I love tough things!

So, we have an investigator who decided one day, after watching some videos about Elder Holland that he wants to talk with him. So, what does he do? He looks online and find the number for church headquarters in Utah. He calls and says "Yes, I would like to speak with a Mr. Elder Holland, please." and the lady on the other line was a bit stunned, but says "Hold on one minute" and he gets transferred to another woman who explains that she is his secretary, that he is preparing for a long trip and will be heading to the airport. She asks if she can take a message for him. Well, our investigator starts giving his message and she says “Actually, hold on one second." The line goes quiet, then a man picks up the phone, and he hears "Hello, this is Elder Holland..." 

O.O SERIOUSLY??? 

He just happens to get an apostle on the phone, just cuz!!

Jealousy...

Well, he talks with him for a minute and expresses that he is a 'recovering southern Baptist' (as he awesomely puts it) and he is preparing to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Elder Holland tells him that he is preparing for a trip and needs to make a flight and asks for his name, phone number, and address and tells him that he will call him back as soon as he can. Haha so cool! 

To make it even better, we got to meet with Elder D. Todd Christofferson on Saturday who came to South Carolina to speak to the mission! The meeting was in West Columbia, very near Windsor Lake, and we needed a ride. Well, we were going to ride with our Branch President since he was going down earlier that day, but that would mean we would be stuck down there about 4 or 5 hours before the meeting. There was always the possibility of knocking around in the West Columbia elders area, but we prayed about it, and felt like we shouldn't go down with Our Branch President. We asked this same investigator to take us there, and he was so excited! Well, in the middle of the meeting, Elder Christofferson had one of the A.P.'s pass a microphone around to anyone that had a question, he got up, and explained who he was (The same way he did to Elder Holland) which made the whole mission laugh, and he asked if he could request that Elder Browne and Shawcroft come back for his baptism!! Haha Everyone loved it :) Elder Christofferson said "well, that is kind of out of my jurisdiction, but it has been noted!" with a laugh. Then, after the meeting, he (Elder Christofferson) made a B-line for us and came over and gave him a hug. So, he met and talked to 2 of the 12 apostles in about a 3 day period.

Yeah. Something big is in store for this him :) Haha Such a fun week! 

I got to see all of the Elders I came out with for one last time before they all go home, and we are having a zone conference on Wednesday for 6 hours! but we get ipads, so that will be new!!! 

The apricots survived fairly well! Only one of them was too smashed to be edible, but the rest of them were just wonderful. :) I loved that so much!!! Thank you for it. Thank you for everything everyone sent for my birthday! 

We didn't really celebrate my birthday the typical way, I mean, we did go bowling and that was way fun and I did go get an ice-cream, but as far as it being about me, there wasn't really a need for it to be about me. I just had fun! I am getting pretty good at bowling; I still need to work on it though...hah

We are great. It is different Momma. A new experience, and I am doing my very best to be an example of a good missionary. New things! I love tough things!

I love you momma. I don't know what I would do without your support and love for me :)

Love y'all!!

-Elder Joel Sunshine Barker!! :)

This is Sister McMullens. She looks like a Barker. She is one of my favorites.