August 9, 2010-Early Email-Training this Week

Dear Family and Friends,
This week I am writing a day early because our P-day was switched to accommodate our 3 day training this week. World wide changes were made to missionary work, so we are going to find out how we're really going to work now. I am really excited to receive the new training. This week was an okay week. We found an older couple, Amauri and Neids, and they went to church, so it looks like they are enjoying learning all of the new things about eternal families, covenants, and promises. They don't really understand prophets so we will be reteaching that tonight.
I received my packages. Holy cow, what a lot of stuff. Razors, candy, shoes, flashdrives and RSL shirts, oh my! I am really enjoying all of the treats. I think we'll make the cake today. I also received many, many letters. Thanks so much for all the b-day wishes from Grandpa & Grandma Barton, the Ellsworths, and the Taylors. I also received letters from Elder Boshard (who is the Best) and Breanna (who shared her experience at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp, which I enjoyed-in the strange way that you enjoy reading/learning about the Holocaust) so it was a very nice b-day celebration today...because I couldn't wait until next week. Happy b-day to me! This will be the last Elder Barton email as a 19 year old. I am feeling rather old.
This week I had an experience that to be honest, I wish had never happened, but I'll share it in hope that everyone, especially my brothers can have a wonderful and very clear example of how NOT to talk about the church. We were walking down the street and talking to people when we stopped a man who identified himself as a pastor of another church. He wasn't openly rude like other pastors have been but near the end of a very civil conversation he mentioned how young we are and how he was 29 years old. I made a very sarcastic remark about how we could tell he was older because of his scrappy facial hair, which quickly concluded the conversation in a cold manner.
After he walked away, Elder Fillmore quickly expressed his regret and disappointment that I chose to make that remark. The minute he said that, all of my anger and frustration and pride vanished and I could tell the Spirit had not been there, that whatever feeling of "bravery" or "boldness" that prompted me to say what I did was not what the Lord wanted me to say in that moment. To be honest, the rest of the day passed slowly as I failed to regain the Spirit to teach. The next morning in my scripture study I came across the scripture in 1 Timothy, about not letting others despise you for your youth AND being an example of the believers. I felt all the shame and remorse all over again. I had not acted in the way I had promised to represent the Savior and I had also put the name of the Church in a more difficult situation, where many churches here already attack us and spread vicious lies about us.
Only one thing has made me feel (he left a word out) about the whole situation. It was President Monson's talk in the July Ensign about canaries with grey wings and talking about how Peter changed from fisherman to prophet. Peter probably didn't always look like the best candidate-denying the Savior or cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest, but at the same time, he also had his moments before he reached the control of a true servant-he walked on the water, he declared "Thou art the Christ" and he followed the Savior as far as he could to the trials and the cross.
I hope I can learn from this experience and really use it to always think about how I am representing the Savior and think less about my own pride.
I hope I can really be the missionary that everyone thinks I am back home.
Love,
Elder Barton
P.S. The pictures are from leaving the MTC, Christmas, etc. Yes, I am a little fat.

Christmas in the MTC

Leaving the MTC with Elder Hamilton
Off to Brazil!