CHRISTmas wooo

Monday: we had sisters p-day & I CHOPPED MY HAIR OFF! Yes Sister Barton now has short hair!! For sisters p day all the sisters in the zone got together and we did a gift exchange! It was way fun!!

Tuesday: Christmas Eve!! We had a lesson where we showed the chirst child video and that went so good the lady even started crying!! After we made SO many cookies & took them to people we were teaching and some members! It was fun and a good way to stay productive during the holidays!! A member in our ward invited us over to make a yummy christmas dinner with her & then we got to come home cook it and have a fun companion Christmas Eve party! It was so cute!!

Wednesday: CHRISTmas!! We were with members all day! The members here are so thoughtful and truly care for all the missionaries!! We went to a members home for brunch and they had stockings for all of us ohhh it was so sweet! We also played lots of games so i felt right at home!! We had dinner with some other members and i got to call my cute family! I truly loved christmas out here in the mission field! Being able to fully focus on christ has been a privilege and a experience i will never forget.

Thursday: we tracted a lot but not many people were home!! Its been weirdly warm here lately so we went to the park to contact & literally everyone in the town was there hahaah it was so good!!

Friday: we met with Bessy!! Bessy is an older lady who the sisters had been teaching but ended up dropping. She told us she had already been baptized twice but when we really emphasized priesthood power & how it is only found in our church she said that she doesnt think the man who baptized her had that power from God & we were like YES that is why you need to be baptized again!! It was really cool to see her start connecting the dots for herself! Hopefully she will continue to understand!

Saturday: we visited our friend Sue!! We have been to sues house many times but havent been able to get in contact with her because she wasnt home and we didnt have her number!! We decided to stop by one last time & she was home! We taught her the plan of salvation and she gave us her number so we could come back! It was a very good lesson and we know Sue is prepared!

Sunday: All three of us talked in sacrament meeting! It was so fun! Its not very scary to speak in the branch because theres a solid 20 people there haha but definelty good for the experience!! We tracted & visited some members in the afternoon/evening and that was really good!!

I am so blessed to be a missionary. I am so grateful for the opportunity i have to wear my saviors name on my chest everyday! I couldnt imagine being anywhere than on a mission right now because i know this is exactly where I need to be! I am so thankful for everyone who thought of me and reached out to me this christmas season and for all the support!! I love Y'all!

Xoxo, Sister Barton

Yeah for the Holidays!!

Hello everyone!! This week has been great!! So many hearts have been open because of the Christmas season and it is truly a blessing!!

Tuesday: we tracked soooo much! We decided to zone our area which means picking 2 hot spots on where we should spend our finding time!! Our zones we have prayed about are two really great places! On tuesday we already found 4 new people to teach!! Yes in one day!! That never happens in Blairsville! It was confirmed to me that we were in the right place and exactly where the lord needed us! We met a lady named Mary and this will most likely be her last christmas. She has many health issues and is very concerned about leaving her 3 kids! We were able to teach her the plan of salvation this week & wow i am so excited for her to come to know the truthfulness of the gospel!

Wednesday: CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE! I love love when we get together with other missionaries!! President Marsh gave an amazing training and ok hes awesome!! He has this list of unique gifts that the gospel brings that he has given all us missionaries!! He has now made it available on this websit so everyone go check out giftsofthegospe.scottmarsh.com

He also wants all of us missionaries to have a summary of every chapter in the book of mormon memorized so pray my brain will be able to memorize! PRESIDENT MARSH IS AWESOME!!
*Also random fact whenever we have some sort of meeting we have to drive an average of 2.5 hrs because we are in the straight boonies HAHAHA but it usually means lots of sleepovers so that can be fun!!

Thursday: We knocked tons and got to meet with a less active who made us dinner!! We shared a message with her and her husband who isnt a member & hopefully we can start teaching him!! We want lessoms wooo

Friday: we had exchanges!! Sister Venema & I went down to Cumming with Sister Stevens and it was sooo good! We were tracing and felt like we werent sure where to go so we prayed right in the middle of the street & we all felt so strongly to go the same way it was really cool to see the spirit put that confirmation in all of our hearts!
On exchanges i really learned how urgent this work really is! There is absolutely no time to waste and we need to include God and rely on the spirit in everything we do! Yes woooo

Saturday: we ended exchanges & then got to meet with a referral! The timing was perfect! Right when we showed up he was just getting home! We were able to talk with him and he told us he was actually planning on going to the Murphy branch tomorrow!! WOOO!! We did weekly planning at the cutest coffee shop that reminds me of Gilmore Girls so thay was fun!!

Sunday: Christmas Sunday woooo!! Ok our christmas program at our branch was a solid 20 minutes no one knew what to do so our branch president just got up and talked but whatever hahaha thats what happens when you're in a branch of 20 people!! Awe everyone is so cute here though! Im literally in a Hallmark Christmas movie awe!!

We taught a family tonight and the dad said "this sounds like my kind if church" im so excited for them!! They have been looking for a church but havent found one that feels right! Pray for them!!

I hope y'all have a Merry Christmas!! Dont forget the true meaning & if you do email me and ill remind ya lol or watch the Christ Child video because its SO good!! Ok Love You All & Be Happy!!

Xoxo, Sister Barton 

7 months :)

Hello everyone!! Guess what ive been out for 7 months & it feels like 2 so wooooo!!

I have loved my mission & im grateful for the experiences i have already had & im so grateful i get to have many more!! Here a little from my week!!

Tuesday: We tracted a lot and decided to write a bunch of cards and drop them off for the people that will be in the hospital for Christmas! It was really cute & i hope lifts up their spirits!

Wednesday: we had a lesson with Hughie who is a recent convert who hasnt been coming to church. We talked about the true meaning of christmas and how right now is the perfect time to rededicate ourselves to christ! As we were about to leave a lady (NAMED KELSEY!!) walked in and started talking to us. She mentioned how shes worried for her grandma because she never accepted Jesus Christ and now is passed away. Hughie looked at us with this HUGE smile on his face and kept saying "I can do it! I can do it!!" He was so so excited and said " I CAN BAPTIZE YOUR GRANDMA!!!" the lady was soooo confused and said "ummmmm, shes dead!" Hahahah Hughie went on saying he has the priesthood & thats how he can baptize her grandma!! Kelsey was confused to say the least but we had the chance to explain the spirit world to her and got to explain how we do baptisms in the temple hahaha she said she actually wants to learn more and said we could come over so thats good hahahaa it was definitely a crazy way to start teaching someone lol

Thursday: we did service & painted a room in a womens shelter! It was cool to be able to help out and serve!!
We had a lesson with a lady who hasnt been to church for a long time and she invited us back for dinner next week! We are excited & hopefully can get her & her family to church!!

Friday: we had the best lesson with Isabel!! Isabel is so awesome!! We taught her the restoration and she was so into it!! She was already to the next step while we were teaching and I was so happy i seriously couldnt contain it during the lesson!! Hahahah i was so happy & talked so much but i knew without a doubt what i was saying was from the holy ghost!! Iy was a great experience :)

Saturday: we taught a cute old lady that the sisters have been teaching for awhile!! Im hoping we will be able to get her to progress!! We also had our branch christmas party & it was so fun!! Our branch is so little we had a cute sit down dinner! We also wore matching christmas shirts so that was cute!!

Sunday: we had interviews with President and Sister Marsh! I could not be more thankful for interviews! They both truly care for the missionaries & i always come out feeling like a champ so YAY for interviews!! In the evening we went caroling as a zone & it was so fun!! Ive never been actually caroling & peoples faces were precious awe it was cute!!

Elder Bednar came wooo

Yeah for making it another week. At this point im actually happy for myself hahaha missions are HARD but SO GOOD!!

Tuesday: we tracted so much of the day!! A lot of the homes here are summer homes so it can be difficult finding people hahaha

Wednesday: we had a lesson with Josh!! We only spent about 15 minutes with him but it was really good!! We taught him the first part of the pos! He has very basic beliefs so im soooo excited to be able to add to them!
We had lunch with a member and also made some little bags for the homeless people in blairsville!
We also had institute and wow i love institute here with all the old folks! We read alma 34 and talked a lot about how the time to repent is NOW! Our attitudes, tendincies, desires, & intents will go with us into the next life so its important that we better ourselves now!

Thursday: we met with a member who has been long gone but showed up to church on Sunday! She is wanting to become more active and really strive to make it to the temple! She is so awesome and lives in a cute little trailer! (Never thought i would say a trailer was cute hahahah)
For the rest or the day we tracted and we met someone named Ray! He introduced himself as " hi im Ray, like a ray of sunshine" it was so cute and now you betcha im gonna name a little boy ray to be a lil ray of sunshine awe!

Friday: we tracted in the morning & then went to these cute pop up shops!! We talked to lots of people and one guy just kept asking us questions and questions because he was so interested in what we do and why were doing it hahah. In the evening the Murphy north carlolina sisters picked us up to go to rosewell to sleep over for Elder Bednar the next day!! It was so fun!!

Saturday: Elder Bednar came!! We first arrived and took a mission picture with him!! We all got in our position and then this big truck pulls up and Elder Bednar gets out & were all just watching! ya it was pretty cool! Then he walks over and gets in the pic and i was 6 people away from him so kinda close lol it was really special to have an apostle be able to come to our mission!! Elder Bednar didnt talk to us he made it more of a group discussion and had us all ask questions! Something i loved was he talked about ministering one by one & i loved that because Jesus Christ really did care for people as individuals and i have learned how important it is to truly care & love others! Wooo what a perfect time for me to be better at that then during the christmas season right?

Sunday: we did a light the world presentation for the branch to help members KNOW the light, BE the light, and SHARE the light! We had them watch the christ child video & YES i LOVE that video! We invited all the members to invite a friend to watch it with them in their home & i wanna invite you all to do that too!!

I love you all and pray we all remember the true meaning of christmas! Have fun & keep being you!!

Happy Thanksgiving woo

Hello!

Hi everyone its me again! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I am so thankful to be a missionary and for all the support I have out here. I am thankful for my cute family back home and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!! Ok now heres how my week went!! Wooo

Monday: zone softball!!! I got to see Sister Graff & if that was a blessing for the week im not sure what was!!

Tuesday: we shared the Christ Child video with 3 people today! Its been so cool to be able to share it and watch the spirit enter their hearts. I would love for you all to watch it this week :) one of my favorite parts is when the wise men come to visit Jesus. He is so full of emotion & you can tell how much gratitude is in his heart to be able to be with the savior of the world. I know that as this wiseman got to experience christ so personally we can all do the same. Even though christ isnt right in front of us excepting Him and using His atonement is such a unique gift we can use to draw closer to him and feel that love, peace, comfort, and joy that he brings. I love my savior awe

Wednesday: we store contacted on the blairsville square!! Blairsville is VERY spread out so when we tract we only hit a few houses in a few hours hahaha so we decided to go to the little shops on the square & we talked to wayyyy more people & it was more fun!! So that was a good day!!

Thursday: It was so good to be able to talk to my mom on her birthday & to see all my family & their cute faces! My mom is so cute and wow im so thankful for her! Everyone tell her how great she is :) also for thanksgiving we had dinner at a members home and they fed us soooo much & even gave us all the leftovers to take home! So all great things!

Friday: we went to lunch with a member who took us and the murphy sisters!! It was so fun! We spent a lot of the day again store contacting on the square which i love :) 

Saturday: we tracted a ton!! We yellow pad prayed about where we should tract and I felt so strongly we should go to Ridge Road. We get there & its a definite 180° incline up hahahhhaha but dont worry we hiked & hiked & hiked & we eventually found a new person to teach so it was a challenge but worth it in the end lol

Sunday: there was a total of 20 people in our little branch today! We heard lots of stories from the little old people but it was kinda cute. We had a lesson after church with isabel! When she first met the missionaries she wanted to meet with them so that she could be apart of "missionary work"! Lol! When we met with her we were able to clarify what we do as missionaries and were able to teach her the plan of salvation! It was such a good lesson and she has so much potential! Awe im so excited for her!! We also tracted and went to the park! Its so pretty here so i love being outside & it hasnt gotten to cold yet so thats been a blessing!!

I love you all and hope you had a great Thanksgiving!! Gratitude is the best Attitude (hahaha i know cheesy but cute)