Obssessed with Casey Stoner!

2/15/15

GOODAYE KIDS!!

 Shucks another week down and It sounds like a lot more crazy stuff is happening at home. I cannot believe that Bentley is freaking home!!! There is no way that felt like 2 years... man he looks so different. I cant imagine how different he probably is! Also I got an email from Sam Parkinson last week and he said he only had 3 weeks left! Ugh sometimes it makes me wish I left earlier just so I could be done already lolol. 

Its also really strange that my birthday is tomorrow and I am turning 20! I still havent opened my package yet and I was debating on opening it last night so I could email and talk to you about it but I decided it would be best to save it for tomorrow so it actually feels like a little bit of a special day. Also it was Valentines yesterday and I aint got no valentines love oh well I will make up for it when I get home..... 

Sams basketball story really hit home to me and made me miss that girl so freakin much... gosh I want to just be able to hang with her for that week she will be in bed cause I bet that would make her perk up a little having her big brother there;) I LOOOOVED the pictures and I hope my little tiny email made her feel like she was on top of the world, she deserves it.

As for myself this week has been...rather slow just because I have started feeling a bit crook and I think I am coming down with some kind of cold? I have started taking some cold/flu tablets so hopefully that will get rid of it quickly. Also it has been so dang hot this week and yesterday hit 40 I think?......ya 105 degrees and INSIDE our flat it was 87 degrees.... we had the air conditioning blasting and we just stayed in the flat for the middle part of the day cause I wasn't feeling good and we weren't about to go die in the heat. Today we are going to the mission home in Firle to watch Meet the Mormons and I think we are getting a car today!! Cross your fingers for us!!

As for our investigators Roy's daughter in law had her baby this week so he has been busy this whole week but we are seeing him tomorrow I believe.

Ok coolest thing in the world happened yesterday!! We were having dinner with the Mckims last night and we found out that just down the street lives the in laws of one of the top Moto GP riders in the entire world and the number 1 rider in all of Australia!! His name is Casey Stoner and I have been obsessed with him for ages cause he is one of my favorite riders and he is Aussie. Then we came to find out that the Sisters were teaching their family and stopped going there - so we are going to go and visit them!! Brother Mckim said Casey even comes and stays there with them!! Plus the massive V8 race is on in the next week or 2 called the Clipsol 500 and he may be here for that!! Man I would die if I met him!! 

 

Anyway that's whats been happening with me and I hope you guys are all goin well. 
Love 
Elder Barnett
_________________________________________________________________________
Dear Dad --- Happy Birthday old man!!!! Whoooooo hoooooo 51 has never looked so good!! I cannot believe that 20 years ago you got to see me for the first time and hold me in your arms. Now you have a grown up son some 8000 miles away in Australia serving his mission. I would say as a father that is a job well done. Dad you have taught me everything, you have shown me the way to happiness and have done your best to guide me on the right path and for that I will be forever grateful. I know without a shadow of a doubt that before I came into this world I looked at you and mum and knew that you were the parents that would be able to raise me in a righteous home and help me become the man I am today.

You are my best friend and I cant express in an email how much I love you

Love your son

As Long As I Give it My ALL

2/8/2015

Goodaye everyone!! How are yous all goin?! So hopefully you can tell by the subject of this email that we got transfer information and I will be staying in Golden Grove and Elder Rawlings will also be staying with me. Our DL is getting transferred so Elder Rawlings is probably going to be the new DL -which means that we should get the car!! I seriously hope that's the case because it has been as hot as balls over here. For the past 2 days its been 35-38 degrees so right around 100 degrees F. I am actually happy that I am staying with Elder Rawlings just for the fact that I didn't want to lead the area just yet and have to take a new missionary around to meet all the members and introduce him to everyone.

Yesterday we had church and it was probably the best sacrament meeting I have ever been in. We had a speaker that was in the stake young men's presidency I believe? Anyway he was the best public speaker I have ever heard and he spoke on pre-earth life and the fall of Adam and Eve and then talked about agency and how it is the key to Heavenly Fathers plan. It really opened my eyes and made me realize that even if I went the entire rest of my mission without teaching or baptising anyone my mission would've been a success as long as I gave it my all and served the Lord the best I could. At the end of the day everything that I do and say can be accepted or rejected by the person that we are teaching and I need to learn to accept that and be ok with it. I just need to give them the best possible chance to hear the gospel in this life and if the choose to reject it then I know I did the best I could and they are now in Heavenly Fathers hands.

The area is still the same and our investigators haven't really been goin anywhere but we are hoping to get Roy (the Hell's Angel) to church this next Sunday. Bishop Williamson is coming out with us to teach on Wednesday and we are trying to get some more members involved with fellowshipping him into the ward because he doesn't know many people and is struggling to find a desire to come to church because he feels like he will be judged like he has in the past with other churches. He told us his main concern that he felt was holding him up which was feeling like he couldn't be forgiven for the things that he had done and the type of life he has lived. He doesn't feel like God could love a child that has stuffed up as bad as he has so we are really stressing repentance and helping him realize that we can be forgiven of any of our sins.

Other than that my week has been pretty much normal and there hasn't been anything too crazy happening. Duffus has been emailing me and telling me about all the stuff he is doing and the girls he is dating. He is loving life and has sent me heaps of photos cause when he got home he got to go to E.F.Y and be a counsellor and then after that went to convention which is where all the Y.S.A from around Australia get together and have a massive party/dance thing and they just hang out for like a week. He asked me if I wanted anything for my birthday haha.

I hope all is going well at home and that the renters were able to move in smoothly!!

-Elder Barnett

-PO Box 97 Marden, SA 5070 Australia

Australia Day and Fire Clean Up

ADELAIDE BUSH FIRE CLEAN UP

Jan 22-Feb 1 2015

Oiii family!! How are yous goin?! Sorry I couldn't email yesterday, it was Australia day and everything was closed so our P-day was moved to today.

Yesterday we got to go up in the hills and help for like 4 hours doing fire damage clean up!! We were picking up logs and cutting down burnt trees and moving heaps of stuff. It was definitely a good workout:p

I just read your email about Sam and I cant believe what happened to her.... I saw that picture and I just winced... I wish I could talk with her and just see how she is goin. I cant believe she had to miss her preference dance as well:( I'll write her a letter but just let her know it will take ages to get there. 

I only have 10 minutes left but Elder Rawlings is doing good and has gotten heaps better so hopefully we can keep goin out and smashing it. The area is ehhhh...I love the members and the area itself is awesome but missionary wise not so much.  Its known as one of the hardest areas due to the fact that it is such a wealthy area and somehow this prosperity makes people harder to reach cuz they are content with life? We met a guy that lives in our area named Rod. He works for the Holden V8 racing team and this is his garage.... he has about 8 or 9 cars and he has been collecting all this stuff for about 20 years.....needless to say I almost died when he opened the door. He had 2 locks on the door and then a keypad to unlock it hahaha

But We are in need of finding some new investigators but all we can do is keep pushing forward!!

Tell Sammy I love her to bits and give her a big hug. I cant believe this keeps happening, she just needs to have 1 full season where nothing bad happens to her!!

I love you so much momma!! You are what keeps me goin when things get tuff out here!

-Elder Barnett

--------------------------

Feb 1, 2015

Hi family!!!

 This week has been really good and I have been doing heaps better. We got to help with the fire clean up again on Saturday and we were all on channel 7 news!! I have some photos of us after we did the service cause we were dirty as!!

Nothing too crazy has happened this week but today we get to go to a place called St. Kilda which is like a MASSIVE playground for adults and I will take heaps of photos and send them off to you guys, I cannot tell you how excited I am to finally do something different than just playing sport!

Also this is the last week of the transfer and it has gone by really fast. I am so happy to hear that Sam is going to be recovering quickly and I hope that will lift her spirits a little bit.

Also tell mum that I got my birthday package on Saturday!! I haven't opened it yet but I really want to!!!

Holy crap!!! That basement is mind blowing..... like I was just down there with a sledgehammer knocking out concrete!!

Alrighty we are headed off right now but we are gonna get another hour to email tonight when we come home from St Kilda. Love you so much!!

Your Son
Elder Barnett

Golden Grove, it's on FIRE!

Jan 4, 2015

From Elder Barnett's Mission President's wife:

The missionaries are all fine. None of them live up in the effected area. One companionship was close for a minute and had to leave for a couple of hours, (not Elder Barnett) but are back in their flat now. It's the small towns up in the hills that have been in danger. There is really only one road in and out of the Adelaide Hills and so for firefighters the access ability is virtually non existent. Even with that, the firefighters are doing a wonderful job. There has been no loss of life, just some injuries and they have been mostly firefighters. It really looks much worse in the news than it is and for Adelaide it is devastating. Any fire is, especially when homes are lost, but compared to the fires we have in the states this one is pretty small. Luckily they don't have the population or it could of been much more tragic.

Elder Barnett will probably give you and update (or not, boys are not great with details) and try not to worry too much. We will watch out for your Elder.

Love,

Sister Carter

Goodaye family!!

 Yes I am still alive and the fires haven't killed me....yetSo this past week has been crazy and I know you want to know everything that has been going on so I will try my best to let you know what has happened. So I was transferred to Golden Grove which is in Modbury. My companions name is Elder Rawlings and he is from North Ogden Utah and he is just a little bit shorter than me but he is about 15 kilos lighter hahaha.

So I was praying that I would get sent somewhere south for the heat of the summer and I was really hoping to get a car as well...ya that didn't happen. Golden Grove is hills on hills on hills and is just a biking area. The first day I got here we biked to a dinner appointment and by the time we got there I was on the verge of passing out from dehydration and exhaustion plus a little bit of heatstroke. Speaking of heat it hit 43 degrees the other day and seriously was the worst thing I have ever experienced. Every time you took a breath it felt like you had your lips wrapped around a blow dryer on the heat setting...

The bush fire here is crazy and no we haven't been evacuated yet but the sisters that are just a little bit North of us were evacuated and had to spend the night at the chapel. Unfortunately we were told that we aren't supposed to volunteer to help fight the fire which sucks cause I was really looking forward to doing that. The fire is still raging and they called in firefighters all the way from New South Whales to help put it out but they haven't stopped it yet. It has claimed like 12 or 14 houses already but there haven't been any fatalities.

So my companion is pretty cool, he went to Utah State before he came out on his mission. He studied computer engineering soooooo, ya. But we get along well. The only thing that bugs me is that he isn't clean and yes I did have to overhaul the house cause there were ants crawling everywhere and there were dishes climbing up the wall.  Its heaps bigger but the air con isn't as good.... so we take the beds out into the lounge and sleep by the air conditioner! hahaha!

 The hardest thing that I have had to deal with in this zone is disobedience.... There are 2 places in the mission that everyone knows are apostate and those two zones are Modbury and Elizabeth.  Lets just say, it does live up to the expectations. Everything here is a party and missionary work is SLACK. Im not a leader by any means but I try my best to keep working because when youre not working time goes by really slow. This past week has been the slowest week by far just because there wasn't much working because Elder Rawlings is sick and hasn't gotten better. We are probably going to go to the doctors this week to get him  checked out cause he has been crook for about 2 weeks now.  I don't have a picture of me and Elder Rawlings yet but I do have one of the fire at 5:30 in the morning and it looks sick.

Yes I do miss Semaphore heaps and I still am in contact with Maylani and the whole Touli fam:)  Golden Grove is like 45 min from Semaphore so its a whole new library....wayyyyyy nicer and no the district leader drives us. Everyone has a car but us....

I am trying to get on a diet to start bulking and get back into shape. I really want to put on some more weight but the only problem is my pants are getting really tight around my waist....:/ 

Im here for another 40 min probably. HAHAHAHAHA  Man that video is awesome!! I feel like I should be right there with them!! Allie just emailed me but will you just forward the one I sent to you to her? I feel like such a crap brother but I cant email everyone separate letters.

Sending a photo of Elder Autele and I when we were on trade off. He was my zone leader and he is from American Samoa!!  Peyton  Davis is in his home ward!!  Samoans treat missionaries like kings....literally so I reckon he is goin alright. I would kill to serve in Samoa or New Zealand. I miss islanders. Hopefully I go to Mildura which is a massive branch of just Samoans and Tongans and Kiwis 

New Years was crap and all we did was sleep. I miss hot rock and sparking apple juice. Nick hasn't emailed or talked to me at all so I have no clue whats going on with him. Have you got my letter yet? The video of Drew is CRACK-UP and I downloaded it to my hard drive!!  I will get what I need but Im not gonna spend a lot of money. I wanna wear my black shoes till they are just rubbish so I can send them home!!

btw You need to see all my aboriginal dot paintings I got done!! I need to send them home! I got my scriptures painted as well and I didn't show you on Skype!

We are leaving right now!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

--

-Elder Barnett

-PO Box 97 Marden, SA 5070 Australia

Welcome to my new area GOLDEN GROVE.  It's on FIRE!

The first day of the Sampson Flat Bush Fire 

Day one of the fire

One of Nathans favorite families - saying good bye in Semaphore 

Goodbyes are hard - little Huni using her favorite american sign language to express her feelings about saying Good Bye to her favorite Elder???  haha

 (huge and dead)  size 13 Blue Tongued Lizard :-0'

 On Splits with Elder Autele from American Samoa -

 Our neighbor, Elder Payton Davis is serving in his home Ward there!  Small world!!

This Is Where I'm Supposed To Be!

Ayyyy!! Its so good to hear from you all again!! Skyping was definitely hard and going into it I was really nervous that It was going to make me really home sick but it just confirmed to me that I am doing the right thing and that this is where I'm supposed to be. I'm so happy that I don't have to be home and deal with any drama and out here I only have to worry about doing one thing which is missionary work. It was so good to see everybody and to hear every ones voices. I am so grateful that I have a loving family that is supportive of me and wants me to succeed. I don't think I would be strong enough if I was doing this alone and had no one helping to push me through.

Christmas was....ehhh..... All the other missionaries were talking it up so much and I was expecting it to be heaps of fun but it definitely not Christmas to me, it just felt like a regular day. All the zones did skits and we had like a little talent show which was fun but it your aren't with your family than it doesn't feel right.  Singing in the choir Sunday was really good and everyone can hear my bass cause its sooooo deep hahaha I cant wait for you to hear me sing hymn 44 "Beautiful Zion" which is our mission song. 

The day after Christmas here is called "Boxing Day" which is where everything is on sale and everyone goes out shopping, kind of like black Friday. We had a Multi-Zone conference and President and the assistants were able to train us on how to better introduce the book of Mormon. New Years is now coming up and no we are not allowed to stay out until midnight and watch the fireworks, we have to be in the flat by4pm and stay there the rest of the day cause people get a little cray cray and all the drunks are out. Honestly Im so excited because its the one time we can be in the flat and not go out and they told us to try and do something productive like clean the flat but our flat is clean so Im goin to bed EARLY!! HAHA  Also, I found out I can watch vidoes that you send me so if you took any at Christmas send them to me!!!!

Transfers are tomorrow and we were supposed to find out transfer info this morning but we had some problems with the phone so I still don't know if Im getting transferred and Elder Tau knows who is leaving and wont tell us..... so I guess you will have to wait till next week to see if I am staying here or if I leave!!

My Christmas package was amazing but I am mad that you sent that much!! 80 freakin bucks just to send that is just dumb although I absolutely loved getting it!! Haha the ties are awesome and if you ever wanna send me something, ties are the best thing to get, along with tie clips. I recorded myself opening it and I cried when I opened the picture you sent and also when I saw Sam's little basketball. The letters were so sweet and made me smile all night long. You said something about a chocolate Santa? I never saw one in there but I reckon it would've been fine.

Allie and Paytons gift is so sick!! Drew looks like he is having heaps of fun as well with those bubble things!! Where there any big presents or just little ones? Obviously the best gift for me was seeing all of you and I hope that was your favourite thing as well haha I was just thinking about how many posts on instagram and twitter Sam had made about me since I've been gone. 

Love ya heaps guys and I will talk to you.....next year? lolololol   
--

-Elder Barnett

-PO Box 97 Marden, SA 5070 Australia

Then he typed (I just found out I am getting transferred! I leave tomorrow and I haven't haven't packed one thing!! I!) but we didn't get any more info!!!!  ARGH!~!!!!!!

Lead, Teach, INVITE

Hey hey!!! How ya goin family?!

Man it was so good to hear from you and to know what is goin on at home. I hope Dad is feeling better!! Also tell Drew to knock that kid out;) Just kidding fighting gets you no where!! Learn to love and just shake it off! I cannot wait to talk to yous on Skype and be able to have a normal conversation!! I always get so flustered when I email cause I have so much that Im thinking about!! 

Anyway I know you are wanting to hear about my week and it has been  pretty full on. So the biggest thing that happened this week actually just ended. We had MPC which is where young men and young women go on a "mini mission" for 2 days with us full time missionaries to experience what missionary life is like. They prepare kids so well here for their missions and they know exactly what a mission is and what they will be doing and so when they get to the MTC they can hit the ground running and not have any problems.

 I feel like that is the biggest problem we have in Utah cause we seriously do little and almost NO missionary work as members. I know its partly because everyone we know is probably members and if they aren't they already know about the church so whats the point of talking and inviting people to church. My commitment that I am going to leave for the family is to invite one of each of your friends to come to church with you. It doesn't have to be someone that isn't a member, it can be someone that is less-active but I promise you if you really open your eyes and get more in tune with the spirit you will be able to recognize those who are struggling at this very moment and need someone to be their friend. The biggest thing I have learned on my mission is that we are called to INVITE others to come unto Christ. Now we may think we are failures as full time missionaries or member missionaries if we don't get someone to church or have some crazy miracle that happens but we aren't called to change someone's agency. We are just messengers and all we can do is extend a hand or an invitation and then its up to them whether or not the accept or not.

Ok so moving on from my little motivational speech... MPC was great and it was the first time I truly was the leader in the companionship. I did everything....from following up with commitments to sharing the lesson, then bearing my testimony, promising blessings, and then leaving another commitment. I really had to stretch myself and I saw how much I really do know. I always beat myself up about not knowing enough and not being a good enough teacher but over this weekend being with a 16 year old kid that barely said a word I realized that I am capable of leading and teaching. It was a humbling experience to know that I could be the person that impacts this young boys life and helps him make the decision to serve a mission.

Church was great and we had some good testimonies. The Wirihana-hawea family came for the 3rd week in a row!! Ahhhh those little girls just melt my heart. Also Pryce came who is the 15 year old in the picture I sent and she hasn't been to church in ages so we were able to rescue her.

All in all it has been a really eye opening week and I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be here serving the Lord. I cant think of anything else in the world that will teach you as much as a mission does in just that short amount of time....its unreal!!

Love ya heaps guys!!

-Elder Barnett

-PO Box 97 Marden, SA 5070 Australia

Elder Barnett with the Wirihana-Hawea family girls - little Huni (Honey) loves Nate!

Photo taken this morning 12-8-14 of the Elders off to the Library in Semaphore to email home!

Elder Barnett with Pryce - The girl's Auntie and sister to Cherise Wirihana-hawea - last weeks photos

Yams, Heavenly Potatoes, and Baptisms

Man another week down and it is already December!! Only a few more weeks until Christmas and I get to see all of you!! Ahhh Im so exited!! 

This week has been really good, even though I didn't have thanksgiving dinner... but even though I didn't get to have turkey I did get to have a baptism!! Daniel was baptized on Saturday and was confirmed yesterday at church by Brother Touli. It was a really good experience and Daniel said he was really able to feel the spirit. I was asked by him to give a talk at the baptism and yes it is still just as scary as ever even though Im a missionary. Actually its even more nerve racking now because people are expecting you to be a good speaker and to blow their mind with your testimony haha

The talk went alright and then Elder Tau baptized him and he had to do it twice cause his leg came up the first time....lol... Also the Wirihana-hawea family came to church yesterday as well!! They stayed for the whole time and the kids said that they loved it. We have continued teaching Haare and he is progressing really well and we had a lesson with him the other night and he prayed for the first time in front of us!! Man it was the best prayer I have ever heard and it was so sincere. He prayed for his family and for him to be able to receive the answers that he is looking for and then he went on to say how grateful he was for his family and all the blessings that he has. The lesson we had with him was on the Plan of Salvation and it went really well and he understood everything and didn't really have any questions, he said he was just "soaking everything up." Then at the end of the lesson we asked why he was wanting to learn more and what was his goal that he wants to work towards and he actually started bearing us his testimony without even realizing it and then said that he wants to be baptized once he has had all of the lessons!! I cant believe how far he has come and he has been such a good example for his family and has actually been they key to getting them all re-activated in the church!!

I hope everyone had an amazing thanksgiving!! I was thinking about mums heavenly potatoes and those yams... mmmm I want it right now!! Lucky enough last night we got to go to the Touli's and have dinner there and every Sunday night is pretty much Thanksgiving haha heaps of family and a massive feed.

Well Im gonna try and send you some more pictures really quick while I email president!

Love ya heaps!!

--

-Elder Barnett