Yay for cute new missionaries!! This week I got my new little greenie straight from the MTC! Her name is sister Deweese & shes from Eagle Mountain Utah and we are staying in Blairsville!! So to start the week....
Monday: we packed up Sister Venema and tbh i always get sad when i have to say bye to a companion. You're with them 24/7 and then all of a sudden they just leave. Ya it's weird. But we packed her up, cleaned our apartment and called our families!! I LOVE MY FAMILY AHHHH
Tuesday: TRANSFERS!! We woke up at 5 & drove down to lilburn! I was pretty anxious the whole drive because i just wanted to know who my new companion was! We got to transfers and went through the meeting & at the end president Marsh has all the trainers move to one side of the chapel and had all the new missionaries come to the puplit and say one thing they learned. Then he would annouce their trainer and area. I was sitting there waiting and waiting. One would go, then the next, then the next, then i hear Sister Barton in Blairsville and i look up and go wooo & ran up & hugged my new comp. Awe it was so exciting!! Then we packed up the car and drove back to blairsville. We had to make lots of stops for other missionaries on the way & didnt get home until about 4pm! So definitely an all day thing. We went to the store & unpacked & then did studies and the day was over. Transfers are always full of sooo many emotions.
Wednesday: we had 2 member meals and 2 lessons!! We taught the Beavers who are less actives & we love them!! We did come follow me with them & brother beavers even played his guitar! It made my day!
Thursday: we had 4 lessons! Yes unheard of for blairsville!! A few were with less actives but it was such a good day!! We met with our friend minnie who was previously being taught by the missionaries who we decided to contact! She has even been on date for baptism before! We talked about the book of mormon and we are going to re teach her the restoration!
We then met with Hughie and sister Dockery who are both less actives and we helped to uplift them!
We met with the Jones kid and did a fun game with a thought! It was so awesome because all the kids participated. Usually we have the younger 3 but the older 2 came and joined us!! It was so exciting!!
Friday: we met with another less active and also with bessy!! We read 2 nephi 9 with bessy and talked about what Jesus Christ expects from us! She is so ready to be baptized but has a hard time seeing why she needs to be baptized again. We invited her to pray for the next step God wants her to take so hopefully she will feel baptism is right.
Saturday: we had district council and then went finding! It was our first time in our new zone and we could feel that we were where God needed us. The first house we knocked on i talked about gaurdian angles & the lady said it was interesting i picked that one because her sister had just passed away! So cool!! We kept tracting and found 7 new people! In one day!! That is unheard of for Blairsville!!! Wow! It was truly a miracle!! I have been praying lots lately to see a miracle and lead us to the people that are prepared. I am sooo thankful for prayer and that we can have direct communication with God. Hopefully we can start consistently teaching these new people!
Sunday: we had branch conference!! We were asked to sit in on the youths lesson on conversion & i shared how my conversion continues to grow the most when i am constantly finding ways to align my will with Gods & then shared the example of faith it took to come on a mission. One of the youth made a comment that during the lesson she had been thinking a lot about a mission and maybe she should go even if it isnt her will. I was happy that through the spirit my thought was able to spark a interest in her mind. We NEVER know what our experiences and testimony can do for someone else!
One or our members also brought her friend to church!! We were able to talk to her after and she said she loved it! She said from the moment she walked in she felt the spirit. So incredible!! We got an appointment with her so we are excited to teach her!!
I have seen the Lords hand in my life and missionary work sooo many times this week. It has truly been incredible and has really strengthen my testimony that God knows us and knows EXACTLY what we need and when we need it. We wont always be given what we want but it will be what is best. I LOVE being a missionary and wearing my saviors name on my chest everyday! Love you all and keep spreading the joy the gospel brings!!
- Sister Barton
Monday, February 24, 2020
Monday, February 17, 2020
9 MONTHS WOO
Another week!! This week went wayy faster than the last so thats a good sign!
Wednesday: we met a lady who used to be taught but got offended so stopped. She welcomed us in and we talked for a while and we are now going to start teaching her again! Yay!!
We also met with Teresa!! I love Teresa! Lets just say we have a trip planned to go to NYC after the mission so were good friends :) HA we talked alot with her and sister flowers and addressed some of their concerns and then we talked about how our worth and worthiness are two different things. We have so much worth being a child of God even if at the time we might not be worthy. It was a great reminder to me of our divine potential and that we really all are children of God!
Thursday: we had our last district council of the transfer! I lovee our district! Its sooo fun being around other missionaries! After we went and taught Bessy! She told us that she has prayed and knows this is the true church YAY!! now weve just got to go over baptism again because that doesnt seem to click.
We visited with another less active who is also a recent convert. We talked about the importance of taking the sacrament. Satan is sooo good at helping us come up with excuses for not coming to church and missing the opportunity of partaking of the sacrament.
Friday: WHAT A DAY!! so.... if you are training a new missionary you get a call the thursday night before transfers... being the sister barton I am i was convinced there was no way either of us would train a new missionary so we just went to bed and had a good night sleep. THEN.. in the morning we woke up with calls & texts from the sister AP's telling me im training again and need to be at the meeting at 9:30! I was shook. I was like WHATT Im just getting done training a new missionary and now i get another one??!! I was so overwhelmed but we jumped out of bed, put whatever clothes on we could find and off we were driving 3 hrs to the trainers meeting HAHAHA we got to the meeting & i felt a lot better! We still werent sure if i was leaving or if sister venema was so the suspense of that was killing us!! The meeting was pretty much all day so stay tuned for sunday to find out more about transfers!
Saturday: 9 MONTHS ON THE MISSION!! I made it half way! For all of you who talked to me before i left you know thats an accomplishment. I was very hesitant about this whole mission thing. But I LOVE IT!! I feel like i blinked and now its half way over. My mission has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. My comp thinks im crazy when i say this but it really is one of the most SELFISH things we can do. I know you would think selfless but to spend 18 months seeing the Lord work through you and increasing your knowledge and testimony about thee is something you cant get any other way. I am so Grateful my savior called me to do his work! I love being a missionary and wearing my cute little name tag everyday!
Sunday: we had a linger longer and it was so fun and yum!! The branch is literally like a big family and its so cute!! After church we met with Luke and he told us he is scared to come to church because it seems so different. Aweee if only he knew how amazing church is. Hopefully we can get him to understand its for everyone! We tracted a lot and didnt find anyone but for sure planted some seeds. In the evening we were soooo anxious for transfer calls we couldnt really do anything hahahah. The phone finally rang & we found out im staying here in Blairsville & getting a new missionary and Sister Venema is leaving. I feel much better about transfers but its still a lot. Pray i can help this new missionary learn the ropes of a mission!!
I have realized a lot of the time I feel inadequate to do the things the Lord calls. But have notice when i feel like this, its the most important time to rely on him and use his help. The adversary wants us to be overwhelmed, uneasy, scared, inadequate, etc. But the Lord wants us to succeed. This next transfer i am going to focus on relying on the Lord and what he expects from me in order to become the missionary and person he wants me to be. I am so excited for another transfer as a missionary! I want to invite yall to rely more on our savior to give you direction in your life because I know he can and he will :))
Love yall, stay you & be happy
Xoxo, Sister Barton
Monday, February 10, 2020
Stuck in mud, snow storm, & a ice storm
Another week! Yay!! Blairsville is honestly getting pretty hard. Ive been trying to just take it day by day but sometimes its more like second by second HA 🤣
Monday: last monday was zone p-day and that feels like a year ago.... zone p-day is always real fun! We went shopping after to give me some therapy haha because theres definitely no shopping in good old Blairsville. It was a great day but definitely went way to fast!
Tuesday: We tracted and tracted and tracted and no one wanted to hear from us. Typical Blairsville. We had a lesson with Ashley & Chris but they canceled because chris has kidney stones so thats a big bummer!! We did teach the Jones kids!! They are so fun and it amazes me that at such a young age they want to learn about the gospel! So cool!
Wednesday: Another full day of tracting!! Our area is huge so we packed our meals and went out 30 mintues to a new area and tracted!! It was an adventure wooo! Not many respective people but its our efforts that matter!! Right?
Thursday: we had good old district council and i gave a training on how to begin teaching. The first few moments are sooo important for anyone we meet. We need to remember we are still humans and so are they!! (Some missionaries actually forget this HA) Meeting new people everyday has been one of my favorite parts of the mission. Being able to talk and be with all types of people is so fun!! Especially when their nice!! (pretty rare in georgia)
It was VERY rainy and we went to go tracting, and went to park our car and it slid & GOT STUCK IN THE MUD!! HA omg it was hilarious! Sister Venema and I literally had no idea what to do. I got out and started pushing the car. Yes me HA!!! Mud splattered all over but we got the car out and thats all that matters! Extra blessings!
People think were crazy and dont want to hear from us when were out in bad weather knocking on their door so we ended up going to walmart and helping people load their groceries and taking their carts back! It was so fun in the rain but people still thought we were crazy hahaha
Friday: we went to visit a few members and tracted too. Time is going real slow on the mission. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like months. Hopefully it'll speed up just a little.
Saturday: WE WOKE UP TO SNOW!!! Snow in Georgia isnt really a thing. It snows every couple years and thats it!! We were told to stay inside all day so you bet I enjoyed myself
a day off isnt really a thing on the mission even pday so it was real nice. When it snows here, not very many people are prepared so no one goes anywhere hahaha we went out in the evening after the snow stopped and everything was closed and it turned into even more of a ghost town than it already is hahahah!
Sunday: church was canceled because not only a snow storm but an ice storm too! We stayed inside half the day and then did some service for a lady we tracted into! She is moving and needed some help packing boxes!! She is hilarious! She is sooo southern and loves elvis and was jammin to him the whole time! Hahaha it was really fun & we were glad we were able to help!
I am so grateful to be a missionary. I feel like i say it every week but still can't say it enough. Its amazing being able to be apart of the Lords work and see it first hand.
I have gained a greater appreciation for the atonement this week in my studies. How blessed are we that Jesus Christ suffered to relieve us from sorrow, pain, guilt, affliction, temptations, and literally everything. The atonement is truly a gift & its just up to us to use it. I want to invite all of you to find one thing big or small that you can repent for. Whether it be from long ago, yesterday, or today. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!! Through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice we can feel everlasting peace and Joy.
I love you all & know the savior loves you too! Keep being you and dont forget to share the gospel :)
Xoxo, Sister Barton
Monday: last monday was zone p-day and that feels like a year ago.... zone p-day is always real fun! We went shopping after to give me some therapy haha because theres definitely no shopping in good old Blairsville. It was a great day but definitely went way to fast!
Tuesday: We tracted and tracted and tracted and no one wanted to hear from us. Typical Blairsville. We had a lesson with Ashley & Chris but they canceled because chris has kidney stones so thats a big bummer!! We did teach the Jones kids!! They are so fun and it amazes me that at such a young age they want to learn about the gospel! So cool!
Wednesday: Another full day of tracting!! Our area is huge so we packed our meals and went out 30 mintues to a new area and tracted!! It was an adventure wooo! Not many respective people but its our efforts that matter!! Right?
Thursday: we had good old district council and i gave a training on how to begin teaching. The first few moments are sooo important for anyone we meet. We need to remember we are still humans and so are they!! (Some missionaries actually forget this HA) Meeting new people everyday has been one of my favorite parts of the mission. Being able to talk and be with all types of people is so fun!! Especially when their nice!! (pretty rare in georgia)
It was VERY rainy and we went to go tracting, and went to park our car and it slid & GOT STUCK IN THE MUD!! HA omg it was hilarious! Sister Venema and I literally had no idea what to do. I got out and started pushing the car. Yes me HA!!! Mud splattered all over but we got the car out and thats all that matters! Extra blessings!
People think were crazy and dont want to hear from us when were out in bad weather knocking on their door so we ended up going to walmart and helping people load their groceries and taking their carts back! It was so fun in the rain but people still thought we were crazy hahaha
Friday: we went to visit a few members and tracted too. Time is going real slow on the mission. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like months. Hopefully it'll speed up just a little.
Saturday: WE WOKE UP TO SNOW!!! Snow in Georgia isnt really a thing. It snows every couple years and thats it!! We were told to stay inside all day so you bet I enjoyed myself
Sunday: church was canceled because not only a snow storm but an ice storm too! We stayed inside half the day and then did some service for a lady we tracted into! She is moving and needed some help packing boxes!! She is hilarious! She is sooo southern and loves elvis and was jammin to him the whole time! Hahaha it was really fun & we were glad we were able to help!
I am so grateful to be a missionary. I feel like i say it every week but still can't say it enough. Its amazing being able to be apart of the Lords work and see it first hand.
I have gained a greater appreciation for the atonement this week in my studies. How blessed are we that Jesus Christ suffered to relieve us from sorrow, pain, guilt, affliction, temptations, and literally everything. The atonement is truly a gift & its just up to us to use it. I want to invite all of you to find one thing big or small that you can repent for. Whether it be from long ago, yesterday, or today. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!! Through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice we can feel everlasting peace and Joy.
I love you all & know the savior loves you too! Keep being you and dont forget to share the gospel :)
Xoxo, Sister Barton
Monday, February 3, 2020
Finally P-day HA
What a week! This week felt like 3 weeks in one!!
Tuesday: Literally the BEST DAY!! Ashley & Chris are getting baptized!!! We went over the Word of Wisdom & the Law of Chasity & they commited to living them before we even asked!! They have such a strong desire to learn and grow to come closer to thee and i LOVE being apart of it!! We also talked about the temple and the how baptism isnt the end & they loved it!! It was such a good lesson!! I am so excited for the blessings that God has instore for them! Baptism isnt just going to effect them but generations before and after!
Wednesday: we spent a good portion of the day tracting to find more people to teach but lets just say not much success hahahah people are soooo funny here in georgia if its even the slightest bit of cold NO ONE answers their doors hahaha so we just knock to empty people so hopefully spring comes fast!!
Thursday: we had Interviews with Predient & Sister Marsh! We live 2 hours away from any other missionaries so this ended up being an all day event. Haha but as everyone knows I LOVE PRESIDENT & SISTER MARSH!!!! Interviews is what keeps me going! Our mission has been really focusing on being obedient and how blessings come to us from obeying. I know this to be true not just on the mission but in real life!! Sometimes not obeying the rules can help us feel like we fit in, are normal, or give us a thrill of rebellion (me) HAHA! But really as we obey with exactness God opens another gate of blessings for us and it is truly incredible! So everyone this week find one way you can be more obedient to Gods will :)
Friday: We met with Sister Flowers! She is preparing to go to the temple and our branch presdient has asked us to go over the lessons again. She has grown so much and her faith is incredible! She had a few questions we went over but she is so ready to make more covenants! I am thrilled to be apart of her process to go to the temple!
Saturday: We went to the nursing home to visit some members! Awe it was so special and really made me appreciate the gift of life. We also went tracting with a member and WOW!! Ive got a funny story!! So as I said before its been a little cold here and georgia people are so funny in the cold! INCLUDING OUR MEMBER!! We were knocking and one house actually answered so we were so happy!! we start contacting the lady and she tells us shes Methodist... ok... then our member says "Do methodist people let latter day saints THAW out in their homes?" Yes she asked the lady to come into her home and get THAW! HAHAHA omg i think the lady was mortified but what can ya do! It definitely made me laugh! For dinner we went to RIB Country and theres only 4 in the US so we had to go!! It was real yummy & I was like a little girl at outback with my ribs again :) #rememberdad?
Sunday: we tracted and then traveled down to the city for zone pday!! Zone Pday is always wayyy fun & being able to see other missionaries is so good!!
I love being a missionary! I cant express my gratitude enough for having the chance to serve. I can't imagine being anywhere else but in Georgia with these incredible people and missionaries! I love my Savior and im grateful to be serving him!!
Tuesday: Literally the BEST DAY!! Ashley & Chris are getting baptized!!! We went over the Word of Wisdom & the Law of Chasity & they commited to living them before we even asked!! They have such a strong desire to learn and grow to come closer to thee and i LOVE being apart of it!! We also talked about the temple and the how baptism isnt the end & they loved it!! It was such a good lesson!! I am so excited for the blessings that God has instore for them! Baptism isnt just going to effect them but generations before and after!
Wednesday: we spent a good portion of the day tracting to find more people to teach but lets just say not much success hahahah people are soooo funny here in georgia if its even the slightest bit of cold NO ONE answers their doors hahaha so we just knock to empty people so hopefully spring comes fast!!
Thursday: we had Interviews with Predient & Sister Marsh! We live 2 hours away from any other missionaries so this ended up being an all day event. Haha but as everyone knows I LOVE PRESIDENT & SISTER MARSH!!!! Interviews is what keeps me going! Our mission has been really focusing on being obedient and how blessings come to us from obeying. I know this to be true not just on the mission but in real life!! Sometimes not obeying the rules can help us feel like we fit in, are normal, or give us a thrill of rebellion (me) HAHA! But really as we obey with exactness God opens another gate of blessings for us and it is truly incredible! So everyone this week find one way you can be more obedient to Gods will :)
Friday: We met with Sister Flowers! She is preparing to go to the temple and our branch presdient has asked us to go over the lessons again. She has grown so much and her faith is incredible! She had a few questions we went over but she is so ready to make more covenants! I am thrilled to be apart of her process to go to the temple!
Saturday: We went to the nursing home to visit some members! Awe it was so special and really made me appreciate the gift of life. We also went tracting with a member and WOW!! Ive got a funny story!! So as I said before its been a little cold here and georgia people are so funny in the cold! INCLUDING OUR MEMBER!! We were knocking and one house actually answered so we were so happy!! we start contacting the lady and she tells us shes Methodist... ok... then our member says "Do methodist people let latter day saints THAW out in their homes?" Yes she asked the lady to come into her home and get THAW! HAHAHA omg i think the lady was mortified but what can ya do! It definitely made me laugh! For dinner we went to RIB Country and theres only 4 in the US so we had to go!! It was real yummy & I was like a little girl at outback with my ribs again :) #rememberdad?
Sunday: we tracted and then traveled down to the city for zone pday!! Zone Pday is always wayyy fun & being able to see other missionaries is so good!!
I love being a missionary! I cant express my gratitude enough for having the chance to serve. I can't imagine being anywhere else but in Georgia with these incredible people and missionaries! I love my Savior and im grateful to be serving him!!
I love yall and stay happy and be you!!
Xoxo, Sister Barton
Xoxo, Sister Barton
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