Good Morning!

This week has been very, very busy. We were skipping lunch and dinner time almost every day and have decided to never do that again :) Except for today... we are doing it again today. 

Being busy means good things though, right? Right. It means that we have enormous amounts of work to do! Top of the list being Sunny. Sunny is getting baptized this Saturday, and she is still thrilled about it. She stood up in Relief Society and announced herself. Teaching her has been quite the learning experience. This girl asks some tough questions that Sister Dobbins have to do some serious research on. We obviously can't answer every question she has, but we try our best to resolve her concerns and not leave any lingering uneasiness. We are trying to answer her questions because we have another investigator named Kathy who has had the same unanswered questions for over a year!

I'm not sure if I have mentioned her, but Kathy is a sweet lady who lives in the furthest possible part of our area. We only get out to see her once a week, and she comes to church every Sunday. Next week, though, our area boundaries will be changing and we will lose her to the new missionaries!! It's super sad, but we are hoping those Elders will be exactly what she needs. When I met her, she was struggling with Joseph Smith as a prophet, and him having seen God. Well guess what? Those concerns are GONE. Now the only thing holding her back is coffee. Or at least that is all we know of at the moment. Kathy loves the gospel. She says over and over that she doesn't think anyone in the congregation enjoys it as much as she does - she "absorbs it all in!" 

Also this week, Sister Dobbins and I did 4 hours and 5 minutes of tracting in one day. In a hot and humid 100 degrees! We lost our minds, and I attached a picture. But, we have ourselves some appointments for the coming week and we got all of our required hours of tracting DONE (barely). We need to get better at planning, I know. 

I'm learning so much, everyone. My testimony gets stronger each time I share it. I realize the importance of the message I bear every time someone tells me they are not interested. I also see the value of it every time I watch it change someone's life for the better. The gospel is so true and it is so important. Our Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers, I can promise you that.

I truly hope you all have such a blessed week! I pray for you every day. 

SMILE!
Love, Sister Bartsch

Found the perfect Coke can!  Fun!

The ups and downs of missionary work.  One minute she looks like this....  

Then the heat makes her a little crazy...

Then there are these lovely moments.  She must have found shade and a cool drink in that trunk!

The Days are just packed!

So I think I have adjusted to being a missionary, and I honestly feel like I wrote emails to y'all like, yesterday. But between last Monday and today, SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED. It makes no sense, and I've been told that this is just what missionary life always feels like. Time is flying already, friends.

It has been a great week! Sister Dobbins and I gave everthing we had to the work, and saw some incredible success. We exceeded our goals, found some strengths and weaknesses, and are looking forward to working with the people we've met. My prayers to be healthy and able to work hard were answered so quickly, and we were led to those who were prepared to hear the message we have to share. Thank you to those of you that were praying for us!

I wish I had a miraculous event to share with you this week, but the miracles we saw were in our numbers and in ourselves. We were able to reach so many people! Our referrals, investigators, and ward member lists were stacking up while we were sick, and we got to contact so many of them this week. We also taught more lessons than this area has had in at least three months-and we have even higher goals for the coming week. The changes in ourselves have been incredible, too. Sister Dobbins and I are becoming much better friends, and it shows in everything we do and everyone we teach.

Sunny is doing great, her baptism is going to be quite the event! She is inviting everyone and she even dyed her hair for it :) I couldn't ask for a better spirit to teach, and watching the gospel improve her life in every possible way has been so amazing.

We are so grateful for all of the support we receive from home :) Y'all are wonderful and we feel your prayers strengthen us.

Have a blessed week!

Love, Sister Bartsch

Ether 12:4

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/12?lang=eng

Dakota got a special delivery of flowers from "someone" for her birthday!

Fun Fact: The South has really big bugs. And bugs that shouldn't jump, can jump (even the ones that look dead). Getting pictures of the ones that are REALLY scary is just not worth the risk, sorry.

I'm gonna get DUNKED!

Hello, beautiful people!  

Let me start by thanking you for all of the well-wishes and birthday thoughts :) Y'all are too kind. And I am happy to say that my companion and I are rested and healthy again! We got out to work on Saturday and have NO plans of stopping ever again. Monday-Friday were spent reading, painting, watching Church movies over and over, and walking to the mailbox multiple times a day (just in case). 

But SATURDAY we met our new Mission President and his wife! They seem so humble and sweet. I am so excited to get to know them better and watch what good they bring to the mission. They've already given me great wisdom that will help me be a better missionary and I know that'll just keep coming! The rest of the afternoon was discouraging, lots of unanswered door knocking and rain, I'll attach a picture of our discouragement. 

Saturday evening, we saw Sunny. Sunny is the investigator who has been coming to church and asking us to teach her! We were so sad to put that off for almost two weeks because of illness :( But, during those two weeks, she got a job, started living with a member, and learned whatever she could about the Gospel! Pretty much, when we went to teach her, she started the lesson with "y'all need to teach me what to do to get baptized!" and then "cause I'm gonna get DUNKED." So, well, yes! We did just that! After explaining the importance of baptism, I looked her in the eye and said "Sunny, will you follow the example of Jesus Chr-" "YES YES YES YES" She knew exactly where I was going with that, I guess! We set her up to be baptized on July 25th and she shouted with joy and had to happy dance for a little bit! We had a wonderful lesson with her after that and the member she's living with (Sister Adams) had already taught her so much! Afterwards, we went outside and watched a few fireworks to celebrate! (Post-happy-dance picture attached) Sister Dobbins and I love her so much, and to make everything even better, Sunny got up and bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting the next day. Yep, I definitely cried. Best 4th of July and birthday ever! 

My birthday was spent working hard! We had a few appointments, and we acted on a prompting to visit Glenn. I think I wrote about him a long time ago, but it had been a while since we saw him, and he had a lot of questions! We were teaching him on his front step in the pouring rain, so we didn't get to teach much. But our testimonies were powerful and we will definitely be back! The South is so fun. Even though there are no sidewalks, and when it rains it FLOODS, the people are so kind, and the work is so fun. Also, there are lightning storms almost every day this time of year! They're SO cool and we have an awesome view :) I'm so happy to be back to work, and I know that the time spent inside will continue to show it's purposes to us. Our Heavenly Father loves us and he definitely hears and answers our prayers. If you know this, you have every reason in the world to be happy. I hope y'all have a blessed week! Sister Bartsch

Sister Bartsch with the Oreo cake made from the mix we sent her!  They "attacked it".

Sister Bartsch and Sunny post happy dancing!

On her Birthday the Relief Society gave her a ribbon to wear and also cake from a wedding on Saturday. 

Sister Bartsch and Sister Dobbins - the photo of discouragement.

Remember how I NEVER get sick?

A note from her mom:  Send Birthday wishes!  The address and email are right here.  If you can't send real mail send her an Email and she will get it on Monday!  Now from Dakota...

Well, friends, I don't have much news! Last Monday evening, I finally went to the doctor after feeling sick for a few days. I am really not a big fan of doctors, and I don't like needing help. But it turns out I had caught strep throat! And my body had been fighting it by its self for too long, I guess! So they gave me antibiotics and told me to stay away from people for 24 hours. Although we weren't happy about it, a day indoors wasn't too bad! My companion and I got to do a lot of studying, take a nap, and start a puzzle. Wednesday we had a couple meetings and made it to a few appointments, I wasn't contagious but still didn't feel well.

THURSDAY was my favouite day. A couple weeks ago, Bossier suffered an awful flood and there has been a lot of need for disaster relieve and volunteer effort. The missionaries were invited by a big baptist church to help out. (when I say big, I mean HUGE. This church literally bought a mall and turned it into a worship-center. Food court and all. It's amazing.) So I got to be a part of the Mormon Helping Hands and help clear out Ms Betty's house down by the river. I've never worked so hard in my life, and I loved making a difference. Betty's house had been sumberged, she said that she came by on a boat one day to see it. Everything was muddy and moldy and had to be thrown away. I filled a lot of wheelbarrows with Christmas decorations-it was really sad. We tore down drywall, ripped up flooring, and cleared out the whole house! Also, the water had run through cow pastures and busted sewer lines.. so everything, including me, smelled LOVELY.

Thursday afternoon, though, I was still feeling yucky. Three weeks before, my companion had an awful case of Hand Foot and Mouth disease.. I guess it's more common among children, but she has awful luck with stuff like that. She had blisters all over her hands, feet, stomach, and I don't even remember where else. After we showered, I noticed a tiny little blister on my finger. We ran to the doctor again and he told me I had caught it from her!! And that I was contagious for at least seven days. Since it's a virus, it has to run it's course on me until my immune system kills it. Well, I am happy to say that my immune system is doing a FANTASTIC job. I got two blisters on my toes, one on my finger, and one on my nose. All of which are healing :) So, those of you that are praying for me, thank you. Because I have been very blessed. Unfortunately, I still have to sit in the apartment for another four days and I only have two puzzles left. I'm kind of losing my mind. But I will get through this! And I am just taking the extra time to become a more prepared missionary!

I get a new mission president this week and I will get the chance to meet him on Saturday! I am very excited. And very hopeful.

I wish I had news about our investigators, but we haven't been able to see any this week. I guess this virus ran throught the ward last month, too.. so all of the members are scared of me.

My birthday is this Sunday! My teenage years have come to an end. Thank you all for making them so wonderful.  I feel like birthdays on the Mission are weird, and maybe they don't exist. We will see.

Anyways, I love you all so much and I thank you for your support and prayers. Get out and serve someone this week, see them the way our Heavenly Father does and do something nice :)

Have a blessed week!

Sister Bartsch

Puzzles, puzzles and more puzzles.

Hello, all!

I've been serving in the field for only a week, and I am already so happy. The day I got here I had two appointments, and Sister Dobbins has kept us on a solid schedule since then! She is a great missionary, I am very blessed to have her as a companion :) She's from California and is almost half way through the mission. Just last week she recovered from Hand Foot and Mouth, some child's disease or something.. so her luck isn't stellar, but I love her anyway!

I love teaching. It was hard and uncomfortable the first few lessons, but I am catching on quickly and learning to enjoy it more. There are so many beautiful people here. They're just kind, full of faith, and so friendly! Of course there are some people who resist our message pretty harshly, and at first that would hurt my feelings, but I toughened up real quick!! Tracting is pretty entertaining for that reason, and I also am working on a Bingo card to make tracting more enjoyable. Lizzards, preacher's houses, people working on cars, etc. It really helps.

We have a lovely member that takes good care of us. Sis P is a convert of almost a year, and she comes out to teach with us. She also fed me alligator and crawfish for my first time :)

Yesterday, FOUR of our investigators came to church! And two of them nearly begged to be baptized. The lessons in Sunday School and Relief Society were on the Holy Ghost, and they wanted that gift so so so badly. One even called at 2:00 AM asking more questions :) I'll let you know how that goes! They haven't even had a missionary lesson yet! Pray for Sunny and Bertha :)

Also, oh my word, Relief Society in the South. It was AWESOME. I've never seen a chorister (Sis P) stop us in the middle of the Hymn and say "Nah nah nah, y'all can do better than that, start over" and then "I aint standin in front of a classroom where y'all ain't PARTICIPATIN'" She is an administrater at a high school, and is such a classic southern woman. It's great.

Besides those investigators, we have a couple more with baptismal dates. It feels pretty good. Beth and Glenn are two of my favourites! We teach a lot of older people out here, and their hears are just so pure! The best experiences I have had so far have been when I am teaching someone and I can feel so strongly their Heavenly Father's love for them. When I can feel that, I am given the words to say to help them feel it also. It's a beautiful thing, to invite people to come unto Christ, and I am very blessed to have this calling.

While we were teaching Beth the first lesson, she was telling us about how her health problems are making housework and gardening too difficult. When I asked her what day we can come back and help out, tears came to her eyes! She said that she is always on the nurturing end of service, and rarely do people take care of her. Beth loves being the answer to someone elses prayers, but  hers feel unanswered! (HEARTWRENCHING) So she said "y'all are part of my little miracle, you are angels, and I thank you" and we will see her again to do some gardening on Wednesday :) And, if she will let us get a word in, we will teach her something. Beth is definitely a talker.

There have been a lot of wonderful stories this week, but I won't go on too long :) In case you are curious, I have already picked up a bit of an accent! Also, bug bites are a sad fact of life here - I pretty much bathe in bug spray and my shins are still always itchy. I think I am at 20 bites from the knee down? It's fantastic.  I am coming down with some kind of illness, so pray for me! We aren't sure if we will make it to our appointments this evening or if we will need to go to the doctor :( OTHER THAN THAT everything is well!! Send me letters, kay?

I love y'all, have a blessed day

Sister Bartsch

2305 Ovietto Lane
Bossier, LA 71111

Attached is a view from my balcony in the morning, my first day tracting, and my lovely companion

Well, wonderful people!

I am here! I AM IN MISSISSIPPI RIGHT NOW. My hair is a curly mess, and I am at 'T-Point' awaiting my 'T-van' to transfer me to BOSSIER, Louisiana! (Woah) I don't know my address yet, but I hope to get an email out later today when I get it. 

The MTC was wonderful, but being out in the field is much better. It is so green and beautiful here. Everyone has been so nice. When we arrived there were a bunch of missionaries waiting at the airport with President and Sister Mcdonough. The pictures in this email are from the airport. The humidity hits you hard. I remember thinking I could feel it inside the airport. HAHAHAHAHA WRONG. It feels like I am forever inside the Safari exhibit at the Zoo. The bangs are a no-go, folks! We had dinner at a nearby church, and stayed the night at the mission home. I woke up and my new companion was posted on the transfer board! Her name is Sister Dobbins and I haven't met  her  yet (stay tuned). But all the missionaries I have met say that there is a LOT of work to be done here and that the people are so kind. That's very exciting for me :) 

I have attached two pictures from the MTC, one with all my beautiful Sisters. Four of us were from my district, and the other four were our neighbors in the residence, they will be on their way to Eugene, Oregon tomorrow! The second picture is with my teacher, Brother Craw. He was amazing, and could teach so much in so few words. I learned so much from  his classes. 

My dear MTC companion is going to a place called Hattiesberg (maybe I spelled that right), MS. It's a college town and missionaries have been known to LOVE it there. I'm so excited about it. Not a lot of the missionaries I have met know much about my area, except that there is an Air Force base there that we visit a lot. We can't proselyte, but we can visit members. So that sounds fun! But it is so far from Sister Scott, and I am scared to leave her! So far I really haven't interacted with the people here, but I can't wait to!

I will get you an address and an update on my companion soon, I hope! But I am pretty sure I have a long drive ahead of me. I really love you all so much, and pray for you ALL the time. 

Smile big, everyone!

Sister Bartsch

Dakota called  this morning at 6 am from the SLC airport on her way to Mississippi via Atlanta with 15 other missionaries!  I've posted the mission home address here and I think since today is transfers tomorrow is P-Day.  Hopefully we get a big letter tomorrow telling us all about the MTC and first impressions.  It sounds like she is doing great.