Season 5 Episode 8: Boils, boils, and well, more boils.

Malo Soifua ma le Lagi Mama!

Wow, can't believe it is already Wednesday again! These weeks sure are going  by fast! Sorry about last week by the way! We just ran out of time and weren't able to do our emails! But, this email is going to do a short recap of last week and then a medium recap of this week!

Last Week!

Sunday we did a devotional at Satapuala and Elder Fata ended up coming and he was able to speak at the devotional which was really awesome! My companion and I got in a pretty argument last week as well, over being obedient and things like that. He ended up telling our Zone leaders on Monday that he wants to get transferred because he doesn't like me and he really wants to hit me. After I heard that I just sat down with him and we had a really good Companionship inventory and were able to work things out! We were able to take one of our investigators Joe to the visitors center and we set a baptismal date with him! His wife is already a member and he has kids so it is super exciting that a year from there baptismal date they will be able to enter the Temple and seal there family! The rest of the week we just did our normal missionary stuff!

This week!

Wow, this week was super tough. Started off with 2 boils on my back and 1 really big one on my neck. Man, can't really express to you all how frustrated I was/still am. Thankfully the two on my back are already gone but, this one on my neck is still here. It actually has me quite worried since it is on my neck! My neck is so swollen that I can no longer button the top button of my white shirt. So, this whole week we have been on lock down because apparently when you get a boil out here you can't walk in the sun because it makes it worse. So, we have just been studying this week. I actually feel pretty badly about the whole thing. We have some really promising investigators that we haven't been able to contact this whole week and just sitting inside all day makes me so restless. One positive this week though was I was able to find a new love for missionary work! Just being out of it for a few days has made me miss it so much! It honestly makes me so happy! I take that as a blessing from our Father in Heaven. I am really hoping that tomorrow my neck won't be as swollen and we can go out and actually get some work done! I am really getting tired of this whole boil thing. I really hope that this is the last one I get. I just don't get why I am getting them so frequently! 

Anyway, I know that this email doesn't have to much detail but, to be honest this past week was really bland. But, I am so fired up to get back out there and continue to share this beautiful message! We truly are so blessed with this gospel! More importantly we are so blessed because we have The Gift of The Atonement of Jesus Christ. A lot of this week I haven spent time reading from The Infinite Atonement and it has really opened up my eyes to how incredible this Gift actually is. It has been so awesome to read from this book and the scriptures and just focus solely on The Atonement of Jesus Christ! My testimony has been strengthened so much in this past week in regards to The Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have such a firm testimony that God and His Son live. That they know each one of us individually and there arms are always open towards us. They are always cheering us on. And I know they will always be there for us. I had a really cool experience this week. I had a prayer answered. A answer that I have been searching for, for over 3 years. I can't really explain how much peace I felt when I received that answer and not only that, it was at the perfect time. I know that God knows perfectly what we need when we need! Never give up on him! I promise you he will answer your prayers when you are ready to receive the answer! I have this testimony now because I experienced it! Just never give up on God because he will never give up on you. Just like it talks about in the Book of Mormon He is the Light and the Life of the World. We all know how much darkness is in this world right now but, the battle is already over. The darkness will never overtake the light! I am so grateful for you guys, my family! I am always praying for each one of you! I hope you all have a great week!

Love, 

Elder Barton

Season 5 Episode 7: Ou ke le iloa

Malo Soifua!

Can't believe another week is already gone. Sometimes when I sit in front of the computer I have no idea what to write you guys haha! Some weeks just go by so fast! Anyway, this week was pretty good! We got a call from our Zone Leaders on Thursday telling us that we would be getting an additional companion! Elder Smoot from Kaysville, Utah! He finishes this Friday! But, I am really grateful for this last week for having the chance to serve with him! He is a very strong Elder and loves the work! Even though he is so close to being done! He sure has taught me a lot! I know it has only been a week with him but, I am very grateful for it! Also, This morning the Zone Leaders called and told us Elder Tauiliili was going to be transferred. They came and picked him up and about an hour later called us back and told us they were going to come back later tonight and drop him back off hahaha! Elder Tauiliili is a good Elder too!

This week we having been working with a girl named Christina! She is super cool! She is really quite though. But, throughout these past weeks she has opened up a little bit more with us! She is going to be baptized this Saturday so that is going to be really exciting! We are also having a missionary devotional this Sunday in Satapuala! We were able to invite Elder Fata to come and attend the Fireside so, that should be really good! 

We are really searching for investigators right now! We found 3 this week but, then when we started with 2 of them they told us they were baptized already! The other one ran away to her village and isn't coming back! So, that was kind of sad. Just really taught me to be humble! However, I know that as we stay diligent in the work we will find the people the Lord is preparing for us! Plus, I just love being out here anyway! I love this work! We start every morning by reading the Book of Mormon for one hour and before we leave the house we read 3 Nephi 11 as a companion ship and bear testimony! It is super powerful and I am gaining such a powerful and sincere testimony of the Book of Mormon! I love that book and I know it is the word of God!

Anyway, I hope you have all had a great week! Love you all!

Elder Barton

Season 5 Episode 6: Fafaga

Hello!!!

What the What? It is already August 1st? Where did July go haha? 

Well, this week was pretty crazy! But, I just wanted to share a pretty cool experience my Soa and I had this week. So, there is a New rule in the mission regarding Fafaga-Dinner. No missionaries are aloud to go to fafaga unless the family that is feeding the missionaries brings an investigator or someone in the word that is less-active. On top of that we are supposed to do a family home evening with the family and the people they bring before eating! I honestly thought this rule made so much sense! And we utilize that 1 hour for fafaga to better hasten the work! However, for some reason the Samoan people hate this rule. Literally hate it. Because if they don't bring someone we have to cancel the Fafaga. (There is the Back story now here is the story) So, on Monday we had Fafaga with the Bishop. We texted him the night before and in the morning reminding him to bring someone to do the fafaga. Well, an hour before fafaga we asked him if he had anyone and he said he didn't. I talked with my Soa and we thought it would be best to go to his house in person and do a small apology and let him know we wouldn't be able to accept the fafaga. When we got to his house, we sat down and began to talk and we ended up telling him we couldn't accept the fafaga. But, it was like he didn't hear or something cause Nek Minute they are bringing out food and setting it in front of us and the Bishop just starts to bless the food! I was just sitting there thinking to myself "Ohhhh No, this is going to go so bad." He finishes the prayer and looks at us and tells us to eat! My soa and I just put are heads down and didn't move hahaha! It was so awkward! After a few minutes we asked the Bishop if there was anyone that lived nearby that we could do a quick message with so we could accept his fafaga! To make a long story short, we found someone, did a lesson and ate the food! But, the real blessing was after the fafaga some random guy was walking us to the road. Turns out he isn't a member, he wants to be baptized, and all we need to do is get his divorce paper signed! Maybe that is a blessing for being obedient! It also helped that I have been reading about Nephi this past week and all the trials he faced. But, he was always %100 obedient and he was always blessed! Funny right?

Anyway we haven't had fafaga yesterday or Today and it causing a very serious problem. The Members are getting very angry and us and are telling us to just go behind the Presidents back and stuff like that! Crazy how serious these people are about feeding the missionaries! Honestly, I didn't think it would be that hard to invite someone over for dinner haha! We are staying strong though! I know over time they will see that this new rule is for everyone's benefit and it will hasten the work! But, until then we are just going to have to deal with it! Still love the people haha! 

Anyway, I hope you guys know that I love you and am always praying for you! Hope you all have a great week! 

Elder Barton