As Sisters in Shreveport...

So, everyone, Shreveport Zone KILLED it this month. We surpassed and almost doubled all of our goals. I am so thrilled to be a part of such a great group of Missionaries. Everyone is incredible and everyone is working so hard! We had Zone Conference and I realized how many great friends I have made :) I don't have a picture of all of us together, but someday it will be put on the MJM Blog, as soon as the new President can figure it out (his words)

This week Sister Dobbins and I set nine people with baptism dates! New record for the area, I think. At least in the last 5 months! I will let you know if any of them start progressing (reading, attending church, keeping appointments) next week! ALSO, Sunny came out teaching with us for the first time last night! She is the cutest thing ever, still. And her excitement is a little overwhelming at times, so we are still working on the best types of appointments to take her enthusiasm to. I'm positive there are people who will respond super well to her, we are excited :) She always brings treats, too. Bonus!

I lost my voice this week! That was a real challenge. Hard for me because I love to talk, and hard for my companion because she had to do most of it. I still sound a little scratchy today, but at least I don't sound like Batman anymore! Yall should hear me sing, though. It's more of a squeak.

Part of my area is the Barksdale Air Force Base! And last week (since we have a huge suspicion Sister Dobbins will be transferred) we went and saw the airplanes! I was feeling really sick, so excuse my sarcasm in the pictures. Admittedly, they were pretty cool to see, but it was hot and I wanted to be in my bed :)

I'm just so full of love for all the people out here :) I got rejected, hit on, and bashed a lot more than usual this week, but I also got to meet some beautiful people with such strong faith and I am grateful for them. Please keep Monique & Calvin, Andre & Phoebe, Tasha, Dakota, Rodney, Stephanie, Deorvian, and Chris in your prayers if you can remember one or two names :) Our lists are never ending.

Have a blessed week! Sister Bartsch

I had gumbo for the first time yesterday! :)

On Wednesday the District wore Christmas Colors to our Zone Development Meeting :) We like picking themes. Gotta make fun every chance you get :) 

 Also on Wednesday it POURED rain. It used to rain quite often, but not lately. We were out tracting and I said "Sister Dobbins, I think we should go get our raincoates from the car - it's looking pretty stormy up there" She said fine, so we started on our journey back to the car, it started to drizzle, and then we ran into a wonderful woman named Tonya out on her porch! Since we are missionaries, we ended up talking with her for like 45 minutes and the rain came down like buckets. We were very grateful for her covered porch :) The rain hadn't let up when we finished our discussion, so we had to run to the car in the storm.. desperately trying to keep our precious Books of Mormon dry! Anyways we were drenched, so we went to Sister Adams' house (pretty much the embodiment of Southern Hospitality - I completely love her) and she let us wear her fuzzy pajamas while she dried our clothes. WHAT AN ANGEL. 

 In other news, Charlie got baptized! Charlie is the sweetest and she was being taught by Elders in my district. Sister Dobbins and I do a Book of Mormon study with her every Wednesday and have totally fell in love with her and her husband Ross. They just got married last weekend! My first Waptism! (Wedding-baptism) She, Ross, their grandson, and our missionary family is pictured and is so complete :) 

 This week we got SO MUCH DONE. Lots of lessons, tons of tracting, plenty of service, and not enough sleep. I woke up sick again today, pray for me! Unfortunately, we didn't see most of our friends that I have told yall about. Thelma is still sick but we contacted her brother! He has been reading the Book of Mormon for about a month now and we are excited for him to meet some missionaries! Shawn (Shaun? We don't know) wasn't home last week but we taught his wife and daughter and went back on Thursday to help around their barn. Sunny is in Oklahoma and is still so excited about her Enid ward. 

My whole zone showed up to help that single mom with her flood cleanup, there was like 40 of us working on her little mobile home and we got lots of work done! We met a lot of brand new people this week, and they all seem pretty excited about the restored gospel. One man named Andre had a really powerful answer to his prayers and knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet. We are stoked. 

Pretty much being a missionary is awesome. The Spirit of the work I am doing is unlike anything in the world, I am convinced. Sharing something you love with others is so rewarding, especially when you can watch what you share change their lives :) I am meeting so many wonderful people and improving myself every day. 

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers! Have a blessed week 
 Love, Sister Bartsch

Blessings on Blessings, Upon Blessings!

Hey friends!

What a beautiful week! Sister Dobbins and I worked our tails off :) Shawn, the man we are teaching and helping to beat alcoholism is doing miraculously well. He looked different last Monday. He had made the decision to change and was more willing than ever to learn about and apply Christ's Atonement to his life. I can't wait to see him tonight!

I spent a lot of time doing more flood cleanup this week, too! It's crazy how much work there is to be done even two months after the flood. Especially for the single mom we were helping this week! She hadn't even gotten all of the walls down, she and her 15 year old son have been doing all the work themselves. I'm not sure how she found the missionaries, but all of us in the area are taking turns helping. 

The best thing about this week is that everyone is back from summer vacations! I swear, our ward was teeny tiny last week, and overflowing this week! Members are coming out to teach with us, those who we thought had completely disappeared are back, AND the weather is finally calming down. Last night a guy on the street said "ohhhh now, now, when dos leafs start to blowin like dis, you know it's 'bout to get coooold" (cue BIG gusts of wind and leaves and a little rain) It was cool and informative in an eerie sort of way. But you could say I am excited for it to cool down around here!

Sunny is feeling much better since last week and is in Oklahoma right now! She is from Enid. She says "Enid. It's Dine spelled backwards because someone shot the sign and turned it around. (...) Really! It really happened!!" HA. The South is real. Anyways, she went to the Enid ward and had to call us and share how exciting it was. I love her so much. 

In other news, Don brought his sons and brother to church yesterday! He and his brother were baptized when they were eight but stopped going to church when they were 10. Now they are in their 60's! We knocked on Don's door about a month ago, and he has been an absolute joy in my life ever since. I was pretty happy to see them :)

Anyways, to summarize my experience out here, an exerpt from my letter to my family: Down here Sweet Tea is pretty much water, "bless your heart' is like the meanest thing to say to someone, full sets of teeth are not necessary to anyone, water bottles (Manna from heaven) are given freely, everyone is "already saved" but they appreciate what we are doing, grass, shrubs, and trees mean a slow and painful death from chigger bites, there's like 14 varieties/colours of wasps, no one likes where this country is going, if you say something out loud about Jesus you'll hear an "AMEN" or "HALLELUJAH" come from somewhere, cornbread is everywhere, Tony's seasoning is used on everything, "battered and fried" isn't written on the menu because I guess it's just implied, and some days I really could swear this place is a different country.  But I've adjusted fairly well, I think!

2 Corinthians 5:7 
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 
I believe the smiley face is NOT a coincidence. Check your Bibles. 
Have a blessed week!

Love, 

Sister Bartsch

Embrace the World One Hug at a Time

Well, friends, what a long week! August in Bossier is HOT. We can handle maybe an hour and twenty minutes out walking and then we have to take a water/air conditioning break. It's rough, folks. But don't worry I still love it! 

We are weeding out Central Park, the area we have been working so hard over the last month. People are finally confessing whether they are really interested/ready to receive the gospel, or if they were just being polite and they never want to see us again. It's great :) So far Stephanie, Sandra, Don, and Charles are progressing the most in that area, we have seen each of them at least two times and they are keeping their commitments. I'll let you know if anything amazing happens with them this week :)

On Wednesday we celebrated Sister Dobbins 9 month mark! She is halfway done! And she is not excited about it. But I am!! and I made her a half of a cake :) 

On Thursday I got bit by my first dog! Puncture wounds and everything! So I checked that off of my missionary experience to-do list and I hope it never happens again! We took a picture a couple days after, so it had started to heal. But you could see a bruise from every tooth and it hurts really bad because it is right on the back of my knee and I walk a LOT. 

On Saturday there was a baptism for Jacob, who was being taught by some Elders in my district. (that's two baptisms in two weeks for us!) We brought Sandra ant it was a really good experience for her, I think :)

I have seen and felt some miracles this week. Our investigator, Thelma, who is going through chemotherapy needs your prayers still! We are hoping that she is done with chemo and can move on to radiation. Shaun, the man who is struggling with alcoholism is still slowly improving! Keep him in your prayers. And Sunny is going through some medical problems right now and could use some prayers on her behalf. The cool thing is, all three of these people got priesthood blessings this week. And they are definitely being blessed in different ways, but with exactly what they need. Comfort, healing, strong wills, faith, patience, etc, etc. It's so cool to be a part of. 

Sorry this newsletter is a little less interesting, I think I have heat exhaustion or something. I just keep giggling with my companion and I think we might have finally worked ourselves TOO hard. Yall are the best, though, I truly appreciate your prayers and thoughts. Don't forget that letters make Missionaries' days! 

Have a blessed week!
Consider yourselves all hugged. 

xoxo Sister Bartsch

2305 Ovietto Lane
Bossier, LA 71111

The half cake Dakota made for Sister Dobbins for her 9 month mark!

A little white poodle bit Dakota on the back of the knee!

Sisters Dobbins and Bartsch with Sunny!

SHE GOT DUNKED!

Once again, I have happy news! Sweet Sunny was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. My goodness, I have never seen a happier person. This woman has been through more than I could possibly understand, and a series of difficult events led her here - to Bossier, Louisiana! Where she was invited almost immediately by a man in our ward to come to church. From coming to church she met the Adams, an older couple who gave her a room in their home. From their  home she was taught all of the missionary lessons and grew so much in the gospel! I watched the light grow in her eyes and it was amazing to be by her side as she accepted the teachings she had always been looking for. Now we call her Sister Miller and she does a happy dance every time. She has brought me SO much joy and I couldn't ask for a better introduction to missionary life! (not the best pictures, sorry! I am going to see if Sister Adams' are better)

Sunny's Baptism!

I mentioned Thelma last week, she is the woman who is enduring chemotherapy right now. Her brother is a member in Alaska and he sent Priesthood holders to bless her through her trial and missionaries to help her come closer to Christ. OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE HER SO MUCH. This woman has such beautiful faith. She has complete trust in God through this scary time in her life and already has plans for how she is going to help others overcome cancer, even though she's in the very middle of her fight right now. She already has a testimony of the Priesthood because her recovery from therapy sessions have been much easier than they should be. Keep her in your prayers! Once she is done with chemo and radiation she wants to be baptized!

And you thought this was just in the movies!

At the start of July, as Sister Dobbins and I were getting healthy again, we were praying about where to tract. I was praying and fasting for us to be led to those who are prepared to hear the gospel. We chose a street in the far west part of our area! Since then, we have tracted about 7 more streets surrounding it, and we work that area almost 4 days a week. Just recently, we have noticed how many wonderful people we know in the neighborhood! Even if we aren't teaching them all, we have so many friends! Terry always gives us water and we see him out fixing everyone's cars. Jim walks his dogs and lets us share a message while we play with them (even though he isn't interested in the Mormons), Sandra's grandson does everyone's yardwork, Rodney and Anthony are cousins, Stephanie and her mother live on the same street, we ran into Jonathan yesterday and he was so sorry to have missed our appointment so we set up another one, and Don really doesn't like the guy around the corner. I know y'all really don't need to know these little details, but Sister Dobbins and I are really enjoying this area. We are sharing the gospel in such a happy little corner of the world and we love it. Yesterday we knocked on JD's door and he was so glad that the lovely girls who waved at him last Thursday came to teach him! Even though we know chances are not everyone we are teaching will accept the gospel, we have gained a testimony of prayer and fasting and following the Spirit.

I could probably write all afternoon, but I have to get going and that's also not allowed. I thank you all for your prayers, I promise they are helping! Keep my little city of Bossier in your prayers, too!

Have a blessed week!

Sister Bartsch

These sisters love service!  This week they were painting.

Things Don't Always go as Planned

Hey, friends!

I'm happy to announce that I am staying in Bossier with Sister Dobbins for another 6 weeks! I was so worried she would be transferred and I would have to know my way around this place. Also, we have a really nice apartment and I am thrilled to stick around.

Breaking News: Sunny's Baptism is now probably THIS Saturday. The timing of everything just works out a bit better. Her interview is tonight and then we will know for sure! Sunny was a little upset at first, but we have found many blessings from putting it off a week and she quickly accepted it (as pictured in the gas station). 

This last week has been challenging for reasons I can't quite explain! The mission changes you, and those changes aren't usually easy ones to make. But as they happen I see myself becoming not only a better person, but a better disciple of Christ. Last night I was able to put one of the changes to words with my companion. 

I had returned from teaching an investigator that has been difficult for me to help. He is an alcoholic and has been struggling with the desire to stop drinking. I was nervous to try to teach him for a couple of appointments, and didn't say all of the things I should have. This last time, though, I went in with so much faith in the Spirit not only giving me words, but giving me the boldness to say them. And it happened. I bore one of the strongest testimonies I've ever borne to him and I saw him feel the Spirit. It was amazing. He told us that he had stopped drinking whisky in the morning because "I didn't want to let y'all down!" and he was working on drinking less and less beer during the day. I just remember thinking "You didn't want to let US down? what about yourself or your family or your Heavenly Father?" but then I realized the calling I have. And the name I bear. 

To me, I am an inexperienced 20 year old sitting on his front porch desperately inviting him to come closer to Christ. To him, I bring the Spirit. I bring something that he can feel even through his substance abuse. I represent Jesus Christ in sharing the importance of His gospel. And because of that people look to us as young missionaries to answer life's hardest questions, to give them advice, share hope, be loving, and help them. Right now I am teaching a person who is suffering from cancer and chemotherapy, another lost their spouse so unexpectedly, one has frequent heart failure, Shawn and his family struggle with alcoholism, and another couple are raising a severely disabled child. I certainly didn't go to school for this! But their Savior knows exactly what they are enduring, He suffered it all so that he can be there to help them through these things. (Alma 7:11-12) And He sends us missionaries to find these people and invite them to come unto Him. I am striving every day to live worthy of the Spirit's guidance and promptings so that I may be what these people need, where and when they need me. 

I want you all to know how much you Heavenly Father and Savior love you. No matter what you are struggling with, you can call upon them for help.

At the close of our lesson with Shawn we talked about prayer. He said he prays for his wife and family, but never for himself. He felt unworthy. We are never unworthy of our Heavenly father's love! Pray for His help, and use the Atonement that has been provided for you. Shawn said our closing prayer and said "help me be a better person." The Spirit was immediately stronger because he asked for help and the Savior was there waiting.

We all have trials, and I challenge you to not try to endure them on your own! Pray for help and you will receive it. 

I love you all so much and you are always in my prayers!

Have a blessed week,

Sunny and Dakota.  Hopefully she gets baptized Saturday!

Leaving passive aggressive sticky notes to people who forget our appointments!

Sister Bartsch