Date
September 21, 2020
Area
Habour Pointe, Mukilteo, Washington
Companion
Sister Sarah Christiansen
THE MISSION FIELD: Smokey, Green & STILL all ready to harvest!!
Oh my goodness... hi I'm really in the mission field... day 7 I think here and clearly still processing it all ha! I am in the BEAUTIFUL Everett Washington mission in the Harbour Pointe area & I sure got some stories to share from this wonderful adventure of a week!
It started with a heart achy goodbye to my very sweet loved ones. I knew that would be hard but man, my heart. I sure love my family so so much, and all of you... it kinda felt like that goodbye would never come but I knew I had much ahead that needed to be done:) as I looked back at my cute parents for the last time in the spot they snuck up to watch me, I was putting my suitcases through the SLC's brand new machines. Well I guess things don't always run smoothly on the 1st day and 1st hour a terminal is open... my suitcases got stuck for 30 minutes and I was running to the complete other side of the airport when they were announcing "final boarding"... in the chaos I kept thinking of what my dad would say when we were worried and it was a line from a movie saying "would it help?" I knew worrying wouldn't change it and I am now totally in the Lord's hands so I trusted him. I made it barely and was the last one on the plane haha. Thank goodness for an exciting start of this exciting adventure!
The plane ride was crazy. My eyes were exhausted from a lack of sleep and tears hahah, I couldn't process what was even happening. But I sure did LOVE the 12 other missionaries i flew here with. Then I finally made it to Everett, President Auna & his cute wife held up a sign saying "aloha" and they welcomed us so cute. It was crazy because the sky was just filled with smoke from the fires. At the mission office I met my companion, Sister Christiansen!! She is from Texas (hook em horns) & is such a great trainer!! She was in El Salvador for 5 months before coming here so SPANISH she has taught me so much in our language study each day & we always pray in Spanish. We are called as English missionaries in this area but have already had several opportunities to twach and use our language. She is so kind & obedient & meek & a good listener & I just love her! I'm grateful for her patient way of teaching me, I sure have a long way to go!
We are both new to the Harbour Pointe area so usually that would mean its slow at the beginning but not for us!! We got here and got busy QUICK! We have already taught so many great people and have lots planned for next week. Basically everyone just really misses people and it has created some special opportunities for us!
I gotta share about some of our friends & this wonderful work...
Wendy is a new referral and WOW HAS SHE BEEN PREPARED! Our first lesson with her was unreal. She taught me so much! She has had so many good examples and people in her life that were members. She really has had some tough stuff and is legally blind but just has the best testimony and loves God so much!! In that first lesson we invited her to read the Book of Mormon and attend our zoom church meeting. She happily accepted both (unfortunately the zoom link was too tricky of technology for her though) and we can't wait to keep teaching her!!
Mary is 81 years old and we went over to help her with the garden. But ended up being there 2 hours and only talking haha. Her mother was a Southern Baptist and the woman is full of knowledge and some very strong beliefs. She can't walk anymore, she has had many special people in her life die right next to her, but she really does believe in angels and that there is a reason she is still here. She has some strong concerns about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and the law of tithing. I tried to invite her to read the Book of Mormon and got my first rejection woo. But we are headed back this week and I can't wait. The BEST PART OF THE WEEK was when we were leaving Mary's house she said "masks or not I don't care, I need a hug from you!!" And wow did I need that!!! I MISS HUGS A LOT! Learning some different ways to share love right now, but super grateful for the best hug ever from my cute Mary!!
The WARD... HARBOUR POINTE IS SO AMAZING! Bishop Nishimoto invited us over, they had a ward missionary coordination meeting, we watched the ward talent show on zoom, and did we got to bring peaches around to 10 different families just last night. It's amazing how supportive and loving they all are! Its a great community to be part of and I am so excited for all visits we have scheduled with the families and cute people!
Other things keeping us busy... Online we've been able to teach Alejandro (a recent convert in El Salvador), Amanda (a genius at John Hopkins & such a cute friend of Sister C), and we shared a message with my cute special needs buddy from Logan, Sasha!!
We got to serve at the bishops warehouse for a few hours Saturday and do it weekly which I'm so excited about, we made some bffs there & got to speak Spanish with some people that came in:))
There's a lot but wow its so crazy! I really can't even believe I'm here!!! I am so grateful to be so busy! I miss all of you so much but know this is where the Lord needs me right now and the PEOPLE I need to be with!
A little THOUGHT... the best reminder for me has been that PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE!!!! So many of our friends just want to sit and talk forever because they haven't been able to get someone to listen. I'm really working on listening and being there for so many great people!! Its such a special time and calling. Also I feel like the Lord really needs us to BE BOLD which I have talked about before, but as I've taken that initive I have seen so many special blessings. So be the person that other people so desperately need!
While in the smoke and the rain I saw the sun for the first time yesterday haha. And I am a SUNSHINE GIRL, like it is my comfort (that & my fam I just love). So I have been able to take it as a great opportunity to take my comfort in the gospel!!
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
A lot of us are without our typical comforts right now so it is a time to really watch the Lord provide our comfort. I have watched it in my life this week and am starting to see it in my friends we are teaching.
HE IS YOUR COMFORT! YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! As much as I miss my family, friends, hugs and sunshine... I can always find comfort and strength in my Savior!!
Thank you all for helping me get here! Thank you all for the support! PLEASE EMAIL ME, I would love to hear from you, it makes me soooooo happy!
The Lord needs missionaries to spread his love and comfort everywhere! CHANGE THE WORLD RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!!!!
ALL MY LOVE FROM WASHINGTON, Hermana Barker
Pictures:
-Last night with my incredible family
-getting to EVERETT
-we found a blackberry Bush by our house and go DAILY
-fun pday hike w the STL's
-had a pineapple feast for dinner one night
-fun walks in smoke and some in sun and finding the water woo