Elder Barlow sent a short and not too descriptive email that just said he was struggling with some things, having a hard time and was missing our family, especially since we have a lot going on with Nate's wedding etc.
He asked us to pray for him. And said he needed to talk with his mission president and that was pretty much it.
We prayed CONSTANTLY for Elder Barlow and worried about him all week. Finally on Saturday we got a sweet letter in the mail from him. It didn't explain in detail what his struggles were. But gave us some insight into just how difficult a mission can be! He was recommitted to his mission, and we are so grateful for that. I know that Satan can really make you doubt and fear things, and I know he was working hard on Elder Barlow.
Please keep Elder Barlow in your prayers every day!
Here is the happy letter!
And Finally that brings us to Yesterday's Happy Missionary Monday email!
I though about editing the parts where he answers my questions, but I didn't, so please bear with the questions that he answers!
Hey B Crew!!!!!
I am so glad that you guys got my letter before today! i wish it could have gotten home faster! This week has been so different with everything after talking with president castro my thoughts about the mission turned upside down!! I cant tell you how many blessings i am getting! Es Muy Bien! Estoy muy agradecido por me misscion! yo puedo sentir el mucho bendiciones de me famila!! I love you guys so much! i am so glad that you are all my family! I was able to go on exchanges with one of my zone leaders on satuday His name is Elder Paz! he was born in peru and he is a convert when he was 17! He is so aweosme! we worked so hard all day with the studys before and the meeting we had after we were done with working we only had 6 hours of sharing the gospel! and i know the lord was on my side! We got 9 declarations 4 other lessons and 2 new investigators but he coolest part was in planning the night before we decided to invite 2 people to be baptized just people that when the spirit told us to do it we would so i said how about we invite 3! so we chose to do that! and at the end of our day we invited 4 people to be baptized!!! it was some of the best numbers i have had my whole mission! that exchange was one of the best ones yet! it will be hard to beat! I also got to talk in sacrament meeting yesterday with my 2 companions!! yupp thats right i have 2 comps right now. unti the end of this week cause elder buckmiller goes home and elder fridal is in pismo beach! but it is so much fun to have elder fridal with us he is from malta idaho and his family owns a gas station on the side of the freeway! he is a character let me tell ya! he is a funny sheldon! haha! But things i could need is.... i love getting letters it does not matter who from. it makes my day so much better when i just have one letter in the mail! and mom yes it is ok to have brown shoes on the mission where the picture of the ones i sent you the elder got them at mr. mac! im sure you are working on getting some pictures to me that would be awesome to get some pictures! get alot from the wedding cause i am really sad that i am missing that!! haha Remember my shoe size is 11.5 haha some elders have got ties in the mail that would be sweet! But mostly i want to have some pictures and i love getting letters! and i can only write back on p- day sorrow i have not been sending pics. i have been taking many but i need to get a memory card reader that plugs into the computer. so i will send some soon! I dont need my winter coat yet i might not even needit at all cause my klim jacket is working really good! on the misson we are allowed to have light grey pants so maybe you could go look for some at the kater shop my suit pants are more tapered then the other ones and i like my suit pants the best. so maybe you could find a pair that is more tapered but if not its ok it is just way more comfortable. i will try to look for some too! Thanks guys for praying for me! Yo puedo sentir sus orarciones!! i pray for all of you everyday! every prayer that i say!! I Loved reading todays email from home it was so great! I just want to tell you guys that i am doing better than i ever have before in my life!! I have so many great people around me i am so blessed!! I cant wait till next weeks email! B CREW FOR LIFE!! I Love You Guys!!
I am so glad that you guys got my letter before today! i wish it could have gotten home faster! This week has been so different with everything after talking with president castro my thoughts about the mission turned upside down!! I cant tell you how many blessings i am getting! Es Muy Bien! Estoy muy agradecido por me misscion! yo puedo sentir el mucho bendiciones de me famila!! I love you guys so much! i am so glad that you are all my family! I was able to go on exchanges with one of my zone leaders on satuday His name is Elder Paz! he was born in peru and he is a convert when he was 17! He is so aweosme! we worked so hard all day with the studys before and the meeting we had after we were done with working we only had 6 hours of sharing the gospel! and i know the lord was on my side! We got 9 declarations 4 other lessons and 2 new investigators but he coolest part was in planning the night before we decided to invite 2 people to be baptized just people that when the spirit told us to do it we would so i said how about we invite 3! so we chose to do that! and at the end of our day we invited 4 people to be baptized!!! it was some of the best numbers i have had my whole mission! that exchange was one of the best ones yet! it will be hard to beat! I also got to talk in sacrament meeting yesterday with my 2 companions!! yupp thats right i have 2 comps right now. unti the end of this week cause elder buckmiller goes home and elder fridal is in pismo beach! but it is so much fun to have elder fridal with us he is from malta idaho and his family owns a gas station on the side of the freeway! he is a character let me tell ya! he is a funny sheldon! haha! But things i could need is.... i love getting letters it does not matter who from. it makes my day so much better when i just have one letter in the mail! and mom yes it is ok to have brown shoes on the mission where the picture of the ones i sent you the elder got them at mr. mac! im sure you are working on getting some pictures to me that would be awesome to get some pictures! get alot from the wedding cause i am really sad that i am missing that!! haha Remember my shoe size is 11.5 haha some elders have got ties in the mail that would be sweet! But mostly i want to have some pictures and i love getting letters! and i can only write back on p- day sorrow i have not been sending pics. i have been taking many but i need to get a memory card reader that plugs into the computer. so i will send some soon! I dont need my winter coat yet i might not even needit at all cause my klim jacket is working really good! on the misson we are allowed to have light grey pants so maybe you could go look for some at the kater shop my suit pants are more tapered then the other ones and i like my suit pants the best. so maybe you could find a pair that is more tapered but if not its ok it is just way more comfortable. i will try to look for some too! Thanks guys for praying for me! Yo puedo sentir sus orarciones!! i pray for all of you everyday! every prayer that i say!! I Loved reading todays email from home it was so great! I just want to tell you guys that i am doing better than i ever have before in my life!! I have so many great people around me i am so blessed!! I cant wait till next weeks email! B CREW FOR LIFE!! I Love You Guys!!
Elder Barlow
We are so happy that Elder Barlow has found the answers to his prayers and made it through his first extreme case of homesickness! Please continue to pray for him and MOST OF ALL:
Send him letters!! He may not have time to write back, but send them anyway so he can feel your support!
Here is his address again!
Elder Austin O'Neil Barlow
Elder Austin O'Neil Barlow
California Ventura Mission
3301 West Gonzales Road
Oxnard, CA 93036
Thank you Everyone!!
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