" On Your Mission, You Are Asked One Thing...

 

Back home, you talk to those you know.

Here, you don’t know anyone until you talk to them.

Back home, when someone said they weren’t interested, it meant you stopped trying.

Here, when someone says they aren’t interested, it means we will try again later.

Back home, when you got tired, you took a break and got some rest.

Here, when you get tired, you pray for strength and push along.

Back home, when things got hard, others helped you.

Here, when things get hard, you help others.

As a missionary, you are asked to rise above the human expectation.

You are asked to not just endure heartbreak, but overcome it. Again and again and again.

You are asked to constantly give all that you are, and when you feel that there is only one drop of yourself left, you are asked to give that too.

You are asked to earn the trust of those who don’t even trust themselves.

You are asked to bond a family together, close and strong, then pull your hands away so they can stand on their own.

You are asked to walk into Hell on Earth and testify of Heaven.

You are asked to be an answer to prayer, to be someone’s angel, someone’s last hope, to be a hero.

You are asked to make the world better.

 You are not asked, however, to do it alone.

You are not asked to go first, to pave the way or bear the brunt.

That was asked of someone else.

Someone who was far stronger and far better than you or I.

 

You are asked to rise above the human expectation.

He was asked to never even reach down and touch it.

You are asked to overcome heartbreak.

He was asked to make it possible.

You are asked to give yourself until there is nothing left.

He was asked to take everything you give, and carry it.

You are asked to earn the trust of those who don’t even trust themselves.

He was asked to put his trust in them.

You are asked to bond a family together, then step away.

He was asked to be that bond, and to always be that bond.

You are asked to walk into Hell on Earth, and testify of Heaven.

He was asked to be your solid foundation when Hell on Earth walks into you.

You are asked to be someone’s last hope, to be someone’s angel and hero.

He was asked to be the only hope, to be the savior and redeemer.

You are asked to make the world better.

He was asked to change it.

 On your mission you are asked one thing…. ‘Do you love me?’”

 

 

By Sister Sara Barlocker

Kansas Wichita Mission

February 2014

 

 

 

"In God's Name... Forward Boldly"

Blog posts have fallen off, because of the sensitive nature that Sara's mission has taken. She is growing spiritually by leaps and bounds and the growth that she is experiencing is phenomenal!

Because of this, I have been blindsided as to what to keep sacred, and what to publish! I am going to take a different route now with her letters. Instead of publishing her "whole" letter, I will be editing the letters to keep the sacred parts sacred, but still allow the reader to see her growth, and of course her wit and sarcasm which we all know and love!

I apologize for the delay in the blog posts, but with this change I believe it will be easier to post.

An update - which is what threw me into this whole mess in the first place. The blogpost "Gary. Is. On. Fire" - I am sad to report that Gary died a day later. Sara didn't realize how bad the burns were. Her next letter was one of shock and sadness and gratitude in the Atonement and Resurrection. She planned her first funeral, attended the family, and had to clean up the burned areas of the kitchen, including the clothing and flesh that were burned off. It was a life-changing experience for Sara and for us. Hence the change in the tone of her letters. But it is a good change, and a more mature change. She used her talented voice to sing at his funeral and was grateful for the chance to do that. Maybe in future posts, I'll share some of her growth from that experience with you. Right now, it's still a sensitive area for me.

now... "In God's Name... Forward Boldly"

Christmas Greetings

If you are interested in sending a card or package to Sara, please send it to the mission home as they are expecting transfers on December 17th! That way she will be sure to get your letters!

Please send me letters and loves!!!! Please sir!!!!

 

 

Sister Sara Melinda Barlocker

Kansas Wichita Mission

7011 E. 13th St. North

Wichita, KS  67206-1219

 

 

Gary. Is. On. Fire.

Well. Topeka finally showed its true colors this week. I am living in a insane asylum. Don't get me wrong, I love it, I am laughing constantly and I'm always entertained but I have never met a group of people like this in my whole life. They just talk and tell you everything. EVERYTHING. I know more about everyone in Topeka than I know about my own family. I think they just see the badge and they assume that I care. I love it here but lets just say I don't think I'll be visiting. I couldn't handle it. 

Anyway, the evidence that Topeka is full of crazies:

It all started when Topeka got half an inch of snow and half the city shut down. We drove past about 6 wrecks, church almost got cancelled and we got about 8 of our appointments cancelled because "there is too much snow on the ground and it's too cold to go outside." Topekans literally do not go outside if it is below freezing. There was a half inch of snow. That's why I wanted those pictures, so I can show these people what real snow is.

 

 

Topeka snow vs. Utah snow

Then, yesterday at church. (my talk went well.) The Elders brought one of their investigators which is a teenage mom with an 8-month old baby. After gospel principles, she was holding the baby, then, because she's obviously mental , she dropped the little baby on its face into the ground. This baby is going to be jacked up because of shaken baby syndrome. She then proceeded to non-chalantly pick the screaming baby up as if it happens all of the time and say "oh calm down" as she held and violently rocked it back and forth to comfort it. Sister Beuchert and I are seriously considering calling child protective services. If you aren't going to take care of your kid, other people will.

THEN, this morning, Sister Beuchert and I wake up and we have a voice mail from 4 in the morning. We were super confused at who would call us that early, so, as we listened to the voice mail, we learn that it is one of our investigators, Linda. Linda is about 56 and is married to Gary, who has Dementia. The message goes on to say that this morning, at 3:30 am, Gary was making eggs while Linda was sleeping. Next thing Linda knows, Gary runs into their room and wakes her up by yelling, turns out, Gary is on fire. Gary. Is. On. Fire. From making eggs. At 3:30 in the morning. So she called us to tell us that she is on her way to the hospital because Gary got life-flighted there and she wanted us to know. WHAT THE FREAK?!?! We're going to bring the Elders to give him a blessing soon.

 

Topeka is something else. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Jason Macilrath (Matt's old friend) is our ward mission leader because he's going to the law school out here but Sister Beuchert and I spend every Saturday morning with him, Elder Brown and Elder Every just bashing everything in and about Topeka. I almost pee myself laughing every time. Then we sometimes get to missionary stuff. You know.

(Glad she's serious!)

Other than me trying everything in my power to not end up like a native Topekan, I'm doing really good. I'm having a ton of fun with Sister Beuchert and the Elders. I adore Elder Brown. He is the funniest kid ever. We're super tight. I might want to date him when I get home. He just needs to break up with his girlfriend and get off of our missions and then we're good to go. (1. Glad she's NOT serious! 2. Peeing your pants should impress Elder Brown enough that his girlfriend is HISTORY! and 3. Finish the mission Sara...)

Mission work is going well. Nothing has really changed since last week. But I'll keep you up to date with that and all the crazies that I have to deal with. I love you guys. Have fun in Utah and don't get in a wreck because of the snow like the bat-crazy people here. Oh, I did get my box. Thank you very much mom and dad! It's taking everything in me not to open the presents. I love you guys!

 

 

...And then another post came - even though her big brother instructed her that "you don't have to tell mom EVERYTHING"...

 

 There was also a quadruple homicide in our area on a street that we walk down regularly. Just so ya know. But don't worry. I got the power of God with me!

(Glad she's serious!!! and SUPER glad that God is with her!...Prayers people! prayers!...Thanks :)

Peace n' blessins ya'll. Peace n' blessins.

Heeeeeeeeey!!! So Saturday was my month mark! It doesn't seem like I've been out a month at all. This is just flyin by! Things are going just great here. Sis Byu and I are getting along sooooo much better. We're actually pretty good friends now. We joke around alot and make each other food and cute crap like that.

 

Sisters BYU and Barlocker

 

Sis. Barlocker can COOK!...

Sister Barlocker can Cook?????

 Expect a butt-ugly Christmas card coming soon. Us and the elders (Brown and Every) are like family. Elder Brown and I are pretty much the same exact person and are best friends. He said I can be one of his groomsman at his wedding because I don't have the hair to be a bridesmaid. To which I said touche.

Sister Barlocker with Elders Every (left) and Brown (Right)

I gave one of the members a tube of mom's chapstick. They love it. And I am now out, so if you want to send me more, I'm cool with that. I'm pretty sure she looked you up and added you on facebook. She's kinda nuts. She likes to get really involved with our missionary work and tell us how to do our job which pisses Sista byu off like crazy but I think it's funny. So I just get a good laugh. And she also takes us to Godfathers Pizza every week so I like her. 

I got sick this week, I had crazy cramps and threw up a little bit. But I only stayed home on Tuesday. So we still got some work done. 

Thanksgiving was awesome. We went to a members home and the elders came with. They had 2 turkeys and a buttload of food. But, in efforts to not get fat, I only ate till I was full... Then had 4 pieces of pie. We played a bunch of card games and I taught them how to play "Scum" and they loved it and we probably played that for 3 hours. Elder Brown and I were helping each other cheat the whole time ahaha I adore that guy. Plus, he has an australian accent, who wouldn't love that? I wasn't homesick at all, I feel pretty much at home here. I'm pretty lucky with my companion and elders and area.

 

(But if Sister Barlocker WAS homesick, she told me that she'd look like this!)

Oh man, there is just too much to talk about. So I was reading my patriarchal blessing the other morning and something from it made me start thinking about my dear old parents. And I realized, that out of every single person who has ever been or ever will be alive on earth, I chose you two to raise me. I knew you guys and I chose you because out of everyone, I knew you two could raise me to who I wanted to be and help me the best. It kinda hit me. It's awesome to think that the me who I am trying to become again chose you two to help me become who I was before I came to Earth. It made me respect and love you in a totally different light. So thank you Mom and Dad for doing your job and raising me to become who I want to be. Sorry for all the crap I gave/give you.

 

 

Sis. Barlocker doing one of the things she was meant to do here on earth...

 

So we taught Alex this week. I wanted to do something different so when we went in, we got right to business and said a prayer and started instead of chatting for 30 minutes like we usually do. The spirit was already strong after the prayer. Then we did a Book of Mormon read. Which is just reading a select chapter (we did 2 Nephi 4:19-35) two verses at a time and stopping and letting the holy ghost talk in the silence, then if we feel prompted, we say something that stuck out to us in those 2 verses. Then we keep going. It's a completely personal experience that you have while other people are in the room. The spirit was overwhelming the longer we went. I can't even explain. That was the strongest I have ever felt the spirit. I was shaking it was so strong. The room seemed to be a little like heaven for the half hour we read and sat in silence and connected with God through the Holy Ghost. Alex was speechless the whole time. You could tell he was taken back and it definitely changed him a little bit. As for me, I got a new understanding of who I was before I came to Earth and who I want to become. I got a new sense of what it means to be a child of God and a new want to be the best that I can. It changed my life too.

 

 

Sister Barlocker, Alex, and Sister Byu

 

So Charlie, the deaf guy. He has a crush on me. Which is so awkward and uncomfortable I can't even explain. He gave me the creeps from the beginning because he looks like the oompa loompas on the new charlie and the chocolate factory and then he's getting all flirty and I hate it. We might have to give him to the Elders. 

Well. I best be gettin. As for the oils Mama, I'm not picky. I would prefer DoTerra just because I know they work really well but I'll be happy with whatever. I'm pretty sure DoTerra has a tiny little set with like 8 tiny viles in a little zip-up pouch thing (shanny had it) but I don't know. If they don't have that I'll just take some pine, peppermint, lavender, orange, lemon, clove... haha I don't know. All of it. Just get me whatever and I'll be happy.

I love you guys and I hope you're all doing well and havin a jolly ol' time. Hey, send me a picture of our house with the lights in the snow please. I want to make Elder Brown jealous. OHHHH. I also speak in sacrement this week... Hhaha so Mom, can you please mail me a copy of my farewell talk so that I can use the story please? Thanks. I love you all and will talk to you again next week. Peace n' blessins ya'll. Peace n' blessins.

 

31 Days and Counting! Life with the "Sara Shrine" :D

Well, our dear Sara has been out for over a month now!

A couple of days after we got Sara's first batch of pictures, I went about making a place for everyone to see her pictures. I hang them on the door next to our kitchen. It's lovingly become known as the "Sara Shrine".

Right in the middle of the door, is an 8x10 of Sara with small squares with numbers in them. It's a way for me to count down her time in the mission field.

I thought that if I'm counting down, other people (Lexi) might be too. I thought you all might like the countdown poster! Unfortunately, I can't get the picture to load, so you'll have to copy mine and use the idea with your picture! (when I get computer savvy, I'll let you know!)

To make time go faster, I only count Fast Sundays... because we ALL KNOW how fast those fast Sundays come around! 

And today, I get to put her first sticker on it! Yay!

Only 17 months to go!

Charlie

We're also teaching Charlie. He's deaf. It's really hard. We have an interpreter from our ward but apparently in sign language, they don't use abstract ideas. They are as blunt as it gets. So that is going to be hard explaining the gospel to him but it'll be a cool experience.

 

 In our last lesson, Sister byu and I were trying to explain all these things and ask him a bunch of questions but he didn't understand absolutely any of it because it was too abstract. I'm learning the ABC's so that I can somewhat communicate with him without our interpreter. It's pretty nuts. I'll let you know how it goes.