week 54

We had a heat wave the past couple of days, it's supposed to roll into this week, but right now it's looking pretty cloudy.  So we will see.

The teaching pool is negative 5 right now, no I'm mucking about. We don't have any proper investigators, we have a couple of good potentials that we are trying to get to new investigator status but we are just not sure.  We are speaking to everybody.  Some days it's good and others no one wants to even say hello.  The sun kind of helps a little so I like it!  We did some painting for this one bloke, who is having us around tonight!  So that looks promising.  We are just speaking to people, doing service and just trying to have faith in Jesus Christ and hope that everything is going to work out for the best.  It is rough some days when no one says hello, not a door opens, but it becomes all worth it when you keep pushing through and you meet someone really cool.  

So a dodgey story: we were biking home from church, which is about 8 miles, and we were cruisin' down this hill.  We get to this roundabout, a tiny one, and there is no one there but one car in front of us and the car is slowing down and then it stops completely.  I'm behind it and I pull the brakes and I'm getting closer to this car, and my back tyre slides out and I go drift onto the footpath.  Elder Brewer is cruising down and screams to me elder b my brakes dont work move, so I scooted like an inch and he whizzed by.  in the meantime this lady is still sitting at the roundabout so we bike off.   Thanks to Heavenly Father and good brakes we got away unscratched and alright.

(I had asked Michael about a word I read in a newspaper article--whinging and this was his response: "yea they use that and these words too

minging-gross

muckin about- messin around

gobsmacked- shocked

lad/bloke- man"

All is well here!

week 52

The sky on the way home from Zone Conference

We had Zone Conference and interviews with President Rasmussen.  They have a son on a mission in Nashville Tennessee, and I realised that I know their son Tyler!  We went to BYU-I together and I had a class with him.  I feel President is going to be fairly strict. At Zone conference he whipped out the white handbook and told us some things he feels are important.  He seems like a good, loving man.  At interviews we had a good chat and he just wanted to know more about me and things and he said I'm glad you have a year left we can get to know each other really well.  He told me "Elder Barton the Lord has big and great things for you to accomplish in this next year so keep working hard and you'll see the blessings."  Here is a little fact for you, at the moment 60% of the mission has been out under 6 months.  We are such a young mission. I'm probably in the top 20% if not higher.  It's crazy, so I have a feeling that this will be my last transfer in Milford and I'll get moved to another area with a younger missionary because President wants to spread us around and take advantage of the older guys.  It will be good.

Unfortunately I have sad news about the family we were teaching.  The husband completely hardened his heart toward the gospel.  The tithing thing really stuck and he wouldnt let us read from the Book of Mormon when we saw them last or anything, so we won't be seeing them for the time being.  We are going to sit back and let them figure it out and we will pop by in a couple of weeks to see what's up.  So back to the drawing board.  We are finding loads which is hard because your results are pretty slow for a while, but then suddenly boom 20 new investigators.  We have a couple of teaches tonight and then tomorrow from noon til 1730 we have a teach every hour hahaha we will be packed with people.  I have faith that they will all keep their appointments!  

As we study the gospel we gain knowledge, but I've learned the best and quickest way to gain a testimony of the gospel is to live it.  As we live the principles, we come to know they are true.  That is why, as missionaries, we invite people to do things to build their faith. Because even though reading will help, if they live a principle it means more and lasts a lot longer.  And as we live a principle we gain a piece of the puzzle and slowly our puzzle starts to form around the edges and then we fill in the middle pieces because those are a lot harder to get. 

The rain is still coming in (wettest June in history!).  Right now it is like a really thick blanket of mist so I feel like you get wetter that way, but its all part of the experience.  We are already getting tourists down from all over the place because Pembrokeshire is so beautiful.  There are alot of caravan parks here so we usually have some tourists.  And since it's supposedly summer, the surfers are here and the caravan parks are full and people are coming for the Olympics!  It's gonna be crazy!  

A castle in Aberystwyth

Another castle in Aberystwyth

week 49

Croeso Hwlffordd!  That's welsh!

Last week was a tough one.  We have seen miracles since day one and they have changed my view on things.  But right now we feel that the Lord is saying, "Alright I have given you loads of miracles and blessings but now here is some hard ground and let's see if you have what it takes to keep your faith and diligence and trust in me. Then when you push through this there are miracles waiting for you."  We have had some people stop investigating and we have had struggles teaching and even giving out books but we have been pushing through and not forgeting the Lord.  But we had an amazing experience the other day.  The family we are teaching came to church the other day for the 2nd time!!  They liked it and they were leaving and the dad runs back in and taps me on the shoulder and says, "I almost forgot, this is for the church."  And he hands me an envelope with some money in it.  I just had a blank shocked stare and said thank you so much!  I walked away just gobsmacked at the fact he just paid tithing, it was brilliant!  We are seeing miracles and the Book of Mormon is changing the lives of people. I was on exchanges so Elder Hoffmann was here and we went to see a former investigator and they were clearly not interested as the door was slammed in our face. So we did some flogg 10 (which means knock the doors around when a teaching appointment falls through) and we met this wonderful woman!  She was friendly and we started talking and she was helping a friend who had just lost her father and she said "well I know what she is going through because I lost my husband and father last year."  We bore testimony of the plan of salvation and how she would see her family members again.  The spirit was soo strong and she began to cry.  We got a return appointment and we are going to see her next Tuesday.  Powerful and amazing.  We will continue to be obedient, work hard and I know we will see miracles. 

beautiful sunset

Transfers are next week!  This one has been fast and slow at the same time!  I'm not too sure about any special events with the mission president swap, but its gonna be a crazy week!  Lots of travel to meet people and say goodbye and what not.  I'm sad President Ogden is leaving!  He is an amazing man! I'm a little nervous for this new president, I dont know why I'm just worried, but oh well nothing I can do about it so just move on and keep doing what I'm doing. 

Elder Brewer

Elder Brewer is my companion's name, we are in the same group, we sat on the plane next to each other over here.  He is from Springville, Utah.  He is a good guy, humble, hardworking, loves his mission.  He is the district leader and he is cool! 

Quick funny story so it was hardcore windy Thursday, massive storm or something, but we were biking and getting destroyed; so we went to take a lunch break and we sat crounched down behind this statue because it was the only thing that would stop the rain and wind hahaha.

Me in the ocean (haha) sweet wall!

week 47

It is holiday Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  It's a crazy weekend where everyone celebrates and hits the pubs!  Crazy Brits, all that matters is drinking and their dogs!

Elder Brewer is a way hard worker which is cool.  We are working hard and we are seeing miracles in this area.  Last week we gave out 12 Books of Mormon and we got 3 new investigators. It was a miracle.  On Sunday we were able to teach a family of 5.  They are soo cool!  We watched a Book of Mormon video and they said, "that video makes me want to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true."  We were like "wait, what??!!"  It was a really cool experience.  We are seeing miracles in the area as we turn the work over to the Lord.  The chapel is coming along really well!  The walls are up, the roof is on and tiled, the steeple is up and the windows and trimmings are on.  All that's left is paint and the inside.  It is looking really good!!!  

The new senior couple in our area are the Pierces from North Carolina.  They are older, but they are really cool as well.  It is a wee bit dodgey driving with them.  Hahaha "left side of the road Elder Pierce, not the right". lol its funny though I love it.  They help a lot with the  less actives and we are doing a lot of finding until we have someone to teach.

Last p-day we went to the beach and played some footy with the zone leaders and it was way fun!  
I'm just loving my mission right now! I'm obedient, we are seeing miracles, we're serving the members, and I'm just having so much fun!!

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 14

I get to send emails from the computer at the library.  The library is pretty big. (This next part is especially for his mom :))  You would love it.  There are loads and loads of books.  Lots of computers and little children.  

 

I'm having a contest for bike names.  Please come up with wicked awesome names!   Here's some information about my bike to help you out.  I don't have a picture of my bike close up, but its a mountain bike.  It is black and grey, really ghetto looking, like a thug bike.  It is a boy bike and its personality is rough and tough with a slight side of "I wish I looked better" lol.    That is about it.  Elder Dahl did the same competition and his brother came up with a golden name!  His bike's name is Bilbo Baggins McGagger hahahaha so funny. Its absolutely brilliant!! 

 

We are getting fed better.  We had a DA with the Wheelers.  He is actually from Turlock and he has a brother who lives in Stockton!  So that was really cool.  



Michael and Elder Lyman

 



Michael and Elder Muir



Michael and Elder Stoddard

During personal study I usually read a little of Preach My Gospel and then some Book of Mormon.  Sometimes I will read a little in the Ensign.  For companionship study we study what we did in personal study.  Read the white missionary handbook, a chapter in the Book of Mormon,  and then do role plays practicing how we will teach lessons for that day. 

 

We are teaching this lady from Nigeria.  We are still teaching our mother and daughter investigators.  We weren't able to meet with them for a while because they were so busy, but we were finally able to see them Saturday and we are seeing them tonight as well. 

 

Transfers are next Wednesday! Insane!  So my next comunication won't be until Wednesday or possibly Thursday.  Then I can let you know if im staying in Swindon or moving on.  I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.  It will be good though.  Life is good here.  We are working hard, playing hard and having fun.  

 

New words Michael used in his letter this week that made him sound very English:  fret, well good, lad.