I Met Me!

Synopsis of my week: 

So many dang meetings. Which is why I don't have much to say in this email. Because meetings take up time. 

 Lots and lots and lots of biking.

 Lots and lots and lots of finding new potential investigators. 

 So much breakfast food, lots of laughter, bonding with people, Sister C said a prayer in Spanish, road trips up to Mesa and down to Florence, a five-year-old beat me at basketball, we got the low down on YSA drama, interviews with president, Christmas party plans, and awkward encounters with everybody. 

 Fun stuff.

 We had zone conference this week, and Pres talked a lot about ministering to the one. The main scripture that went with this theme was the obvious one-- Luke 14:5-6.

 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

 That is what missionary work is about. That's what being a disciple of Jesus Christ is about. It's about being willing to traverse into the wilderness, to clamber up a mountain, to rescue that one little sheep. And then to place them on your shoulders and bear the burden of carrying them all the way home. 

Here's my personal problem with this kind of ministering.

 You see, I've realized that I'm a perfectionist. 

 It's stressful.

 I've realized that I'm the type of perfectionist that either refrain from participating in something or never gives full effort because...of some reason I haven't figured out yet. 

 When things aren't perfect, I get annoyed and stressed out.

 Here's the problem, NOTHING IS EVER PERFECT EVER ((except for Jesus and His Atonement)) NO WONDER I AM SUCH A MESS OF STRESS. 

 And that's the problem with ministering to the one. People aren't perfect. The ministerial process will never be perfect. And I would just like to be perfect.

 What I've realized is this. I can't do anything perfectly, but I can do something good. 

 Missionary work, discipleship, will always be effective.  But it will not be efficient. It's going to remain on the messy side of the spectrum because we're dealing with people. Some of these people are seriously messed up, some are sorrowful, some are lazy, most are unsure, and many are seeking. It takes a lot of time, a lot of experimentation, a lot of personal sacrifice to minister to the one. And, by so doing, become a wholehearted disciple of Jesus Christ. 

 There have been many ways that we have been able to minister to the one this week. 

 Saturday I played basketball with the five-year-old son of one of our potential investigators while Sister C played football with the same potential investigator's 14-year-old son. “L” (the five-year-old) and I talked about how Jesus is the "coolest," prayed in the middle of the street (at L's request), and learned how to dunk a basketball. 

 Later on Saturday, we ended up talking to one of our recent converts while locked outside of the church building. And then this guy came up to us and told us he just got out of jail and needed a ride home. But before and after that sketchiness we had a rad conversation about Jesus and life. 

 OH OH OH, I HAVE SOMETHING EXCITING TO TELL YOU I ALMOST FORGOT. 

 REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU THAT WE HAD BEEN ASKED TO HOST THE MESA TEMPLE LIGHTS??

 WE WENT UP FOR TRAINING ON FRIDAY, AND IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING. 

 I’M SERIOUSLY SO PUMPED. 

While we were there at the training, I met me in 40 years. She was a short, older lady WHO PRACTICALLY RUNS ALL  THINGS PERTAINING TO THE MESA TEMPLE LIGHTS. I'M PRETTY SURE I WAS MADE FOR THAT JOB. LOOKS LIKE I’M MOVING OUT TO ARIZONA AFTER THE MISH. 

 But yes, ministering to the one. Always a good plan. Basically, people are different, so we can't have a general outline for a lesson, exchange, a conversation that we slap on everyone. 

 We need to be reaching the hearts of the individuals in one on one interactions (or two on one because of companions) if we want to change this world. 

 As missionaries, as Sunday school teachers, as parents, as auxiliary leaders, as friends, as people with stewardship to take care of, ministering to the one comes through prayer, and study, and honest love that propels us to take care of the one little-lost sheep.

 There will probably be more words to come on this subject as I apply it to my mission life but for now...BLESSINGS COME WHEN WE LOVE OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE JESUS. AMEN. 

 Love, 

Sister Barlow

 Ps. I forgot to tell you all a couple of things! 

We went up to training in Mesa for hosting the temple lights, and they gave us the low down on safety. The main code words are "I need security" and "help." Just thought you would like to know. 

Also, the picture of me with my arm stuck in a car window was a real-life situation. The elders had left their car with the window cracked open (dinguses) and so I slipped my arm in, unlocked the car and opened the door subsequently setting off the car alarm. Then my arm got stuck. I was in a church parking lot, while it was dark, with my arm stuck in a car, and an alarm alerting everyone to my sketchiness. I'm an idiot. There was also a 15-second panic where I thought I was going to have to break my elbow to get away. 

 Pps. I would like you all to know that I have bruises on my arm from trying to yank my appendage out of the elder's car. That is all.