Email Update: July 18, 2011

Well it poured like crazy this morning it was just coming down by the buckets but that only lasted for 30 min. and now it's super sunny. 

Well it was announced yesterday in church that next Sunday there will be a special sacrament meeting held by the Stake Presidency and they told all the leader's to bring their keys so the very anticipated split of the Wheatstone ward is happening next Sunday. After that the new ward will meet at the West Road building @ 11. So we called President Pingree asking what are we going to do and how we are going to go to 2 different buildings that are not close to each other and the meeting times overlap with one 11 and then the other at 1. President Pingree said he can't do anything until the end of the transfer (which is understandable) and told us to cover it the best we can. So we will either get a car or another set of missionaries,  so we will see what happens.

Something really cool that happened this past week - I helped baptized a 500 pound man (Brian) in a swimming pool.  This was complicated by his size and the fast that he has a tube in his throat  This was Spring Branch's baptism but it was such a special and unique baptism and Brian had so much faith because he was so worried that it could go wrong and that water would go into his tube which goes straight to his lungs and that would have been a big problem. But he still went through with it and the spirit was very strong - it was very awesome.

 

That is so exciting that Trevor is coming home!  Give him a big hug for me when you see him! 

It's so good to hear that y'all are having fun! I pray continually for that. 

We have gotten a few referrals the past 2 weeks or so and we have quite a few potential investigators. So all I ask is your prayers for us finding people but also asking for people to find us. 

Oh random side note, I don't know if I already told y'all this, but all the companionship's in the mission have gotten portable DVD players which is insane! haha I still dont' know how I feel about that - all I think is the possibility of missionaries going to red box and having a party haha.

Well I gotta write a couple more e-mails I'll talk to ya next week - peace out!

Email Update: July 11, 2011

So today is my year mark. As I look back on what has happened in the past year of my service I have seen myself grown so much spiritually. And I have thought of all the amazing things that have happened on my mission: Temple Sealing, Reactivations, Baptisms, Confirmations, Priesthood Blessings, Service, Giving talks, etc. I am very grateful that the Lord provided a way for me to be a part of all those opportunities.  I can only look forward to see what is to come in the next year of my service. I am very grateful for every one that impacted my life that has led me to this point. From Young Men Leaders, Bishops, Home Teaching Stake Presidents, Seminary Teachers, Sunday School Teachers, and Priesthood leaders, and most importantly my family - so thank you for teaching me gospel principles when you were raising me and I am grateful to all you siblings for your testimonies that have strengthened me and my faith when I was weak spiritually in my life. I plan on getting a bunch of thank you cards and sending them out to people and to leaders who have helped me and if y'all could send more stamps so that I could accomplish this that will be sweet too ha ha. I love y'all and again thank you! I can't wait to read your e-mail!

-Cory Barton

Email Update: July 5, 2011

It wasn't too Patriotic on the 4th of July here in Houston because there is a ban on fireworks since there is a drought so it was very quiet day. Some missionaries may or may not have gotten a hold of roman candles and fired some off. But we played football with a bunch of missionaries and I was QB and my team dominated but not because of my skill though ha ha. We later had a BBQ with missionaries who didn't have dinner appointments with members so we cooked up some hot dogs and drank some Hawaiian punch. I also got my ukulele so I was pretty happy.

Well I hit my year mark next Monday which is pretty insane - I still feel new to all of this. Today I had the blessing of finally meeting President and Sister Pingree and their 5 kids. They have 3 older daughters who are 19, 16,  and 14 if I remember correctly. Then 2 younger boys who are 11 and 8 whose names are Jacob and Joe. So when President Pingree walked in and started to greet all the missionary's individually I thought I would be funny and cover my name tag with my backpack strap so he couldn't see my name. So he finally gets to me and without missing a beat,  he looks straight into my eyes and says warmly "Elder Barton it's so great to have you here!" and gives me a handshake and a hug and goes on talking with the rest of the missionaries. That really impressed me that he and his wife prepared themselves, taking who knows how much time looking at our pictures and names, and start memorizing them. So the meeting starts (it's just the Cypress and Klein Zones) and President Pingree - the best way I can describe him is a 40 year old man with the personality of a 20 year old jacked up on Mountain Dew. Well better yet, he reminds me so much of John Bytheway, very funny and down to earth with the younger generation, but yet very, very spiritual. So in this meeting the Pingree's introduce themselves but very interestingly each one of the children of the Pingree's would get up and introduced another child in the family. After that the 19 year old girl played a musical number, then the children got up one at a time and gave about a 5 minute talk on one of the points in Preach My Gospel. And man they are all very good with public speaking - it was like they have done this a thousand times, including the 8 year old who is a goof ball. Then Sister Pingree got up and talked about how she loves us very much and she wants to do her best of being our "mother" while doing a juggling act with kids in school, sports, etc. She also talked about how we shouldn't compare the Hansen's to the Pingree's and vice versa. As she went on with her talk, you could feel her love for us and how special each of us are to her. She then invited missionaries in the future who can to come over to the house and play ping pong or basketball with her kids or go on splits because they would love that - but of course, not during prime proselyting time she said ha ha. President Pingree got up and shared with us 2 distinct impressions he has gotten already for our mission. He talked about loving everyone and finding with faith. I just got to say I was scared and sad to lose the Hansen's but the Pingree's are a blessed and chosen family who deserve to be here in Texas and I am so grateful that they are here and I love everyone in that family so much even though I don't know them too well. Miracles will happen here. I love y'all

Email Update: June 28, 2011

Hey family sorry that I couldn't e-mail y'all yesterday there was only 1 computer that was working and there were 7 people waiting to use just that 1 so I just sent a quick e-mail to y'all but it's okay because I am e-mailing y'all today. 

So this past week I said goodbye to Tobchan and a What Up to Sleet. So Elder Sleet is from St. Louis, Missouri and has been on the mission for 10 months now. The crazy thing I just thought about today is I hit my year mark in 2 weeks! Almost halfway there which is insane but good because I get 1 more year to serve the Lord.

 So missionary work this past week went pretty well.  We got to teach 2 other lessons with people we don't really get to teach so that's awesome. But we don't have that much of a teaching pool. But we are having a youth activity this week where they are playing kickball and we are strongly encouraging the youth to bring their non-member friends. I think this will turn out well because we just had a special youth fireside on Sunday about missionary work. But before I jump into that let me tell you what happened earlier that Sunday. So I spent most of the Sunday introducing my new companion to the ward member's and I heard that Elder Kent D. Watson of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy was going to be at our ward because his daughter is in our ward. So eventually the 3rd hour rolls along and all the priesthood are gathered together.  Before we split up, this older gentleman that is sitting in front of me starts to make small talk with me about where I am from and what not and I tell him I am from Mapleton, UT  and he says he has a cousin or something like who lives there.  His name is Brother Allen who is in the Stake Presidency I think he said. Well, eventually the meeting started and they are introducing new people that are visiting and this gentleman gets up.  Lo and behold he introduces himself as Kent D. Watson and I am like oh snap, I have just been talking to a General Authority without even knowing it.  I was so disappointed in myself.  Later he sits down and turns to me (I am trying to hide my shocked face and pretend like nothing has happened) and he says that he is holding a special youth fireside about missionary work and he would love to have Elder Sleet and I attend so we gladly agreed. So eventually the hour comes around and we go to the fireside at our chapel. The fireside was focused on how the youth in the Wheatstone Ward could prepare to go on a mission and what to expect from the mission. So Elder and Sister Watson do a marvelous job on their presentation and they we going through the chapters of "Preach My Gospel".  But during Elder Watson's talk he is talking about what a missionary's purpose is and as he is doing that he looks into my eyes and says "Elder Barton from Mapleton, Utah will you please come up and tell us what your purpose is and what you are trying to do here in Houston, Texas" and as I am walking up there I am trying to remember what My Purpose is but I am drawing a blank and I am like "Come on you had to learn and repeat this like a million times at the MTC you know this" so I get up there and Elder Watson puts his arm around me. So I proceed to say that "My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End." And he said "That's right Elder! Brothers and Sister this is the purpose for Elder Barton and missionaries all over the world. Thank you Elder you may sit down" Elder Watson went on with his talk and did an amazing job. I left that fireside fired up on missionary work and I hope the youth felt the same way. So it was a very fun week. Thank you so much for your e-mails I really appreciate them and enjoy reading of your experiences! I love y'all

-Cory Barton