July 26, 2010.

Happy Summer Everyone!!!!

How are you all? I hope everything is wonderful in America. Boy have I got a good story to start out with :) It happened last Monday after I e-mailed, so it seems like it's old news, but it is still really funny. Okay, so two Fridays ago (July 16), Sister Lavatai, a girl from our ward, and I taught a guy named Eric the first lesson (I don't know if I mentioned him in last week's e-mail). We taught him the whole first lesson and then he asked "Wait, what religion are you?" He thought we were Roman Catholic, and when he found out we weren't, he said he wasn't interested. Well, the girl from out ward that came with us gave him her number and told him maybe they could hang out sometime. He just moved here, so he might be interested in some friends. Sister Lavatai and I gave him our number on a pamphlet we left and he kept asked questions like "Wait, who's number is this?" so we told him it was OUR number. When we got in the car, Sister Lavatai laughed really hard because she said Eric was crushing on me. I couldn't tell at all. Okay, so here's the story. Monday, I came out of the washroom (a.k.a. bathroom), and Sister Lavatai handed me the phone saying it was for me. First of all, nobody calls the missionaries and asks for a specific one. So I answered "Hello, this is Sister Barton," and the reply was "Hey, this is Eric!" AHHH! I was laughing so hard inside. I could see Sister Lavatai in the next room cracking up. He proceeded to ask me if I would be available that night to go get some coffee with him! Hahaha. He said "I just have the biggest crush on you!" Funniest thing ever. I had to explain yet again that as missionaries, we do not date or hang out for the time we are on our missions. I told him a mission is 18 months, and he asked me how much time I had left. "16 months!" I replied. It was hilarious. I tried to be nice about it and not make it seem like he just got shot down. Bless his heart :)

It was another week full of teaching and finding people to teach. Welcome to the life of a missionary! Sister Lavatai and I taught most of our lessons at the beginning of the week and were left with lots of finding time Saturday and Sunday. We are almost out of K's (kilometers) for the month, so on those two days we walked only. I've never walked so much in my life. I felt like a pioneer. My feet are bruised and each step feels like my bones are shattering. And to top it all off, I got the worst sunburn ever on my neck, so now wearing shirts is uncomfortable. I am definitely loading on the sunscreen from now on. I ate dinner at a ward member's house on Friday night and she joked around with us the night before telling us she was making "Goose breast." When we got to her house for dinner, we realized it was no joke. I ate Canadian goose for dinner! I had to have major mind control for that one! It actually wasn't bad. It tasted like steak. I guess the worst part was that she said it was from 2007.

Pierrette is still set to be baptized on August 7 and I can't wait. I love her and am so happy for her. Tracy probably won't be getting baptized until she moves to Calgary at the end of October. Sister Lavatai and I have done all we can to help her, but I don't feel like she is truly converted and isn't thirsting after the Gospel on her own. I am really excited to teach a few new people this week. I contacted a couple on the street last week and will be teaching the woman on Thursday. Her boyfriend said he was a Jehovah's Witness, but it seemed like he just grew up that way or something, because he didn't say much. The woman's name is Nancy, and she said she would like to learn! It was a miracle :)

Heavenly Father watches over all of His children. He loves each of us. Mosiah 7:33 says "But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in Him, and serve Him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, He will, according to His own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage." That's my favorite scripture of the week. As we turn to the Lord, we realize the true meaning of life and the reason we go through the trials we go through. We can either let our trials bring us down, or we can use them to perfect us! This life truly is the time to prepare to meet God. What a great opportunity! I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week! Pray, read your scriptures, serve others, and SMILE! :)

Love,

Sister Barton