October 4, 2010.

Happy October!

The Halloween treats and decorations are coming out! It doesn't mean much for missionaries, since we go in at about 6:00 pm on Halloween. It's fun to see the fall colors though. How is everyone? Wasn't General Conference amazing!?!?!?! I loved it. I am looking forward to getting the Ensign next month so I can read and study each talk. The prophet and apostles are truly inspired of God and as we listen to their counsel and apply it in our lives, we will receive even more blessings and happiness from our Heavenly Father.

It was a great week. Even with lots of cancelled appointments, Sister Evanson and I still did pretty well with our goals. We are teaching two boys right now named Cameron and Evan who are in college. Evan is more interested at this point, but it is so neat to hear their simple questions and thoughts about God. I absolutely love hearing investigators pray. Their prayers are so simple and sincere. Perhaps we should learn a lesson from that. Sister Evanson and I had quite the frustrating experience when teaching Faith and Vicky this week. We brought a member with us who is also from Africa (all three of them are from different countries). Faith and Vicky had hardened hearts as we taught them about the Plan of Salvation. They refused to believe that we lived with Heavenly Father before this life. There was a lot of contention and it was so nice to breathe the fresh air after leaving their house. I still pray for Faith and Vicky and think they are wonderful girls. Someday they will realize that God has so much more for us than just what is in the Bible. The thought of not living with Heavenly Father before this life haunted me for days after that lesson. How sad life would be to not know one's divine worth and potential. To just believe that we appeared here with no former relationship with our literal Father in Heaven is heart breaking. Although experiences like this happen a lot on a mission, it is crucial to learn and move on. There are people prepared and I will find them :)

A funny but scary experience happened a couple days ago. Friday night Sis. Jenner gave us a HUGE loaf of bread and told us to cook it for a certain amount of time. We did so after planning at night and then enjoyed eating nearly half of the loaf (woops!) that night. It was so delicious and warm with our homemade strawberry rhubarb jam from Jenn's mom. When we were done, we wrapped it in a towel and kept it on the pan on the stove. The next morning, I turned off the shower and smelled something burning. I yelled for Sister Evanson and asked if everything was okay. She seemed pretty hesitant, but said "Everything is okay now!" When I opened the "washroom" door, I saw smoke filling the apartment. Apparently, Sister Evanson had put some water on the stove to boil so we could make Jello for the potluck between conference and then went in the other room to stretch. She started smelling and seeing smoke. She had turned the wrong burner on, and when she went in the kitchen, the loaf of bread with the towel of it was black with red ashes, almost on fire. She hurried and took it outside so the apartment wouldn't burn down. We spent the morning freezing cold because we had to open all of the windows and turn the fan on. It smelled SO bad because of the burnt rag. Let's just say we are lucky to be alive and our house is lucky to be standing! It's pretty funny looking back now and I am quite upset that I didn't take a picture of it. Just imagine it in your heads :)

Sister Evanson and I are headed down to Brampton tonight for Leadership Conference this week. It has already been two months since the last one! I am super excited. There is one thing I am looking forward to a lot. Sis. E. and I called President Brower and asked if there was any way we could go to the temple while we are down there. All of the sisters in the mission get to go when the temple trip comes around four times a year, but North Bay sisters don't because we are too far away. Well...we are going THURSDAY morning! I am SO excited. It is the best, happiest place on earth (despite what people say about Disneyland :D).

A week from today is Thanksgiving in Canada, so I won't be e-mailing. I will e-mail Tuesday afternoon. As far as I know, Thanksgiving is pretty much the same here, but it's just not as big of a holiday as in the states. It will be fun though. Have an amazing week! Remember how much you are loved by our Father in Heaven and by me :) Thank you for your support and prayers. I love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Barton :)