October 12, 2010.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Week!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving here and it was so fun to celebrate. I will talk about that in a minute...first of all, HOW ARE YOU? This week was great. Sister Evanson and I drove down to Brampton Monday evening and had Leadership Conference Tuesday-Thursday. It is always so wonderful to be around so many missionaries and to feel the Spirit edifying us all. One funny experience was after we had a break, we were going to sing a hymn when we got back in the Relief Society room (there were around 50 missionaries at conference) and someone suggested "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes." President totally let us do it! Then we sang and did actions to "Once there was a Snowman!" I was laughing pretty hard. It was great. Remember last week how I said I was so excited that Sister Evanson and I could go to the temple while we were in Brampton? Well, here's the story :D We woke up Thursday morning at 4:45 am, got ready quickly, and drove to the temple so we could go to the 6:00 am session. Well, I guess I was in the Utah mindset where there are sessions all day long starting at 6:00 am. We got there and there was one car there. There was a temple engineer outside who told us there was no session until 11:00 am :(. It was so sad. Not knowing what to do, we asked the man if he had the keys to the Stake center right next to the temple, where our conference was. He did, so we took our blankets out of the car and dragged them into the church with us. The seminary teacher was there to set up for seminary and he helped us carry a couch from the foyer into the stake offices where there was already one couch. Sister Evanson and I slept in the church for about an hour and a half! It was definitely a hard day. I had a headache and was actually so tired at one point that when I laughed at something, I started crying. No sleep is not good for emotions (at least for girls hahaha), not to mention I got a super bad cold that day. Well, we tried to go to the temple. I guess I will just have to wait until next year. It has been nice to read the October Ensign, since it is the special edition Temples issue. I LOVE it. I love the temple. It is the most joyful place on earth.

After getting our new car on Thursday, we were headed home in the evening. Our new car is a 2011 Subaru Impreza. Her name is Pearl. She is great. She is smaller than Chewy (the Ford Fusion I previously had), but she is nice. Friday, Sister Evanson and I were walking back to our car to go home for the night when we heard a bunch of guys singing Amazing Grace. We couldn't see them and we just kept walking. They were almost done with the song when I joined them and sang a big finish. They all started hollering and clapping haha. It was really funny. The next day, we tracted that side of the street, and when we knocked on a certain door, they guy said "Are you the angel singer from last night?" HAHA! It was so funny. He said that the reason they sang the song is because they saw us walking by and figured we were some kind of missionaries. It was fun to chat with him for a few minutes (apparently he has a recording studio in his basement with lots of instruments).

While tracting on Sunday, Sister Evanson and I met a lady named Lorraine. She was taught by sister missionaries about a year ago and they had lost contact. She lives at home and has two cute dogs (that she talks to like they are children. It's really funny). She said she has no friends or family. After Thanksgiving lunch yesterday, we took her a whole pie tin full of dinner and she was so grateful. I am excited to teach her more. It sounds like she knows it is all true, but just needs to make some commitments. I am grateful for Lorraine and what she has taught me so far.

Yesterday we went to the Hatt's to have Thanksgiving lunch. Jarham Hatt got home from his mission on Friday, so it was fun to meet him. It was so wonderful to sit at a table where both of the people I watched get baptized were. Pierrette is dating President Hatt and Jenn is dating Jonan Hatt (who leaves on his mission in a month). We went around the table and said what we are grateful for about the Gospel. The Spirit was strong. Heavenly Father is so loving. He gives us everything. He has given us a way to be happy and to have joy that lasts forever. I don't know if there is one thing I am the most grateful for, but if I had to say one at this moment, it is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Without it, we could never return to live with Heavenly Father again. We would be fallen forever. It was an act of mercy that allows us to progress and live together as families forever. Count your many blessings this Thanksgiving season! I love you all! Have a wonderful week!!!

Love,

Sister Barton :)