4/18/22 - the last one :,)

Well well well. I can't believe it's over. I don't want it to be over! Best 18 months ever.

I'm home now! I apologize for not writing last week. I was supposed to be home sooner than I was. But God had a plan for me.

MY PLAN was to fly out Thursday from Bismarck, but a massive blizzard hit all of North Dakota and all the roads and airports closed. I spent all of Wednesday waiting for a new travel plan. Let me tell ya, I'm not patient haha. I wanted to be home the next day but there was no way I could travel anywhere with the roads closed. I was STUCK. But as God had it planned. It all worked out.

Wednesday morning; I am trying to focus on missionary work as I try not to think of the situation. I tried really hard guys! But I was a bit distracted. I was in my studies and we got a call from a former who was taught ages ago. Her name was Lydia and she told us how now her life was in order and she wanted to take the lessons seriously! Great! So we set up a time to meet over video call a few hours later. When she answered the video call she had her son (Martin) and Daughter (Genesis) on too. We had just planned to get to know them and invite them to church but the spirit directed us differently at the moment. We started with a HTBT (How to begin teaching) which entails stating what your purpose is as a missionary is and the responsibility of them to do the invitations to get the promised blessings, then you share with them that you are teaching them so that they will choose to get baptized, and after I said that little Martin looks at his mom and tell her he wants to be baptized and then Genesis says the same thing and the mother then tells us that she wants to be baptized! I just look at Sister Haufe and we set the date for May 7th because it is Martin's birthday that day! Genesis doesn't turn 8 till July so we set the date for her birthday as well! WE JUST PUT A WHOLE FAMILY ON DATE! They already have member friends and have their own Book of Mormons! Little Martin had his highlighter and book ready as we were teaching! We all were in tears and the spirit was so strong!

After the call ended I just sat there completely stunned. I couldn't say a word! I knelt in prayer with Sister Haufe as we thanked God for what we just witnessed and as I was praying God brought me back to a memory of when I was in home MTC. I was talking to my companions and we were talking about what we wanted to accomplish on our missions, and I remember saying I would love to put a family on date, and up until that moment I had not had the opportunity! God let me cross off my last wish as a missionary even though I had forgotten about it! I know that God sent that blizzard to North Dakota so I would have the opportunity to put this family on date. I'll be honest, when the blizzard came I kinda felt like God was not happy with my service and that I had not met the requirements to go home. I realize now that it was Satan putting doubts in my head and that God was proud of me and that he loves me enough to help me reach all my goals!

I am so grateful for being able to serve as a representative of Jesus Christ! My mission has changed me a lot and I could not be happier! God is so real!

Keep doing those things that God asks us to do! Life is just better with God in it!

I love you all! Thank you for keeping tabs on me while I serve! I have really appreciated all the support and kind words the past months.

My homecoming will be April 24th at 12pm MDT at 12852 S 3200 W Riverton, UT! A zoom link will also be available if needed!

Stay disciples!

xx- Sister Barlow

pics

Sister Reid and I matched with Elder Cook

GF Zone Volleyball

Felicia!

Dawn!

The Blizzard forcast (bismarck got 28 inches in this storm, GF only had about 15)

Enjoying the warm weather before the storm