April 4, 2011.

Hello from Burlington!!!!

That's right, I have been transferred, yet again! I am pretty sure I am the most moved around sister in the mission due to emergency transfers haha. I am in Burlington, which is right next to Lake Ontario. I am serving with Sister Cheng, who I was with in Brampton for her first week in the mission. This area is much different than Brampton. I am no longer in YSA work and am now tracting/knocking doors, which I like much better than contacting sometimes. We are teaching many people and are having a baptism this coming Sunday! Sandy, an 85-year-old man the sisters met outside of the bank will be getting baptized! He has tremendous faith. He has known about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints his whole life, but all he needed was someone to invite him. He said he would have joined years ago if he simply would have been invited. This is a great lesson to all of us who are trying to do member missionary work. Do not be afraid to invite! God is with you and will bear you up. There is no need to fear. We are also teaching a couple from Brazil and one from Mexico. We have a Columbian member come with us and he translates. I am going to learn a lot of Spanish and the member, Jorge, is going to give me a booklet with phrases and teaching tools. I'm excited.

Wasn't General Conference amazing!?!?! I absolutely loved it. I don't have a favorite talk yet because there were so many great ones. But I jotted down some of my favorite parts this morning. First of all, there was a big theme of families. The reason for this is simple...next to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, family is the central purpose for this life. My mission has been such great preparation for motherhood and now I cannot imagine trying to be a mother without this experience. Heavenly Father has much to teach me still. Richard G. Scott's talk on the marriage and the family was wonderful. He was so sincere and really captured the sacred nature of marriage in the temple. Paul V. Johnson said that "The only way to see the views is to make the climb." The only way to achieve a fullness of joy is be on the path now! There is no helicopter that will fly you to the top. We must climb the rocky, wet, dirty, steep, windy path (ew...that reminds me of when I hiked Mt. Timpanogos!). BUT, however hard the path may seem, if we do not climb it, we do not see the flowers, the beautiful animals, feel the sunshine, get the exercise ;), and breathe in the mountain air. Okay, lame analogy, but do you get what I mean? The joy does not only come from being on top or simply being with God. It comes from the journey we have taken to achieve those great heights. That goes along with what D. Todd Christofferson said: "The final judgment is not just about what we have done. It is about what we have become." We are always becoming :)

Sister Cheng and I are excited to see miracles this coming transfer. Our first miracle happened on the second door we knocked on Wednesday. A man named Tom invited us in and we taught him about the Book of Mormon. He is dealing with many health challenges, but we are inviting him to know how the Savior can heal him spiritually. I am grateful to be here and know that there are many people for me to meet and help. Thank you for being such wonderful people. I look up to you all!

I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Barton