Hey Family!!!!!
Hope you all are doing well!!! It looks like you are all doing well from what you are sending me!!! I love you all so much!!! It also sounds like Dad had an amazing birthday!!!
So, this week was a testimony builder week. There was this one family we visited who have a grandson that lives with them. Their grandson's dad will not let him join the church, but it could go either way for him after he turns 18. We have never actually met with him, just his grandparents who are returning less actives. Before we went over to their house, I was reading in the Book of Mormon and just thinking how amazing it was! I randomly got an overwhelming spirit of the joy I have felt as I have read the Book of Mormon. I thought to my self why I could not feel that same joy all the time! I feel like I am so quick to forget those feelings I have felt in the past. When we went over to their house, Elder Degiuli and I wrote our testimonies in a Book of Mormon that the grandmother was going to give to him. Elder Degiuli also told me to mark a bunch of scriptures that I thought he would like. I scrambled through the whole book to find all of my favorite scriptures and the more well known scriptures. I really hope he likes it and takes the time to read it!
We also started a Book of Mormon class in our ward. We did a terrible job of announcing it, so, as a result, barely anyone showed up. It was actually pretty funny! We were looking around the building to see if people had forgotten, but there was no one else. It was still a great class. I had prepared the whole morning to talk discuss a bunch of things with the class. Elder Degiuli jut sat as part of the class while I taught. I tried to make it more of a discussion rather than a lesson. It was amazing at the end when everyone bore their testimonies! Our ward mission leader told us his whole conversion story through the Book of Mormon. I was so inspired! I made sure to tell him as he dropped us off at our apartment that he was such an inspiration to me. I actually had a pretty embarrassing day that day. I wore my sweater backwards the whole day so it choked up real high up front and hung low on the back. I also spilled a bunch of food at a member's home (our ward mission leader's home) as I was trying to put food on my plate. Luckily it was on a hard wood floor and they just let their dogs eat it up. I felt so bad and kept apologizing! They were super nice about it and told me not to worry about it. That was probably one of my worst moments!
We also went to a member's home and he bought us pizza!!! He got me my own gluten free store pizza!!!! He said he had been worried about it all day and went out to get me one! It was so nice of him. After we finished eating with him, I made sure to give him a big hug! He was one of the most thoughtful guys ever!
We went over to visit Brother Hendricks. We got there just in time to help him and Azita, an Iranian lady who lives just next door, load a tv into a truck. We talked to Brother Hendricks for a while, and we commit him to give out a Book of Mormon. I'm really starting to see the importance of challenging the members. Not just a soft commitment, but a strong commitment that requires a response.
We also met a couple on the street from the Philippines! They were super nice and had very good english! We talked with them for a while and talked a lot about missionary work. They were not members, but they told us how much they look up to us for serving God. I made sure to tell them to talk to the missionaries when they got back to the Philippines. I hope they talk to Elder Larkins!!!!! They told us their names were Fred and Caridade. When I heard her name, I started talking Portuguese to her hoping she would know some, or at least spanish, but I confused her so bad because she had no idea what I was saying! It was pretty funny!
We also visited a family in our ward, and one of their kids' names was Ellie! We taught their family about the plan of salvation and the temples. At one point, Ellie looked at her mom and said, "Mom, can we be together for ever?" And her mom said, "Of course." I felt the spirit so strong at that moment. I've also noticed how close Elder Degiuli and I have been after we have been serving the Lord the whole day! I realized how serving God is what truly brings us together and makes us happiest.
I also got the package!!!! Thanks so much!!! The treats and snacks are so good!!!! Mom, I read your letter about the candy and gave it to a member in our ward that is close friends to the relief society president, and she said she would know what to do with it. I also got to give out some ring pops to a family that we visited the night I got the candy. Thank you sooo much!!!!! Also, when I saw all the pictures of you and me when I was with you, I started to get pretty teary eyed. I realized again how much joy I had at home and how happy we were with the gospel in our lives. A family centered around Christ is a blessing, and I got so pumped to share that message that day! My testimony was so strong about it, and it seemed so much easier to invite people to the temple because I could bear testimony of families! Thank you so much for that!!!!!
I've also been able to see fulfillments and gain more understanding of my Patriarchal Blessing. It'ts pretty amazing how it all works and how it has guided me, especially this past week! I still remember what Dad told me when he said that sometimes when you think something has been fulfilled, that is only the beginning of it. I loved that and still think about it.
Lastly, Happy Birthday DAD!!!!!!! Love ya tons!!! I'm so happy you got my letter!!! Wish I could give you a big hug right now!!!! Thanks so much for being the best dad ever!!!! Love you all! Whenever I have a bad day, I'm just going to look at those pictures of Carter in his costume that Ellie sent me in her letter! Those are hilarious!!!! Chloe, I wish I could have heard you play the piano, but I couldnt. I love that you are playing the piano though and sent me a video of it!!! That makes me feel so good!!!! I loved Carter's dances to what I think was a rap for Dad. Classic!!! Mom, Ellie, and Chloe look pretty as always! Love you all so much!!!!!!
Love,
Elder Barton
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Love the pics you guys sent me!!!!!!
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A member gave us gluten free cookies!!!! the members are so nice here!!!
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| A member gave us gluten free treats, so good!!!! |
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| Elder Degiuli and I outside late at night on our way back to our apartment |
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| We just got back fro service when I got the package!!! So excited!!!! That's Elder Clark on the right. He is so awesome!!! We are getting pretty close!!!! |
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| My favorite part, the letters and pictures!!!!!! |
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| Love the treats!!!! |
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| Elder Degiuli was sick again throwing up all day, so a member was way to kind to bring us some food!!!! It was so good!!!! It was like a sunday evening meal!!!! |
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