week 32

Right now we only have one investigator, Claire.  She is doing alright and she got an answer that the Book of Mormon is true, but she needs to make sure its wasn't just her saying that.  She hasn't been to church so that is really our main focus right now.  She loved the Plan of Salvation, just the whole concept of it really. 

 

Most of the members of the ward are older, in their 60s and above, and they are long time members. There are some younger members and a couple of recent converts. 

 

Our flat is right on the wharf and in the town centre.  It's way close to where we shop.  We shop at a place called Tescos.  Its like a Walmart mixed with a Savemart hahaha so its pretty good.  We have been using our bus passes lately but we bike as well.  Not as much as past companions because Elder Mcgregor hates biking haha unlike me; I love it, it keeps me fit. 

 

I'm getting my bike tomorrow so I will be sure to get pictures and send them to you next email.  It's a road bike with a fixed frame so there aren't shocks like mine now haha.  It's lighter with a really good brake system. It will be good. 

 

Our area is decent in size and we go all over for tracting.  Basically whenever we are in an area we will do some tracting. 

 

The closest missionaries are like a 30 minute bike ride and thats our district leader, Elder Garroway.  He is way cool, I'm going on exchange with him on Thursday.  I don't see Elder Seigel much anymore, we aren't in the same district, so I only see him at transfers and zone meetings (which is tomorrow so that will be fun).

 

The boys in the district

Dinner from KFC!

 

week 31

(Regarding the fire truck pictures from last week)  No, our apartment was not on fire, they were doing some drills and practicing!  It was really cool to watch--Cameron would have loved it!!!

Scouting helped me be a better missionary.  It taught me discipline and and unity between friends.  It taught me how to be a good problem solver and to have determination (like when it took like 8 years to get that stinkin' archery merit badge).  Without scouting I wouldn't have the values I do, or the respect and skills I have gained through it. Plus the amazing people I have met along the way, and the incredible memories I have from it like the Jamboree.  I loved scouting and I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

  

There is a sentence in Preach My Gospel that says something like "your understanding of the Atonement will affect you and give you a strong desire to share the gospel".  It is true, the Savior gave everything to us and gave everything up for us.  So as we follow him we do the same. 

The work in Walsall has been hard, especially with Elder McGregor being sick, but we're getting there.

We had a tender mercy of the Lord on Sunday and had a walk in at church!  He seemed really cool and I'm excited to see where that goes! 
We are working with members and Less Actives alot which is building the kingdom. 

I love D&C 121: 7-8 especially during these hard times. 
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;  And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."

All is well over here in jolly ole England!

week 30

Things are going good here.  We are doing loads of finding.  We tract 1 street a day and have found some way cool people so im excited to see what comes of it.  I'm with Elder McGregor,  he is the best!  He is from Utah and has been out about 19 months.  He has been sick so he's trying to get over that.  

 

not one of our investigators, but one of the investigator's dogs :)

 

Elder McGregor

So it snowed on the 4th!  It was cool, we made a snowman hahaha.  I realised snow is cool until you have to be a missionary in it , then it's not so cool.  But it was good, we shoveled the church and a couple of drives for people.  We're on busses right now, so at least I'm not riding my bike in the snow.  On Sunday we went over to Wandas! She is the best and they made me a cake for my birthday--awesome!  It was a good b-day!  

 

So 2 exciting things--I hit my six month mark and I had a tie burning ceremony and I'm singing in 2 weeks with Elder McGregor in Sacrament Meeting--too bad I can't really sing!

 

Here are a couple of pictures of a pretty church up on a hill:

 

Firetruck (note from editor--I hope their apartment wasn't on fire--I'll have to ask :))

 

week 29

Short email today.  I am emailing from our missionary mum's.  It's my birthday in 1 week!!!   

Man its been pretty hard, I'm not going to lie.  Elder McGregor has been sick, we lost like all of our investigators, and  no one comes to church.  It's just been a hard transfer so far.  The Lord is definitely testing me and my diligence.  I hope this week we can find those that are prepared.  We have a goal to tract 1 street a day this week so we are working on getting that done and talking to everyone!!

 

 

 

 

 

week 28

Olivia wrote me and told me she was going to China and I'm so excited for Jake--he will be a good missionary!

This is my last week as a teenager!  I can't believe my birthday is coming up.  It's cool because there is a lady in our ward and her birthday is Feb 5 as well! It feels weird, I'll be 20, I'm Not to sure how to handle that.

I'm still in Walsall, this will be my 3rd transfer here!  And my 3rd companion!  Now I'm with Elder McGregor who has served here already.  He has been out about 18 months.  He's way funny and we are excited to hit the ground running and work hard this new transfer.  I'm excited for this transfer, we have loads of potential for good to happen! 

This week not much happened at the beginning of the week and then on Wednesday we had transfers. Saturday we went out with a member, Chris, who has just turned his papers in!  We were GQing and doing some tracting.  I prayed for a street to go to and we tracted it.  I was expecting a larger street but it had about, hmmm, 4 houses on it hahaha.  So we tracted that in about 30 seconds and we were walking to Chris's house for dinner.  As I was walking by this house, I looked in the window and saw a lovely home with a man in the kitchen.  I just thought,  "maybe I should knock this door?"  It was the most subtle prompting.  I kinda kept walking on, but then I slowed down and was just looking at the house. Elder McGregor turned and said "do you feel you need to knock that door?"  and I said "yea i do".  So we went and knocked this door.  The man answered and two amazing little kids ran up behind him. I just said, "Hello sir how are you? Me and my friend, we're missionaries for our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we're sharing a wonderful message with people today about how we can be with our families forever.  What would that mean to you if you knew you could be with your 2 kids forever?"  He said, "Well it would mean everything."  He was an amazing guy and we gave him a Plan of Salvation leaflet and said we come by again next week.  After when we were walking away Elder McGregor said, "Im glad you felt that because I did too."   It was a cool little spiritual experience of the still small voice and how it really is still and small.  You have to really listen for it.  It was really cool. 

  

Things are going pretty good here. I'm excited for the next 6 weeks and what we can get done! 

The Hyland Family--they are the best!

The Boys are back in town!  I love these guys!

week 27

Transfers were today.  Elder Steed is trainning a boy (new missionary).  He is whitewashing (both companions are new to the area) a brand new area.   It was funny because their flat has nothing at all, so they had to go to Ikea and buy furnishings and what not.  Interesting first day for his greenie.

So yes, yet again another new companion.  I've been in Walsall 3 transfers and this is my 3rd companion.  

I'm now with Elder McGregor, who already served in Walsall at one point.  He is way cool and has about 6 months left.  Everything here is going great.  I'm excited for what we can accomplish this transfer--last transfer we commited a lady to baptism!

More information and pictures on Monday!  Cheers!

week 26

England is good, Walsall is great!!  I can't believe I've been out about 6 months!  It's insane how fast it really does go.  The area is great.  I love Walsall and don't want to leave, so I'm hoping I can stay here a while. I love the people, the members, everything about it.   We are working really hard right now to help our investigators progress.  We have tons, we just can't seem to get them moving forward.  Some of our potential investigators either flogg us or don't have any desire to know more or continue seeing us.  Me and Elder Steed are working hard and really want an investigator with a baptisimal date.  That is our goal this week.  Just like in the Mormon Message:

 

 

It's a new year, don't look back just keep moving foward.  We were teaching a less-active member.  He is from the Congo and he is awesome.  We were talking about how we have to walk the path and how we continue to fall off this path and how God continues to pick us up to put us back on it again, and this man said the most amazing thing!  He said, "It all depends on our willingness to walk the path.  We have this simple plan God has created and the path we need to walk.  Now it all depends on us and our willingness to walk the path we are on."  

Loads of candy--there's a story to this.....

We went over to the home of a less-active family.  She is the daughter of this really cool older couple in the ward who feed us like every Friday. But anyway, we are over there just getting to know them, and we're chatting it up.  During this, she brings out some candy and feeds some to the boys and us.  One of her boys is way cute, he's about 2. To picture him, picture the little baby on Ice Age (haha).  He has a piece of chocolate and then she puts the candy away and he bawls his eyes out.  Face plants it in the ground, and just lays there like Randy on the Christmas Story. She then says, "yeah, sorry he is a chocolate addict".  So now its about time for us to go, and we ask if there is anything we can do for them.  She says, "Yeah, eat some of our chocolate.  So of course we say, "sure we can do that." She says, "good I'll go make some bags for you."  Now I'm expecting a little ziploc with some candies---NOOO!!  She comes out with this huge bag (like the red ones we have for Target and stuff).  Ginormous bags loaded and overflowing with candy bars hahahah we just are like wow.  Now at this point the little chocolate addict cannot take his eyes of that bag.  He walks over to it and looks inside and of course we know what he's thinking-- WHAT ARE YOU DOING MOM!?!?  He looks inside it, and then looks back up again.  Now this is alot of candy.  I picked it up and it easily weighed about 10 pounds.  The little boy grabs the handles of the bag and starts dragging it across the floor toward the door.  We are all just laughing, then his dad walked in and blocked the door and just started laughing.  So the little boy resorted to his back up plan. . . . and he started attempting to eat the chocolate, but his dad stopped him just in time.  It was hilarious!

 

 

Some ginormous miner guy in the middle of Wolverhampton.  It was nuts!

week 25

We're at the Mac store again, we are at the bullring  today just for a couple of hours.  

On New Year's Eve we stayed up 'til midnight and watched a free fireworks show from our balcony.

It was pretty cool, I'm not gonna lie.  

England is doing good!  It's getting slightly colder and it is raining loads!!  After church on Sunday we went by to see a potential investigator, we got to his house and knocked and no one was home.  So we decided to flog 10 (knock some doors) and we knocked the door to the left and an amazing lady answered, she is way cool!!  We were talking with her and midway through, it started off and on raining.  As we left and it starting dumping buckets and we were still in our suits--we got soaked!!!  It was soo funny hahaha.

Walsall and the people are good.  We are working on trying to get back in contact with our investigators after the holidays and what not.

 

I realized I need to take more pictures and videos so I'm working on it. Plus I forgot my camera so I 

will send loads next week sorry :(

 

You can find me on mormon.org (or you can type in Michael Barton on find people).  And encourage everyone else to make one too!

week 24

The Ward Christmas Eve party was really fun, we just sang Christmas carols and then had treats after.  I had to eat mince pies which were absolutely disgusting.  On Christmas Day we went over to a family's house right after church and we hung out with them and had some snacks.   He is the elders quorum president and he is awesome!  We were driving to his house because he took us, and we pulled over because some guy was lying on the ground with his bike. so we jumped out of the car and ran over.  It was windy and I felt like I was in a cop movie in my suit and stuff, I felt like I was in Burn Notice.  After that we went to another home.  She is the nicest lady EVER!    We went to eat, and there were like 10 people there, so it was a regular old party.  We came home and I just fell asleep at around 8:00, I was soooo tired.  Today(Boxing Day) was a full p-day so we just did some shopping and emailed and went to a lunch appointment.  Then we went to the arboretum and played some footy (football).  It was really fun!  I had a fun time just kicking it around.  

 The building we meet in looks like ours just a little bit smaller, actually alot smalller haha.  My mission president, President and Sister Ogden are the best!  I love them sooo much and they leave in July, so when I'm out about a year I'll get a new mission president.  I will be really sad because I will miss them.  I'm still in Walsall and I have been here for about 2 transfers and I'll be here for a while.  I'm excited for the future.  There are a lot of good things ahead. 

Pictures from the mission Christmas party December 23 at the mission home:

Happy Christmas

Editor's Note:  Missionaries are allowed to call home twice a year, on Christmas and Mother's Day.  To cut down on cost, international missionaries are allowed to skype.  We were able to see and talk to Michael this morning!  And through a couple of technological glitches, we found that he looks wonderful and sounds great!  He is happy!
Happy Christmas everyone!

week 23

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!



My new companion is pretty funny and cool, I'm excited for this transfer.  He has served in Cardiff Wales, Harborne Birmingham, Aberystwyth Wales,  and Wooster Cheltenham.  He goes home in February,  I'm not sure what date but that month. 

 

I can't figure out the Christmas message!  The only letter I got was the "i" haha because of the velcro--there were two dots hahaha  it is hard. 

 

As for our Christmas plans:

• Thursday about half the mission will be meeting in the bullring (a giant mall) at 6:30pm.  We will find a nice place and sing Christmas carols all night.  I'm really excited for that. 
• Friday, we have the Christmas party at the mission home.  That will  be soooo fun!!
• Christmas Eve (Saturday) we have a ward party so that will be really fun. 
• Christmas Day (Sunday) we have a 1 hour Sacrament service in the morning and then we are going to a family's house for lunch, the Pullen family.  Then we head over to Sue and Wanda's and we spend the rest of the night with them.  We eat, play games, skype!!, have fun. 
• Boxing Day (Monday) we are going over to the Smith's and playing some futbol with the kids at the park and we have lunch with this lady Evelyn.  Then shopping for sweet deals because everything is like 90% off on Boxing Day haha not really but there are some really good deals. 

That's our weekend!  It is going to be absolutely crazy and jam packed! 

 

It is freezing cold here hahaha and it hasn't snowed yet. Everything is just iced over.  We were biking last night and we pulled into this street and both me and Elder Steed slipped and slid on the ice hahahaha it was sooo funny.  No one got injured because we were biking really slow and kinda screwing around but it was hilarious haha. 

 

Views from the flat of one of our investigators. he is in a tower flat on the 15th floor, it is amazing!

week 22

(Editor's Note:  It had taken some time for Michael to get the mailing tube I had sent to him with his Christmas poster inside--by the way, thanks to all those who participated in Project 25!)   I did get the mailing tube finally! I'm still trying to decode the message, i have no idea--I'm gonna sit down today and try to do it.  Funny story about the parcel.  So it was late one night, like 9:30, and we got a knock on the door.  I'm just like, "what is this?"  I look out the peephole and it's some random guy holding a mailing tube haha.  So I open the door and he's like, "hey the postman was downstairs, so I thought I'd bring this to you so you could have it now."  I was like, "thank you sooo much!"  Then we saw him a couple days later and we started chatting with him and we gave him a card and stuff, he is really cool!  He said he might be interested in learning more about our church!

  

Michael and Elder Steed

My new companion is Elder Steed.  He is way cool!  He has been out 21 months.  So I'm sure I will kill him, (that means to be his last companion).  We are going to work hard to try and find a family to teach this season.  He is really short haha, and not just because Elder Siegel was really tall.   He is from St. George Utah.  

I haven't gotten lost that much, actually I'm kind of surprised!  I'm finding my way around fairly well!  Hahaha if I hit Scotland I'll be sure to take a picture first, then Ill ring up president!

Our investigators seem to be doing well and we have found loads of new investigators as well, so that is really cool!  I'm just excited for this transfer, I feel that we are going to have a lot of success. 

Michael's Christmas tree

Well I kind of hoped there would be snow but there isn't any snow yet and probably wont be any :(  There are lights everywhere and a tree set up in town centre. Nothing compared to the tree in San Francisco hahaha, but it is trying to be.  Everyone seems happier and we are singing carols to people on the street.  Last night we stopped this lady and we said, "hey, we are singing Christmas carols to people tonight, what is your favorite""  She said, "Silent Night".  So we sang  Silent Night to her and she started singing with us as well.  She wasn't interested in the church but you could see she was happier and that is cool!  We made her night a little better, and gave her a good impression of the missionaries.  

Michael's district

 

week 21

We just got back from transfers.  Oh man last transfer just flew by!!  Elder Siegel got transferred :(  Im really sad because I love him!!  We were talking, and missionary work is really, really hard.  You love a companion and you get split up, you love an area and you leave.  The Lord tests your patience and diligence.  My new companion is Elder Steed.  I went from serving with the tallest companion in the mission to the shortest lol.  I don't know him well but I hope we can be best friends because that makes it so much easier. 

The mission is being all shuffled around.  President Ogden leaves in just about 6 months and we will get a new Mission President, so he is preparing the mission and there are a lot of weird changes. Our district got split in half and Elder Siegel is actually my district leader.  He is also serving in his greenie area!  Which is so cool. 

We are teaching a lot of really cool people and the ward is the best!  I'm really excited for what can happen this transfer.  I'm a little worried I have to lead the way and be in charge because I "know the area" but the problem is I'm directionally challenged, you know that.  So I'm scared I will get lost all the time.  The Lord is testing me I know it. 

I want to leave you with my testimony and a challenge.  The Book of Mormon is true.  It changes lives.  It is amazing.  It is the word of God and it is powerful.  This church is true.  Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Redeemer.  I would like to challenge you and all the readers of the blog to recommit yourself to the gospel, especially during this Christmas season.  Remember what this time is really about--The Saviour Jesus Christ.  Be more like him this season.  Help those in need,  the poor the weary, the lonely.  Stand up and do good. and think of this song...

have i done any good in the world today, 

have i helped anyone in need,

have i cheered up the sad, and made someone feel glad,

if not i have failed indeed.

This song made me realized I don't do enough.  Get up, get out, and help those who need it.  I promise that as you do you will gain the pure love of Christ and your life will be changed.  You will have charity and love for all that cross your path and your desire to help will increase along with your love for the Saviour. 

week 20

Our turkey bowl was the best!  I had so much fun hanging out with the other missionaries. 



Michael and the Zone Leader, Elder Zindel



The Christmas season is the best and I'm surrounded by the Walsall ward who love me and I love them.  I love this area so much.  The ward is great, the people are great, and my companion is great.  Every day he pushes me to be a little better.  I love him for that. 

 



Michael and Elder Seigel

We are working hard and are looking to find a family to teach this season.  A mother and father and children!  It will be great. 

Michael working hard and getting ready for exchanges with his 5 pound bag (cost 5 pounds, not weighs 5 pounds :))

We have been working really hard and were blessed with 3 new investigators.  It was a good week and we were blessed by the Lord for our efforts.  I gave a talk in church on Sunday about the miracle of forgiveness and repentance.  The Lord really does love all of his children.  There is always a way back onto the path no matter how far you might have strayed and it is so important to remember that. 

 

I have a challenge for all the readers of the blog:  

During this Christmas season look for unplanned opportunities for service.  Perform that act of service in a way of love.  Don't look for credit or do the service for recognition.  Do it because that is what the Saviour would have done.  I promise that as you do this you will feel the pure love of Christ in your life.  You will be blessed from the Lord and you will grow so much! 

 

I love being on a mission.  It will be one of the hardest things I do in my whole life guaranteed-- but it will be the most rewarding.  To really receive the blessings of the Lord we must make a sacrifice and humble ourselves so He can lift us up.  I love all of you and hope you have a wonderful holiday!

week 19

Merry Christmas!!  It is Christmas season here because Thanksgiving doesn't exist here--it really is a shame. 

Thanks for the Thanksgiving parcel I love it!  Hahah funny story we have dinner appointments every night this week except..........drum roll.........Thursday hahahaha it was kind of funny lol. 

I'm excited, we are putting up our Christmas tree soon so I will send pictures.  It's just a cheap artificial one we found in the wardrobe.  It's pretty cool though.

  

In Walsall it's starting to get foggy and snow is expected soon.  Its getting pretty nippy and it's not that cold it's just humid and wet so it tears right through you.  You layer up because it's freazing, hop on your bike, bike to your destination, and take all your layers off because you're sweating like crazy, and then you repeat the same thing over and over lol.

 

Our investigators are having hurdles, they both missed their dates.  It makes me sad when I see these people change from the gospel and then they can't move forward with what they want. 

We are tracting and finding a lot and we have found some new people, hopefully they stay interested.  We have loads and loads of potentials and we are just focusing on how to make them investigators. 

We are working hard and having fun.  The transfer is almost over, we are starting week 4 right now!  Crazy how fast it has gone! 

We are going to the turkey bowl right now.  It's zone p-day and we play American flag football so that will be really fun.  I will be sure to take loads of pictures and send them next week. 

P.S. sorry no pictures this week but there will be LOADS next week to make up for it I promise :)

Michael's english sounding words of the week:  post, parcel, nippy, wardrobe

week 18

A couple of weeks ago we e-mailed from the bullring, which is this huge mall.  And so we found a Mac store and e-mailed from there.  The Mac store was the only place we could email.  We left all the laptops on mormon.org and left a pass along card on each keyboard hahaha. 

I'm excited for great things to come!  Walsall, which is like dead center in Brom.   Our two investigators with dates are having a hard time.  One has some hurdles of addictions he has to overcome and the other is completely ready but his wife won't let him.  We are just helping them overcome these challenges and letting them make their own decisions.  We love them and just want what is best for them.

We are finding like crazy in Walsall!  The Stake President said that if every door is knocked in 3 years then we would see miracles.  So we are tracting about 3 streets a week to try and accomplish that.  We have loads of potential investigators and we just need to get them progressing.  We work really hard and try to have fun while doing it to keep ourselves happy.

The ward is really small but everyone is so nice!  I love them all.  We were at a members house last night playing scrabble and having dinner!

The weather has been suprisingly warm!  No snow yet, which everyone says is weird so it should be coming soon.

week 17

Man today will be good because I desperately needed a p-day to just stay home and do absolutly nothing.  But . . . we are going to the church after email to play basketball with the Zone Leaders so that should be fun.     



Michael at 5'8" and Elder Seigel at 6'8"



Michael and Elder Seigel jammin'



So I'm now in Walsall!  My new area for probably quite a while. I'm excited because the ward is great and we get fed a lot, we actually have DAs every night this week except for Wednesday!  Elder Siegel is awesome and he is a way hard worker.    We are teaching two investigators with a date.  Both are really cool and both have hurdles they have to jump.  It's frustrating, but we are working with them to get through this. So we are just praying and waiting.  We are working hard and having fun while doing it!  We got a referral the other day from the bishop for this lady who has been coming to church and I thought she was a member but she isn't.  So we are going to start teaching her and she told us, "I want to be baptised, I just have to be taught first." lol   There was a baby blessing in church the other day and there was basically an after party at the family's house hahaha it was awesome food and cake.  He is the Elders' quorum president and he is awesome!  The work here is crazy and really fun, I'm excited for the future here in Walsall.

 

Michael's pumpkin

Michael and Halloween pumpkin

 

It is officially winter.  We just got our first frost so it will only get much worse; and we had a warm fall, so winter will most likely stink.  We had Halloween!  We carved pumpkins and put them on the railing of our balcony, then it rained haha--sad times for the pumpkins.  I was cleaning the flat and guess what I found!  An artificial christmas tree!! With lights and decorations and everything--even a star!!  Its awesome!  I was so excited. 

 

I have gotten letters!  Thank you so much!  I love you and miss you!

week 16

Happy Halloween!  They do celebrate Halloween here, but not as big as back home.  We have to go in at 7:00 tonight to be safe.  Guy Fawkes day is this weekend and it is crazy.  Guy went into parliament and try to blow it up with explosives.  He was caught and burned at the stake.  So to celebrate, everyone makes really big bonfires and launches off fireworks.  Its like a British 4th of July!

It was hard leaving Swindon.  I loved the people and the area.  It was a great area.  But new adventures are ahead.  I'm in Walsall which is right in Brum.  It's smaller than Swindon but 10x crazier because it is a city. Our flat is really nice, it's quite big and we have a balcony.  It is right on the canal so we see the canal boats a lot and we walk up that a lot.   

Elder Seigel (my companion) has been out about 17 months.  He is from Alpine Utah and he is 6 ft 8 in tall. He is really funny but also really serious at times.  He has been in Walsall about 5 transfers so about 7 months.  And I will probably be here that long as well.  He is very serious at being a missionary but he has his moments of being funny.  

We have 2 investigators with a date and possibly more to come.  The ward has about 60 members and I have had a DA (dinner appointment) every night I have been here.  We tract a lot but the reason is because the Stake President said if the Litchfield stake knocks every door in 3 years we will see miraculous blessings. So that's what we are doing. The ward is great the people are great and I know I will be here for a while so I'm excited for that. 

I have a saying that I live by now, it is my saying that gets me going and stay working hard.

Pray as though everything depended on the LORD, and work as though everything depended on YOU.

I love being on a mission.  In no way is it easy, you experience the highest highs and the lowest lows. It is a great experience.  I never really noticed, but the gospel really does change lives and I have seen it in my own life and in the lives of people we teach.  It brings true happiness if you do all you can to live it.  It is an amazing blessing that we have in our lives.

week 15

Alright where to begin.  I'll start with transfers.  I got the call and I got moved out of swindon:(  I'm sad but I'm moving on to someone who I'm prepared for.  Transfer meeting was amazing and President Ogden is just so good!  I love him! 

So I got transfered to Walsall, which is pretty close to Birmingham.    Man we moved in to the flat and boy is it nice!  Our flat is really, really nice and it is in the middle of town so everything is pretty close to us.  I'm so excited about it.

My new companion is Elder Siegel and he is awesome!  He is funny and really really tall lol.  He seems like a hard worker and he trained Elder Harper who is in my group. 

I'm excited for what is to come!  I'm excited for this transfer and for all the things we can accomplish.  I can't wait to get out and meet all the people in Walsall and work hard.  I feel this transfer we will be able to have loads of success so I'm happy.

I'm glad I made the decision to come on a mission.  I wont lie, there are days where I'm like why did I do this, I should have stayed home.  But the blessings I receive every day are amazing.  You meet so many people and they become brothers to you.  When I left Swindon it was really hard to say goodbye to some people.  You really do learn to love the people and they become like family to you. 

This is our new address to our flat:

Elder Michael Barton

45 One Gallery Square

Walsall

WS2 8LN

England

Its a little bit easier than the other one (haha shorter).

Sorry I don't have much to talk about because I don't know anything but I'm really excited for this transfer.  We have a Dinner Appointment tonight so I'm pretty excited for that as well.