The Blessings of Kindness

Family,

Hellooooooo. So this week was really good :) we had two exchanges this week and I am absolutely exhausted, but filled with joy because of the greatness of this work. I feel so blessed that I have been able to serve here in the Philippines over these last 18 months and the growth i've seen in my areas, in my people, and in myself is remarkable. My heart is just full of gratitude. 

This letter may be a little bit short because I have to still email President Ostler, but the one thing that I continue to learn on my mission over and over again is the importance of kindness. To constantly be kind to everyone you meet regardless of their kindness to you. Whether you are on exchanges with a sister who hates sister training leaders, or you are knocking on doors and they just keep slamming in your face, or if the people just aren't really liking you that day... to always be kind. Kindness is what makes the world a better place. Kindness is what makes people smile and helps them find joy and peace in their lives. 

I was reading the other day and I found this wonderful quote by Joseph B. Wirthlin. It says, "Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church and especially in our homes."

One of my favorite things now that I learned from Tina while growing up was, "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." I honestly think that is one of the most important lessons anyone can learn, especially while here on a mission. 

Here on this mission I have had to be kind when I really really really didn't want to be kind. I had to try my very hardest to just not speak because I knew that what I would've said is not something Jesus Christ would say. Many times while I have been on my mission I think to myself "what would Jesus do?" Then whatever comes to mind, that is what I do. By doing this I have honestly seen miracles on my mission. Sometimes a mission isn't very fun and it's hard, but I as I remember that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and I am doing his work, I realize that I must act as he would and talk to everyone, share with everyone, love everyone, and most importantly be kind to everyone. Everyone, even if they aren't that kind to you. 

Luckily, I am serving in the Philippines. Meaning, I am serving in one of the greatest places in the world where the people are so kind and so humble. Even the meanest people here who don't want to listen to our message are probably ranked as the kinder people in America. hahaha sad, but true. 

I saw this other quote that really made me realize why the people in the Philippines are the way they are. They are so happy, kind, charitable, humble, and full of love. It says, "The happiest people in this world are those who love their neighbors as themselves and manifest their appreciation of God's blessings by their conduct in life."

Just the other day, Sister Baldelomar and I were teaching a new investigator that we found. She had made spaghetti and pandesal and was eating. When we came to the door she offered us some. We kindly declined the offer and asked if we could teach her. She said yes, and quickly put her food away. We then taught her and afterwards she saw her neighbor and told him she had a gift for him. She then ran into her kitchen grabbed a ton of spaghetti and gave it all to him. It was really nice. Then I asked her kind of jokingly, "sister why do you want to get rid of your spaghetti so bad?" She then said, "because I know how hungry others are and I have many blessings form God, so why not share them?"

I really love the Filipino Culture. They are all so wonderful and always think about others. Over and over again I have heard many many spiritual experiences coming from members, investigators, and random people on the street about how they have had a trial or struggle when they really needed help and the simple kind acts and words of others changed their whole life.

I know that if we are kind to everyone always, and most especially when we get nothing in return we will feel God's hand more in our lives. We will be more happy and we will have a better life. I feel so grateful that I am serving the Lord. I know I don't have much time left here on the mission, but that doesn't mean I will stop being a missionary. I'm just transferring to a little bit of a different place. I'm grateful for the things i've been able to learn while here on my mission and most especially about treating other with kindness. 

I love you all and i'm grateful for the kindness and love you show me each and everyday. I hope you are all doing wonderful and I invite everyone who reads this to be a little kinder (even if you think you are the kindest person in the world) I know we can all be a little bit kinder. :)

Mahal Ko Kayo,

Sister Barton 

18 Month Mark

Dear Family,

Happy Easter Yesterday. What a wonderful day it was to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The time that he truly overcame death for each and everyone of us to live again. I feel so blessed to know that we have a Savior and he is Living. It is so wonderful to know that Jesus Christ is the one who leads and guides this church today and that he is the one in charge. He is the perfect example who has a perfect gospel. I feel so much joy and so much happiness because of the gospel of Jesus Christ and I love sharing it with everyone everyday. 

There is this thing in the Philippines called "Holy Week". Holy week was last week. It is the week right before Easter Sunday and it is something that the Catholics here really strongly believe in. They have statues everywhere of Jesus Christ and his death and him being resurrected. There are crosses everywhere, candles, and much much more to remember Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

As much as all the statues of Jesus Christ and interesting songs and things were very different and a little bit scary to me, it made me feel grateful to be serving here still. Even though the people here might have a little bit of a different way celebrating Easter, I have found that they are always basing everything off of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is everything to most of the people in the Philippines. You can't walk down the street without seeing some sort of picture of Jesus Christ somewhere. I feel so grateful to always be reminded of Jesus Christ even if here, it's a little bit different of a reminder. I get to know who Jesus Christ is to me and that because of Him I will be able to return to Heavenly Father and overcome death as well. How marvelous and beautiful does that sound? 

The testimony I have gained over the Last 18 months of Jesus Christ has been stronger than I could ever imagine and I know that because of coming on a mission I will be different my whole life. I will always have a lasting testimony of the doctrines and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ as well as who Jesus Christ is to me and how much I love him. 

I turn 18 months old on the mission this Friday and oh how weird that sounds to me. I can't even believe I have been here for that long and that shortly my mission will come to a close... 

I feel so grateful for the decision I made to come on a mission and to change my life. The experience's I've had and the lives I've seen changed because of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ I will never forget. 

I was reading the other day about the life of Gordon B. Hinckley. In a talk he gave to youth about going on missions he said something to young men that I really loved. He said, "Young men, I hope all of you are pointed in the direction of missionary service. I cannot promise you fun. I cannot promise you ease and comfort. I cannot promise you freedom from discouragement, from fear, from downright misery at times. But I can promise you that you will grow as you have never grown in a similar period during your entire lives. I can promise you a happiness that will be unique and wonderful and lasting. I can promise you that you will reevaluate your lives, that you will establish new priorities, that you will live closer to the Lord, that prayer will become a real and wonderful experience, that you will walk with faith in the outcome of the good things you do." 

Are those promises not the most wonderful promises anyone can receive. Elders or Sisters, regardless of gender, I know that anyone who goes on a mission will receive these amazing promises. A mission is not easy. In fact, it's by far the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but after going through these last 18 months I would never chose not to go on a mission. I feel so grateful for this mission. I feel grateful for the things I have learned and for the testimony I have gained. My life is changed for the good and for the better because I decided to serve a mission. 

I am grateful to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the souls I get to help save everyday by testifying and teaching the words of Christ. My mission is just the beginning and I know that I will always serve for the rest of my life. I will strive to be exactly obedient to His commandments and will do all I can to be the person he needs me to become.

Thank you all for your prayers, words of encouragement, sacrifice, and everything else you have done for me over these past 18 months. My soul is filled with joy and gratitude for each one of you and for the time I've had to be a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Thank you. I will see you all very soon. 

Mahal Ko Kayo,

Sister Barton 

Ps. Filipino's are very talented people, this man went grocery shopping and I thought there was no way he would be able to get all his stuff on one motorcycle.. sure enough, he proved me wrong. :) "It's more fun in the Philippines!"

April 2017 General Conference

Family!

Hello everyone, how are you doing? As for me, I am doing so great! We were fortunate enough to watch general conference over this last weekend and can I just say that I am convinced all the sessions, every talk, song, and everything was exactly what I needed. It was all just for me. The spirit that I was able to feel over this last weekend and the direction and guidance was absolutely amazing. I feel so grateful to be apart of such a perfect gospel with such amazing leaders. We are so blessed. 

It was actually a very encouraging and inspirational conference for me. As I was preparing over the week and writing some questions I desperately wanted to be answered, I felt the spirit in my heart and knew that if my heart and mind was open I would receive answers. luckily I was able to receive many answers to all of the questions I had. 

The first talk I wanted to express my feelings about was the talk of Jeffery R. Holland. I absolutely loved it. One thing that I have been really nervous about with coming home is learning to get back into life without actually getting back into life, if that makes sense. Jeffrey R. Holland's talk perfectly answered my question. He said that "we need to stand as close as humanly possible to Jesus Christ." If things get difficult or hard or you are just sad one day, as we stand really close to Jesus Christ and always look to him in our lives we will be happy no matter how hard things get. I also loved what he said about staying unique in the choir. He explained how important it is to stay you. Be unique and don't just blend in. He said, "Keep your richness in your own voice... you are irreplaceable, you are unique." I love that. As we all continue to strive to be better and stay our unique selves we will be okay always. "In the choir there is room for everyone who loves God and keeps His commandments." But my all time favorite quote he said in the entire talk was, "Come as you are, but don't plan to stay as you are."  That's so good. As we are willing to change and give our will to Heavenly Father, he will change us into something we could never make of ourselves. 

Which leads into the second talk I really loved... That Neil L. Andersen gave. He was talking about overcoming the world. How amazing was that talk. Ahhh I loved it. He said that "we will spend a life time of trying and with sincere repentance we can overcome the world through Him, Jesus Christ." He talks about the sabbath day and the need of listening to the voice that is not from the world in order to over come it. He says, "Stand up, speak up, and be willing to be different from the world." How cool would it be to really overcome the world and to be more like Jesus Christ and the way he is. To really inherit what Heavenly Father has prepared for each of us.. It is such an amazing thought. 

The last one I wanna share about (cuz i'm running out of time) is the one my S. Mark Palmer. He was talking about Jesus Christ and the pure love of Him. My whole mission I have been striving and striving to develop one attribute of Jesus Christ strongly in myself. This attribute is pure charity. I have strived from the beginning of my mission to show charitiy and love to everyone. Not just charity from Sister Barton, but the pure love of Christ. Godly love. One thing I loved that S. Mark Palmer said was he said, "change the things that are hard for you, in order to have a change of heart." That was really good advice especially for me. As much as I try my hardest to have love for everyone I know I lack... a lot. I loved the keys he gave for each of us to become more like the Savior and have more of the love he has. I really love the one of just trying to see everyone the way the Lord sees them. As we do that we will be able to help people improve and change. As I have been a leader in my mission for a while I have been able to see how love really impacts people. I have been able to grow and help others change themselves through just loving them for who they are and for helping them become better. I feel blessed to be able to share the love of Jesus Christ to everyone. Especially being a disciple of Him and a missionary, it is just that much more important. 

I really love love love general conference. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to listen to our loving prophet and apostles and other leaders of the church every 6 months. I remember before my mission when we had to listen to conference it was like the most boring thing of my whole life, but now that is what I look forward too. To the words I once fell asleep to and yawned at, I now cherish and are literally delicious to me. 

I feel so grateful for the spirit and for its witness to me of truth. I love to learn and I am grateful I get to receive revelation through the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for conference and for the wonderful time I have to be a full-time missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Thank you for all you do and for your constant examples to me. I love you all with my whole heart and I pray that we all apply the things we learned from conference. 

Mahal Ko Kayo,

Sister Barton

These are some cute pics of Sister Jumawid's birthday and my funny present to her, Sister Kolca taking us out to dinner (best thing ever), and some of us sisters at the stake center during conference :)

The Best of the Best

Family!!

I'm so sorry, we went to the temple today and I have like no time.. so sorry if this email is a little bit lame. Our week this week was okay, I always feel so blessed to be a missionary and to be in this great area with my wonderful companion, but I am a little disappointed in some of the decisions or investigators are making... We had many investigators come to church this last week. But almost all of them came  because they are the friends of some of our recent converts. Meaning; they are within primary and youth age. So they don't even come with their parents which is a bummer... and we are already having so many problems in our area when it comes to parents consent/permission for their children to get baptized. This last week not one of the people we have been teaching throughout the week came to church... not one. It was so disappointing. I was really hoping for us to have at least one or two more baptisms before I go home, but after this last week it's not looking too great. 

That's still okay though because with everything that has happened with our area and investigators this last week it doesn't make me want to give up and cry anymore (like it used to). haha It makes me realize everyone has their own individual agency and they get to chose for themselves "let the consequence follow". It also just motivates me to work harder and do better. Even if I won't be here for the baptisms, it doesn't matter because as long as I give it my all and help people get baptized at some point in their life I did my part and I can say I tried my best. So I just feel grateful that I can still work my hardest and give it my all so that others can be baptized in the near future.

This week we also had some really great experiences with some new investigators as well. The Dula family, the ones that I told you about last week, we were able to teach them and the mother, Luzviminda was literally like finishing our sentences as we were teaching her. It was absolutely astounding. I was so amazed. It was exactly like teaching someone who already knew the Plan of Salvation and we were just refreshing her memory. The spirit was so strong in that lesson and I could tell that she knew that what we were saying was true. Also, later in the week we went back to their home and had a Family Home Evening. It was amazing to see the happiness in their home. Sister Luzviminda is a single mother who's husband had died just a few years back. When it came to the part in the program for the parent to give advice, she did and then we had all the kids say some words of love to their mom. It was such a beautiful, spiritual experience to be apart of. Her four children were just pouring out their hearts saying how grateful they were for their mother who sacrifices so much just so they can eat and go to school and do what they want. I feel so grateful I was able to be in that home and feel the love and peace that was radiating. Sister Baldelomar and I were both in tears as the kids were talking and it was just a really great experience. Afterwards they all hugged and it was just so cute. I should've taken a picture, but it probably would've ruined the moment. 

We also talked to these two women who worked as maids for a man named Pedro. As we were talking and testifying about the gospel to these two women, they decided to let us in so we could share to them. As we started the lesson and started teaching about our purpose as missionarys and just getting to know them, they told us that Mormon missionaries have taught them before. THEY ARE FORMER INVESTIGATORS. They were both about to be baptized, but then they moved here to Mandaluyong from their provience and didn't know if there were Mormons here. It was crazy! They said they have been praying for the last year, ever since they moved here, for Mormons to find them or for them to find the Mormons. It was so amazing to meet them and teach them and see how much they loved the gospel. One of the sisters said that she had left her Book of Mormon in Pangasinan with her family and she missed it so much. When Sister Baldelomar reached into her bag and pulled out a Book of Mormon and gave it to this wonderful Sister she was so excited. She literally looked like a big fat kid getting a big thing of ice cream. (picture at the bottom of me haha :)) Her eyes just went wide and she started to like jump up and down she was so excited. It was such an amazing experience and really just shows that if you work hard and do your best Heavenly Father will lead you to the people who are prepared. 

I cannot tell you how many doors we knock on everyday. hahah it's so fun and I just feel so grateful for the opportunity I have to talk to everyone and tell them how great the gospel is and how lucky they would be if they just listened to what the Lord wants them to know. 

I love being a missionary! I really really love it! We were able to have the opportunity to attend the temple earlier and I just really love the temple. It's crazy to think that next time I enter the Philippines Manila Temple Mom will be standing next to me. That's kinda neat to think about. I'm so excited to share with you this great place and all of these amazing people. I love love love my mission and I'm grateful for this last little bit I have to serve Him with all my heart and soul. I love you all and I'm so grateful for you. Thank you for being such great examples to me. 

Mahal Ko Kayo,

Sister Barton