How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I hope everyone was safe and felt the joyful spirit of gratitude. I heard that there was a big storm in Utah. Right now I am grateful to be here in Canada where it hasn't even really snowed yet! Haha. Ironic. It snowed once this week but it didn't stay. It is very cold though. I'm pretty sure snow would make it warmer.
I feel a bit scattered because this morning after sports with the Elders, I left my planner at the church. I am never without it and I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. Most of you probably know this about me - I am a very organized person. I usually write down
notes of what I am going to e-mail about, but since I don't have any, I will just write my thoughts, which is just as good!
Sister Stanbrough and I worked extra hard this week. We weren't really seeing much success, but our biggest miracle overrules all anyway haha. We taught Neniker on Friday night. We taught him about the first part of the Plan of Salvation. He already understood a bit of it from church last week. The best part of the lesson was at the end when I set him for BAPTISM! Wahoo! He has a baptismal date for THIS Sunday, December 5th. He is so amazing. He came to church yesterday and dressed up all nice for it. He has such a great spirit that is so friendly and warm. He smiles a lot. I think I said it in my last e-mail, but he is from St. Lucia. I forgot what language they speak. A ward member here said that they speak a language that is a mix of other languages. I'm not sure. I told him that when he is
baptized, he will be able to feel the Spirit and Heavenly Father's love for him. He said that would be neat because he was baptized as a baby and doesn't remember it at all. We have a lot more to teach him, but I know he will be ready. The situation is comparable to D&C 4
which says that "if ye have desires to serve, ye are called to the work." If ye have desires to come closer to Heavenly Father, ye are called to be baptized! Hey, it works! I love the scriptures. They are gems that I will always treasure!
Today is the last time I will see Sandra for a while because she is going to Mauritius to visit family for the month of December. She found a church there and will attend while she is gone. Get this - she got baptized three Sundays ago and the bishop is calling her to be
a co-teacher of our new french Gospel Principles class! Ha! She is so incredible. The class is mostly for a recent convert, Cesar (baptized two weeks before Sandra) who speaks mostly french and isn't learning much in the english class. Sandra will do very well as she works with another ward member who speaks french. We don't even have to sit with her anymore during church because she is friends with the whole ward already! I love her.
One of the highlights of my week was receiving a Christmas package from my brother and sister-in-law. The box was decorated all cute and said that I could open it on American Thanksgiving.
Thursday finally came and when I opened it, I thought I had died and gone to heaven!
There are lots of little wrapped presents inside with instructions on each one for when to open it. I was able to open two the day after Thanksgiving and again...died and went to heaven. One of the presents was a little stand-up felt Christmas tree with homemade ornaments that have pictures of my family on them.
Leave it to Sarah to be the most creative person in the world! I love my Christmas tree and my little stocking that used to be full of candy, but I ate it all! I am excited to open the rest of the presents, some which say "Sing 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' and open on a snowy night in December" and "Open when in a gift and goodie giving mood." I love Christmas! Does
anyone have any fun plans for Christmas? Do tell! :)
I hope you have all had a wonderful week. I love you and am grateful for your love and support. This is the true Church with the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and with God's power and authority again on the earth. How blessed we are to be a part of it.
Love,
Sister Barton :)
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