Hey hows it goin over in Utah?  Hopefully good, and getting warmer!!!

Well I am staying in Canlun for another 6 weeks by the end of this change I will have 6 months in this area haha!!! I know everyone and every little secret path, waterfall, cave everything about this place but I am excited to stay and work and help someone!!! 

My comp Elder Aguilar has a change he is going to an area that is right next to our area with the DL.  My new comp is........Elder North hahaha I am really excited to be North´s comp!  We are going to do work over in Canlun, so all in all I am happy about changes!!!

This past week has been hard.  We worked way hard and I went up to San Vicente and I have some good news about the Loq´Laj Najej a´an.  President Curtiss called and told us to see how many people we can find and how much priesthood is up there and he told us if we are able to find some families and get more men with the priesthood we might have a new branch up there and a new area so that was exciting.  I went and visited that family up there and they were so happy they accepted baptism.  I didn't put a date for the baptism because the Dad wasn't there and so this week I am going to see what he said so if you all would help me out and pray for this family!!!

This past change has been the hardest of my mission with a lot of things, with my comp, with the language, with obedience, with desire to work, with lots of things but I think all in all what I learned was Heavenly Father is closer than we think and he will fill in the gaps for our weaknesses. This change has changed me and I´m thankful for the trials and great experiences. I am excited to have more with Elder North the great Saqi´noq White String haha but yep that's all for now love ya all have a great last week at school and be safe!!

Love Elder Barker

Well this past week has been good lots of trials but some good experiences I will never forget!!

So first I bought a pet... his name is Stevie and he is a iguana pretty dope hahaha!!! so I can explain.

I was at this one investigators house and he had been out working in his corn field and in a tree there was a iguana and the meat of the iguana is super good I hear.  So for food he took it home and it was just a little guy and they were like playing with it rough and so I felt bad for it and bought it for 20 qetzals hahaha.  I took it home, took off its leash and it flipped and bit me and ran away and now I can't find it in our house... just kidding I found it and let it go in a mango tree but still I won't ever forget that one hahaha!!!

We went up to San Visente and we taught this family that has a son on a mission and the mom broke down and said that its hard for them to come to church but every Sunday they can't come they have been reading lix hu laj mormon and they have been spreading the gospel up there so now we have four families who want the gospel and two guys from these families came down 3 hours to get a Book of Mormon.  It was cool the guy asked me Ma Wan lix hu laj Esperanza, do you have the book of hope and I was just like the Book of Mormon and he was like yes, so we happily gave those out and this Thursday we are going up there to teach all four families at the same time and I can't wait, but I am super nervous but stoked!!

I did a lot of service this week but it was fun.  I love old people especially old Q`eqchi people, we went and helped this member who is older in his corn field and no there are not machines here just good old fashion intelligence!! So what we did was simple, he pokes a hole in the ground and I put three pieces of corn kernels in the whole and bam done! Super simple but good fun talking to this Brother and asking him about his history and his family pretty cool life but that is a story for some other time!! 

My comp really wants to leave so I am pretty sure I am going to be in Canlun for another change which I am fine with especially if we get those families up in San Vicente but the work is looking up here and I am always tired hahaha but good fun, spiritual times here in good oldCanlun Polochic.

Well I love you all  - hope you have a good week and stay safe and healthy love you all thanks for everything.

Neketinra Elder Barker

Hey Hey Hey!

Hows it going over there in wonderful Utah?

Over here we are doing great.  The work is slow here in K´anlun Polochic I am being bold and telling people how it is which works then sometimes it just doesn't.  But the good thing is you know who to go back to and you know who your real investigators are!!

Right now I feel like I know everyone in K´anlun.  It's a pretty small place but I have come to love it and most of the people here hahaha!!!

Since the work here is slow I decided to do an activity so this morning a bought a waffle iron and on Saturday I am going to make waffles and put on a Joseph Smith movie.  The key to get in is you have to bring a friend who isn't a member.  I am pretty excited and I am hoping it all goes good and we receive a lot of new investigators!!! I guess this is what happens when you know everyone by name and everyone knows you in an area, just put on fun activities hahaha!!!!

Well spider update I have only seen two tarantulas before these past two weeks and since then I have seen six and yep they are big and dangerous but wow there are some that look super cool but don't worry I won't touch them!!!

Well I am just rambling on hahaha but I loved talking to my family last night and saying hi and seeing how everything is going.  I am glad you all are doing good and having fun but don't worry I will be there for that 24th of July party at Rand's house next year woooooooo!  I can't wait but until then I love ya all and stay classy!!

Love Elder Barker

Turkey Dinner

Kaqi'tul (Red Banana) Grif's Q´eqchi nickname

Having fun with the Bolo's (if you can't tell the bottle says Old Friend)

Service!

Happy mothers day dia de madre or kutan chirix li Na

How do you ya´ll like that in all three languages hahaha but HAPPY MOTHERS DAY woooooo so stoked!!!

Well this week has been long and I am really tired haha but that's good!!!
I am in El Estor for p-day it's next to the huge lake and its beautiful but most important they have such good food here haha I am stuffed which is a first haha!!

I had a baptism this past Saturday her name is Vilma.  Her story is we were teaching her brother if you can remember the guy who had part of his hand cut off buy the drunk guy, that's her brother haha!  She got baptized and she has been a lot of work and still is. We need to keep her animated to go to church but so far so good.   Her family is tough though.   Her parents are don't like us.   We will go to teach her and she will be inside and her parents will say she left and stuff but whatever and her mom never has a shirt on.  If I had a nickel for every time I have asked her to put on a shirt I would be a millionaire!   She never puts on her shirt she just laughs and says its hot outside so.... yep but Vilma got baptized and I am happy for her!!!

We had a lot of birthdays this week as well and its a tradition here to go to their house in the middle of the night and light off fire works and play loud music and dump water on them hahaha.  I plan on bringing this tradition to the states in 15 months so watch out!

I have been more bold this week I have asked 14 people to be baptized.   We have two that accepted and I put a date and we have like 8 thinking about it and just a few who told me no but its been good people are taking me more serious.  Yes we have fun but that's the key to teaching the Q´eqchi people is be funny and make a fool of yourself then when it comes time for talking about the gospel kill them with the spirit works 100% of the time.

Well this week should be good it is cooling off now in Guatemala now comes the rain woooo and I have been asked to give a talk about faith and repentance in front of a 70 this Thursday super nervous hahaha!!  Yep Elder Ochoa of the 70 is coming so should be good and my district has to sing haha so yep that's about it.  I loved the fotos from ST. George looked like fun and everyone looks different hahah!  Jack love the mullet lookin hot!!!

Love you all!

Neketinra Elder Barker laj Kaqi´tul!!