New goals, learning so much, all scriptures are for uplifting the world...

Hey mom! I am doing really well and I am in Ovalle doing good. I did receive both the packages from you  and the bishop which was awesome! I have been giving the candy to everyone because with both of your packages combined it was like a years supply, so thank you very much! I don´t know a sister Ramirez but I will remember the name from now on. We set a goal  to have 20 baptisms because of the story that dad told me last week.  We are going to be busy working our tails off to find 20 people who will attend church for 3 weeks straight and accept that this is the real gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth. Restored through a modern day prophet.  I know it is possible and with faith, prayer and hard work we will have 20 baptisms by the 31 of 

December. I don't have a whole a lot to write this week but we have been having working a lot. I am really starting to love Chile and I feel really close to the people that I am teaching.  

I love you so much mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

De 

Elder Christopher Ryan Barlow

Hey Dad whats up!  Chilean Spanish is so different then any other country its crazy. They speak in code basically. I am doing good with the language and can talk and understand almost everything now. Reflexive verbs are the thing I still don´t understand but I can talk and speak pretty well, so I am not that worried. I am alright with what happened with Juan and his family. I know we tried our best and everything is the will of the Lord so I really don´t feel to bummed out. I have really learned so much here on my mission I can barely explain it. I have learned what I will need to do to raise a family that is strong in the church, how to really study and understand the scriptures, which are so very wonderful and clear. I really can´t understand how the world hasn't figured out that the church of Christ can´t be on the earth without a prophet. I have been studying the New Testament a lot and wish I would have read it more before my mission because it really helps a lot. I remember one time when I had started to read the bible and started in the Old Testament and you said that I should focus my study in the Book of Mormon. I have to say now that you were wrong. All scripture is for the uplifting and teaching of the world. Yes the Book of Mormon is important and the only way people can learn true conversion is through the Book of Mormon but the purpose of the Book of Mormon is to testify of the Bible and bring about the unifying of the tribes of Israel. Without both we don´t have the complete gospel of Jesus Christ. So I would invite you to start studying the bible again because yes it isn´t perfect but when we study the bible and the Book of Mormon together the mysteries of Heavenly Father are opened to us. 

I love you so much dad and am so grateful for the things that you taught me as a boy and young man. I am eternally grateful that you are a worthy priesthood holder and an amazing example to me and for my future sons.

Love

Elder Christopher Ryan Barlow

Want to change area for the better...

  Hey dad, I really need to hear that story about your experience with baptisms and goals.  Our goals right now are to make sure that people were teaching are actually in their homes when we set the appointment times. I want to change the area I am in right now for the better because this branch is really struggling. They need new blood and a new set of supporters which is hard. A lot of the members want to help but they are just to scared of being rejected or just aren´t excited any more, which is the hardest part to watch for me. We have completely lost Juan. When we went to teach the Contuliano family the other day, Chile was playing Venezuela in a match and he was downing beers like it was his job. It was really sad and I felt a little disappointed but I know that I did what I could to teach him. I know that someday he may realize he made the biggest mistake of his life. 

  We have transfers this week, so I might be getting a new comp which is exciting and scary at the same time. I am pretty sure I am going to be in Ovalle until January which is pretty nice and then I will get changed on New Years Eve. We had 2 dates set for the 30th but we have to push them back again because the people didn't show up to church but we have a couple new investigators who are really great and I am hoping they will be baptizwanted within the next three weeks as well. 

  I love you so much and am so proud to be your son and so grateful Heavenly Father blessed me with such a great father.

Elder Christopher Ryan Barlow

Grateful for priesthood...

Hey dad! I am glad that I am not missing much with the walking dead but to be honest I had totally forget about it till now. Ha. I am going to binge watch a lot of stuff with you guys when I get back. So Im not to worried about it! 

  That is awesome that you had that experience with Josh and Ben. I have trying to work a lot with the young men in this area because they don´t have a lot of great priesthood influences and only 2 or three want to serve missions, which is sad but I hope that I can teach them what it means to be a worthy priesthood holder! I am so grateful that you are a worthy priesthood holder and that you taught me how to be worthy of this power as well. I am also super grateful for Joseph and his receiving this sacred power to bless and serve. I know that it is literally the power of God on the earth and with it we can help make miracles.

I am in my last week of training and next Monday there is the possibility I might be in a new area or with a new comp. I don´t know yet but I am pretty pumped to be ending my training and being able to have more time to contact and teach because leaving the house at 12:30 because were studying sucks! I also have started to watch the talk by Elder Holland called "Feed my Sheep" every night before I go to bed to help remind me every day of what my calling is. I love this talk its fantastic I would recommend you  to watch it.

I love you so much!

Elder Christopher Ryan Barlow!

I have been teaching a lot more and we had to stop teaching some of our investigators because they aren´t progressing which is really hard but I know it´s for the best. This week is my last week of training with is super exciting I am pumped for it to end. Next Wednesday will decided if I am staying in Ovalle until February or if I am going to be in a new home for Christmas with a new companion. I am pretty excited for both either way! I have been so hungry this week, its ridiculous. I don´t eat a ton but I feel hungry all the time, it´s kind of annoying. ha I think it is just because they only have one big meal here during the day and I walk around in the heat all day long. I have to log off now but I love you so much and hope that you and the family are doing super well!

Elder Christopher Ryan Barlow

Missing you guys but getting easier...

Hola Momma!! Como estas? Estoy muy bien y me agrado hablar en Español con ti! Yo puedo contestar preguntas y hablar en Español todo tiempo ahora. Es difícil a veces pero solamente necesito mas tiempo de practicar y tener una mas claro acento. Me gusta los photos y su costumbre esta muy Maravilloso, su y Jessica's son genial. 

I am going to stop writing in Spanish now because it is really hard to type in Spanish. I love dads lame costume too. How are you guys doing. Are the girls having a good time in school and how are dad's cases? Is Stu still studying for the MCAT and when is the date of his test so I can fast for him. I also love Josh´s hang over costume its awesome. How are you doing mama? You missing me because if so I miss you guys too but it is easier and easier every day!! Its crazy to think that I have been gone since July! I am in the 5th month of my mission! I need to start baptizing more people! It was a little bit of a rough week because not a whole lot of people here know how to manage a schedule or be on time for things or keep commitments. At times it feels like I am  pretty isolated from everyone around me because everyday I listen to the same lame excuses and it can be pretty annoying at times. But like my mission president said I need to find the elect. We have a baptismal date for the  for a woman named Ana Araya. She is really great and believes everything we tell her, the only problem is she has a really busy schedule for work its everyday of the week and we have to have our investigators attend church 3 times before them can be baptized. If she doesn't attend church these next 2 weeks she won´t be able to be baptized and its possible that I won´t be here for it because we have changes in 2 weeks. We lost Juan which is a really big bummer but I honestly don´t feel that bad. I am obviously very sad for him and a little angry at his family but this is the will of the Lord and I believe he will be a member and a leader in the church one day.

Oh me and my comp dressed up for Halloween too! I was a short Costa Rican for Halloween and he was a devilishly, handsome, bronze skinned American boy from Utah.

I love you Mommma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

De tu Hijo amado!

Elder Christopher Ryan Barlow

Last week Peter asked him a series of questions and this week he responded.

1.The most difficult thing about Spanish is the order of the words. Reflexive verbs are really hard too and I need to get down on how to use them.

2. I haven´t had to many embarrassing moments which I am very grateful. I did mistake one of the members of our branch for one of our investigators. Then I proceeded to ask her husband to go sit by her so that she could feel welcome and maybe explain some things about the meetings and asked him to talk about his experiences in the church. That was pretty embarassing but I was ok with it.

3.Mote con Husillo is nasty. It is corn and peach's in really good juice but all together it is one of the nastiest combinations of food I have ever had. 

4. I love empanadas and I love love love the helado (ice cream)!!! This country has the most delicious ice cream I have ever had in my entire life. I have actually bought half a liter for our district meeting and we all ate it during the meeting.

5.I cook a lot of hot dogs, chicken, beef, make tacos, sandwiches and fries. The best was when I made myself some home made chorillana. I chopped up fries,onions, eggs, beef and hot dogs and put it all together! Que Rico!

6. I am still struggling with having to talk out things with my comp.  It´s really hard for me because he obviously has more experience then I do and so a lot of the time if I ask why, he will just say porque si(just because).

7. I saw a member of about 9 years didn't know how to give an opening prayer in sacrament meeting and proceed to give a small talk. It was entertaining but I also felt bad.

8. I hate companionship interventions, its the worst thing ever. 

9.  I love running now. It is one of my favorite things to do and I do it every day. I also do lots of push ups, abs stuff and jump rope.

10. I love the first lesson because I had never thought that only a small portion of the world actually knows or believes Christ visited the Americas. And because the church was restored to it's original form it means God hasn't abandoned his children to the imperfect thoughts and interpretations of men. I love the lessons on chastity and word of wisdom because those are the most evident in my life. The consequences are obvious and the rewards and blessings are as well.

I love you Dad!!!!

Elder Christoper Ryan Barlow