Letter 40: Independence week BBQ!

Dear mother of mine,

Hey! Seriously it does feel like forever since we have heard much from each other. The pictures from your vacation look amazing though, sounds like you had a great time. We will have to do something when I get home ;) hahah. I think one of my favorite vacation spots is our traditional San Diego, a lot of good memories there. It`s true though, there is just something about home that you can`t replace. Hahaha that`s funny that you mention the drivers and the craziness of the roads..I thought that is how Chile was going to be but it`s crazy because they are wayyy overly safe. Like as a pedestrian it drives me crazy how cautious they are haha. But hey I guess it`s a lot better than almost having to be really careful in the streets! 

This week we have had zero new investigators. Actually this week was the their independence week or in other words the week where everyone drinks and eats barbecue and just wants to party haha. So I can`t say it was a very successful week. However we still were able to teach some people and have a good time. Actually our ward had an activity for the 18th and it was awesome! I`ll send some pictures but it was great. I learned how to make empanadas (which included chopping a ton of onion and crying), and then we played a bunch of typical games of Chile. But they were just normal games...like what we did in elementary school for field day such as tug of war, sack races, etc. but it was still fun. They did some traditional dances of their country and that was pretty fun to watch, my companion took video of a lot of things so we`ll have to watch them when I get home.  For the first time in forever I ate barbecue! So as far as food goes it was a good week.

So as to your list of questions I`m just going to answer them one by one right now so I don`t forget..

-My favorite thing to eat here is probably a good empanada.

-Yes I have thought about school and I think it would be a good idea to start it in August. I have to talk with President but from what I have heard from other missionaries is that for educational reasons you can go one month before the ¨release date¨. I think it would be better to get home and just start instead of having a few months of waiting. But I don`t know, what do you think?

 -I think I`ll stay for another transfer but I have no idea if Elder Huertas will stay or not. 

-Things are fine with my companion, we get along pretty well so there aren`t really any problems there we just want more success!

_-There are no signs of going to the temple sadly, man do I miss it!

-Some of my pants are kind of dying..but nothing to bad. I`m a 30-32

I hope I didn`t miss anything! Oh and it`s been a while since we have had interviews with President so we should have some soon. The transfers come the 8th of October right after General Conference. Speaking of which I am excited to hear the General Conference! It`s going to be a good one (like all of them haha). I`m trying to think of some questions or things I want direction with in my life to be able to have in mind as i`m listening. What about you?

I have seen a lot of blessings in my own life and in the life you you guys too. It`s good to know that the Lord really does take care of us when we do what is right. I have to say I have learned a lot through this past year in the mission and I wanted to share with you a scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 135:5.After Joseph Smith had died and they were recounting the experience how Hyrum had put corner of a page turned on Ether 12. It really struck me as I read it this morning. It basically says don`t worry that the gentiles (all of those not of the church), don`t have charity, that has nothing to do with you, you have been faithful and you will inherit the kingdom of God. It says something like that..I read it in Spanish. But I have found that at times I get discouraged in the mission for lack of success or for when people don`t want to hear our message and I have come to realize that it doesn`t matter because i`ve been faithful. I want to continue to be faithful and I know that your support as my family has been essential in helping me do this. I know God put me with you all for a reason and I thank him everyday for it. I love you so much!

I truly do miss you as well but it no time we`ll be together again. In the meantime I will keep working hard and striving to do whats right so all can be blessed. Thanks for all you do and know that it doesn`t go unnoticed. Have a wonderful week! And save some pumpkin roll for me ;)

Letter 39: Darko's Baptism!

My dear wonderful, beautiful, and youthful motherrrrrrr!

Well a lot has happened this week! But first of all it was amazing to hear about your trip to Trevor`s graduation. Missionaries coming and going eh? Sounds pretty exciting haha, Will is back, I heard Dallin is back too. And to Argentina? Supposedly they eat pretty well there so he might end up gaining a bit of weight haha, a lot of barbeques and pasta! I miss your Sunday dinners thats for sure, yesterday I ate some noodles with red sauce, it was pretty...good. Hahah oh man, the mission, too good. Don`t worry, soon you will have GRANDKIDS to fill the house as well haha. Also that`s super exciting about your trip to the domincan republic, i`m excited to see the pictures when you go. I heard that they speak really fast..but then again you will be at a resort so youll be speaking English. Or you could learn spanish and we can talk when I get home. 

Okay well this week was full of adventures! First and foremost we had a baptism! Darko got baptized on Saturday at 4:00. It was great to see how many people came out to support him despite the rain (when it rains hardly anyone leaves the house). Here is a little shortened version of his story. Okay, his friend at school invited him to go to church one Sunday and he went. He told us how that day changed everything. He had been into alcohol and stuff not so great and he told us how after he went to church he changed, he stopped doing those things. Well he attended church there for about a month and a half and his friend (lela) sent us his address and everything though the other missionaries there. After 2 weeks we finally found him and started to teach him and MAN he had so many questions! Over the course of about 3 or 4 weeks we taught him everything, answered all his questions and helped him feel more sure about baptism. I remember the lesson where he decided to be baptized, we red Ether 12:6 and he sat there thinking for a good 15 seconds then told us he wanted to be baptized. The young men and young women of the ward accepted him completely and befriended him right from the start. Actually the young mens pres. baptized him and two of the young men were the witnesses. It was a really special day. Darko`s friend that invited him ended up coming with her family and got pretty emotional during the service and started to cry. All I could think is how her one small action to invite him to church completely changed the course of his life. How amazing it is to me that she decided to act and have the courage to open her mouth. Darko`s mom, aunt, and uncle came to the baptismal service as well and were moved. Overall it was a great day and i`m thankful for the opportunity I had and have to teach him and get to know him. Anyway, we left the chapel and were walking with our umbrellas (it had been raining off and on all day). We contacted a few houses and were walking down one of the main roads (which means lots of powerlines),  and all of a sudden the buildings next to me begin to shake and I hear a lot of trembling. Finally it dawned on me, earthquake! At first I ran for the wall of a building to get cover or something, i`m not sure what I was thinking but then I realized hey...buildings can fall. So I ran with my companion to the edge of the street and as my mind is racing I remember hearing something about get away from powerlines. As I thought that I looked up and was right under some powerlines that just happened to start sparking and all the lights went out. Then it stopped and all you could hear were car alarms and people yelling or crying. If I remember right it was like a 6.4, relatively small for Chile but for me it was huge haha. We went to our pension to see that everything was alright and there wasn`t any light, the electricity had been cut for our house and several blocks. Well to make things short we went to a members house and stayed there for a while. There were a few aftershocks during the night that woke me up and the light didn`t come back until Sunday night. So that was a pretty crazy experience. No worries though, i`m alive :)

We have Transfers this Wednesday and i`m pretty sure i`ll be staying here but I have no idea if my comp is going to go or going to stay. I`ll let you know what happens. The weather here is getting hotter and hotter already! Well minues the days that it rains. It`s kind of like Utah weather here, one day is super nice and the other really blah. But we are going to be warming up here pretty soon. I`m still very happy with my area and with my companion, obviously there are trials with every comp. and every area but there are also a lot of blessings. I can`t believe that in about 2 months you guys are going to have snow! I feel like you just barely came out of winter. Time is passing pretty quickly, I hope you have a great week and enjoy your last little while of warmth! Haha Trevor is the best! He wrote me and i`m going to forward this email and right him something right now. I love you mom! Thanks for all your love and support!

Love your favorite child, Elder Barton!

Letter 38: Sushi Snatcher

Hey mom!

Ah thank goodness that the letter got there in time! I was also worried because my receipt said that is was going to go to Germany!  Trevor`s squad is the top squad? No surprise there haha, I feel like he just excels at stuff. You`ll definitely have to fill me in on everything and how his experience was, well i`m sure he will be emailing me too!  He baptized 2 people?? This whole experience has been such a blessing hasn`t it? I feel like things are just looking up and that`s always a good feeling!

I`m hoping that everyone will be there when I call for Christmas but we`ll see what happens. Grandma and Grandpa, I have written him a few times and he seems to be doing well. I bet he loves the visits too! I have so many good memories with them, I remember that is was Grandma that really taught me how to read a lot better and would always take us out to get breakfast on Saturdays. Hey I actually had a question about your dad, he was a convert right? And if so, do you know the story??

Things are going pretty well here! I like my area and my companion and I get along really well! Hahah man, I haven`t laughed so hard in all of my mission. It`s great because we both are learning more and getting better but we can still have fun. Darko is coming right along with the baptism. He is so smart! It was funny because almost every lesson we have taught him he knows so much already! The other day we taught him about tithing and I asked him what he knew about it, he basically explained everything that we were going to teach him. He is one that has been prepared! It`s all thanks to his friend too, she invited him to church about 2 months ago and now he has progressed so much. Small acts really do make the difference! We have zone conference coming up this Wednesday. This one the president won`t be there but our zone leaders will be directing it. Here`s to hoping the package arrived by some miracle! Well other than that we haven`t really found any new investigators, that`s our challenge here! Blah, but it`s all good, we`ll keep working.  This past week we did a kiosk thing. It`s a stand with a question like ¨will I be with my family after this life?¨, stuff like that, and we stand by it for 4 hours everyday and basically wait for people to ¨look interested¨ and then we contact them. It`s probably been one of the most interesting experiences on my mission hahah, or in other words, funniest experiences. People say the weirdest things mom, seriously. Some guy came up and tried to force me to buy a necklace, then some guy came up and started to recite poems that he wrote about the fall of the united states. Hmmm, a lot of other things, but you get the idea! We have had a bit of success though. I think what the stand lacks is stuff to give out, to interest the people.

Sounds like things are moving right along at home! That picture of Bridger is awesome haha. Seriously I`m going to arrive home to a completely new home!   OH hey! I remembered a funny story, so last Monday we went to get sushi and we sat outside to eat it right? Well this lady comes along and asks for money, my companion gives her some and then she looks at my sushi and snatches one right off my plate and then just walks away! Hahah oh my gosh, I couldn`t believe it. Anyway, the sushi was great, thank you!  Love you so much mom! Have a great week okay?

Love your favorite child!

Letter 37: UFO's

Hey Mom!

Well my new companion and I are getting all ¨used to each other¨ Haha. He is an awesome guy and we actually get along really well! We found 3 new people to teach this past week which is great! One of them is named Darko and he is so interested in the gospel! He told us that he already knows baptism is something essential and that he really just wants that conviction that this church is true, so in other words, he will most likely be baptized soon. The good thing too is that we have young men in this ward who help and are active in inviting him to come.

Kevin is gone! Man I bet he is going to enjoy it. The begining is always the most interesting. I was telling my companion the other day that now its a little more boring because I know the language haha, like this thing I was struggling with for MONTHS now isn`t an issue. Then again, it`s a relief as well.

I feel like that whole thing with fireworks in the mountains happens all to often. You would think that people would learn by now. Sounds scary! I remember that fire in our old house that was on the mountain and watching it during the night. Crazy stuff! Hopefully they are able to put everything out. It`s weird to think that it is summer there!

Hey I sent a letter to Trevor today and I paid more so that it will get there faster! I was thinking that if it gets there in time you can take it with you to Trevor`s graduation and give it to him there. I will also write you a response to his scanned letter so you can send it as well! Man he is doing so well in his training. I seriously am so proud of him.

You`re so lucky! I bet it`s going to be beautiful there! And obviously you will have to take some pictures and send them along. We really have been blessed with a beautiful and loving family haven`t we? I truly am grateful for that. You already know, but being out here has helped me to appreciate that even more in my life. I miss you guys a ton!

We are working hard mom, no worries haha. Actually I feel like I've arrived in crazy land. Why you may ask? Because I have heard like 4 different people tell stories of the UFO`s here! Haha some guy told us how a red light came down and scanned him. What`s worse is that there is a member family who talks about it too! Oh my gosh...I`m just hoping that no one else talks about it. Other than that though, I love the ward. There is a canadian family who lives here who talks to me in English which is pretty awesome. The daughter is putting in her papers to go on the mission! It`s true that it was hard to leave Los Vilos and all but I haven`t felt as sad as I thought I would. I`m pretty sure it`s because of the work, we just keep at it and it`s also the fact that God calls me where he needs me so this is where I need to be. My companion and I were talking this morning about how we have felt about all of the rejections we have gotten in the mission in comparison with those who have accepted. In the end we came to the conclusion that it doesn`t matter how many reject our message, our purpose as missionaries it to give people the chance and to deliver the message, we are doing what we have been called to do.

Well other than that there isn`t a whole lot to report! I love you and I hope you all have a great week!" I`m sure the boys  are just all to excited for school to start soon haha. Be safe with those fires!

Elder Barton

Letter 36: Transfer to Limache, Sanfransico

Mom,

Well looks like I'm in a new area! Man it really was hard to leave my last area but I was able to say my goodbyes and everything. I will continue to write letters to the people there as well. Alright on Wednesday I went to Viña (i was the ONLY missionary in my zone to go south haha it was super lame). I am now in Limache, San Francisco! After 10 months in the mission I am now in the south. It is pretty different here, especially because everything is pretty green and there are a lot more people than in Los Vilos! My new companion is Elder Isabel and he is from Mexico and a convert of 2 years. We get along pretty well, he and his other companion just baptized a mother and her daughter here (looks like they spent all of their time doing that because we have zero investigators now...haha), which is awesome! This area is pretty nice and the view reminds me totally of Utah! It`s a valley with mountains surrounding and some parts just totally remind me of home.

So far I'm loving where I`m at. We have a few challenges in this area which are no investigators, the area folder where we keep all of our records of the people we teach hasn`t been updated in 3 months, and the ward needs a bit of a jumpstart to get things going again. Despite these things I'm hopeful for progress and from the things I learned in my last transfer I know that we can improve things here a bunch! During our change meeting in Viña the president`s wife spoke about how when the people reject us it`s okay, we didn`t come for them, we came to look for those who are ready to accept our message. This is pretty true, so instead of getting discouraged after a day of rejection I`m going to try harder to keep motivated.

Yesterday I met a lot of ward members, there are about 60 that attend. The chapel is beautiful! (Palmira Romanos is the street if dad wants to know haha). I like my ward mission leader, he is 24 and return missionary. We have young men here which is great! Overall I'm happy to be here and excited to get to know the members more.

Hmmm what else..oh yeah so we are in winter here right? The other day is was sooooo hot! It was the weirdest thing is was just one random day with a bunch of heat and now it`s cold again. We have several hills in our area that just kill me when we have to go up them haha. Our area is HUGE by the way, I really want to have bikes here, it`s be way more efficient, but we can`t have them so...looks like I'll be walking!

Wow! Our house already looks pretty different but nice! Good taste! Oh hey, you better not have gotten rid of the lazy boy! Everything looks really nice and it sounds like you guys are staying busy and having a good time. I love to hear from you and the family every week whether it`s been a great week and I can tell you about success or whether it`s been a bad week with zero success, I'm grateful that you all write, support, and love me. I sure do miss talking with you! Mom remember how I would always give you good night hugs? I think that is one of the things I miss most. I miss my mama haha, but I'm happy you`re good and everything. I`ll be sure to send some pictures of the new companion! I love you so much! Thank you for all you do for me, i hope you have a great week!

Letter 35: No more soccer = more people will listen!

Hey mom!

Happy Monday to you too! Yes the Chileans actually are really happy that Argentina lost hahah. So many people have been bothering my companion about and even though it´s funny I feel bad. He´s been a good sport though so it´s all good. It is crazy how worked up they get sometimes, we went to eat some completos the other day when Holland was playing and they showed the same thing when they lost, a lot of tears. But the best part is...drum roll please...No one is going to be too busy with soccer to listen to the missionaries! Woooo! Hahah seriously, you´d be surprised how much of a problem that is sometimes.

That´s so good to hear that Trevor is doing awesome at basic training. Haha that´s just like him to get such high scores that he got to call home! His letter was awesome too, he was good enough to include some hilarious qoutes from our childhood. He sounds like he is killing it out there and has improved a ton! He already graduates the 12th of August?? Time really is just flying by.

A lot of physical changes in the house, you should take some pictures so I can see! Sounds like you guys are just going to work there. It´s true, changes are this Wednesday and i´m getting change to.....I still don´t know haha. I will know Tuesday. I´m a little anxious (as always) BUT I trust that I will go..or stay..where I need to. We had another baptism on Saturday! Schlomit got baptized and then confirmed yesterday. I was able to participate in her confirmation and it was great! The service went really well and she is now a member of the church! We went to visit Bernardita and Felipe yesterday. They left for vacations a few days ago to puerto oscuro, it´s about 40 minutes away. So yesterday we took a bus there and were able to see where she grew up and meet her whole family. We ate some delicious homemade bread and were able to talk for a while. The best part is that we taught them about temples and put goals for them to go as a family (or all those who are baptized). It was amazing to teach them and see them have the instant desire to go to the temple and to be sealed. I know they will be so blessed and they continue in the church. I´ll be sad to leave them if I end up going but i´m so grateful to have met them. 

The weather is ¨cold¨ but it´s never ridiculous or anything. It would be like our fall a little bit, just with more rain. I haven´t got shoes yet! I went to a good store and they didn´t have my size. But maybe with the changes I will have a better store near by, we´ll see. I promise to keep looking.

Wow you have a busy month coming up in August! Sounds really exciting. 25 years?? Man you guys are getting old ;) nah just kidding. I have never heard of the Domincan Republic as a vacation place, but that´s cool! You´ll have to let me know wher eyou end up going. Be sure to take pictures of Trevor´s graduation. He will probably be ripped by the time he is done.

All is well and good here so no worries. It´s been an interesting transfer but i have learned a lot I feel like. I can´t believe it´s already almost 10 months! And Hunter Brown completes his year mark this month! Wow. Before you know it we will be talking on skype again! I love you so much! I hope you have a wonderful week! I´m always praying for you all. 

Love Elder Barton

Letter 34: Birthdays and Baptisms!

Hey Mom!

I can´t believe I´m 19. My last year of being a ¨teenager¨, pretty sure I thought this day would never come haha. I had a pretty good birthday for several reasons! On wednesday after our district meeting my district (Elder Bush, Elder Morales, Sister Frandsen, Sister Sosa, and the Schramm couple), sang to me a brought out a dessert with candles! It was pretty awesome because instead of a cake they brought out this dessert roll that looked like the pumpkin roll you would always make for me (but no, it did not taste nearly as good haha). On Thursday we worked as normal and were able to teach Bernardita and Felipe and afterwards my branch mission leader took me out to buy a frozen pizza, chips, and a drink. So all in all it was really good! Of course I missed you guys and all, but I felt happy and like I wasn´t alone or anything. Okay, so as for birthday presents I think I got the best birthday present which was.....FELIPE AND BERNARDITA GOT BAPTIZED!!!! They were baptized yesterday after our church meetings and it was so spiritual. Felipe wanted me to baptize him so I was able to do that while my companion baptized bernardita. Bernarda´s sister is a member and was able to speak on baptism and the holy ghost and wove in the eternal family. As she spoke she started to cry and so did Bernardita. After we baptized them both and after we had changed and everything Felipe started to cry. Man, that kid is just super sincere and can feel the spirit. I gave him a hug and told him congratulations and all. Overall it was a really good day! I felt really happy to be able to be an instrument in the Lord´s hands. These two baptisms came from Him and they were prepared before we met them. Their family was able to attend as well and feel the spirit, especially who mom who is catholic. Overall it was an amazing day! I will be sure to send pictures.

More than that we had interviews today with President Kahnlein! Bum bum bum....No just kidding. It was pretty good. Actually we got the call last night that he was going to be there at 8:45 in the morning! So we did some mad last minute cleaning and got all ready haha. The interview was actually very edifying. He was happy about the baptisms and some of the personal goals that I set for this change. He also said ¨hmm, three transfers already in Los Vilos..thats a lot of time, maybe its time for a change¨. Also he told me he was grateful to have me in the mission and that I have never made a problem for him. He was really motivating and kind this time, it was nice. In other words, it´s probable that I will be heading out to a new area this change, we´ll see! By the way, transfers are the 16th of July.

Okay funny story, I´ve told you my comp is a little...different haha. Well yesterday being the fifth sunday we had a meeting with everyone except the primary for the 3rd hour. Us missionaries were to give a training on home teaching each taking about 20 minutes. Well Elder Bush and Elder Morales take about 30 minutes and then we go up for our turn. I kid you not..my companion talked for 20 minutes with out giving me a change to talk! Can you believe that?? Hahah I looked out into the congregation and saw people kind of laughing because they knew what was going on haha. My district leader finally caught his attention to give me time and we had 10 minutes left for the sisters so I just gave my testimony. Afterwards my DL told me to talk with my companion about it. Hahah so I talked about it with him and we a little ¨discussion¨} about that and other things that have happened. All in all, we are doing good! 

Chile is super sad that they lost and I am still able to brag that the states are still in it! I hope that it lasts. That´s awesome that you guys went ot see the Thunderbirds! I thought they didn´t fly anymore because of cutbacks? But anyway, I want to see photos! I remember going to an air show once and having to throw away my pocket knife :( but it was ridiculously cool so it was worth it. You will have to take pictures of the parade and fireworks this week. It was awesome because they celebrate Saint Peter down here or something and did fireworks the other night so I felt a little more like it was  July. The weather is cooling down here big time, I still haven´t bought my shoes because the quality here in Los Vilos is sub par...hahah. When I go to Illapel or Viña I will buy some I think.

Well I hope Trev gets my letter soon. I can imagine that he wants to get some mail (I know how he feels! Haha ). But I pray for him everyday and know that he is doing well. I also pray for you guys everyday too and know that you are all well and blessed! I know, it is hard to not see eachother for so long but we will see eachother at Christmas! And then a little time and i´ll be home already. Its very true what you said though, push through the hard days because they won´t last and then soak up every good minute of my mission because one day I will be home. I sure do miss you all though! I miss joking with you and talking with you and your delicious dinners! hahah

Alright mom, I hope you have a great week! Please take pictures I will send you some of mine right now! Love you!