October 25, 2010.

Sad Goodbyes, Happy Beginnings!

Hello everyone! How has your week been? It has been a crazy week here. I will start with the biggest news and then talk a little bit about my week. Transfer calls were last night...! Sister Evanson and I were driving home when President Brower called. We pulled over the car and started panicking. When the President calls on transfer day, it usually means someone is training. He asked to speak to Sister Evanson. I grabbed her arm and covered my mouth, not believing what was happening. We soon found out that Sister Evanson would be training in North Bay! Then, President spoke with me to tell me that I will be moving to the big city of Brampton! My new companion will be Sister Stanbrough, who has been out just one transfer more than me. We will be white-washing the Brampton Young Single Adult ward, which means neither of us have served there before. We do not know the area or the people at all. When I got off the phone with President, I cried. I have a lot of mixed emotions. I am scared out of my mind to white-wash an area and especially such a big city. The hardest part of all of it is probably leaving Sister Evanson. We are such great friends and really wanted to stay together. It was a shock. I am also sad to leave North Bay and wonderful people here. I have made great friendships with people I will always remember (the Jenners, the Hatts, etc.). Regardless of the uneasy, nervous feelings I have, I know that the Lord has a plan for me. Brampton is an amazing area and I believe we will already have a baptismal date for the first or second week of November. It is going to be a big change, but it will be exciting. No more knocking on doors. Now I will pick areas to contact and will talk to everyone I see. It is much more fast-paced than North Bay. Sister Evanson and I will be leaving today at 4:00 pm and will stay in the mission home tonight, which I am looking forward to so much. We will eat breakfast tomorrow with all of the new missionaries and their trainers, then I will go with Sister Sippel (one of the senior missionaries) to help her in the mission office for a few hours. Brampton is amazing. Almost everyone there is from another country so I will definitely be the minority. I have served there for a few days before during leadership conferences and it is so great to teach the Gospel so simply. I am getting excited! This morning, while Sister Evanson was in the shower, I made us pancakes and eggs (see picture). It was fun to celebrate our transfer together :)


This week was full of adventures. As we we tracted, we had some memorable experiences including me stepping on rotted wood and falling though a wooden deck (see picture of bruise attached!).

I lost my hat and we backtracked all of the streets we had tracted to try and find it, which wasn't successful. People told us to leave their property. Old men hit on us almost everyday and best of all, we saw a black bear run down the street right before our very eyes. We worked very hard and I had more finding hours than ever before on my mission. It is usually a struggle to get 20 in a week and Sister Evanson tracted or contacted for 26 1/2 hours this week! Although our work was not very fruitful, we kept on pushing forward. We witnessed a miracle in church yesterday. Sister Evanson and I both spoke on missionary work in Sacrament meeting. As I sat on the stand, I saw a family with two kids walk into the chapel halfway through the meeting. I figured they were visiting from out of town. I came to find out after that they live by the church and decided to come. Sister Evanson and I taught the parents about the restoration of the Gospel during Sunday School. They have a native background, so we really focused on Jesus Christ and how it is only through him that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again. I haven't had an investigator come to church once this transfer, but Heavenly Father answers prayers and he leads His children to the truth if they seek it. The most miraculous part of the story is how this family knew to come to our church. Tashina, the mom, said that a lady named Paula invited them to church and that she sings in the choir. Um...there is nobody named Paula in the ward and we do not have a choir! I'm pretty sure they went to the wrong church because there is another church just up the road!!!!! But it is really the right church because it has the fullness of the Gospel with the priesthood power and authority from God. The ward was very kind and welcoming. They will be going to the Halloween party at the church this Saturday. I am so excited to find out what happens with the investigators I have taught in North Bay. I will have to keep in contact with missionaries here so I can know. It is the most exciting work! Heavenly Father loves all of His children. The Book of Mormon brings more strength, peace, and joy than any other book on the earth. Life is great! Have a very Happy Halloween!!! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Barton :)

P.S. Now I can get letters and packages each week from the mission office, so just send stuff directly there if you so desire :)