Meeting His Trainer!

 All of the new missionaries 

waiting to meet their trainers!

 All of the trainers waiting to meet their trainees!

Boston's trainer- Elder Steele!!!

Heading to Bangkok and Arriving!!!

(Written by Paige.) So I still can't believe that this happened! I had booked tickets to fly into Boise, Idaho for my nephews wedding. Just days before I was talking to my hubby and feeling bad that I was only going to be there for 1 full day and traveling the two days before and after. It was just too short! So Tag spoiled me and bought me tickets to fly in and out of Salt Lake City so that I could spend a few more days with my parents and Quincey and drive with them. Not a single thought about Boston and what he was doing. We found out what Boston's travel plans were the day before I left on my trip. Still I didn't even put two and two together. As I drove myself to the airport on Thursday morning at 4 AM I was planning it out in my mind how I needed to be ready for Boston's phone call because I wouldn't be at home and then it HIT ME!!! I would be in the SAME airport as him and my flight left 30 minutes before him! It was an even bigger surprise when I got there and his gate was G5 and mine was G3!!! It was even BETTER then Christmas morning waiting for him to come to his gate. One of the best thrills of my life! I loved meeting all of the missionaries and seeing the joy and light in their eyes. What a blessing to have this experience! Tender mercy for sure!

My handsome boy!

I took pictures of as many missionaries as I could. They were all over the place calling there families.

Just before saying goodbye.

 LANDED in Bangkok!

 In front of the mission office.

 Group photo on the roof of the Mission Office.

Elder Barron with President and Sister Hammond. <3

 They were fed well!

Week 8 - Last Week YESSSS!

Everyone was little down at the beginning of this week because we all just really want to go to Thailand and we had two more weeks. Then on Wednesday we all received our missionary tag with our names Translated into Thai! It might not seem like a super big deal to others, but that was like Christmas for us! Then about one hour later, we received our travel plans to go to Thailand! That might have been a little too much for us in a short amount of time because we started bouncing off the walls. It was so much fun. Going to Thailand has been so surreal until now, and now it actually feel like it is going to happen. FINALLY!

We are leaving at 3:45 in the morning next Monday. Our entire trip is supposed to take about 35ish hours, so that's is going to be awesome. I am very excited to be in Thailand completely immersed. 

Here are the answers to your questions:

1. What is your personal scripture study like? When, where, how?

I study the scriptures every morning. I do personal study and then I study with my companion. Sometimes we also study with the other two Elders in our dorm room. Either outside, in the dorms, or in the classroom.

2. How many missionaries will be traveling with you to Thailand? Tell us any travel news if you have any.

There will be 10 Thai elders, 2 Thai sisters, and 3 Burmese speaking Elders. I am the travel leader and I sent you the rest of the details above.

3. Tell us a story about a teaching experience from this week. What was it like and how did you do?

We taught someone named Tanner from Thailand this week and we taught a story about having faith in God, and that through God we can do all things.

4. How often do you have "chores" to do? Like cleaning jobs. What are they and how often do you do them?

We clean other people’s bathrooms and stairs and vacuum. It isn’t too hard, but we do it once a week.

5. Do you listen to music? What music and is it yours that Quincey gave you or someone else's.

We aren’t allowed to listen to music at the MTC and I don’t really have time to listen to music anyway. I will get to listen to music when I get to Thailand but it will be only uplifting/church music. I’m actually excited for that believe it or not! Haha!

My email isn't super long this week, and I forgot to take any pictures so I will just take some of some cool guys emailing with me.

That’s it for now. I know that this gospel is true and I wouldn't be going on this mission without knowing that.

Love, Elder Barron

Week 7-Take A Leap Of Faith!

 Practicing the Thai squat =D

Boston with the Leavitts!

Update:

Hey y'all! It's been a good week out in Utah! I want to go to Thailand SO bad and everyone is on a high all the time because we are so excited! We are constantly talking about what we are most excited for and for me, it is definitely the FOOD. =D I get hungry every time I think about it. 

Lots of great stuff happened this week! We got to hear a talk by Elder M. Russell Ballard. It was a very good talk about how Joseph Smith was told by God and Jesus Christ to find the Book of Mormon and translate it into English. Then he founded The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am thankful for the faith of Joseph Smith and everyone who came after him to keep the church alive. I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ and everything in the Book of Mormon is true.

All the new Thai speaking missionaries came in to the MTC on Wednesday. There are about twice as many speakers in their group as in mine. =0 I got to greet Elder Ryberg, (shout out to Bentonville Arkansas!) It was fun getting to talk to him! I have already gotten to know and became pretty good friends with Elder Taylor and Elder Olsen. Elder Taylor is very good at volleyball and we are having a ton of fun playing sand volleyball together. Elder Olsen said he played basketball in High School, so I can't wait to play some hoops with him, but the gym has been closed for a week and it will be closed for another week sadly. =’(

The food at the MTC has been pretty good. Everyone that I know that has gone to the Missionary Training Center says the food isn't good... but I have enjoyed it. It may be because I just eat anything or maybe the food has gotten better lately.

My teachers are all cool. All of them know Thai through their mission and they just got back and decided to teach Thai at the MTC. I think it would be so fun to teach Thai when I get back from my mission as a side job. I know that all my teachers love us a lot and want us to be the best missionary we can possibly be.

I have fun going to the temple each week because being in Arkansas we are 4 hours away from the nearest temple. (Kansas City and Oklahoma City) It is fun to be so close and able to go a lot. Lately the temple close to the MTC has been closed because it is under renovations, so we haven't been able to go as much as we would like.

One fun thing our district has been doing lately is practicing the "Thai squat." I have some pictures of it in the email. But all while I was growing up, I sat like this and my Mom always told me that I would go on my mission to an Asian country where I would do the Thai squat a lot. She was right! Haha! I am definitely the best one at sitting in the Thai squat because of all the practice I got when I was growing up:) Haha!

This last week Elder Benteti and I had the opportunity to teach a person in Thailand over Skype. It was so fun because we actually talked to someone who had Thai as their first language and they had an accent and they spoke super fast! I can't wait to be in Thailand with all these people! The land of a thousand smiles! =D

This week was very fun! I hope everyone is doing great and everyone is encouraged to email me! I love when I get emails from anyone! Actually YOU, yes YOU!

Elder Boston Barron

PS. TWO more weeks!

Week 6- Welcoming the new Thai speakers this week!

Missionaries watching the fireworks shot from BYU Cougar Stadium!

 From inside the MTC windows. 

God Bless the USA!

 Overlooking Jerusalem =)

Weekly Update:

Gosh only 3 more weeks. I am learning a lot, but I really can't wait until I get to leave here and actually go to Thailand! I know that when I go there I will not know nearly enough Thai, but it's okay I will learn more when I actually get to start speaking with the people there.

I am super excited for tomorrow because the new group of Thai speakers are coming in and I got to see pictures of all the new elders coming in to start learning Thai. They look like a great group of guys! While I was looking at all the pictures I noticed a familiar face! Stewart Ryberg is going to be coming in and I will get to see him a lot! If Stewart somehow reads this, I can't wait to see you Stewie!! (He is a friend from Bentonville!)

Not many different things happened this week. I still go to class a lot and study all day. I got to see my good friend Neil Loveland here in the MTC. (Another friend from Bentonville. He is headed to Brazil.) I have fun whenever I can see him! Great guy!

I heard an interesting quote this week. It basically said- if you can't keep simple rules in life, (I have to wake up on time at 6:30 every day). And if God can't trust me with simple rules like waking up on time, how can he trust me to go to Thailand and do the job of inviting others to the gospel of Jesus Christ? I challenge everyone to do the small things like listening to your parents, or going to church so that God will give you blessings in the big areas of your life.

Love You All, Elder Barron

Week 5- 4 left in the MTC!

 We scored some awesome 4th of July packages!

 Elder B making his offering....? 

Or just playing around..

The sunglasses have really added to the missionary outfit...8)

This is me with my cousin Marcus!

Weekly Update:5 Weeks down. 4 to go in the MTC...

This week was awesome. I have made large strides in learning Thai and I love it! I have of fun when I can see myself getting better, and I can't wait until I can go be immersed in Thailand and teach the people of Thailand about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love everyone in my zone and district that I get to learn with and have fun bonding with. We all have the same purpose. I am thankful for my companion Elder Benteti. I have gotten to know him very well because we stay together all the time. =) We eat together, study together, work out together, pray together. He is a very smart guy and I am glad I have him to help me be a better person in everything I do. Plus, he’s funny. 

I can't believe it has only been 5 weeks here at the MTC. Every day is so productive and I have learned so much. It doesn't feel like I could possibly learn this much in such a short amount of time, but I have, and it is all because the Lord has blessed me to do so. I know the Lord blesses everyone of his children here on Earth. We sometimes can't see the blessings until later in life.

I challenge everyone to think about all the things you have in life that are blessings and also think about some of your challenges or burdens that are blessings in disguise. 

Talk to y'all later,

Elder Boston Barron

Week 4- My cousin Marcus got here!

 Celebrating a birthday. 
Can you find me in this picture?

 Emailing our families.

 I always wondered what I 

would look like with glasses....

What the Thai language looks like.

Email Update:

This was a good week. I am getting better at the language. It is crazy hard and I have never been good at memorizing vocab and such, but I know that God is helping me with every step of the way. Since my Companion and I are zone leaders for our zone, we have to go to a lot of meetings to report how our zone is doing. It makes me happy to know my Mission President trusts us with the responsibility. It’s been cool.

I'm having fun with my companion Elder Benteti (still sounds like Bendesi) because here in the Missionary Training Center there are athletic records for 12 different events and my companion and I want to try and beat the vertical jump and long jump. The vertical record is 36.3 inches and I got 35.1 inches and Elder Benteti got 34.9 inches. We are both really close on the long jump record too, so we are both gonna try to beat one each of those records by the time we leave. We are also doing 100 pull ups every other night and 400 push ups on the other nights. 

In basketball we can only do half court and we can only play 2v2 or 3v3. It’s kind of lame. But they don’t want anyone injuring them selves right before leaving to go out in the field so I can understand that. You aren't allowed to touch the rim, net, or backboard. I have gotten in trouble for doing a lay up and slapping the backboard. Every once in a while if I can't see the instructors I sneak in a 360 dunk though. It is still getting easier to dunk.

We are teaching some lessons to fake investigators to practice for when we have to do it for real. It is getting harder each time because they are starting to speak faster like how they will in Thailand. There are a lot of times when we don't know what they say, so we just have to improvise. 

I got to see my cousin Marcus Krommenhoek! ( I will try and get a picture next time I see him!) He entered the MTC this week and is headed to Russia in a couple months. It has been fun seeing him around. I am very grateful to his mom, my Aunt Emily for sending me a package of cookies! I didn't know how to thank her so I guess this is the only way :) THANK YOU!!!

I would like to urge everyone reading this this week to think of your family this week. Family is a very important part of Heavenly Fathers plan for us. " The family is central to the Creators plan for the eternal destiny of His children." This is a quote directly from one of our former prophets President Gordon B. Hinckley. You should read the rest of it at this link

https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng&old=true

Always keep your family in mind and let them know you love them often because we are all on Earth together and nobody else would rather help you along the way other that your earthly family and your Heavenly Father.

With Love, Elder Barron