God's Plan

Where to begin...... This week was a big testimony builder that God has a plan and knows exactly what we need. All throughout the week the spirit seemed to continually direct our lessons towards The Plan of Salvation. Each time that we taught this lesson to someone different a different aspect of the plan was emphasized and stood out. To one woman knowing that her imperfections and limitations will be gone after the resurrection helped her feel at peace and helped her understand how much God loves her. To another investigator, knowing that we lived with God before this life and that he knows us individually meant everything. Then last night we taught a teenage girl about how she can be forgiven because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The spirit filled the room as this young girl learned about the Plan that her Father in Heaven has for her. This repeated over and over with different parts of the plan. It really showed how every part of the plan was set because of how much God loves us! Everything that he does is because we are his children. Later on in the week our good Catholic Friend/neighbor passed away. Do you remember a few months ago when I told you about Bootsie? She was very particular about what scriptures we read to her and really didn't like when we tried to teach her but she sure loved feeling the spirit as we sang to her. Her favorite song was "Oh My Father". At the beginning of every visit we would sing that song together. The last time that we met with her I asked her if she understood what that song was about. It was the Plan of Salvation. She paused for a second and then read the words a little closer. I'm so grateful that the last lesson we taught my dear friend was a lesson about being a daughter of God and being able to return to live with him again. Knowing her love for that song brings so me so much peace and comfort. I know that the missionaries that are teaching her in the spirit world are singing that exact song and teaching her it's meaning. Right after we heard about Bootsie we went over to her house to visit the family and ask if we could do anything. Bootsie had told the family about us. They expressed so much gratitude to us and invited us to the funeral. We will be going to the funeral at the Catholic church this week! The daughter wants us to sing at the funeral but has to get approval from the rest of the family. OH BOY. Doing it for Bootsie! I don't know how I'm going to get permission but I'm planning on doing her work as soon as I can. That woman deserves the best! I have a testimony of the Gospel. I know that this life is the time to prepare to meet God. I know that Heavenly Father knows each and every one of us personally. He is there for us no matter what. Having that knowledge is the biggest blessing I could ever ask for. I love my family. I'm so grateful that I get to live with them for all eternity! If eternity with the Barton Family isn't pure happiness than I don't know what is! I know that God is a god of many mighty miracles. One of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon has become Mormon 9. Miracles haven't ceased. We get to be a part of miracles according to our faith. Looking back on my life God had his hand on every single second of it. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His ways are far greater than our ways. Isaiah 55. I love you all! Have the greatest week ever! September just started, right? I can't figure out why every tried to go trick or treating in August. Someone is messing with time! October went way too fast! -Sister Barton

Being Blonde Brings Miracles (Oct. 27)

This has been a week full of miracles! The first was when we went to visit a less active woman. She wasn't home but her elderly neighbor was outside smoking a cigar and drinking a beer. He was a soldier and has owned bars all over the US. Ted expressed how he has lost hope for this world and felt so sorry that we have to live and eventually raise kids in such a sad world. He doesn't believe in an after life and says there is no way there is a God because God would never let the world become so evil. We tried to testify of our loving Heavenly Father and his divine plan for us. With little success we asked him questions on his beliefs. We didn't make much progress but his care giver came out and graciously offered us chips and water. She told us that she isn't a member but her best friend is. We had to go to another appointment but we left her with out number and a pamphlet. Two days later we tried that less active again. Christina, the care giver, saw us from her window and came running out. She said we looked too tired to be outside any longer and forced us to come inside! Before we knew it we hate plates of food in front of us. Her member friend came over and ate lunch with us. After the meal we said, "Since you shared so much with us can we share a message with you?" She hesitated her friend accepted excitedly. We taught the first discussion. Her friend bore her testimony and the spirit filled the room! Christina said she was feeling different than she ever had before! It was amazing to witness. We asked her if the Hermanas could teach her mom and she said yes. As we were walking out her friend said that she had been running away from the missionaries every time that she had brought them over. It was neat to see how the spirit helped us develop a relationship of trust with Christina in order for us to be able to teach her. Since she speaks Spanish we gave her to the Hermanas but it was good to know that we got to be a part of this woman's plan. The second was on Friday. We had an appointment with one of our investigators named Sheila. After teaching her we had some time to spare until our next appointment so we decided to try a referral. Well we got the wrong trailer number. We were looking for a sad old lady but instead we found a happy 21 year old man who was more than willing to chat. We asked him questions about his belief and he said he didn't really know the purpose of life. He knew there was a God and that God expected him to be a good person but that was about it. We had a lesson about the Plan of Salvation and our purpose here on earth. He was blown away! We asked him if he had ever prayed to know if God was listening to his prayers. He hadn't but he said he would and that he wanted to learn more. He is YSA age so we had to give him to the elders..BUT once again it was cool to see the sparks starting to light in someone else. Third miracle is the Blondie one. Okay so I have my blonde moments but this one turned out to work in our favor. We went to meet a part member family. They are never home and I have yet to teach them. I knew the mom was a member and that dad wasn't. I thought their daughter was a member....So we went over and nobody was home. As we were leaving Taylor (senior in high school) pulled into the drive way. We got talking to her and she was just really cool. After a little while she started talking about how she loves hearing where missionaries are from because she was a lot of friends that are on missions all around the world. We started talking about missions and she made it sound like she was considering going...I invited her to come to lessons with us! We love taking less active girls to lessons because everyone benefits so much more! I thought this was a great opportunity. We got her information and then left. Taylor had mentioned she knew a girl in our ward so on Saturday we asked Mikayla to call and invite Taylor to church on Sunday. Taylor told Mikayla that she had never been invited to church before but would love to come! She had family over this week but next week Taylor will hopefully be there! At church Mikayla said she had been super nervous to invite Taylor because they hadn't talked in a long time. I asked her when Taylor had been to church last. That's when I found out Taylor isn't a member! Okay well I felt pretty dumb but at the same time it was a miracle to me. It was a neat experience for Mikayla and Taylor. Fourth miracle. Mario and an Investigator Shelbi bore their testimonies in church yesterday! It was fast Sunday because stake conference is next week. The spirit was so strong. They are both supposed to be in 7th ward but Mario likes 3rd ward and Shelbi likes 4th/being taught by sisters instead of elders. (We only cover 3rd and 4th) We have to give both of them to the elders and are working to get them to go where their priesthood leaders are. It's been fun teaching them as well! They are both excited to be baptized and are already glowing with the light of Christ. It's hard to not get to teach them because we love them so much but I know the 6th/7th ward elders will do a good job preparing them for baptism. This week was also zone conference! We got to watch "Meet the Mormons!" It was sooooo good! Have you all seen it yet? If not you should probably go and take your friends. It's wonderful. We were all so excited when President Passey told us we would be watching it and then Sister Passey came up to the stand and said, "Oh and while we are watching this movie we will be going out row by row to get flu shots." Okay cool. They got us all excited and then threw that at us. It was okay though I didn't pass out so I can't complain too much. I somehow have a little more time so I'll just describe Safford for you :) This week I was trying to figure out how to explain this town and this is all I can come up with- It's the town in foot loose. There are lots of cotton fields and a cute main street. Everyone here is either a farmer, a minor, or works at one of the many prisons. Sister Rhodes and I cover the area with the Catholic Church in it so pretty much most of the people that we talk to are Catholics. I'm learning a lot about the Catholic Church. It's actually not super different from our beliefs. There are a lot of similarities. When we meet Spanish women it almost always turns into the scene in the Grinch where he gets elected and all of a sudden we are being fed spicy/cheesie concoctions . I absolutely love it here and pretty much feel like I have lived here my whole life. My testimony has grown more than I could ever imagine. Yesterday a member of the Stake Presidency told us a story about how he was baptized at 17 and then wanted to badly to go on a mission. He filled out his papers but never turned them in because he lacked the faith that he would be able to handle it. He was really shy and couldn't imagine having to talk to people all day. Now he speaks in church at least once a month and told us how he knows that God gives us callings in order to make our weaknesses strengths. I have seen that time and time again. Heavenly Father knows us so much more than we know ourselves. I love this gospel and the joy and peace that it brings. -Sister Barton p.s. Have you read the talk 'Upon the tops of the Waters" by Jon Warner. You'll love it!