Mother's Day Phone Call from Elder Barlow

It has been a wonderful Mother's Day. Corrine & Alisa fixed a great dinner. I was blessed to talk with all the children which is a real treat. We enjoyed the Mother's Day missionary phone call. With modern technology, Brock has a message for all. (We were spoiled and got to talk for an hour!).


Grandma Jex -- Brock said he does get your letters. They used to come in bunches, but now he is in the mission home he will get them regularly. Thanks for writing!

For those who were not here to listen -- a few updates we heard from him

1 -- His current companion is from Guatemala and they have been in the mission about the same time
2-- His MTC companion is currently serving in Belize on a small island with about 40 members in the branch
3-- In response to "working with the people" of the stake his response was-- they went to the leadership of the wards and stakes and got the missionary program going the way the handbook states -- with meetings in PEC, Ward Missionary Council, etc. They were able to get each investigator discussed and find ways to help meet their specific needs etc. When the leadership of the ward/stake caught on, so did the rest of the membership. There is a lot of follow up with priesthood leaders. They follow Preach My Gospel exactly. The key to the success is when the bishop trusts/likes the missionaries. If this isn't their, nothing happens.
4-- The new temple will be in the West (his) mission. It will be built (this is for Garrett who can picture the area) near a mall close to the mission president's house. They will be building a stake center (like the area has never seen before - American style with a/c & full indoor court) in the area. Brock's current ward will be meeting in that building.
5-- Brock and his companion meet with his mission president once a week to get information and 'key indicators'. They use this information to then decide who/where they need to go meet/train. They split up and one of them goes to that area and the other stays (on a companion swap) and so they can continue to work in their own area as well
6-- Brock has not been to Belize yet. However, there is a chance he will go before President Call leaves the mission field so he will be familiar with it for the new president. He is excited about that possibility.
7-- He will find out what his P-day is on Monday after they meet with the President. He said if we write on Saturday we should be safe.
8-- He hasn't played soccer with the East mission the way Garrett did, but Garrett told him about it and so he will see what he can find out about it. Their mission president goes home with President Call.
9--President Call's son is at BYU and has put in his mission papers. One of their daughters is getting married two days after they are released and is marrying one of 'their' missionaries.
10-- Brock was happy to get updates about his friends/family members who are serving missions. "Shout out" to all of them from Brock!
11--Brock was jazzed to hear about Ty & TJ playing baseball and he said "that is what I'm talking about". He asked about TJ starting football because he thought Todd & Chelsea had mentioned it. We told him we thought TJ was starting in the fall. Of course, he was way excited about that.
12--"Shout out" to TJ from Brock on his award at school. Go TJ.
13-- Brock wanted Ty, TJ, Anna, Lori, Carly, Jared, Mac, Bryn & Hallie to know he loves you!
14-- Brock said he is ready to have two or three bricks placed on Ty's head because he looks like he is getting too tall too quick. He will soon pass up Rachel & Grandma
15-- We asked him who trains him to be the AP. He said he had one week of an elder showing him how to do reports, etc. but his training is by experience as he goes about the work.
16-- He does not have a driver's license yet. The visa he gets is for one year at a time. He has his second year visa now and after three months (in June) he is eligible to get a driver's license which he plans to do. He pointed out he will get his driver's license on June 5th which is the same day he received his patriarchal blessing
17-- He talked about how they do transfers. They rent a large bus and then go throughout the mission from zone to zone on transfer day taking people to their new areas. This is a fairly new procedure and according to Garrett's comments, really a smart way of doing it for the area. The pictures he just sent on Saturday show the bus. This change in procedure was because of a request form 'high up' leadership.
18--BTW his voice sounds just like a missionary has he has a sing-songy voice and elevates his voice at the end of sentences, etc. His Spanish sounds great to all of us Gringos. He struggled speaking in English a bit
19-- He has mama Con cooking for him like Garrett and he said he loves it.
20--Sister Call's 'cook' is Hermana Blanco (this is info for Garrett)

Having problems uploading the video of Brock speaking so try back later....