October 24, 2016: You Look Like a Cowgirl...

This week we were teaching a man and he looked at me and said: I imagine you like a cowgirl riding a horse, and with a pistol, saying 'What do you want? Pow Pow!" Random! While on the other hand, he imagined my comp as a model with her hair flying in the wind... 

The things people say.... I love it. How did the man from Mexico know that I always wanted to be part cowgirl when I was younger?!  I do have a horse!!

This week was amazing. One day

​,​

 I went to work in a different area with a 

​different sister ​

missionary, and we got lost. But don

​'​

t worry, we just s

​tarted

 knocking door

​s​

, looking for people to teach. We came to a dead end, but felt like we needed to knock the last door, and when we knocked

​,​

 

​a​

 white guy with lots of tat

​t​

s

​ ​

all over his body came out. A

​n​

d his 

​"​

wife

​"​

 with ta

​t​

ts and a dress came

​ out​

, and I was 

​like

, 

​"​W

hy did Heavenly Father send us here?

​"​

 But we started talking, and turns out that they didn't speak Spanish. So in my rough English

​, I​

 started talking to them. The woman turned out to be 

​a 

Mormon. 

​Very

 lost, and sad. She was crying, and said that she had been praying,

​ and​

 that she was lost

​ and​

 in a very dark place, and didn't know what to do with her life, and it was a miracle and blessing that we found her. We shared a short message with her, and I had to translate the whole thing for the other 

​sister ​

missionary. It was a really amazing experience. I know God puts people in our 

​lives

 to bless us, and 

​that ​

there are

​ ​

not coincidences. Go

​d​

 has a special plan for us each day. I know that it doesn't matter where we are, or if we feel lost, God is ALWAY

S​

 

​conscious

 of us, and will never leave us. 

I have been studying a lot about Joseph Smith lately​. I found a book he wrote​, and also 

am​ studying of his life in the J

oseph Smith​ 

​History. This week we found a less active woman who said that she had lots of doubts about 

Joseph Smith​. It was amazing the spirit we felt testifying of him. I think that 

before​ the mission I believed he was a prophet, but now 

​I​ 

k​now he is. And when I was testifying to her, I almost was crying, I felt so 

strongly ​

​

the spirit. It is amazing​~​the gospel~​it has to be true.  ​There​'​s no way that God could send 19 year olds to share this message in all the world and change lives of the 

​people​

​

, and more the lives of the 

missionaries,

if it was not true. It was an incredible experience.

Hope you all have a more than fantastic week. 

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton​

Finally a pic of Meredith and Hermana Neff together!

And the usual goofy pic that must always happen!

Helado Break!  Muy Importante!

Pics of Meredith and Two of Her Fave Compas

Meredith, Riquelme and Dickson--The Three Amigas!

Such a serious Sista~always

October 17, 2016: Blessing Sparkeles in Nogales

This week was amazing. We had incredible things happèn. One thing that we have really started doing in the mission is pray in the street when we don't know where to go. This week we found lots of new people to teach, and had lots of blessing sparkles. In the hymn, Come Come Ye Saints, it says, "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." I know that if we keep working hard, the blessings that we need will keep coming. 

Yesterday, I gave a talk in church, and for the first time in my life I wasn't nervous. I had a few notes, but I just got up and talked, and said what the spirit told me, and it was AWESOME. It was NOT me, but it was awesome, and I was doing it in Spanish. The mission does amazing things. Now I can give a talk for more than 30 seconds.

Today, we went to the town center. It is so weird because it is on the border, and you can see the US. On one side of the fence, there is an ALTO sign. And on the other side it says "STOP." We did things right and ate some rad tacos and a coke. But Mexican coke, which is so different from the nastiness in the US. Sometimes, for sacrifices... comes blessings in your stomach and soul...drinking a good coke!

Love you all so much.

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

October 10, 2016: "Do You Know What God Can't Do?"

I am loving Nogales and my comp Hermana Neff. We both like to run, so sometimes we just run to our appointments to get to places faster and teach more. It is pretty awesome, but I don't know what the people are going to think of the crazy Americans. Like they say here, "ni modos"... Oh well!

The other day we were contacting, and we taught a man and his cousin. When we were in the middle of the lesson, he looked at us and asked, "Do you know what God can't do?"  We were very confused, and then he got super close to us, and whispered, "stop loving us."  I almost wanted to laugh, it was super funny.  But the more I laughed after, the more I reflected on the truth of the loco. God, no matter what, never stops loving us. He always has his arms outstretched to us, to return to Him, repent, and taste of His love and mercy.

Yesterday, a woman came to church with us. She is super awesome, and is stoked to come next week with her whole family. It was a huge blessing sparkle. It is awesome when we can teach families, so that they can be eternal families.

Hope life is more than good. Like my sister Liza says: Stay mega-stoked! Life and every experience we have is incredible!

Oceans of love,
Hermana Barton

Goodbye pictures from Penasco:

I Love Gaby! she needs lots of love! Her mom is a jerk, and she lives with her Dad and brothers who are awesome, but she needs some girlfriend attention!

Heremano Jose Luis y su familia (pictures are from other missionaries when they were baptized)

He tresures his membership in the gospel and how it has changes his life and his family. He amazes me, he is so happy and feels so blessed with so little. 

Familia Galindo siempre tendra un lugar muy especial en mi corazon! Les amo! They have changed so much and are so happy now! (Hna Riquelme and I were on splits today! jeje)

Hernmana Lupita Fuentes, I adore this lady, she amazes me!

Reppin the pegs!! 

Mi Bombon favorita!! Classic companion picture!

Love this girl, she calls me aunt!! 

Hermana Catty tiene tantos desafios y durante mi tiempo aqui ha cambiado tanto! despues que fue al templo, ella es una nueva persona completamente! 

Always time for funny faces!

Pure laughs and stories with Irasema!

Hermana Katrina y sus chamaquitas lindas! She has a loser husband involved in drug selling and other gnarly stuff, but she is so sweet and we have become super good friends. she wrote me the sweetest note when I left thanking me for all the time we spent together and the confidence she had to talk about her problems! I love her and her girls and hope someone can keep loving them.

LOS FUENTES!! Mis personas favoritas del mundo!! Les amo y les admiro y les voy a extranar bien machin!

Los Martinez! Coolest people ever, they were in the other branch but I still love them! They picked me up the night I got to Penasco, and helped us out all the time even though we weren't in their branch. 

Hna Lily. She did splits with us all the time and is a rockstar!She is always so happy and shining with joy!

Hermana Dulce and her daughter. She also did splits a lot with us. She has such a strong testimony and conversion story, she inspires me!

A little sas with the Dickson! "Ain't no body got time for THAT!"

She loves me...

My best friend, love her and admire her SO much! She changed my life in ways I can even begin to thank her for!

These girls are amazing! Two of my favorite companions who really taught me so much about the gospel, life, myself, and so much more. They are angles to me! 

I will miss them SO much! They are the cutest! Like my fan club! jaja "Hermana Barton!!!"

Hermana Katrinas daughter! She and her little sister are adorable. I would ask her little sister to point to her nose, then mouth, and ears, then when I pointed to her whole face and ask her what it was she said.. Chamaca! jaja

Teresa! She told tonight that I was an angel. That because I try SO hard to have the spirit with me when I teach so that I can speak in Spanish and know what words to say, that for the spirit she could feel from me the first time we came, that is the reason she kept listening and eventually became converted! WOW! She is SO special to me! I love and adore her and all she has learned and changed in her life to be where she is today and be so happy!

October 4, 2016: Transfers to Nogales

Yesterday I woke up at 4:30 to go in bus at 5:30 to my new area in Nogales.   After delays in Hermosillo and hours of traveling, I finally got to Nogales at 9 pm.  I am comps with an  Hermana from Provo, Utah named Hermana Neff.  She is awesome, well... I dont know her, but her aura..and from her vibes... I can tell  she is awesome and this tranfer is going to be a good one.  On Wednesday, someone hit my comp with their car, and smashed her back tire, and  her seat hit her in her back. We had to lift up the car to take out her bike... After a  blessing, and some rest, Hermana Luna is okay, and doing better. But it was pretty  crazy. But the doctor said it was a miracle she was walking after the accident. We  truly have lots of protection and guardian angels!! I am sad to leave the ocean and the Peñasco I love after 6 months here, but stoked to  see what adventures and experiences await here in Nogales. Shout out: Happy Birthday to Mamma Mia who turned 8 years old yesterday!  Oceans of love to all, Hermana Barton Part of Meredith's email to Mom: I am in Nogales. Here, there are LOTS of hills, and it will be good. I am excited to be  here. But sad to leave Peñasco and the bike... Last week I had a dream with Hna. Neff, (a missionera from Utah), that I came to Nogales, and she told me that we were going  to be compañeras. I was not surprised on Saturday when they told me I had transfers to Nogales with Hermana Neff!  This always happens to me. I always receive revelation  about my transfers beforehand.  I also dreamed with Hna Vasquez... it's pretty cool.  Revelation and the spirit is a real thing! I love you to the max. Te amo al maximo.  Mares de amor, Hermana Pearl Hilarious sign I found this week in Penasco. They open at 8:00 am (sometimes)! XD XD

September 26, 2016: La Jaira se Bautizo!!

The pegs have really come in handy this week! Haha!  And it is always a great sight!! Like Maddy says, give the people something to stare at. JK. 

This week was full of blessing sparkles. Jaira Fuentes, one of our investigators has been waiting to get baptized, but she had to get married. Her husband was recovering from drug abuse, and was doing better and they were going to get married. After lots of prayer and fasting, to know how to get married, or if she should, her husband fell into drugs again, and then disappeared. So she got baptized this week!!! The first week that I got here in Peñasco, her younger brother got baptized. And I always said that before I left Peñasco, Jaira was going to get baptized. Well, in perfect timing, my last week here before transfers, she got baptized, and is SO happy. It is amazing to see blessings and miracles from her faith and the faith of her family to pray and read the scriptures, and know that God would make a way so that Jaira could get baptized.  After the baptism, we lent a bike to Jaira because she didn't have a ride home, and my compi hopped on my pegs. And then we went to buy a tub of ice cream that we threw in my basket, to go share with the Jaira and her family.  It was pretty awesome. Once again, the pegs coming in handy! (PS: pegs in Spanish are diablitos.... Very awesome that the misisonaries have diablitos on their bikes!)

This last week we were teaching "The King" and we told him to pray to know if God was real. A couple days later we taught him, and he told us while he was praying he heard knocks on his door. He looked to see who it was, and there wasn't anyone. Then he started again and more knocks. And he felt peace and happiness like never before and knew it was an answer. Later, he was working, and he didn't have customers, so he said a prayer. And when he finished, people came flooding in. God is amazing. He ALWAYS has a plan and answer for us. 

Two days ago I completed 15 months in the mission. I can't believe it. "Scares me little bits." The time has gone way too fast, but I still have 3 long months to enjoy to the fullest!

I love you all so much!

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

___________________________

Part of Mer's letter to Dad:

This week was incredible. Seriously, we had so many miracles this week. Right now we have 7 people that are progressing, reading, praying, coming to church. Every time one of our investigadores comes for the past two weeks I get so excited I start to yell and can't control it because he was the last person I thought would come. Teaches you that you really have to follow the spirit to know the necessities of the people and with who you need to talk and what you need to share with them. We found a super cool family this week. They have five kids, and live in a little trailer. We only knew the mom, and she was super cool, said we were the first church people she has let into her house. I was thinking her husband was going to be a dud, badly judging him before I knew him for the situation that they are in. But seriously he is SUPER awesome, and SO stoked that his wife is listening to us. He said he couldn't believe that she was listening, reading, and praying, and that on Sunday she asked him if as a family they could go to church. Just when I thought that there was NO one else in Peñasco to teach, that after 6 months here I had knocked every door about mil veces, the blessing came and came pouring in, and we have found some incredible people here. I am sad that I only have a week left, but por lo menos, I can leave this area better than I found it, with hopes of lots of baptisms and a reason to ask permiso para regresar para los bautismos!! :)

Oh mi papito te amo michisimo!!!

Gracias por tu ejemplo y amor y testimonio. Estoy stoked porque casi termine antiguo testimento, y he apredido tanto leyendo lo, es bien suave!! 

Mares de amor,

Hermana Bomby

Had to do a little nun posing with a skirt I was trying on, and a cross that I found in the house. Classic!!! 

Te amo!!!

Ofelia, love her!

Always need a goofy foto too!

Baptism pics with Jaira and fam

Jaira's dad baptized her!

Amayrani, the sister of Jaira, love her! She reminds me lots of Liza, don't know why!!

Ezmeralda y Rosita.. they call the little one Gorda. love her!

15 months and 3 months. She has what I have left in my mission. Hermana Luna & I.

ASCO or "gross" in Spanish!!!

The Dickson, love her! She said she is going to go study in Utah. Perfect, so I can see her! And visit her!

Hermano Galindo cumplio 50 anos, y la Hna Luna y yo le regalamos una coca con un penal porque ya esta viejo! jaja He likes me know, you can tell by his face! haha no really there is 100% respect ahora!!

Someone left us ceviche at their house to eat, and it was gnasty! what a blessing that she left us there to finish and we kindly thanked her but then didnt have to keep gaging! But it did call for a good picture! Then we called la Hna Nancy and went to  her house for fish tacos! She is a life saver!

September 19, 2016: Feliz 16 de Septiembre! Vive Mexico!! (Independence Day)

This week was excellent apart from the fact that my bike got a flat tire 6 times in a week, and all my money went to bike tubes... but oh well. My comp and I decided to buy some awesome pegs for our bikes to give rides to other missionaries that don't have bikes.  Or if we get a flat tire, we can ditch the bike for later and just give each other rides. Like Napolean Dynamite style but better, "It'd be nice if you could pull me into town."

We have been teaching a man named Adolfo, and we invited him to church. Truly, I didnt expect that he would come. We went outside to call him before the service started, and when he answered he said he was walking in the gate. I started yelling and grinning with happiness that I couldn't hold inside me... I had to hang up so I didn't look like such a loca. But it was awesome because he came, and the mission president was there for a conference, and he greeteed him, and he had a really cool experience and is excited to come next week too. 

This week we had to gain a little respect from a menos active brother and I taught my comp how to shovel dirt. To the surprise of the brother we shoveled a truck load of dirt. And it was worth it because now we gained a little respect and the brother is reading the Book of Mormon, and progressing. Got to be glad for Saturday work days and shoveling dirt.  It really does pay off! ;) 

Today, it is raining in Peñasco. It is a rare occasion when it rains in the desert, but a blessing that always happens when the mission president comes to visit! 

Love you all! 

Oceans of love,

Hermana Barton

_________________________________

A piece of Mer's letter to Joe:

This week the Hno Galindo was making a patio behind his house and had a huge truck load of dirt. I told him that I was going to help him shovel the dirt. He looked at me like I was kidding. We shared a message with his family, then said a prayer and I asked him, "Okay, where's your shovel?" He thought I was kidding, until I started shoveling and knew that it was for real. I taught my comp how to shovel too, and we shoveled half the pile.  But then we had an appointment. I told him that in the morning, we would come back to finish. He didn't believe me, until the next morning when we woke him up at 6 before he had to go to work to finish shoveling the dirt and move the pile out of his yard. It was awesome. This is the man who has drinking problems, and you have to gain respect in someway.  No better way than shoveling dirt. But now he listens to our messages, and is reading the BOM and completing with his homework assignments that we leave him! Thanks for teaching me how to work and shovel dirt, Mi Papito! 

Noche Mexicana

Mexicanas at Heart

La Familia Galindo

Camacho, Hauck, Hna Lilia, Luna, me, chamaquita del barrio

Nice Tan Lines

My comp says I look like this lamb from a new Disney movie... real nice!!  (from Zootopia)

Shocks. Pegs. Lucky!!

The thimble game, but with flour....