My God is a rock, in a weary land, and he's a shelter from the storm!‏ August 11, 2014

We've had a pretty good week this week! So here I am to tell you all about my life here in Texas. Hopefully this week I won't say the same things I always do, but who knows, I'm a very sporadic writer and never know exactly what my fingers will say.  But father, what did your subject mean?  I'm to the point where it only takes one, maybe two ties for my tie!  And its Travan Lyle Topham para que sepas.

Last Monday, another boring P-day, we're just farther away from other elders, and all the sisters nearby always are super busy doing stuff (like shopping at Ross) to go get papusas with us.  So we hung out with a member who is leaving for his mission soon.  He's cool and always comes out with us.  Maybe I'll be able to get a picture of him here.

But Tuesday was zone conference! Hooray!  Those are always fun!  We learned stuff, our branch fed us (when its zone conference, its basically the Spanish branch that meets on Tuesday).  Then afterwards I went to MoCity for exchanges and schtuff as you probably already know.  The picture I got to attatch is my bike ride Wednesday afternoon in MoCity with some of the Blancos (Pablo and Marleine).  Its funny, because when I first got to the mission, Elder Tate was calling this Pablo guy the ecuadorian devil, but he's changed immensely since then, to the point he will go on a bike ride with his kids and the missionaries to go teach.  Tuesday night we went to mutual in MoCity (because Rosemery was there too)  Pablo and Rosemery are getting married soon I think, and I saw the Flores, but I didn't get to see the Martinez (they work sooooo much!).  The bishop and wife are supporting the Martinez, because they've had stuff happen to them that needs good support, but all is great there!  Its super funny because I was with Elder Hales as you probs already know and all his stuff is where mine used to be, so it felt off.

But then I came back here.  This week we taught a bunch of potentials, but we didn't get any return appointments set.  We'll work on making sure we get good return appointments in the future.  But we taught more lessons to investigators than we taught the first three weeks here, so that was nice.  I'm glad you had a good week doing lots of stuff.  Being busy is fun isn't it?  Lets see what else I did this week...

Oh yeah, yesterday we had a lot of food!  We ate at a members, went to teach Marlen at the other members, at which point they made us eat more.  Potato tamales to be exact.  They were pretty good, but I hate eating a ton of food.  I'll probably gain a bit of weight in this area just because its not conducive to bike riding.

And that is my week, sorry this e-mail is just as airy as all my others, but hey! its not like I have time to write a eulogy or discourse.  I love you all and pray for you.  Also, I'm helping with the branch choir for branch conference coming up by playing piano.  I miss being stressed out by music, so it was fun!  Just need to be a part of a good choir now!

Elder David Austin Barlow

Splits in Mo City

More Splits in Mo City

Elder Topham and Hemmano Matamoros

Elder Topham

Rosenberg Water Tower

The apartment

Nothing Like the City‏ August 4, 2014

Its been a pretty awesome week.  Well every day is awesome as a missionary, but I feel like its been like a month since I've e-mailed you last.  But that is a mission for ya.  Things are going pretty good in Brazos.  We still only taught two investigator lessons, but we worked a lot this week and talked to lots of people!  Its a pretty fun time when you get to talk to people.  I mean, its nothing like the city, and I would never ever live in a place like Rosenburg, but God still watches for us.  We have a baptismal date now!  The girlfriend of a member accepted a date for the 24th of August.  Her name is Marlen.  A couple of weeks ago the sister missionaries were asking who should teach her because some members thought the sisters should teach her.  I knew it really didn't matter which missionaries taught her, so I kind of made sure we got to teach her.  Its cool what happens when we don't let life slide by.

Fasting is also super fun and my favoritest thing to do.  I'd do it every day if I could, but I like food too much.  The 24 hour fast seems so much better than the two meal fast.  Besides, 24 hours can still be two meals.  And it always makes my prayers so much better and God is much more willing to answer us.  As a zone, we set a goal for fifteen baptisms this month, and we just have to have the faith to make that happen.  Having that faith though, is the hard part.  Its sacrifice, endurance, prayer, hope, work, patience, and trusting in God to make up for what we lack, that is if we've put forth all our effort.  Grace doesn't really come if we don't do anything to let God bless us with it.  And when we get that blessing, it wasn't from our works.  I kind of get annoyed when people just start quoting "faith without works is dead" because the bible also clearly teaches that works without faith is dead as we read in Ephesians.  But yeah, most people in the world don't seem to have either. 

We live in an apartment.  Its just the two of us.  There are six missionaries in Rosenburg area, but the other four are all sisters.  So we're around sisters a lot and rarely around elders unless we go to zone meeting or something.  We don't have a face book page.  Just being in this branch makes me feel like I'm in a different decade or something.  I can't explain it, but Missouri City was "hip" and "modern" or something like that. Not that its stagnant or lost in the past here, no, its just different.  And we actually go to branch meetings.  We talked to a lot of people this week.  So we got quite a few potentials, now we just have to convert those potentials into news this week!  Someone is ready to be baptized I'm sure!  I think my goal I've made with God, is that we could baptize three in this area this month, or that what God seems to say, if I can do enough on my part, but we'll see what happens.

We eat more at home yes, we will cook spaghetti, or tacos, or hamburgers, or whatever.  I've got a good variety.  Our truck is a black Nissan.

I do like it here, and it is different, and even when I'm talking all negative, it doesn't really mean I have no faith.  Just honestly know my pessimism is very much "under the sun" as we see in Ecclesiastes.  I completely understand that the way things are is only just how they are now, and things will and can change.  We're doing pretty well down here.  We're working hard, and stuff.  But I'm almost out of time now and I know you want pictures.  Don't worry for me, If I've got a problem, I won't go off and make matters worse on my own.  Things are better than they were before anyways, and I've basically solved my complaints.  One week is only one week.  and that is nothing in God's eyes.

With love

Elder David Austin Barlow

Just Another Day‏ July 28, 2014

Week two in Rosenburg Texas.

​

This was actually taken in Stafford, but it describes the area pretty well.  Its not exactly the cleanest place, or the happiest place.  Its kind of depressing actually.  Downtown Rosenburg is a sight to see.  We have more members that are interesting people.... More members not worthy to take the sacrament, some people that have schizophrenia, and just kind of unexpected stuff.  Yeah, I wouldn't want to live here.

But there is always work to do of course.  Lots of members to see, because the branch could use some strengthening of course.  Finding is hard, because people here kind of just stay here.  They don't work in like awesome places up in Houston, at least not all do, and the place where there are normal people in "Rich"mond are far away and hard to find.  So we go on of course.

This week what happened. I don't really know, its all a blur, but we did teach two investigator lessons again this week!  ....  But the members are cool.  We still get fed here and people are good.  We spent time looking for members to teach.  Friday was exchanges though.  I went up to Houston 4 with Elder Huntsman.  It was nice having lessons to teach for a day. Oh yeah, Thursday we had an atonement training with president.  It was a zone conference a month or two before I came out on my mish, and so all the newbies got to hear it.   

Saturday we had a casa abierta (open house for all you gringoes out there) and it was a good experience.  Mostly because I got to help people in the ward and stuff.  We shared a thing about baptism.  The ward mission leader's mother-in-law was there.  We then taught her on Sunday.  She's heard the lessons a lot in her life, but just isn't baptized.  She is catolica and such, but she is basically ready and has definitely felt a spirit.  If anybody can get baptized like next week in this area, its her.  First I need to find out her name.  The Hernandez family is the family I'm talking about and they made us Chile Rellenos :-).  They were super good, and then hermano and hermana just tried to convince the madre to get baptized, but we know how that works.  Or how it doesn't.

But anyways, I'm low on time today, so I love you all and I pray for you all.  I don't really have much more to say, but try praying for fifteen minutes a day, it works wonders.

Elder David Austin Barlow

When I grow up...‏ July 14, 2014

So this coming week I'm getting transferred!  The assistants call the zone leaders Monday morning to say who in the zone is getting transferred.  On Wednesday we all go to transfer meeting where they announce where these people are going.  So I don't know where I'm going to be in a few days, but I'm packing up pretty nicely.  Yeah, I really like MoCity, and the assistants called a while ago asking if I had a driver's license, so I'm probably going somewhere where I will have to drive. Bleh! I'd rather be on a bike in the middle of the summer.  Well that would probably be good for my health in all honesty.  But I'm hoping this means I'm getting put with a native speaker, the foreigners usually don't have licenses.

But we'll see.

This p-day is being split up, so all of my p-day today is just e-mailing.  The elders in the district are going to the temple with bishop tomorrow, so that is our p-day. Today is really just a normal day.  Tuesday night though, for my last lesson here, we're going to have a throw down lesson with the Martinez family because its been four weeks since they've been to church.  They work super late Saturday nights and Sunday starting at 11, and they've worked up until basically sunrise the last two weeks.  However, they haven't really done anything to get new jobs, so this should be fun.

This last week wasn't super interesting though.  We ate with the Martinez family Monday for my birthday, and Elder Tate's, and Samantha Martinez's.  We had shrimp.  And super large slices of cake that hermana just slabbed onto our plate. At least it tasted super good.  On Friday we celebrated my birthday by eating bluebell ice cream (red, white, and bluebell flavor) and watching the district 2.  But other than that, we didn't really get to see anybody on Friday.  We taught Rosemery Blanco twice, and Elder Tate is going to baptize her before he leaves and I can come back for the baptism! That is what we want at least.

But I'm glad you all had a wonderful time in St. George.  I'd love to just sit and watch a play.  St. George must be super dry.  Its always super humid here.  On the nice days when we're biking, we just imagine what you all would think if you were outside at this moment, and we realize that we have become used to this weather.  I still miss snow though...

But there isn't much to write about.  Saturday we went to a primary activity, and yesterday was an investigator devotional, which I played organ at.  Needless to say, my piano skills haven't been a huge blessing like everyone said they'd be my whole life.  My organ skills come in handy though.

But yeah, I'll have much more next week,

Tengan una buena semana!  Les quiero mucho.

Elder David Austin Barlow

Also, I've been out for four months.  Let that sink in.

Birthday Celebration with the Martinez Family

Blue Bell Ice Cream

Birthday Pie

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

 Martinez Wedding Pictures

 Martinez Wedding Pictures

 Martinez Wedding Pictures

Elder Barlow, the Martinez couple, Elder Tate

Happy 4th

Happy 4th of July

Stuck in a Rain Storm

Elder Tate Stuck in a rain storm

Elder Barlow stuck in a rain storm

I love a piano...‏ June 23, 2014

Okay, so going from here on out, I haven't a clue of how to start my e-mail.  Yesterday was p-day, but p-day was a month ago.  Time is a human invention.  We'll see what I can do.  Its been a pretty good week all in all.  Nothing crazy, nothing different, all just fine and dandy.  As for our investigators, its spelled Rosemery, not Rosemary.  It took me forever to learn that, but that's a superficial detail.  We haven't gotten to see her this week, but we did stop by and give her brownies.  Brownies are a very effective way at making people like you.  We expect to bake more this week.  Maybe I'll go day by day to see how the week was.

Monday- We taught the husband of the Relief Society President, Hermano Alcaraz.  He just needs to get baptized.  He goes to church every week with his family finally, boosts our investigators at church number, and just needs to decide to get baptized.  He always says "Algun Dia" Which means - "Hoy, no."  But he's been progressing, and we've been helping him by helping his wife read the B of M every day with her husband.  He just needs to recognize he has that answer.  Then that evening we taught an investigator that accepted a baptismal date! Mario, and I don't expect you to remember all these random names I send, they probably don't mean too much to you, but I'll make sure to get pictures today!

Tuesday- I love our district meetings.  We took a hurricane prep quiz!  And mom, no worries, we are pretty far away from the coast.  Most people that live here are advised not to evacuate if we ever get one.  But we could have a hurricane, and that would make for some fun journal entries.  But anyways, that's besides the point.  We had a wonderful day, and even taught a baptist that is willing to read the Book of Mormon.  Isn't that something?

Wednesday- We ate at a Less Active's house.  She fed us mole (Mol-ay).  Maybe I'll have to learn to make it so I can make it for you guys when I get home.  I think I'll start probing for recipies.  But she has been less active and says that she doesn't want to come back to church.  She has nothing against the church she says.  She loves what the church does, but doesn't want to come back for some reason we can't seem to see.  We asked if she's reading the Book of Mormon, and her reply was she's already read it.

Thursday- Weekly planning, our weekly raspa session for comp inventory.  I hade a limon flavored one.  That was good.  Saw Mario again, taught Hermana Alcaraz and committed her to read daily with her husband.

Friday- Have I ever told you about the Guevara family?  They're a less- active family that's coming back to church bit by bit.  They're super cool.  Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, I was told that you guys are following the ward facebook page or something.  I didn't even know they had one.  But hermana Guevara is super cool, and super crazy worried about her kids, but lessons with her are always super good.  We then went to the ward Father's Day activity, which started at seven.  That meant that people started arriving at about 7:15, and it started at 7:50 or so.  And you though Mormon Standard time was bad.  So much for the "terminally tardy Barlows" As Chloe used to call us.

Saturday- Hooray for Less Actives!!! and the Martinez family of course.  They just love us to death. It makes it very hard to teach, but what can we do.

Sunday- Church- this is the fun story now!  And the story of why its more important to listen to advice from your stake president instead of try not to offend someone.  Its just funny.  So sometimes I play organ in church right?  Well there's another girl that plays piano before I came, and who is often late, and doesn't play all to well.  Well she was on time today, so she got to play the piano.  (A few weeks ago the stake president told bishop to just let me play the organ).  But still I'm just the if she shows up late man, because we don't want to offend anyone.  (If you want to do that in a Spanish ward, don't even blink, cuz if you do, someone will take offense).  Well she can't play the last sons at all.  It was the "Never leave us, never leave us," which has completely different lyrics in Spanish about the Plan of Salvation.  But she couldn't play it, so half way through the first verse, the stake president taps the microphone and stops the music and says lets try that again, but with fervor.  And we think he told her not to play the piano.  So we just sang a capella.  It was awkward, and I laughed inside.  This is why you let me play the organ ;)  But all was well.

 

 

Your favorite elder,

Elder David Austin Barlow

At Jaime's birthday party.  This is how I celebrated your anniversary.

At Houston Texas Temple with Bishop and others

Downtown Houston- On the way to the temple.

This is our good friend Ted the toad.  He is always in this mold circle when we come home at night.

Suddenly there is music in the sound of your name.....‏ June 16, 2014

Hello family!!!  Where's my picture of Daphne?  Oh yeah, how are you all doing today?  Hope you had a wonderful anniversary.  It sounded like fun, taking a nice thirty minutes out of a hectic day.  You two should go on a mission sometime.  And my picture of Daphne?  All Hispanics have are puny yipping chihuahuas and little monsters.  All everyone else has is German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, and Huskies.  But I digress, Daphne is amazing.

And anyways, I have had a wonderful week.  After a baptism is when you have to go find new people, which is hard.  Its nice because there are people to see and potentials to visit, and lots of things to do.  The word tracting doesn't really exist here at all.  I've read in a few of my friends e-mails about tracting a bit.  Well we don't do that.  We can like knock on people's doors to ask about neighbors we are trying to visit, but that is as tractful as it gets.  We just Open our mouths and speak to people.  That's always fun.  We got a few new investigators this week which is good because we haven't found any for a few weeks.  We'll see who can progress the fastest right now.

The fastest progressor we have is a girl named Rosemery.  She dropped off of the face of the earth for a few weeks.  Her kids were baptized in March.  She just wasn't progressing as fast for a lot of strange reasons. She finally opened the door for us about a week or two ago.  She even came to church! Which took a lot of courage on her part because she came with Pablo, the guy she supposedly broke up with a while ago.  We used to hate him.  Tate and the elder before him would call him the devil.  But everybody has potential, and even the devil was once an angel of light.  Pablo hurt his leg, so that should keep him grounded.  We'll get her baptercized.  The kids are awesome, and its just super amazing that they all came to church.  Also, their dog reminds me of a mix of Jasmine and Daphne.

Then Saturday we went to the temple with the Flores family!  They are amazing!  I forgot my camera today, so I really do have good pictures to share (and some good pictures of Houston downtown) but I have yet to get them sent because my camera is forgotten.  Please forgive me.  But the temple was really quite amazing! It always is, but this was an interesting trip.  There was one guy worker there, and one of the first things he said is that missionaries can't get in the water.  We were at zone conference a while ago and an elder brought up how in the temple they wouldn't let them baptize girls, and president was just like "That's kind of dumb."  He's had conversations with the temple president and stuff, and it doesn't make sense that you can baptize someone in the font at the church, but not at the temple.  And not even being allowed to enter the water?  That's some crazy interpretation of a D&C 61.  The temple worker was just rough with everybody, the family didn't mind though which was good.  So we all complained about it in the car (Bishop, wife, and me and Tate).  Yet it was still a good experience.  We then went to a chinese buffet.  I'm going to be super sad when I leave this area and don't have a cool bishop like Bishop Martin.  He's super great.

Lets see, I'm doing great, we went to church yesterday, I played organ again (with super hard hymns... but Hispanos can't notice).  I don't really know what else I can say here, except that I realized that I haven't gotten an e-mail from Bethany since she got a boyfriend.  Oh, and I don't think I ever mentioned this, but yesterday was the baptism of an older couple in the other elder's area.  They have a crazy story.  They came to church and were suddenly super ready to get baptized, just by coming to church and loving everything.  They came twice, they were unsure if hermano's medical coffee (which turned out had no coffee whatsoever) would let him get baptized, they needed to get married, so they were working on that when the third Sunday, they suddenly couldn't find him anymore. Well what had happened is that Francisco (the hermano) had been stabbed 20 times by his step-son Saturday night, and somehow he survived, until he finally got baptized yesterday.  Its just a crazy story.  They should make the district a reality TV show.  Probably better than any other show out there.

Well on that note, I'm outta here.  I'm gonna go preach the gospel, or if I ever become a zone leader, preach the gospel to a bunch of 18 - 23 year old white young adults.  I'd rather preach to Hispanics. But I digress, I love you all and the gospel, and it is the power of salvation unto every man that believeth.  To the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  I don't know about Romans and Barbarians though.  This scripture does after all teach us that the gospel only goes to Jews and Greeks.  But now I'm just being sarcastic and typing words as they come out of my head.  I love y'all!

Elder David Austin Barlow

 

 Gracias.  Le extraño.  Doy gracias a Dios por esta pictura.  Quiero imprimir esta pictura para dejar en mi apartamento.  Ella esta muy bonita, y pienso que ella es perfecta.  Y yo no tengo otras personas para enviar correo, entonces estoy escribiendo estas palabras en Español sobre ella.  Gracias otra vez, y me gusta esta pictura.  Te quiero Daphne!  Y tambien ustedes mama y papa.  Yo tengo una carta para el dia del padre, pero no cabo en el buson en nuestro complejo.  Estoy buscando un buson para enviar esta carta para papa, pero creo que voy a enviar mi carta por el dia del padre en Deciembre o algo asi.

 

English Translation:

 

 

Thank you. I miss her. I thank God for this picture. I want to print this picture to leave in my apartment. She is very pretty, and I think she's perfect. And I have other people to send mail, then I'm writing these words in Spanish on it. Thanks again, and I like this picture. I love Daphne! And also you mom and dad. I have a letter for Father's day, but not out in the mailbox in our complex. I am looking for a Mailbox to send this letter to Dad, but I think I will send my letter the day of the father man December or something.