Weekly Update: December 23-29, 2014

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas. I sure as well did. Thank you all for your support and prayers. You probably wouldn't believe me if I said I didn't have a white Christmas since I'm serving here Canada in Calgary, a place where you have to use dog sleds to get around. But it's true. The snow didn't come until late that evening as we were going home for the night. It was a great day though!

On Sunday I had to give a talk in Sacrament on goals and resolutions. At first I wasn't sure how to speak on that topic, but as I studied that topic, the spirit gave me some insights on how to speak in a way that wouldn't be boring. As you all set to make new goals and resolutions this year I want you to ask yourselves one question. Is this goal or resolution helping me make it to the ultimate goal of eternal life in the celestial kingdom? As I studied goals I learned our ultimate goal in life is to be in the celestial kingdom. Everything we are doing here and now is to prepare us for that time. We don't know how long we have, but we should do all we can to use our time to the best of our abilities. And above all else, we must never give up or quit. God knows we won't be perfect, but with his help we can accomplish all of our goals, like it says in 1 Nephi 3:7. I want to invite you all as you set goals and resolutions this year to turn to God for some help to know what you need to do to become converted to the gospel. 

This week I have been doing a lot of tracting and street contacting. We are trying are hardest to find people to teach. It's hard because everyone is gone this holiday season, but I know God will bless us because of our faith and diligence. Everyday I see miracles in my life. They range from protection from awkward or bad situations to finding some potential investigators. No matter the trials I've faced and will face, I still will and do turn to the Lord in all things. I love this gospel with all my heart. And I hope you all do to. Have a great Week! I love you guys!

Love Sister Barton

P.S. here is a link to a cool song I just listened to. enjoy :)

http://www.mormonchannel.org/music-videos?v=2098657586001

Pictures:

Christmas snow finally came at night.

Weekly update December 16-22, 2014

Dear President,

Merry Christmas!!

I can't believe that Christmas is this week and that it is my second one on my misison. Man, I'm getting old in the mission. This has been one crazy week, but I love it. We have done a lot of finding and will keep trying to find. This week I went on my first exchange as a Sister Training Leader. I went with Sister Hatch in Airdrie and Sister Jones brought Sister Kolkova to our area. In Airdrie we did a lot of finding. The first thing we did was go tracting on a street that had chose to tract that day. We went down one side, but only one person answered the door. We decided to go somewhere else because no one seemed to be home and come back later. Later we went back right before our diner (our dinner was on the same street). We found several potentials for them house after house. It was great miracle.

Back in my area we have been doing a lot of finding. We did a zone blitz downtown and sang Christmas hymns on a street conrner while a few missionaries contacted people. The atmosphere on that street corner changed. The spirit was there and it was touching people's hearts. It was amazing to experience. On Saturday we did a zone finding activity and set up a hot chocolate stand in a park. We were able to talk to a lot of people, and have some crazy experiences, but that's missionary life. On Sunday night we stpped by a non member, Jehovah's Witness. She invited us and talked about God. You could tell she was trying to get us to believe that she had the "truth," but as we spoke to her and bore testimony of God and his gospel to her, she was confounded and always stumbled over her words. She isn't interested currently in investigating the church, but she wants us to do service for her and help her paint her bathroom. I hope in the future her heart will soften. She is amazing and would be so dedictated to following Christ and living the gospel.

 I love this gospel. I know without a doubt it is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives and his atonement was made for us because he loves us. I love being a missionary so much!!

Thank you for all you do.

Love Sister Barton

Pictures: Missionary life when you do laundry at the laundry mat and don't use the dryers. :)

Weekly Update December 9-15, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been a pretty good week. We don't drive the truck anymore.
Instead we drive a brand new 2015 Corolla. I'm sad about the truck, but
can't complain about a new car. At least we have a car to drive around in.
It could be worse, especially as it starts to get cold again.  We have
taught lots of less-actives and done a lot of tracting and street
contacting. Many of the people the Elders before us were working with were
single men. As we meet with the same people we have learned to rely a lot
of the members for help with fellowshipping. It's difficult to find
fellowshippers when you don't really know the members very well, but we
have been successful so far. I'm not the biggest fan of tracting because I
usually find it boring, but we have met some really cool people tracting,
including a new family we want to start teaching. We found the family last
night as we stopped by a less actives house, who was clearly home (we saw
them in the window). They didn't answer and we still had a few minutes
before dinner so we decided to knock on the door to the left. It ended up
being two girls who are very religious, but believe in searching out
answers and discussing things about God. They said their whole family is
that way. We plan to remain in contact with them this week, then so visit
them next week after finals are over.

Tonight we have a lesson with another potential investigator! His name is
Jeff and he is a referral from a missionary in our zone. Jeff seems so
awesome! Apparently he's been reading from the BOM and asking a member lots
of questions. He almost came to church yesterday, then the musical
fireside, but he had some errands to do and didn't make it back in time for
either thing. We are hoping to pick him up as a new investigator today.
Cooper is the other investigator the Elder's were teaching, but we have had
difficulty trying to meet him. He has priorities in his church with the
youth that keep coming up.

I hope you all have watched the video "He is the Gift" and shared it with
all your friends and family. I truly do know that Christmas is all about
Christ. Yesterday there was a musical fireside at my stake. As people
performed Christmas songs, I thought back to one of my most special and
memorable Christmases. It was back in 2003 when my dad first got sick with
cancer. My family didn't have a lot and my mom talked about not knowing
what to do for Christmas. She told us it would be small that year. Then
people in my ward and community stepped up to make Christmas happen for my
family. I remember when a knock came to the door and there was a real
Christmas tree standing there and people who also brought decorations for
it. I want to thank all those who stepped in and helped my family at that
time. I invite you all to take a look around and see who you could serve
and make Christmas more about Christ by doing things he would do. I love
this gospel so much!

Love Sister Barton

Weekly Update: December 3-8, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been one crazy week, but I loved every minute of it. I have seen
many miracles happen in this short time I've been here in my new area. I
have already started to learn many n ew things and have many great
experiences. I have learned a lot about God, my faith, and my humility. In
my setting apart blessing before my mission one thing it said was that all
the desires of my heart would come to pass at the right timing. Throught my
mission there have been things I have desired, but I lacked the faith to
get them. I had the mindset that anything I wanted I wasn't going to get
because that's not how things worked out for me in life. As I progressed in
my mission and learned more about turning my will over to God's I realized
that if my will is God's will than the desires of my heart will be things
he wants to give me, then they I will receive them at the right time in my
life. I wanted to train, then I became a trainer. I wanted to purge an
area, be a STL to help other sisters, and drive a truck (I know that sounds
silly). All those things have come to pass this transfer. Now I have to
remain humble and continue to do God's will. If any of these things were
taken away, I would be okay with it because I know that God does everything
for a reason.

This week has been insane. First with Sister Howard my greenie, meeting her
greenie and spending a day with her. Then transfers, with a new area and a
new companion. I love my new ward already and am starting to see miracles
happen. We have recieved a few referrals this week. One of which was a
media referral of someone I actually contacted down town. She is in the
hostital right now, but we are planning to go visit her if that's possible.
Other referrals from the members have been given to us that seem very
solid. Coming into an area that loved the previous Elders and hasn't had
sister in the ward for a long time is different, but I love it. Everyone is
warm and friendly and excited to see us.

We may not live in the nicest, or cleansest apartment (we are working on
deep cleaning it after Elders have lived in it for atleast 5 years), but
that doesn't matter to me. I am here to to do the Lord's work and find
those he has prepared for the gospel. We may get lost and not know where
our ward boundaries are at times, but we still push thru and never get
discouraged. In fact each time we get lost we learn something new about our
area that will help us in the future, like we won't be able to find free
parking down town.

I don't know much about being a STL, but I'm excited to learn from Sister
Jones. We plan to meet them at their ZTM tomorrow. I know this transfer is
going to be great! I'm going to learn a lot of new things, see lots of
miracles, and help many people come unto Christ. I know this church is
true. God truly lives and knows me perfectly. If I have faith and am
following his will, God will bless me with the desires of my heart. I know
this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true also. I love this
opportunity I have to share the gospel with others.
Love Sister Barton

Pictures:
1. "I'm walking on ICE!!! Whoa-Oh!!" Go Canada!!!
2. generation picture: Sister Harris (my trainer), me, Sister Howard (My
trainee), Sister Moulten (Sister Howard's trainee)

Weekly Update: November 25-December 2, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a pretty great week. It is transfer week and I'm getting
transferred to a new area. I don't know where that is, but it is somewhere
in the Calgary area. I will know my new area on Thursday. My companion
Sister Howard is going to be training a new missionary. I just finished
training her and now she gets to be a trainer herself. It will be a great
experience for her.

This week we had the opportunity to attend the temple. I love going to the
temple. At the temple I was able to recieve some answers to questions I
had. I know that all who go to themple will receive direction and answers
to their questions as well.

Our area is doing pretty good I think. We haven't been able to find any new
investigators, but we have been focusing on finding less-actives and they
seem to keep coming out of the wood works.  The Metzner's are still as
crazy as ever. Yesterday we went to lunch with Sister Metzner and her
husband Bill. We were able to have a great conversation with him after
lunch about the church and the gospel. He's a member, but is less-active
and always goes downstairs or is working when we go over. It was great to
finally have the opportunity to have a conversation with him. He doesn't
have a very strong knowlege of the gospel or a desire to find out for
himself, but over time he will come around.

I'm so greateful for this gospel and this wonderful opportunity I have to
share it with other people. I have been able to see miracles happen this
week, many of them small, but I know they still come from God. I know this
gospel is true without a doubt. I know that when I am following God's plan
and being humble and obedient to his will then everything works out
perfectly and miracles will happen every day in my life. I love being a
missionary!

Love Sister Barton