Teaching the Teachers

Missions are weird. That's what I have decided. As missionaries we get up at 6 am, work all day to study, teach, and talk to everyone, then we plan for the next day, and go to bed at 10:30. We repeat this routine everyday yet everyday is so different. We strive everyday to teach people about the restored Gospel and how it can bless their lives. We try so hard to understand peoples needs and concerns then teach them how they can overcome those challenges. All of this work is supposed to be helping everyone around us. I have tried so hard to be a light in other's lives. Yesterday we were driving to an appointment with a good friend. Her name is Amber. This girl is incredible. She has been going through a lot of hard things and just has a rock solid testimony of the Savior. We were talking about how she wants to be a criminal investigator because she wants to be a light in a dark situation. Right now she works at the prison and just loves everyone that she works with. As we were talking about what we wanted to be she said that her occupation only is going to help her to be what she wants to be then went on about what she wants to do with her life. OH boy! The spirit was so strong as she talked about God's plan for each of us and how much potential we don't even realize we have. I decided she needs to be a motivational speaker because she was pretty much preaching to us missionaries. We love taking her to lessons! The point of this story was thinking about how we spend everyday trying to help people overcome their fears and see their potential as sons and daughters of god yet at the end of the day I feel like I've learned way more than anyone that I teach has. In the scriptures it promises over and over that when we lose our selves in the work we will find a much better version of our own selves. I have found that to be so very true. I have a long way to go but with every sacrifice and trial I have discovered something new and amazing about myself and about my Heavenly Father and his son. Matthew 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Doctrine and Covenants 103:27 Let no man be afraid to lay down his life for my sake; for whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again. Doctrine and Covenants 98:13 And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal. Wow this email is going way off the path that my sticky notes had planned...okay this week we also got to work at a booth at the county fair...I didn't know I would ever feel culture shock in Safford Arizona but you should have see Sister Rhodes and I as we walking into that dark death trap of games, music, and fried food. I have never felt so our of place in my head I just kept singing "I know that my redeemer lives." We were on the opposite side of the fair than the live band which was good but it was crazy! We were there for 5 hours on Friday and 3 hours on Saturday. It was long and we didn't get to talk to a whole lot of people but we did meet a few referrals for the Hermanas and I talked to a real live cowboy who wanted to go to church! We taught him the restoration in 5 minutes and he loved it! We had to give her to the singles ward elders but I'm really excited to hear what happens with him! It doesn't matter who teaches him! Next miracle! Remember Amber from 2 paragraphs ago? Well she has a friend who works at the prison with her. His name is Mario. She started telling him about the church and at first he was super anti. Then after three months of asking questions he came to church 3 weeks ago. Then yesterday he just came up to us and said, "Okay. Every time that I come here I love it. Every time that I learn more I feel like it's catered to me. I need you two to help me get baptized!" WHAT!?!?! He has been so prepared and is so ready! He grew up in the ghetto of California and has had history in gangs and stuff but has completely changed his life around and is ready to take the next step! He isn't in our boundaries so I'm not sure if we get to teach him but I am so excited for him! He wants to be part of our ward so we'll see what happens! It's up to the stake president and bishops! I can't wait to witness Mario's baptism though! There is a lot more that I want to tell all of you because this week was just so great but I'm out of time so I will just have to tell you all later! Just know that I am so happy and so very very exhausted! Thank you for the support and love it is so desperately needed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church. The Book of Mormon can bring an individual pure and everlasting joy. My very wise Aunt Kathy loves the word joy. This Gospel doesn't bring happiness. That just wouldn't be enough. It brings joy to all who allow it. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his son. I know that I can be with my family forever because of the priesthood authority that is on the earth today. I love being a missionary and seeing the light of Christ fill a room and fill people's hearts. I have learned more in the past 3 and 1/2 months than I ever thought possible! Have a great week everyone! ps. It's happened. My Canadian in Toronto is going to be mad but....I wore a winter coat in 70 degrees and was freezing....I'm sorry Sister Frodsham. Arizona has gotten to me.

We walking into the relief society presidents living room and she just started laughing at our new accessories.Thanks mom

Sister Rhodes didn't like the first one so here's this one.....i don't get the difference but whatever!

Conference and Such

Hello Everyone! I don't have a whole lot of time so this is going to be a quick one. First of all. Mom you're going to be proud! I ALMOST donated blood this week. :) Some elders told us about a blood drive that was going on and Sister Rhodes really wanted to do it but didn't want to do it alone. She used the companion unity guilt trip and the sick children guilt trip on me. The guilt trips worked so we ate everything in our kitchen that we thought had iron in it....so pretty much carrots and almonds then biked across town to get our blood taken from us! The whole bike ride I kept telling myself "Okay Sister Barton you're doing this for the children!" Well we got there and realized that we needed IDs in order to do it. We didn't have time to go to our duplex and get them so I dodged that bullet! Woof! The guy that thought drinking a lot of water would help his seed to grow? Well we have been teaching him a lot and he really understands a ton but he wasn't keeping commitments. On Wednesday we had a lesson with him and we tried to find out why he wasn't keeping commitments. The spirit was really strong as we retaught him the first vision and told him about how if he wanted to know the truth then he needed to study and pray for himself. We asked him if he would pray to know if the church was true and he just broke down. He told us that he wasn't willing to pray because he didn't want to know the truth. To him, knowing the truth would mean needing to change and he wasn't willing to do that. I couldn't believe what he had told us. It made me think a lot about our Heavenly Father's love for us and how he has asked us to do such simple things yet we don't do them because we don't realize how much they will bless us. One of my favorite parts about conference was Elder Jorg Klebingat's talk. I've always been a big fan of lists. I like having to do lists. Elder Klebingat and so many others gave us lists of how to improve ourselves, our testimonies, and our relationship with God. All of these lists were similar and simple. God isn't trying to make our lives complicated. This gospel is so simple. God has asked us to do small and simple things that make the biggest differences in our lives. I am grateful for conference. I love the Prophet and all that he stands for. All of the talks about sustaining our prophet were so true. It is our responsibility to sustain Thomas S. Monson as our prophet through our words, actions, and thoughts. I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon was given to us to bless us and teach us. How can it teach us if we don't open it constantly? I love this gospel! I love being a missionary. I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Have a good week everyone! I love you all so much! Happy Birthday Megan! You are an amazing example to me of a loving mother and amazing friend to everyone. I've always looked up to you for how hard you work and how willing you are to help everyone in need even when they don't ask. That's just who you are! You're an incredible example. I love you! Don't worry 25 is only halt way up the hill ;) -Sister Barton

Heading Into Transfer #3

Well this was a week of non-stop adventures and miracles for sure! I can't believe it's already been another transfer. Too weird. I'll be staying in Safford for another transfer with sweet Sister Rhodes! I had a feeling that I would be staying. I guess there are still people here that need me. I'm determined to do everything I can this transfer to do the Lords work. Tuesday was "the day" which is where the entire mission does a huge exchange. I went to St. David with Sister Hendricks who is a Sister Training Leader. She is really incredible! I loved getting to see what is happening in other areas and getting more ideas on how to be a better missionary. The St. David zone includes a town called Tombstone that I was really excited to get to go see!!! I guess there is some movie about it? I don't know but tombstone is awesome! I felt like I was in the Indiana Jones part of disneyland! We were teaching a lesson in a man's apartment lobby when all of a sudden a man dressing in a for reals sheriff costume comes walking down and says "It's my day off so it's time for a walk around town." Apparently when the people of tombstone are bored they go and walk around in costumes! IT WAS SO FUN! People from all over the world come. We met a ton of people from the east coast and even a family from France. There are some things that I just don't understand. "The day" was great though! I feel like I learned so much from Sister Hendricks and just couldn't get enough of her ideas. Some say that there is a ghetto of Safford but I don't really believe it. We didn't know where to go before calling it a day so we were just biking around the "ghetto" when a group of kinda sketchy looking people stopped to talk to us. One of them introduced himself and said that he had read the Book of Mormon in prison recently and wanted us to teach him more! YAY!! We were so excited! The stake president is a judge so we asked him about our new friend and he only said great things so I'm excited to start teaching him! We tried to go over later this week but he was busy so hopefully we will find a time this week to get some lessons started! I love being in a little town because of weekends like this one. They had a big Salsa Festival where everyone came to main street and judged which Mexican restaurant had the best salsa. We went during our lunch break for a little bit and got to explore. Sister Missionaries are really spoiled in Safford. People kept handing us kettle corn and cotton candy! It was a very sugar filled lunch break but we got to talk to quit a few people! We are planning to go visit them this week and so we'll see what happens there! Did you all get to see the Women's broadcast? I was in heaven! We had 2 investigators come and they both said they loved it! All of the speakers were perfect for them! Their messages were inspired and completely catered to their concerns and needs. I loved the umbrella analogy. Heavenly Father really is constantly raining down his blessings on us. It's our choice whether or not we put down our umbrellas in order to feel the blessings! It was my favorite part of the week by far! It made me that much more excited for conference weekend! The second best part of the week was teaching young womens on Sunday. I was a little nervous and not sure how the lesson would go but we talked about being in the world and not of the world. It was a little weird teaching them because I feel like I was in their shoes 2 seconds ago but that's what made it so fun! They all talked about some things that make it hard to have an eternal perspective and I could relate to them so well. I would be perfectly fine with teaching young womens for the rest of my life! haha Those girls just have the best spirits. I can't think of anything else that is worth sharing. We are working really hard and trying to find people that are open to our message. I know that this gospel changes lives if we let it. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that Heavenly Father loves us so much! My mission has taught me how important it is to completely trust in his plan for me. In fast and testimony meeting a woman said She know's God loves us too much to give us something we can't handle. I know that she is completely right. I can't wait to see what Heavenly Father has in store for me. Everyday I'm striving to let my mission change me Because to me that is exactly what Heavenly Father wants missions to do for his children. He wants us to wait out the storms in order to see how much those storms change us! I love him so much. I love you all so much! Thank you for the love and support. Your prayers are much needed! -Sister Barton Tombstone pictures:

I found Michael's old zone leader

Look! It's just like Corina Corina