Work Hard, Play Hard - Keep Smiling! (Even if you gotta fake it!)

Hellllooo family!!!!

New transfer and new companion!!! Shucks things have been absolutely cray cray here.... Like you have no idea!!!  So my new companions name is Elder Cook and your not going to believe where he was just serving. He just came from being the Assistant to the President for the past 5 transfers and now he is on his last transfer with me in Golden Grove so I will be "killing him".  (Last area/ last comp) I was so shocked when he was up at the pulpit reading out transfer information and said that he would no longer be the assistant and that he would be serving with me!! He looked right at me and gave me the cheekiest smile and my heart dropped.  haha!!!   I thought I was screwed cause the "big bad assistant" was going to be my comp for his last transfer, but so far it has been absolutely great!! He is from Dallas Texas!! So naturally we have some common ground but unfortunately he has never been to Sonny Bryans!!

I have never worked so hard in MY LIFE....I have never talked to more people and never gone tracting or street contacting as much as I have with him. I could probably count on 1 hand how many people I have passed WITHOUT talking to in the past week!   We have been working non-stop I have really come to love the work!!!  I have had some times where I just have to sit down and take a breather cause we are doing so much  and yes there have been times where I have gotten really sad and depressed but I have been praying for strength every single night that I will be able to go out and do everything I can the next day and that the Lord will sustain me throughout it. 

So the highlight for this week....Although we have been working extremely hard we haven't seen much come from it. We have found a lot of potentials but haven't been able to follow up with them yet and have them become new investigators. Anyway we had a miracle yesterday that we know came from the Lord because of our diligence and perseverance. It may not have been because of the work that we were doing but it was because we have stayed faithful and knew that something would come of it eventually. 

So yesterday at church,  a massive family rocked up that we have never seen before and they took up an entire row, mind you there are only like 80 people usually at church. We went up and introduced ourselves and they said they were the Ratcliffe family and they had moved here from Sydney about a year ago and haven't been to church since they were in Sydney. They have 5 kids and the oldest is 12 and he doesn't have the Priesthood yet and then they have a 9 year old that isn't baptized yet and they asked us if we could come and teach all the kids about the church and prepare the 9 year old to be baptized!! They also have two 7 year old girls that are twins and their birthday is in September and we will be preparing them for baptism as well!! What a crazy miracle aye?!?!

Other than that things have been great here and I have been really happy this past week and I am just gonna keep on smiling even when things get me down...man Ive gotten really good at faking looking happy haha!!!

I hope everyone has been going good and I cannot believe that Pheobes is getting married.......holy crap.... Also I read dads email and I love the photos of nicks place! That bathroom looks mint!!

Ok, I have HEAPS of photos from the Gorge Wildlife Park and I will send you what I can since the internet here isn't working so well right now!!  Oh- Also since I will be  "killing"  Elder Cook here that means that I have a 99% chance that I will be here next transfer.....2 areas and I will have been out for a year... hahahaha I love it!! Hopefully somewhere cool is where I'm headed next!!!....

Alrighty - guess we are leaving. Apparently we are gonna go on a hike up Anstey's hill which is a lookout point!! I will get some more good photos.

Love you guys so much!!

--

-Elder Barnett 

-PO Box 97 Marden, SA 5070 Australia

THE GORGE WILDLIFE PARK, AUSTRALIA!

ELDER BARNETT'S BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT HIS WHOLE LIFE!!!!!!!

BUCKET LIST ---- CHECK!!!!!

Staying in The Grove - There's always a bright side!

Well for some reason this is the most nervous I have ever been for transfer information and I am kinda torn at what happened. I will be remaining in Golden Grove and Elder Rawlings will be packing and going somewhere else. I am exited that I am staying in the area but I am really nervous about who my next companion is going to be cause this area is extremely difficult.... It also sucks being the one to stay in the area cause you have to lead everything and show the new missionary around and pretty much do everything so you have a lot of pressure to preform and do well, hopefully I can take it on ok, and that my new comp is chill!

This week has been blehh and the crappiest thing that happened this week was yesterday when we rocked up to Roy's house to see how he was going and Tracy came out and told us he wasn't up for it right now. Its so strange that Roy isn't even coming out and seeing us now. So this has been the second time that we have tried to see him and haven't been able to. We may try one more time this week with the new comp but if that fails we may have to drop him for a little while. David is still moving along and nothing has really changed with him and he is really our ONLY investigator....so that's why I'm so nervous for this next transfer cause I think we will just be hitting the streets all day every day.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!!!! Guess where we get to go today for P-DAY?!?!!?! We are going to the Gorge wildlife park! Its only 15 bucks and you get to go see HEAPS of animals and you get to hold Koalas and Kangaroos for FREE!! They have like a petting zoo type deal with heaps of Roo's jumping around and they have albino ones as well and you get to play with them as much as you want. Apparently its the only place where you can hold a Koala for free. Needless to say I am so freaking exited!

The highlight of my week was being able to build a really good relationship with a less active member named Murray Shepard. He served his mission here and then came back and married a girl that they were teaching. He is the guy that we were watching the dogs for while he was in Queensland. We bumped into him and his family while we were in Tea Tree Plaza grabbing some lunch and we were able to sit down and chat with him and his wife and they were so grateful that we were willing to help them out. We will be seeing them this week as well and hopefully we can have a lesson with them and maybe get Murray back to church!

I got some solid photos this week that I will be sending you!!

Also I really need to send off the Aboriginal paintings that I have and also the picture from Casey Stoner. I don't want those getting ruined and I really want them framed so I can hang them up.

Love you all!

Elder Barnett

The following pics are just a little P-Day fun and Elder Barnett "bonding" with his baby!  

Elder Rawlings, Barnett and friend Malachi Castle  Sunburns!!!!!

One step closer to CASEY STONER!

March 15, 2015

This week has been really good!! 

The highlight for this week is finally breaking our streak... We found new investigators last night! 

We were having dinner with the Mckims and they told me to "man up" and go knock on Casey Stoners In-Laws house!  So we got up and walked down there and right as I was about to knock on the door, a man opened it and came out and started chatting with us!!   His name was Joni (pronounced yani) he was extremely friendly and open and apparently the missionaries have knocked on his door before. Obviously me being a MASSIVE Moto GP fan, I told him about my love affair with his son in law :0  HE is the BEST motorcycle rider in all of Australia!!!!  And, he is in the top 5 riders in the world!!!  He yelled inside to his wife and she came out with a SIGNED POSTER from him and I almost shed a tear (keep it together man).... hahaha!

CASEY STONERS SIGNED PHOTO - OBSSESSED!!!!! 

  Anyways we chatted for a minute or two and then he asked us a question that caught me off guard a little.  He asked us how our relationship with Jesus was haha!  And then he started telling us all these stories about amazing miracles that he has seen in his life and how Jesus has pretty much chosen him to be a vessel of love and to share the knowledge that he has with everyone. He said that the key to being a disciple of Christ is by being completely submissive to His will and by being strictly obedient. He was a very devout Christian but he said that denomination's don't matter and as long as we follow Christ then we will be ok. We asked if we could say a prayer with him and we said he would love that so we said a prayer with him right there on his doorstep!!  After we finished praying he started offering a prayer as well and kept thanking God for everything in his life and also to bless us and that we would have success in our ministering. He invited us to come back and to talk to him and said we are welcome anytime! He is a rough diamond and is a little crazy on the outside,  but if we can teach him a little bit,  hopefully his eyes will be open a little more and he will be accepting of what we have to say.

Other than that incredible experience, this week has been pretty much normal, We had a fun bbq with the "country saints" that came in from all the outlying areas and we got to meet them and it was fun for Elder Rawlings cause he has served in some outlying areas so he knew a lot of the people.

We didn't get to teach David this week which sucked but we are hoping to go over either tonight or tomorrow. Bad news with Roy, his wife seems to be taking over and we haven't been able to meet with him for ages. We popped by his house this week and Tracy came out and said that they were leaving and didn't have anytime:/ not really what we needed cause we are already struggling with investigators.

I got some sweet pictures to send you!! I got a picture with one of the really nice Holden's so Dad and Drew can see the big bad muscle cars here in Australia, and to be honest I love them heaps more than any muscle car in the states....they sound soooooo mean!!

Anyways that's my week in a nutshell! I hope yous have had a good week! I have been praying for Sam and Drew every night so I really hope they are doing well!!   

Love you all so MUCH!!!!

Elder Barnett

These birds are crack up!! They poke there long as beaks in the ground and grab worms. They walk right up next to you!!! They are in all the parks and stuff and I can totally imagine Sam running around and trying to grab one hahahahahaha!

BULL ANTS!  GETTING BITTEN FEELS LIKE GETTING "SHOT" THEY SAY :0

ELDERS AND THEIR GYROS - ENJOYING P-DAY

Me and the Holden R8. 325 kilowatts which is around 400 horsepowaaaaaa!!!
1.21 gigawatts!!! GREAT SCOTT!!! 

Some pups we are taking care of for a less active guy while he's in Queensland.
The dark one is a blue heeler and the other is a red heeler I think?
 The dark ones name is Jack and the other one is Mango

MY SALAD I MADE!! Tomatoes Cucumber Eggs and Cheese!! With a squirt of lime on top... 

--

-Elder Barnett

-PO Box 97 Marden, SA 5070 Australia

You have to ASK!

Mar 9, 2015

Hellllllloooo!! Elder Barnett comin at you live from Adelaide Australia!!! 

Man this week has been so amazing and I reckon its just cause I got to talk to you guys and see how yous are all goin!! I feel like I actually know what is going on now at home and what everyone is doing. 

I apologize I wasn't able to email yesterday because it was a public holiday. Only in Australia would an entire city get shutdown for a horse race..... It was the Adelaide Cup yesterday and everything was closed but for some reason we still had P-Day and there was nothing to do. We woke up and went and did some service for a single lady in the ward that is moving. We helped her and her son clean out their garage/shed, that took about an hour and then on our way home we found a Foodland to go muck around in. We just ended up walking around and then bumped into a member there (Brother Hatchard) and caught up with him. He is who David our investigator is staying with. 

Speaking of David we had a really solid lesson with him and we really hammered on the apostasy and on how if Joseph Smith is really a true prophet then the Priesthood is back on the earth. It finally clicked with him cause he was starting to talk about how he was baptized about a year ago by a priest. Then he paused for a moment and said that that he didn't know if that priest had the priesthood hahaha! So things are going really good with him, and we committed him to pray and ask God if Joseph Smith was a prophet and if this was the only true church. 

I LOVED DADS PICTURES!!! Oh my gosh I cannot believe some of those photos, its just crazy how alike we are!! I saved them all to my hard drive and I cant wait to keep looking at them. I think it makes an even bigger impact on me to see them while I am in the mission field cause I don't think I would've connected as much if I saw them while I was still home. Man seeing dad doing exactly what I am doing on HIS mission was just crack up!! He looks so good and his hair is long as!!!

I don't have heaps of time to email cause today technically isn't our P-Day but I want to email some friends and you guys already got to talk to me for ages the other day:p

Alright we are leaving- I love you Momma!!

I love you guys!! 

--

-Elder Barnett

The Church is True, MANG!

Hey guys!!

I just saw all the pictures yous all sent to me of Andrew and Sam both on hospital beds!! What the heck is goin on?! The Barnett's look like they are goin downhill hard! At least they both had smiles on their faces! I was lucky enough to go over to the Hynd's house yesterday after church a late lunch/early dinner and sister Hynd's sat me down and got on facebook and clicked on mums page and I got to see all the stuff you have been posting and I got to see Sam's basketball video that Allie made! It was so good and I was so proud standing there saying "That's my SISSY!!" Then I saw the pic of drew and it really caught me off guard, I had totally forgot that you had mentioned that he was having issues with the cartilage in his knee, have you gotten the results back yet?

I read the post about how Sam is livin the dream life and being hand fed cesar salad....hahahaha.  It reminded me of when she had her panic attack and we were all sitting around her and she would yell for some gummy worms and Allie went and got them from Smiths. Ahhh those were the days. Sam you are a crack up!

Unfortunately I forgot my little sd card reader so I cant send any pictures to you today but just as we were walking into the library my zone leader, Elder Miller, handed me a letter that looks like my birthday letter from Sam! I cant wait to read it when I get home:) I have been writing letters this week and I will be sending off the one I am writing to Sam but luckily I'm not far into it so I can read her letter and write back any questions that she has for me. Also is Grandma still at the house? How long has she been there? Did she come down to watch Sammy?

So Nothing major  has happened this week and we weren't able to find a new investigator but I think that was mostly my fault because I have had some bad migraines and have had to stay in the flat for more time than I would've liked. I'm still so grateful that I don't get them as bad as mum does!! 

On the bright side we did get to see David Aula which is one of our investigators and he is a really cool guy. He moved here from Venezuela to get a better life and to get away from all of the violence that is happening there, He said its like a war zone and when you walk out your front door to go to work you don't know if you will be coming back home. We taught him about the importance of the Book of Mormon and the lesson went really well but we still think he isn't completely understanding the Apostasy because he wants to go back to Venezuela in July and see what the Catholic church is like (the church he grew up in).  His sister is a member and so is her husband and they have been great in helping to teach,  but David feels like he completely agrees with the bible and the Book of Mormon and says that they are pretty much the same thing, even though he says he knows the Book is true. Its so difficult when you feel like you are explaining something so simply and someone still doesn't understand and you just want to shake them and say THE CHURCH IS TRUE MANG!! He believes that pretty much all churches teach the same thing and that's why he doesn't think he needs to get baptized or join another church.

So I have a gospel question to test Sam or Allie on. If someone thinks all Christian churches are true and they all teach pretty much the same thing (which is kinda true) which part of our church are they not understanding. (Hint its the first thing we teach people) and its what sets our church apart from everyone else.  I think that's been the biggest thing that I have learned this week is how much this church logically makes sense. I think that's really important for me because it is what I was so hung up on at home was that I couldn't wrap my mind around it,  But when you break down the church and the doctrines therein are so simple, and that's how we need to teach it to people. That is what makes someone a master teacher, if you can take something as complex as the gospel and simplify it down so it is easy enough for a child to understand.

Ya dad told me that you sent that package to Kirwan and I forgot to tell you his last name was L!! Haha I bet he needed some love cause the MTC is rough for the first little bit!! Ahhh now you got me thinkin about chicken noodle soup.... Tell dad I have been dreaming about some of his soup with the Kale in it and also any kind of meat that has been smoked!! I miss potatoes so much and Im sad I didn't pay enough attention to how you make them so good but even if I did,  I don't have the time to make them:(The office gave us all these little cook books and we tried making some shepherds pie and it turned out pretty good. I really just miss a good salad and don't even get me started on thinking about a Texas Roadhouse house salad right now..... I tried to make a Waldorf salad and it was ehhhhh. Next time I might try something more simple haha!  Yes, they have peanut butter here lolz hahaha I was wondering why you sent me that at Christmas!!!  :0   I have been collecting recipes I like from members when we are having tea. I just cant be bothered to make anything plus buying all these little ingredients that you need,  are just gonna use a little bit of and never use again,  starts to add up $$$! 

So today is P-day and I'm feeling like I need a Yiros for lunch (dad I wish you were here man) you are gonna be so surprised when I get home and you see how much I can eat hahaha!  the Lebanese food here is PRIME. I still reckon the place in downtown Seattle is better doe!! I love you!! I will take some pics of me today eating that Yiros so dad can get his mouth watering;)

Love you!

Elder Barnett

Hitler, Hell's Angel Roy and Happy 20th Elder B!

2/23/2015

Heyyyyyy!!! Man yesterday I couldn't believe that another Monday was just around the corner!! It has been a really good week here but really its been the same old stuff and I'm sure you are sick of hearing that. We have been trying really hard this week to get new investigators and widen our teaching pool, but unfortunately that didn't happen - but my spirits weren't dampened as much as usual. I think it was mostly because I was just talking with as many people as I could - and I am so used to getting rejected - so it just kinda bounced off me. I was really seeking just to have a good conversation with people and leave them with a better impression of who Mormons are- and that we aren't just brainless machines trying to piss everyone off and ruin their day by talking with them.

I did have 2 experiences this week which really made me reflect back on why I'm here. While I was on trade off this week with one of my ZL's (Elder Reese) we were knocking doors and we came to this house and right as we knocked on it an old man came out and I swear it looked like Hitler reincarnated. He was in his 60's and had a Hitler moustache and a broken German accent. The second he opened the door he was already yelling at us and usually people will stay behind the screen door and yell at us but he opened the door and came out on the porch and stood there yelling at us. He wasn't screaming but he was completely convinced that what we were doing as missionaries was the reason that the whole world is going to SH** (profanity is different than in the US! :0 and that the only way that people were going to stop killing each other was if we stopped religion all together. He looked us both in the eye and told us to GO HOME and that we weren't making any difference here. I got pretty depressed after I left that house and luckily my companion was there to pull me away because I was starting to get really angry and I was arguing with him. Elder Reese did his best to calm me down but ultimately it was up me to get myself to relax and let it go.

That guy shook me a little bit and made me think if I was even having any effect or doing any good out here, but something clicked inside me and I realized that what that one man said didn't matter. I KNOW and have been promised and have been told in Priesthood Blessings that what I am doing out here is good.  I KNOW that I have been called to serve these people and if I'm not able to preach then I need to look for opportunities to serve them so that their hearts will be softened down the line. I keep thinking about that experience and honestly I'm grateful for it.

Hell's Angel Roy has still been really busy and is trying to remodel his house because they are planning on moving. Hopefully he stays here for a while so we can teach him more but only time will tell.

Sister Hynds told me that she put all those pics of me with her lizards up on Facebook and that you made a montage of them!! They were the biggest lizards Id ever seen!! Hopefully you can see that the are the length of my entire arm! One of them is a blue tongue lizard that is native to Australia and he felt identical to a snake.....speaking of snakes, mum you may want to look away when I send this next photo. Your boy still loves his animals!

My birthday was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best package in the world!!!! I recorded me opening the whole thing and I freaking loved everything!! The ties..... I love them so much....the tie clips......they are the bomb!! Ahhhh the hymn book and the pillow case!! They were the best!! I love the pillow case so much I don't wanna put it on and drool all over it! Its so funny cause I bought a little hymn book in the MTC that's identical to this one except for having it engraved but its missing all the good stuff on the inside! Luckily Elder Rawlings was in need of one so I gave him my old one and replaced it with this one.

  

Oh one last thing.... waking up on my birthday and popping my usb into our little dvd player and watching you guys sing me happy birthday was my favorite thing in the world. Grandma's harmony and just seeing you guys busted my heart wide open. Also tell dad I was CRACKING UP when you sent the video where he cracks open the pepsi and says "HERE'S TO YA MATE!!"  I was on the floor laughing hahahaha!

I love you guys so freaking much!!!

--

-Elder Barnett

-PO Box 97 Marden, SA 5070 Australia

GOLDEN GROVE AUSTRALIA

ELDER BARNETT AND ELDER RAWLINGS - "PIZZA, PIZZA!"

AUSTRALIAN HEARING AID???   EW

ARE WE KIDDING????!!!!!

ST KILDA - PLAYGROUND FOR THE PARENTS!

THE SISTERS AND ELDERS PLAYIN A LITTLE "SPORT"

Merry New Year! This is Where I'm Supposed To Be

12/28/14

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!~!!!!!!