Death of Dengue

Family,

IM BACK AND FREE FROM DENGUE! Man, being sick for 2 weeks literally killed me. For those of you who didn't know, I had this thing called Dengue Fever. Dengue Fever is a virus that is carried by mosquitoes and it is literally the worst thing ever. Some people call it the bone crushing virus... it was honestly so terrible. For the first week I was just lying in my bed honestly just trying to live. I would just cry and try to sleep so I couldn't feel pain. Honestly, it was the worst thing I've ever had in my entire life. I had to go to the hospital everyday and get my blood drawn so they could make sure I wasn't going to die with my platelet levels too low. Luckily i'm fine and doing better than ever.

The first week was just straight up hell, but this last week I was just emotionally, physically, everything exhausted. So I have been resting and just trying to get back in the missionary mode. I was lucky because I started working just a little on Saturday and I was so happy. Man, not being able to work when your a missionary is like the worst thing ever. I was dying, but I worked and it was raining really hard and I was just like a fat kid with chocolate cake, I WAS SO HAPPY! :) So i'm doing so much better now. I'm still really tired and just trying to slowly get back into the missionary grove of things, but i'm doing really well.

Having Dengue, as awful of an experience as it was, I actually learned so much. I learned that Heavenly Father really loves me. He sent me so many people to look after me and take care of me. Wow, being sick so many people reached out at every opportunity to help lift me and make me feel better and it was amazing. It was so hard being sick not having mom around. Like SO HARD, but I had so many great people around me that it made it so much easier. As hard as life as a missionary is, when you are surrounded by people who love you, it is so much easier. 

I also learned how much my Savior loves me. The first week of Dengue my whole body was in so much pain. I can't even explain what it was like, but it hurt. I kept trying to think of things that just made me happy so I would stop thinking about how much  pain I was in. It was really cool tho because I think about the Atonement so much and I try to even understand a little bit. Being missionaries we do some of the same things Jesus Christ did in His mortal ministry. So we get a little taste of the Atonement in that way, but hardly ever have a felt the Atonement in a physical way. As I was laying in my bed struggling to even move my head because of the pain, I just felt an overwhelming feeling of my Saviors love. It was something I will never be able to explain, but if all I got out of having Dengue fever was being able to feel just a little tiny bit of something the Savior felt in the Garden of Gethsemane then it was worth it. 

The Death of Dengue is real and it was terrible, but now I am just that much more grateful for my health and for the ability to move without being in pain. Wow, it's crazy what can happen in just a snap of a finger. I'm so much more grateful now tho. Another thing I remember doing when I was in so much pain was just thanking Heavenly Father for eyes to see and ears that can hear. I was so grateful for the little things and I think that is one reason why we have trials and afflictions. In order to be grateful for the things we have, we need hardships. One great thing we have coming up (or you in America have coming up) is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time to give gratitude so everyday starting Nov 1 until Thanksgiving write somewhere something you are grateful for and I will do the same. I'm extremely grateful for the past two weeks that I have really struggled and have had a really hard time so that I can have more gratitude. I'm so grateful for all the people who have helped me and have lent a helping hand. I'm so grateful for you and for your prayers and support. I can't even express how much that means to me. I'm just so grateful.

Thank you all for everything you do for me. Hopefully next week I will have heaps of stories to tell you about this great work. We are going to Manila on Wednesday to attend MLC and I'm so excited. The work continues and I get to continue with it. :) I love being a missionary. I love this gospel and I am so grateful for all my ancestors who sacrificed everything they had for this gospel. We are so blessed. So let's just count our many blessings and move forward in the work of the Lord. :) Reading the Book of Mormon, choosing the right, and being an example and light for all those around to see. 

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Barton  

PS. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! I loved the pictures of you in your costumes! You looked great :) 

Letter from Sister Holzworth about the fever

Hi sister Barton's mum! It's sister Holzworth here! Sister Barton has written you all a letter which I think will be sent either today or possibly tomorrow! She is right now with one of our couple missionaries getting her blood checked! So I bet you have been quite worried about sister Barton! She has missed you so much this week! She said this was her first time of being quite sick and not having her mum there! I'm going to make sure she gets to email you sometime this week! She has been doing a lot better these past few days- the first 7 days of dengue are very painful. She was also vomitting so she was quite dehydrated. But on Monday the vomitting stopped and she has been able to eat and drink since Monday! So she has survived the first week, so hopefully by next Monday, she'll be back to normal! Or at least close hahah! I've been her "nurse" person this week hahaha we have gotten a whole lot closer- I know everything that has gone into her body and everything coming out haha its kind of weird! Everyday she gets her blood checked to see her how cells and platelets are doing and great news, yesterday they increased! With dengue, normally you lose a lot of platelets or blog cells... But yesterday, instead of dropping, they increased! This is very very good news and means within a week she should be back to being Sister Barton! She misses you, her mother, and also misses working ! She even tried to convince the other day to let her go out and teach one lesson! She is even crazier when she is sick! I know you're prayers mean the world to her! She loves you and your letter meant the world to her! You should hear from her again tomorrow or possibly Friday! 

Don't worry too much, she is doing a lot better! And we plan on celebrating your 1 year mark this week when she gets better! We even got her M&Ms because she said they are her favorite and I know she loves Halloween which will be next PDAY! 

And that's about it! It's sister Holzworth by the way hahaha fancy us being companions again! We were watching finding nemo yesterday which the Ostlers brought over and we were both laughing at the Australian accents because I sound so American right now! So even when she is sick, she laughs! She loves you and misses you Sister Barton !!! I'll always be here looking after her :) 

Love sister Holzworth xxx

Sick

I will write more to you next week about everything. I'm very lucky because I have wonderful people in my mission helping me out. I'm very fortunate. I'm pleased to say i'm feeling way better today than i did last week. What a coincidence. The week I turn 1 year is the week I get Dengue. Lucky me... It's still a bit of a struggle to eat and drink a ton, but i'm keeping things down and my body is fighting the virus now and it's great. I have learned a lot from getting this disease, one of the biggest things is even at the most painful moments of my whole life, I could feel the Savior helping me. It is remarkable to try to comprehend the Saviors love for each one of us. We are so blessed to have the knowledge we do. Wow. I love being a missionary. It's hard to be sick and not being able to do the Lord's work at this time, but hopefully by the end of this week I will be back at it, doing the work I love. Don't worry about me anymore tho cuz i'm doing great! I love my mission more than ever and i'm still going... very slowly, but im going. :) Dengue has nothing on me. haha but really I appreciate you all so much and I'm grateful for the love, support, and prayers you have given me. Thank you all. I love you with my whole heart.

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Barton

Dengue Fever

Dear Sister Barton,
I enjoyed seeing your daughter last week for Mission Leadership Council. I will see her again on Monday when we fly to Palawan for interviews. She is still doing a wonderful job!
Unfortunately she has contracted dengue fever. She is the first missionary to get dengue during this season. Right now she is one miserable little girl!
Fortunately we have a very loving senior couple serving very close to her. They are taking her for her daily blood draws and taking care of her. Sister Holzworth and her apartment mates and all of the other missionaries are also there to help her.
We have had quite a bit of experience with dengue. She is currently experiencing up and down fevers, body aches, nausea and vomiting. The symptoms are very similar to having the flu but she will also probably get red rashes on her body for a week or two. The reason we do daily blood draws is to monitor her platelet count. The platelets always drop during the first week or two of the sickness and then start to climb back up to normal levels. We want to watch to make sure that they do not drop too low. If she gets very dehydrated we will probably put her in the hospital temporarily to get re-hydrated. We have had to do this with several missionaries. All of our missionaries have recovered completely and have served the rest of their missions very well. They just have to go through the misery of the first week or two.
We will give her lots of love when we see her on Monday. She is very precious to us.
Please let me know if there is anything you think would cheer her up. 
With love,
President Creg D. Ostler
Philippines Manila Mission

12 Months aka 1 Year

Family & Friends,

Sooooo this week on Friday I turn 1 year in the mission.... So that's insane to think that exactly one year ago I left my beautiful family and started this crazy, hard, wonderful, lonely, beautiful, exciting, emotional, spiritual, one of a kind, life changing, difficult, funny, amazing experience going on a mission. Honestly, deciding to go on a mission was the best decision I have made in my entire life. Without a mission I really think I would've turned out as a different person. Before my mission I loved the gospel and things, but I took so much for granted. Going on a mission and being here and concecrating myself to the Lord and his work has really changed my whole life. My mission will be the biggest U turn I make in my life for the better. To learn more about the gospel, serve others and not think about myself, and to really learn how to become more like the Savior and really know Him. 

This last week was wonderful because we were able to go to MLC. Being missionaries and members we are true "followers of Christ" Moroni 7:47-48. We were able to really ponder and realize that what we do as missionaries is just a little glimpse of the work Jesus Christ did here on Earth. Then we watched this amazing video about the power of a missionary and why missionary work isn't easy. As Jeffery R. Holland stated, "Because Salvation is not easy" Wow that is a powerful video, if you guys can find it on LDS.org I would highly suggest you watch it because it is amazing. One thing that really impressed my mind was how perfect the Savior was. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we are constantly striving to magnify ourselves and become more like Christ. One thing President Ostler asked us was to describe Jesus Christ in 3 words. Then to chose one of the words your wrote down and try your best to acquire that attribute within yourself. It was such a spiritual, motivational MLC that I will never forget.

I love that all this work and effort I put into this mission is for Jesus Christ. Why am I here? Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. To help others realize that they can come to know Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. Not just know about Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and for the decision I made to go on this mission. It has and forever will have changed my life.

One story, quote, poem thing I absolutely love and want to share with you is called, "The Fellowship of the Unashamed" By Bob Morehead as quoted by Elder Henry B. Eyring. It says, "I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, color-less dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear." 

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I will do everything I can to be the person He wants me to be. I will be faithful and diligent until the end. When I come home in 6 months I will be able to say I gave everything. I love my mission with my whole heart. I'm ready for the trials, hardships, excitement, and beautiful times to come within these next 6 months. I love all of you with my whole soul and I love this gospel and my Savior and Redeemer with my whole soul. Continue to look up and stand up as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Thank you for all that you do. You are beautiful examples to me and I appreciate you all so much. So read the Book of Mormon with diligence, Pray with real intent, and Chose the Right everyday. Thank you for being you.

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Barton 

PS. When we went to Manila we also got to get SUBWAY. So that was so amazing! We bought selfie sticks too.. we are so white talaga and we thought the airplane pic in the back was gonna work out a lot better than it actually did sooooo... haha but going to Manila was really really good. I loved it. 

The Day Has Come

Family,

Hello to you all! This week has been absolutely fantastic wanna know why...? Because THE DAY HAS COME!!! I am officially companions with the one and only Sister Holzworth!!! Ahhhh I don't think you guys even understand how happy I am. After everything that has happened I am finally with my pre-mortal bff. My MTC companion. My cool ascent Australian.. Sister Holzworth. If you can't tell i'm just a tad bit excited!! We are going to have the best transfer ever. Like literally I think this transfer will be the best transfer of my mission. We just kinda get each other. We are like completely opposites, but the same in a lot of things as well. Ahhhh i'm just excited cuz I think this'll be a really good transfer. So that's the cool news of this week.

The other cool news is that my area got split so we also now have new Sister's in our branch, they took most of my progressing investigators... but that's alright, cuz we will work hard and find some more. Now we have 5 companionships in our stewardship, but it'll be fun cuz it just means some more exchanges and things. 

Some more really great news is that it was the most wonderful time of the year, CONFERENCE!! I got to watch general conference and it was in English and it was wonderful and I was really happy. So that was awesome.. Some highlights of Conference that I really liked (not really quoted cuz all I had was a notebook so my thoughts/ their words)

1. I loved how much they talked about missionaries and the importance of Member Missionary work. Living in Utah it's a little bit harder... so I invite you all to move out of Utah for 5 years and work with the missionaries everyday. Just kidding cuz you can't do that, but Jensen told me a cool experience of still being a member missionary so I like that, but just remember we are all missionaries even if we aren't wearing a missionary badge. Member's are lifetime missionaries. (Dallin H. Oaks 7 points were really good as well, especially the last one. "loosen their thumbs" hahaha so get at it Kels Bels because you are like social media queen)

2. We need to love everyone with our whole heart. No matter who they are. Skinny, Fat, Black, White, Short, Tall, Doesn't matter, everyone! I loved Robert D. Hales talk. One thing he says is something like, "Serving God's children will help us suffer less spiritually... Help them come converted by being filled with the Savior's love... We loved Him, because He loved us first.." That one was just really great.

3.The importance of understanding Prayer, Faith, The Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Plan of Salvation, and the need and importance of the Restoration. It is so important for us to study these things so when we all have the opportunity to share the gospel we are prepared. Ahhh I love being a missionary and I know you do to. Just gaining the knowledge I have gained has been awesome. I was talking to Sister Holzworth earlier this morning and she was like when I first met you, you knew nothing. haha I remember in the MTC I had told her I hadn't read the whole Book of Mormon cover to cover in my whole life. She was like "what the heck? are you serious and you were born in the covenant?" One thing was for sure, I didn't value the gospel nearly as much as I value it now. I don't think anyone even realizes how blessed we are to have the gospel and to be able to know the things we know through all the resources Heavenly Father gives us. Wow. And with a living Prophet on the earth we just receive that much more everyday. It is amazing. 

4. Lastly, all throughout conference we kept hearing many inspired talks about Repentance and the importance of being clean. No unclean thing can enter the kingdom of God. We are all unclean because we all make mistakes every single day. Big and Small. No matter what mistake it is or how big of a sin it is, it doesn't matter. It is still a sin. And a sin makes us unclean, so it is so important for all of us to repent every single day to feel peace in our lives and to know that we are clean and prepared for the day Jesus Christ comes again to the earth. (I really loved Dale G. Renlund's talk, SO GOOD)

But anyway those are just some good things I like during conference. I received so much revelation and it was absolutely amazing. Can you believe next conference I will only have 2 or 3 weeks and then I will be coming home... crazy how fast time is flying...! 

How blessed we are to have a living Prophet. To have the Book of Mormon. To have a perfect gospel, and the only true gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so blessed. I am trying my best everyday to live the way the Savior lived. I am trying my very hardest to work as he worked and be as he was. I am doing everything I can to be the best person I can. I have seen many things on my mission. Wonderful, marvelous, beautiful things and I am so grateful I get this chance for 18 months to be a full time missionary. I love you all and I invite you to continue to read the Book of Mormon, to chose the right, and to value the wonderful gospel we have. 

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Barton

These are some pics of me with my cute friends in the area I gave to the new Sisters... 

Killing Off the Companions 1 by 1

Hello Family,

Well it looks like it's already time to email you again... but you guys are going to die when you hear about my week. i killed another one of my companions...

So just like Sister Laug Laug, Sister Greer headed to Manila this week so she could go to the MRC to get some help with some things she is going through. So at this time, i actually don't have a companion... so that's sad. But on Wednesday i will get a new companion so i'm just companionless for 1 week. 

This last week has been insane with everything that has been going on. On Thursday Sister Greer headed to Manila to go to the MRC because she has been sick for about 2 weeks now. She has had very bad anxiety her whole mission and honestly has just kind of had a rough start. So hopefully she will get better at the MRC. So then on Thursday i was companions with Sister Holzworth and Sister Rimando, but then another thing happened with one of the Sisters so we helped her while Sister Rimando (sister holzworth's companion) went with other sisters. So we had a crazy busy day on Thursday. 

Then for the last couple of days i have worked with Sister Tekanene and Sister Gabriel in both of our areas to be able to finally start working again. That was awesome. i also got to attended both branches. Branch 1 (my old branch) and Branch 2 (my new one) so that was really awesome cuz i got to see all my friends and stuff. :) 

Transfer day is on Wednesday and i haven't received a text or anything yet saying that i'm transferring so i'm thinking i'm gonna stay, hopefully! But really i love my area and i just really can't wait to work work work. My area has so much potential it just needs quite a bit of work, but once i get my new companion on Wednesday that's what we are going to do WORK. Work so hard until we can't stand anymore. haha i miss working like that.

it's crazy all the stories i've had so far on my mission. Man, i really really love being here and serving these people. After all the hardships and all the trials i've faced it just really goes to show we can't do anything without the help of Heavenly Father. One of my favorite scriptures is John 5:30. it says, "i can of my own self do nothing... i seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." As Jesus Christ says these words, it made me really think... Jesus Christ the most perfect individual to ever walk on this Earth says how he cannot do anything without the Father, it just really makes me think, how much more nothing are we. We are nothing and we can do nothing without the help of our loving Heavenly Father. Everyday i strive to seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who hath sent me here in the Philippines Manila Mission. A lot of the time on missions we want to do what we want to do, but that is wrong. i know that if i ever think that, i need to repent and really seek to know what the will is of Heavenly Father for me. i know that every opportunity, every trial, hardship, happy moment that has came to me in my mission is because that is the will of the Father for me. He knows me perfectly and He is giving me all these things to help me grow and help me be better. As hard as this mission has been, i have benefited so much from it. i grown more and more everyday. 

i really am trying to be like Jesus. Each and everyday. i learn of Him, i read of Him, i follow Him, and i try to be like Him. i'm excited for this next transfer to face whatever else Heavenly Father wants to give to me. i will forever be grateful for this wonderful opportunity i have to serve Him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. i love this work. 

You are all amazing and i love each of you so much. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for the prayers. Thank you for the support. Basta, thanks for being you! Keep being great, read the Book of Mormon everyday and CTR. 

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Barton

ps. i got stuck in the mud.. right before a big family home evening so i went into their house all muddy and that was gross..

pps. we also had a brown out (no electricity) at the church during sacrament, so everyone had to yell when sharing their testimonies hahaha classic.

ppps. i get to watch conference this saturday and sunday and i'mso excited so yay!! :) i hope all your emails don't ruin it for me... ;) joke lang