Week late

In the next few weeks it will be the national day of prayer. Bartow county (the county I am serving in) happens to have the largest prayer celebration the country! I get to be part of this amazing work here in Bartow county! How incredible :) 
This week we have had a lot of success in our work! We were able to reach many of our goals and we are seeing miracles all of the time. 
This week sister Pitcher and I had a long discussion about commitments. If we are truly committed to something we will do everything in our power to accomplish it. I had to take a big look at myself and recognize where my commitment is and if I am as committed to certain things as I need to be. I have had to make a lot of changes in myself and my commitment level. 
I am thankful for the chance the Lord has given me to be able to repent and to be better each day. 
I am not sure how many of you have had the chance to watch a new Mormon message called Because of Him. Watching this changed my life. easter.mormon.org you can check it out here :) 
Another thing that happened this week was an amazing zone training meeting! It was one of the best zone trainings I have had on my mission. We talked about families and we sung a few hymns that remind us of the importance of the family. This zone training gave me great hope for my future family and for my current family. 
I know that families are ordained of God. I am so thankful that the biggest emphasis that the church places is in the family. Although families are not perfect I know that we are placed in them to be perfected. 
I love my family more than I can relate in an email. 
We were able to teach many people this week with members. I have come to realize the importance of members in this work. My mission is going to make me a better member of the church when I am no longer a missionary. 

I met a really cool recent convert yesterday named patti. After I left her home I felt uplifted and edified. The coolest thing about patti is that she has 28 cats in her home.... No joke. If I could be as cool as patti I would have 28 cats. When we were leaving her home she told us to wait. She went inside and came back out with a four leaf clover that she gave to me. She was so sweet and close to the spirit. It was exactly what I needed in that moment. I love how God works through others to show his love to his children. 
I know God is real. I have no doubt :)
Thank you for all you do for me! I love ya'll so much :) 
Keep being amazing and stay strong. 
I am praying for each of you daily. 
With love, 
Sister Emily Barnett 

There are Ants (Cockroaches) in my pants (shirt)

You should all be proud of me that I send you two or three paragraph emails. I just got an email from my friend in the North mission and her email was one small paragraph to her family and friends. 
This week has been crazy. On Monday we had a great zone p-day and we were able to go to the park and be kids for a little bit. We played a great game of ultimate Frisbee and kickball. 
We worked hard this week trying to find people to teach through the members. We were able to get a lot of referrals from all the people that we are working with in the ward! It was great. 
We are teaching a lot of black people again, which makes me happy. I honestly don't know what I am going to do without black people in Utah. 
My favorite new investigator that we are teaching is Gary. He was a  former investigator and he has got to be one of the funniest guys ever! 
He is in his 50's and he is always moving and doing something. The thing I love about Gary is that he likes helping other people. All the people he is friends with rely on him and he helps them. He has some colorful friends though... We met one of them named t-bone. T-bone told us that he is just an "old pimp" that doesn't know what to do anymore. He is living with his ex and his baby and came to Gary for a therapy session.
The prayer gathering for Bartow county was one of the most interesting things in my entire life. Last night sister pitcher and I walked into a baptist church.... We sang some Baptist songs and then at the end 5 preachers went to the front and took turns praying. They were not like any prayers I have ever heard in my entire life. The last preacher was screaming and yelling so loud that his face was bright red and I thought he was going to pass out or get a hernia. Literally it was crazy and I wish I could have recorded it. It was amazing because we were able to get into the church building and get our names out there. It was truly a miracle. 
Last week I lost my camera. I am not sure if I will be able to find it... It's a little bit sad because it had all my pictures from my mission but I know that it is all in the lords hands and I will get those memories back if it is his will. 
I wanted to tell you my cockroach story before I go.... Right above the toilet in the bathroom there is a fan. We were leaving the apartment after lunch and I was going to the bathroom before we left. As I was about to get up from the toilet I felt something drop down from the fan down the back of my shirt.... I wiggled a little bit and a cockroach fell out on the floor next to me.. I pulled up my skirt and I ran out as fast as I could screaming. It was so gross. I hope it gives you a laugh. 
We are moving out of our apartment to a new one next week. I won't be sad to leave the little critters. 
I love ya'll so much and I am thankful to have such amazing people in my life! 
I wish you the best week ever!
Love, 
Sister Em-a-Lay (my black name) Barnett

last week... C-Ville

Cartersville is awesome! 
This week I almost got killed by a pitbull and I met some of the most interesting people around! I sure love how these people are humble and full of personality. I also have never met more people in my life who have been to prison. 
Conference was just what I needed in my life. I learned so many things and I am excited to study more the conference edition when it comes out next month. I loved the talks on missionary work and hastening the work of salvation. 
I am learning how to knock doors again. It is so much fun! yesterday we even knocked in the rain! We have found some awesome people that we will go and talk to again this week. 
We had one of our investigators come to conference and a member brought one of his friends! It was really cool to see them feel the spirit as they heard the prophets voice. I loved in conference how they focused so much on the basic principles of the gospel. This is something that we can never know enough about. I have learned on my mission the depth that is in the basics. 
I am learning a lot from Sister Pitcher. She is really good at planning things and she is always so considerate and kind to people. I look up to her a lot and I know we are companions for a reason. 
During the week I was getting down a lot on myself, I felt like I wasn't a very good missionary because I do things a little differently from my companion. I was doing a lot of comparing. I knelt and I said a prayer and I felt in my heart that the Lord loves me for me. He doesn't need me to be anyone else, he needs me to be Sister Emily Katherine Louise Barnett. My whole week changed after this experience. 
I want each of you to know that God loves you for being you! I also love each of you for being you. Thank you for the influence each of you have had on me. I am better because of the people I know. 
I pray that you will each have a great week! 
I am really going to work on writing better emails each week :) 
Happy Birthday to my dear brother in law and Baby Gwenyth (welcome to the world)! Happy anniversary to my James and Malissa!!!!! 

Love my family!!!! 
Sister Emily Barnett 

Happy Easter!

Good Morning! (for just a minute longer here in Georgia!) 
This week we have been truly blessed of the Lord. I am so Thankful for the opportunity that I have to be a representative of Jesus Christ! Especially at this beautiful time of the year! Easter has always been one of the best holidays. Although I won't get to meet easter roladin this year I am thankful that I get to be here and I know it is well worth the sacrifice. 
I wanted to share my testimony with each of you today. 
I have come to know my Savior in a much more personal way while I have been on my mission. I have learned about him and each day I have been able to testify of his divinity as the only begotten son of our Heavenly Father. Although I am not perfect He has given me strength to continue moving forward when I wanted to give up. I have felt the forgiveness and the peace that He brings. I have been happy, happier than I have ever been as I have had the chance to serve Him. 
I know that He died for each of us but more than that... I know that he Lives again! This knowledge has made me whole. I know that it can make each of you whole again. No matter who you are or where you are in life, know that there is peace in Christ. 
I love the Lord. I know that his kingdom has been restored to the earth again. 
I leave my testimony with you and I stand as a witness. I know through the Holy Ghost that these things are true. If you know nothing else about me... Know that I know that Christ lives! 
Yesterday we had an amazing miracle! We were able to take a sweet young women out with us. We went around to some of our investigators and then we decided to go tracting a little bit with her. We drove into this neighborhood and then we went to 1 house. The lady came out and accept the invitation to say a prayer with us. She let us into her home and we were able to teach her about the restoration and about the power of prayer! It was amazing. 
I am so blessed to be able to serve here in Cartersville! The people are humble and they have real struggles but I know the Lord loves them. I have never desired peoples happiness like I do now. 
We also met an amazing lady named Kim! She is so open to the Gospel and wants the peace that comes. She told us the other day she was waiting for us to come. She was a miracle in my life! 
The weather is getting warm here and the pollen is going crazy! Allergies are horrible around these parts. I am thankful for antihistamines! 
I hope everyone is doing well! I hope that this week is like the best week ever. I hope you all know how much I love and care about each of you. You are in my prayers each day. 
Happy Easter! 
LOVE MY FAMILY!
Sister Emily Barnett 

Cartersville

Okay okay okay.
Here I sit in Cartersville! my lovely new area. I feel like I am really in the south now!
I already love this place and the ward so much. I am excited for the miracles I am going to see here. I must admit though that this was a very very difficult week leaving my beloved millcreek branch. But it is okay. I know I must move forward and be the missionary the Lord wants me to be. I am excited for all the miracles and families here in this blessed place.
Cartersville is very humble. Not as rich as the past area's I have served in. It is also very country. :) I am going to come home from this place with a very thick southern accent :)
get excited everyone!
My new companion is the mighty Sister Pitcher! She is a doll and I already love her so much! She is tall and skinny and is from Orem. She is down to earth and she loves the lord. She has already taught me so much.
We have both been out on our missions the same amount of time... 10 mighty moths of miracles we have seen. I love that we both kinda know what we are doing! She is doing a great job showing me the Cartersville ropes though :)
This week has felt so long! but I guess that is what happens with transfers. :)
When I got to Cartersville, we were able to put a great mom on date for baptism on the 20th of April. Her name is Heather and she is SO prepared. She has a big family she will bring along with her. If ya'll could pray for her that would be just amazing.
In life often things change and it can be hard but I know that the Lord is with each of us and he is helping us along the way. The gospel is one thing that will never change in our lives, this I am thankful for!
I know that God is real and I know that he sent his son Jesus Christ so that we can be happy forever. I know that the fullness of the gospel is on the earth in these days!
I know that the temple is the house of God and I am thankful to have it in my life.
LOVE MY FAMILY!!!!
have a fantastic week ya'll!
Be prayin' for Cartersville. WE WILL SEE MEERCLES (that's how we say it in the south)
Love your guts!
Sister Emily Barnett

farewell to the branch

I am having some bitter sweet feelings today. I will be transferring out of the branch this Wednesday. I am sad because I have come to loves these people more then I ever thought I could and I will miss them. But I am also excited because I know there is a reason for me to be going somewhere else.
At the end of next transfer I will be just about at my 1 year mark. How weird is it that time goes by so quickly.
Yesterday I had the great opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting. I was able to talk about the principle of Faith. I spoke about how I have learned to have power in my life because of the Faith I have had. It was a great moment for me to reflect and share with the branch all they have done for me in my own personal development.
I have realized something amazing that the branch and my mission has given to me. I have been given more depth of character. I am so much better because of the decision I made to serve a mission.
I want to give a little shout out to lil's in this letter home.... I am so proud of you for the great decision you have made! I promise it will change your life for the better. You are going to be an amazing missionary!
So we almost had a baptism this week. Ya'll have heard about me talk about Summer so many times... Well last week during weekly planning Sis Nielsen and I decided we wanted a baptism before I left the branch. We made a list of all of our investigators who had the potential to be baptized in the next few days. We had a lesson with Summer that evening and we decided to invite her to be baptized on Saturday. That night she accepted but then the next day she decided it wasn't what she wanted. Although it didn't happen it was an amazing miracle because it was the first time she had actually considered being baptized. It will happen when she is ready.
Thank you little black name tag that gives me the authority to invite others to follow Jesus Christ, even if they don't accept.
I am so thankful for the time I have had in the branch. It has changed my life forever. I have come to know my savior. 
 2 Nephi 22: 2. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.

He has become my salvation.
I love each of you more than you know. Thank you for all you do for me. I hope you have a wonderful day and week.
With so much love,
Sister Em Barnett

The sun is shining!

Dear Family,
This week has been dramitically better. There were so many amazing things that happened and the spirit was felt ever so strongly in my life. I am thankful for trials and opposition in my life becasue it helps me to be a stronger and better person.

 

 Last week we were asked from President Harding to find someone to invite to baptism for a specific date so we could all reach the top together. All week we were working so hard to find people to talk to but we weren't having any luck. Finally on friday evening at about 8 pm with only an hour left I felt the inspiration to go to a store called 5 below. When we got there we went over to the tshirts and starting talking to one of the employees named shequia. As we were talking to her the spirit was strong and we were able to invite her to baptism, she accept a specific date. It was one of the coolest experieces because of how directed we were. Unfortunatly she isn't a YSA so we will need to pass her to other missionaries. I feel so thankful that I was able to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. 

 

We also got to meet with Elder Cook this last week on saturday, the meeting was really amazing and we learned a lot of great things for our area and how to be better teachers. He told us all that we are exactly where we need to be right now. I was so thankful to hear that from him. He also talked to us a lot about agency and the importance of having faith. "if the missionaries have more faith they will have more success." it is as simple as that!

After the meeting as we were driving through Atlanta to get home (such an amazing place!) we went and got some food from chipotle. I was so happy becasue I haven't had food from there in a really long time. It was a treat for me!

 

Guess how many people we had at church this week? it was a record breaking 3 investigators!!!!!!! I haven't seen that happen in so long. It was so refreshing and wonderful. Jonathan came (the guy from hibbets) and he really liked it but now he has a ton of questions.

 

I am so thankful for the miracles we have seen and for the opportunity I have to be a missionary! I love being here and I love this gospel! :) Thank you for all of your love and support.
With love,
Sister Emily Barnett

2 in a row

Okay! here we go again!
This was one of the most interesting weeks of my mission, and I hate to say one of the hardest. But all is well because hope is shining brightly before us and we KNOW that deliverance is nigh!
Do ya'll remember my investigator Eric? Well on my birthday we received a call from his family informing us that he had passed away from an overdose. I was a little bit devastated, but something amazing happened. I felt the overwhelming peace that the knowledge of the gospel and the Plan of Salvation brings. I know that there is someone teaching him on the other side and I know that he will accept the gospel.
Some other things happened this week that made it less than Ideal but i am trying to keep the best attitude about all of it and continue moving forward. I was able to receive a blessing this week and in it I was told that my family is my support and that many prayers are being said in my behalf. I want to thank each of you so much for being my support and comfort when trial comes about. I couldn't do all of this without you.
This week we are expecting many miracles to come our way. One miracle is that we will be able to meet Elder Cook! He is coming to our mission and we are all so excited! This will be the second general authority that I will have the opportunity of meeting on my mission.
A few weeks ago we were out contacting in the mall and we saw one of our former investigators named David. We were able to stop and talk to him and meet his friend Ashley. A few days later we taught Ashley the restoration, it was a good lesson but she was a little bit confused because it was a lot different from the Pentecostal church. Well.... A few days ago we were talking to some other sisters about some YSA's that they have been working with and they told us that they had been teaching Ashley's mom! Nothing says prepared as much as that! We are so excited to see where this goes with both of them. I love when we meet people and I know that Angels have been with them preparing them to receive the gospel!
I wanted to tell ya'll today that I know that God is real. I promise you that he loves you and is watching out for all of us. I am so thankful to be a missionary and that I get to represent my Savior.
I love ya'll so much.
I hope you have a fantastic week!
Sister Emily Katherine Louise Barnett

 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

 

 

 

Happy monday!
Happy Birthday to me!
Next week when you get my email I will be 21... I am not sure how I feel about it.... It's like the time when I turned 11 and I cried about it. I will make it a happy birthday though, no need to fear!
Sister Nielsen had a good birthday, we were able to meet with lots of people and see a lot of cool things happen! We ended up meeting with Summer (do ya'll remember her? the one that had her dad pass away a few months ago when I was with Sister Diehl?) Well she is doing well and she wants to start meeting again!
Sara Pearl, our current investigator came to church on sunday! She said she liked it, which is always a good thing :) It was a little bit awkward becasue in Sunday School we talked about a lot of really deep doctrine... She didn't seem to mention it though so maybe she wasn't paying attention (which in this situation could be a good thing)
Tonight we will be meeting with Teah! We have a super awesome lesson about Faith planned for her!
Last week we were driving back to our apartment after District meeting for lunch and we passed this guy on the side of the road who was just taking a walk. We got out of the Car and went and talked to him, I love moments like that when I really feel like a missionary in action. We were able to set a return appointment and meet with him the next day. His name is Akwo and he has been in America for 2 months! We taught him about the restoration and he told us he would read and pray about the Book of Mormon. The reason this was such a cool experience is becasue we listened to the spirit and we really felt like we needed to pull over and talk to him, and becasue we did that now he knows that there is more! Experiences like this have happened a few times on my mission and every time I am so thankful that we decide to talk to these people. The Lord loves all the people and now so do I! How cool is it that we can come to love people that we don't even know?
The tempurature has been wonderful here, I no longer need a coat!
I am feelling a lot better than I did last week and I am just so happy to be a missionary!
Thank you for all of the support and love! also thank you for the Birthday wishes :) They mean so much to me!
I pray everyone is happy and doing well!
I love you and I will talk to you next week.
Love,
Sister Em Barnett

Valentines and Strep Throat!

Thank you so much for all the Valentines wishes!
I hope everyone had a great day filled with love and happiness!!! My Valentines was pretty great! I would probably have to say it was one of the best ones i have ever had! No stress, no worry, just sharing the gospel with the people in Georgia!

This last week was very interesting.... Guess who got strep throat? I did! Luckily we had a really bad weather day and we weren't really supposed to leave becasue of all the ice on the day when I got really sick. That day I was able to sleep! I am also now on antibiotics so I am feeling a lot better! Hopefully this week we will be back in the swing of things :)

 

We were able to teach a lot of our investigators and meet with some of our new investigators this last week, I sure love being a missionary! We taught a great lesson about the restoration to our investigator Teah that I told you about a few weeks ago! We told her that she could come to know that the Book of Mormon is true by the 8th of march. Unfortunately she didn't come to church, we will meet with her again on wednesday! 
On sunday lilly and Gerard, the recent converts, were asked to stand on sunday and bear their testimonies. It was so exciting and Sister Nielsen and I were both very proud of them :) It is amazing to see the change that comes to peoples lives because of the Gospel, they are both proof of that.

This week I also had quite a bit of time to study and catch up on a lot of the things I want to read. I was able to get more into the book Jesus the Christ by James Talmage. Becasue of this book I am learning a lot more about my Savior and his earthly ministry. It is also really helpful becasue I recently finished reading the four gospels in the bible.

This week is Sister Nielsens 21 birthday! Hopefully for her Birthday we can find someone amazing who wants to learn more about the Gospel and how they can come closer to their Father in Heaven! I am going to hopefully make her a cake :) I will take pictures and show you next week.

I love ya'll so much and I will talk to you next week! Hopefully I will have more things to talk about!
I love you
Sister Emily Barnett

Happy Half-way!

Family!
Congratulations! Happy Half-way! We have made it this far and I just can't believe it! We are now on the down ward slope and I know there are many amazing miracles still coming!
So I know Grandma and Grandpa really want to know... I am not being transferred! I will be in my dear branch for at least 1 more transfer :)
I am very happy about the whole thing and I am so excited that I don't have to leave yet. I am a little bit sad though because one of the Elders that I have served around for 7.5 months is being transferred, I am going to miss that Elder! Sister Nielsen and I are also staying companions a little longer as well :) I am happy about this because I have truly come to love her. This is going to be the prime of our companionship, we know how to work together and we know what to expect. We can't go wrong!
So apparently Georgia is in another state of emergency, but I don't think it is anything to be worried about. We hopefully will be able to get out and do a lot of work and make a lot of phone calls if we have to stay in.
This last week we went on exchanges with the sisters in the Lost Mountain ward (my last area) it was fun to go back and be in a family ward for a day, we saw a lot of amazing miracles and met some really cool people.
Last night at president Bristols home we had a "cottage meeting" where all the recent converts came and we discussed somethings that may be foreign or new to them, we discussed the orgin of the Bible and I learned a lot of new things! President Bristol formally taught seminary, he has so much knowledge! I really hope that one day I will get the opportunity to teach seminary, it's my dream calling.
This week will be the 1 year anniversary of when i received my mission call. It is hard to believe that it was a short year ago... so much has happened and I truly feel like a completely new person. I was thinking the other day that here on my mission I have learned to see things in my life in a completely new way. It has been an amazing miracle and blessing in my life. I love people more than I ever have and I can see the potential that they each have, it is truly an amazing gift!
I am so thankful for the knowledge of the restored gospel, i am so thankful to know that I will be with those I love forever. I know that we have an important choice to make, and that choice is to be HAPPY!
I know that my Savior and that happiness comes from him :)
I love you
have a great week
Sister Em Barnett

Snowy days

Hello my dear family and friends!!!
This week was a crazy crazy week in Georgia! We had an amazing snow storm, I was so happy when I saw the snow but I don't think the rest of Georgia was as happy as I was.... We weren't allowed to drive our cars for about 3 days and we spent a lot of time calling people and teaching them over the phone. It was awesome but by the end of the 3 day I was itching to get out of the apartment and go somewhere!
Now we are back to the normal weather which is dandy :) I am happy to say that I only fell one time on the ice and I only have a little bruise on my knee. Other than that I think Georgians are crazy and they need to learn how to deal with the snow. The people here went CRAZY! It was funny.  We talked to some people that were stuck in traffic for 12 hours for a normal 30 minute drive.... When the snow started we were just ending our district meeting and we were supposed to go on exchanges but we ended up canceling and heading home to grab some lunch. on the way home we say a bunch of accidents and a car completely flipped over then our mission president told all the missionaries that we had couldn't drive.
As for the rest of the week after that fun winter adventure we spent a lot of time contacting people in malls and big stores near where we live. We didn't teach very many lessons to investigators because somehow  they all disappeared and have decided not to talk to us any more thus the search for new people who do want to talk to us!
This week I was really able to dive into Jesus the Christ while I have been studying, I have also been continuing my study of the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. I feel like I have been learning a lot and so many things are more clear to my understanding than ever before! Something I have been pondering a lot is how we can each come to know our Savior and not just know about him. A few ways that i have figured we can accomplish this is by coming to love him. When we love him we are willing to do what he asks us to do and then we can feel is love for us in our lives. We can also come to know him by spending our time in holy places such as immersed in the scriptures, in the temple and among those things that invite the spirit. Without the spirit we cannot come to know our Savior, this is why the Book of Mormon is so pivitol. This book brings us the spiritual side of the gospel, this is where our spirituality flows from.
"Nothing is going to suprise us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us." - Ezra Taft Benson
I want to make it a point in my life to come to know my savior, not just know about him.
I hope that this week ya'll can read out of the pages of the Book of Mormon and that you can come to know your Savior a little bit more :)
I love you!
Sister Emily Barnett!!
Next week is transfer week, I am hoping i will stay but we just never know! I will let ya'll know what the plan is next week!

Baptism!

Family, friends, countrymen! lend me your ears!
This week and this month are successfully coming to an end. I can't believe that the time is going by so fast! It is so strange to me to think that the end of this transfer is going to be in two weeks. and then I will be on the downward slope. NOOOOOO!!!!!
Troy was baptized this week, it was an amazing experience to be a part of his conversion. I haven't felt the spirit that strongly in a metting in a very long time! It was  one of the best experiences of  my mission. Every week I hope i can come to this  email and be a better more refined human being from the last time I spoke to ya'll. I feel like this last week I have accomplished this in a lot of ways! Our numbers in our key indicators didn't turn out amazing, but I have never felt more successful than I have this last week.
There were so many experiences where i felt led and guided. This week I am a more converted disciple of Jesus Christ, although I still have a long way to go!
Okay so let me tell you about all the amazing things going on in my life as a missionary!
So last week I met a famous guy named Jason Deere, he is  the heart and soul of a really cool group called the nashville tribute band. We were able to talk to him and express our gratitude for the music he makes (we are allowed to listen to his stuff in our mission.) He got really emotional and just shared with us  his love for the gospel and for this great missionary work! It was really amazing and i ended up getting some free mexican food out of it as well!
The next cool thing I want to share with you is what happened the other night as we were meeting with a less active fellow. We were in his home with his parents and we were just sharing a message with him (heleman 5:12) and then I was able to bear my testimony to him. There was  an amazing calm that came over me as I shared with him how much his  Heavenly Father loves him. I truly felt like the spirit was testifying to this boy through me! I love when these things happen and i get to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.
The last thing I wanted to tell ya'll about was the Powder springs stake conference that went on this weekend! Elder Nelson spoke to 48 stakes in the southern part of the country, our stake was included. He spoke of the 9 facets of the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have never heard anyone speak so plain and simply but in a way that I learned so much!
I wish I could type up all of my notes and the things I learned but I don't have enough time right now... :(
Maybe ya'll can search and see if yo can find it on youtube or something haha
Well my dear family I love ya'll so much! Thank you for all the love and support you give to me! I hope ya'll have a fantastic week
love,
em

Manic monday!

Another week has come and gone! Today is a beautiful day, I almost forgot it was a holiday until our district leader told us we could email at a members home today because the libraries are closed. 
This last week has been very busy and crazy, but it was great! I feel bad i can't always tell ya'll everything, maybe it is a good thing though :) that way I will have plenty of stories to tell everyone when I return home! 
This Friday we are going to have the baptism of Troy! We are so excited :) Troy is an amazing guy, he really has been so prepared to receive the gospel. like I have said before, it has been a tender mercy to see him accept the gospel- I truthfully have done nothing! 
We have had a few meetings with a really cool guy  named Jonathan! he is super into star wars and good athletic foot wear :) We met him while contacting in a sporting goods store a few weeks ago. He says that he is continually being drawn to learn more about the Mormons. We have had quite a bit of fun getting to teach him! This coming week we are going to talk to him more about the restoration and his Book of Mormon reading. 
This next week we are going to spending as much time as we can contacting people in the stores and on the street, this isn't my favorite activity but unless we find people to teach we won't be able to teach! Funny how that works... 
I wanted to tell ya'll about how cool I think writing in journals is. This last week there was a day when I was really having a hard time, i decided to write everything in my journal. When I was done I started to read through some old entries- it was an amazing epiphany to me of how therapeutic and wonderful keeping a record of our lives can be! I read once that happy people keep journals- I would invite everyone to take a little bit of time this coming week and write a little bit in your journal! I promise it will make you happier! 
A goal that I have for myself this next week is to have better prayers instead of just going through the motions. I know that Prayer works! I see miracles everyday when my prayers are answered- I know that so many more miracles can happen if i fine tune my personal prayers a little bit! 
Alrighty my Friends and family! I love you all and I wish you the happiest of weeks :) stay good and healthy! 
Love, 
Sister Barnett 

Chilly!

It has been a cold week but we are doing well!
right now I feel like each week is about a month... time is such a strange concept on the mission.
Monday was a horrible cold day, it was in the negatives and I tried to stay bundled up as much as I could. it's funny because now it is back to the manageable 45-50 degree weather that I don't mind much at all! We spent most of those days inside as much as possible. on tuesday we were worried that we wouldn't be able to drive becasue school was canceled everywhere in the east, but it turned out that it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be.
on Wednesday we taught a lesson to lilly's best friend sara pearl! it was one of the most amazing lessons that I have ever taught. She wasn't expecting to feel anything but when we started talking to her about the restoration she felt so overwhelmed especially becasue she wasn't planning on feeling what she did. It was amazing to be able to watch someone change and feel so much so drastically! we are really excited to meet with her again!
On thursday we went to the Temple in Atlanta, it was so great to be there in the house of the Lord! I am so grateful that I was able to feel that spirit because it has been awhile! When I get home from my mission, I am going to make a goal to go to the temple every week. Life is so much easier for me when I can go to the Temple. I know it is the house of the Lord. later that afternoon we had zone training where we talked a lot about how to be better at talking to people on the streets and also how to be better at talking to the members. I learned a lot!
Friday night we taught another one of our newer investigators- Teah! we talked about God and how he listens to prayers. she doesn't have a very strong relationship with God and she doesn't usually pray. I was able to invite her to ask God if the things we had talked about are true, I told her she could trust in me that she would get an answer from him. I have never straight up told someone that they could trust in me that they would get an answer from God, it was scary but it was also so wonderful!
Saturday we had dinner with one of our members... his name is Manti and he is a cherokee indian! It was so crazy to hear all of his stories and learn more about him. He is one of the craziest people I have ever met! I would really love to study the american indians in more depth. He told us a ton of stories about his ancestors that correlate exactly with the Book of Mormon!
Last night we got to watch the CES fireside, it was Tad r. Callister. the exact talk he gave last night was the same one he gave when I was in the MTC (the one in the MTC was in a little bit more depth with more scripture refrences) it was really cool and I felt like there was a reason I was learning about the structure of Christ' church! That stuff applies in the south a lot!
This coming week is going to be a very busy miracle filled week! We are excited for everything that will happen:)
I know that this Church is true. I can say that will my whole heart. I have recieved that answer from God and I want everyone to know it! I know that Jesus is the Christ and I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.
The Bristols have a saying that they always say. whenever someone says it everyone else has to say it back!
"love my family"
I am taking this tradition and I am going to use it.
Have a wonderful week! Love my family :)
xoxoxoxo
Sister Em Barnett

New years

Hello! Happy new years to one and all!
it has been a very very long week for me here in Georgia! I haven't had this long of a week in some time.
I have a feeling that this next week will go by very fast becasue we have a lot of things scheduled and our days are going to be very busy this coming week! This coming week we also get to go to the Temple! I am so excited to be able to go again, it has been a long minute since I've been so I am really looking forward to it!
I have a good story to tell ya'll this week actually!
so on thursday night we were just getting back to our apartment at 9pm to plan and to finish our day, it happened to be one of the coldest nights of the winter so far. As we were going inside i reallized that our key was lost and that we had no way to get into our house. We ended up spending over an hour trying to find the key with no success... It was strange not being able to call someone to come and let us in... since we couldn't get inside we had to find a members home to stay in with the permission of our president. We ended up staying in the home of the branch president. in the morning we found our key just laying on our back seat... It was frusturating but we were able to talk to some people about the Gospel who we probably wouldn't have had the chance to unless this happened. The Lord works in mysterious ways!
We also went to a wedding of one of our Ysa's this last week, it was cute and i was really happy for her :)
A scripture that i wanted to share with ya'll today comes from John 1:5
I have been thinking a lot about the concept of light and when I read this scripture I was able to understand it in a whole new way. "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness coprehended it not."
with just a little bit of light we can get rid of the darkness in this world, darkness can not understand the light and the power that comes from it! How can you use this light in your life this week?
Thank you for the letters and support, I am very thankful for all that has been done for me :)
I love ya'll and I hope you have a great week!
xoxoxo
Sis barnett