Monday, March 3, 2014

This is the best life!


¡Mi maravillosa y hermosa familia y amigos!

Estoy muy feliz en este momento por muchas razones! No sé por dónde
empezar ..... tengo tanto en mi mente y muchas cosas que quiero decir!
Esta semana ha sido increíble y estamos viendo mucho éxito y muchos
milagros. El Señor está apresurando su obra aquí en Gridley,
California! ¡Y yo no podría estar más feliz de ser parte de su obra!
No hay nada que preferiría estar haciendo en este momento de servir a
mi Salvador, JesuCristo y los hijos de nuestro Padre Celestial. ¡Yo
nunca quiero que termine! ¡Me encanta esta experiencia con todo de mi
corazón! Les deseo a todos que usted podría experimentar conmigo por
lo que podría saber por qué me siento como lo hago yo. Sé que los que
sirven o han servido en misiones entiendo, pero realmente es la mejor
experiencia en el mundo.

Have Ralphy translate that or something. Haha actually, you probably
all can understand it. I'm getting convinced that everyone in this
world now understands Spanish. A big majority of English people here
know a good amount of Spanish because there are so many Hispanics
around and so when I am with any English speaker now, I somewhat
naturally expect them to understand it. Especially now that I do. Haha
so when they have no idea what was said in Spanish, I am taken off
guard and taken back to when I knew absolutely nothing myself. Haha
but I still do feel like Spanish has many similarities to English and
you can kinda guess what a lot of words are from just looking at them.
Also, those who speak Portuguese (Michael, Brad & Scotty) understand
Spanish so I feel like when I get home I am not going to have a
secretive language to speak. Everyone will understand me!!!! Haha I
don't know why I am rambling about this. On to my letter!!!! Haha

Hello my loves!!!!
This is THE BEST LIFE!

So before anything else, right now I am SO unbelievably happy it's
ridiculous. I am happy for soooo many reasons too but here's a little
list for you......

1. It's RAINING... HARD outside and everything looks so fresh, green
and pretty. Also, the trees in the orchards are really blossoming so I
feel like I am in the most beautiful place. I love it.

2. I AM NOT TRANSFERRED. This is a HUGE reason why I am so happy and
excited as well. Last night we had transfer calls and I was sooo
nervous. We aren't getting any new Hermanas and President just
switched us all up but still.. I was shaking in my boots a little.
Hermana Richards and I have SUCH big plans for this upcoming transfer
so I could not leave!! We have soo many wonderful people we're
teaching, working with and preparing for baptism. I simply have not
finished my work here and am not ready to leave my home, the place I
now love and hold so dear to my heart... Filled with the people I now
love soo very much and hold so close to my heart. Haha last night we
had just finished a lesson with Lorenza when the transfer call came
too and we decided to listen to it with Yamara and Lorenza. I couldn't
wait any longer. Haha I was so scared and I grabbed Lorenza's hand
when we were listening. She held my hand with both of hers and we
squeezed each other's hands tightly. She was getting just as nervous
as I was. Well, I then did not hear my name and am STAYING HERE!!!!
Hahaha we were all soooo excited and it was an amazing moment. I love
Yamara & Lorenza more than I can express too. They are my sweeties.

3. Speaking of Lorenza, we are baptizing her March 15th!!!! She hasn't
FULLY committed to it yet, but she hasn't opposed!!! So at Zone
Conference President Weston challenged us all to have a solid baptism
set for March 15th. Well... after much fasting, praying and
pondering... Hermana Richards and I came to the conclusion the other
day that our sweet Lorenza WILL be baptized March 15th. We informed
Yamara of this as well and last night we talked to LorenA about it.
She was a little hesitant thinking it may be too fast... But in
Yamara's prayer she prayed about having her mom prepared to be
baptized on the 15th of March and afterwards Lorenza didn't oppose.
Nothing is set in STONE yet so I am not going to go on and on about my
excitement YET.... hahaha I'll save that for another email. But as of
now, it's happening. I have the FAITH. And with firm FAITH we can
witness MIRACLES. I know this to be true!!!!!!! Haha I really have to
not get into my excitement too much right now of Lorenza's progression
or else I will take up the rest of my emailing time talking about it.
More to come more to come... Just know I have the biggest smile on my
face right now and am screaming inside. Hahaha

4. This past week was THE busiest week I have had on my mission thus
far. We were running around like maniacs!!! We were literally BOOKED
every single day and some days didn't even have time to eat
lunch/dinner!!!! IT WAS THE BEST THING OF MY LIFE!!!!!!!! I am BY FAR
the happiest person in the world when we are running around, teaching
person after person and just soo busy. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER. So
with that being said, I feel ohh so very blessed right now. The work
is on FIRE here in Gridley and we are finding soo many prepared &
wonderful people to teach. I am beyond thrilled!!!!!!! Our goal is to
have 9 baptisms this month as well. Or at least this transfer for
SURE. PRAY FOR US. PRAY FOR OUR INVESTIGATORS. As of now we have 9
solid people we could have on date. Again, I don't want to get too
ahead of myself but I am super excited and have a LOT of faith in
these people, in the Savior and in His work.

"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power
to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." Moroni 7:33

Also, I am learning more and more on my mission to 
always have HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
 No matter what. So that's exactly what we're doing!! And
they are all very possible. With faith, diligence, obedience and
confidence... I know we can accomplish anything.

"Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not. Fear not." D&C 6:36

5. Also, it has been raining lots here and the other day we were out
walking.... On Thursdays it's car fast Thursday so we have to walk. We
personally LOVE it. But anyways, while walking we came across a
gigantic, beautiful orchard and the ground underneath the trees were
covered in these little yellow flowers, mustard flowers or something??
Well anyways. It was GORGEOUS so we decided to take a picture. Haha
well... We started walking a little farther into the trees and BOOM.
Pure MUD. My little, favorite black flats got STUCK and as soon as I
took my feet out of the shoes, BOOM. Both of my feet were full fledge
down in the mud. The mud was up to my lower calves and hahaha
anyways..... We had to rinse off our feet and shoes nearby and then
went on our way. It was an unexpected adventure but made for some
great laughs and memories. Hahaha we were rushing around walking that
day too so we were laughing so hard at ourselves as we were trying to
clean up and look present for our next lesson, etc. SO much fun.

6. Yesterday we had a mission fast. To be able to double baptisms and
meet our yearly goal. President REALLY raised the bar. But as was said
by Elder Perry in a talk from 2007 (I have been reading lots of old
Conference talks before I go to sleep... It's the BEST!!) ... "Be
careful that you easily clear the minimum standards for service as a
missionary and that you are continually raising the bar." He also
later states,"If you don't raise the bar, how will you ever know your
potential??" I LOVE that and feel as though it is a great question to
ask ourselves in every aspect of our lives, at any time of our lives.
If we don't set HIGH EXPECTATIONS and don't continually raise the bar,
our own bar... If we don't continually try to be better and become
more perfected.. More like our Savior... How will we EVER know our
potential???? And we all are aware, or I hope we are all aware, that
we all do have marvelous potential in this life and in the life to
come. God has such a beautiful vision for us. For where he wants us to
go and who he wants us to become. So we must have faith in that, trust
in Him, set our standards, goals, expectations and hopes HIGH... So
that we can at least know we are working towards reaching our
potential. Becoming perfected through our Redeemer, Jesus Christ and
helping others do so as well. 

We are all God's children. 
We are sons & daughters of a KING. We are ROYALTY. 

And with recognizing that,
recognizing how special and important each and everyone of us are, we
come to the knowledge that we MUST have greatness & glory truly in
store for each of us. So we must never lower our expectations. Ever!!
Who wants to remain in the same place???? I know I don't. I love
learning, growing and changing each day. I want to reach my potential.
And I want to help others reach theirs. That's why I am here. That's
why I am a missionary and full-time representative of my Lord. My God.
So our fasting was very wonderful and I am so excited to see the
miracles that are coming our way. If God could give us rain from our
fasting, he most definitely can help his children be baptized and grow
closer to Him. Help them move farther along to reaching their full
potential.

7. Along with yesterday being fast Sunday, we had testimony meeting
during Sacrament Meeting of course. Well, it was a VERY spiritual
meeting... To say in the least... And I had to go up there and share
my testimony. It was simple, yet profound. To me at least. The second
I got to the stand I was completely overwhelmed with the spirit and I
could barely speak. But as soon as I started speaking and sharing my
thoughts and testimony... The words have never flowed more nicely. I
never once thought about the language or how to say this or that. I
just shared exactly what came into my heart and it was amazing. For
ME. When I sat down Hermana Richards said my Español was spot on too,
no mistakes.. Which was a MIRACLE. Gave me a little confidence boost
which is always nice. Especially coming from her because he Spanish is
AMAZING and she gets complimented on it all the time. It's humbling
for me but I have been progressing and learning soooo much. So I am
quite content haha. And with my testimony, I don't even say it was
profound for others to hear or amazing for anyone else but me... But
it was an experience I will never forget. I even felt as though I was
bearing my testimony to myself. I, personally, needed to hear those
words, at that time, come out of my mouth. It strengthened my
testimony soo much sharing it and wow, I will again, never forget
that. The spirit was BEAMING inside of me. It was an amazing, amazing
ordeal. Also, it was extremely quiet during that entire meeting (which
is very rare) and the spirit was able to truly be present. Many tears
were being shed throughout our little congregation as well and I know
so many hearts were touched and changed. The spirit is ohh so real.
And oh so beautiful. And what made my heart even warmer was once I sat
down, Jesús leaned over to me and said, "Hermana Barth... what you
said... touched my heart." Ohhhh I wish you could all meet my little
Jeswoooos. He's becoming such a little stud. So proud of him!!!! Haha
also, funny fact. The Elders wanted to get him to play basketball one
Saturday morning and to get him there they tricked him and told him it
was SEMINARY!!!! He fell for it and since he said he will do "anything
for this church and for God" he went. Because he thought it was
seminary!!! Haha for many 16 years old it would be the other way
around.... I love it. I cannot wait for that boy to be a missionary
one day. Mom, like you said... We will FOR SURE come back for his
farewell when he goes. I cannot wait!!!!

8. So another update. Funny/crazy one. So we found out the other
morning we're getting booted out of our house!! Haha the members we
live with are kicking us out!! Okay, not exactly. (Hermana Piggott
hahahaha) but Jeff's son, his girlfriend and their baby (with one on
the way) are coming to live here and we can't live in the same house
as unmarried couples soo we're getting the boot. ASAP. Mid-transfer
actually. We have noo idea where we're going but it will be an
adventure!! The Hamblin's are dying because they want us to move in
soo badly too but they have already done their time with hosting
missionaries so I don't know if that will be possible. We would have
quite the time living with the Hamby's let me tell you. Hahaha they
are the ones obsessed with the missionaries and once they love YOU
they "adopt" you into their fam. Hahaha more stories to come in the
future about them but the day Hermana Piggott and I got adopted, was a
good one. No words. Hahahaha I love them tons though. And they already
talk about coming to my wedding someday far off in the future, you'll
meet them. Haha but so more updates to come with that!!

9. We went over to a member Pedro's house the other day with Yamara
(she's his niece) to do service for his non-member wife, Carolina, who
we are teaching... And we ended up teaching their son's friend..
Tanveer. He's Muslim. It was an awesome lesson and he loved what we
taught him. Said it was all so spiritual yet very "logical" as well.
It was awesome. We are now referring him to the English missionaries.
But anyways... Funny side note to this experience. Miguel, Pedro &
Carolina's son, was sooo drunk and he joined us for the lesson as
well. Now I can say I have fully taught a drunk man. It was the
craziest yet most HILARIOUS thing. It was hard too because Tan was
very serious about it all and then we would have MIGUEL chime in with
his obnoxious, made nonsense whatsoever, comments haha. I got to the
point where I had to fully ignore his questions and remarks but it was
CLASSIC. Hahaha we'll never forget it and I have written down some of
the classic lines he has said. He world act so serious and as if he
literally thought his comments made sense. Ohh another reason why
drinking is scary. Makes you look like a complete fool and you have
idea about it. And the FACT that his name is Miguel. Haha kills me
even more. Drunk Miguel. TOO FUNNY. We can't not talk about that night
without laughing our heads off. These experiences are priceless. We
had dinner at their house last night though and I took him as serious
as I could. He was a little better haha. But he is seeming to have
more real, sincere, sober interest in learning more!! ¡VAMOS A VER!

Okay, well I have to go now!! Time is up and the Sisters are coming
over to watch the Joseph Smith movie with us!!!! Raining outside,
watching the Joseph Smith movie, (I think it has places in my top 5
Elder Haller!!) ... 

This is THE BEST LIFE.

It is too good. I sincerely could not be happier!!!!!!!!!! Okay, have a wonderful day my loved ones.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Barth

3 comments:

  1. Emilie you are amazing! You are so positive and have such a gift of speech! I can see you being the General Young Women's President some day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. love her so much - love her love of life - it is contagious!!!

    ReplyDelete