2nd letter - postmarked 11/10/08

Mom & Dad;

Ola! Como esta! Es estos muito bein! Evo Ce? Hello! How are you! I am very well! And you? There's just some Portugues for you. Let Grandpa know he has to be be here when I return, as already we are learning to pray and bear our testimonies, so imagine what more I will do by the end. Things are difficult, and what we are asked to do grows in volume every day (and so planning is not merely important, but VITAL.) We had our first gym time, and how wait to do our laundry. My district is full of wonderful people, from my companion to the Irmas to characters like Elder Tom and Elder Ulbrich. There is much to do, the days are years, but the week seems to be but a moment. What a strange, but wondrous blessing.
I wish I could write more concerning myself, but I have some orders of business to handle, first. I must ask concerning a second bag. There are things here which I must purchase, and not enough space in the one bag for them. I will consult my zone leaders and mission president and teachers, I would like to ask your opinion as well. At this time, I wish to request a suit of under armor. We are permitted to wear it beneath our gym clothes during gym time, and I would much appreciate the use of it. There are other supplies which I can get there, so please do not be over surprised if I withdraw funds for this reason. The address on this envelope and the last is the one I will be using while at this MTC. Worry not that I should spend my funds on frivilous things. We are so well fed here that I have yet to finish my pretzels. Please pass on my address to my friends and Matt and the rest of the family, especially Grampa Barney. This letter, being the first I write, may not include my e-mail address. If I finish my letters before I receive it, it will surely come in next week's mail.
The Spirit is strong here. I am surrounded by people who have dedicated themselves to the Work, and it is a powerful feeling. I am having some difficulty focusing, but I pray for it every night. Ah, the praying! Never in my life have I prayed so often, so hard, and so meaningfully. We pray before and after study, (in both personal and companion study) as a room ere we sleep, on our own before and after sleep, before we eat, before we exercize, and as a district, before and after all things. And this does not include larger meetings! Our zone leaders are nice, though they frighten me somewhat. Elder Craig is a large man with great arms for ringing necks. Irma Vega, though beautiful, seems always a step from rending us limb from limb. And Elder Lindquist, well he's not so scary as he reminds me of a youthful Matt. But they are good people, and have thus far endeavored to answer all our questions. Next Thursday is our first teaching lesson. I am excited, yet also afraid. I and Elder Lewis (Yes Elder is Elder em Portugues.) study hard, but since discovering these practice investigators may not be so "practica", I worry still.
We will make it, though. I have faith in Elder Lewis and in the Lord. It will be difficult, but we will endure. I must make and end of writing now, though, for the time draws near to do our laundry, and I may yet write my siblings. If I recall anything, I shall include a postscript.

Eu te amo
Bryan J Barney

Eu = I, te = you, amo = love!

Irmao = Brother, Irma = Sister

PS Cannot log in to e-mail, Not real P-day.