"dude. are we on mars?"

FUN FACTS!

1. Because the "Book of Mormon" play is coming in 6 weeks to San Diego, the mission is starting a twitter page that is all about what REAL missionaries do. So President Clayton had us take pictures of us doing missionary things and they are going to get uploaded. It's our way of having positive publicity #realbookofmormon   :)

2. The #BecauseofHim video is my favorite thing in the world!!!! I've watched it with everyone I have met. The Spirit gets me like MAD in there.

3. We came out of Walmart and a lady saw us and said, "SISTERS!!! I have chocolate for you!" she gave it to us, and disappeared. It was awesome.

4. On our year mark we had to contact a bunch of referrals for people who work at stores so we went to Walmart, Costco, Coldstone, and Sprouts. hahahaha for reals though. It was a weird day. 

5. On May 4th the CES fireside for the world is coming from San Diego!!! and guess what... Elder Ballard (Sis. Clayton's Dad - mission pres. wife) is speaking and it's being held at the stake center I went to church at last transfer! I prayed at the pulpit the will be showing it from!!! We'll be going because we're taking investigators! HOLLAH FOR YSA WORK!! I love my life.

6. We asked to speak in church because Sister Landeen and I have both NEVER had to on our missions. A year!!

7. We just got a new ward mission leader. He got back from his mission 4 weeks ago. hahahahhaa

8. We got home one night a decided that from 10:00-10:30 we were going to watch a church video. well we did, and I fell asleep in like 5 minutes. I'M STILL LIKE THAT! my college roommates will laugh...

9. For FHE this week our ward had a pool party. Before we went we said a quick prayer that sounded like this, "Please help us to be social and reach out to others. Please also help us to also maintain our dignity in this environment." :)

So we went on an exchange to the Imperial Valley this week. It's about 2 hours away from us and close to the Arizona border. On the way there the terrain starts looking super weird. 

At one point I said out loud, "dude. are we on mars?" 

Then it started looking like the Sahara Desert. 

Then it was super hot. 

Then we went to a McMonalds and EVERYBODY was speaking Spanish. 

We were the only white people for sure. Everyone was looking at us weird. 

It turns out the valley is 40 feet below sea level!! whew!! 

But on the up side, it was the best exchange I've been on so far! oh man, I was having so much fun! I love seeing the sisters I served with at the beginning of my mission! We did service and part of it included burning tons of branches... so it was a combined 110 degrees! whew! 

And then for lunch they fed us Menudo. Yes my friends, that is cow stomach. I totally ate it. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew doggy. 

On the way back we had to go through a border patrol check point station. I was driving because I was getting carsick in the passenger side. 

Well we pull up and all these lights shine in your car (it was dark outside so they were intense). Then a drug dog comes and stiffs your car. Then a border patrol guy looks at you in the face and then at all the people in the car and racially profiles you and then makes a decision. 

We made it through.

This Easter was amazing! We read the "None Were With Him" talk and it was so powerful. 

The interesting part is that I have never been more isolated from everybody/everything I love in my life, yet I've never felt so much love and happiness. I know it's because of Jesus Christ. We focused on Him every moment we could this week and I felt so good all week long. Man, I love my life. 

The true source of happiness is Jesus Christ. There is no other way. Seriously though, and the best part is that the Book of Mormon tells you all about Christ! It's the best little combo ever :)

And the biggest miracle of it all.... we are teaching a progressing investigator! I seriously haven't taught a progressing investigator since Grandpa Ted in November. What a blessing!! His baptismal date is May 10th. Heavenly Father has no idea how grateful I am to be teaching the refreshingly wonderful lessons! Sister Landeen is a great teacher, so lessons with him are fun stuff. I LOVE TEACHING!!

i love you. i love you. i love you. :D

sister barfuss