NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

FAMILY!
Wow it was wonderful to talk with all of you! You all sound so smiley and lovely. It was a special treat to hear from Grandma and Grandpa Sager, and I’m so proud of the work they are doing in Nashville. While talking I realized how much I love all of you. It’s blatantly obvious how much the gospel has blessed our family. In his e-mail, Christopher talked about how God is good. I totally agree.

Well Sunday evening was raining miracles in Vilnius (maybe that was the Eugene influence that started the day!) We ended church with 6 lessons to teach in order to make the area standard of 15 lessons a week. We had worked hard earlier, but spending 2 ½ days in Riga cut down on proselyting time. We were able to teach a less-active member right after church and then a member invited us over for lunch and to give her grandchildren blessings. Big time bonus because we were able to teach, get a spiritual boost and not have to go home to cook. But we still had 5 new lessons to teach and everything previously set up had fallen through. I knew that could that can only mean one thing; God had a better plan. At least I hoped so!

So we went to teach another man, but he wasn’t home and so we knocked his dome with not much happening. It was a little before 5:00 and still light out so we decided to go outside and talk with people on the streets. The second guy with his “harmful Chinese dog” was interested. We walked with him to his home and taught him and his wife. We were going to leave and go back out to the streets but Elder Brimley suggested that maybe we were led here. We said a prayer, felt good, knocked on a door and taught 3 cool university students. This process repeated twice more, just substituting a cool 24 year old Russian guy and an 80 year old Polish man. It doesn’t even stop there. So we had one more new lesson to teach and 30 min to go, walked outside and taught an 18 year old kid sitting alone on a bench. We walked home in the clouds, humbly reminded how much this work is led by the Spirit. These ridiculously miraculous days don’t happen every day, but I guess it’s possible. Haha, maybe if we called home every morning… Just kidding. But seriously.

We taught Igor yesterday evening with Brother Gennadi Ustanovich and it went great. Brother Ustanovich is the best member missionary I’ve ever seen—he walks up to people20he doesn’t know and talks to them about the book of Mormon—he’s my hero. He actually drove us over to his non-member daughter’s apartment right afterwards and we set up a lesson for tonight. He just has the biggest desire and has seen the incredible blessings and changes that living the gospel brings. That’s basically all you need to be a missionary. Plus some heavenly help. Well I’m happy to be a Barnes. I’m grateful to be a member of this the Lord’s church, and to take part in His work which is ever-growing. We are blessed. Life is good! I love you! Thanks for your e-mails, prayers, smiles and examples.

Love, Elder Barnes #12