week 102

We did it!  We made it and have grown from it!  Things here are great. I've said my goodbyes and I'm excited to see you!  

Me and Donella

Me and Geoff

Me and Wayne

Me and the Richeys (one of the coolest families in the ward--he's from Oregon)

It's gonna be awesome, I have soooo many stories to tell you! and so many things to talk about so have your list of questions ready hahaha!

I got my flight plans on Friday!

So I fly out early 6am Wednesday to Amsterdam. 

Then a 2 hour lay over.

Fly from Amsterdam to Portland.

Then Portland to Sacramento!!!  

AWESOME!!!!  

I promise, nothing will stop me from getting home.  LOL

 

I'll see you on Wednesday!!!

week 97

This week is going to be soooo incredibly busy, it is just going to fly right on by.  We have a meeting tomorrow, then we have a pretty busy day on Wednesday, then we have zone conference on Thursday and sports night, then Friday we have weekly planning and a couple of appointments then Saturday we have an appointment and Sunday is church!  It's going to be insane.  Thursday will be a good day and hard-- I give my departing testimony on Thursday at zone conference.  Weird. 

Things here are good. I will finish in Lufbra and Elder Steel will be my last companion.   I really wouldn't have it any other way though. I love Lufbra and the people are awesome!  I love it all!!

We are seeing miracles happen really just this last week or so.  We are working with a part member family, the husband is not a member. Well they fed us the other night and we taught them after and he said he knows the Book of Mormon is true because it doesn't teach anything that goes against what God said in the Bible. And I was like wait what hahaha SWEET! So we are having him pray to know the priesthood has been restored because we feel that is really the only thing that could hold him back--but I'm soooo excited to see how it goes, we are seeing them on Saturday!  Plus we found this new investigator that lives in this village north of us called East Leake.  He used to be taught and he says that when he knows these things are true he will be baptised.  He has a wife and a son, we aren't too sure how interested they are but who knows still a miracle!  So much potential this transfer for miracles to happen, I'm soooo excited!!

The weather is back to its unpredictable English blah.  Yesterday it was baking and today it is a sheet of mist hahaha gotta love it :) 

Things are good here.  I'm looking forward to an awesome week!  So it shall be good!

week 92

So here is all the news. 

Elder Steel, Michael, Elder Dutton (Michael trained him several months ago) and Elder Dutton's new missionary.

My new missionary's name is Elder Steel.  He is one of the 18 year olds. He is from Gooding, Idaho.  He has 2 sisters and 2 brothers.  It was a rough week I won't lie. Not only am I training a new boy but I'm district leader as well.  hahaha what is happening?

Michael and Elder QB

I was with Elder Quackenbush for 4 1/2 months and I really loved being with him. We got along great and totally knew each other and it was a little bit of a shell shock to go to someone completely new.  

Elder Steel is is a quiet kid which is also hard because Elder QB never stopped talking hahaha but I've realised that this is life and we get comfortable and like being with someone and then everything changes and we are kind of frazzled.  So thats all. I'm doing well, I just pray and read the scriptures and just try and talk and laugh a lot. 

We had a moment last night. I hit breakthrough and we talked about not being perfect and how we can't expect to reach it in the mission.  We will always make mistakes and he was saying how he just thinks he can do better and we just talked about it. It was good. He needs to relax, have fun, and enjoy being here.  So we're good. 

But I'm still in Loughborough, which means I will finish my mission here in Loughborough.  That will make it 9 months hahaha sooooooo long but I wouldn't have it any other way.
The ward is amazing, the area is amazing! IT is just AWESOME!!!

Yesterday the ZL's came and worked with us for a bit and we gave out 14 Books of Mormon and got about 11 potential investigators!!!!  It was an amazing day!  So that helped us alot with building our teaching pool so now we just hope they hold and we can get at least 1 new investigator from it.  So things are good here. 

Yep, my  hurts a bit but it is soooo much better, I haven't been on the bike in forever and I've been wearing my saddle bag for ages. The doctor still is saying take it easy and no biking but we have found loads of people anyway, that's one thing I love about our area, you really could walk it all the time it's gonna take time but you could.  It takes about 1 hour to get to church and that's about the farthest we would walk.  

Things here are good. I'm excited to be here but I won't lie its hard knowing i dont have long left.  I want more than anything to finish strong, I've worked hard my whole mission I can't just stop now!

Michael and some of the elders (except probably the one in the middle) 

week 86

So transfers were on Saturday and boy oh boy do I have news.

TRANSFER NEWS!

So first off, Elder QB and I are staying together again! This will be our 3rd transfer together, he is my longest companion.  Then they split our zone, it used to be the Nottingham/Leicester Zone and now there is a Nottingham Zone with ZL's and a Leicester Zone with ZL's. Which gives more leadership positions to handle all the increase in missionaries.    So now we are in the Leicester Zone which makes sense because we are in the Leicester stake.  So we moved districts as well, before we were in the Nottingham district but now we are in the Westcotes district in Leicester.  Yep there is more.

So we have another set of missionaries in Loughborough now, its the Zone Leaders.  So they have a car and I will bum as many rides as I can lol!  They have their own posh flat on the other side of town.  It is really nice and in a good area.  They are cool and now there is 4 of us so its crazy.  We split the area to make it easier to work and it is good we have the east side of Loughborough and all the villages like Sileby, Quorn, Mount Sorrell, and East Leake. That's where the train line runs so we can actually get out there. So it makes sense.  It's good we are going to hit these areas hard, now that we have less ground to cover we can work more effectively and efficiently. We pick an area and work that area  the whole week so by the end of the week the area has been destroyed lol and we move on to another area. 

We are expected to have an increase of 100 missionaries by the end of 2013.  We have about 150 missionaries right now so that's about 250!  I'm not sure how many sisters we have, but I would guess maybe 20-25 sisters, but we are expected to get loads more.  Every sister in the mission will be training at the end of this transfer. We are supposed to be getting 30 odd missionaries at the end of this transfer and then 20 odd at the end of the next one.  It's absolutely crazy!  So things are pumpin over here!  I see that by the time I go home every area in the mission will have at least 4 missionaries in it!  It will be insane!

The ZLs have a meeting tomorrow where they will find out all the news for the next couple of transfers and whether they will be 5 or 6 weeks.  

It is starting to pick up on the temperature here, but it goes up and down all the time.  So one day it's warm and sunny and the next it's grey and windy. Welcome to England. It's okay you really do get used to the fact that everyday is a gamble for the weather.  I usually end up bringing everything so that I am prepared for whatever weather happens hahaha!

 

Yep so we met the DVD man in the park Saturday and we taught him the first discussion and did a how to begin teaching (which is basically where you go and figure out their religious background and what their beliefs are) and then you tell them what your job as a missionary is and how we are guides here to help you find answers to your questions--something like that. Then we taught a brief introduction to the Restoration and the Book of Mormon.  We left him with a Book of Mormon and we are seeing him next Sunday :)  He is cool, he is looking for a religion and believes in following God in his own way. So we asked him if he had ever prayed to know what God wants him to do and he said, "no not really, I always thought He just wanted me to believe in whatever way works for me", and we commited him to read the Book of Mormon and to pray to know what God wants him to do.  It went really well!

 

week 80

It's almost February!  How weird is that! 

Hahaha We sometimes say that we are pesterers for salvation haha.

Diligence is one of the best learnt characteristics ever!  It leads to great things and shows your desire and love for things.

 

Things are crazy! So with transfers.........I'm staying in lufbra. My new companion is........Elder Quackenbush. lol we are both staying so it's cool. 

Things are good here! We taught Donnella last night at the chapel and afterwards we got our food that a member had dropped off.  All the young men were there about to start, so we left and we are walking down the stairs.  We turn around and they are all charging at us with snowballs!   We get into a massive snowball fight hahaha and we are running out of the car park chucking snowballs. We were like retreat its 2 v 7  and we are not prepared hahaha so we booked it hahaha it was soo funny!

 

Our investigators are doing well. They are progressing at their rates but I think we can commit one to baptism for this transfer.  He wants it so now he just is working on showing it.  It's been a really long week since last pday.  We have been working hard. finding, teaching and doing loads of service.  Just yesterday we did roofing with this member, we were up putting tiles on. way cool!  The snow is still here so we have been doing a lot of shoveling.  On Sunday we went up to the church like 2 hours early and shoveled all the walkways, and the entrance and half the car park and laid salt down so when people came it was all clear and safe.  That felt good.  It's been a really rewarding week. 

 

Today the sisters in my group went home :( scary to think that means i only have 4 transfers left. 

 

PS  I feel really bad because I have loads of pictures but I forgot my camera cord so I can't email them so I'll get them to you I promise!

 

week 74

I am safe and healthy and happy :)  I'm staying in Lufbra!  Elder Gomez got transfered to Wales, Blackwood.

My new companion is Elder Quackenbush, from Utah.  He has been out about 7 1/2 months.  he is the man and actually just came from Wales!  LOL it's the legendary Lufbra, Wales connection. Everybody that comes to Lufbra always comes from Wales and everyone that leaves Lufbra always goes to Wales hahaha. 

So yes, Elder Quackenbush seems like a good kid, I'm excited to be working with him and to be able to see success this transfer!

He is 19, has one older sister, and this is his 4th area hahaha he has gotten moved around. 

He was only in Wales 1 transfer and he was in an area by Cardiff. 

He seems like a kool kat!  I'm excited to work with him. 

This week has felt like its been ages!!!  and its only Thursday.  It's just so weird.  I have been so incredibly tired this week it's insane!  

Christmas is going to be crazy fun this year.  I'm not exactly sure the plan for Christmas.  We will be skyping, I'm just not sure, when or where.  but yes! only 12 days!!!  Can you believe this is my second Christmas out!  It's crazy! 

So at transfers President was talking about the Christmas party!  It's next Friday, the 21st and its gonna be sweet.  After the party we are all going to go to the bull ring and do some Christmas caroling!  It's gonna be such a fun day!!  I'm so excited I can't wait! 

Everything with Donnella (our investigator) is good for the 15th. She is excited but kinda sad that Elder G left, but she is still ready!  We actually see her tonight.  It will be good, I'm excited!

Sorry this email is soo late!  We'll email again Monday and I'll send pictures!

week 68 part 2

So I'm in Loughborough, pronounced Luff-bra.  It's in Birmingham right below Nottingham.  So I'm kicking it with Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest!  

It's a fairly big city.  It is a University town so there are loads of uni students.  I'm excited to work in a uni town.  I haven't seen this many people in a while so it's quite shocking hahaha.  The flat is really nice.  its small but homey and big enough.  Ours is the one with the blue door.
Elder Gomez (pronounced Elder Gometh) is the man from Spain.  His English is good, he has the classic Spanish accent and it reminds me of Senora Rubio sometimes hahaha.  I should have listened to her better hahaha.  It should be a good transfer for sure! I'm excited.  

It is a ward here and they have a building!!!  The ward is big, I've heard more than 100 people so thats interesting!  I might not like it after being in such a small close knit group i won't know everyone and their dogs lol but I'm going to do my best to get to know everyone the best I can and fast.  They just had a baptism a transfer back and we have 2 to 3 investigators who are working through things, but they are interested in learning.  I'm really quite excited to get to work and to see some miracles and success happen.  

i have some pictures from Milford that I never got to send.

St. David's Cathedral

Our last district meeting in Milford Haven.  I love these elders and sisters!

The William's Family (the mum was somewhere else)

The man himself. the legend of Pembrokeshire. Dr. Dickie 

The Martin Family

week 68 part 1

Today is transfers!  I'm staying in Milford.......just kidding. I'm finally, after 9 months, leaving to go back to England. I'm going to Loughbrough, near Leicester.  I'm follow up training a boy in Elder Dutton's group.  He is from Spain.  

I know that God has a plan for me, I would have never thought of this place and it makes me know that President is called of God and that I'm meant to be here.  I'm excited to be in a new area with a new companion, it's kinda nice.  

This is my new address.

Elder Barton

11 Thomas Street

Loughborough

LE11 1SH

England

We are emailing at a member's house tomorrow, so I'll send a better email then.  We are at the Mac Store at the Bullring now just popping off quick ones to let everyone know. 

week 62

The library internet is under the works so we went to the senior couples home to email.  

This has been a long week, but the Lord is for sure blessing us.  Well so here is the news-- I'm staying in Milford Haven with Elder Dutton so I'll be here for another 6 weeks the next transfer day is 31st of October--Halloween transfer!

It has been good here.  We are working hard and more importantly trying to work a lot smarter. We are trying to be more productive and plan better and be more organised and it is paying off.    It's all about on Friday weekly planning set up all your teaches, dinners, everything then over the next couple of days confirm and get people to come teaching with you, then Sunday confirm the fellowshippers, then your week is set.  It's perfect!  so that's what we are going to do this transfer and we are going to see success.

So here is the update of what has been happening.....

Last week we had a zone meeting and training in Swansea so that was good.  

We have been doing loads of finding trying to find people to teach. 

We have been able to do a couple of service projects for some members

more finding and

more finding

I have learnt on my mission that no matter how much you go out and work if the desire to go out and work and the right attitude isn't there then to be honest your just wasting your time and the Lord's time.  So I have prayed everyday to have a better desire, a better attitude, to be happy, be filled with love, and have faith.  i feel those are the most important qualities we can develop.

On monday we stopped by this potential with a member and we pulled up to the house and I realised I had wrote down the wrong address. and so we were like oh well let's knock it, so we did, and this lady and her sister let us in and we had a lesson and we are going to go back tomorrow and they want to come to church!  The Lord is blessing us for sure!  

Then we spent all day in Pembroke Dock an area about 1 hour away on bike so we bike out there and spend all day and get 5 potentials and a couple of those are families!!! Miracles are happening.

In district meeting we talked about families and how the gospel can bless them and how most of our drive to be on a mission is because of our families and how the gospel has blessed us.  So we are striving to find a family to teach.  So our goal is by the end of Sunday to find a family!  We want it soooo bad!  

Things are good here. I love this area, I love the people, I'm trying my best to love my companion, and I want to see success-- but something we always have to look at is why do we want success, is it for recognition or because we want to bring children of God back.  

I love my mission, even though it can be hard, I have learnt some of the most valuable life lessons ever!!!  I will appreciate my mission forever and everything that it has taught me.  

week 56

I have loads of pictures because I wasn't sure if I was leaving:

Michael and the Williams family

Michael and the Prior family 

Michael and Alex Edge

Michael with the Prior and Edge families

Well transfers came and are gone.  We got the call Monday night and I am staying in Milford Haven.  Elder Brewer is leaving to Cheltenham to be a Zone Leader, and I am training a new missionary.  I'm excited for the chance I have to train, i just hope I don't mess up too badly.  I will do my best, because that's all anyone asks for.  So we got home around 10:30 last night and I was dead tired, and he was as well, he had gotten up at 4:30 that morning.  Poor kid.  But he really is the man and I'm glad I have the opportunity to serve with him. 

Michael and Elder Dutton

So my boy is Elder Dutton from Riverton, Utah near Draper.  He is the mans mans man.  He ran track and cross country in high school and went to UVU for a year before the mission.  He is excited to work and get going!  I'm excited for him as well, he is a good lad!  I am super nervous, but excited as well.  It will be a good experience that will definitely force me to stretch and grow.  I'm excited for the things that will happen in these upcoming transfers together. 

Sometimes we think we are not qualified enough or experienced enough, but the Lord knows exactly what we need, and maybe we are unqualified for most of the job, but one part we will be really good at and we will excell!  The Lord knows and loves us and wants our happiness!

week 50

This week is absolutely a crazy week!!  I am staying in Milford Haven, so at the end of this transfer it will be 6 months in this are--that is the longest I've been in an area!  I'm excited because we are seeing miracles.  

President Ogden and Rasmussen do the switchero on Friday morning and then boom new mission president.  Apparently the second President Rasmussen's plane touches ground the keys are his. When he gets off the plane President Ogden hands him the keys, the phone, and shows him the mission home; then about an 1 hour later he leaves hahaha crazy!! So on the 3rd of July we meet President Rasmussen, then on the 5th of July we have interviews with him.  It is going to be a lot of travel and meetings next week.  I have mixed feelings right now because I love President Ogden and he has done so much for me, but I need to give President Rasmussen a chance.  I'm sure everything will be fine.  Whatever happens is the will of God so...

So the family we have been teaching is doing great! We hit some rocky patches and some hurdles but we had an amazing lesson yesterday with them, and they said they know this church is true and that they want to be baptised-- but they want to make sure they are ready so they are praying about a date and we are going to see them tomorrow.  It is sooo coool!!  I love that family.  The younger daughter is way crafty and she made us these cards hahaha it was awesome!

So the weather here is way bipolar. One second blazin hot, then out of no where boom dumping it down.  It's crazy. 

I am absolutely lovin the mission right now.  It is good.  We are being blessed and the Lord is testing our faith, but I think we're pushing through fairly well. 

week 44

Me and my new companion, Elder Brewer

It was transfers this week, so I'm staying in Milford Haven and my new companion is Elder Brewer, who was in my group when we came out on our missions! That's kinda cool we get to serve together.  He is very obedient and very dilligent.  I'm excited for this transfer.  Elder Brewer is the District leader so that will be cool.  I'm excited for that!   It's all good.  We have a senior couple here now so we are going to meet up with them around 2 and have some lunch.  That will be sweet we can get to know them. 

I can't believe I've been out 10 months!

Michael and the Martin boys

My "Artsy" picture!

Me and Elder Walton--he went home!

Me and Elder Zundel, he goes home in 6 weeks.

week 39

Happy Easter!  We had 5 less active members at church!  Afterward,we didn't do anything special. Just came home, ate dinner and went and stopped by to see some people.   A recent convert called us and said to come over, she had some sweets for us.  So we went over and she had a bag of easter eggs and chocolate.  It was Awesome!!

Our investigator didn't come to church, she wouldn't answer our calls. oh well. We are going to invite her to a baptism this weekend in NewCastle Emlyn to see what she thinks.  Hopefully she will want to go. 

We are doing a lot of finding and we have found some pretty cool people that I'm excited about.  The Lord is blessing this area in little ways and now its our job to take those tender mercies and turn them into miracles. 

The Abber District

Transfers were good.  I am............staying in Milford Haven.

Elder Lyman is..............staying in Milford Haven.

This transfer is going to be soooo fast because it is the 5 week transfer and it is just going to fly by. 

Man my mission is flying right on by. Daddy Elder Dahl went home yesterday!  It made me realize how fast this goes and then I realized I have been out 9 months!  ahhhh!!!   It's scary to think that it is only going to get faster and faster then poof, it will be gone!   

We have been biking a lot lately and it is good fun, I love it much more than the bus.  So we caught a train to Milford Haven and took our bikes.  Then from Milford we biked to Neyland which is about 5 to 6 miles and half of it is uphill because we are in Wales lol. So we biked that in about an hour and saw potentials and formers and members and less actives, and then we left about 8 for our 836 train and we cruised to make it.  We pulled up at the roundabout and the train was already in so we shot across and just caught it, I was soo shattered!

week 33

I'm happy :).  I finally got my birthday package 2 days ago hahaha! What had happened was that it arrived, but the postman never gave me anything saying it was here or anything so it sat in the office for a month-- hahaha fail!  But I finally got it!  Im having the mac & cheese for lunch today!

The new bike--much more solid!

The milk from the milkman.  It is awesome!  It is soooo thick it is like drinking a milkshake!

  

So I broke my foot.  I was playing basketball with some less actives and non members like we do every Thursday.  Well literally 5 minutes before we ended I landed on my foot wrong when I came down from a rebound.  I originally thought it was a sprain, but the bruising indicated otherwise.  I went to the A&E (accidents and emergencies) at the hospital and they brought me into the xray room.  I got an xray and I broke off a little piece of bone along my 5th metatarsal.  It's along the outside of my foot.  I told President Ogden.  The area mission doctor, Elder Hales came and he examined it and basically its not a serious break.  He said it's one of those things you have to just let heal.  He said I could put you in a boot but it wouldn't heal it faster, only make it more comfortable for you.  So, I said no its okay.  So I'm not in a cast, or a boot.  I'm walking just fine and I can bike :) all is good!

  

Michael and Elder Garroway

Michael and Elder Lyman (his new companion)

Michael and Elder McGregor (his last companion)

So where do I even start.  February 29, 2012.  Transfer day.  We get up and leave to transfers at around 1000.  We catch the train to the mission home.  We have the transfer meeting where we received 20 new missionaries-- a EBM (England Birmingham Mission) record!!  I did indeed get transfered :(  I got with my new companion Elder Lyman.  Me and Elder Lyman met my first transfer and just clicked!  He is like my best friend.  So I am serving with my best friend, it's pretty awesome.  

Elder Harper and Elder Lyman on the Wales Coach

We're in Wales in an area called Milford Haven.  It's the biggest area in the mission and its a bus area :)  so we get bus passes provided by the mission!!  So after the transfer meeting, we hop on the Wales coach around 1300 and drive all the way to Swansea, Wales. We arrived in Swansea at about 2100--longest bus ride ever!!!  But it's not over, we walk to the train station and catch a train that leaves at 2227.  and it arrives in Haverfordshire West(our area) at.......Midnight.  We get off the train, at this point completely shattered, walk to the flat and got to bed around 0100. Longest day of my life hahaha.  So our area covers the coastline so I am the closest to home I will ever be while still being on a mission!  Im excited to be here in Wales and with Elder Lyman.  

 

All is good here in Wales.  It's a beautiful country.  It's so green and it' the countryside as well so I'm sure I will have loads of beautiful pictures coming your way :)

Here is my new address...

16 A Old Bridge

Haverfordwest

Pembrokeshire

SA61 2ET

Some of the friends Michael left behind in Walsall:

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 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 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.

week 9 (transfer week)

On top of the world!



Sorry I didn't write Monday.  It is transfers this week and so on transfer weeks our P-day is moved to Wednesday.  So here I am!!

Transfers are today and 13 new missionaries enter which means a couple things:

1.  I made it through my 1st transfer!

2.  We're not the newest missionaries anymore!!

Our district is getting all moved around so we should be expecting some new faces at the next district meeting.  Should be way good. 

Man oh man!  Made it through my first transfer!! Crazy I've been out 2 months today!  We are working hard and teaching people.  Our investigator is still in America, so we dont know when or even where he will get baptized.  We are going to go crazy!!  We're teaching some other people and some are progressing and some are not unfortunately. 

It is fall in England and the leaves are dropping along with the temperature.  Right now it's 13 degrees so I don't even know if that's cold or not because im horrible with the conversion stuff lol!

Out of the mission in Oxford!



As a mission we were blessed to hear from Elder David A. Bednar of the twelve.  Elder Bednar was AMAZING!!  He is inspired and called of God.   He came in and we all went up and each of us got to shake his hand.  He said,  "If we know who we are and we know our purpose for being out here, we don't need numbers or events to justify our mission."  It's so true though---numbers don't matter one bit.  If you are out here working like crazy and you do all you can, then you were successful.  He had some great stories and insights, and he bore his testimony and I'm pretty sure the whole room was filled with the spirit and everyone had tears in their eyes.  It was an amazing weekend.  Starting the new transfer and setting goals so we can be successful but happy and also have fun.  I know this gospel is true.  If it weren't there wouldn't be 150 19-21 year old boys out here teaching and preaching.  This gospel brings happiness to all those who embrace it in their lives.  I know that being out here on a mission will change my life in more ways than I can imagine.  You feel it everyday and you know what you're doing is right.  I was talking with my companion and we said if you believe in the very basics, the rest will come.  Have faith in the small things, bear testimony and then your faith will grow in the big things.  I love this gospel and I love this work.  I love being a missionary!

And for my primary friend:  What do I love about missionary work?   I love meeting new people, teaching people about Jesus Christ, and sharing my testimony with others. 

Thanks for all the letters and cards and pictures you send me. 

(Michael is at the same address for at least 6 more weeks)

Elder Michael Barton

59 Helmsdale

Green Meadow

Swindon SN25 1RA

England