THIS WEEK WAS CRAZY ......

WEEK #49
WHAT A WEEK! 

I think I am so exhausted I may not make sense. So forgive me in advance. This week was crazy! Lots to share so get ready...

Hermana Tineo left already. I have a new companion named Hermana Caicedo. She is from Sabadell and will be with me for the next three weeks. (Hermana Caicedo is also on a mini mission, which means she is not a full time missionary like Rachel but someone who is interested in being a full time missionary so they go out on mini missions to see what it is like).  The reason that my companion got changed was because there was an opening in the zone of Sabadell and Hermana Caicedo can't serve in her own zone. (You cant be a missionary in the area where you live).So my companion and her got traded! It was a crazy week. We had to go to Barcelona on Tuesday morning, do the switch, and then travel back and get to teaching appointments. The next day we had to travel back again to Barcelona for a conference. Let me tell you, traveling wears you out!  Hermana Caicedo is great though. She has a great love for the people and she's almost as crazy as me. We get along great. 

That's one reason why I'm tired. The other reason is because people here in Tarragona know how to talk!!! They could talk forever if you let them! We have some people who, if given the time, would just talk for hours. The truth is, it wears me out trying to pay attention for that long and catch every word. But it's a good test of my Spanish skills and patience. 

This week has been great though. I think last week I talked about Maria Jose, Eduardo, and Noelia? Well they are friends of a recent convert and we have been trying forever to get to know them more. They just never had time. This week has been amazing though. We were able to see them and talk and have citas (appointments) 4 times this week! They came to a baptism and invited us over for dinner. Noelia had an operation and so the Bishop and some other men gave her a blessing. Maria Jose said it brought her so much peace of the situation. She also said she loved that the baptism was a small and simple thing. She liked how we didn't need a big party to celebrate because the party shouldn't be what the baptism is about. It was awesome. 

Last night we were contacting in the Rambla (a Rambla is a series of streets in a small area mainly for pedestrians, no vehicles are allowed on these streets)  and we ran into them. We ended up talking to them for a while. This week though, we have been praying to find a way to talk to Maria Jose and Edu separately because they need different things. Somehow, the Lord made it happen last night. Hermana Caicedo (who has had some of the same family issues) was able to talk to Maria Jose while I was talking to Edu. I asked him why he is so angry sometimes and what makes him so stressed. He opened up a lot and talked about things that have happened with his dad and how it makes him angry. He also said that its hard because he doesn't want help. I told him I wasn't here to help just to listen. He (with his 12 year old self trying to use adult words) said, "hermana sabes que usted es la única amiga que tengo? Sabes que tengo confianza con usted y usted es como una hermana mayor para mi?" (hermana do you know that your the only friend that I have and I have a lot of confidence with you and that you're like an older sister to me!) It was sooo cute. I almost cried. He has so much hurt in his eyes and to know that just talking to him made him feel better really touched me. I want to help him and his mom so bad. I know that the gospel would change their lives forever! I hope that they come to realize that too. They are special to me.

Well I'm running out of time to email! Tomorrow I am going to try to send some pictures. We saw some cool things this week! I hope Tay and Court have or had fun at EFY and at Aunt Michelle's house! That's awesome! I also hope that this week brings many blessings and lots of love!!! 

LOVE YOU ALL!
Hermana Barker

ps: for fourth of July it was a fiesta here too for a Catholic Saint...we got to see fireworks from our piso! it was awesome!  I just said that they were for America of course :)