What the...

Family & Friends!

Okay you guys aren't going to believe the things that have been happening.. my mission has been so nuts. I can't even begin to tell you. First off, I have a new companion. I met her today. Sister Vaka has been really sick like literally throwing up everyday and was struggling hard. So we just thought she would pull through until we went to Manila but no... BOOM another emergency transfer. So she left me on Friday morning and then I literally didn't have a companion until this morning. haha I was in a trisome with Sister Fermin and Sister Lamberte, but I did a lot of stuff alone so it just felt like I didn't really have a companion.. It was so messed up. My new companions name is Sister Lubrico. She is really nice and I'm excited to be her companion. It is going to be quite the challenge tho.. Now there are 3 Filipino's living with me so they are going to speak Tagalog all the time (and not gonna lie, I can only handle so much until I feel like my brain is going to explode listening to Tagalog) but it's fine I'll live. Anyway so now I have a new companion.. and we didn't work a ton these last three weeks so I don't know the area real well and I have to lead it. So this week should be some fun.. aka im gonna die. haha just kidding, cuz with the Lord I can do all things :)

It's funny cuz when I realized Sister Vaka was going to transfer I was so sad. I was freaking out too because of all the stressors that started to happen and going on in my mind and things, and thats one of the best parts about a mission. When you are so stressed out and overwhelmed and feel like you can't go anymore and you just want to cry, that is the best part of a mission. Instead of turning to the worldly things everyone else goes too, or your mom for help, or really anything else, you have to rely on Heavenly Father. You turn to prayer. It's so amazing. Prayer is what has gotten me through my mission. Turning to Heavenly Father and letting him help you through all the MANY things required on a mission. I testify that the Lord will give you so many miracles if you just ask Him and rely on him for help. 

On Friday I was so overwhelmed and stressed and I just went in the Bathroom (so no one could see) and broke down crying. We had weekly planning so I was in my room alone, trying to plan for people I didn't know and then I just broke and I felt so sad. I honestly really wanted to just give up. I was so sad. So I knelt down and said a prayer just asking for peace and comfort so that I could keep going and move on. Then Sister Lamberte comes in my room and says, "Hey Sister Barton, President Ostler is on the phone and wants to talk to you." At that moment I felt so so so blessed. I haven't felt so happy in my whole life. So I take the phone and I got to talk to President Ostler and tell him everything I was feeling and he is sooooooo awesome. He helps me so much. I honestly feel so so so grateful for him. So I was able to talk to him and felt so much peace and just the Spirit confirm to me why I am here and why I am on a mission and to just keep on going. Then that night our new Sister Training leaders called us and guess who they were... BOOM Sister Tiongco and Sister Lutui. MY NANAY!! Sister Tiongco was my trainer and now she is my sister training leader so I will see her this transfer!! Ahhhh I almost burst into tears as I was talking to her. I was so so happy :) She also told me that Sister Anita (the funny old lady) and Sister Hyacinth were baptized in my old area so yesssss!! Honestly Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want whats best for us and I know if we ask for help, he will give it to us. "ask and ye shall recieve" I TESTIFY haha ITS SO TRUE!! 

I'm so grateful for miracles and tender mercies of the Lord. I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life and the opportunity to share it with all people! ahhhh I love love love this work. It's hard, but it is worth it. I honestly think that is why a mission is so good. We come here to declare repentance and help people change their will to be in line with God's will, but in the process of missionary work I feel like us missionaries are the ones benefiting most. I have changed already so much and it has only been 6 months.. like wow I'm so excited to see the person I can become through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father is really shaping me to be the person he wants me to be and I LOVE IT. 

Congrats to all the young men in my ward back home who got their mission calls! That's so exciting! You will love it! As well as Jessica Robertson! YAY the people of Nebraska will love you! I'm so excited for you & make sure to put my on your email list :) Also special shout out to Jensen and Quincie on YOUR ENGAGEMENT!! Wow, Jens I never thought it would happen for you, but you proved me wrong. hahah I'm just kidding, but you guys will do awesome. Send me lots of pics and things. I love you both and I am excited for you. My advice is make sure Heavenly Father is apart of your relationship (or your third companion) haha idk if that makes sense, but it makes sense in my mind... anyway I love you all and I'm grateful for your support and love. Have the best week.

Love,

Sister Barton 

SIX months this week... WHAT?!

Fam!

Can you believe I turn six months this week? Times a flyin... well not really, but kinda haha Time is so weird here cuz literally the days feel like years... they are soooooo long, but then the weeks go by pretty fast and the transfers fly by.. So I don't really understand what is happening. hahah but cool I'm half a year down and one more year to go! :)

So I have had some great experiences here on my mission thus far, but I just want you guys to get just a little taste of what I am talking about haha so... here is what I am going to tell you so you can understand the Philippines a little bit better:

1- Everyone is naked. Like literally everyone. hahaha none of the little kids wear clothes haha like it is very rare to see a kid wearing pants haha and then the men don't like to wear shirts and they just have these huge beer bellys and its absolutely hilarious, but so funny! I love it here.

2- They all hiss at you to get your attention and since im white, they hiss at me ALLLLLL the time. It's so funny, they also point with there lips so thats weird, at first when they did that i thought they wanted to kiss me or something, but no thats just how they point haha 

3- I found out that they go to the bathroom and don't just use water, they use their left hand... and we have ran out of toliet paper numerous times, but lets just say I have really embraced the culture ;) hahahaha sorry TMI 

AND YAY CORON IS GROWING!!! The branch is growing, not so much in numbers, but spiritually. The whole feeling in the branch is so amazing. There has always been a special spirit here in Coron, but I feel it magnifying now more than ever. We are getting so close with the youth and it has been awesome. We have been helping them get ready for their performance in Puerto Princessa this week as well as we STARTED A CHOIR!! Wow, there is some hidden talent in this amazing branch. Each youth puts there own unique personality into the branch to make it what it is. It just continues to grow and develop and I am so excited to see the continuing unity to come with the Coron Branch. 

We have been able to do quite a bit of service these last couple of weeks and I really feel so happy when I get the opportunity to do service. Of course, service is the whole point of what we are doing on a Mission, but the extra service you get to do while serving is priceless. Especially serving the wonderful investigators, members, or just anyone here in Coron. We painted the inside of one of our members houses, we helped an investigator build her house and weed her garden, and we do English class every wednesday and it is awesome! I love English class haha Sister Vaka and I do it, cuz only foreigners and wow I love love love teaching english to all these cute Filipino kids. haha The people here are amazing and I feel so blessed to be here at such a time when the world is growing tremendously in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, not to mention the Philippines itself and how much it has grown in just these last couple of years. Wow what a special time this is in my life. 

Sometimes, well a lot of the time, I take being here on a mission for granted. Sometimes I think to myself, "what am I doing? I don't need to do this. This is so hard. I want to go home." but one thing that my old Zone Leader, Elder Honda said that has always kind of stuck with me is "no sacrifice without a cost is worth it." I know that to be true from the bottom of my soul. Jesus Christ suffered and sacrificed a tremendous cost for all of us. He paid the price and the blessings everyone receives from his sacrifice are priceless. I don't think I will ever be able to comprehend what my savior Jesus Christ has done personally for me. What can I give back? Honestly, nothing to the amount that he has given me, but the little I can, I will. I need to rejoice in the time I have giving all my might, mind, heart, and soul to the Savior Jesus Christ doing his work. Of course, it will not be easy. This mission is far from easy, but in the end 5, 10, 20 years from now I know I will look back and say, "Wow. My mission was so worth it." 

I feel like I have already grown so much here on my mission and I cannot wait to keep growing and developing into the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. I feel so blessed to have all of you in my life. You are all amazing and I want you to know how much I love you. Continue to press onward and love everyone you meet. You are all so amazing and I'm excited to see the things to come this week! :)

Mahal Ko Kayo,

Sister Barton 

Conference

Family!

This wonderful weekend I had the fortunate opportunity to watch conference. I had to listen to some in Tagalog cuz they didn't have english for a while, but then we finally got english so i actually got to understand more! haha I loved all of the talks for many different reasons. One talk I really loved was Elder Steven E Snow. His talk was all about humility and the importance of continually living in humility. Ahhhh one of my favorite Chirstlike attributes is humility. I absolutely love it. "We all need to strive for humility to be better followers of the Savior." I love love loved that. 

Also another talk I really really loved was Elder Jeffrey R. Hollands talk. Of course because he is absolutely AMAZING. I just think he did so well in giving everyone hope. Hope to be better, hope to move on, and hope to change. I loved how he just addressed that everyone has challenges and hardships in their life, but the savior is always there. As long as we keep going and love God we will be blessed. I loved when he was talking about the savior and says, "He will hold your hand saying, fear not, I will help thee." ahhhh Elder Holland is so amazing. I personally have seen a lot of challenges and hardships here on my mission, but it's an amazing thing to really strive to know the Savior and to know Heavenly Father. They are always here to help lift and guide us. I love Jesus Christ with my whole heart and it's so cool because especially here on a mission I get to testify of Him and I get to learn more and more about Him everyday. How great my calling is. He will always be there for each and every one of us. 

Lastly I just want to quickly talk about the short powerful talk President Thomas S Monson gave. I'm just going to say our choices mean everything. So choose the right. The quotes I loved from him were:

"The choices we make determine our destiny."

"The path we follow in this life determines the path we follow in the next life."

"Choose wisely."

And the last and personally my favorite one is... "Choose the harder right rather than the easier wrong."

Everything we do in this life and what determines for the next life is based on our choices. So may we choose Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. I love you all. The work is going good. I love my companion. I love Coron, Palawan, and I love you all. 

Mahal Ko Kayo,

Sister Barton

Ps Two I didn't mention that I need to is Elder D. Todd Christophersons talk on Fathers ahhhh that was amazing as well as Elder Ronald A Rasband. Don't take Sustaining and supporting casually. It is a privilege to listen to the counsel of our leaders and to have them lead and guide us to truth and light. 

Emergency Transfer

Hello Family!

This week has been... crazy. Great, but crazy. So to start off, we had a great family home evening this week with the Pagayunan family and ahhh it was so good, then I have some big news cuz I got a new companion! Weird, but cool. Then I just wanna talk about how great our Branch is. :)

So first off, FHE!! Wow I sent you the pictures so hopefully they are the right ones considering we can't actually see what we send... it's hard to explain but i'm just hoping for the best. haha But Yay we had Family Home Evening and it was awesome! The Pagayunan Family is the best! They are so prepared and litterally have SO many people in their family! I'm so excited to see what happens to them in the future! We were able to play games with them and then we watch the Restoration video with them and wow that was so powerful. It is such a cool sight to be sitting on the ground in this bamboo hut and then you just get to see this huge beautiful family watch Joseph Smith's experience. Literally the experience that changed the whole world. Wow, I can't even express to you how awesome it was to witness that. The Holy Ghost confirms to me every time we share about Joseph Smith and his experience that it is true. I know for a fact that Joseph Smith was a true prophet called of God. I can't express how truly blessed we are to have the truth in our lives. So anyway the Pagayunan family is so great!

Secondly and kinda really big news... I have a new companion!! One of the Sisters in our kabahay was kind of struggling and has been for quite a while so we thought she would just get transfered in two weeks at transfer day, but instead for some odd reason it happened this week. BAM so she left and I acutally got moved to Coron B and am Companions with Sister Vaka!! Ahhhhhh It is so awesome! Sister Fermin now has a new companion named Sister Lamberte and she is really cute! But I don't know if you remember Sister Vaka, she is the one from Canada who I had my first exchange with. She is so great and honestly I feel so blessed I am able to be her companion! The only thing that's kinda sucks is she leaves to go home from her mission in June soooooo that's sad, but that's far from now so it's fine! haha the other hard thing is I moved from Coron A to Coron B.. So now I have to learn a whole new area and new people... and I won't be able to teach the Pagayunan family anymore... so that's really sad. But hey at least if they come to church I will see them so that's cool! :) So that's what happened and now I have my first foreigner companion who really pushes me to talk, WHICH IS SO GOOD!! I'm gonna get really good at Tagalog and everything and it's gonna be awesome!! I love being her companion and it's only been three days so YAY!!

Lastly, our branch. Our branch is absolutley wonderful. Wow if you guys could come and feel the spirit that is here in Coron you would die. We have so many faithful youth in our ward. Some of them have no family who are LDS but yet they still come to church and work with the missionaries and are so dedicated to this work. Also most everyone in our branch is a convert of 3 years or under. Wow our branch is simply amazing. There are no words to describe how amazing the people are here. I love love love them. Everyone is so diligent and faithful even tho they have so many hardships and challenges. I hope we can all choose to be like them. 

I am so excited for conference! I know you all already saw it, but we see it a week late so I will be seeing it on Saturday and Sunday. I am so excited. I'm gonna be in the missionary count! :) Yay Conference is so cool. I hope you all listened and heard the great words of the Prophet. One of my favorite parts about conference is when the Apostles and Prophet testify of being a witness of Jesus Christ. Ahhh I love that. All I can say to you all is be happy, show acts of service to eachother, and always strive for the companionship of the Holy Ghost in your lives. Be worthy to always have Him with you. The Holy Ghost is so important to lead and guide our lives in the right direction. I truly testify of that. I love you all, and just think in one month I get to skype you again!! :) Time is flying!

Mahal ko kayo!

Sister Barton