May 23, 2016: 11 Months??!!

I can't believe that I have almost finished 11 months of my mission! Crazy how fast the time is flying by! And I hope I don't have transfers this week and have to leave Peñasco.....

This week was super awesome...haha, as always. We met lots of new people this week and had some really amazing experiences. Three times this week we knocked a door, and someone answered and told us that they had been praying and asking God for an answer when we showed up. As representatives of Jesus Christ we have the opportunity to testify that God exists, and that we felt that we had to knock their door,and that it was not coincidence that we showed up as an answer to their prayers. 

This week it was my comp's turn to take a TRIP and see her next FALL.... she was a little bit dehydrated and she fainted when we were going down a sandy hill and she crashed and it was pretty gnarly. But she is doing better, and after all that happened, we had lots of people that helped us, and lots of blessings. One of the blessings was that 6 new people came to church this Sunday! Wahoo!

Always keeping it real here in Peñasco, fat and happy!!! I love you all. "Take luck, care for it... if you have any.." (Brian Regan)! :)

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

____________________________

From Amy:  I don't usually share my whole letter from Meredith with the group, but I wanted to this time because I think it adds more depth to the raw fish eating experiences AND puts anyone else at ease who might have been concerned that Hermana Meredith protect her noggin while biking!  Enjoy this extra tidbit:

haha I'm glad you could laugh about my fish eating. But trust me you would be eating it too, because some of these families literally have nothing, and want to share everything with us, because they think of it like they are feeding Jesus Christ, and they know they will receive more blessings from it! It is literally so humbling to see these families and tanto faith that they have. The families that have less share more, than the families that have money. It is interesting, but these families know that everything they have is from God, so they need to share. One of the things I love about Mexico is that everyone believes in God. They might not go to church, or keep the commandments, but when people see us in the street they tell us, "May God bless you." Or if something happens they say, "thanks to God," because they know that it is God who has given us everything... or the Virgen... haha no jk!

YES, I bought a helmet!! A pink one because it only cost 50 pesos. 

My comp is awesome! I love her! She has helped me so much, in more ways than I thought were possible! I am so thankful for her! 

Te amo mucho! I am sending you some pics of my helmet, and the bikes of the 3 Nephites.. haha jk! 

Mares de amor,

Hermana Pearl

They are horrible pics, but proof of my helmet. And that I'm alive!! 

May 16, 2016: Pescado, pescado, es un pecado? (Translation: Fish, fish. Is it a sin?)

Peñasco is awesome as ever. The only downfall is the amount of raw fish that we eat. I like eating fish, but after a little...or BIG throwing up experience in Guaymas after eating raw fish, sometimes I am limited in my ability to swallow down raw fish. 

But the majority of the people here eat fish, because you don't have to pay money. You just have to go to the beach on low tide, kill whatever moving thing you see, cut up some chilies, and Boom, you have a meal. It is pretty awesome, and I like the food here, but just sometimes I have a little gag problem! 

The people here are super awesome. We have found people that are more than prepared to hear our message.  The familia Fuentes that recently just all got baptized, and the dad baptized their son, are awesome!! They can't work, so they spend all day reading the Book of Mormon, and the mom accompanies us to visit people. They literally have nothing but God and their family. But they have so much faith, that they have everything they need and are so happy and content. This week someone gifted them 1,500 pesos so that they can go on the temple trip with the branch, and go to the temple for the first time! It was truly a miracle and blessing and answer to prayers! 

Not a day passes by, (biking down the sandy streets of Peñasco, sometimes waddling like a penguin walking my bike between my legs through the thick sand...haha...) that I am not so thankful to be here in Peñasco, enjoying every moment and experience that passes my way!

Oceans of love to all,

Hermana Barton

_____________________________________

An excerpt from Meredith's letter to Mom for this week also:

...This week I had some really awesome experiences!! One of them that I want to share is of a lady that we are teaching named Lorena. About 2 years ago, she was married with 3 kids. She was working because her husband didn't want to.  She bought a house, and was doing everything, and then her husband and his rich family decided that they were going to accuse her that she was spending her days with another man, and that she had done stuff.  And then he left, and then a few months later with his money, took her kids from her, and the house she bought and everything, and left her with nothing. And he says he won't divorce her until she agrees to support him the rest of his life and say he has a disability so he doesn't have to work... HOW HORRIBLE!

But she is an awesome lady! And I am loving teaching her. The sadness in her eyes is leaving, and her eyes are starting to glow more and more with the happiness she is finding in the gospel every week. On Friday, we were teaching her, and she told us all about what happened, and it was amazing because I had the chance to testify that God loves her, that He knows her, that He was with us in that moment, and understands all that she is going through, and that as she accepts the gospel that things are going to resolve themselves in her life. It was awesome; the words that left my mouth were NOT mine, but the Holy Ghost, testifying. All three of us in the lesson were crying because we felt the Spirit so strongly! It was awesome! So many amazing experiences! 

If you can, can you pray for:

Claudia

Yovana

Lorena

Juan Carlos

Familia Galindo

Jaira Fuentes

These are the most important ones! Thanks!

I hope you have a fantastic week! Thanks for your quote from Pres Eyring!

Te amo muchisimo! Mas que puedo expresar con mis palabras!

Mares de amor,

Hermana Pearl

Pictures in the Fuentes house!

Feliz Cumpleanos Amairany.

Una mordida...

Rosita!!!

Caras chistosas, sacando las lenguas!

Emily, Rosita, Me

May 9, 2016: Blessing Sparkles

On Saturday we were riding bikes, and I felt like I needed to knock on a door that was on the second floor of a building. I told my comp and she thought I was crazy, and said that I could go ahead and knock on the door, and that she would stay below and watch the bikes.

I knocked on the door, and a lady and her three kids opened the door, and before I introduced myself, she told me to come in. I quickly signaled to my comp and we put the bikes in a safe place, and entered her house. We shared a message with her, and when we finished she said, "Wow, I am amazed that you are here! I have been waiting for you for about 4 days. I used to go to your church about 7 years ago with a friend, and in these days I have been thinking about your church, and then you knocked on my door." Wow! It was amazing.

Then she said the prayer and was crying, thanking God for the experience we had. Then yesterday she came to church with her 3 kids, and got there super early like 30 min before it started! And she was super excited! It was an experience that I will never forget! I know that Heavenly Father has people prepared for me here in Peñasco who are ready to accept the gospel and remember that God loves them, knows them, and has a plan for them!

This week we were very blessed with a mountain of food, in practically every house they invited us to eat. I even ate octopus! It is truly humbling that even when the people don't have any food, what they do have, they want to share with us, because they have so much faith that if they share with us, as representatives of Jesus Christ, that they will receive more blessings, and have enough and more in the future! 

Yesterday I got to Skype with my family! It was awesome! It was a miracle that I could communicate with my family even though they were laughing at my accent as I stumbled to find words in English and said I was like a chola!  I loved talking to them in any way or launguage I can. I pretty much only speak fluent Hermana Barton.  I usually don't remember any English, and my Spanish is far from perfect.. so I just speak my own language!! haha

Oceans of love to all,

Hermana Barton

fotos locas en malicon!

haha con la Hermana Riquelme y otras hermanas duespues de unas piñas coladas!! ayayayay

May 2, 2016: Surprise!

I got a new companion this week! We had special transfers, and my comp went to Hermosillo, and now I am with Hna. Riquelme, from Buenos Aires Argentina.(Where my dad served his mission!) She is awesome and very patient with me, because on Wednesday when she came to the bus station, I wasn't there, because I was with other missionaries. One missionary I was with, on our way to the bus station, crashed on her bike and her backpack came flying over her head, and she dented her face on her bike. We called a member to pick up my comp, then to take the missionary to the clinic. haha Nothing better to welcome the new comp to Peñasco!

I found this bakery in my area that, in the morning, they have a big stone oven, and are pulling out warm bread... It is delicious, and I feel like I am at home, or at Gma's house! But I have to limit the days that we pass by because it is Soooooo tempting!!

Peñasco is awesome, I love it! Here in Peñasco, we use bikes, it is pretty rad. But on Saturday I was riding past a car and someone opened their door, and they hit my bike, and I went flying and skidding through the street... the amazing thing is that I only skinned up my elbow, and I landed on my hip. I thought I had broken my hip or something, but when I went into a nearby bathroom to clean up my elbow, on my hip I had no cuts, only a small bruise, and a hole in my garments the size of a dollar coin. I didn't have a hole in my skirt, or my leggings. God saved my life! It was amazing! I have no doubt that we are truly protected and that God blesses us in so many ways! I have used some arnica and essential oils and am healing up quickly!

With my new comp, I think I have cooked breakfast for her every morning. It is just a part of me and my life to cook and live with someone. I felt funny eating alone. [Editor's note: the most recent comp before this one wanted to buy and cook food separately] It is not a bad thing, it was just different from what I was used to... but with my new comp she is awesome, like a best friend in only 4 days we have had together!

Today for my preparation day, I got to eat at a restaurant that is owned by a member here, that is on the beach. We drank piña coladas, and watched the pelicans, and I could smell the beach. It was awesome! Like therapeutic for me just to see the ocean another time.  I was so happy, like a little kid on Christmas just to see the beach! 

Happy Mothers Day this Sunday! Thank you to all the great women in my life, especially my mom. I feel so blessed to have her in my life. She has taught me so much, and has always been a great example to me and my sisters. I am also so grateful for the examples of my grandmas, aunts, and leaders, who have done so much to help me learn and grow from all their examples, motherly love, and time they have spent to help me. 

Oceans of love to all,
Hermana Barton

PS--from Amy--Every time I think about Meredith's bike accident, 2 thoughts come to my mind: 1st, I am SO glad I didn't know anything about this until it was all under control. #Mom probs. 2nd, I just keep thinking about all of the people (probably YOU included) who pray for Meredith each day, and I am so thankful for your prayers on her behalf. I believe you had a part to play in helping her accident be as minor as it ended up being. I know that God truly does hear and answer our prayers--much more specifically than we even realize sometimes. Deepest thanks to all of you who pray for Meredith and all missionaries around our world.  

At the bus station to send Hna Banos to Hermosillo. I spent the day with the sister training leaders. Hermana Zelaya, and Hermana Carrera(the one who had the bike accident and knocked out her tooth!)

Hna Riquelme, Me (you can see a gnarly scab on my arm from my accident), Hna Gutierrez

Pina coladas at flavios!

Hermana Martin

Hermana Guti

April 25, 2016: Puerto Penasco

Last week I didn​'​t have time to write because I left Guaymas at 9 in the morning, and got to Peñasco at 10 in the night, traveling in a bus all day long. My compañera is Hermana Baños and is from El Salvador. This week we had to change houses because the house where the missionaries were living was in the boondocks, and there wasn​'​t light inside the house that worked, and these animals entered the house that are like scor​pio​ns. In short, we needed a new house, and the owner of the house wanted the house by Thursday. On 

​T​ue​s​day we found a house​,​and on Wed​nesday​ we moved. I​'​m pretty much a pro now after having to move in every area that I go to! haha 
In Peñasco​,​ I get to ride in bicycle​. I​t is pretty awesome! But the roads are pure sand, sometimes we get stuck and have to walk a bit. But we wear legging​​s under our skirts so we aren​'​t flashing​ anyone!

Yesterday we ate almejas.... but the​y​ were pretty good.

The picture tells it all.... I was a little scared about eating the almejas (clams​,​I think?)​,​

 but everything turned out okay, and my stomach accepted it also... that was good!!

We had a baptism on Saturday! It was super awesome, and the dad was baptized in March, and was able to baptize his son on Saturday! Then after​,​we bought them a huge pizza that didn't even fit in the car! It was awesome!

Oceans of love to all,​

Hermana Barton

El Hermano Fuentes cutting open the Almejas. They go collect them at low tide for food, and income  by selling the shells. They specailly saved almejas to share with us! They are so generous!

Almejas--they look like they might make your tummy do flips! They cut them open, and they are still moving, you put salt, lemon and salsa on them and slurp them down! Tastes kinda like chicken...jaja

Pizza as big as the car!  These hermanas know how to celebrate!

Baptism Day of Roel Fuentes. (Amairany,Jaira, Dionisio, Roel, Jauana, Me, Hna Banos, Rosita, Emily, Esmeralda, a cousin fuentes)

The after party... seriously this pizza is huge, it almost didn't even fit on the table!

(Jaira, Ana (Lupita's Daughter), Lupita Fuentes(Aunt), Juana, Roel, Dionisio, Hna Banos, Me

Emily, Rosita, Amairany, Esmeralda, Cousin)