July 4, 2011.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!!!!!

What a beautiful day! I sang the "Star Spangled Banner" this morning and it has been fun to have Canada Day (Friday) and the Fourth of July so close! Friday, Sister Yi and I went to downtown Burlington and along the lakeshore and it was full of people dressed in red and white. And of course I wore a red skirt, white shirt, and maple leaf necklace :) We got Canada Flag pins and little paper flags we stuck in our bags. There was a dog show at the park which made me laugh because everyone here has dogs, so it was no surprise! Our original plan was to contact but there were too many people. We talked to a couple people but it is just too overwhelming with so many families. We headed back to the car and tracted before our dinner appointment.

We attended the funeral of a member, Brother Gatt, on Wednesday. He has two children in the YSA ward and he passed away due to Leukemia and was fairly young. I actually never met him, but I remember seeing his wife. The funeral was so amazing and the Spirit filled the room. The Brother Gatt's son was the concluding speaker and he focused on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Brother Gatt had asked that the men at the funeral don't wear "funeral ties." It was wonderful to see bright ties and clothes as we know that death is not the end. It is a progression and gift to the spirit who is now free. It was peaceful.

Now for the miracles of the week :) Our zone fasted once during the week and I know that had a big part in all of the miracles and blessings we saw. Sister Yi and I met with a girl named Emily on Thursday. We had met her the previous week when we knocked on her door. She is 14 years old but looks about 17 or 18. She goes to a catholic school but says she feels like she is losing God in her life. Well, we taught her about the restoration and committed her to baptism on July 31st! :) Her mom was there for part of the lesson and didn't seem to really care about religion. We are teaching Emily again tomorrow and are bringing a young woman with us. We are praying that Emily comes to church this week and continues to work toward July 31st for baptism!!!!!

That same night, we met with Karey and I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure if she was going to say that she still wanted to be baptized in July. Well, the Spirit is amazing and because of her strong faith and desires to follow her Savior, she will be baptized on July 24th! She is so excited. I told her yesterday in our lesson with her that July 24th is pioneer day and I explained what that means. She knows that will be a very special day for her and I am SO excited. She said that every time she has a question about the gospel, the next thing she learns answers it! It happened twice yesterday for her and she recognizes that it is Heavenly Father guiding her.

Saturday, after teaching Sandy (recent convert), we drove up to Waterdown (a little city outside of Burlington that is in our area). It was the annual Rotary Ribfest this weekend and our plan was to eat lunch there. Well, we went in to check it out but decided it was too expensive. Plus, there was a band playing and it was not really a place we could feel the Spirit. While we were walking out to go somewhere else, we ran into some members just going in. They told us not to go and that they would pay for us. Next thing I knew, I was eating corn on the cob and ribs! It was good. We sat far away from the band and I either tuned out or the band stopped playing the whole time we were there! It was great.

We dropped by Pinky's house after that and she was home! I hadn't talked to her in about two months, although I had called and left many messages. It was good to have contact again, but I'm still not sure what is going to happen there. We'll see. She wants to come to church but feels like she is a burden on the members who give her a ride. I assured her that it is not a burden and that we would just love to have her at church, but I don't know if she believed me.

Happy birthday this week to my beautiful nieces, Jessica and Jocelyn, and one of my favorite companions, Ashley Rigby :)

Have a WONDERFUL, fun, service-filled week. Oh yes, the mail strike is over :) YAY! So I can write now, and so can you ;D

I love you all!

Sister Barton :)