We Like Wednesdays April 9, 2014

Hello ma and pa!  Thank you for the letter! I'm glad you guys had a wonderful weekend watching conference.  I also enjoyed it so much here at the CCM.  I only fell asleep Sunday afternoon during Christofferson's talk because I was feeling sick Sunday.  It was so great so I'll talk about it before I write my week out.  I did immediately think of you guys with Uchdorf's Sunday morning talk, (it wasn't Saturday, but I don't blame you).  That was by far my favorite.  Uchdorf seems to become my favorite more and more each conference.  I loved how gratitude is a personality, gratitude is an attitude (pick a good one).  So even when we hate the things we are dealt with in life, we can be happy even so.  It reminds of a line from Next to Normal, "You find out you don't have to be happy at all, to be happy you're alive."  I kind of take that to be my life motto.  I also liked Elder Scott's talk on Saturday afternoon.  I sometimes fear that our gospel gets based down to the controversial problems and appendages that aren't at the heart.  Basic doctrine is the key to everything.  Sharing the gospel with kindness.  That was my basic experience with conference, and I loved listening to it here at the CCM.  Its kind of funny because its off-season for missionaries and there really are only a hundred or two white missionaries here right now.

But here's my week.

Wednesday

I don't think I mentioned last week that I went to the visitor's center.  That was a wonderful time.   Its a pretty new visitor's center, so it has more than even Salt Lake.  We watched that movie where the child almost falls of the cliff at the beginning, and just goes on and on about families.  It was really amazing though, and laid out the plan of salvation so well.  I love how simple it is.  By the way, you guys are supposed to read Preach my Gospel, the apostles said so ;)

Thursday

Hermano Ramirez is back!  Thats about all, he is better now.

Friday

We had a tough lesson with an "investigator."  Sometimes, I think I hear, but I haven't really understood.  Its a long process, but its part of getting better.  We went to the clinic to get McKinley some tea to help him sleep.  The problem was he hated it, he was basically freaking out when he drank it.  So I went to drink it instead of him, and I slept like a baby that night.

Saturday

Was conference.  Priesthood was amazing, am I right?

Sunday

Today I was tired and sick, but I enjoyed conference even so.  It was wonderful.

Monday

I'm better now.  Our investigators all gave us "letters."  Mine and McKinley's was from Maria, aka Hermana Avocado (since I can't remember what it really is).  Mine was optimistic, but McKinley's tore him apart.  It was a little bit depressing.  Teaching with a companion is hard for me.  I've always been trusting of no one but myself to get things done, but I have to pull along other people throughout the day.  It is hard, but good. Either way, I really think I'm almost ready to go to the field.  I could stay here forever learning how to preach, but that isn't really possible, and I'm about as ready as I will be.  

Tuesday

We listened to a wonderful Devotional from Elder Bednar on Christmas a 2011 at the MTC Provo. It was about the natural man, and becoming like Christ.  Christ turns out to when we as the natural man would turn in.  It was beautiful and has made me want to change as much as I can.  It is amazing being out here and not focusing on myself, and even when I'm dissapointed, I just continue on remembering my purpose to help others and its okay.  I am so grateful for all of you and your prayers.  I love you mom and dad! Tell my siblings to write me, I didn't get any sibling letters this week ;).  I don't think I would worry to hard about your lesson on Sunday papa.  We can spend all day talking about the gospel, but when it comes down to the core, its quite simple, and its all in Preach My Gospel.  Its a simple gospel really.

With lots of love, your favorite elder,

Elder David Austin Barlow.

A gas station. David believes they are government owned

They leave tomorrow, they were my branch president and wife and I played piano a lot for Hermana Jewell.  She used someone else for devotional piano yesterday to share the love and said she missed me.

A pole, the top is where ground level was when the temple was built about thirty years ago.

Me and Elder Moore!

Our district at the CCM sign.

The bus, and the girls, you can see Ritter and Baldwin in the back there.

The guys minus Hooper

The tragedy known as Blockbuster still exists outside of the US.