November 16, 2015: "Que Triste!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the coolest 11 year old I know:  Mamma Kootzy, Lainie Zaney Barton!!! 

This week we talked to lots of people, but also lots of people didn't want to hear. But then  I remembered a quote from "She's the Man" when the mom says: "No soccer?  How sad!" In Spanish, "Que triste!" And so now when people refuse to talk to us, we just laugh and quote "She's the Man", because that makes everything better, right?

It is finally starting to be cold here, especially after the weather in the summer of about 120 degrees everyday! But I hope it doesn't get too cold! We don't have warm water, and to shower we warm up water on the stove, and mix it with cold water in a bucket, and use a yogurt container to shower...living the dream! But actually it is not too bad, actually kind of fun!  Way better than some people here who don't have a shower or shower outdoors! 

All the missionaries here say that you are not a true missionary until you have been bitten by a dog. And well, I am finally a true missionary because on Friday a dog bit me. Luckily it did not break skin ("just a flesh wound"). But it was like the gas that smells the worst, silent but deadly, because we entered a house, and all of a sudden I was being attacked by a dog that I hadn't even known was there. And I was doing some sort of dance to try to shake the dog off of me! I apparently forgot my "dog kicking boots" (ask my sister Maddy to explain dog kicking boots) and I needed Mia to ask the owner: "Can I kick your dog?" 

All is more than great in Hermosillo Mexico! Thanks for all of your love and support! 

Oceans of love to all,

Hermana Barton

My district:

Elder Yac (Guatemala), Elder Quero (Puerto Vallarta,Mexico), Elder Ochoa (Ecuador)

Elder Mendieta (Puebla, Mexico) 

Hermana Dickson (Dominican Republic) Hermana Loca (Santa Cruz, Keep Santa Cruz Weird)

Silly Sistas (Salt and Peppa)

November 9, 2015: Jazmin

This week we had to look for lots of new people to teach. We have a directory of people who are members who are not active, and we tried to visit some of these people. One of them is named Alvaro. We went to visit him, and we encountered his mom. She is like a spitting image of the pretend mom from the old movie House Sitter, when the lady needs to have fake parents for the wedding. I was trying not to laugh in her face, but she was picking her hair, and told us ¨ Oh, I remember you.  I met you in 2020.... Jehovah's Witnesses... How's it going?¨  We explained that "Oh yeah, we remembered her too from 2020... Of course, how could we forget! And remember, silly goose, that we are MORMONS?¨¨ I love every experience we have here! haha

This week we also started teaching a girl named Jazmín. She is 16 years old. Three months ago she jumped from a building because she wanted to end her life. It is a miracle that she is living, but she can't use her legs. They are coming back little by little, but she has HUGE scabs and scars that are still healing, and  she still can't sit up because of these scabs. I really enjoy our visits with her, and her mom, and we talk about that God has a plan for each and every one of us. I have the opportunity to testify that I have no doubt in my mind that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that because of his sacrifice for us, we can find happiness in this life, and overcome all of our daily trials and sadness. We are becoming good friends, and laugh a lot together. Her story is so sad, but I feel so much love for this girl, and am so grateful for this chance to help her, and share my love and God's love with her.

Oceans of love to all,
Hermana Barton

November 2, 2015: Feliz Dia de los Muertos

Hermana Dickson is a blast and a half! But people in the street don't know what to do when we pass, because it is quite obvious that neither of us are from here. A lot of people strangely sing to us random songs and it is really funny, like this:

"Estoy enamorado de 

una pelo chino una morenita (dark girl) 

 y una guerita(white girl)

Las dos son muy bonitas....."

And Lots of random stuff like this. 

Today is Dia de los Muertos and no one has school or work. Here the holiday is not very big. It is a bigger deal in the south of Mexico, but everyone goes to the cemetery and decorates graves with big crowns of flowers, pictures, and food for their spirits to eat... it is kind of strange.

Haha I remember a few years ago, in school we studied this holiday, and I had to make an altar for good old Larry Weeks! So classic, I really hope my mom still has a picture of that one!

Oceans  of love to you all,

Hermana Barton

An excerpt from Meredith's email to Maddy from this week: 

Seriously, my new comp is AWESOME!!!! We are meant to be! Like 10 times better than Hermana Castro. in my final weeks with Hermana Castro I was seriously praying for patience and humility everyday. And with this girl we both have curky (curly? quirky?) afros, love to eat the same things, fruits, veggies, avocado and onions with every meal, and ice cream is an obvious! And she loves bananas! In the Dominican Republic they eat hoards of bananas!! Sounds like the place for me! She is super funny and just hangs in her garments in the house, and we just laugh all the time. But she is a super good teacher and we work well together!

I am super happy! it is better than I could have imagined!

 Hermana Castro's last photo opp with the virgin Mary statue in front of our azul house.

Saying goodbye to Hermana Castro

Cynthia, Neil, Derek, Teresita & us. Adios to Castro!

 Hermana Dickson and I. (This is a bad photo, I will take some better ones this week.)

Bonus and Last pic:  The one Hermana Meredith mentions in her letter! The ode to Grandpa Larry that she made back in the day! ;)