the Lynchburg life

Oh man was that the best Family picture or what, I love it. It hit home for me. My favorite has got to be Dave and that belly shirt hold’n a can, with Jensen also hold’n another can. I love it, thank you for agreeing that we can still have a great family picture. I love you all so much. It’s good to hear from Don. As soon as I tell people that he’s serving out there the pray for him specifically. It pretty neat to see how much care and love they have.

Sister Peck has a brother waiting to hear if he is going over to Iraq.We heard the night President Gordon B. Hinckley pasted away and I was hoping to have heard from him one ore time on my mission but I’m so at peace with where he is at now and I know he’s there with his wife. For all we know they could be having a party up there. He was an true Prophet of God and will ever be remembered by millions. He will never be forgotten his fruits will live on until the coming of Christ.

I ‘m looking forward to our new Prophet and no matter who they call I know they will be called of God. When we found out I thought of Stevi and if she was going to question this whole situation. When Stevi found out she was at peace as well. She loved President Hinckley and all the amazing fruits he grew and accomplished. Now she is looking forward to pray about the new prophet. All is good. Jackie still seizes to amaze me. We asked her about her parent and the support she will be receiving and it is none. Jackie is doing this all on her own. Both sets of parents give her the hardest time and don’t even allow her to go to the young women’s activities. It sad but I see the strength she is the her 4 year old step brother. She found him reading her Book of Mormon on her bed one day. Jackie will be baptized on the 8th of April on her Birthday and that my friend is a tender mercy of the Lord, that happens to be my last day here. I’m for ever grateful for that.So dad had given me the 17 points of the true church on some little cards. I had never studied them or really looked at them and just this week during comp study, we went through them. We thought of a bunch of people who would benefit from this but I have never brought it with me. But I out it in my scripture case that day. We set up some appointment with some less-actives and had a lesson with the Hunington’s. He is the only member of his family of five.

We had a great lesson with his daughter present. I had this feeling of bring out that little card, so I did. It went a little sour because he doesn’t care to belong to the true church but as we were leaving I was putting the card back in my scripture case cause he didn’t seem to care, but he totally stopped me and said he’d like to keep it and study it. I was shocked. The spirit pricks some hearts.You wouldn’t believe how long people can talk around here. We had a lesson with our only black gator and she can talk. She opened us with a pray and we had to reframe from laughing. It was a really heavy duty Baptist kinda prayer. Some of these less-actives drive me crazy they really have no excuses but they seem to come up with some good ones. Like “but church is three hours”, “I have to eat before I put God first” and “I’m burnt out”.

So our apartment was smelling really bad for the last three weeks and it was getting stronger of stench ever time we turned on the heat and nothing could mask this horrible stench. We tried airing out the place but the dreadful smell would come back. It was beginning to be hard to live in the place. We called the manager and left a message that there was a rotting animal in the vent. He was over the next day and fixed the problem in like two second. He put water down the drain and the smell went away. The smell of sewage is not pleasant every time you come home and try to plan but now I can breath fresh clean cotton. And I’m ever so happy.

Mission life is not all flowers and roses. Sometimes there is sewage.Zone Conference was really enlightening. I wish I could see Elder Barrand up there teaching me. We had a detailed lesson by Elder Lincoln on cars. We found out that we as the West Virginia Mission is the worst Driving Mission on the face of the Planet. Pretty funny uh. We are doing better as a mission but we are the worst . he he.Just to let you know Tommy is coming along he has already read 16 Chapters in the BOM and we didn’t ask him to. He feel good about it and is praying about Joseph Smith. We are excited for his progression.P.S. I like turnips. Had my first last night and it was good.
Love you all
Sister Barrand