Bye President & Sister Marsh :(

 This week was soooo good & flew by!! We had transfers & said goodbye to President & Sister Marsh! Im sad to see them go but so grateful for their service!!

Monday: we actually called President Marsh in the morning because we had a question & he told my companion she was getting transfered & where to & who with but... HE DIDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING!! Soo ya I waited all day to find out who my companion was going to be. I HATE that feeling hahahah ohhh the suspense of thinking you could be with anyone is a little terrifying.

Tuesday: we packed sister stevens, said bye to some members, & met up with some other missionaries to switch people around! I picked up Sister Swapp & shes literally the cutest & we get along sooo well! Transfer days are always way long but it was so good to be able to see a few other missionaries!!

Wednesday: we visited Sister Mixon & did come follow me with her. After she had us go pick up lunch & we all had lunch together!! It was so cute!! She loves the missionaries & i love that she loves us hahaha.

Thursday: we did a lot of planning!! We came up with our zone focus & decided we really wanted to focus on all the things we still CAN do during quarantine. A lot of times we hear missionaries (me😂) saying "well we CAN'T tract or we CAN'T find so i guess we CAN'T do anything." & we want to change that!! So this transfer were focusing on filling our time with productive things that help us to fulfull our missionary purpose! YAY!!

Friday: we had Missionary Leadership Council!! IT WAS SO FUN!! Theres nothing like seeing mission friends after a long time of social distancing! We did all wear masks for a majority of the time but it was some much needed socializing!!! Also all the polys in our mission put on a performance for President & Sister Marsh to say a goodbye! President Marsh LOVES polys because he served in New Zeland! But they did the haka & tbh I kinda got scared hahaha it was cool tho!!! I still dont believe President & Sister Marsh are actually leaving! They have impacted my life sooo much & i couldn't imagine my last 13 months as a missionary without them!

Saturday: we went & visited the sisters in the zone!! We have a few new missionaries that have been transferred in so it was fun getting to meet them!!

Sunday: we had ward council & found out church will start again August 2nd!! Still kinda far but im wayyy excited to actually meet the members in the winder ward!! We also had an "ice cream" social! We had all the missionaries bring their own personal ice cream (because of corona) & presented our zone focus!! Its been so much fun being able to get together with missionaries this week!

I am so blessed to be a missionary & for the many things I CAN do while being quarantined. I am excited for this next transfer to be able to represent my Savior. I know he knows me & there is no better way I could show my love for him other than doing what I CAN to move his work forward. I love Jesus Christ & His gospel & am thankful for this time to help others & myself come nearer to Him. A scripture I loved from this weeks come follow me was Alma 19:36
36 And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will repent and believe on his name.
Jesus Christ has open arms to all of us. Its up to us to turn towards him. He has given us the gift of the atonement to be able to be forgiven & feel the love our father in heaven has for us. We are never to low to come back. I love yall & im so grateful for all the support i have felt while being a missionary!

Xoxo, Sister Barton 

Wooo another week

 Another week as a missionary!!! 

Tuesday: we had our last district council of the transfer!! We played a fun get to know you game whwre two people were sitting at a table with a plate of whipped cream in front of them. Someone was standing behind them & we would ask a question like whos more likely to... & the person standing would smash another persons face in the whipped cream. It was hilarious!!

After district council we had 2 lessons with members so our day was actually pretty busy!! It felt so good to actually have a day filled with stuff!! Haha

Wednesday: we had another 2 lessons with members in the mornings & get this... One of them asked our favorite color a couple days earlier & we when went over & she had started making us blankets!! It was the cutest thing ever!! Members are the absolute best!!

Ohhhh i also got to use my fun skills & give a sister in our district a haircut!! It was real fun & i felt like i was back in my element!

We did a few exchanges over zoom with some of the sisters in our zone. Its sad not being able to do full exchanges in person but hopefully that will change soon. Usually on an exchange you switch companions for the day so you can learn from eachother & see different ways of doing missonary work but because of Covid we just did a zoom call & asked questions about how their area & how their doing! Its still fun to talk to the sisters but definitely not as great as it would be to do it in person.

Thursday: ZONE CONFERENCE!! We were actually able to have Zone Conference!!! It was only with our zone & usually its 3 zones all together but it was still really fun!! It was so good to see lots of people all at one time! After all the trainings we went & played softball at a members home! It was such a fun day & made me realize how grateful i am for the people i do get to see!! It was the Marsh's last Zone Conference so i think they did all they could to make it a blast!

Friday: typical friday! We planned, did a few more exchanges, & called our families wooo!

Saturday: we went to the farmers market & talked to some of the locals there! Right now as missionaries our quarantine rules are really grey so were not sure what we can & cant do so for the most part we just use our best judgement! Ohhh it was also one of the sisters in our apartments year mark so we decorated the apartment & made her sweet potato brownies!! Haha yes sweet potato brownies!! They're so good & will change your life haha they just have sweet potatoes, coco, honey, & almond butter! It made for a little fun celebration & we need all the fun we can get being quarantined!!

Sunday: we taught the Young Women lesson on the Plan of Salvation over zoom!! Oh my heck i loved it!! Being able to teach a real lesson was soooo fun! I cant wait until church starts back up & i can meet them in person!

Missions are full of so many unexpected things & actually thats just life in general! If we can keep pressing forward through our trials & tribulations we will notice Gods hand even more & all the blessings that have come.

I was talking to my mom this week & she told me she couldnt sleep one night because she felt so sad for the people in Alma 14 who were burned alive because of their beliefs in God. We got talking about why so many righteous people suffer. I believe its because the gift of agency. God has given all of us this gift but sometimes (ALOT OF THE TIME) we dont use it very wisely. Other peoples actions & decisions can cause us to suffer but if God were to just come in & fix everything that would be him changing what he has given us. There is a consequences to every choice we make. Postive or negative but we will all be held accountable for what we do in this life. God has a plan for each of us & for those people in Alma 14. Yes it seems unfair that they were burned to death but that was a decision someone else made & in the end we will all stand before God accountable for what we have done.

I am so grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation & the peace, purpose, & joy it has brought into my life. I know Jesus Christ knows & loves each of us personally & that he knows exactly how we feel. His arms are open to all of us & is waiting for us to turn towards him.

I love yall & keep learning & growing!

Xoxo, Sister Barton

I DONT SPEAK SPANISH

 Another week as corona missionaries!! :)))

Monday: we had sisters pday with all the sisters in the zone! There's 18 total of us so it was sooo fun!!! We played games & ate lunch all together!! It was fun to actually be able to interact with ALL the sisters in person!!

Tuesday: we had District Council & played a get to know you game where someone would make a gross drink out of mayo, oil, soy sauce, tuna, etc. Just random stuff mixed together & then another person would be asked questions & whatever they didnt want to answer they had to take a sip of the drink. It was hilarous! Hahaha lets just say people made some pretty gross drinks!

After we stopped by a referral & dropped off a Book of Mormon!! Sister Steven's & I got soooo excited to knock on a door! HA it felt like we were tracting for a second & ohhh i LOVE tracting & miss it sooo much! Its weird not talking to anyone & everyone & having so many limitations.

We were able to visit a member tho! I could count the members I know here in winder on 1 hand. HAHA but we should be able to visit more now because we can go into their homes so thats good!! Sister Griffin is a less active who loves the missionaries!! We shared a thought from Come Follow Me with her & now were going back every week! She even told us shell feed us lunch next time! Ha shes so cute!!

Wednesday: we met with another less active & did come follow me with her! Her name is Sister Mixon & everytime we go to her house she gives us candy & lemonade! Its sooo cute!! She always asks us what we have next to see if we can stay & chat with her all day (obviously we cant) but its soo cute!

Thursday: we had a zone activity where we played charades over the phone! It was hilarious HA!! 

Ok get this! We drove the Hermanas to a members home because they cant drive yet (their reassigned missionaries). They told us to just come inside with them because it would just be a few minutes they just needed to grab something. We said ok & went on in... they started talking with the members... time kept ticking...it had been 20 minutes, then 30 minutes & then an hour & I SPEAK NO SPANISH.... AT ALL. HA next thing I know we are walking to the kitchen to eat "biscuits & cake" HA I WAS SO LOST!!! Hahaha it was hilarious! At one point the members asked me a question & i just sat there staring at them sooo awkwardly (I DONT SPEAK SPANISH) & about a minute later the hermanas go ohhh ya you dont understand... & then translated for me HAHAHA it was a disaster! But the best disaster! I actually enjoyed myself a little & i think its because ive NEVER been in a situation like that lol! At least I made everyone laugh right?

Friday: we weekly planned & to think its the last week of the transfer blows my mind!! I feel like i just got to Winder!! The days are slow but the weeks are moving so fast!!

Saturday: we went to a members home for dinner for the first time while being in quarantine!! It was sooo good & honestly the best part of the week!! We even went fishing & fed the goats hahaha! Georgia is the best place full of the best people. Even of I cant get out & do the work how I would like im still grateful for the time I have to create relationships with the members.

Sunday: we had the sacrament with some members!! I love sundays & actually really enjoy home centered church! Its been really cool to see how every family has a different way of doing it! I am so grateful that we are able to partake of the sacrament without being in a church building & each day we have the opportunity to come closer to Jesus Christ.

Even though missionary work right now is completely different & sometimes I wonder if im even a missionary im still sooo thankful to be here!! I love missions & being apart of the Lords work!!

Xoxo, Sister Barton

Happy Birthday to me!!! Wooo

 What a week!! Well first off I TURNED 21!! WOOO im basically a grandma now so thats sooo cool!!

Tuesday: we had District Council & then went to downtown winder to take lots of pictures for fun & for our zone Facebook page!! It was so fun!! We found this random alley that had music playing & decided to have a quick dance party so that was a good highlight from the week!!

Wednesday: we got together with all the missionaries in our district & made a video about talents!! It was really fun!! Go check it out on my Facebook if you're ever bored😜

Thursday: such a busy & long day!! We made our explosion cookies & spent the whole day visiting the sisters!! We had lunch with the firsr companionship! It was so cute we got to their apartment & they had lunch all ready & everything!! After we had to go to po boys to what we thought was just an oil change but 2.5 hrs later came out with an oil change & new tires!! Wooo! It put us a behind our schedule so we were only able to see one other companionship of sisters but it was still sooo fun!! I love being able to visit the sisters!!

Friday: we did lots of planning for the week & dropped off the rest of the cookies to the sisters!! Also got to call our families woooo!!!

Saturday: we went to the Farmers Market & talked to all the people who arent scared of corona hahaha it was sooo fun!! Then we drove an hour to go get lunch from this cute Mexican restaurant & of course the Mall of Georgia was on the way home so we had to stop there!! Wow it was definitely a pre birthday celebration!!💞

Sunday: where do I begin??!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! LOL I started the day by calling my cute fam & opening my gifts!! They spoil me & im not sure what I did to deserve such a great family!! Then my companion & roomates had SO mant surprises for me!! I got ready & walked downstairs & they had the whole apartment decorated for me & had a confetti canyon! It was incredible!! Before the day happened i thought the highlight was going to be the sacrament & lunch with members!! That was fun but little did i know there was sooo much more planned!! We came home from the members & made avacado black bean brownies & suprisingly they were wayyyy good!!! After the sisters lead me to go outside & there was a cute little pinata & i was so excited & the Elders jumped out of literally no where & started singing Happy Birthday to me! I was so surprised hahah definitely not the expected!!😂 ok now heres another one!! Sooo we go on drives a lot just to get out of the house & stuff so we went on a fun little drive & ended up at a park with the cutest lake & had the cutest picnic!! Ive been talking about how cute picnics are for sooo long & there we were having a great picnic together!! It was such a good birthday with so many surpises!! Im not sure how they did all this without me knowing when were with eachother 24/7!! It was amazing!! I am so grateful for such kind, thoughtful, selfless, & loving people in my life!! Thanks all yall for the Birthday wishes! They mean so much to me & made my day even brighter!!

It was such a good week & I couldn't be more grateful to be here in Georgia!! The world is crazy right now & I am so thankful to be in that missionary "bubble!!" I love all yall & keep doing what you can to follow our Heavenly Father & come closer to Jesus Christ. He has his arms wide open its just up to us to accept Him.

"God loves you! Choose to keep the commandments because you love God."

Xoxo, Sister Barton

Wooo

 Yay for another week!! This week went so fast & was pretty good!!

Tuesday: we had district council & we made chocolate chip cookies with random treats inside!! It was so fun & they literally looked like Chip!! We forgot to take a picture but dont worry were gonna make them again this week for the sisters so that'll be fun!! After district council we did some service & helped some members unpack & get settled into their house. It was so good to serve & get out & do something!!

Wednesday: we started the day by contacting everyone that was still being "taught" in area book but havent been because of corona. We found 3 people who were still interested in learning & honestly it was such a tender mercie for me!! Ive been wanting to get out & teach & tract & just be a normal missionary so bad!! God knows this so he gave us 3 people to teach!! YAY!! we also had interviews with President & Sister Marsh over the phone & wow im gonna miss them sooo much!! They're literally incredible! Im not sure how i got so lucky!

Thursday: we spent the morning returning things to members & it was so good because i got to meet more members!! Members are so important & its been a little bit of a challeng creating relationships with them while being stuck inside! Im so thankful for the time I do have to meet members ever once in a while!

Friday: we spent the morning planning for the week & then we did a bake off with the other sisters in the apartment!! We had the elders judge & we won! Wooo! I also got to call my family & their the best!!

Saturday: we had another zone activity & spent a lot of the day outside!! The days our starting to go soooo much faster & hopefully that means corona will go away faster!! Haha

Sunday: we had ward council so I got to meet a few more members in the ward!! Everyone is so kind! After ward council we got the sacrament from some members & that was pretty much the highlight of the day!!

Missionary work is still very slow but we are doing more & more everyday to do what we can to further the work. I am so grateful to be a missionary & to live with such amazing sisters! I know God is aware of me & is aware of yall too!! Love yall & have the best week!

Hello everyone! Just me again!

 Another week in quarantine!!

Tuesday: we had district council IN PERSON! WOO! it was so fun! I had never actually met any of the missionaries in my district before so that was CRAZY! It was so fun tho & i met lots of new friends so woo! After District Council we made treats for the sisters in our zone & spent the day visiting them!! It was so good to talk to others sisters & talk to more people that relate! A lot of the sisters are reassigned & they have some CRAZY stories about going home & everything so that was interesting! It was such a good day tho!

Wednesday: we had a lesson over the phone with a less active & that was fun! We got told we can only find new people to teach by posting & hoping people comment so we can reply & start talking to them. This has been a big challenge & not what i think is the most effective way but obedience brings blessings. Right? Hahaha were still working on the best & most effective ways to do missionary work online.

Thursday: we finished our cookie deliveries to the sisters & had a zone activity! We all got on a zoom call & played kahoot! It was kinda fun hahaha

Friday: we spent the majority of the day heart attacking members! We really are doing what we can to stay occupied. In the evening we had a lesson with a recent convert & remember i havent taught an actual lesson for over 2 months now. Sister Steven's & I literally felt like we were in training all over again. It was awful. I felt like a terrible missionary & really felt like I had no purpose out here. Sister Stevens whose been out for 15 months & me whose been out for 12 & we cant even teach the first lesson. Yes it was a mess. I wanted nothing more than to be home that night. I felt soooo useless & that i really was doing NOTHING out here.

Saturday: in my personal study I was reading in Preach My Gospel & I read a line that said "if you feel the spirit working through you, you will know the Lord is pleased with what you're doing." I immediately thought about that lesson & remembered how I did feel the spirit & even tho it was a disaster the Lord was still pleased with me. This line helped me feel sooo much more content about what happened & that I really did have a purpose for being a missionary during quarantine. I know it wasnt a coincidence I read that when I need it the most! GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS! Saturday was just a good day all around! We planned more with the elders & had another zone activity where we played pictionary over zoom! So fun! & we even had a bonfire at the church!! Ohhh so good!! Sometimes tho I feel like im not a missionary im just with 3 roommates where were are all losers & do nothing. HAHA but this is where God wants me so ill take it!

Sunday: we had a ward activity where all the members drove through the parking lot & we were standing outside with the bishopric & got to wave & say hi to everyone!! It was so cute!! The members here are great!! Also later that day a missionary who used to serve here came & knocked on our door!! It was sooo fun!! She went home a transfer after I came in & stopped by with her husband! We talked with them for about 45 minutes & wow it was sooooo good & soooo fun to see an unexpected familiar face!! Ws also had a zoom call where President Marsh went over Yellow Pad Prayer & thats always good! Yayay a great end to the week!

I am so grateful to be a missionary & for everything im learning during this time. Its definitely not easy & some days are much better than others. But i know heavenly father is aware of me & my feelings & i know he is aware of each of you!! When you ever feel lonely, PRAY! It works! Trust me! Prayer is one of the best ways to feel closer to God & find comfort! Yes i LOVE prayer! Love yall & have a great week!!
Xoxo, Sister Barton

1 YEAR!!

 NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY!!

This week was one of the greatest weeks of the mission!!

Monday: p day was eventful! We spent it with our district but the elders got a call to pick up a new missionary in the middle of pday so ya that was funny! We played lots of games tho & it was real fun!! Monday night we got transfer calls!!! Ahhhh so scary but so good!! President Marsh is putting Elders in Blairsville so we all left the area!! CRAZY!! Tbh i love Blairsville sooo much it breaks my entire heart to leave but i guess my new area needs me! Right?

Tuesday: we packed & cleaned all day to get our apartment ready for elders! Crazy! It didnt seem real that i was actually leaving Blairsville! In the evening we had institute over zoom call so we got to say bye to the Branch & ohhh that was so good!! I LOVE THEM!!

Wednesday: we packed all of our stuff in our rav 4 & off we were!! Yes 3 missionaries stuff in 1 car!! It was incredible!! Because of Corona we werent able to have a transfer meeting so we arranged how we were all going to get transfered ourselves! Ya crazy! We met a lot of missionaries at a church building & off we went. It was sooo fun to see people again!! It was one of the sisters birthday & we went to the first councilor in the misison presidents house & made dinner with some sisters!! It was the best day of quarantine yet!!

Thursday: First day in my new area!! Its called Winder & its so cute! There was a huge increase of missionaries in our mission & my companion & I are over 16 sisters! Yay! Im so excited tho! We live with two other sisters who were both serving in Brazil before & lets just say i couldnt be more grateful for this change & the sisters im serving with! We did lots of planning with the elders & i unpacked my 158397 pound suitcases & then we went to the store! So it was a pretty chill & good day!!

Friday: 1 YEAR MARK!! Yay! Im not sure where the time went but somehow it went without me! I feel as if i have been serving for maybe 5ish months??!?! Its absolutely crazy to think ive been here for 1 year! WHATTT! i couldnt be more grateful for this past year. I have been so blessed by the opportunity to serve & i wish i could be a missionary forever!!

Saturday: we did lots of facebook finding!! Facebook has been way more successful here than in Blairsville because people actually use it! I am really excited to be able to find people again! The work will always continue!

Sunday: we went to a members home for the sacrament! The members here our soooo sweet! We have 3 sets of missionaries serving in only 1 ward & they care for each companionship like family! Its so cute!

Im very grateful for change & the opportunity we have to keep progressing!! I am so excited to be serving in Winder & for all the relationships i will be able to make here! I love serving my Savior!!

Xoxo, Sister Barton