8/20/19 - If you still read these emails you're a champ

I think some of my favorite things about serving a mission are the never ending milagres. Sometimes we make a contact with someone who prayed to be shown the right path, other times we talk with people who have seen the missionaries but were too embarassed to ask about the church. I love this work.

Lots of miracles this week: 

We went to Jandirato help the sisters there. Sister Ramirez twisted her ankle and is house bound for 10 days. I went out to work with Sister Xerez. Jandira is the worst area for sisters when it comes to hills. The miracle here is that I didn't die climbing favellas and hills all day. Whoot!

Tiago has almost completly stopped smoking! It's only been 2 weeks since we made goals with him. We're so proud of him!

We found Babi! She's a fashion designer who wanted to "donate" clothes for the missionaries. When we went to teach her she said she was praying for a new direction and a happier life! God answers prayers! She was impressed with our work and said, "Wow, you guys do what the apostles did!" It's true! As missionaries we're apostles with a little "a", we're called to bring the world His truth.

Sister DeBarros and I fasted this week with the purpose to find a family of 4. During this fast the Lord blessed us to find not one, but two families of 4 that we are now teaching. It's like President Ribeiro says, when we're specific with the Lord, he'll answer us acording to our obidence. 

Remember Thauany who stopped us on the street when we were walking to the metro? Remember how she asked about the church and The Book of Mormon? She was baptized this week! I love her so much! I'm so grateful I got to be apart of her story. 

We had another meeting with mission HQ in SLC to explain the new Area Book Planner app we'll be using instead of our notebook planners and paper area books. I got to play translater again! This new tool will make our work a lot more efficent! We are busy making plans to train the mission on the use of this app in the coming weeks. I'm pumped!

My comp has been making fun of me because these days because I've been walking like an old lady. A mission is physically draining. Everything hurts and I'm always tired, but you can bet I'll keep living it up until the very end. I'm having the time of my life and I truly am very happy. I find so much joy in seeing people's lives change because of the power of Christ's Atonement. I come to love Him more and more each day.

Have a top da galáxia week!

Sister Barlow

1) Thauany's baptism

2) Look how cute this picture is after she came out of the water

3) My cute companion surprised me with American donuts (very rare in Brazil) after a division with Santana.

4) O amor do meu coração 

5) Jandira!