11 Months

Family,

Okayyyyyy... this is getting ridiculous. I'm getting SO OLD in the mission... like what the heck eleven months all ready? Ahhhh it's too much for me to handle. I don't wanna talk about it, so i'm not going to.

Anyway, my week was absolutely fantastic, crazy, but fantastic.. why? BECAUSE JANELLA GOT BAPTIZED AND I GOT TO SEE!!! Ahhhh On Saturday Janella walked into the waters of baptism and made a beautiful sacred covenant with God. And it was just that, beautiful. Last week I received a text from President Ostler that said I had permission to attend her baptism and I was jumping up and down for joy because I was so excited. I have really tried to be exactly obedient on my mission and I have tried my very hardest to do the best I can, but yet I am the planter. I plant the best people in the world and work and work and work on helping them and then right as they are about to get baptized... BOOM I get transferred. This time, even tho I got transferred I was able to attend and see how happy and filled with faith Janella was on Saturday. Ahhh she is such a special person and I really love her so much. So that was a really really neat experience.

This last week has been crazy trying to figure everything out with working, to planning and coordinating with Sister Holzworth for meetings, to helping the other sisters, as well as helping my companion. Man so much stress.. But over these last months if there is one thing I have learned it is that I AM NOT ALONE. I have learned more than ever in my whole life that I need to completely trust in the Lord in everything I do. If anyone would've asked me if I thought within 10, well I guess 11 now, months of my mission I would be able to train a foreigner who doesn't know how to speak Tagalog and be a Sister Training Leader at the same time, I would've laughed in their face, or I would've fallen on the ground and started crying, but I NEVER would've thought I could do this. Really, if you think about it, I can't. I can't do any of this. But, if the Lord and the Spirit is with me, I can. Because I can do anything the Lord wants me to. I can do it with His divine help.

I remember when I first got into the MTC. A bunch of the missionaries were writing down weaknesses that they wanted the teachers to help them with before they got out to the field. Things like, learning more of preach my gospel, or knowing the scriptures better, or being better at Tagalog, etc. For me, what I wrote down, was my weakness was having faith, completely and utterly trusting in the Lord in all things. When we talked with our teachers one on one we shared with them what we can do to make our weakness become a strength. I remember just crying to my teacher telling her I had such little faith and I really don't know how to make it stronger. I remember her asking me when the last time was that I really showed my faith. I told her when I came on this mission. I said when I left my family and actually got on the plane, that is was the first time I think I really showed Heavenly Father I had faith. 

Now, as I look back on these last 11 months. I really am so different. The fact that I had such little trust and such little faith in Heavenly Father is really sad, but I can honestly say now, my weakness has become a strength. I think that if anyone asked me to take on any challenge I could do it, with the Lord by my side at all times. Without the Lord, we are nothing. We can do nothing. If we think we can become more without Him we are so far off, we need to repent and rely on Him ALWAYS. He is the Lord. He is our Savior. He is our Master. He is here for us always to lift, guide, and help us in all things. 

I love this work. I love how much I have changed and how much this gospel can really make you stronger. To think how much I have grown in these last 11 months is incredibly INSANE. I love it. I wouldn't change any part of these last 11 months for anything. I have learned so much and I can't wait to continue to learn and continue to become the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. 

As hard as it is we just gotta keep on keeping on. haha I love you all and I appreciate your love and support to me so much. Continue onward and Trust and Faith and the Lord will always help you. Thank you for everything. Continue to CTR and be happy always. 

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Barton 

Ps. pics of Sister Janella and me, also with Sister Greer and Sister Tekanene

Pss. The other pic is of us doing our service. They cut their plants with a Macheti? Idk how to spell that, but I totally cut my finger bad soooo that was cool. hahaha I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES.