March 14, 2016: Stuck...

On Saturday, when we were eating with a family, I asked if I could use their bathroom. Everything was normal until I was done and I tried to open the door.. and the door knob fell partly off, and I was stuck.... I had no idea how I was going to get out because I couldn't open the door. I spent about 3 to 5 mins trying to put the door knob back on and twist it to try to open it. I finally had two options. 1. Bang on the door and hope that someone hears me and they can help me try to open the door, or 2. Say a pray and ask God for help, because I was stuck in the bathroom.... 

Well, I tried option 2 and was laughing, but asked God to help me leave the bathroom. And what do you know.. prayers never fail and I left the bathroom without having to bang on the door and plead for an SOS! Whew, because that would have been a bummer of a situation... literally!!!

 This week was super awesome: always good food, lots of sun, and some crazy looks at a crazy white girl walking around trying to talk to all "mis parientes" [my people] about God. But life is always good and I am fat and happy!

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

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Some pics from the past couple of weeks...

Saying Adios to Hermana Abadia

More Goodbyes to Hermana Abadia

"Chamacas en mi barrio" 

Yep. Funny faces again.

Elder Hernandez...jajaja

 Pearl came out to eat some ice cream

Cochon Jimenez is the best!

Mama Jimenez, seriously love that woman.

El Hermano Chuy

"Hermana Clarita--she is an awesome lady. Someday I will tell you all about her. She is like my Gma of the mission."

She must be fantastic! She is trying one of Meredith's signature poses! :)

"Cake Sniffers"

Sniffing more cake...

With the Jimenez family at their bday celebration for Meredith. The daughter (on the L) is named Maryth

And with Hermana Jimenez. Notice the cake topper says "60." Ain't nothing wrong with a little re-using. So sweet of this amazing family who takes such good care of the Hermanas who are their neighbors!

March 7, 2016: Beans and Guac on the Curb

I can't believe that I am 20 years old?!!!  That sounds SO old!  Thanks to all for the birthday wishes and shout outs. I felt so loved on my birthday and today reading all the nice letters. 

On my birthday, in the morning, lots of people called me. Hermana Hauck ran to my house and brought me chocolate. And the Family Jimenez gave me a cool watch and earrings and cake. And in the night, at an activity with the ward, the elders in my ward bought me a cake and we all shared it. And today on pday they brought me another cake... cake sniffers... haha jk.  But I don't really like cake and I'm filled to the brim with cake. But I am thankful for all the love and support I felt on my birthday. And Hermana Robinson [the mission president's wife] called me, and it was so hard to talk to her in English... I said.. "Muchas... Thanks!..."

 Today for pday, we played kickball at the church. It was super fun! Lots of the sister missionaries don't like to play, but my comp and I always play, because it is the only free day to run around, in NORMAL clothes! Who doesn't want to take advantage of that? 

My new ​comp, Hermana Vasquez,​ is awesome! She is ​a ​super hard worker, but loves to laugh and have a good time, and likes to eat yummy food. PERFECT!!

​

​And I am at the point where I can have a normal conversation ​[in Spanish] ​

with anyone​, and it is so fun and enjoyable.The mission is truly amazing. I have learned so much. And continue to learn so much every day. I have been able to actually read the scriptures and LOVE them and learn something new every day. The miracles and blessings that our H​eavenly Father gives us every day are truly marvelous!

This week we found lots of new people to teach. It is truly amazing to enter a house, and feel a love for someone you don​'​t know, and know that this is the love from our H​eavenly 

F​ather for ​H​is children. In one lesson this week​,​we were visiting a lady who felt like she had lost her life about​ 7 years back when something happened and her marriage fell apart,she lost her job, her kids, and everything went downhill. Right now​, ​she is a little bit mad w​i​th God, but she accepted to hear our message. We ended the lesson all crying because the spirit was so strongly testifying of the love that Heavenly Father had for this woman​--​that H​e had not left her or forgotten her like she thought ​H​e did. 

Last Tuesday, the first full day together in Guaymas with my new comp, our phone stopped working...And the house where we were going to eat was empty. We had nowhere to go and we started walking.  I felt bad that my new comp was walking miles without food... (Welcome to Guaymas?)...and I didn't know what to do. I was praying that something would work out, when all of a sudden some members from another ward popped out of nowhere. They loaned us their phone, and we called the family we were supposed to eat with. And then we went to their restaurant.They gave us some food to go because we can't eat in the restaurant.  So we started walking and decided to pop it on a random curb. But there weren't any utensils so we ate beans and guacamole like hobos on a random bench. SO CLASSIC in the life of Meredith Barton. But something always works out.  Prayers are always answered. And the random things that come to pass always make for a random, good memory. 

 I love you all, and hope all things are more than fantastic in your lives! 

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

This is the curb where we ate our beans and guac

Hermana "Raging Ball of Brown Fur" Vasquez

And always there has to be a goofy face picture, too. Always.

Siempre comiendo de "Chuchas"!!! jaja

Random little boy.

February 29, 2016 (Leap Day!): Hermana Vasquez

This week we started teaching a little girl and her family.  The girl's name is Lluvia (rain). Well I say a "little girl," because she is tiny, but she is 12 years old. The other day we were playing soccer with her and a member and other neighborhood girls in the street in front of their houses. Then her dad saw us, and asked us if we could come visit them someday!

Today, while we were waiting for our new companions to arrive,  I spent the day with Hemana Hauck, just kickin' it, or as they say here: Tirando barra.

First we bought a frozen yogurt that was delicious. And then we took some pics where you can see the beach. And then we went to my house and did some dance workout videos, and well.....cleaned our houses... but it was good. I was laughing, thinking and coming to reality picturing us two in Mexico, speaking Spanish, and having the time of our lives. Haha.

And today I got my new compañera named Hermana Vasquez. She is from Honduras. She has only been out 3 months in the mission, but is a little ball of fire and is keeping me on my toes to get working and teaching all the people! "A raging ball of brown fur." (This is from a stuffed animal Brother Bear that said this when you pushed his tummy. A toy that Maddy had.) 

But I am excited and looking forward to what this transfer has in store for us. I was sad to say goodbye to my other comp Hermana Abadia. After a little rough time, I learned to love her a lot, and she helped me a lot gain confidence in myself, and remind me my purpose here as a missionary. 

Lots of times, the things that we face in life are all mental. I learned this from my dad, but was reminded by Hermana Abadia. If we have confidence in ourselves, and in God, then other people can have confidence in us, and we can help them. 

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

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Since we didn't get a pic of Hermana Vasquez this time around, these pics are possible repeats and come compliments of me, Amy, the editor, simply to remind you who Hermana Hauck is.  She started her mission the same exact time as Meredith did and was in the CCM in Mexico City with her. She must be serving very closely to where Meredith is right now, and has been for a few months at least.  I think she is from Southern Utah. I can tell from these pics that they quite enjoy each other. Glad they could spend a pday together "tirando barra."  Sounds right up Hermana Barton's alley. ;)

February 22, 2016: Another week in Guaymas!

This is the last week of the transfer. And next week who knows where I will be or who will be my comp. Unfortunately it is VERY likely that my comp and I will be separated...

This week when we were knocking doors, we met an old lady. We talked to her for a few minutes, and then before we left I told her that I loved her multi-colored giraffe dress, and she said, "Te lo presto, y se puso bichi"... In English: "You can have it."  And she started taking it off to gift it to me.  Haha... I told her she could keep it! :)

On Saturday, we went to a member's house and her brother was visiting. He is not a member, but has known lots of missionaries. We talked for a while then he told me, that he was secretly starting to pray like we do. And that he feels the difference, that God is really listening to him. Then I asked him if he wanted a Book of Mormon. And he accepted!  My comp and I talked to him about our lives and experiences, and he said that he felt different when we were talking than the other missionaries, because we could talk to him like real people, share our testimonies, and experiences, and just be ourselves, and share the gospel by the light in our eyes.

This was a good lesson for me. Sometimes, people don't want to listen to you, don't want to agree with you. But if we can just be ourselves, and teach by example and the happiness that we have in our life, people see this and want to know why we are how we are. Sometimes I think, why am I in Mexico? But each day, after so many experiences, I learn something new from the people here, and have no doubt that I am where I need to be!

Oceans of love to all. 

I pray for you all and hope you are healthy and felices como lombizes!

Hermana Barton

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First pic:  This is the hermano of the member! He's hilarious! Named Chuy (Jesus)

2nd pic: We ate dinner with the bishop's family, and when we got dropped off, on the way, we took some pics by the ocean! It was super windy! This is the bishop's wife with us.

This is the hermano of the member! He's hilarious! Named Chuy (Jesus). I ended up giving him a Book of Mormon. I was the first missionary to ask him if he wanted one after years of him knowing missionaries. I wrote my testimony in the cover and gifted it to him. It was a special experience for him and me, because he said he knew I was a true missionary and representative of Christ. 

We ate dinner with the bishop's family, and when we got dropped off, on the way, we took some pics by the ocean! It was super windy! This is the bishop's wife with us.

Puff... a little jet propelled for all the walking we did today.

Me and Betsa, a little local girl that i love! He dad can't take her to church, and she lived with her grandma who has dementia. 

February 15, 2016: Locito en la Esquina

The other day I felt like I was in Santa Cruz because this homeless guy sitting on the curb wanted to talk to us. He told us that he doesn't know how to read, but he likes to sing a lot!! So we decided to sing him a hymn. When we finished, he said he liked the song, but that he had a song for us...that he made up! With all my heart I wanted to hear this song that this locito made up and it goes like this:

¨¨Oh cuan glorioso es mi Jesus. 

Jesus te amo... (sung slowly and drawn out)

Gloria, gloria, gloria (going into a little rock style)

Oh mi jesus, todopoderoso mi Jesus (slow and drawn out again)

Oh cuan glorioso mi Jesus¨¨

(You have to imagine this man, singing like a mix of dogs howling and me trying to sing...aka terrible, but got to love it because it is straight from the soul.)

I asked him if he could sing it again so I could record it, because I loved it so much and wanted to learn the song, but he told me that if I found him another day, I could record it. It was a one time in a day pleasure! Darn it!

Today in the morning we woke up early and hiked the highest mountain in Guaymas with my compa and watched the sunrise and we could see ALL of Guaymas! It was awesome! I will try to send pics!

Happy belated Valentines day to all. Hope you all know that I love you tons! And more importantly that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you and knows you and wishes the best for you!

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

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Pics are back!  And this Mom/editor  is glad.

Sunrise pics as Meredith had hoped.  The last one just proves that she is still the Meredith we all know and love. :)

February 8, 2016: Keepin' it REAL!

I think I jinxed myself when I wrote last week that you never know what you are going to get while walking the streets of Mexico!

To start... this week I had to eat the worst thing in my life that I have to eat here: chicharones... pig skins... grilled... then in spicy salsa... so that they soak and then are flabby again! Mmmmmm, yummy!!! We can just throw that in a tortilla and make a meal out of it!

And the other day we were walking and contacted a lady in her house... her dog was not pleased and decided to mark his territory and pee on my shoe. Such a nice, warm sensation and greeting! The lady felt bad, and gave me some paper to clean my soaked shoe... but the good news is that she invited us in and let us teach her, and we had a good lesson! 

Then, the other night, we were walking and found this old lady, 86 years old that was basically dancing with the wind trying to walk up the hill to her house. With her cane in one hand and her other hand flailing about, I thought she was going to fall! We quickly rushed to help her climb the hill to her house. She was walking slowly, and would tell us, "Stop, wait!"  Then when she was ready to walk again "WALK!" Then when she got to her door, she wanted to open it, and started whacking her cane against the door to try to open it... it was hilarious! We finally helped her inside, and she told us: " I live here with just me, solo, solo, solo. Just me and my soul live here." We gave her some grapefruits that someone had given us, and wished her the best. 

Waking up in the mornings you never know what kind of experiences you will have or what kind of people you will meet. It's so thrilling!  I just know that each day there are people out there waiting for us to help them: whether it be physically or espiritually!  

Oceans of love to all,

Hermana Barton
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Me and my Zone

Kickin it with Dana. This chamaca reminds me SO much of Lainie. She loves to dance and be AWEsOmE.