THIS WEEK HAS BEEN THE HAPPIEST WEEK OF MY LIFE...PRETTY STRESSFUL AS WELL.

Wow this week has been the happiest week of my life pretty stressful as well. So the baptismal candidates passed so two baptisms on january 19. We're starting to commit these part members to baptism and we are using the AP's workshop on how to give ibd's. So yeah i need new contacts. I'm glad you mentioned that at least to get me home seeing alright haha. Well we're in baguio today, but we dont have much time. I need to buy slacks because yeah i need to. I'll buy two pairs and i heard they have mexican food there at sm baguio so im gonna find it. I liked the rattlesnake picture haha i love pictures from when you were all younger haha. Dad i live right across from cabu funeral home in a big yellow looking house. We basically live in the garage of that big yellow house haha. Dad im going to buy some frog wallets too, so that your dream will become a reality hahah. Well anyways there is  one sister in the compound of the district president dungan. They're all dungans in their compound. The sister in law of the president was married back in november to her husband in the US (the brother of president) but they said nothing to the missionaries that they were married in our church. So yeah we missed the opportunity to give the lessons anyways her name is jonah dungan. Her family all lives in america and they are members and it sounds like she will head over as well, but she has had persecution that if she changes her religion they wont accept her into the states. I wanted to say we americans hate catholics in america so change it haha but of course i didnt. We have a really good relationship of trust with her and her kids. Her husband is being brought into activity in california in san diego through his dad. Anyways sister jonah likes to talk a lot but she also likes to learn so we finally got control of the lesson. Her baby who is always loud and out of control suddenly became quiet we hadnt planned to give the IBD to her last night but on the 17th. But we prayed and found out that the 23 of February would be a good time for her to prepare. Anyways i started talking about how she needed to act on her faith in jesus christ. She really liked a talk by a sister about repentance in church earlier that day so we talked about that and then i said the next step is baptism. I wanted to give the date but i forgot it. I didnt want to look at the calendar and look like it wasnt planned because it was planned and it came from heavenly father. So i said to my self soft invitation instead. Then i heard a voice... "no give the real thing the date is exactly a year from the day you entered into the mtc. feb 23!"  It came back to me so i gave it and she accepted it and then laughed. She nudged her cousin next to her who was a new investigator in that lesson and said you too! hahah I almost groaned. She didnt understand how serious that was, but elder macabenta explained that we need to prepare for the day through repentance then she said well i was hoping for next year but maybe youre right elders maybe it's the right time. I then testified "sister it is the right time". She stared at me and nodded. Then i closed the lesson and invited her to give a prayer and learn for herself and learn that it was right. I am dead serious when i say this...her prayer was the longest and most humble prayer i have ever heard. She started crying in the middle of it. We were kneeling on tile it was hard and long, but i didnt care. She knew it was right. She asked why am i crying and our fellowshipper explained so I'm excited and we're going to help her get there it was so awesome i can't forget it.......so yeah thats our struggle getting the people to be more missionary minded and alert and i know the referrals will come. Yes i went on exchanges in bauang it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot. In the middle of the night the one elder of us four there had an asthma attack. They freaked out and called sister monahan  I asked him if he had pain in his arm (heart attack) because his chest was way heavy and he is a big guy. We had no medicine no inhaler so his companion elder spiers from england gave the blessing. I annointed and his breathing returned to normal. This week has been a spiritual one i leave this all to you whether or not you wish to send this to people. I love this mission and I love my family but i know that as i get more lost in the work the time gets faster and faster. I know you are praying for me, and I am as well for you. ~Elder Barney

EXCHANGES! GOING AGAIN ON TUESDAY.

Hey Family!

This week has been great. I got to go on exchanges and i will go on exchanges again on tuesday with the district leader in buaung. I forget how they spell it up there but supposedly their apartment and area is awesome and im excited to go and learn. Mom i took a picture of the christmas tree in our house. I might leave it for the next elders in the apartment, so they can have the spirit of christmas all the year. Well yeah i like news...I'm glad brent kleinman got approved again. Dad i hope your logging into my facebook every so often because i heard all those pictures will be lost if you dont every six months so please save those pictures. Some are good to have when im old and fat and i can show my kids that i really used to be on the mens toro distance crew. Kylie read the liahona. Theres an article about you on page 58 the january addition. Dont be mad haha i know its not about you, but i laughed when i saw the name kylie with the exact name. If it makes you feel better they even stated at the beginning that they changed the name for the article haha. Yes dad the ibds are progressing but the dad isnt. The branch is taking some great steps forward and our branch fast was powerful. I feel it wasnt well announced. I hope in february they will teach that this is just as much as a commandment as any other. If you dont believe me look in chapter 3 of preach my gospel under commandments. Well yesterday we had a great lesson with the Camat family. The Sister wont come to church, but we finally got found her concerns why she wont come. When she was feeling the spirit. then we shared the first vision to her. She stopped me before i could finish at first i was thinking what is she doing?? you dont interrupt people when their speaking but im glad she did. She shared a story when she was 14 or so she had a dream where she saw the savior she said he talked to her and she was so scared she ran and hid. She woke up sweating and she then asked us why was i scared. Then she asked can God speak through dreams. We looked at each other my companion and i and we're all opo sister...yes sister. We gave her many reading assignments so the book of mormon is becoming more relevant for her. I felt something when i met them and i dont want to drop them even though she wont come to church because she is a member of a catholic foundation. I really feel like they have been looking for this unlike most people. I know that deep inside that anyone who asks the missionaries to come back deep inside is not satisfied with their religion. There is a reason growing up we never had jehovah witnesses, gideons, or other faiths in our home. We have found the pearl of great price and everything else is just cheap. Well brother lumague is not progressing which is kind of nerve wracking but president mariano will use the spirit to know how to decide who in their family will baptize the two younger children. The mom had really repented and has gotten a change of heart (sister lumague) she asked us to stay and help her with her primary lesson about joseph smiths upbringing. She is putting so much effort into her callings. She is working so much during the week so she can be at church for three hours. She is asking us how to pay tithing and she is doing it and all her kids are as well. Shes doing everything she can. One day brother lumague will see how important this all is to his family and salvation. Mom i thought the letter you sent me was amazing. I'd love to hear more stories like that. I also like your letters too dad. January Barney asked me the other day what do we do on pdays here? Well i like to eat at jollybee because my eyes are now slanted from eating so much rice. We play basketball and monopoly yes we can play monopoly. One elder thought we were gambling the other day until we showed him the money was definantly fake because here in the pines the money is multi colored.

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Sorry i was cut from the computer because of a black out. Well president called an emergency zone companionship study. That was fun i thought we were going to get chastised but it ended up being a good experience. This zone and mangaldan zone are the 2 out of the 9 zones here in the baguio mission that are still districts because of many many dumb problems. The adversary works very very hard on the hearts. He gets families that have four sons who have served missions and are sealed to become inactive and return to the catholic church. I guess that's what happens when youre active in this church but not active in the gospel!! Well i feel good about this year. I hope that I answered the questions i hate typing on computers. Dad here's a verse you might like...Hebrews 5:8-9 i believe it is. It's a favorite of president monahan's.

~Elder Barney

MY 2013 GOALS......

I'm surprised that i have an accent. I have the hardest time talking to president monahan now or the senior couple missionaries in english. I feel so slow and dumb haha. My three words? i didnt put to much effort into the drawing brother borlazza printed it out for me. I have never really been big into art projects and competitions. I had something funny to write for my three words but i was worried president monahan would get mad haha. The best i thought was elder shaw's...."remember lots wife"..... dont look back at sodom and gomorrah. Really inspiring just like the quote of nephi. and my father dwelt in a tent. When i was in seminary i loved using passages like that for scripture thoughts and see how much discussion i could draw out. Well its 2013 wow. Yeah my chance of getting transferred is really high on january 25. The lumague family brother finally came to sacrament. I sat next to his family and jhumel and shiela (10) and (12) and they were really reverent. We sing in english here, and i sing really really loud so the branch wont be embarrassed and will sing loud too. There are a lot of hymns that i've really started to love. Most of them are pioneer hymns. Well mom you want my 2013 goals for our family book..... (1) excercise everyday (2) more effective in personal study (3) heighten my spiritual hearing yeah that ought to do it so you can mark me down for that. I love landon haha. He's right no one should be put through a movie like that. I'm glad they found grandma barneys car. We just had lunch at a members house. They fed us fried chicken and watermelon and I almost asked for purple kool-aid but im sure they wouldnt have gotten the joke. Dad you have to read the infinite atonement again. The doctrine isnt so deep. It's direct and its all stuff we have heard before but just now i have realized. My whole teaching style in the plan of salvation and the gospel of jesus christ has changed. It's amazing. Yeah its really hard to talk to you guys. I felt like i talked about stuff that wasnt really important so the next time we'll focus on the good stuff haha. I really like hyms like, Hark to the trumpeteers, Let zion in her beauty rise, and the nashville tributes stuff like that haha. I know dad you want to say "i told you so" but dont haha. Yes I love church music. I really like listening to church songs after work when i eat my bananas. Well im glad you liked the three words video, i hope its something different the next year. Anyways. i love you all at manigong bagong taon ~Elder Barney

Keep the traditions...Read Luke 2. I love the Christmas Story.

Well well well

Tomorrow is the big day that i get to hear your voices. It hasnt hit me like it did back in may that i will hear your voices. I have been so busy. Christmas conference in baguio was fun but quick There was a great workshop and the food was amazing. There was a chocolate fountain, and i was shocked they had marshmellows and that good stuff and of course rice. I havent met elder campbell yet but he's here. This week is a big week for the tagalan family. On wednesday they and the branch president will talk to the parents of sister rhea about her marriage and baptism. Once they have the go from the parents then i know she will accept the IBD. She wantes to be baptized but family is everything to a filipino and the thought of displeasing your family is avoided at all costs. Hopefully it happens even if im not here in february which is high because the training of my elder is about to finish. I could train here again it just depends. Well im getting back into shape i can dunk on the 8 and half foot rim now. Pathetic i know. Dallin gherkins emailed me and i haven't grinned that hard in so long. We watched the christmas carol for conference and we had our fingers crossed for the dark knight or the hobbit but then again i know president and that wasnt going to happen. The movie was great. The temple i think will start in early spring of 2013 im so excited. The IBD's are progressing but the dad is starting to waver. We need the help of the elders quorum. We'll look at the "three words video" on presidents blog that should be cool. In the call lets just talk about important stuff haha. I had to speak in english last night because there was a family from india that wanted to hear our beliefs but werent interested in being taught. I had no english materials and i even reached in to give them a pamphlet and realized that it was Tagalog. So now i will carry the articles of faith in english where ever i go. Well i have plenty of socks guys. The packages are all here, we have a christmas tree, the food is great, and the music is just what i needed. I love the savior, redeemer of my soul. It's amazing and of course the poor wayfaring man of grief. Also the book is amazing. I'm understanding the true christmas really. I love CD's with church music. If you can find one with the hark! listen to the trumpeteers on it thats awesome. I liked the letters from the other missionaries of the ward. Some gave me hope and i felt the spirit. Dad the other day i had a funny memory after i gave my talk. I remember one time in the kensington ward you were on the stand and lexi and i were sitting next to each other and i jabbed her in the ribs with my elbow. Mom took the handout hit my knee. Then i looked up and saw your face you had your fingers to your lips with your thumb on your chin and stared at me for a good 10 seconds back. Then it wasnt funny, but i laughed when i remember things like that you sitting on the stand. I cant believe that happened to grandma barney. Accidents do happen. We just try our best not to repeat them. Spencer frame what i great kid i bet a great missionary i know that. I hope to see him at byu such an awesome friend and example to me during my junior year of high school. A very rocky year for us all right?? Lexi find friends like him. 
"D" when we call im going to call you by your nickname. I know youre not a baby anymore, but when we talk i still see you as i left you. I know that the christmas story is this. The son of god was born into this world the only light of hope to save mankind and stand up to the evil one. The atonement is everything, and even though i will never understand the atonement fully. The study of it has brought the spirit of christmas into my life and made the weight of the work light. Keep up our traditions. Read luke 2 even though I'm not there. Read the first presidency message and watch the mormon tabernacle musical which I'd love to see haha. Love you all ~Elder Barney

Happy Birthday, Mom!

So you can call me whenever really. Maybe the best is when it's Christmas eve. The only requirements are that youre all together and are ready to talk. Well dad yeah there are a lot of things you could have said about the donkey. One that i just read is that the donkey is a symbol of peace. Even though jesus entered Jerusalem victoriously, he also came in peace the next time it wont be so. Happy birthday mom tomorrow wow. You were born in 1969 so that makes you??? haha I'll let you do the math.  Thanks for all the news truthfully this week has been hard. My record is still 10/10 months and i have worked everyday here in the mission field, but i have been very sick its gone now. I always get sick right before Christmas. Ideas about christ and christmas. Think about what the angels said to the shepherds in the field. We bring ye glad tidings or good news. Good news or the gospel of jesus christ. The priest was also shown the christ child. The wise men only people saw christ if they understood the spiritual mission of christ. Herod thought christ came to take away his kingdom, so he only thought of the savior just as all the jews thought of him. Only as the promised messiah who would be the one to come save them from the romans which he would if they would only accept them as the savior of their eternal salvation. The christmas story really is a celebration of the gospel of jesus christ. Well im sure you heard about the 1000+ people who died in mindanao down south. Luckily his family and members in Elder macabentas ward were not affected. This is the answer of president monahan to the dream of that less active that i shared.

Thanks. Yes, we would have called and we would have heard from his family or ward leaders. I like Luke for Christmas and for the great Christmas story it contains. Thanks for being a great trainer. That was an interesting dream. May the unwatered tree represents the Bible when people don't water it side by side with the second stick--the Book of Mormon. We must nourish both. Let me know when the IBDs are baptized. Thanks for all your good work!

Pres. Monahan

So yeah we're headed to baguio on friday. Uhm yes i have been transferred into a new district. in aringay, so this transfer there are two firsts for me in the mission. Sisters in my district and an american zone leader. American zone leaders are rare. The christmas party here was a hit 120 or so went, but the following day in sacrament theattendance was probably 90. Those thirty people i assume were to too full to go to church or sick i hope. Well i have trained the branch clerk so we're cleaning the records i love watching the overhead drop. When i arrived 435 members and now only 379 so the sacrament attendance will go up and the home teachers, who are not many, have no excuse not to cover the branch. I finally got news from my last area in san quinton. It sounds like President Grande the former branch president got in a nasty accident and broke his legs bad. I feel bad for his family. They are active and sealed and the mom is working abroad in hong kong. I hope they will be okay. 65 new elders and sisters come in january, so I have the feeling I'll be training again. I dont know yet and i have no way of knowing until the day i get a call from urdaneta. 

Love Elder Barney

i really really like my presents!

I went to the Top of the World Today!

Well i went to the top of the world today.

I'll send you pictures. Only my companion and i made it to the top of the highest mountain. Here in Agoo there is a sacred catholic cross on top, and the others were so close but gave up. I tried to tell them it literally was only 7 minutes more. After an hour of tough hiking only 7 minutes more... I could turn this is into a great teaching experience, but i wont. I'll let you figure out how this story ties into the gospel. We then went and ate at a members house it was the zone activity today. I had fun i felt comfortable with the elders and it was great to forget the world for a second and be with them. I saw the pictures of lexi's winter formal. I'm going to sound bold but as an older brother im entitled to say this. I cant tell because of picture quality, but your dress is modest and you are beautiful. Lexi i want you to know that. I have never told this to you. Beauty is god given. Please dont ruin that. Dad i liked your picture...crazy! Dad "po" is a sign of respect. When you add it thats like him calling you "sir" I'm glad you talked with brother norial he has a lot of responsibility and i want to talk about him. When he was younger he converted for a girlfriend, but when they broke up he became inactive and moved to work in rosales pangasinan. When he returned the elders came to him and taught him and invited him to church. He came back instantly. Like it says in the scriptures and like joseph smith said when we have accepted the truth and turn from it we are harder, but he came back instantly. It's a miracle one in a thousand are like that expecially after a year of inactivity or something like that. When he came back he was made young mens leader at the age of 23, and he is now the branch mission leader as well. His aunts family is lds. His dad and mom separated because he dad did some dumb things. His mom and family wont listen to the missionaries, but they allow him to do what he wants. He works with the missionaries 2 times a week 2 pm until 9 ish. I want him to go on a mission, but the branch needs him so bad. He will get the melchezidek priesthood in december. I'm excited for him and hope he gets what he wants.....a temple marriage. Wow Dad you were picked as the donkey. I guess its a step up from santa. Pick your poison. I'm glad for your success at work, i wish i had been more vocal about my mission when i worked there at your office. I think that how i handled my mission before i came was okay. Dont over think it. Just jump into the cold water and before you know it...youre numb to the pain and are ready to swim to the edge and get out and you will be glad you did it. I want to email you my weekly letter to president alright:

President.

Today was our zone activity it went well. We hiked to the cross there in agoo it was fun. Elder Macabenta made it all the way to the top. The others didnt they were to tired. Thanks for the info about christmas call thats fine with me i just wanted to know a head of time thank you. We had an interesting thing happen this week. One inactive lady when we asked her if she had prayed about the book of mormon told us a story.. she was reading back in the day in the war chapters of alma. While she was reading she thought to herself...did this really happen or in other words are the events in this book true. She asked heavenly father if so and right when she fell asleep this is what she saw. There was a burst of water out of the ground there was two trees in the path of this gushing stream. the water only hit one of the trees and didnt reach the other. One tree died and the other was healthy and green. Interesting i havent sat down to think it over. The training is going great he surprised me the other night. He really broke down a scripture in a very applicable and interesting way for one family i told him that he is now finally comfortable in teaching. He is very very smart. We are doing the 12 week program the part we liked this week was the video segments on prayer. Anyways he is doing good his family was near that bagyo that struck in mindanao and he has been worried this whole week. I feel bad for him and told him if there was a problem you would have called him by now and other missionaries said the same. So he has been alright no one really mailed him either. He said earlier i think its all good though. I'm studying in my personal study the life of the savior its something i do every december. I'm in matthew i just started and am trying to get as much as i can out of it. Thanks for all you do. My family is fine but ill tell them hi thank you. ~Elder Barney

His response to last weeks letter is here:

Congrats on your 2 IBDs. For Christmas, phone call only. For Mother's Day, probably Skype. Thanks for the member work and all your effort. How is your companion's training coming along? I am interested in that. Know that we love you. Say hi to your folks for us!

Pres. Monahan

 

So just a call for Christmas

I'm glad aaron got my letter. Yeah pacquio lost, but to the filipinos he still won. Its amazing how they feel like he won. If he hadnt been knocked out he would have one bypoints, so in their minds he won. In some other parallel world where KO doesnt mean anything manny won.(?) And that parallel world is here in the pines. Our christmas party is on the 15. I'm doing okay. I love you all. I enjoyed the first presidencies devotional. Adios

~Elder Barney

I've been memorizing scriptures! And my Birthday dinner!

I have a feeling my emails are barely getting a passing grade im probably in the d range, so ill step it up today. We now have two IBD's. We got one dad through members, a faithful wife and family, prayer, and much fasting to give up his job as a neighborhood guard. They're called barangay tanods. This job required him to stay up all night with non mormons who to keep awake smoke drink and do other dumb stuff. When his family went inactive 3 of his kids weren't able to be baptized. One is 8 now so she will be baptized on the following saturday. The other two on jan 19 hopefully. Earlier like you dad i wanted a christmas baptism but this is all the lords planning. We're seeing some real growth and strength to the branch. Some dads are coming back that is growth to me, and its great to see. The brownies turned out great. The people were like so this is what a brownie tastes like. They have brownies here but it doesnt come close to betty crocker and stuff like that. I got two packages the package and the letters from the barneys, and the christmas package from the taylors. The package with the book hasn't come. But dont worry. I loved the letters and i got a real binder to organize all the letters so i dont just have to use a empty pillowcase in my luggage haha. I yelled "grandpa barney" maybe you remember writing that...I dont know if you heard me. I loved to read the letters. Brandon's letter was great i like tacos...i do too buddy so eat one for me because cousin taylor is in a place where they dont know what that is. Crazy that matt's passing the sacrament and mckenna is getting ready for those youth dances.  Cam and cecilia are doing good as well. My companion enjoyed the box. He wants to write grandma and grandpa taylor and thank them. When i saw the peanut butter i didnt know how he would take to it but he really likes it all and is very grateful. I was fed very well on my birthday. Lumpia with monggo beans inside with sili pepper sauce and adobo chicken. If you want the pictures from the birthday please add norial borlazza he is our branch mission leader on facebook he will send the pictures. O i forgot yes mckenna they know what the gangnam style is here. I was hoping that wasnt in the united states but it is huh? It hasnt rained here in months it feels like haha. I hope you have been saving my pictures because well my card is broken. I'll reformat it today so i can continue to take pictures. I have asked everyone its all good the really funny pictures from my birthday wont be seen in this life. I dont know about the skype ill ask him, so you probably have seen my first letter that i sent. So my departure date has been bounced back to the 25 of feb. Iguess i dont really care. Thanks for the pictures of the rabbit she is really fat. That's great...make her excercise though. Grandma taylor sent me a card that walks you through how to write a proper letter home. I left the card at home haha so this letter might not pass. I dont know what the christmas party for us will be like truthfully. All i know is it's in baguio thats the coldest part of the philippines and the best place to spend christmas in but the problem is its the 21 not the 25. I want to see the fireworks there. Im glad you got my letter mom i was worried it wouldn't get there. The lady at the post office hates me because i always opt for the cheaper mail option. They always assume i want the most expensive way which is irritating some times. Im getting good at memorizing scriptures. It's fun to do. So far the oath and covenant d and c section 4. moroni 6:4. doctrine and covenants 62:3. then im gonna try to memorize dc 121 some parts of it anyways it gives me something to do haha. Well i miss you all i had a funny dream the other night mom and dad were here and mom was mad at some other lady and wanted my airsoft gun to shoot them, but i used all the bb's so i got in trouble. Then i helped kylie draw a picture. I laughed at the kylie part because when i get home she isnt a baby not even close. Well i hope you have a great week and christmas season. ~Elder Barney