Still Loves his mission!!

Elder Barlow is so happy serving where he is right now. We love hearing how happy he is. I sent he and his companion, and the other 2 Elders that share his apartment matching Valentine's Ties. So they sent this cute Picture to me!

Here is Elder Barlow's e-mail from Monday February 16th.

 This week has been soooo good! It has been so busy, but it has been one of the greatest weeks i have had on my mission!

My family is doing great as ever! I got a little Valentines package from them and in it was 4 matching ties for me Elder Weiss, Elder Parrish, and Elder Griffin! We were so happy! it was a great little present, and they also sent us a few treats, so that is always good! My family told me that it has been very warm lately up in Cache Valley. I am sure my family is just loving the warm weather!

The area is booming with Success! Just like how i said this week was one of the greatest weeks yet of my mission! Elder Weiss and i were able to have 5 Investigators at church yesterday! The Mesa Family came and then also one of our new investigators Miriam with her two kids! They all loved it! We sang the song " If the Savior Stood Beside Me " for choir in sacrament meeting, and after when i was asking Miriam how she liked the Meeting, she told me that right when we started singing that song, she felt something in her heart!! that was so Awesome to hear! 

With the Mesa Family they were able to go to the Baptism that was on Friday and they also loved that as well. but right after sacrament meeting we dropped Miriam off in gospel Principals with the other missionaries and we had a little meeting with Obispo Quezada so we could talk to the Mesa's about getting married! And they both Accepted to get Married and Baptized! They  have been looking for a church where they can raise their little family in Unity and now from coming to church these past several weeks i think they are starting to find it!

Also Ruben Santana Our Recent Convert Received  the Priesthood! It has been so cool to see him start coming to church in his nice little suits and white shirts!

That is such testimony builder to me to see him growing in this gospel! Ruben has lots of struggles in his life but he just keeps putting his trust in the lord! and just keeps plugging along! He has become a great friend of mine! and he is an example to me! this whole ward is just doing so great!! I have seen so much success in the district these past few weeks and it is just helping me a lot. the work here is so great! The testimony of the members along side with ours is just something indescribably Awesome! I love it!

Elder Weiss is so great! I love him to Pieces! We were able to find some new investigators just by having some of the youth in our area come out with us and take us to go see their friends! And Elder Weiss not even knowing these people before we talk with them has an instant love for them, their dog and cat, and anything else he can see! He is reading the book of Mormon in Spanish like champ! We read it together and it is such spiritual time for both of us! All in all he is just a fantastic companion!

We were able to go help out food share again this week at the Salvation Army with the Senior Share, we met a new site coordinator named Jessica and she had a lot of awesome questions about the missionaries! So it was nice to have a little conversation with her about the church and what missionaries do!

i am glad you all had a happy valentines day! we got the package and it was soooooo great!! WHOOO we all loved it! we are always so blessed!

I love you all!

Los quiero mucho!

ELDER AUSTIN NAUTO O'NEIL BARLOW!

District Leader and Trainer!

We received two great letters from Elder Barlow's Mission President: President Felix. He was letting us know about Austin's new leadership positions. In one he talked about Austin being made Trainer..... and how he would have a companion right out of the MTC, and what an important calling it would be to train this young man. And the 2nd letter talked about Austin being a District Leader, and how the missionaries in his district would be looking to him for guidance. It was pretty awesome to read these letters. Elder Barlow is still living in Oxnard, and is assigned to the Oxnard 5th ward. ( a spanish ward) and he LOVES where he is at right now! Here is his Email from Yesterday!

Hello B Crew!!

Wow it has been another great week! The work is just going so good! Miracles are happening and it is so Awesome!

The family is doing so great! right when me and Elder Weiss got on email he had an email from his mom that said she was able to connect with my mom on Facebook or something like that! So that put a smile on both of our faces. It has been really neat to learn more about Elder Weiss and his family and at the same time share with him more about my family as well! My grandparents are still living and loving their mission in San Diego so i am just overall happy for my family and all the hard work they are doing especially with the cows!

Everything is going smoothly with the area! this past week has been pretty crazy, me and Elder Weiss had set a goal to have as many set appointments as we possibly could! but for just some reason over the week we would always get calls from either, our investigator or a less active and they just had to cancel the appointment, it was good that we had our back up plans in our planners so we could fill in that time! The District is doing so great! And that all comes from the wonderful ward that we are all serving in! The members are starting to turn into beautiful butterflies, just flying and spreading the gospel all around! it is so great!

Elder Weiss is Doing so well! This morning the Zone Leaders had to drop us off at our apartment and we just had a great time cleaning our bathroom together! it really was fun! Elder Weiss seems like he is loving his new bike, it is a very nice bike! This past week we both have been able to see so many miracles from just being at the right place at the right time! We just met people that we had great conversations with about the Gospel! He is always telling everyone he meets his testimony of why he came out on a mission! and that is something awesome to hear! His spirit that he has just wants me to do more and more to help him! He is loving the ward, the work, and life. All is well in his neck of the woods!

Just like i said earlier, the lord has blessed us with being at the right place at the right time! People do notice us, and not only that but they see the good things that we do. And that really does make someone curious of why we do something that way or why we are so nice? and this past week i have been able to see that being a missionary at all times and in all things and in all places really is important! We got a text this past week from Hna. Hurley and Hna. Zarate telling us that they were back in their area, and the also said something that caught my eye.. Every Second Counts In This Sacred Work.. And that is so true, Thank you President For Reminding me that from this past week! I hope not only to tend to that but to Magnify it!

Service was very fun. we were able to go to food share and help them throw away some expired milk that they just lost track of. and on one of the backs of the cartons, it had a quote from Albert Einstein, that said.. If you Have Never Milked a Cow, You have Never Tried Something New. That put a smile on my face!

Keep on Keepin On!

and....

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

ELDER AUSTIN NAUTO O'NEIL BARLOW

los quiero mucho!

                              This picture was from Transfer Day. January 27, 2015 

                                            Elder Barlow and Elder Weiss