Thanksgiving breakfast at the ZisettesChoppin' wood. Can you see we are strong missionaries!Turkey bowl

As a missionary thinketh "how did this fire hydrant become one with the ground?"


Water at Claytor lake" Sunrise...Sunset"
My Crazy Comp driving

Faith

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanks Giving. Everyone loves to eat here so much we had two. The first one was wild. There were so many family members that all the guests including the missionaries had to go downstairs and eat. I was just like home to be around all the noise. For some service we chopped down trees and chopped them to pieces, joke, that was the elders but we did move the wood to families house that were needed. The second Thanks Giving dinner was quite and calm with some really good food. We went around the table and told everyone one what we were thankful for and mine was to be on a mission. We meet a less active member there who denied being a member when I asked her how long she had been in the ward. She was married in the temple and now says that she was never a member.
Noel Lawson came to church for the first time in 20 years. We just met him and his non- member wife just a couple of week ago when we raked his leaves. They also invited us over for dinner later this week. He and his wife are so kind and loving. Along with our less-actives Kate Harshberger was there for her 2 week in a row. I love to see the members flood to less-actives, it doesn’t always happen but we give them a little push.
There is a great young couple in the ward that is great in helping us out with everything and feeding a lot. We love going over to the bridges cause we always get into doctrine decisions. I hope that if I ever have the missionaries over I will talk to them about the gospel and up lifting things. Next time we go over there we are going to be talking about Jacob 5!
Finally this week all of our investigators are back!! Yeah!! They are all students and they were gone for Thanksgiving. We were so excited to see all the car and students out on the streets. Ha ha we started tracking in the student housing cause we were so excited to teach these young minds that don’t know where they are going in life. It kind of back fired on us but we still love the students. We have so many amazing people we are and going to teaching. Yesterday was amazing; you know out here you have to have so much faith. We are still working with Becky, she hasn’t smoked in a couple of weeks and we are still working on reading and praying on her own. She needs to have that desirer to first and the rest will fall into place. We found a less active (Jerry Peterson) that has been to church in 2 or three years. When we talked to him he knew that he had to come back to the church. It was funny because now that his mom had died (died of old age) he had no one to push him out the door and he knew that he mom would be disappointed in him. He has work on Sundays but he is trying to get it off. So we got a referral to go find this Ashley Shockley girl in an apartment complex of 12 buildings and 12 apartments in each one. We deiced to start at the end and meet everyone and ask them if they knew Ashley. I was a little worried that we were never going to find let a lone know if she was home last night. Well we knocked three doors and no one was home the first person that we talked to went to high school with Ashley and told us were she live. We went straight to Ashley and are going to start teaching her this Thursday. I knew that we found her because she was ready and the lord was preparing her for us, and we just needed the faith to go find her. The lord works in marvelous ways. I never thought we were going to find her so quickly. I love the inspiration that we receive if we are being obedient.

Elder Tauteouli, Elder Lowder,President Cowley, Sister Scidmore, Sister Quinton, and Me at Zone Conference
Our Ap's acting out the scriptures
I didn't know Goldie Locks was a man. They do stuff here a little different!
Our Family Home Evening at the Zisettes with Caitlyn

Elder Pace!

Well to start off the week, we had zone conference with Elder Glenn Pace, of the seventies. It was awesome but pretty rough conference. We found out that the West Virginia Mission is the hardest baptizing mission in the United States. And we as missionaries are showing it. The average baptism here per mission per year is 2.1. We as a mission are at 1.3 and the highest that it has ever been is 3.3. That hit me pretty hard. As Elder Pace said, “Where is the fire in our bellies?” or “Eye of the tiger?” He talked about us being Vultures and going out and killing something and not sitting around. He said, “We suffer more from a lack of self-confidence than a lack of humility!” All right I’m so guilty! This week was pretty hard on my self-confidence. Someone had little faith in me to take on a project and other person went on about how wonderful my companion was. I took it very personally I felt all alone, like no one cared about me, that there was no need for me. It was Satan pushing me down making me feel as little as dirt. It stopped when I stopped thinking about myself and started thinking about (Kate) a less active member that was there. When I sat by her and befriended her when no one else did she told me she loved me. She really meant it too. She said that it is not weird cause she really feels that was. That made me feel all warm inside that I was there for one of Heavenly Father’s Children. And that I was not a nobody and I have a very important work to do.
We were able to teach Jessica lesson two. She opened up and told us that she doesn’t know what to do: take the rest of the lessons or be there for her sister in her church. Mom is not too happy about the church either.
Oh oh, we were able to wear jeans!!!! We helped a family in the ward move. It was fun to help out.
We didn’t get to much teaching to our investigators cause they are all students and they were all home for the holidays.
I hope you all have a great Thanks Giving, eat a lot! Have fun and befriend someone!

Love Sister Barrand

I tried to take a picture with a cow but it ran off. I thought you might like the rolling hill behind me though!?

Gas dosen't always come that cheap. 1.98 baby
I'm so greatful for our 2006 malibu. It tells us when we need to get an oil change and washer fuild! It's like the nicest car I will ever own.
I gave Preston (an investigator) and hair cut for the price of listening to Sister Quinton preach the gospel. I knew cutting hair would come in handy!
This is our humble Apt. You can tell if you look real close at the windows. There is a picture of Christ. We didn't want the people behind us to feel left out so we put another one on the other side, so you were able to tell from anywhere.

The People

Hey all

Appalachian Quick Reference Guide:

myep-ya May i help you?
mear-mint Come here a Minute
rat-chere right here(or thar)
y'all you all
all-y'all plural of y'all
purt-n-nir pretty near


Ha Ha that’s really how some of them speak over here. It's funny to listen to that coming from the pulpit. Sometimes I just laugh to myself. Last Sunday was probably the most entertaining cause there was 160 of them all condensed into a branch building. The first Sunday we were here there were 127 people. And last week we had 160. Oh wee. Ok I’m tellin' the truth but it was only cause of the primary program. Which was amazing... to watch those wild kids. Ok it was distracting but also heart warming (I cried). All I could think about is how young they learn the gospel and how they are truly Children of God. I loved it.
Wes Smith: Each Sunday I go and talk to Wes. Wes was bought up in the church and says “I was made to believe in god by my parents, but that doesn't mean I believe in him now." he is peculiar. He got a divorce, has an adorable mentally handicap son named Liam, and lives with his brother's family. And is oh so bitter at everyone and the church. But he comes to church still on his own. That is peculiar. He said we can't make him become religious.
Jess Cantline: He is a less active that got real offended by people in the church. He used to be on the council and his wife use to be the organist. But sadly now they say "the church might be true but the people aren't”. Well hello we all know that people are not perfect. But that doesn't stop us from going to church! Just reminds me to not get offended. I'm glad Danica had that family home evening on not getting offended. That was great. Really if you get offended you can not have the spirit and the spirit is your constant companionship and he strives to be there when you are like Christ, and Christ dose not get offended.
So I think I told you about Tina Lindsay before. She is the one the had some question about Joseph Smith. Now, I called her the other night and she was mumbling 10 time worst then I do, plus an accent. All I heard is that she took the Koran and put in front of our synagogue... mummble . . . mummble. .mumble...crack... I stopped her and asked her about that crack. She said "opps did I say that, you were not supposed to hear that, don't tell anyone about that." Come to find out she just was interested because she wanted the church to pay for her food and rent. She told me "it's ok cause I can go to any other church and get them to pay for that."
On a Good note Laura Hall: We met her and the next time we taught lesson one. She has been going to church for about a year and has been dating her LDS boyfriend for about 3 years. He is putting in his papers to go on his mission. And she is waiting for him, she wants to get married in the temple to Alex for time and eternity. She is so excited to learn more about the gospel. We can see it in her eyes when we meet up with her. She is just soaking up everything the spirit is teaching her.
For Zone P-day we were able to watch the Best Two Years. It’s way more enjoyable if you know whats really going on, on a mission.
BOM Baseball is my new favorite game. We played it over at a member's home for FHE.
This work out here that I get to do everyday is so amazing. Just the other day we finally found this less active member Patricia, Who started crying when she saw that we were missionaries. She shared her conversion story and told us how much she loves the missionaries. The only reason she is not going to church is her husband won't let her. Its so sad to see that she never thinks his heart will be softened. The lord works in peculiar ways. We never know who's heart he will soften or when it will happen. But we do know that he his merciful and loves each one of us. I love this place and what I’m doing for the lord. I love having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost 24/7.
Love you all
Sister Barrand
P.S. The worst food that I’ve eaten here was this cheesy over cooked vegetable goop, with gross tough ham. (You can just say that I had a lot off rolls that night)
Ok fine I’m spoiled here.

Don't be ashamed

You should never be ashamed of the Holy one of Israel. I was reading about this in 2 Nephi 6 and how you should not be ashamed. It so neat to actually go through the change of heart where you might be embarrassed of what you do, what you believe in, and what you stand for. I realized that in high school I had so many missionary opportunities and didn't take any of them. I never remember sharing my testimony with any of my friends. I never felt worthy of such things, I just thought that it was to hard to bring up the gospel to my friends I didn't want to come across "preachy" or "churchy" it just kills me, that I wasn't a member missionary. I was thinking about that and, there is a huge difference when there someone who is not a member and claims themselves to be spiritual and yells and shouts out what they think is holy. But that is not how the spirit works. The spirit is soft and quiet. That is why I always felt uncomfortable when I heard someone shout out the lords name or when they talked preachy to me. They didn't have the spirit. I have never yet, felt so proud to be so spiritual and in tune with the spirit. I am so far from being ashamed to share this true gospel and to represent Jesus Christ. Now I see that in Kevin, he told us that he is not ashamed of reading the scriptures or doing what is right in front of others and his friends. Man it's neat to go through that myself but it is even better when we get to experience that through someone else.

Last night we were at a member’s house for dinner and the husband is a recent convert of about three years ago. It took him 32 year of being married to a member and having three righteous kids to finally join. I asked him what changed his mind. He said that it was all the great examples. He had learned and watched his wife and children be righteous. It’s amazing to think that you can learn from your children like Brother Shelton had. I hope we all are great examples of Christ in all that we do, cause you don't know who will be watching us as an example.

We will hopefully get together this week with Kevin because he was sick all last week. Preston had so many questions and we just didn't have enough time cause he had to go. He also asked if he could come to church and if people would judge him if he showed up. We made it apparent that it was perfectly fine to come to church.

So on Saturday we went to go visit the new Stilner family. We came across Ronnie (60's) and Bryan (20's). Ronnie is the manager of the apt. and Bryan was just helping him out putting in a basketball hoop. We stopped and talked to them and gave Ronnie our number to come to church. This morning we got a call from Ronnie asking us if we could teach him more about what we believe in and our standards in a week or two. Sister Quinton tells me that people never just call up and ask to be taught. I say that we are just being spoiled. I love this work and this gospel. I'm striving on being the best example for others so they are able to come unto Christ.

I love you all
Sister Barrand

This is the Zisette Kids (my favorite family) and Catilyn our Investigator at their band concert. They were awsome.
Exodus 3:2
And the ^aangel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of ^bfire out of the midst of a ^cbush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Stand back from the fiery flame of Pegasus. Ha HaEndure to the end 2 Nephi 31:20
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a ^asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of ^bhope, and a ^clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and ^dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have ^eeternal life.

Man I am Strong
For Halloween we all switched name tags and tried "The Rock" face.
Work Work Work, that's all we do here!
Our results at the end of the day
I know that, but do they?

No Shows? What!?

Hey all
Happy Halloween. We were able to wear each others name tags for our costumes!
This past week we got a lot of no shows and hit and misses. No one showed up for Sunday, it sad and stressful. I prepared a talk just for those people and they weren't there. Every Sunday we have PEC and meeting for the missionaries and the bishopric and other important people, I made some good pointers about what the missionaries need to be doing on Sundays with the ward and they listened and followed my ideas. Oh the song we sung went well, especially the other boy who sang. Before we all started singing it was kind of noisy but after we began, it was dead silent. You could feel the testimonies of Joseph Smith there. My talk was on Pray. I think this was the very first talk I've given with out anyone writing my talk for me. I actually looked at the people and didn't read the whole talk verbatim. I just found out that they talked discussed my talk in seminary the next day. Surprising that they were all listening. Neat! We also talked a lot about Missionary members and how important they are. I love hearing that you are helping out the missionaries there in your own area. It helps a lot to have a member there while we are teaching. So dad good job. Sorry to hear about the water that dipped down your back. I can just see you now, reacting to that ice cold water dripping on ya. Ha Ha
So we were given a referral to go meet Kimberly Campbell. After a lot of searching we finally found her house. A man was already going it to the house so he invited us in with him. In there was his wife and daughter. This family was not the Campbells. But we talked for a while about the gospel and placed a BOM and movie. They asked us to come back. We are going to set up an appt with them this week.
Kevin was really sick this week but we are seeing him tonight.
So we go visit all the new freshman and we had an appt. with Derek and he was a no show. But then he called us back and said sorry and for us to start teaching his girlfriend Jessica! Yeah! Calls like that don't happen that often.
The next day we got another phone call from another no show named Preston Gieger. I feel like I’m being spoiled.
I'm reading in the BOM for my personal study and I’m understanding sooo much about Nephi.
Cool experience happened. The Zisette Family had over their grandparent and Aunt and Uncle. This is the neatest family. I just love them. They are the ones that let us stay with them for a week and a half. Anyways I learned tons of knowledge of the 12 tribes in my studies. Then we were at the Zisette all playing church taboo and then we got in to talking about the 12 tribes. The Uncle was a patriarch, so in this conversation I totally followed along cause I had studied it earlier. Wow. I think if I wasn't where I I’m at spiritually I would have left that conversation. cause I would have no idea what on earth they were talking about. It is neat to know all this amazing stuff.
President interviews went well and it looks like I will be here for another 6 weeks! Yeah.
Love you all
Sister Barrand

I still haven't had squirrel!

Alrighty. This place is great, I'm loving the people more and more. Did I tell you that we got to be in a parade as Sisters Missionaries? If that’s not reaching and being seen in the city of Radford I don't know what is. I’m getting better of getting straight to the point. It's hard out here cause these people have motor mouths and us sisters missionaries are the only people who will listen to them. Keep in mind that their lives are long and full of interesting stories. I’ve been working on this language cause its like nut'n I’ve heard before.

We are teaching a 46 year old black lady named Tina, that has been to jail. She is a hoot. Everyone here is a hoot. She wanted to be a scriptorian so she knows her bible real well. She doesn’t know this but she makes me want to know everything so I can answer all her questions. I love all this learning. It is so great to be this worthy and have the spirit so near. It's just great.
We meet with Kevin on this Thursday and we will be teaching him the second lesson or whatever the spirit want us to teach. This is the greatest part. I will tell you that because I know of all these truths I don't stress out about writing down everything I need to say or worrying about everything coming out perfect. I know that if I’m doing everything I can that spirit will be there and they will be able to feel that. This Sunday I'm giving a talk along with the other missionaries of Radford ward. I'm excited. I don't even know what I will be talking about but I’ll figure it out. It will be good cause so far we have invited Annette- eternal investigator, Tina-investigator, Jason-new member but less active, Kevin-new investigator, Caitlyn-investigator, and Kate-less active. But hopefully we will get some more.

Thanks for all the support. I love you all and I’m sorry I can't write more but its all the time I have. There is so much to say. I can't wait till Austin get to be around all this building up Zion. It is so exciting I love this gospel and I love when I get it see it through somebody's eye and how it will bless them. I'm so proud of my choice and wouldn't change it for the world. This is the best thing I can be doing.

Love Sister Barrand

A picture of Sister Quinton and me at Zone conference. Sorry it’s late. We had a zone conference on our p-day so it kind of today. This week was so exciting and so much better. I'm learning so much from personal study and companion study. It is amazing how much I can retain now that I have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I’m realizing I've always had it since I was eight but never really relied on the Holy Ghost. Wow it is a powerful thing when the spirit is so strong that both you and your companion are thinking the some thing. I know that it’s the Holy Ghost cause Sister Quinton and I don't think alike normally. This was hard to come to realize that my companions and I are not always going to think alike, but I do know that when we are teaching we do think the same. That companionship of the Holy Ghost is a Gift to us and we have the ability to do with it as we want.

These people of Radford have so much potential. We are really working on bring the people closer together and to the Lord. So we have been working with a couple eternal investigators who have been seeing the missionaries for like two years. Mostly Annette and Becky. Annette is a single mother of two and will talk your ear off. She has three jobs and real busy. We will see if she is progressing tomorrow. Becky 20 years old and cares about living the fun life now. She is not progressing at all. We might have to drop her.

Ok so on Tuesday we had dinner at the bishop’s house and his son that is not active brought his roommate Kevin Sullivan, who is 24 and a student at Radford. He started reading the BOM. He had a couple questions at dinner about authority we answered them and got an appointment. We later met with him and he is so receptive and excited to read the BOM. We have another appointment with him next week.!!!!

Send me good church or uplifting music. Please!

The field is white- and new

Wow mission are great! Why didn't I do this a long time ago! I think everyone needs to do one of theses! For reals!
Well I will tell you wants gong on. On the way here on the plane ride I talked to a couple of people and it got me all pumped. when we arrived and met the mission president it didn't seem the he was very fond of me but I know those bad feeling were Satan trying to make me scared (Ryan told me that Satan was going to try and approach me as soon as I got here, so I was prepared and kept that shield up high and close to me.)There was another sister that was a little more talkative and I thought that President Cowley would love her more but I had to surpass those feelings. As soon as we got out of the airport it was hot and humid, not really bad but it was different. We headed straight to the office for some interviews, I was nervous to tell him that I didn't get to hand out a Book of Mormon on the plane. Just because I remember Mission presidents being mean (well Celeste’s mission pres.). It was all good. The interview went great and I felt a lot better. He is a neat guy. The more I hang out with him the more I like him. He is a very emotional guy.

Well we got back and ate dinner, Sister Cowley is so nice and a wonderful cook. We had testimony meeting, well kinda there was one sister that didn't want to bare her testimony. Weird! I use to be so afraid to bare it but it’s not scary anymore it’s just what I believe into be true! Hello not that hard. Maybe in front of a lot of people but we are talking about 15 people. Anyways President Cowley asked me to take her to the car and help get some pills. She was just tired. It’s a big change!

The next day I got to meet my companion. Its sister Quinton. She is tall and skinny and 24. She is from Idaho and so nice, would not hurt a fly. So we have to drive all the way down to Virginia cause I’m serving in Radford! It took three hours. We are staying with the Zisettes. Oh my goodness they are the coolest family ever. Oh by the way the houses here are so small and dirty and the ones in West Virginia are way worse. But the family we are staying with have a very nice house. When we first met them they were all playing and singing in a little group together, they are amazing musicians they are called Toss the Possum. Do you know that they eat those things here? Oh man the trees here are incredible just like Dan, Dave, and Don in the fam picture.
The work was really slow in the beginning because we are opening a new area, p.s. that is hard to do. I wondered why we weren't teaching anyone. I was really hard for me to teach all day at the MTC and the come here and not teach anyone. We met some people but didn't get to teach them. We had a lot to do before we got into the teaching work. like finding an apartment, getting new tires, getting hold of the bishop, getting use to Sister Quinton, and just a hole bunch I calling and little things.

One thing I really do enjoy is companionship study. Sister Quiton is teaching me so much about the history behind the scripture, so it makes sense in my mind. Its my favorite part. But finally we started teaching. Wow its great I think that’s my new favorite part. Well it’s all good. Ok well let me tell you that teaching in the MTC in a whole different ball game... those people are fake! These people out here are real, they have real problem and real concerns. It so much fun to teach about things I believe in and testify of the truth. I love figuring out what they need, it’s hard, but I love doing it. As soon as we get in the car after teaching, I always want to figure out what these people need to live a wonderful life in the gospel cause it so important. I just want everyone to see what they can have. But I will do my best and teach by the spirit and leave it up to the Lord's time. I love you all (we can’t say "guys", and they say "all" here so I will be saying that from now on.)

Love

Sister Barrand

Last word from the MTC

I want you to know that I'm striving to have more faith like Nephi (& Joseph Smith, I always have to put him in there cause he is amazing) The scriptures are amazing. You can find everything in them if you are pondering. Before, I didn't really understand them. Now they are all good. Even the war ones because they wouldn't have put them in there unless they were important and we were going to get something out of them. Anyways just want to let you know how I feel about them and to let you know that they are true.

I still love my comps. They are just wonderful. I'm so blessed with these two daughters of God. I'm looking forward to meeting my trainer in a couple of days on Tuesday cause that's when I will be flying to West Virginia Ps I'm the travel leader so I'm in charge of all 12 missionaries that are flying to WV. Cool! I never get opportunities like this but since my last name starts with a "B" I'm at the top of the list. Ha Ha I don't think I'm fully ready to leave the MTC yet, I just can learn so much more here. But I guess I will learn it faster out there in the outside world. By the way, this is so much better than EFY. Oh and give my address out like the neighborhood gives away candy on halloween. You can write emails on www.dearelder.com So go there it's easy and fast.

Today we went to the temple and did inciatories. They were great. It was my last temple experience for a long time (like 1.5 years) :( Oh an as I was looking for my comps I stumbled upon Ryan. It was kind of akward We were both caught off guard and didn't know what to do. He kept saying "I can't believe it" Don't worry no feelings there. For the most part the Elders are not that immature. Just some of them. We had the best burgers for dinner yesterday mmmmm....

Classes are way good. It gets me more excited and scared at the same time. Austin will love it here there is such an amazing feeling when you know that you are doing right and sharing the most imortant message of all time. I love this gospel, I kow it's God's plan for us to return to him. I know Joseph Saw Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ and he spoke to him calling him by name answering his prayer.

Sister Barrand

In the MTC

The second day I got here I had a letter from an elder wanting to be my friend and asking me some questions. He wanted me to write him back. But I declined!

Before this whole MTC thing I just had so much respect for Joseph Smith. But now it's a whole different ball game. It's so amazing how much faith he would have had to restore the gospel in its fullness. A lot of faith!

I know Heavenly Father loves me and acknowledges what my hearts desires. And through faith and only faith I can have him there by my side.

This place is so wonderful I just love it so much. I was worried that I might feel like I was missing out on something in the outside world, or real life. But I feel like the outside world is missing out on this. I want everyone to experience what great changes occur here and how the spirit is so strong. I just don't want to be anywhere but here expanding my knowledge and testimony. I know I'm supposed to be here at this time in my life.