I have the best family Ever

Well we are working hard and seeing the results. We taught the most lessons out of our whole zone. That’s pretty neat to say when you’re a sister missionary. Sister Ryder and I always seem to notice how by being obedient we can feel the spirit stronger.

Easter was great we had Angela show up with her mom. Angela has some social problems ( and some more) so she stuck around us. She feels like the roles in the LDS are unfair. We prayed for her and wanted some of her underlining questions answered. As we were sitting there in Sunday school the lesson was on Family Responsibilities. It was perfect. She was really intrigued so we let her barrow the Gospel Principles book and went or the next day and she had read half of the book. She understands but feels like she is not suppose to raise a family under her disabilities. Her mom has some mental problems and doesn’t want her kid to turn out like her own family. It was sad and emotional with both Angela and Remy (sisters).

They both told us that we were so lucky to grow up in the circumstance of an organized family in the gospel. We had them read from the Strength of Youth pamphlet. We all disused how wonderful life would have been to have learned simple guild lines in their youth. Even as simple as using appropriate language or not smoking or drinking. I guess this just really made me think how incredible grateful I am for the choices that have been made and how blessed we are to have such wonderful siblings, parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so on and so forth. This gospel really does bless families and it all starts within the walls of our own homes. It reminds me of Nephi and how he was born of goodly parents and how I was born of goodly parents. Who taught me everything I needed to know to have eternal happiness, you diffidently did your responsibility. I am eternally grateful for you all. Man my heart is swelling with love for my family right now.

That reminds me that when Laura got baptized/confirmed she said her heart was warm but that she was cold. The other day in District meeting Elder Poulton was reading from 3 Nephi 11 and for some reason those scriptures as he was reading them hit me so hard that my whole chest was burning and the rest of my body was freezing cold. It was the strongest feeling of knowing that my Savior came and those people heard his voice. I felt so warm for the rest of the day. For anyone not to feel that confirmation of the Holy Ghost is unaware and should search with inside themselves to be aware. Cause not everyone has been confirmed with the gift of the Holy Ghost. But don’t you worry we are working on that.

Well on the other hand those same elders, left opened hidden cans of smelly sardines to rot in our apartment. Man it doesn’t feel like I’m severing with a whole bunch of teenager at all. At lunch as a district and I was the oldest one there. One of the Elder said I had a gray hair (which I don’t) and that I was old. Man I’m getting old and Fat. Oh don’t you even think for a second that just because I’m a missionary that I don’t care if I’m gaining weight and getting old, cause I still do.I love you all and appreciate all of you writing me

Love Sister Barrand

Thank you so much for the Easter Packages. I receive a lot of marshmallow bunnies, which blow up quiet nicely in the microwave. Oh and some great Matrix shampoo and conditioner (so thoughtful).

Happy Easter!

Hey there

Man you two are so lucky to be able to work at the temple. Dad you’re a stinker! Elder Barrand still believes that you are injured! The only April’s fool that we got was the elders called sister Ryder in the morning and said the prophet had died. I t didn’t last to long sister Ryder caught on real quick. Yea so I had dinner over at the Wilson’s and their daughter Hillary starts talking about her missionary serving in Colorado, it’s Elder Elliot and I hope your taking care of him, cause her families is taking care of me. We had a great chat about mission experiences with her dad. And no they did not feed me any more squirrel. I know you should have seen me eat that squirrel, or even better yet watching one of the Elder’s not being able to eat the squirrel. At least I ate it and didn’t say anything about it to them.

Oh dad I told my comp about where you grew up and she said she goes shopping there she is from Kelowna, the Okanagan Valley. The only thing different about her is that she says “Beg” instead of “Bag” which I think I do also, “mum” instead of “Mom” and when we are driving says “turn right at the lights” instead of “ turn right at the light”. But beside that she is a great missionary and we have the same goals, so work goes very smoothly. The place is a lot bigger than Radford around 45,000 compared to Radford of 12 or 15 thousand. So I’m bound to find more here to accept this gospel. We are working with three sisters right now Remy 25, Angela 23, and Teresa 22. They are all making progress in their own little ways. They do have a 17-year-old sister that got baptized when she was 11. But these three sisters live pretty close to each other and have there own interesting lives. Angela read the BOM in two weeks and knows the book is true and know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Although we are working on helping her recognized the spirit she believe she not and Man or Woman but more of an “it”. She says her self that she is different than anyone that you will ever meet.

Well we prayed that Teresa would be ok after going into the hospital for over dosing and that she could make it to General conference the next day we walk into the church building and there Teresa is with mike a friend of hers ready to watch General Conference with us. I was amazing that she came. She really thought it was neat to hear how many members and temples were all around the world. She also enjoyed and agreed with all the talks like Richard G. Scott’s on Prayer and Jeffery R Holland’s on Tongues of an Angel.

I too enjoyed General Conference, it was even greater knowing that there was some that tried to end there life last night that was sitting next to me, that also was there enjoying the words of the Prophet and apostles. Wow what a powerful experience of deep sincere humble prayers. In all the talks I felt the warm comforting love of my Heavenly Father threw the spirit. It was a great way to spend some time with our investigator. Teresa later had on a smoking patch to quit smoking. Although it did not last long she knows she is able to do so. We read about Enos and how he prayed for his brethren, She didn’t understand why the Lamanites were continuing in wickedness. We shared with her we continue in sin today and that is why we need the atonement. She made the connection that the “lamanites” relay to us today and we all need to work on repentance. Just like Russell M. Nelson talked about a full repentance it’s a complete conversion.

And as for James E. Faust talked about the power of Forgiveness, we all need to listen and abide to these teaching because we know where they are coming from. Just wanted to let you all know how privilege we are that we all know that are Savior and Redeemer lives and we are able to celebrate not only on the Sabbath but every single day. Christ was resurrected. Who’s on the lord’s Side? I am! I hope you all have a wonderful Easter.

P.S. How did the bunny hopped into this glorious day anyways?

Love Sister BarrandO p.s. could you get me thoses adresses of the other missionaries?

p.p.s. I liked the cucumber talk, but all i could think about is how gross pickles were!!