second day in the mtc I mean week

Another week down WAHOOO

This week went so so fast. To think I leave the mtc next tuesday is CRAZY.  weird fact the old STLs got 1 phone call the whole time they were STLs and just this week we have recieved 12 LOL so we are pretty busy with STL stuff.

First things first Happy Birthday to two of the best men!! Conner and Grandpa! Hope you both had the best day on Sunday!

Wednesday: Our first service day! we woke up late again HAHA and our service was cleaning the BOYS bathroom ya ewwww is right. We taught Yayoi again and she is just the cutest awe. The new missionaries came in so were not the baby missionaries anymore! As STLs we were in charge of the welcoming meeting for the new missionaries and that was fun!

Thursday: Thursday was an average day at the mtc full of class, studies, and everything a missionary does. Our district had an emotional day and ill leave it at that LOL

Friday: Last lesson with Yayoi. Yayoi was the first person we ever taught here at the mtc so its crazy to think we are already done teaching her. We love her so much! she grew up Buddhist and it is so fun to watch her learn things that I have taken for granted my whole life.

Saturday: We taught our other investigator Becca. Becca just went through a bad breakup and thinks she isn't worth much so we are helping her realize that God loves her. We also met our new investigator Hazel. Hazel has had the hardest life of anyone I have personally known. She is from Costa Rica and moved here for her boyfriend. Her boyfriend was abusive so she moved in with a lady who has an autistic daughter. The lady told Hazle in order to live with her she had to take care of her autistic daughter and do the chores around the house. The Lady became very manipulative and was very controlling towards Hazle. Hazle now lives with Members who are taking her in as their own daughter. She decided she wanted to meet with the missionaries because she feels like she wants a relationship with god and she says she thinks low of herself a lot. We hope to help her with her relationship with god and help her feel like she is worth way more than she thinks she is.

Sunday: wow one of the busiest days of the week. We had lots of meetings, then church, devotionals, and lots of other stuff. Sister Benesch and I taught Relief Society and that went good! The sisters in our zone are all so much fun and we get along great together. People say girls are dramatic but in our district its definitely the boys HAHA.

Monday: We taught our first lesson with Hazle! It was the best lesson we have had yet! we taught her how to pray and that through prayer we can gain a relationship with God. After we taught Hazle we had a lesson with a member. It was kind of different to teach a member because for the most part they know more than me. We shared a message with him and it was Alma 7:11 where it talks about how Jesus Christ suffered for us so we can feel peace through trials and afflictions. During exercise time we went to the field right across from the MTC to play sand volleyball. It was so so much fun and I kept my eye out for Makell and Conner in case they just happened to be there the same time as me HAHA

Tuesday: p-day wahooo ok so so funny but I got my haircut today! they give free haircuts at the mtc so I thought hmmm why not I love everything thats free LOL the lady actually did a descent job but lets just say not how I would've done it HAHA the salon was actually really cute so that was fun awe back in my element. We are going to play sand volleyball after this and then to the temple so that will be great! 

I am loving the MTC it gets repetitive but overall it is awesome. I still see Sister Butters a lot and it makes my day! im not sure what im going to do when i cant see her in the mission! I love you all and hope everyone is happy because I sure am! LOVE YOU!

xoxo Sister Barton 

Almost a Month in the MTC...I mean week

Wow I am a real life missionary. I feel like I said goodbye to my family a month ago but its only been less then a week. The MTC is CRAZY. The spirit is so strong here and I'm loving it. 

Wednesday: My family dropped me off at the mtc and for some reason I thought that day would never come. We pull up to the mtc and guess who I see right as i pull in... YES Sister Butters OMG it was the best moment ever i just started bawling HAHA. A sister from Georgia was my host and i've gotta say that was a tender mercy in itself. It was so great to have someone take me from my family by someone who is from where I am going I mean WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THAT. Definitely gods hand in that one. we then went up a flight of stairs (yes with my two 50LBS suitcases) and then I went through what I call the corn maze into the MTC we literally went into the "main" mtc building and everyone gave me so many things i couldnt even remember what i was getting. hahha thats where i really became a missionary. It was very overwhelming because i had just left my family and then to see all these happy faces and getting straight into things was not what i expected. I then walked out of the mtc corn maze and saw Sister Butters again. Oh what a blessing that was to see her and her cute happy face. her companion and roommates were so nice to me and i felt love from the first moment i met them. After that, we went and dropped off my luggage at my room and went straight to class where we meet our companions. I havent stopped going since then. My companion is Sister Bennesch from Gilbert Arizona. If i can have companions like her my whole mission i know i will survive out here. We are so similar i know god played a part. My roomates are so cute. we live with one other companionship Sister Thompson from Mesa Arizona and Sister Moore from CENTERVILLE. Yes centerville right by me! we even went to the same high school WHATTT. Sister Thompson is a cosmetologist and shes a contortionist so she can do lots of cool tricks. My sis courty would love her haha. I love my roomates and we tend to be in a quad companionship. lol

Thursday: Another busy day in the mtc. We are supposed to wake up at 6:30 but none of our alarms went off. Sister moore woke up at 7:15 so lucky she woke us all up then and we didnt miss class hahha breaking the rules the first day LOL the schedule of a missionary is CRAZY wake up, breakfast, class for 3 hours, lunch, class for 3 hours again, workshop, dinner, personal study, companion study, bed. We are so busy here but like such a good busy I am tired all the time but its ok haha Thursday night we had a meeting with the branch presidency and Sister Bennesh and I got called to be the Sister Training Leaders of our zone so thats pretty exciting!

Friday: These days kind of always all mix together but friday was the first day that our schedule started to calm down a little bit so that was nice.

Saturday: saturday we practiced teaching with another district in our zone and I was soooo bad HAHA i felt so discouraged because i had no idea how to bring the gospel up in a normal conversation so thats that.

Sunday: Sunday at home were always my favorite church was so fun with the little primary kids and then come home and just relax. thats not the case in the mtc. we got up went to branch leadership meeting, then to church, i love love church in the mtc the spirit was incredible. After church we had district meeting. Sunday night we had a devotional and Sister Butters just happend to walk in right behind us so we got to sit by each other so that was the best ever! Sunday was probably the busiest sunday i've ever had. After the devotional we watched a talk called the character of christ by Elder Bednar and it was so so good. so if you get bored watch it if you can!

Monday: All day I was thinking "all i got to do is make it through today and then its p-day!' wow whats better than p day! sister bennesch and i taught our first lesson to an investigator named Yayoi from Japan. We taught her about the godhead and were telling her about Jesus Christ and she said 'wait Jesus Christ was a real human being who had a body?" its crazy the knowledge that we take for granted. We also were teaching her about the Holy Ghost and she made this face like she was scared and then said " wait its a scary ghosts?" HAHAHA we were laughing and were trying to explain that the holy ghost isnt a scary ghost more like a warm happy spirit so that was funny. i did learn that joseph smith bought a mummy and thats why we have the pearl of great price. weird fact i know.  

Tuesday: TODAY WAHOOO i talked to my cute fam and i couldnt be more excited to finally be at p day. People keep telling me just make it to p day and then the time will fly. I am kinda hoping thats the case because the mtc is going slow right now hahahah

I love the friends i have made here. I have realized that i love love meeting new people and i am so excited to get to continue to do that. I have seen many familiar faces here. its the best to see Sister Butters because I get a little piece of my family when i see her so thats the best! We have a elder in our district thats teaching us to do a pull up so ill let you know how that goes hahaha love all my family and am so grateful for the opportunity i have to be a missionary. LOVE YOU ALL

xoxo, Sister Barton 

Welcome to the MTC

I made it to the MTC! My companion is the cutest person! she is from gilbert arizona and im convinced already we are the same person! If i could have her as my companion the whole mission I know I would survive. Weird fact no one in my district is going to the same mission. so thats weird! also my P-day is Tuesdays so ill email you all again on tuesday! I miss you guys already but the MTC is such a happy place I was said until I walked in hahaha. Love You all

xoxo, sis Barton :) Im already so happy!