Elder oaks

Hello!
I was expecting a much more beautiful fall here in Georgia considering all of the tree's... hopefully it is still on the way but as for now I will dream of the beautiful Utah fall!
I have been sick this last week with a cold and a sinus infection, I was put on antibiotics for the sinus infection and the cold is just something i have to deal with- hopefully it will be gone in the next few days so I won't be such a hard companion to deal with. :)
On Saturday I had the great privledge of being able to shake Elder Oaks hand, it was such an amazing experience to be able to be that close to someone who is a special witness of Jesus Christ. It talked about a lot of things but there are two subjects which really stood out to me. The first one being the Sacrament, throughout our life we will partake of the sacrament 1000's of times but it is because we need each and every one of those times to be able to fully repent and renew our baptisimal covenants so we can continue to enjoy the blessing of having the Holy Ghost with us at all time. The gift of the Holy Ghost is what makes us different, what a blessing it is to have him with us at all time :)
The second thing he talked about was the 10 things missionaries should take home from a mission.
1. A testimony of the Father and the Son
2. A greatly enlarged testimony of the gospel
3. Love for the people among whom you labor.
4. Greater love and appreciation for your parents
5. Understanding the meaning of hard work
6. Understanding the meaning and importance of personal virtue
7. Increased polish and poise
8. Courage to act
9. Faith to try
10. Humility to pray  
I thought these were cool and something I wish to have by the end of my mission- to truly become a missionary by realizing that this is not my time but the Lords.
I was able to drive through Atlanta for the first time since being here, it's a cool city! I also ate at the famous resturatnt The Varsity, my arteries feel very clogged from the food I ate.... I probably won"t ever eat there again but thats okay- it was a good experience (I am sorry if I repeat myself in letters- time is very jumbled) This coming week we have Mission Leadership council at the mission home, it will be my first time going there :) I am excited to be able to be at this council and talk about the progress of the mission.
We have been working with a lot of less active members and recent converts- It has been really good! I love these people.
This morning I was thinking about how blessed I have been, today I feel overwhelemed with gratitude.
I am so thankful to have the love and support back at home, I am thankful to be a part of the Georgia Atlanta Mission, and I am so thankful for the blessing of the gospel in my life and the testimony that I have.
I love you all so very much and I hope you have a great week :)
Love,
Em

Hi There

Hello!
Another week has come and gone, here we are again. Currently we are in the children's section of the library so there are little kids sitting behind me playing games on the computer... oh to be a kid again!
Things have been super busy here in millcreek. This last week we had Elder Evans of the 70 come to our mission and talk to us about a lot of things- he also changed quite a few of the things that we do in the mission- which is exciting!
This coming week Elder Oaks of the 12 apostles is coming to talk to this mission and the north mission!!!! ( I get to see my MTC mission friends!!! woohooo!) I am so excited to hear him speak!
This morning we were able to go help plant flowers on the temple ground- it was really cool that we were able to be on the temple ground for a few hours to be able to serve the lord in that capacity.
I am doing pretty good, this week my goal is to drink more water and to eat right- I realize that when I don't do these things I am a lot more tired and I am not able to do everything to the best of my ability... so thus the new goal!
I realize it is getting a little hard being with the same person for three months straight. I love Sister Diehl but I am grateful when we have exchanges every week because it gives us each a little time to breathe. I have been learning so much from all the other sisters, hopefully they are learning a little something from me too! I usually like to make commitments with each of the sisters, a personal commitment and work commitment, they seem to be going well and they help me to make my own commitments for my own personal progression.
We have been working with two guys who are super religious (non-denominational with a baptist influence) they ask so many questions at every lesson. Sometimes (most times) I get really frustrated because I can't even finish a sentence without them asking all these nity gritty questions. Thus I have been doing a lot of studying to try and help them understand... This last week I may or may not have told one of them that their bible may not be absolutely completely true because of errors due to translation and grammatical misinterpretation- the guy may or may not have gotten really mad at me... ( my comp and the member with us may have been even more livid at me....) not a great situation I ended up getting myself in.... I was able to smooth the conversation over but I realized that sometimes I just need to keep my mouth shut because I am passionate and stubborn. This can be good and it can also be bad... Moderation in all things right?
Missions are funny because they expose everything under the sun that I struggle with/am bad at... I am happy that I still have a little bit of life left ahead of me where I can work to be a better person. here a little there a little. precept by precept!
Thank you for listen to me ramble today, I love ya'll so much!
I will talk to you soon :)
Love,
Em

Squirrels and cockroaches

Dear Family friends and country men! Lend me your ears.
Things are going pretty well here in the GAM. This last week we didn't have a car so we haven't been able to get around as easily but no fret hopefully we will be getting it back today!
Funny story- so the other day the zone leaders were walking out of the church building and they were holding something behind their backs- I asked them what it was and they told me that I really didn't want to know... well I was stubborn and I made them show me... They had intentionally killed a squirrel with their car on the way to the building and they had put it in a plastic bag with the intent to skin it later. Lets just say I was a little mortified with them and their actions ... But then I touched it and it had gone into rigor mortis, I wasn't so upset by it at that point- mainly because it was cool and I like body things... but that is what the missionaries do in Georgia apparently- I thought I would give you a little insight. Hopefully no one is grossed out... remind me not to tell you about how the eye ball came out of it's head ;)
Anyways....
The powder springs stake has stake conference this last weekend. Elder Evans of the Seventy came to speak to us- he talked a lot about missionary work and inviting others to participate in the work of salvation for themselves and others. He invited everyone to go to the temple often and to pray for missionary opportunities. It was edifying and wonderful!
This week in my personal study I have been studying a lot about the influence of the Holy Ghost and the plan of salvation- there is a really cool talk I have that I need to send to pa because I think he would really like it (so I just need to get around to that) But anyways... This morning I learned something really cool! As we pray we can be led by the Holy ghost to know what to pray for and that way we align our wills to the will of the Father- Isn't that cool? I guess I never understood that before.- it's amazing the things that I have been learning on my mission!
Grandma, thank you so much for the package that you sent me! I was so excited and the cute little BYU bear made me happy.
I really wish I could express my gratitude to all of you. I honestly couldn't do this without all of your prayers and love. I think about ya'll often, I worry but I know you are taken care of. I am excited to talk to you in 75 days (not that I am counting down or anything :)) I think it is so strange that it has been almost 4 months since I have heard your voices and almost 5 months since I have seen ya'll. absence makes the heart grow fonder right? You all must really be fond of me by this point ;)
Oh also I may have given you the wrong zip code on my address it's 30127
Well! I love you! Take care and have an awesome week.
from your little missionary in the Georgia woods.
Sister Barnett
P.s did you know cockroaches fly? nasty  

Transfer week

Hey guess what!? I'm not getting transfered! Sister Diehl isn't either, she will have to diehl with me for at least another 6 weeks (did you get my pun? haha)
The residuals of last week left this week to be a hard one as well but things just have to start looking up for us this week :) I just know it!
Conference was so good- I am excited to get the printed version to be able to study it. I kept trying to find people I know in the audience, I felt oddly close to home. I miss home.
This week we aren't going to have a car becasue it's getting fixed, I imagine we will have pleanty of time to study up on everything! before I came into this area the boy scouts trailer hit the side of the car and put a huge gash into the door, they are going to get us a new door. The car we drive is red, I don't like the color very much.
In our zone we are getting another set of sisters so now we will be over 5 companionships, hopefully they aren't crazy :)
As of now (for the next 6 weeks) make sure to send any mail to
Sister Emily Barnett
120 b Brownsville ext
powder springs GA 30127

So the weather is getting a little bit cooler at night here in the big GA. we aren't getting any snow though! I hear there is snow at home... Weird! Do ya'll still have leaves on the trees? Things are just begining to change color here... this last week I took off my shoes and I crunched (leaves don't get quite as crunchy here because it's a little bit more damp) in a few of the leaves, just like mom and I used to do :) it made me happy!
The other day we walked up kennesaw mountain (not a real mountain) with one of our investigators, we talked about the plan of salvation with him.... but then he tried to convince us to become unificationists, I told him I would read his book when I get home becasue we always ask people to read our book. Other religions facinate me, especially their view of the fall of Adam and Eve.
Grandma, thank you for the sweater you sent me! I wore it yesterday :)
I have come to the point in my mission where I feel like two realities are coliding together, Sister Barnett and Emily. It is a really interesting thing that I don't even know how to describe. At least these two people are starting to turn into one person- a very changed person. Change is good.
I really loved Elder Hollands talk that he gave in Conference, he spoke about depression- which hit home for me in a lot of aspects. I believe that one day we will all be perfected and those imbalances within our brains will go away, we will all rejoice- especially for those whom we love who will be made whole. I can't wait for that day.
Well my dear family, I love you all so much! Christmas is coming up in a transfer and a half- I can't wait to talk to ya'll :)
Macie... HAPPY BIRTHDAY this coming week :) I hope you have the best day ever! I will be thinking about you :)
okay, i think that is all I needed to say.
LOVE,
EMILY