Uhhhhh I don't know what's happening.. i'm going to be 16 months tomorrow and it's kinda freaking me out to be honest. Luckily since I don't come home for a little longer than that I have a little bit more time here in this beautiful country. I can't tell you how beyond blessed I feel to be able to have the opportunity to be serving here in the Philippines. It's so amazing. Literally everyday as I am here I just feel so grateful to be here. I really love this place. It's kind of weird you'd think i'd still remember a lot about America, but to be honest.. I don't remember much. I was watching a conference thing the other day and it showed the Salt Lake temple and things and I was just amazed at the beauty of the temple and the mountains and just Utah. It's so beautiful, the Philippines is beautiful as well, but just in a very different way.
I want everyone to know that I am doing okay. I appreciate all the prayers and things, but know that I will be okay. President Ostler gave me strict counsel on what to do to be healthy and strong. So as long as I follow the counsel he gave, I know I will be okay.
It's actually amazing how many blessings we were able to see this week even though we were so busy. This week we had Interviews with President, taught in two different zone meetings, and had exchanges, but even with the busy week we were able to see miracles happen in our area. A lot of the time this week when we weren't at meetings or super busy, I was resting. We still worked, but I had to rest a lot as well, but Sister Baldelomar and I testify that the Lord really blesses those who follow the counsel of their leaders. We didn't have much work, but through the couple lessons we had and with the Spirit we were able to see six of the Lords children show their faith and attend church on Sunday. Many of them were new face investigators brought by the memebers and it was just so amazing. I feel so grateful for the love and mercy of the Lord.
Two of those investigators who attended church were Romel Mesa and Ronilo Mesa. The Sons of Sister Mesa. They have always acted really amazing in the lessons and super knowledgable and spiritual, but they just had a hard time coming to church and really acting on the message (that's why they didn't get baptized with their other family members) But on sunday, they showed their faith and they both came to church, Romel for the first time. It was really awesome to see them and I feel so grateful for their willingness to act and accept the gospel in their lives.
I'm really hoping this will be my last area. There have been so many people the Lord has prepared in this area to accept the gospel and I just want to do everything I can to see this area really grow and all of his children here accept the gospel one by one. Sister Baldelomar is so awesome as well. We are literally like the exact same person. We have some differences, but we are so much alike it's insane. Sometimes we will even be standing the same way or the way our face looks is the same, and we both think the same things are just hilarious and we will laugh so hard at stupid little things that are so funny to me and her. It's so great. Ahhhh I am like praying with my whole heart she is my last companion and this will be my last area. She is really great and we just get a long so well. It's these types of companions who are the best types of companions.
This week I was really pondering about how important it is to be obedient. I was thinking about my duty to "rest" and it just made me think about how the Lord really will make up the difference. Whatever we lack, he will always be there to help. In the Bible Dictionary it says, "The Lord rewards his obedient children according to their faithfulness" Some of the greatest examples ever of this are Joseph, the Son of Jacob, and Nephi. They are both so exactly obedient to the Lord and do everything he asks of them. I think the reason why Nephi is at the beginning of the Book of Mormon is becuase he is one of the most obedient, faithful men in all of the Book of Mormon.
These two just really inspire me. I feel like I have learned what exact obedience really is, especially being here on a mission. I know that as we are exactly obedient to the commandment, the Lord can't help but pour out the blessings to us. It's so wonderful. One quote that I really love is, "obey first, understand later" I think if we all make this our moto, we cannot fail. Sometimes, well a lot of the time, at least for me, I don't understand why some commandments are the way they are, but I know that as we obey first no matter what the commandment it, we will be blessed.
I'm so extremely grateful for the commandments. It all just makes sense. Heavenly Father wouldn't send us here without any instructions. He created us, he knows what tempts us, he knows what we need to do in order to return to Him. One helpful tool he gave us was the commandments. We are actually so blessed because of all the things he has given us to help us return back to Him; the scriptures, prayer, prophets, leaders, and one of the most important, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that we have a loving Father in Heaven looking out for us all.
"I want to be the best I can, and live with God again."
Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Barton
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