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

Busy In Baton Rouge

"Hey y'all! 

Monday (3/23/15): P-DAY! Fun as always!!! I sent my packages and went to the church to be with my zone! It was so fun! My zone is really awesome. I'm still trying to get to know everyone, but it's going good!!! I love P-days! 

Tuesday (3/24/15): So... this was a fun day haha... we did studies, we prayed before we left the house, and then out we go--headed to district meeting that starts at 10:30am! Things were going fantastic! We got in the car, got right to the edge of the road, and the car starts shaking and stops and we start rolling back! We were FREAKING out! Turns out Sister Carpenter Didn't even realize that we forgot to get gas in the car. Awka- Awkward! No gas in the car... then a voice from Tiwi (monitors our driving) says "battery dying!" so the battery was dead too! 

We had to call the office elders to come save us! It was so funny! I was laughing the whole time. Sister Carpenter was dying and almost in tears because she couldn't believe she forgot that even a mission car needed gas and that it doesn't just magically appear in the tank! haha! Well as far as district meeting goes... we didn't get there until 11:30am! haha We're so dumb! Lesson learned; always put gas in the car! 

So sad to run out of gas AND have a dead battery!

No gas!

Oh, good! The office elders are on their way!

Elder Ryan was one of the elders who came to save the sisters! He goes home in a few days!

Wednesday (3/25/15): It was kinda slow because everyone and their dog cancelled on us! Lame! So we went tracting/contacting. Let's just say, I had my first door slam in my face.. and it didn't feel too good! Sister Carpenter told me, "You knock once for them, and once for you!" 

The guy popped his head out the door and said, "Not a Prospect!" 

It was so crazy! Later that night I had the chance to go to a rest home for one of our investigators there... we think she has memory loss and she's not really interested, but she likes the company, so we go see her! She was the cutest. She talked about her love story with her marine! Ahh! It killed me; it was so cute! We shared Joshua 1:9 (Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.) with her and she loved it! We told her to be strong and of good courage and always trust in the Lord to help you get through hard times, and one little tear fell from her eye as she told us she was so grateful that we came! She was really missing her family and her marine! 

We also shared the footprint story how in your hardest times the footsteps are Heavenly Father's, because he is carrying us through our trials! It was such a testimony builder for me! Such a neat experience! 

 

Thursday (3/26/15): We met with Ariel, one of our investigators. It was so tough; I'm not going to lie! She asks some pretty tough questions. She wants all the background info of the church and we talked a lot about the time line of the order of the restoration. Every time we showed her a picture of Jesus, she thought it was Joseph Smith! It was pretty interesting! She doesn't ask the questions to find the bad in the church; they are legit questions, and you can tell she is really trying to investigate the church. It's just really amazing! 

But let me just say how grateful I am for COMPANIONS real fast! Sister carpenter is so smart and she was able to answer almost every question she had! I could feel the spirit so strong that it hit me like a truck, and I was able to bear my testimony, as simple as it is, that I know this Gospel is true, and even when you don't have all the answers, the foundation of basic truths are okay! And that things in this gospel can be hard to understand but Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to have all the answers all at once. It takes time! It was such a powerful lesson! That is the coolest part about being a missionary; watching people convert and be changed through the gospel! Man, it was awesome! 

Friday (3/27/15): Tracting/Contacting again! We went to the city park and just talked to people about the gospel and how it can bring them more happiness than they could ever imagine! We talked to some really cute families that all seemed to be really interested! Also a man with gold teeth told me I had really pretty eyes in the park that day! haha! Thanks dude! And this is the day I ate crawfish for the first time! BOOYAH! I'm so cool! Also I think this is a south thing, but every time we ask, "How are you?" everyone says, "Blessed!" What a beautiful answer! Then they go on long spills about how they love Jesus!!!! I LOVE LOUISIANA!!! 

People just take huge boxes of crawfish and eat it in the park! haha Not with these ladies, but I peeled my very first crawfish! It was delicious!

Saturday (3/28/15): WOMEN'S BROADCAST! NEED I SAY MORE?! haha I loved it! Families are forever! Families should be centered on Christ! Families need to stick together! Man, I loved it! Not going to lie, it made me a little trunky! I miss my family, but I know that we can be together forever and that was amazing! I'm so proud to be a sister in this church! 

Sunday (3/29/15): CHURCH IS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE! I love every second of it! We had dinner with President Marks and his family and had a lesson there with Ariel (our investigator). It didn't go as well as we hoped, because there was too many teachers to one investigator and it got too deep and crazy for Ariel to handle all at once! 

I was really struggling because during the whole lesson I had no idea what to say, and it was making me so frustrated! But I finally just bared my testimony of the importance of baptism and Sister Carpenter told me that she could really feel the spirit from what I said! Sometimes you just got to trust that the right words will come out of your mouth at the right time and the Lord will never mislead you! We just have to follow those promptings! Which is sometimes the hardest thing ever, but I know he will be there to guide my every sentence! It was amazing! 

Sorry it was so long! haha! It was an amazing week! I know my Heavenly Father lives and loves me, and that he puts people into your path for a reason. We may not always understand why but the Lord does, and he will always be there for you every step of the way! 

Love all y'all and each y'all! Have a beautiful week!

Sister Barclay"

Transferred

Yesterday, Sister Barclay got a chance to email and she basically just sent me a bunch of pictures! That's good though because a picture says a thousand words, right? So here are about 6,000 words for you! We're glad to see that Sister Barclay is having a good time in Baton Rouge. We just know that those students at LSU will love our sister missionary!

Sister Widdison and Sister Barclay are pros at photo-bombing the elders during District Meetings before the transfer!

Sister Barclay meeting her new companion, Sister Carpenter in Baton Rouge

Checking out the LSU campus

Checking out the new area as companions!

Sister Barclay is already loving Baton Rouge

New Transfer Information

Sister Barclay has been transferred to a new area! She just emailed today to let everyone know the details PLUS her new address! Be sure to send her some love very soon to welcome her to her new place! Hopefully, she'll love it just as much, if not more, as Metairie!

"Hey y'all!

You'll never guess where I am serving!!!

ON the LSU (Louisiana State University) campus in Baton Rouge!!!! It's crazy! I'm in a YSA (Young Single Adult) ward! and even better I'm in a car area!!!! It's beautiful! I'll tell y'all more about it, but here is my new address. Feel free to send me letters!!

5131 Nicholson Dr. Apt. B8

Baton Rouge, LA. 70820 

It's definitely a new environment and has been a really hard change! I absolutely miss Metairie and New Orleans, but it's going to be a good thing I think! My new companion is Sister Carpenter and she is soooo wonderful; I'm really excited!!! It's going to be good! I hope! Wish me luck! 

Love y'all! Have a wonderful week! Talk to ya soon!!

Sister Barclay"

TRANSFERS and one CRAZY week!

Ok, so we got an email from Collette today! It basically says everything... so I'll let her do the talking:

"Hey everyone!!

Hope you're all doing well!! Everything's going really good here! It's been such a crazy crazy week!!! 

So it's transfers...... and..... ME and WIDDISON are getting doubled out of Metairie! Ahhh! I can't even! I feel like I've only been here for 5 minutes!  I have no idea where I will be going next!!! It's so crazy! I really love Metairie and I feel like the work here was just starting to pick up... I called all my people yesterday... and they couldn't believe we were both leaving! I'm going to miss everyone here so much! Every one of the people that I have met so far has definitely changed my life and I am so grateful for the opportunity I got to serve the crazy people of New Orleans! I am so excited to maybe be going to a CAR area though!! I did not want to bike in the summer and I think Heavenly Father knew that!! haha!"

And then she gave us the update on the crazy week:

"Monday (3/9/14):

It was P-day and Sister Widdison and I decided we just wanted to spend the whole day together! Widdison is seriously my best friend. Heavenly Father definitely sent her to me for a reason. I have really loved learning from her, and she has really helped my testimony grow this past transfer! She is so amazing and I love that I can just be real and, best of all, she just lets me be myself and helps me shine! I love her so much and I'm going to miss her with all my heart!! 

So on Monday, we went to Panera Bread! It is the best! I can't even describe how wonderful it is! Just go there! Then we went to Plato's Closet and I got the cutest shirt! Then to finish off the day, we got lost in Old Metairie and it took us two hours to get home! haha it was just peachy, but we finally made it and found a woman we know's house it was crazy! She was so drunk, but we sang church hymns and had a wonderful testimony meeting on her living room floor! Her testimony turned into a prayer to God, but ya know, it was wonderful. It was the first time I really felt the spirit in that house! And to finish off at her house, we sang Frank Sinatra and did the Can-Can in her kitchen! It was a party!  All around that p-day was crazy, but it was such a beautiful day and I'm so glad I was with my best friend! 

Tuesday (3/10/15):

It was district meeting and we had the best time with our elders ever!!!! We all ran out in the pouring Louisiana rain!!! It was so fun! I love this district so much!!!! Then we topped off the day with some IHOP Pancakes! We were at home for the rest of the night because we couldn't bike in the storm!! 

Wednesday (3/11/15):

It was pretty slow, but it was a good day! We went to Kimberley's and found out that Big Rick, her husband, wants to get baptized!!! We were sort of getting that impression that he would be doing it just for us because he LOVES us! But I really do love that family with all my heart! I wish them the very best!! Kimberley truely was our southern momma!!! 

Thursday (3/12/15):

Happy Birthday ERIN!!!!! I love you so much! Don't you even think for one minute that I forgot your B-day! Me and Widdison even sang Happy Birthday to you!!!! Hope you had a wonderful day!!!

So the rest of our day was pretty good! We had inspections and we passed! Our house was so clean!!! It was so great! We have been really trying to keep it clean... There have been four Cockroaches in our house so far and they are the most disgusting thing; I can't even! But Widdison is scared of bugs even more than I am so I was the one to take care of it! It was awful!!!!! I Hate Cockroaches! 

Then we went to Laufenere Park to contact people; it was so fun!!! That is my favorite park! I'm taking all y'all there!

Friday (3/13/15):

Mental Health Day! They are real things; I promise! But Me and Widdison had a 'Catch Up On 12 Week Party'! We were so behind, so we ordered pizza and did 12 Week and it was quite the party! It's always a party with Widdison! But I was so happy. I am getting better at role playing so... wahoooo!!!! 

Saturday (3/14/15):

We had dinner with Kimberley and her family! It was so fun, but we are so sick of the bike ride to her house. It takes us at least 45 minutes to bike to Kenner, where she lives! It's such a long bike ride, but dinner was wonderful and she just talked our ears off, ya know, the usual Louisiana same old, same old! 

Then we traveled over to Harahan to help those elders with an investigator. She is really sweet but she has a lot of big things going on in her life and needs female role models and just really needs good influences to help her move on with some things! So we have been helping with that and it's going pretty good, but she's not really keeping her commitments, so it's hard, but I have faith that she will be okay and come unto Christ! It'll be so great! 

Sunday (3/15/15):

We went to church! It was the best. I am so grateful for the sacrament and getting to just start fresh for the week; it's such a beautiful feeling! During sacrament, ya know, I was just sitting there with like 92 things on my mind... and then over the pulpit I hear, 'And one of the speakers didn't show.. so if we could have Sister Barclay come up and share her testimony with us....' 

Let me tell you, even as a missionary you get nervous! It was like one of those times where you just wish your name wasn't Sister Barclay, ya know?! But I put a big ol' smile on my face and walked up to the pulpit and I just bared my testimony. It was short and simple, but I'm so glad Heavenly Father gave me the courage to get up and share what I know! 

Elder McArthur, an elder in my district, gave the best example of what a testimony is. He said that a testimony is like gumbo.. you can throw whatever you want in it... everyone makes it differently and everything you throw in will taste good and make others happy! A testimony is definitely your own and you need to make it your own! Don't ever be afraid to share your testimony or help others grow from what you know! Remember the Lord is always there backing up every word you say through the spirit! 

Monday (3/16/15):

It was such a crazy day! We did service all morning, then we went and I had red beans and rice for the first time! It was quite the accomplishment! haha Then that night, we got transfer calls and off I go.... I'll keep all y'all posted! 

Tuesday (3/17/15): 

That's today! haha It's P-day... and a sad goodbye day! I'm leavin' Metairie.... the place I was 'born' and going off into the world... Ahhh it's crazy! I'm even done training and everything! I'm still a greenie, but it's still good! 

I know that this church is true and I know that wherever I end up, that's where the Lord wants me and I will do my best to make my Heavenly Father proud!

I hope y'all! Have a fantastic week! I'll let ya know my new address as soon as I know! 

Love all y'all and each of y'all!

Sister Barclay"