Ingat Palawan...

Dear Family,

So very sad news... i'm leaving Palawan. I just found out like an hour ago that I will be transferring on Wednesday. I'm super depressed about it cuz I REALLY wanted to be companions with Sister Holzworth during Christmas and I really wanted to help this area more... but "I'll go where he wants me to go" plus after 6 transfers on Palawan I guess it's about time that I go back to Manila. It'll be nice to actually have more civilization as well haha... so good bye to my little island home. 

Isn't it crazy how life can just change in a blink of an eye and we just trust in the Lord and go with it, doing His will? Missions are constantly changing and I am officially going with my 9th companion in my 6th area... what a mission. The longest i've ever stayed in an area is 2 transfers... is that not the saddest thing you've ever heard, but I know the Lord has a plan for me and I just need to trust in Him and keep going. Man... it definitely isn't easy tho, but im excited. 

This week has actually been our best week yet and so I guess that doesn't make leaving any easier. We found another huge family and I really think they will get baptized on December 24th... so that's exciting. I will try to get a picture with them sometime today or tomorrow and send it to you next week so you can see them :) We also found a ton of new investigators and have just worked really hard to get some more investigators in this area and to find the true seekers. It's hard saying goodbye when honestly I feel like I didn't do much for this area. After having the companions that i've had and Dengue.. I honestly feel like I didn't change much in this area at all, but I just have to remember that what I did do and what I did give was enough for the Lord. 

One woman I want to share about with you quickly is Sister Gamale. She is such a woman of hope and faith. We visited her a couple times throughout the transfer, but have really focused on her this last week. She is so amazing and so strong. She has a husband who works for the government on and off as a rescue team member. He works when they need him and does other sideline jobs for money. As for Sister Gamale, she has 6 kids from the ages of 13 to 1 years old. So her kids are quite the handful. She is one of the less actives in our area, but she has the biggest desire to go to church and partake of the sacrament again, but she has no way of going to church because she has no money. I have actually never seen a member of the Church as poor as her. She has a small hut house that honestly looks like a tree house of some sort and her walls are made out of cardboard boxes. Seriously, so poor. So as they are trying to survive on the little money brother brings home while having six children to try and help feed, get to school, and do everything else they need to do as parents, they are just really really struggling. 

One thing that I absolutely love about this family though is their faith. We taught them about overcoming challenges and hard situations by always relying on the Lord and having a firm foundation, built on Jesus Christ. We shared Helaman 5:12 and Sister Gamale bore her simple but firm testimony about the truthfulness of this church. The simplicity but power of her testimony was indescribable. She is doing her best to be the best mother she can be. She gathers her family around each night and they read in the Book of Mormon and pray together. 

Sister Gamale is just one of the great members we have in the church. She may be less active right now, but I have no doubt in my mind that when she can go to church she will. We are really hoping the branch will be able to do something to help them out. But just this one Sister helped me really strengthen my testimony about being true to our faith always. No matter what circumstances we are in and no matter how hard our life is, to always do what we can to stay close to Jesus Christ.

Isn't amazing the experiences I get to have with the amazing Filipino people. They are all so amazing and I feel so blessed to be here serving. It's quite true what they say about Filipinos being the kindest most humble people in the World. I'm grateful for the time I have had to serve in Palawan. I will miss it, but I'm sure I will love my next area as much as I loved this one, I always do. Thank you for all you do for me. I love you all with my whole heart. Keep reading the Book of Mormon, choosing the right, and staying close to our Savior and our loving Heavenly Father.

Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Barton