Elder Joel Preston Barker ~Columbia, South Carolina Mission~: Dads, Grandpas, & Great Grandpas

We are in the Columbia area, and it's a great place! It's all so green and full of trees and bugs!!! Our apt is pretty cool, but I think I would think any apt is cool because I've never had my own apt. :P We have a little kitchen that I can cook anything I want in (There is four of us in the Apt, the other three Elders don't mind that I cook for them ;) ).
My new Companion is named Elder Sumner, He's been out for a little over a year (8 months) We aren't supposed to say how long we've been out. haha he's my dad! :) It's kinda funny, I'm his trainee, so I'm his son, he's my dad, and Elder Welty ( One of the other elders in my apt) is his dad, so my grandpa, and HIS dad, is one of the assistants to the president! So I have a dad, a grandpa, and a great grandpa!
We're going to get a 4 generation picture :P It's kinda fun! Elder Sumner is being so great to me, he is teaching me everything! We've taught a couple of lessons to non members, and I put a girl on date
for Baptism!!!! :D
It's so amazing out here! I'm so loving this!!!! I love this beautiful place! Missionary work is amazing Momma, It feels so good...The spirit is just so strong whenever I'm teaching or learning more and more about the Gospel. It's overwhelming. I love when I'm sitting and teaching a family, and I recite the first vision from memory, and the spirit just floods the room..and you can tell when they can feel it.. :)
The humidity isn't even that bad, I thought it would be terrible, but it's not nearly as bad as Nauvoo was. I can walk around in white shirt and tie and be completely fine. However, since it rained last night, It's much more humid today than it usually is. I haven't ridden my bike yet though :P We're in a 2013 Ford Fusion with only 700 miles on it! :D We have a gas card :) We just have a specific amount of miles we are allowed in a month. Hahaha I didn't know it would be a car area! President Holm turned it into one as soon as I got here, I think he likes me :P
An average day for me is, we wake up at 6, exercise in the apt for about an hour, have an hour to shower and get ready, personal study for 1 hour, companion study for 1 or 2 hours, then we go out and either visit members, try to contact less active/non members, or we just knock doors. then, after a couple hours of that, we drive either home or somewhere to eat lunch. Then, we go back out for a number of hours, then we go home for dinner. We either cook, or members bring us food or take us out. We don't get fed all that much because the members REALLY prefer the sisters. They are like double booked on being fed. We barely get fed :P Sexist church people. ;) Today, we are going to go grocery shopping because I have no food :P
The church only put 30$ on my card, + the money that got refunded for my baggage claim, so I have to take that off and keep that cash but I'm going to try to keep it cheap. :)
I knew it had to be sister Jackson! Also, her twin sister was an actress in High hopes and River boats when we were in Nauvoo. haha :) I got my ties, as well as the other package, nothing exploded, pants are great, almost done with all my eggs :) Thanks so much for everything! I love getting things from home! I wanted to ask, Those digital picture frames, how much would one of those cost? If they aren't too expensive, I'd love one :) Or even just a scrap book full of pictures. I'm writing a letter, as well as this email, so you might hear some of this twice, sorry haha. The way the flight went was, we got on the plane ( I got window seat!) and I stayed awake while we took off, and for like 30 minutes after that, then I fell asleep until we descended :) I enjoyed being in an airmane!
South Carolina is so great! It rained like CRAZY Last night, and so everything is foggy and wet, and UNBELIEVABLY GREEN!

Hey momma, I have to get off, so I will send that letter today, send me lots of letters, alright? I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

"Do you need anything"? ~I think I'm good Momma :) Just letters, I love getting letters. :)

I love you! Give the kids hugs for me! Tell them I love them!
Tell them ALL that I love them so much!
Elder Sunshine, Out.

PS, I don't get packages unless it is sent "Priority".
idk what that means but I like getting mail ;) Send me packages whenever you like :) Love you!