in Philadelphia PA) GOOD LUCK! and to really love every minute of the MTC. It is hard and it is tiring and at times I just wanted to get out of here, but it is amazing if you make it amazing. You are going to be so awesome because you're a Barker and we have it in us! Be safe and let your light shine for everyone you meet! 

On a side note, my teacher told me today that if I try talking as much as possible the people are going to love me. I asked him why and he said because you look so innocent that they will want to help you! haha Im pretty sure he meant it as a good thing but it was really funny to hear that. The teachers are awesome here and I am really sad that I wont have them at my side throughout my mission. Some of them are from the Barcelona area though, and said that if I serve in their area they will take me to lunch! So cross your fingers that I get in their areas. Im getting used to the fish but I can whole heartedly say that I will never like it ha. I have to forget what I am eating and just swallow or I dont eat anything (sorry Kel no weight gain for me yet). 

Well, I love you all and I am so grateful to have so many amazing examples in my life. I know that I couldnt do this without you all and of course without the Lord. He truly does love every one of you and knows us completely. I am so grateful that he atoned for me and my imperfections and I am so grateful that I know families are eternal. I would not want to live with anyone else but the crazy Barkers for the rest of forever!! Love you and miss you all and the next time I write it could be from some crazy city!!! 

Adios Madrid on to my next adventure!!

love forever

Hermana Barker