HAPPY NEW YEEEAAAR!!

Hey everyone!

We had such an amazing week!

On Monday we had a Zone FHE with an awesome family from the Springfield Ward. Well, it wasn't just our zone, it was the Hartford Zone and New Haven Zone too! So there was like..60 missionaries there! President and Sister Packard came too will all the family. It was really nice. We all sang Christmas hymns together, and the Packards shared some spiritual thoughts, which was amazing.

I went on exchanges to North Brookfield this week, and LOVED it! I was with ma guurl Sister Lewis!

Christmas was amazing! The family that we spent Christmas with, The Caputo's, are so awesome! They invited our investigator, Keith over for Christmas dinner, and they invited 2 recent converts over too! It was great getting to spend Christmas with all of those amazing people.

Awesome story of the week: We got a text on Friday from the Worcester sisters telling us that a recent convert, who is 10 years old, just moved into our area. None of her family are members. She was living with a family in Worcester who were members, but now she's back living here with her own family. We went to visit, and there were so many people living in that tiny house! She was really happy to see us though! Her Grandma, Denise, listened in while we were talking to her, and we asked her if she'd like to learn about what her granddaughter has been taught. She said she really wants to! Then she offered to take her to church on Sunday! Long story short...they came to church, she loved it,and we're going to start teaching her on Thursday!

We got to go to the temple with one of the recent converts here on Saturday! There were SO many people there! The mission goal is to get 100 people to the temple by the end of December. I think we're at 97 so far...so there's 2 more days left! While we were walking out of the temple I got the best surprise EVER! I got to see Peggy going into the temple. She was with her sister, and the Norwich Sisters :) My day was made!!!

Being hot with Sister Haws!!

Looking cute with Sister Haws

It was such an amazing week! I hope all of you have a wonderful week!

I love you all!

Love, Sister Barrett

Merry Christmas!

Hey everyone!

It's been a REALLY exciting week! Lot's of good things are happening here!

Last week we decided to text a bunch of former investigators in our area book and 1 person responded!! (It's better than none!) Her name is Alyssa and she's 17. We met up with her this week and she basically just said to us "I was going to call you, but you texted me first! I'm ready to take the lessons again." She wants to turn her life around and come closer to Christ. She's a really sweet girl and we're really excited to teach her :)

Another miracle of this week: A new lady and her 2 kids just moved into the branch, but they live about 45 minutes from the church building, and they have no car. They are really poor, and are just trying to get back on their feet. We went to visit them this week to introduce ourselves and get to know them a little bit, and she is SUCH a sweet lady! She has been through a lot! Her boyfriend, Gary was there when we visited, and he has had a lot of exposure to the church. He's been to church multiple times and LOVES it! He's all about families, and he said that whenever he goes to church there's a wonderful feeling there. We straight up invited him to take the lessons and he was like "Yeah I'd love that!." It was so awesome! And then when we were leaving he said "Thank you so much for coming today. You've really lifted us up, and it's been a great day because of you." We are SO excited to teach him!

When we were driving to an appointment this week, we found THIS!

So something great that's happening throughout the whole mission...as you all know, there were 100 people baptised last month. Well our new goal is to have 100 people at the temple doing baptisms next Saturday, the 27th. Satan is working DOUBLE TIME so all our people have been experiencing huge opposition, but we're also working double time, and praying double time, so we know that they'll make it :) It's so important for all of these people to go, and experience the amazing work that they can do in the temple!

Speaking of the temple...we had our Christmas program this week so we got to go to the temple on Wednesday afternoon, which was amazing. Then we had a Christmas musical fireside, which was beyond incredible! And then we had dinner, and did our Zone skits and songs, and we opened presents! It was so fun! :) We also got to go to Boston early that morning!

Me and Sister Haws in Boston

Sister Sutherland, Sister Haws, me and Sister Buttars

I am getting SUPER excited for Christmas now! I hope you all have an amazing week, and eat your weight in food, and remember Christ as we celebrate his birth :)

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Rebekah Barrett

Christmas is Coming!

"Hey everyone!!

This week has been great! I'm still adjusting to Greenfield, but things are progressing here and we're keeping busy :)

Highlight of my week: On Saturday I got to go to the temple with Roxanne! I cried the whole time because it was literally the happiest time of my life! Also, I thought it was just going to be Roxanne and the Sisters there...but pretty much the whole Norwich ward was there, so it made me weep with happiness to see everyone again! :) The best part was seeing Roxanne get baptised for her Grandma! I asked her afterwards "How do you feel now that you actually get to go inside the temple?" And she said "I just don't want to leave. It's so different to the world out there. It's so peaceful." It was an amazing day!

And I'm so excited because I get to go to the temple twice again this month! I get to go this week!!

Another cool thing..It's been snowing a lot and it's really pretty so I have photos! :)

Things are going so good here! Sister Haws is the greatest! We get on so well! :D  It's wonderful! We made these cute little presents with "He is the Gift" cards in them, and gave them to our neighbours! And we found out that some of our neighbours are really nice and want to learn more!

Well, sorry this is the shortest email ever!

But I love you all! :) Hope you have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Rebekah Barrett"

Just a reminder to everyone that even though Sister Barrett is back on Facebook, she is online to do missionary work and she can't talk to any friends or family. She loves you all and really appreciates your support! But if you want to contact her, you can email her or you can write to her at flat. Just message me or her mom for the address! :)

A New Beginning

Hey Everyone!!!

This week has been craaaazyy!!

On Wednesday we had to say goodbye to Sister Blair and Elder Sutherland, which was really sad. I cried...a lot. They're home now so that's insane! I also said goodbye to Sister Morgan and Elder Ching as they went on their way back to Norwich, and I came here to Greenfield. It's really hard saying goodbye to people that I've served with. They have seriously all become my best friends, and we have so many amazing memories together, even in the short space of time that we have known each other. But thankfully, I can still talk to Sister Morgan on the phone..which we do..a lot!

Sister Barrett's last district in Norwich

So Greenfield has been good so far. It's waaaaayy different to Norwich though. It's a tiny branch in the middle of nowhere with about 50 people at church every week. Norwich was a big ward in the middle of nowhere with about 150 people at church every week..so it's certainly different! But I'm so ready to do the work here. I know I'm meant to be here for a reason so I'm excited to work with the people here and build up this branch!

Sister Haws is awesome! She's the sweetest person ever, and we get along SO well!

Sister Barrett and Sister Haws

So another thing that's different about here is that I'm a digital missionary now! So that means that I'll be doing missionary work online for a few hours a day. We teach people online through Skype and Facebook, and we teach people from ALL over the world! I was talking to someone from Brazil yesterday...yes..Brazil. He seems super interested in learning more about the gospel, so we're going to be Skyping him on Wednesday to teach him more. Being a digital missionary is so different and it's weird to get used to but I'm really starting to like it! Also, just warning you..if you see that I'm online on Facebook, don't be alarmed. I'm not being apostate...I'm doing missionary work. I'll be on there to talk to people about learning more about the gospel. I can talk to anyone as long as I'm teaching them about the gospel...so my parents, and any friends of mine that are members of the church are out...sorry. That might change when everyone in the mission gets Facebook and iPads, but for now, that's the rules :)

So something SUPER exciting about being in Massachusetts is that there's waaaaayyy more snow here! This place is covered in snow. There was a huge snowstorm here just before I came so it's beautiful! But it hasn't snowed recently...it's just all still there from last week!

Oh and last, but DEFINITELY not least. I got a text from Sister Morgan yesterday telling me that Roxanne and Peggy are both going to the temple on Saturday!! I am so excited for them! I'm hoping I'll be able to go so I can be there with them :) If I do go..it'll be the best day of my mission so far for sure!!!!

I love you all :) I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Sister Rebekah Barrett

P.S. Watch this awesome video!

Goodbye Norwich, Hello Greenfield!

"Hey everyone!

Yes.....I'm leaving Norwich. It has been an INCREDIBLE 4 months here. This place is amazing, and I just LOVE the people here. They are really special to me and I'll never forget them, but I have a work to do in Greenfield and I'm really excited! Greenfield is a little branch in West Massachusetts, and it was my Dad's first area on his mission! I'm really excited to serve there. I know that the Lord needs me there, and I'm ready to do the work. My new companion has only been out for 6 weeks so this is a completely new experience. Her name is Sister Haws and she's from Utah!! :)

My last Sunday in Norwich was an emotional one! I wept like a child! I got to bear my testimony and I was just crying and trying to get words out. So emotional. But what a day it was! 

So as you all know, we had a goal within the mission to baptize 70 people in the month of November. Well, we got the news that as of last night, the Massachusetts Boston Mission baptized 100 people in the month of November! What a miracle! We far exceeded our goal and it has just been such an amazing month.

Speaking of baptisms...Roxanne's baptism was incredible! In the days leading up to her baptism she was SO excited and we got texts from her everyday telling us how excited she was! Her husband came, one of her sons came, her parents came AND one of her sisters came! After her baptism I gave her a hug and she said "I've never felt this way before". She is just so incredible!

I love Roxanne so much! Telling her that I was leaving was so hard! But I'll be back to visit her for sure! 

It was also SO great to see my Mama, Sister Blair! :) I was a happy child!!

Oh also, Thanksgiving was fabulous! We ate food! It was so good!

I love you all :) I hope you're all doing well!

Love,

Sister Barrett"

This coming Saturday, December 6th is the final posting date for packages to the US for anyone wishing to send something to Sister Barrett, final date for letters is December 11th.