And the house on the sand

washed away..............



This has been an interesting week.  To say the least.



Sunday night was the annual BYU men's chorus fireside.  It was AMAZING to hear MUSIC!!!  For those who don't know, you're are not allowed to listen to music at all in the MTC, unless it is prelude music to a meeting, or Music and the Spoken word.   AHHHH!!  THEY ARE SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!  And they sang some spirituals which just made you smile, and some hymns that made you cry.



At the end of the fireside, I had to run to a training meeting for new coordinating sisters with my new partners in crime, the zone leaders.  And that's when it hit me... the nausea I mean.  I started feeling SOOOO sick.  We ran back to the classroom after the brief meeting to sing with the zone one last time, and I knew I was going to throw up; not then.  Not soon.  But that night.



The singing went well (except for the hot flashes and nausea), and we said good bye to some of my favorite people.  We lost 30 members of our zone to the mission field.  One of those that left was a sister that we missed the moment we said goodbye.  We cried as the elders got to hug eachother and cry.  All we could do was give handshakes.  It took all my control NOT to hug them, or squeeze their hands: this was it.  Now it's off the bench and into the game.  But not all things are bad.  We got three new elders, and one thinks he's pretty hot stuff.  Well, at least he acts that way.  I've come to realize that about half the people who act that way really have low self esteem, or doubt themselves constantly.  So we'll see which half he falls into.



Anyway, I did get sick that night.  I threw up several times, making it to the dorm bathroom each time.  I swear it was the spirit.  I'd think "I need to go to the bathroom."  and then think.  "No.  I really don't.  If I get up, I'll vomit."   and then "............................."  then  "oh."  Yup.  That's the spirit.  Luckily someone had left out cleaning supplies from Saturday, so I cleaned everything up.  Yay responsible Kacey!!!



Monday I went to the doctor, and he freaked me out.  He made me drink tons of gateorade and said "come back this afternoon to see if your fever is down." (oh yeah, I had a fever.)  SO I drank my gateorade and tried very hard to pay attention in class.  No luck.  Went baack to the doctor in the afternoon and he really freaked me out.  My temperature was still up, and he pushed in on my stomach and it HURT.  BAD.  He tried to take blood, but I was still too dehydrated, so I had to go off campus to the BYU student health clinic for them to draw from my hand.  Yeah.  Send the sick girl who the doctor thinks MAY have apendicitis for a WALK to the SHC.  Great.



Turns out I'm fine.  Just a stomach bug.  But I got really nervous.......





Life is good here.  It's sad that one of our sisters has left us, but we know she's doing what she's supposed to.  When we get new sisters, how am I going to say goodbye to them?  I'll just think of France and all the good food.... yup.  That will be my tactic.



I had ana amazing experience with an elder here.  I've been getting on him to tell me his conversion story, and he finally did.  As he told the story, the spirit grew sooo strong.  In the middle of a full cafeteria, it was just him telling me his story, and me listening.  And the amazing thing?  Almost all of it sound like Dad's conversion story.  SERIOUSLY.  All I could think while he was talking was "Holy cow.  It's Dad's story."  I told Elder M that (that's his name), and he just stared at me.  "Soeur Barros.  I'm so glad you told me that.  The spirit is so strong right now."  The whole experience made me inspect my own conversion story, and this is what I wrote after an hour of study, pondering, and prayer.



"My conversion was not an all of a sudden thing.  Mine was gradual, slow and subtle.  I was baptized when I was 8 because I knew it was the thing to do.  When I was 12, I felt the spirit testify to me about the savior and His atonement.  That is my first revollection of recognizing the spirit.

After that, I felt it testify often.  At church, at youth activities, at school.  I knew the reality of Joseph Smith's vision and power befor I was 16.  I felt it reaffirmed during a youth pioneer treck, as my brother, portraying joseph smith, fell from a t0 foot window.  And even recently, as I watched the Joseph smith video, I realized how much that one man, a mortal and imperfect man, accomplished.  He restored the true gospel of Jesus Christ!  What a service to the world!!

I don't always do the right thing, but I try.  A repentant soul is a converted soul.  I'm still becoming what the Lord wants me to become.  My conversion happens every day.  Each time I feel the spirit, it grows.  Each time I fail-- it gets harder.  Each time I have faith, it grows again.

I am a convert.  I'm making my changes.  And that is the type of convert I am."







I know it's true, everyone.  I love this church and all the amazing blessings it gives me.  Life has become many more good things than bad, and I LOVE that!



Have faith.  Pray OFTEN and SINCERLY.  You will be blessed in ways no one can comprehend, I can promise you that.



I love love LOVE you.



Soeur Kacey Barros







PS-  If you want to send me ANYTHING.... hint hint to EVERYONE.... here's a list of things I've been wanting/ needing:



Tori- that great body lotion you gave me at Christmas: I'm almost out.  Pick something nice and send it to your sister please!!!



KNEE HIGHS!!!!  I'm starting to destroy mine, and it's getting too warm to wear full length nylons.



LETTERS!!!!!



And LOVE!!  And PRAYERS!!!



okay, that's all.