Week 23: January 22, 2018

Hey there good lookins!!!!

I got to read your letters, you all sound like a bunch of rockstars!!!! Im seriously so luck to have you all in my life. Wouldn't want any other family!!! Im remembering all the times you all were so supportive and so patient with me. I think about you and and pray for you all. Its such a neat thing to know the importance of family.

This week was super neat!!! Im starting to get a little more comfortable making appointments with people over the phone. That has been the scariest thing for me with the language is talking to people over the phone because I have to respond, I cant look over to my companion, and the phone gets muffly sometimes, so its hard just to hear. But, these past few days, we´ve really been using our area book, and we got to make tons of calls and set tons of visits with new people!!! Super neat!!!! Afterwards, when we were walking back to our apartment, I was just so happy and felt so good about serving a mission. Earlier that day for our studies, I had to watch the District, one of the missionary training films, and I just felt the seriousness na dhuge importance of serving a mission. That night, I stayed up to the last second before curfew filling out the area book. When I went to bed, I spent what seemed like the longest time just praying to God. I felt a really strong connection to Him, like I was talking directly to Him. Afterwards, I layed in bed and looked up out the window on the side of my bed and was just so happy!!! I felt so happy to be on a mission!!!!! Seriously a mission is the best thing ever!!!! I´ve really been trying to focus my best efforts into serving God. With that, my testimony has also been getting so strong!!! stronger than ever in things I never thought would happen on the mission. We have a rule where we have to pay fast offerings every fast sunday. I read that later in our missionary handbook and told my companion. Weve forgotten to do that the past few fast sundays, oops :/ So, we got what we could and payed it all this sunday. We were actually running low on money, so it was going to be a tight week this week. But, I knew what was more important, and I couldnt teach something I wasnt doing, haha, that would be awkward. We payed it off. Then the miracles came. Literally, people just gave us food!!!! That night, we were helping a member fix their car. Once we finnished, we visited a nonmember to see if we could wash our hands at thier house. a little strange, but it would make more sense if you were here. We were happily invited in and the lady there was making a cobo verdian dish called, cushcush, thats how it sounded. It is very similar to cornbread. She made it in like 5 min and then gave a huge chunk to us!!! It was gluten free too!!!! and soooooo good!!!! Then, some members brought us tons of food and even got a whole pack of gf spaghetti for me and one pack with gluten spaghetti for Elder Barios!!! Miracle!!!! Elder Barrios had been craving gluten for a while!!!! Poor guy!!! He seriously has so much patience for me!!!! Then today, a few of our nonmember friends Edy and her husband Jaime took us around Lisboa and got us lunch to eat!!!! Seriously, miracles are just falling from the sky!!!! Also, I got a package from Gma Zinn!!!!!! Oh my goodness gracious!!!! The food was fantabulous!!!! And I got a super fancy tie!!!! Took some amazing pics;) Got tons of Christmas letters!!!! Pics of the Bryant fam, our fam, the zinn fam, and a letter from the Carlsons!!!! Super duper nice of them!!!! Makes me feel so good!!!! Bunck of good looking families too;) It´s such a blessing to be here in Portugal serving His mission. I love it here and love everything that I am learning!!! Love you all so much!!!!

Love always,

Elder Barton