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