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)

Whats the number for 911?? -lil rascles

Hello everyone heres a little overview of my week!! Love You all :)

Sunday: little did i know but this was my last sunday in the ysa branch. We got transfer calls sunday night & i got a call from the senior STLs saying i will be going to Blairsville & training two new missionaries!! I was so excited for a change but so scared to be training so cross our fingers this works

Monday: we packed the majority of the day and said bye to all our college kids we were teaching awe it was a real sad day.

Tuesday: TRANSFERS!!! we went to transfer meeting and rip my heart out leaving my bff sister Graff!!

I got my new companions & they are awesome!! Sister White is from SLC & has been out for 5 weeks & Sister Venema is from sugar city Idaho & is straight from the mtc!!

We drove to Blairsville & wow Blairsville is a literal Hallmark Movie town!! Its so so cute but so so small & in the middle of the woods!! Im so excited to be here for the holidays!

Wednesday: a member took us to lunch at this cute grill on a golf course awe it was so nice!! We also met Josh who is a new person we can teach so wooo! Also Blairsville is filled with old people so by the time i leave this area im going to adopt so many grandparents hahaha

Thursday: we went to lunch at this cute southern place with our friends who just want to "get to know us" hopefully they will want to learn soon!! But they are so sweet & southern!

We also made a visit to a less active couple & read the book of mormon with them!!

Friday: we tracted so much! Blairsville is very spread out & the houses are wayyyy far apart so tracting here is so different on campus because you literally have to SEARCH for people!!

Saturday: we tracted & our day was good but literally crazy!! For the past 2 nights we have come home to our apartment door unlocked & on the second night they made us call 911 and find a members home to sleep at because they said it wasnt safe sooooo... yeah!! Hahaha funny not so funny

Sunday: we went to church!! So as ive said Blairsville is the smallest town and theres this little branch of about 30 people with a good chunch of them being visitors hahah but the branch is real cute!! We taught primary & there was a solid 7 kids & thats the whole primary combined! Hahaha blairsville is definitely different but so so good! We also had a thanksgiving feast after church so that was yum!!

I love you all and I am so thankful for all of you & I hope you have a great Thanksgiving week & Happy Birthday to my cute mom on thanksgiving day! I am so so thankful for her!!

Xoxo, Sister Barton

6 MONTHS 💓

Ok yes this week was so so good! & im so so happy & I hope y'all are too!! I love y'all!!

Sunday: we had spiritual sunday at the branch presidents house! President Bristol plays the guitar so we sang some hymns with him playing and had a spiritual thought and then roasted smores & did karaoke!! It was so fun & we even got to sing some songs sooo yes i love missiomary work!

Monday: We had a lesson with Tyler and talked about faith & repentance & how when we repent we are showing our faith because we are applying the attonement in our personal lives.
We also met with Nate!! We taught him the restoration and he had a lot of deep questions wow! At the end we invited him to read from the book of mormon and he said "of course I will! How else would anyone ever come to know if its true!" We were like yes exactly!!! hahahahaha

Tuesday: campus has been so slow lately because of the cold weather & we cant contact inside the buildings on campus so.... WE WENT TO THE MALL!! Yes contacting at the mall went great! Omg i got to look at cute clothes while talking people lol!!
One lady came up to me and said "cute outfit" then i turned around & (she saw my tag) & she said "ohhh i know you guys you came knocking on my door one day!!" We started talking & hopefully we can teach her soon!! Wooo!

Wednesday: highlight for wednesday was... Tyler who we are teaching came to institute!! Brother Rader talked about how important scriptures are and during institute tyler opened the book of mormon and read it during the REST of the class YES EVERYTHING WE WANT IN SOMEONE WE ARE TEACHING!!

Thursday: WE PUT TYLER ON DATE!!! We asked him to read 2 nephi 31 at our last lesson and he came with a lot of verses he loved! We started talking more about baptism & asked if it was something he would desire if he came to know the truthfulness of this gospel and he said OF COURSE! omg we were like yes woo when so yes hes getting baptized December 14th!! 

Friday: MY 6 MONTHS!! Yes everyone i entered the mtc 186 days ago whatttt time is soooo long and soooo short all at the same time!! I am so grateful to be a missionary and to have trials of faith everyday to grow me closer to thee! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY WOOOOO

Really though missions are so good and anyone thinking about a mission just take the huge jump of faith and go! I never thought I would be here but here I am and I'm so thankful for this opportunity! Also transfers are next week so p day might go a little crazy but stay tune for where in Georiga I end up :) LOVE YALL

xoxo, Sister Barton

Just me again :)

Hey everyone!! Another week in the mission! 

Monday: i spent the morning at the dentist but i should be done going there so yeah for me!! We had a lesson with Tyler!! He is very interested in learning and we are hoping that interest turns into interest in baptism lol

Tuesday: interviews with president!! Wow president Marsh is so awesome & everytime i talk to him he gives me a huge pump up and then i walk out feeling like i can change the world hahaha so its pretty awesome!!

Wednesday: they had a clothing swap on campus & yes you bet I wanted to go soooooo bad but unfortunately couldnt because it wasnt p day but you betcha i still watched everyone shop :) it was outside and really cute awe!
The highlight on wednesday was institute! We go every week and this weeks lesson was on repentance. Something i want to share is that repentance isnt just for people that are bad but its even for people who are good and want to be even better. I have a saying i think about often that helps me strive to be better "dont stop until im like Jesus Christ" (yes i wont ever be like him in this life) but it helps me remember to be better and better everyday and use repentance as a real time thing & everday gift.

Thursday: we taught Christopher! Ok christopher is so awesome hahaah he has this pokemon satchel that he wears everytime we meet & yes wow hes great!! Christopher wants to come closer to God and has a true real desire to learn more. He texted us this week and told us that his book of mormon hasnt left his night stand YEAH!!! We were so happy he is definitely prepared :)

Friday: It was so cold and not many people were on campus!! We were able to ride the bus so that was nice being able to find new was to do missionary work on campus!!

Missions are good but crazy!! To think i talk to random different people everyday is kinda a weird thought hahaha ive never talked to more people i dont know in my life hahah

Love You All & Stay Happy!!

Xoxo, Sister Barton

Halloween week!

Wooo another week down! A long and short week all at the same time!!

Monday: we contacted a lot and met someone who we invited to church!! We are hoping so badly he will be at church on sunday!!

Tuesday: we contacted a lot of people on campus again and taught 2 lessons woooo!! We actually went on splits & i went with sister erskine! It was so fun to see how other missionaries do missionary work and be able to learn new things!!

Wednesday: zone conference!!! Zone conference was so so cool! President Marsh talked alot about trials of faith and how they are actually blessings because we can grow so much from them. He emphasized that we should be looking for ways we can test our faith and things we can do to grow. I loved it!!

Thursday: Halloween!! We had a great halloween!! As a zone we played volleyball and it was so fun! Definitely missed having the family party at the Reynolds this year!

Friday: the weather here has been so cold so we were pretty much freezing all day but we did service in the morning so that was a good break from being out in the cold

Saturday: we had service this morning & helped with "taste of Kennesaw" which is a fun event where resturants all set up and have little booth's hahah Georgians love their food!!!

Shorter email this week but i am doing so good!! Its starting to feel like winter in Georgia and im not sure how i feel about it haha but i love you all and stay HAPPY!!