happiness.

Hola mi querida familia!

So how are you all my darlings??? Okay before anything else, my cutest
cousin Benjamin Robert is ENGAGED!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!! I am dying!!!! I
knew it was coming.... from all of the updates I have been getting and
ever since he emailed me and said the CUTEST things about her, he
truly said the most darling things and I could tell right off the bat
that he was completely smitten and couldn't adore her more.. I knew
she was the one... Haha. But still, knowing that it is official!! I am
soo excited for him!!!! And she seems SOO darling!! She is very
beautiful and if Ben chose her to be his wife, she has got to be
someone very special. I always would say whoever gets to marry him is
the absolute luckiest and looks like he is just as lucky. I love it. I
have to admit that I am pretty sad I am missing that wedding.... But I
couldn't be happier for them and I am now just so excited to meet her
when I return home! When I get back Ben will be a married man! And she
will officially be my new cousin and a member of the Barth
Transylvanian Legacy. Haha I love it! So many people have been getting
engaged and married though... It's crazy! Haha I said this to my
companion and she started singing the Beatles song, "la la la la life
goes on." Haha could not be more true.

But as for updates on the mission... things are wonderful here in Yuba
City!! I honestly love this place more and more each day and we are
continually seeing more success. I have some specific people I want to
talk about today too.... So first off....

1. Alex. Alex is a new investigator we have. He is a 17 year old boy
we found one day while trying to contact a referral from Elder Mosely
& Elder Murray. We ran into Alex's mom and she seemed really awesome
and said we could come back so we did but she wasn't home and we found
Alex. Well then we shared a message with him and he was super
interested and told us to come back. So again, we did... And we taught
him the Restoration. His mom was asleep or she would have joined but
it went soo perfectly. He soaked in every little thing we said and had
such sincere and inspired questions & comments. It was amazing.
Reminded me of little Jesus!! But the lesson went perfect and I
invited him to be baptized at the end. He said he wants to get an
answer from God first but that he will pray and read from the Book of
Mormon. He is so excited to get reading the Book of Mormon too because
he cannot believe there is another book of God compatible to the
Bible! Then, next lesson with him... He said he read and prayed... We
discussed what he read and he said while he prayed he felt "soo good."
We then acknowledged that good feeling being the Holy Ghost and then
we only had time to teach him a little so we taught him the first half
of the Plan of Salvation. Wow, he loved it so much and was wide-eyed
throughout all of it. He had again, the best answers, comments &
questions and while we were talking about our purpose on the earth, I
had him read Alma 34:32, "For behold, this life is the time for men to
prepare to meet God... yea, behold the day of this life is the day for
men to perform their labors." And afterwards I asked him what he
personally felt would help him prepare to meet God, right now, and he
said without hesitation.... "Be baptized." What!?! THE PERFECT ANSWER.
Well so then Hermana Hughes invited him to be baptized again and asked
him to prepare for a date to be baptized... June 22nd... and he said
he would definitely continue to think and pray about it. Which we know
he will. Also, next best thing and indicating that he really did
pray.... After our first lesson we invited him to pray for us but he
said he would like to feel more comfortable first, so we agreed and
right then just taught him how... But after our second lesson we asked
if we could pray while kneeling and if he would say it and he said, of
course. And he said the most darling, heartfelt prayer ever!!!!! He
thanked Heavenly Father for having us teach him, prayed to know if the
Book of Mormon is true and even said, "please help me to know more of
how I can prepare to meet you (God)." Sooo cute!!! I love it! So
anyways, he is still 17 and would have to get permission to be
baptized, he is 18 in August... But our goal is to teach his family
anyways so we still have a little ways to go! But things are looking
great! Alex is such a sweetheart. He's a cute, football player with
the softest, sweetest heart. I cannot wait to update you more on him!
Graduation is this week though and he is graduating so we may not see
him as much as we would like. But ojalá que podamos enseñarle más y
más cada semana y prepararle por el Bautismo muy pronto. El es muy
listo. Also, during this lesson it hit me how I truly am in the best
mission in the world for me. We got to teach him in English and there
is just something so powerful about being able to teach in your native
tongue. However, without being a Spanish missionary we wouldn't be
teaching him..... So it really is the best of both worlds. I get to
teach all of the time in Spanish, which is so much fun and always
brings the spirit, and then also in my native tongue which also brings
such a powerful spirit. Ahhh it's amazing. I truly know this mission
was perfectly picked out for me. I feel so lucky.

2. We have 4 new investigators! Another golden referral from Elder
Mosely and Elder Murray. So long story short the Elders gave us the
wrong house address for their referral but we walked around the
neighborhood and after a good while we decided to try the closest
option to the house they told us. Well, we barely knocked and the mom
answered. She immediately had us come in, sit down, she offered us
water, milk, juice, etc. and then called her husband to come and also
sit down. So he did. And then her two kids sat down with us as well.
So us 6 were all sitting at their dining room table and they were
ready for our message. So the family's last name is Fung and this is
why... The dad is Asian however he speaks both Spanish and English,
his name is even Pedro... And then the mom, named Candy, is purely
Mexican but she speaks some English and then they have two kids..
Ashley who is this gorgeous 14 year old and Sebastian who is the
smartest little 11 year old. Well so we ended up teaching them the
Restoration in Spanglish.... Haha went back and forth with English &
Spanish so everyone could understand in their dominant language... And
it was amazing!!!!! They all asked sooo many questions and when we had
questions for them, they all would individually answer and ohh they
were so great. Best thing. When we asked Sebastian what he understood
from the definition of an Apostasy he said, "It is when God's
authority is taken from the earth because His children rejected Him
and his Prophets. To me... it's like if kids don't obey their parents
then they are grounded and their permission and authority to do things
is taken as well." Whaaaat!? A little 11 year old came up with that???
Incredible. And anyways... religious background on them... the mother
has grown up Catholic and thinks she's super Catholic but we can tell
she isn't as much as she says she is... Then the dad grew up Catholic
as well but in College was Buddhist?? Well anyways, they are both a
little lost and we can tell are searching for something more. They are
super interested in the Book of Mormon too and want to read and pray
about it so we will see!!! I have tons more I could say about
everything discussed and said but we are super excited about them.
Also, at the end of the lesson we asked Pedro if he would say the
closing prayer and after we taught him how, we didn't know if he would
and he did!!! While we were all kneeling as well. And he said such an
amazing prayer!!! Thanking Heavenly Father for sending us to their
home and then asking to understand the Book of Mormon and all that we
are teaching better and asking for his family to gain more knowledge
from us Sisters, etc. It was perfect! And for everyone to see the head
of the home humbly kneel down and pray... So powerful. We are soo
excited about them. The Elders found them tracting too and we have
been praying sooo hard to find a family to teach so it was such a
miracle!!!!!!!!!!!! We are soooo thrilled. More updates to come on the
Fung family ASAP!!!!!
3. We are teaching some of the most amazing less-actives right now too
and two of our less-actives came to church yesterday!!!!!!!!!!! Sooo
exciting!!!!!! Nothing better than seeing those who already have
experienced the blessing of baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and
the gospel in general, step back into church. I can imagine it feels
like coming home to them. Each of them have their own personal reasons
for being less-active too but I think many of them just need to feel
more love. So we try our best to show them as much love as possible,
which is super easy and comes naturally, and then they are able to
feel God's love more which leads to them wanting to come back to
church. Ohhh it made us sooo so happy! Also, we have the cutest other
people we're teaching and I wish I had more time to tell you about
each and every one of them! One day!!!!!!

Okay and then something else I want to share with you that really hit
me the other day. So while we were teaching the Fung family, I could
feel the spirit soo strong. First off, there is such a different
feeling present when we teach those who have sincere desires to learn
& hear our messages.... But so the spirit was so strong and then we
got to the first vision and talked about Priesthood Authority and the
Book of Mormon. Well after I talked about the Book of Mormon for a
little I bore my testimony of it and wow. I have never felt my
testimony of the Book of Mormon be more bold, sincere or personally
powerful in my entire life. If I had to tell you one thing right now
that I am so grateful for that I have gained from my mission, it is
the testimony I have gained of the Book of Mormon. Family...
Friends... I cannot even begin to express to you how I feel about this
book. I can sincerely say it has changed me and has changed my life. I
was talking to Hermana Hughes about this the other day and before my
mission I had a testimony of the Book of Mormon being true, I did... I
never doubted it's truthfulness.... But looking back, my testimony
wasn't that strong. I had read and studied the Book of Mormon (mainly
from my Book of Mormon class at BYU) but I hadn't REALLY gained a full
testimony of its truth and goodness. It wasn't really affecting me and
my thoughts, decisions and actions all that much. In fact, I know if
in the past I would have had the testimony I have now I wouldn't have
made some of the some mistakes I have. I can honestly say that while
being set apart as a full-time missionary I have a different power,
authority & gift with me. Partly that being my ability to understand
the Book of Mormon and really, truly, sincerely receive personal
revelation and inspiration from each verse I read. So when I read it
in 3 weeks with Hermana Piggott, I felt my testimony increase a great
amount, and then when I read it in 85 days under President Weston's
mission challenge..... I felt like I gained a complete love for the
book and my now paperback copy I marked up for that challenge has
become one of my most prized possessions.... But I am reading it again
in Spanish and then I also started it again in English and am trying
to go extremely slow intently studying each verse I read and wow.
Every day it is changing me and my life!!!!! I am learning more than I
ever thought would be possible and I have never felt such power from
reading ever before!!!!! Every morning I get soooo excited to have
personal study so that I can take some time intently studying and
pondering over the verses I read and I am receiving revelation &
inspiration in ways I cannot even explain!!!! Every time I read I feel
the Holy Ghost sooo strongly (which is another gift the mission has
helped me recognize more) and I just feel so many fruits of the
spirit. Peace, love, joy, comfort, hope... everything. I LOVE THE BOOK
OF MORMON!!!!!! I can remember people saying that it has the answer to
every little thing, every question, life problem... etc. and is just
the true source of happiness and knowledge and I remember not FULLY
understanding how. But now, I cannot learn or feel more from reading
this book and I KNOW WITH ALL OF MY HEART THAT IT IS TRUE. Before my
mission I don't think I could really say I knew it had changed my life
or that I had the strongest testimony of it.... But now I can say it
HAS changed my life, the person I am and want to become and I DO have
such a strong testimony of its goodness and truthfulness. This book is
my absolute favorite book in the entire world and I know it is of God.
I KNOW that it is through this book we can truly find all of the
answers to life's questions and learn how to live better, happier
lives now and receive eternal happiness, complete joy, in the life to
come and be in the presence of our Heavenly Maker and loving Father
again one day. THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE. And I have never wanted to
make that more known to people than I do right now. Ohhh how thankful
I am for the testimony I have in me. I was thinking about it and
although it makes me sooo sad thinking about leaving my mission and it
coming to an end one day, a day which is still far far away, I will
get to bring home with me what is most dear and precious to me. The
Book of Mormon and MY personal testimony of my Father above, my
Savior, Jesus Christ and His ever so perfect gospel. I have gained the
best gift and blessing any one can receive on this earth.... a
testimony. Also, people may continue to not be interested in the
message we carry as missionaries, they may tell me what I believe is
not true or that the Book or Mormon is not true, reject what we teach,
etc. But nobody can ever deny the fact that I have a testimony of the
Book of Mormon and of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. In the
words of one of my biggest heroes, Joseph Smith... (in a different
tense) "I know it, I know that God knows it and I cannot deny it."
That is all that matters.

So family. My advice to you. READ YOUR BOOK OF MORMON EVERY DAY. And
if you're not, in the words of my first fake investigator and CCM
teacher, Ruby/Hermana Doxey... "REPENT AND CHANGE." Haha READ EVERY
SINGLE DAY. And see how it changes your life. Test it out. God is
waiting to bless you because of it.

Also, will EACH of you please send me your favorite scripture with a
little background on why it is your favorite??? And if you can't pick
just one (which I don't blame you) will you please pick one you love
and tell me why???? I would love & appreciate that so much. Think
about this week and whenever it comes to you, email me!!!!!!!!!!!

My mission is changing me in more ways than I can say and I already am
beyond beyond thankful for the time I have had serving my Lord. I love
every moment here and soak in as much as I can, every single day.
There truly is nothing greater than the work I am doing. I am also
learning sooo much each day from my studies, from teaching and also
from other people. Last night after a lesson we had, Hermana Hughes
and I discussed how we really learn SO much from those we come in
contact with, build relationships with and teach. I know my purpose as
a missionary is to help others come unto Christ but in reality, they
are helping me soo much in coming unto Him. In growing closer to Him
and my Father in Heaven and reaching my full potential. I love this
gospel with all of my heart and it means everything to me. Along with
my precious mission.

I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE my dearest family & friends. Never forget that
Heavenly Father loves you and that I love you more than you'll ever
know.

Con amor,

Hermana Barth

RANDOM FACTS.

1. There are still many orchards here in Yuba and along with that,
fruit stands everywhere. So the other day we bought a huge thing of
freshly picked strawberries and I am not kidding when I say they are
the most delicious strawberries I have ever eaten. Abby, you would be
in HEAVEN! Yesterday we saw that they have mangoes now too so I am
going to have to get myself some of those possibly today... and
cherries, etc. AMAZING! I absolutely love Northern California.

2. It is SO hot here. It's over 100 degrees almost every day. Crazy
story... the other day these two men gave us cans of Pepsi. Neither of
us like Pepsi but the hombre Francisco insisted we took them so we
did, then we (not being smart) left them in our car... Well so it was
104 degrees outside and when we came back to our car, one of the cans
completely EXPLODED and there was Pepsi, honestly EVERYWHERE in our
car. Yes, in our brand new sparkling clean car. So we had to scrub it
down like nuts in the blazing heat of the day and then we had to go
straight to a lesson (already dripping in sweat haha) where there was
no air conditioning and she fed us a delicious meal that was loaded
with chili... and I added chili peppers and Tapatio to it myself (I am
the weirdest spicy person these days) but so I was eating heat while
sweating in the heat.... in this moment I don't think I had ever felt
more physically hot in my life. I was burning inside & out. Hahaha oh
it was crazy. It is going to be one HOT summer!!!! However, the
temperature at night here is absolutely perfect. Lately Hermana Hughes
and I have been parking our car somewhere when the temperature goes
down and then we will just walk around, to our appointments, to visit
people, etc. It's amazing.