GO DAD!

Dear Family,

On monday we walked out of district meeting onto the crowded and busy brivibas street. It's about a 3 min walk to the bus stop but takes at least 15 with all the people to talk to along the way. While Elder Brown was talking to a latvian kid, a member walked by who hadn't been to church for the last month or so (he's the one Elder Hansen and I went to McDonalds with last Christmas, older, almost all there and LOVES to speak english). He'd been in the hospital for the last week or two and was pretty down with problems at work and things. We went back to the church and taught him a quick lesson about building our foundation on Christ by regularly reading the Book of Mormon-- our district meeting had been on “Rescuing Less Active Members” so it kind of worked out just perfectly. He left the lesson so much happier and said his mood was up to the sky.

We've had a few other lessons this week where investigators have come in somewhat depressed with things at work-- whether not being paid what was promised, or finding out they will lose their job all together. And after every one, they commented about how they felt so much better. I realize that sometimes the “spiritual highs” don't last forever but I really believe that if people would pray, read the Book of Mormon, and try to find ways to serve others every day, they would be a lot happier no matter what's going on in their lives. I guess that's a little easier to say as a missionary because that IS all that's going on in my life, but I still think it's true no matter what.

And the best part is, we have a few investigators that get that and are doing great! I mentioned Raman last week and he's doing super. He even brought his friend, Leega who met with missionaries a year ago and she's great. I've been blessed to teach a lot of cool people and these are definitely some of the coolest. They started reading the Book of Mormon last week and Raman is in Jacob and Leega is at the beginning of 2nd Nephi. They came to the ward activity last week and then church and just loved it, they just look like members and understand what it's all about. Elder Mattee (a russian zone leader in our branch who played football at airforce) asked him at church how he's doing and he said I'm great! Got a new family, a new life. Haha Perfect.

We also taught a new kid named Matis who's 18 and way interested and at the end we asked him about anyone else he knows who'd be interested and he said, well I have a friend a named Gatis. Haha it was the same Gatis that we've been teaching! He had no idea that we'd been meeting up and now we'll teach them together tomorrow. Marek is still doing well (he wanted me to tell Elder Glauser hi!), he's not been reading a ton but wants to keep the commandments so once he understands that reading the scriptures is a commandment, everything will be alright.

Welp this is a little longer and more detailed than last week, but times up and I don't know what else to say other than that I love you I love you I love you!

Love, Elder Barnes #12

P.s.I was very impressed with Dad's story, Go ducks~!