Email- 12/1/09

From: Bryan Barney
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 7:32 AM
Subject: Re: RE: Happy Thanksgiving

Well, transfers have rolled on around again. I´ll be here in Anápolis through Christmas. And probably New Year´s, as well. 6 more weeks in the city, I only hope to do much better in these 6. Elder Rosin will be continuing as a District Leader, but was transferred to Rio Verde. I will be District Leader over half the city, and, well, I´M TRAINING AGAIN!! It looks like every transfer things get that much more challenging. I only hope I´ll be able to carry out all of my duties and prepare our mission for the Mission Tour.

Thanksgiving I ate rather little. I mean, I ate 3 plates at lunch, but there was no pie, nor turkey, so, haha. Outside that it was just another normal work day for me. Running around, trying to make right everything that´s not here in the area. I wish there were some way to get the fire started here in this area, but until now the wood´s all green and soggy, haha.

I can´t believe it. Tony Lefler got hitched? Aw man, I remember when he was in Junior High School. I am SO OLD. Especially given that my new companion will be leaving, not in 2009, nor in 2010, but in 2011! I´m so ancient!! Elder is just a title, not an age! Yeesh. Just lacking Wade or Brent to get hitched and I´ll start calling myself the Ancient of Days. Everyone I know is getting married, ack!

Hey, I didn´t know Corey was out in the Phillipines. Does that mean he´s speaking Filipino and everything? I think I read something about a Temple being built out there soon.

Flannel wouldn´t help much at all here. It never really gets too cold. At night we turn on the fan, and during the day we just kinda sweat. Even so you still have the gangster kids who dress in fur coats and the goths who walk around in the full sun in all black. How, I don´t know. I myself, find it hot enough in Mission Standard. How much more in a cape and mask?

If my packages arrive this week, maybe I´ll be able to pick them up soon, since tomorrow I have to go to Goiânia and pick up my novinho, and on the 18th we´ll be out there for the Mission Tour. I´m just hoping my new companion is a Brasilian, cuz if not, I´ll have to learn how to teach him portuguese, which I don´t know how to do, heh.

Élder Strange is still in the ward? I think he´s been there since I arrived in Aparecida. Which is a long time, since I was still a Jr. at the time. I too had to talk Sunday. I was asked some 3 minutes before giving the talk to give it. So I gave one on Obedience. I don´t think it´ll have any effect on the rebellious, motley crew here, but hey, you never know.

I remember, as a kid, always hearing that the Elders were baptizing, but not retaining, and I always asked, "Hey, but why is no one sticking around." Nowadays I reflect and ask myself, "Well, where was I when that person got baptized? How many times did I speak to them during the following weeks? How many of them did I know the name of? When they needed help, where was I?" So, in response to that, Dad, that´s what I´d say. I don´t believe a quorum of Élderes can be "Too big" To know everyone of them. My quorum is some 120 Élderes, and I know the better part, and those I don´t know are because they live in the next state over and I´ve never had a chance to meet them.

But then again, maybe our Elders´Quorum back home is a lot bigger. I don´t know.

I have to take off now. I have a lot to do today, in preparation for tomorrow. I love you all, and send my love to the whole ward up there. Say hi to Matt for me when he passes by. Oh, and yes, 11 more payments Mom, but hey, who´s counting?

Love, Bryan