Aug. 24 WE ARE HIS HANDS

Hello!! It's been a nice time in New Mexico this week! Lots of curve > balls, lots of lessons learned, and lots of humbling experiences.. > > Highlights of the week: > > As soon as we got to this area, 3 months ago, we started praying to > find a family of 12. Every day since then I've prayed and prayed for > this family. We were picturing 10 kids and 2 loving parents that > didn't know anything about the gospel but would be ready for truth. As > we taught the Lantz family this week, I looked around and counted 2 > less active grandparents, their 3 less active daughters, 3 nonmember > son-in-laws, and 6 nonmember grandchildren, and 1 nonmember > sister/aunt. I was truly humbled. The lesson was pretty much stadium > seating in this tiny Mobil home in the boonies of New Mexico. > Christine is going strong. She texts us everyday asking us questions > about the Isaiah chapters. Woof! Avery (one of the grandsons) loves > running home from school to learn more about the "Book of Norman". All > during church he gives up thumbs ups and takes all the credit for > waking his family up to get them to church. After sacrament meeting > Sister Lantz (grandma) got a little teary eyed as she thanked us for > helping her family. I love them with all my heart!!! > > Mari had been really struggling to progress. We played the guilt game > and wouldn't teach her the lessons we planned if she didn't read the > Book of Mormon on her own. She came into Friday night activity with > huge eyes repeatedly saying "I didn't see that coming. He really > chopped off this head?!?" We were pretty proud. She hasn't put the > book down since. On Saturday she was still struggling with recognizing > her answers if the Book of Mormon was true or not. She said she thinks > her fear of disappointing her anti-Mormon family by getting baptized. > All of a sudden the spirit hit us as we testified about her future > family and how the gospel will effect them. How standing alone right > now will lead to blessing so many more to come after her. Mari had a > breakthrough. The spirit was strong as she recognized that she knows > it's true and she's ready to be the example. We set a date with her > and it's been smooth sailing since :) > > During Sunday school a family in our ward received the news that their > house caught fire and everything was completely destroyed. That > evening we went to our dinner appointment to find the Bloomfield > family had opened their house to the family. During dinner the parents > were at the house with the fire Marshall. The doorbell was going nuts > the whole time! Members continually came over dropping off bags and > bags of clothes, toiletries, school supplies, shoes, money, food, etc. > We helped organize everything. When the schnedblies got back I > couldn't believe how strong and calm they were. Sister schnebly sobbed > as she found the donations waiting for her in the living room. This > family has just lost everything. Within 2 hours the ward had collected > over 1,200 dollars and SO MUCH MORE. They told us that everything was > gone except for one closet that had their temple clothes, passports, > vistas, and birth certificates. Somehow the closet was completely > untouched. Devine protection! > > This morning I read a talk called "you are his hands". Elder Uchtdorf > stated, "Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day > of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst > the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He > didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate > the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how > to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen > the feeble knees.” Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. > When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted > and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result. If we > are His hands, should we not do the same?" Watching the ward come > together to help the schnebly family was an incredible experience that > I am grateful for. They truly embody the character and love of Jesus > Christ. That's what this gospel is all about. It's about love. It's > about being his hands. > > As of this very second we have set 4 baptismal dates for next month. I > pray that I'll be able to stay here one more transfer to witness Mari, > Christine, yesenia, and Ramon choose joy and enter the waters of > baptism. I know that's not up to me but I feel blessed to have been > able to teach these 4 individuals about how much they are loved and > valued. We've been able to truly see miraculous conversions with each > of them. > > Thank you for all you do. I love you and am excited to hear about all > that's going on in the 801! I'm stoked we are getting another addition > to the Barton family. The boys are going to be even more outnumbered > :) congrats Michael and Rina! > > -Sister Barton