Elder David Austin Barlow serving in Texas Houston South: A tribute to Neil Diamond. His words ring true today.‏ July 7, 2014

Hoy, yo voy a enviar esta mensaje en Español. Quizás puedes preguntar a mis primos si ellos pueden traducir que ecribiré. Esta semana, hemos tenido una semana de milagros y fe. Hemos estuiado mucho sobre la fe y milagros. Yo voy a decirles que paso esta semana cuando escribo en ingles en algunos momentos, pero, yo quiero que ustedes se preocupen.

Okay, English time. I wish y'all could understand Spanish so I could just write all in Spanish. Its quite a fun language and all. I haven't gotten a letter from you guys yet so I'll just go ahead and talk about my week. Starting with Monday, we had zero lessons taught. Continuing to Tuesday, we had one lesson taught. We also had zone meeting Tuesday, which was pretty good. We went to Taco Bell after, well the elders in my district. Next Monday we get transfer calls, so we'll find out if I'm staying in MoCity with the most awesome ward ever. Until then, our district is doing great. I've got photos for you guys today, which I have not been able to do for quite a while. They're going to be good!

Well as I said earlier when you guys couldn't understand my Spanish, we've been studying a lot about faith this last while and what that really means. How faith is necessary to work miracles. So we just have to pray and be diligent and stuff, and other stuff happens! Like after having taught one lesson for example. We always teach about fifteen, sixteen, or maybe fourteen lessons a week, but we just said, okay, we're going to teach twenty lessons this week. And guess what happened despite our horrible start to a week? We taught nineteen! That is eighteen lessons in like five days. Even when we teach on Monday and Tuesday we don't do that well.

By the way, I greatly enjoyed Bethany and Aaron's postcard. I need to brush up on my Beetle's lyrics knowledge, as I only understood about half of the letter. Elder Tate didn't get any of it and was super confused and it made me laugh.

Wednesday we began by teaching four lessons

Thursday was pretty cool. We were doing service for the Martin's basically adopted daughter's real mom. (You know, someone who is always at their house) And on the way back to our apartment we had the most random miracle. There was this guy named Felipe that would always go out with the missionaries, but he kind of disappeared because he moved into his girlfriend's house and didn't pay his phone bill. So it had been like two months since I had seen him, and he drives by us and we see him and it was super cool!

Friday was the 4th. It was pretty fun truth be told. I got fed a lot. All unexpected of course. This hermana Viareal, the one with throat cancer has a house full of crazy potential because she's the only member in her house. So we taught there, then went the the Martinez house. Later while driving home we saw some fireworks. I have proof in photos that we saw fireworks. Oh, we also biked a ton that day in the most random places.

Saturday was normal, taught three lessons, that one guy from Hermana Viareal's house I think I mentioned last week is going to Kansas to work on the railroad, but he came to church Sunday, so that was good. We'll figure out how to stay in contact with him, because he come back for a week every three weeks.

Sunday was church. Victor, the one going to Kansas came to church with his dad, and the whole Rosemery Blanco family came which is amazing because we haven't gotten to teach them for like forever! In gospel principles we talked about the sabbath day, which is what we've been wanting to teach that family if we could ever get in with them, so it was great! Then in priesthood, the stake president taught because our elders quorum president didn't assign anyone to teach, but Presidente Portillo is super cool and knows a lot about stuff like the priesthood, which frankly, I don't really know much about.

Now I'll wait for your letter. Okay, it just came in, perfect timing!

Well, I don't have much to say in response to the letter other than I wish I could've seen Children of Eden. Glad you got the card dad! And I have realized with our bishop, what's so great about him is that he literally visits like every family in the ward. I don't think I've seen a bishop do what bishop Martin does. That's why we do home teaching. Brooke told me about how during all of the play she was thinking temple video. Actually, I get to be with the Martinez family tonight for my birthday. I wonder if I have anything in the mission office I can open this Friday? I like being 18 though, I think I'm in denial.

But I love you all, and may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you, May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Elder David Austin Barlow