BEST MONTH OF THE YEAR

It's been a great week here, and there's nothing like an Oregon Duck victory!!! wore my green tie on Saturday and I think that probably provided some kind of extra boost.

It's been really fun seeing Katya get excited for her Baptism this Saturday. She had her interview last Saturday and prepared for some of the questions by going through the Book of Mormon and finding answers in the scriptures! She's just so prepared and the branch members already love her. Now we're trying to get Tatiana, her mother, on board, and she's coming along and will be attending the baptism. She's way willing to listen and speak and laugh with us, she's very funny, but has still yet to read the book of Mormon But she did make a promise that she'll get interested once she sees a change in Katya, and I know that'll happen and is happening. I love the scripture in D&C 84:20 about how when ordinances happen, God's power is manifest. I think that Tatiana will feel something, and that'll spark her desire to learn. It's like Watching Remember the Titans before a football game-- it just pumps you up! Except in a more spiritual way.

I've been on a few exchanges this week, the first one last Friday in Daugavpils and then yesterday in Tallinn. I've said if before but I love exchanges because there's a lot of faith when you're with someone different for the first time, and faith always brings miracles sometime or later. In “Dpils”- I was with Elder Sakievich, an elder I served around in Vilnius because he used to be Lithuanian speaking until 2 transfers ago when he got changed to Russian because of the number of missionaries. It's ironic because his older brother served here a while ago, originally called as Russian speaker and then ended up learning Lithuanian too! He's doing really well though, and Daugavpils is the perfect place to learn Russian. It's a smaller city on the east side of Latvia that's literally 97% Russian. While knocking and talking, we talked to three people not in Russian: one guy from England, a kid who's living in Riga but visiting and then one woman who answered the door in Russian, went to Latvian, I responded in some Latvian and then she shut the door. Haha. Even though there are a lot of Russians in Riga, it is not the usual to only talk to three people in English/Latvian. It was paradise! We taught a few new lessons to some cool
people, and hopefully they will keep their commitments to read/pray. Yesterday in Tallinn was also really fun, I was with Elder Roberts and Elder Baird-- my friend from BYU who was in THE 55th ward last year with Bishop Simpson, Brother Wilson, and Brother Paxman. The All-star Bishopric. They are opening up a new city/area, called Keila, which is a 30 min train ride south of Tallinn We taught an jolly older guy with a white beard named Pehter (Pjotr in Russian) and another woman who's come to church twice and is really responsible and will be baptized soon hopefully! She's says she feels this really strong energy as she read the book of Mormon, came to church, and listened to the sacrament prayer. I say that's the Holy Ghost. Tallinn is a really exciting city, with a more modern feel than Riga, and has a bunch of Russian people. It'd be a riot to serve there someday!

Speaking of which, transfers are coming up next week (a week early because of Christmas) so preparation day will be on Thursday. Actually now that I think about it, the next three preparation days will be Thursday, because the following week is Christmas! Wow is that for real? Thanksgiving just happened!! Welp, time's flying, nothing new. I still have no idea what will happen next transfer but you'll find out next week! I don't worry about transfers though, because they really are inspired so they can never go wrong.

Thanks for you love and support, keep on keeping on!

Love, Elder Barnes #12

P.S. Elder Baird's grandparents live in Cottage Grove! They are Steven and Linda Ord, who I'm pretty sure I know. But if you see them, tell them their grandson is the man! I love him.

P.P.S. Also another family is in the Riga branch for the time being named the Wardells, also from the Eugene area. I talk to them every Sunday, but pretty sure I've never seen them before. Do we know them?

Missions are the best. So is the 3rd day of the 12th month.

From Jenae Brett:

Hey Family!

HAPPY 12/3... aka: PB&J day!!!!

I am so sorry it's been over a week since I've written! Last week was just so insane with transfers and Christmas lights going up on the Square that we only got part of our preparation day!

It sure has been exciting around here though. Like mentioned, the Christmas lights are now turned on each night on Temple Square and it is complete and overwhelming insanity each and every night! It has been really fun though. Each night has a unique feel as well--Monday night lots of families come for FHE, Tuesday and Wednesday are PACKED to the brim with mutual groups from all over the place, Thursaday night draws out more non-members who come to watch the Tab choir practice and visit Temple Square, Friday and Saturdays are always fun and awkward as we have a night full of date-interupting, and Sunday, well Sunday is the the Sabbath and is always special :)

Highlights of the past 2 weeks...
-The lights coming on= TONS more people, more smiles, more missionary opportunities, and a greater chance to share the reason for this beautiful season---JESUS CHRIST.

-This past week the Barnes family visited!!! It was pretty unexpected and they actually came right in the middle of the ONLY hour I had on the Square that day so it was perfect timing! (I was in the call center, office and Beehive house the rest of the day). Anyhow, Sister Tyree and I were blessed to be able to take them through the same family presentation that Sister Beylis and I took you all through a few weeks ago. I just love how every family truly brings a unique spirit to the already wonderful spirit on Temple Square. Being with the Barnes for a little bit felt a lot like being with my very own family and I am one lucky sister for that very reason!

It baffles me how someone could deny how special families are, and it makes complete sense that Satan #1 tactic is to break down families. When Bethany showed me her little tummy with Baby Barnes inside I just couldn't help but think what a divine plan our Father in Heaven has for us. What better way would there be to become like our Savior than to become stewards over one another in family units just as He is the great shepherd of us all? I dunno about chu, but I can't think of any better way.

-Yesterday, Sister Tyree and I were in charge of "opening" and "closing" the Joseph Smith movie, and we had a really neat experience. There was a couple we had just taken on a tour that wanted to see the Joseph Smith movie, so we took them there and talked a little bit beforehand about the movie and what it is depicting. They were, however, pretty uninterested in trying to believe. The man said something to the effect of "God spoke to a 14 year-old boy? hmm, that sounds a bit far-stretched if you asked me." Soooo, we did our best, bore our testimonies and started the movie. Then, afterwards, two guys came right up to us after the movie with tears in their eyes and down their cheeks. One was named Gregg and the other Stephen. We learned that Gregg had had his first discussion with his missionaries the day before, and already knew it was all true. He said that at the end of the discussion they asked if he would pray, and he uncomfortably said okay...then one of the elders suggested he even pray right then and there to know if what they had taught was true...so he did! He explained that as he sincerely and vocally asked, "it was like someone was pouring a bucket of warm water over my head and heart." Gregg's life was going downhill fast, and the light in his eyes and excitement he carried showed the hope and faith he had that through Jesus Christ he could turn everything around-including his failing marriage (his wife is a member and he hasn't been willing to listen for years).

As I thought about the difference between the couple before the movie and the two friends after I realized how blessed we can be if we merely are willing to come with a sincere and broken heart. God will unfold the way to happiness, all we have to do is ask and be willing to act on the answer we receive. I know that is true, and the joy I felt as Gregg shared his new and joyful testimony with us is the joy I want everyone in the world to feel!

I have to go, but I sure love you all and I was so happy to hear the Spokane reception went so well!

All my love and prayers,
-Sister Nay Brett#3

P.S. Happy almost Christmas break! You can make it!
P.P.S. Tell Jess all that extra time could be used dropping her sister a
letter...just maybe....LOVE YOU!

BUNNY BYNNY RABBITT!!!

Dear Family,

I can't believe I won this month. It was December 1st yesterday and nobody said anything. I feel like a million bucks!

Somehow, every week just gets better and better! I don't think I told you last week but we had Thanksgiving soup with our District provided by the Senior missionaries in Riga (there are 3 couples, plus the two office sisters) and that was great and tasty. That evening we had a really great lesson with Ilvars, who's progressing well. That evening we taught a man who is a gate guard for the mission home and was baptized about 2 years ago, he's very kind and faithful but has been pretty depressed with all of the economical problems in Latvia. He said that 70% of the pension has been cut. I think pension is an English word but it's basically like retirement plan or social security. So we read the 10 lepers story and had a lesson on gratitude. We also brought the candy corn you sent and listed off 5 things we're grateful for. At the end of the lesson he was beaming and was so much more at peace. I think one of the biggest things I've learned and realized is how much gratitude can affect our outlook on life, which often determines how happy we are, no matter what's going on.

We spent some time this last week preparing for a leadership meeting that we held yesterday, with all of the district and zone leaders from across the mission. There are 17 districts, and 6 companionships of zone leaders so it was a big group (about a third of the missionaries). We reviewed the goals and results of 2009 which is really interesting to me, and Christopher asked about them as well so I'll give you the update. Our big goals were 150 total baptisms, 12 families, 30 baptisms from member referrals and part member families, and 75% retention. As of November, we've had 111 Baptisms, 8 families, 38 baptisms from referrals and exactly 75% retention (which has been steady for the last 7 months!) Retention means that they come to at least one sacrament meeting in the last month. So we're doing really well in some areas, especially member work, but the total number of baptisms is down. Next year's goals are similar with 150 Total Baptisms, 12 families, except 50 baptisms from member referrals and 85% retention. I didn't even come up with the number of families, but I fully support it. It's neat to see the progress of the church here, and it really is incredible to see the growth that has happened after only 15-16 years. I'm excited to hear about the first stake in Latvia in 12 years from now. Oh that would be so cool. Still a ways to go.

Katya is making amazing progress. We taught her yesterday evening and she's in Alma 24, but again that was yesterday so she's probably somewhere 15 chapters beyond that now. No joke, she says that when she wakes up, the first thing she wants to do is read the Book of Mormon. That is awesome. A very prepared person, and she'll be a strong addition to the branch. Tatiana, her mother is also becoming more and more interested. She's always listened and participated in lessons, but she's not as quick to accept everything, especially commitments. Yesterday evening we taught them with a couple in the branch who moved here for good in the summer. They are from Omsk Russia and have been members of the church for 11 years, he was a district president, their son is a returned missionary and their daughter is serving right now (both kids served in Russia). They are easily the most solid members of the church I've met here, as well as just very fun and loving people. But last night the wife just took over the lesson (in a very good way) and spoke about their conversion and life in the church and shared their testimonies and favorite scriptures and experiences and it was awesome. Especially because the lesson I had prepared (my companions were teaching someone else in the same area), was not the one we used-- we focused much more on Tatiana than we usually do and it was worth it because she said she would read the Book of Mormon! Lessons are always more powerful when members are there, that's another thing I've learned over and over here. So you may have gotten the hint but if the missionaries ever ask you to teach, I'd highly recommend it. Or if YOU ask them if you can help teach, you'd be their absolute favorites. The experiences I had working with the missionaries beforehand were very helpful, and always fun! But it's often the fun that you don't realize how much fun it was until after it's over because at first it's somewhat scary. But I learned a good lesson two weeks ago before going into a lesson with a REALLY old family in the ward (the Kuchins-- who are in their 70s) as we gathered in the stairwell and the father offered a prayer that the Lord would guide our words through the spirit. And throughout the lesson, things that they said were definitely prompted by the Holy Ghost. It's so simple-- God really answers prayers. Ah I love it.

Well, we gotta run but I love you!

Love, Elder Barnes #12

P.S. We ate the thanksgiving dinner Sunday between Latvian and Russian sacrament
meetings. It was the quickest and most delicious thanksgiving meal I've ever had! Well your homemade rolls, and turkey and gravy and stuffing are Jello are much tastier but you gotta love a meal that's made in less than 20 minutes.
Especially as a missionary.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

It's funny to talk to people here about thanksgiving, because the only thing they know about it is that we eat turkey. Turkey here is really expensive, so we're going without it today, but that's okay with me because the best parts about thanksgiving can still be celebrated, even from far away. I was really touched by your 5 kernels of corn, so I'll start with mine--

1)I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves me and hears and answers my every day prayers.

2)I'm grateful for a family that I love more than anything else. I'm so excited to live together forever!

3)I'm thankful for living prophets and apostles who guide our church. Without them this couldn't be Christ's church, and we would know and laugh a lot less, and struggle a lot more.

4)I'm thankful for little small and simple things which bring a lot of joy. Ranging from morning jogs, to snail-mailed e-mail updates from happy missionaries across the world, to funny things my companions say, to investigators who call you because they want to meet, to weekly homemade pizza, to pump-up EFY songs,to awesome scriptures that involve the numbers 12 and 3 and everything else in between.

5)Finally I'm grateful for the atoning grace of Jesus Christ. Like Elyse said, I don't understand completely, but I know that He lives and died for every individual person, and will make up for us when we do our best.

As I was planning out my kernels, I realized that they all tie pretty close into Gospel. It kind of looks like a lesson plan. But at this point in my life, these are the things that I think about most all of the time. I forget what a blessing it is to be on a mission sometimes, until I realize that wow I'm on a mission! I really do love serving, there is nothing else I'd rather be doing. And right when I start to miss home cooking, boom I get a package from home, (which came today!). Thank you! I love and miss you.

This week has been so magical. I don't know if magic is the right word but it's been really good and everything is just working out. Firstly, I love my companions. Even though we can't fully understand each other when we pray or teach, we are getting along really well and are united in what we're doing. Both Elder Hatch (lithuanian-WA) and McLaren (latvian-ID) are starting to study Russian so that's been fun pulling out the MTC materials and starting all over. They both have the alphabet down, and are working on the cases. I'm not exactly sure how to explain cases but it's a good thing we don't really use them in English.

We had our last zone conference in Estonia last Friday and it went really well. Elder and Sister Senkans are so amazing and really understand and live the gospel. Like every other general authority I've ever met (which is three, but still) Elder Senkans is always happy and cracking jokes, even when everyone else is stressed out. We were trying to find an address in Tallin and didn't know the street name or something, and Elder Senkans kept saying, “why don't we use the GPS?” Haha, I dont know if everyone in the car thought it was funny, but I was cracking up, on the inside. When he speaks he just teaches doctrine, knows the scriptures so well and really invites the spirit. In Estonia, he mentioned how we shouldn't worry about the language because if someone wants to hear perfect estonian/russian, they can go talk with anyone else. What we need to focus on is our calling and just being happy. He also said that as representatives of Jesus Christ we don't have the right to get offended. That was way powerful.

The theme of zone conference was working with members, so while driving home we realized we should put the new knowledge to use and Saturday was miraculous! We had two solid lessons with members, one to Juris with Petris from Australia and the other to Luba Valiolova (woman who cleans the church-- so saintly) with Katya and Tatiana. We're going to give Juris a break for a while, because his family is really opposed and he's swamped with work. But Katya and Tatiana are good to go! We knocked into them our first night together (Nov 12th, jeah) and they told us to come back on Saturday. So we came back and the first lesson went smoothly, it was clear that they were interested and looking for truth. We returned the following week and Katya had already read up to 2nd Nephi and was just beaming. So at the end of the lesson we invited her to be baptized on December 12th and she was all for it! So excited. Tatiana is her mother, mid 50's and (Katya is 31) is the sister of a man who had been investigating the church in Riga for over a year with his wife and 2 kids. They recently moved to Canada but are still in contact with the missionaries, and had given Tatiana and Katya a Book of Mormon and everything. Tatiana has yet to start reading, but is happy to meet just not as quick to act. But this last Saturday is when we brought Sister Valiolova and the lesson was perfect and she testified the whole time and Katya came to church the following day and Sister Valiolova had already told a lot of members so they all came up to her and were hugging and kissing her and giving her nicknames and they whole ordeal. It was awesome. We've taught her again this week with some other members and she is flying through the Book of Mormon and really excited to be baptized. Her husband is working in Finland
right now, so we haven't been able to talk with him, but she says he's perfectly okay with it all. I should send his address to Sister Richey and then she could teach him! Hey, that might actually work. He is from Azerbazjan and Muslim, so that might be pretty interesting. I'll ask where he's living right now, and maybe we can work something out! But Katya and Tatiana are such kind, good people and very prepared for the gospel. I love prepared people.

Another quick miracle for this week is Ilvars! He's the man we found on Halloween, and he called us last week to come to church. He has been reading a lot from the Book of Mormon and says that since he's met with us, he thinks about God a lot more and good things have happened. For example the other night he said he lost his wallet with all his cards and about 60$ cash and within half an hour someone called him and returned everything! That is a big time miracle. He actually just called a little while ago because he doesn't have to work today and wants to meet up. He's also very prepared and working towards being baptized on December 12th. That is going to be one happy day.

We had a district thanksgiving lunch hosted by the Senior missionaries today who made all different kinds of soup. It kinda reminded me of our annual Christmas party! Just a lot more formal and not so much free time. But it definitely reminded that we are big time blessed!

I love you all a whole heap, and wish you a happy thanking feast!

Love, Elder Barnes #12