Elder Barton's bedroom
Field they planted
Elder Barton in Gama Stadium
Dear Family and Friends,
Christmas is arriving and I am very excited to be able to talk with you. The mission asked that we keep our calls to 30 minutes. If there is any problem, have the email open, and I'll write after 5:10 and update. I am excited to talk with you guys on Christmas. If you want to prepare questions or something like that to use the time well, feel free.
As far as I know, my package is still in Rio. Good news, I received many cards and packages from many good friends. Thanks to Elder Wendleboe, Camaris Meservy (can you believe she used to babysit me?), Sister Norma Hopkins from the ward, the Macfarlane family (which wrote a very, very nice card. I love them so much, they have the most amazing missionary in Sao Paulo. Love you Elder Macfarlane!), and my Star Wars buddies-the Mears! I loved the story of Devin and the Subway lady. I have fond memories of late night movies and joking with them when they were at BYU.
Love to all my family and friends!
Yesterday, we went out to a member's ranch/farm to help plant corn. It was a welcome rest to work a little with the muscles and less with the mind. I hoed, broke soil and put the fertilizer in the holes. It was raining (it was a light rain, not the really hard, driving rain) and really, really muddy. After almost losing the sandals, we all worked barefoot. The mud caked to our feet to the point it was like shoes and we had to spend a good 15 minutes getting it off. I had just finished reading about the parables of the Savior and how in many of them he talks about seeds and especially the parable of the sower. It made working really fun and I enjoyed seeing the importance to prepare the ground, add the nutrients and the fertilizer AND then add the seed. You have to prepare the ground and seed before you can expect a harvest. There is still a lot of work in the months ahead, to protect the corn, weed and ensure that there is enough water in the dry months. But there will be a greater harvest, because we prepared.
I thought about how in missionary work, we work to prepare for many things. We study to prepare to teach. We plan each night to prepare for the next day. We teach about baptism to prepare the person to accept the baptismal invite, we teach about the Book of Mormon to prepare the people to read. We do many things to prepare so that we can have a chance for a more favorable result. There are exceptions, sometimes we teach someone we didn't plan to, but usually, you can see the results if you look at the preparation.
Preparation brings blessings, because it shows your desire to the Lord.
I enjoyed working as well, because the "Let's give the American a chance to work for the first time in his life" jokes quickly died. I don't want to brag, but I hoed (is that a verb?) my rows faster and better than anyone else. Thanks to Grandpa Dave, Dad, and the innumerable rocks in the backyard that prepared me for this American Victory. It was like "Remember the Titans", "Facing the Giants", and "Miracle" all in one....with Red, White, and Blue trimming. This one's for you Uncle Sam.
Okay, I'll unswell my head now.
This week a lot of investigators were not able to visit with us, so we didn't get the results we wanted. But this week should be better, so we'll keep going. We sing in front of a lot of houses. Last night we asked in one house if we could sing and they said they already talked to us and shut the door. So we went next door, sang, and as we were leaving, the house that had previously rejected heard us singing and asked us to enter and sing. The man is the brother of a member and he apologized for his behavior and invited us to come back. It is amazing to see the power of music.
I love singing the Christmas hymns. We don't sing well (off-key and nasally), but we sing with the heart. As the angel said "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, Peace, Good will to men". We have been reading "The Living Christ" in companion study to begin. I love the last phrase. I don't have it in English, but roughly translated "God be thanked, for the incomparable gift of His son".
Joy to the World! And may all of us receive our King. Because one day He will return.
With love,
Elder Barton
