I HAVE THE COOLEST SISTER IN THE WORLD

Wow what a week!!! It’s been an exciting one over here as it always seems to be but I think the activities on your half may have won this week. As most of you have said, usually your letters could be subjected “Basketball” but I think last weeks was more like “baskELYSEBALLER.” I am so proud of Elyse. Her humility, dedication and skills have always impressed me but the events of last week only further prove how incredible she is. I wasn’t even there but I got the shivers reading about it.

This week was filled with a few days of non-ordinary happenings that kept us on our toes and itching to do real missionary work at every free moment. We finished moving in the apartment last Wednesday, and have been unpacking whenever there99s free time, ha that’s rare. Last Friday in Riga was great, going back up there felt like home actually. Riga is beautiful. We talked about some of the goals in the mission (avg of 12 baptisms a month) and it was just neat to
see a more broad scale perspective on the work here.

The church is still pretty young here in the Baltics, but President Dance is doing an amazing job at helping the branches become as self-sustaining as possible. For example I’ve been playing piano for sacrament meeting the past month but President asked me to have a member play instead. The problem is that none of the members can play, yet. Actually a while back a member asked me to teach piano lessons so we started doing that as service once a week starting 3 weeks ago, even before President asked for that to happen! It’s coming slow; I remembered how tough it was to learn the piano from scratch. And honestly it didn’t help that the first 2 lessons I tried to teach the notes using the alphabet just translated into Russian. We learned that numbers are easier because he was counting the notes from C anyway, so it’s been an interesting experience and develops patience but is also really fun. The goal for the next few weeks is to teach him how to play 3 or 4 hymns one handed. Oh we would be so happy.

Our investigators are continuing to read and progress, which is great! Because last week was a little nuts, it worked out that none came to church (not so great) but we had a good lesson with the Ponovka family yesterday and I really feel good about them. We’re going out to them with Brother Ginadi Ustanovich tomorrow and I’m just excited, there’s nothing better than teaching the gospel to those that are humble and ready to accept.

We also are teaching a referral/ neighbor of a member named Galina. Her name is Natasha and she’s about 25, with a 6 month old daughter. Elders Klima and Berryhill taught her once before they left, and she’s come to church and activities and is about 100 pages into the book of Mormon! Not bad hunh? We were able to talk to her a bit last night (she was taking care of her daughter and so weren’t able to teach) but she’s so kind and happy and I’m really excited to work with her. The members here are just on fire about doing missionary work and it’s a blast because we’re teaching people who we’d never be able to find/teach without them. At the same time, when we are not with the members, there’s nothing better than talking with everyone! I’m convinced that’s how miracles happen.

Last week we forgot our keys at the teaching center and my companion was a little flustered because he thought they were lost, which frankly freaked me out a bit too, but I just had a feeling a miracle was on the way. While walking, we felt prompted to take a different path than normal and a few steps later ran into a group of French tourists. They were in a big hurry so I said a few broken words in French; they were surprised, laughed, smiled and ran away. At that point I was thinking that maybe that little seed planted was the miracle, but just wait. We’re about 20 meters away from the teaching center and a man walks by us. I nudge my still
somewhat flustered companion (this is a different elder by the way, not Elder Brimley) to talk with him and he does, somewhat reluctantly. But when I see the man is Chinese I couldn’t hold myself back. He told us his name was Shasha (Chinese accent for Sasha) and has talked to missionaries before in Kaunus but doesn’t read in Russian or Lithuanian, although he spoke a little in Russian. We got his number and brought a Chinese book of Mormon to a lesson with him the following week (last Sunday). Realizing his understanding of Russian was somewhat small, we had him read a few scriptures in the Chinese book of Mormon and ooh it was awesome. He sounded like Christopher!! Or vise versa. But I told him all about my studly older bro when we met on the streets and I thought that was part of the reason we ended up meeting with him. But as talked it was clear he really wants to read the book of Mormon and find an answer if it’s true. So he’s reading right now and we’ll teach him next week, but wow it was such a rush--

I’ll send a picture of Sasha Elder Brimley and me. Chinese people are the coolest. Especially Russian speaking ones!

Thank you for your love and support. Dad or Grandma Barnes used to say that all the time but it’s so true, family relationships are the best! I got the package for Valentines Day and LOVEd it. The all-sorts were gone in day, and we baked the peanut butter cookies and took them to the Ponovka family yesterday and they really enjoyed them. The ties are gorgeous! Elder Brimley was stoked. He thinks I'm spoiled, i just told him I'm loved. (difference being I don't ASK for anything I want and get it, but i just get everything I would like without having to ask.) Mom you asked what we eat and I wrote down this week’s menu so here you go: Tomato soup and grilled cheese, chicken sandwiches (toasted in oven...hmmm), Pelmeni (Baltic ravioli things) Lasagne, and Pizza (with the =0Acrust you sent us!) So we eat well! We usually do one meal a day at home around 3 or 4 which holds you over till the night. There are some Lithuanian Latvian dishes --Sepalini (sp?) Anything with meat and potatoes is local you could say. Pretty sure my weights not moved too much, but I’m definitely not as strong as Chisos anymore. He’s a beast!

OH and it was awesome reading the talk you sent! Understanding of God and his nature is crucial to obeying, becoming like and returning to live with Him. A question I like to ask people here is “who is God?” Almost even more important than whether or not someone believes in God, is what they understand Him to be. Frankly if the way I was taught about God was that he’s everywhere and nowhere and impossible to understand, I’m not sure if I would believe in Him either. But I know He did return his true church and teachings on the earth, through the prophet Joseph Smith so that every one of his children could have the chance to know him, and experience the blessings that come from living His Gospel. Jesus Christ has always been the Savior of this world, and I know the Restoration provides the way for every one of us to have immediate and clear access to his eternal atonement. What a joy to be in Lithuania and help others understand this!

I am a lucky guy,
Love, Elder Barnes #12