September 21, 2015: Elder Piper

This week was nothing at all the expected, to say the least! On Tuesday, my comp was feeling super sick. So Wednesday we went to the hospital to see what was wrong. They took blood tests, but didn't know what was the problem, and told us to return the next day. That night, my comp had a super high temperature of 39.2 Celsius. Don't know that conversion in Fahrenheit, but all I knew is that normal is 36 and she was burning up.

We got a ride to the hospital, and long story short, they couldn't figure out the problem or stop her temperature so we had to stay the night... and we ended up staying in the hospital four days and three nights! We had a conference with a member of the 70 on Friday, and so I got to go with a different companionship of hermanas. My comp was super bummin' that she didn't get to go to the conference and called our mission president the night before and asked if Elder Piper (the member of the 70's) could visit her in the hospital. The president said he would see what he could do, but that Elder Piper´s schedule was super busy.

Well after returning to the hospital after the conference on Saturday, we were thinking about how cool it would be if Elder Piper came, but that it would probably not happen. At this moment there was a very sturdy knock on the door, and as I went to open it, I opened the door to see my mission president, Elder Piper, and also another member of the 70--Elder Vialobos! Wow! Imagine my shock as I stood there at the hospital door in my flip flops in front of these three major representatives of the church! This visit was super cool. The power in the room was incredible! 

On Saturday we got to go back to our house. Thank goodness because I was going a little crazy being in a room for four days straight! When we got out of the hospital it was like I was in a whole new world, or a different country... oh wait, I am in a different country! Mexico!!! Some days it hits me that I am actually in Mexico and I am so thankful for every experience I have here--good, bad, and unexpected!!

This week I finish 3 months! Crazy!  I am super happy, especially to not be stuck in the hospital, and full of joy because of every opportunity that I have every day to share the love of our Heavenly Father and His gospel with so many people who need it. 

Mares de Amor!!

Hermana Barton

PS here is a picture of all of us! And also Elder Thayne, my district leader, happened to be visiting at the same time, eating a large carne asada burrito when Elder Piper walked in. It was hilarious. He didn't know what to do except offer Elder Piper some of his burrito! ;)

The Zone Leaders stopped by to bring me a dictionary?! to study with!  For the 4 days I was stuck there. What?! Do you like my slippers? And my sweater from some members because I was FREEZING! Great times!

Finally Leaving! So ready!

Finally home and ready to UnWind!

A note from Meredith to just our family and to Ashlee, on the same day as this letter was sent: 

I do not have much time this week and have to finish emailing in 10 minutes...

I wanted to let you all know that I love you ATON!!!

I pray for you everyday, and wish you much happiness and exito in all of your activities in life!

This week I finish 3 months! Crazy!

I am super happy, especially to not be stuck in the hospital, and full of joy because of every opportunity that I have every day to share the love of our Heavenly Father and His gospel with so many people who need it. 

Last night in the midst of my craziness, Pearl came out and was missing you! 

Thanks to Maddy I have the glasses and all!!

Mares de amor y muchisimos mas!!!!

Muahug!

Hermana Barton, Bomby, Wilba, Merdee, the first!!!

September 14, 2015: Joana

This week we planned to have a baptism, but it ended up being more like the scene from Ever After, when the Spanish Princess is crying (more like wailing) because she doesn't want to be married! We have been helping a less active family a lot, and their daughter especially. And she wanted to be baptized! 

On Saturday, we went to her house to get her to go to the chapel for her baptism, and she was crying because no one in her family wanted to go with her to the baptism! Her mom was sitting there watching TV, instead of helping her daughter get ready to be baptized! I was appalled, to tell you the truth, and super sad for this 8 year old girl! We finally got Joana to come with us, but she cried the whole way to the church because she was alone going to her baptism. She finally calmed down and we started the baptism (we had 6 people getting baptized in our zone), and still her family did not come. Finally 30 min late, right before she was to be baptized, her family showed up. And long story short, after many tears and struggles, Joana ended up not getting baptized because she was too afraid of the water and drowning. It was really sad, and hard, but I guess it was not meant to be! 

Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to all three sessions of the re-dedication of the Mexico City Temple, because it was like an extension of the temple in our church's stake building. At first, to be honest, I didn't want to sit for 6 hours, because I have the same problem of my mother to fall asleep. :)  But actually, I am so grateful for this experience. I learned so much! And it was cool because I got to hear three talks from Elder Holland, and two from Elder Eyring, and others from other apostles too. It was especially cool because in the last session Eyring and Holland shared personal experiences they have had in the temple, and blessings, especially for their families. And I especially liked when Elder Holland talked about how he couldn't go to the temple for the first time with his son, but in this time he was at his house praying for his son and reading scriptures. And he said, this experience was one of his greatest experiences with the temple, because of what he learned, but he wasn't even in the walls of the temple. And how important it is that we have spiritual temple experiences daily, and have our covenants always on our minds and hearts, to learn more every day. I don't know if you, too, got to watch it, but it was really great. Wow I sound like such a missionary writing this! 

Also the other great thing about this re-dedication is that my comp and I have been working really hard with 3 members who were less active, and who are now active, and all three of them have an interview with the bishop and all came to one of the sessions of the re-dedication too! We haven't had any baptisms, but to see the joy of these members reactivated is so great, especially to feel the spirit of the temple. And each one of them now have a desire and goal to go to the temple soon!

Tomorrow is the Independence Day of Mexico, and our ward is having a big fiesta. My zone leader had the bright idea to do a skit... about service. While I try to have a good attitude about it, acting is on the top of my list of things that I LOATHE! "Hate, hate, double hate, loathe entirely!" (The Grinch) But hopefully it will be okay. I will try to use some of my inner Lainie--because Lainie is a good actress and a motivation to all!!! 

This week it has rained a lot, from the sky, along with Joana's tears. And with my comp and I in the middle of the rain, and the streets more like rivers, we got soaked, and joined all the other wet dogs on the streets! Literally there are tons of stray dogs, and after the rain, their hair is like matted dreads and I do not miss all the nasty hippie dreads in Santa Cruz! The worst part about the rain is that there is tons of trash all over.  So when it rains, it smells so bad! ¨Que asco!¨ (how gross!). But along with the craziness, there are always great parts in each day, and so much happiness from helping people learn that we truly have a Heavenly Father who loves us no matter what, and who has a plan for us in this life!

Oceans of love to all,

Hermana Barton

September 7, 2015: Un raite?...hitch hiking???

One day this week we went out of our area because we ate in the restaurant of one of the members of our ward. This was awesome, and the food was killer!  But afterward we had a lesson in the far end of our area that we had to get to. And my companion was having stomach pain and was walking particularly slow. My companion wanted to stop, so we stopped at the corner of an intersection. I decided to take matters into my own hands, and tried to stop some cars to ask for a ride... after about 10 cars, my companion thought I was crazy, and was ready to keep walking. But I decided to try one more time, and I walked up to a car, which I saw the driver was obviously a woman, and I knocked on the window, and asked her for a ride. She was super happy to give us a ride wherever the heck we needed to go, and she was super awesome, super Christian and didn't want to hear a message from us, but definitely an answer to my companion's prayers! # blessingsparkle!! 

Later that day we tried to visit this old grandma lady. She was busy cooking, and told us that we could return later....When we asked her what time worked best for us to return she said, ¨Some time in October!¨ haha all I could do was walk away laughing! October??!!!! 

 By the way I want you to know that my companion was the one that pushed that we go on the hike last week, because I was thinking maybe she should rest so we could work the rest of the week, but... we went on the hike, and I am glad because it was awesome! One thing that is hard for me is that after every meal she has to spend much time in the bathroom in the member's houses because of her stomach problems... and so for about 15 mins I have to try to figure out some sort of Spanish and try to have a conversation with the member.. and the whole time I hear Mia's voice ¨¨Awkward!!!!¨¨ because I can talk for hours about the gospel, but it is hard to have a normal convo.. hah. But every day it is better! My Spanish, and her poop problems!!

The best thing that happened this week was Ramón, he is the husband of one of our investigators named Nancy. Nancy wasn't home when we went to visit her, but her husband was. He welcomed us in and told us all about his friend who served a mission, and that he was going to his friend's baby blessing on Sunday at church! We taught him a lesson about the restoration of the gospel, and then my companion said, ¨ So will you pray to know that this message is true?¨ And he said, ¨ I know that it is true." Then she said, ¨Okay. Well then will you pray to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet?¨ And he said, ¨ I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet!¨ Wow! And then we asked him to say the closing prayer, and when he started, he just started crying, because he felt the spirit so strong, and felt so much love from God. He had to get up and leave and go to the bathroom to get a tissue. And maybe felt a little bit awkward (again,as Mia says) because how often do you have a situation where a 33 year old man is crying in front of three 19 year old girls? (We had a member with us). Wow, this experience was really amazing! Everyday we receive so many blessings! 

Oceans of love to all,

Hermana Barton 

Hna Castro made this sign for my 2 month mark

Mi Papa y Mama y Yo

The Magic to Change the Impossible to Possible is in You!

If You're With Me, Fear Doesn't Exist

August 31, 2015: 1 mes aquí??!!!

I can't believe that I have been in Hermosillo now for a month, and on my mission for two months! Everyday while walking in the 110 degree weather, I can't even believe that I am actually in Mexico, as a missionary! It is awesome! 

As I write this email I am dripping everywhere from the pouring rain. Of course, we hand washed our clothes this morning, and then left, and when we returned all our clothes were muddy and in the sand from the rain and wind. Bummer!! But the good news of this week is that we have a real shower!! The landlord came and fixed our shower. At first he tried to show us that we just needed to connect the hose (which we had tried several times) and when he was ¨demonstrating his all knowledge¨ to us, he was in the shower and of course water started spewing everywhere! And there was our landlord in our shower soaking wet! It was pretty hilarious! But it is so nice not to have to use a bucket to shower now every morning!!

 This week my companion was sick, so we had the grand opportunity to take a trip to the hospital. We got a ride with a member, and her car was like a horse. I thought I was riding Maribelle to the hospital because the car bounced forward and back just like riding a horse. Turns out my companion has a gnarly stomach infection, and she is supposed to rest for three days... But instead of resting today, we went to the centro again and did this super cool hike to the top of this mountain where we could see all of Hermosillo. I wouldn't go straight to beautiful, because Hermosillo is a desert, but I did love seeing all the old cathedrals, and all the different colored houses in the towns below. The town might not be beautiful, but the love I feel for the people here is the beautiful part of Hermosillo.

Seriously the MOST amazing part about sharing the gospel with others is the immense love you feel for these people. This love is the love of Heavenly Father! Yesterday this 18 year old named Michelle who has a baby and works in her parent's tienda was telling us all about her problems. Her 13 year old sister is pregnant, her other sister has a huge tumor on her head, and the tienda is doing bad so she is probably going to move. But at this moment I testified to her that if she didn't know anything else, to know that in every moment she has the opportunity to pray to Heavenly Father, receive His love and presence, and to know that we have a Savior Jesus Christ who loves us and died for us, and understands our problems. And They both love us so much, and we are NEVER alone in our problems, I was casi crying when I shared this with her. I felt so much love for this girl, who I barely even know, but I know that Heavenly Father knows her, and loves her so much. Seriously, I don't even know how to describe the love I feel for the people here, but it is amazing, and a blessing.

 The other beautiful part of being in Mexico is that I, my gringo self, teach lessons in Spanish, and speak Spanish all day every day! It is seriously a blessing from Heavenly Father to be here for this short time, but be able to have conversations in Spanish and share his gospel in Spanish with these people. 

By the way, I have met tons of people here named Belen, and I am proud to have this as my middle name. I feel a little Mexican with all my gringo Spanish...

I love you all, and wish you the best. 

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

Today on our hike to the top of the mountain to see all of Hermosillo. Me and my companion Hermana Castro. On part of the hike we went off trail and climbed this rock thing... in our skirts, haha, but it was really cool.

 "Gracias to the wind and my skirt... I'm all about that base...."

In the bus and SOAKED from the rain

******************Some pictures from President and Sister Robinson****************

August 24, 2015 : ¨Dios les bendiga¨

The moment you think you are finally getting this whole Spanish thing down a little better and you try to talk to someone... 

I tried to talk to this lady and give her a card with a picture of Jesus. And she said she didn't want to hear a message but, ¨ Dios les bendiga¨. Meaning "God bless you". I thought she said ¨are you selling this?¨, and had used vender, (to sell). So I said, "NO!" So when she told me "God bless you", and I said "No"... it was really awkward because I realized soon after and I had to just walk away with my verguenza  and laughter. 

 Today is my companera's birthday, she is 24. We took a bus to the Centro and spent the day there. She got money from her parents to buy new shoes, and we also met other hermanas there. The other hermanas wanted to go to a museum. When we got there, we figured out it was a rock museum... piedra (rock) more like perder (lost) because when the old Mexican man in the museum started going off about rocks, I was so literally lost! And to quote Napoleon Dynamite, ¨ Like any one could even know that!¨ But it was a great adventure! I got more than enough strange looks being the afro white girl in the middle of Hermosillo, but it was fantastic!  My companera is so great. She really is! and I am so happy here. She is a good friend. Sorry my English is getting worse every day,and my sentences are so choppy!!! Since today is my comp's birthday, she is a little sad because she is not with her familia, but I tried to make it special for her.  I woke up early and made her french toast, and cut up a pineapple for her.

For the most part, things are so great. Every day I wake up, and can't even believe that I am actually in Mexico! Crazy! And I speak Spanish all day long, sometimes no English at all! But my personal thoughts are in English still, I can't wait for the day when I am thinking to myself in Spanish! Que suave! 

This week we had to drop many investigators that were not progressing. This was hard because I love each one of the people that we teach. And it is hard to love someone,and to see them not want to accept the gospel and message of love from God that we share. But after deciding to drop these people, we have also found many new people this week that are excited to learn and two of them came to church on Sunday!

God continues to bless each and every one of his children so much every day, it is so amazing!

Oceans of love to you all and more,

Hermana Barton

Pics!: 

The neighbor,angel member mom lady, Hermana Martinez!  She helps us so much. And today for my comp's birthday she made us lunch, and a cake.... A cake.. this cake has a hole in it... not really.

my clothes on the clothes line

This is our "wash basin" where we washed our clothes!

Me, Hna. Castro, Hna. Nunez, Hna. Gonzales

Hard Hats for the Rock Museum. ( Just smile and get the pictures over with so we can leave!!)

prayers answered, I found a toilet... ¨Stop, drop... and then preach the gospel¨