Lessons From the Porch

Apparently, Sister Barclay's computer wasn't letting her do photo uploads so those will be on next week... maybe... but my dad got an email this week that he thought he'd share. So without further ramblings from this sister of Sister Barclay, here ya go:

Email to dad:

"It (this last week) has been so crazy...I don't even know where to begin! We locked ourselves out of our car and our apartment; we had to have the office elders come unlock it for us... three hours later! But we still managed to teach two lessons from our porch! haha! They went so good.

Sister Carpenter was helping this guy we were supposed to teach with directions to our house, so she left me to teaching Arielle, who makes me really nervous because she is very logical and likes to question everything. Which is good, but it makes me nervous... but I just went with it and I was just feeling the spirit so strong and I just bore my testimony with my whole heart to her about this gospel. It was one of the most spiritual moments of my whole mission thus far! We talked about the Atonement and how only through the gospel and Jesus Christ can we be clean and forgiven. She started crying and the spirit was so strong! I know that the Lord has been speaking through my words! I know that the Atonement is real and Christ really did die for us, because he loves us! This gospel can truly bless lives!

AND that guy getting directions showed up. He's in the military... he's a lil' guy but tough. He's been investigating the church for almost a year! He's been struggling with a little bit of depression, so I've been having him send us one thing he is grateful for everyday and it has really been working. He has received so many blessings! I told him that that was the Lord's hand in his life and he got the biggest smile on his face! My ultimate goal with him is to make him happy and I think it's working. Every day I ask him if he's smiling! haha I think I was called to Baton Rouge to make others happy! I love to smile! He didn't know who the current prophet was so we showed him a video that mom sent me from the stake challenge on the attitude of gratitude with President Monson and I think he really liked it!

So the next crazy thing that happened... Sister Carpenter's GPS broke so we got soooo lost! We were 30 minutes late for a dinner appointment and missed correlation meeting because we were so lost that we had to stop at a Lowe's to ask someone where we were! We are space cases lately!

So I'm in two wards, ya know? So for the Baton Rouge 2nd Ward, we found the cutest lil' family! Josh and Daisy and their two kids! They are the best! They are really progressing and they are so excited to learn more and find out for themselves! Josh is awesome. He's such a great dad and he does all he can to provide for his family even when nothing seems to be going right. He wants to come unto Christ and he has said that when we left his house last week, he could feel the spirit drift away and he wanted that good feeling in his house all the time... he's just not sure how to get it! He's a little nervous about coming to church with us, but he'll come around! Man, we are so excited for this family! We love teaching them! I'll keep ya updated!

Also, I'm pretty sure my name tag just says 'Feed me' on it! Everyone keeps feeding us; I think I've gained like 15 pounds since being here! hahahaha I can't even! Louisiana food is just too amazing!!"

And that's all for this week! Isn't she great? We absolutely love our missionary mail days! Hopefully next week, I can add some pictures! AND let's all pray that they don't get lost or locked out again... haha

Louisiana Life

Sorry that the blog has been pretty much MIA the last two weeks! I'm getting behind! BUT the good news is that that means I'm sharing a letter we got from her this week, plus pictures from this week AND last week! We sure love our missionary!

Don't forget to keep sending those letters! Her new address for Baton Rouge can be found in her "Write Me!" tab at the top of the page. Thanks for loving and supporting Sister Barclay, wherever you are reading from!

I am standing in the same area that Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect said, "Mmm... Betta not!"

That's Mike the Tiger! He's the real deal!

Hanging out with Sister Carpenter

Sister Barclay and Sister Carpenter riding their bikes!

Free Speech Alley with Sister King! Aren't we cute?

"Hey y'all!!! It has been a pretty fantastic week... here's a few things I wanted to share!

We have a couple new people we have been meeting with, so it's been keeping us real busy! We were looking through the Baton Rouge 2nd Ward roster and came across a woman's name, and I just felt like we should go see her, so we headed to her house and it turns out she is deaf. She is very less active because no one is able to interpret for her, but she was so welcoming and luckily, Sister Carpenter could communicate because she knows how to do Sign Language! We had such an amazing time with her, even though I couldn't speak to her Sister Carpenter could. SIGN LANGUAGE IS BEAUTIFUL, and prayers in sign language even better! But we found some other deaf people in some other wards and we brought them with us to help interpret and talk with her! It went so good, we taught the restoration of the gospel and she loved it! We are so excited, and I love that sister Carpenter is so happy and excited every time we get to have a lesson with her. The spirit in those lessons just make my heart want to jump out of my chest! I love it and I am learning to sign! How cool!

So we have been working with a less active member named Lauren, she is so beautiful! I love her! Her roommate has been sitting in on the lessons with us and she has finally started to really investigate the church for herself. We introduced her to the Book of Mormon and she wanted to read the whole thing; she is so curious and wants to learn!!! We have a lesson with her tonight, so fingers crossed all went good; I'll keep y'all posted! 

People in Louisiana are hoarders!!! haha I helped a family spring clean their house! Junk, Junk, everywhere! Haha I can't even! MOM YOU WOULD OF DIED! I'm so serious, piles of stuff everywhere! We didn't even make a dent! And things that were ripped or torn, she duct taped it and wouldn't get rid of it! People are so funny 'round here! For real! 

It's so cool, here in baton rouge you could go from a real sketchy, dangerous part of town, straight to mansions and beautiful homes! The houses here are so cool! We got to teach a lesson to an active family in a mansion! Dang! It was beautiful! 

I love my YSA ward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

So we contacted this guy washing his dog, and we talked about families being together forever and he told us that family was so important to him, being a dad is so important, he said we could come back and talk to him and his wife! So we went yesterday and he told us when we met him, he was having a really rough time and didn't know where to turn to and that it was an answer to his prayers that we came to him. We ended up teaching his whole family and a few of the neighborhood kids and their cousin the restoration and they loved it; they all want to get baptized! We have 6 new investigators! Man, the gospel is REAL!!!!

Also, it's getting super hot and humid here; it's so gross! I feel like I'm drowning! 

I know that this gospel is the pathway to a greater happiness, and it brings so many blessings! I know that only through my Father in Heaven, all things are possible and that because of him we can do anything! I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet on the earth today! I know the Atonement is real, and we can start over and change through it! I love this gospel and I'm so glad I get the chance to share that!

I love all y'all and each y'all! Have a beautiful and blessed week! 

Love, Sister Barclay" 

The fraternities and sororities are so big here! They have giant houses and people deliver food and clean for them! It's like the movies!

YSA activity!

A glimpse of Baton Rouge

Spring Attire

Today my mom sent me a text she received from the Sister Lauper in the mission office in Baton Rouge. It's a cute picture of Collette and another sister missionary! Thought we'd share. Happy Easter!

"These two beautiful sisters came into the office today. They're on their way to LSU for Free Speech Alley. I thought you'd like to see them in their Spring attire :)" -Sister Lauper