I'll go where He wants me to go!

Dear family,

Happy Easter yesterday! Oh my stars, it's been a roller coaster these
past few days. You's ready for transfer news? I'm leaving Sunbury :'(
and heading to Beaver Valley. It's located on the other side of the
mission, close to Pittsburgh. My new companion will be Sister Smith,
and she only has one transfer (6 weeks) left on her mission. This
means I'll have to take over the area after only 6 weeks. Oh boy. I
know the Lord will help me though. :)

So tomorrow morning, bright and early we are driving to Harrisburg.
Sister Schofield will pick up her new companion, Sister Thorson, and I
will hop in a van with a bunch of other missionaries to drive to
Pittsburgh. I had a hunch I would leave, even though I didn't want to.
I wanted to stay for at least another 6 weeks...but the Lord had
something different in mind for me.

It has been hard to see people for the last time and to say goodbye. I
have come to love the Sunbury area and ward and people more than I
ever thought I would or could. My heart holds so much love for them, I
can't even describe it. This has become my home. So to leave is harder
than I ever could have imagined. I have come to love Sister Schofield
like a sister, and it is going to be so hard to leave. She has become
one of my closest and dearest friends...I am going to miss her
terribly. Good thing there's life after the mission and I'll get to
see her again!! ;D

We had a really great week and taught a lot of people. I couldn't have
had a better week right before leaving Sunbury. We showed Hallelujah
to so many people, handed out pass-along cards, and testified of the
Savior, His resurrection, and life after death. It has been so
amazing! Brenton's baptism was yesterday, and it was a success! So
happy he's made that step and is now a member of the church.

I'm not sure what else to say. I will say this though: So grateful for
this Easter season. It has come to mean a lot more to me on my mission
than before. I know without a doubt we will see our loved ones again.
This beautiful plan of salvation is real and it gives me hope and
peace during this mortal life. I am so grateful for it. I know without
a doubt our Savior Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us, and
on the third day took up His life and rose from the dead. Because of
Him, anything is possible. Because of Him, we will all live again. The
tomb is empty; He lives. "He is not here, He is risen." Hallelujah!

I love you so so so much--I hope you have a wonderful week!!

All my love,
Sister Bartlett


                                     I AM GONNA MISS THESE PEOPLE SO MUCH!!


                                                 Brenton's Baptism on Easter Sunday :)

Sister Bartlett and Roger

Lily made me a "We'll Miss You" sign! 

With the Jasmine and Kelly

                                                     With Gail--Oh I Love her!

                                                With the Paul's-SWEET people!

                                  Lewisburg District-it's been real!  See you on the flip side!          
                           

                                           Oh how I will MISS this Sis! #alwayslaughing
                                                       Never been a dull moment :D
                                             Love. You. So. Much. Sister Schofield!!

Why I Believe!

My favorite family,

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world!!! Wow, I love my
life. I never expected I could be this happy, especially in the
service of others--but it is changing me from the inside out. And I
couldn't be happier. (Prepare for yet another novel...you are a saint
if you read through all of this. ;))

So....Dylan. We've been teaching him every week, and he's done pretty
well coming to church each week. However, he's had a lot of stressful
things going on in his life. On Saturday he sent a text that appeared
to be a "drop text". I was heartbroken!! I genuinely care about and
love Dylan, and to see him retreat from a good thing was so sad. But
we texted him back to ask if he would like to keep meeting with us and
learning about the gospel, and he said yes. Phew. That was a close
one! He originally was going to get baptized this Saturday, but we
will be postponing his date. Sad about that, but he will get there--he
just needs a little bit more time.

On Monday, we taught Roger about missionary work. Here's the cool
part. Before we even started the lesson, he said, "Hey, I need a copy
of the book." We were like, "What?" He said, "Yeah, I read The Book of
Mormon while I'm at work, and the other day one of my coworkers asked
what I was reading. I told him, and he wanted a copy, so I told him I
would get him one." We almost fell out of our seats. He's already a
missionary and he's not even a member yet!! It is amazing. We
proceeded to teach him about missionary work and how important it is
to teach others about the gospel. He didn't know you could share the
gospel without being a member of the church. Goodness, I love him. He
still hasn't heard back on his job position, so please keep praying
that he will get it. We are praying for this miracle and believe it
will happen!

Thursday, we went to Sunbury because we hadn't been there in a while.
One person we saw in the nursing home was Ethel. She is the
sweetest--easy in her 90's. We usually just sing to her, but we went
over to her wheelchair and started talking to her. She said, "I don't
know how I know you, but I've seen you before!" Ha ha. We started
talking to her, and she told us she feels scared because she doesn't
know what will happen to her. We talked to her about the Plan of
Salvation on her level, and told her she doesn't need to be scared. We
told her that once she leaves the earth, she will be free from trouble
and pain and sickness. Her eyes got big and wide, "That sounds
wonderful! Where did you read that?" "In The Book of Mormon. Have you
read The Book of Mormon before?" "Yes I have." Sister Schofield
whipped out her iPad and pulled up Alma 40. She read her a few verses,
and Ethel said, "I hope you're right." She was so sweet about it. We
told her that she can pray anytime she feels afraid and Heavenly
Father will help her to feel better. It put the biggest smile on our
faces. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!

Yesterday was our "Why I Believe" Firesides. One fireside was at our
church building in Northumberland, and then we drove to the stake
center in Williamsport to do the same fireside. Sister Schofield and I
sang "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul", and we also sang with the
other 40 missionaries there. President and Sister Johnson spoke along
with a few recent converts. The spirit was so strong, it was
beautifully overwhelming. Hearing testimonies of how people have come
to believe, it has caused me to reflect on why I believe and what I
believe.

My knowledge was so limited when I left to come on my mission. I am
reminded of that every single day. I had a testimony, but it really
was only the beginning. God is taking that simple testimony and making
it into some thing beautiful and strong. What I believed before I came
on my mission: this church is true. God answers prayers. The Book of
Mormon is true. Families are forever. Jesus Christ suffered and died
for me. I knew these things were all true...to a point.

What I know now: This truly is Christ's church. The only church on the
face of the earth that has the fullness of the gospel--the only true
church. The same church that He established while He was on the earth
is the same one He leads and guides through a prophet today. God our
loving Heavenly Father and even though this world was in disarray and
darkness and confusion for a time because we would not listen, He
wasn't about to leave us. He loved and loves us so much He was willing
to wait as long as it took for us to listen to Him. He would provide a
way for the gospel to be restored. He loves us infinitely and
perfectly. Joseph Smith really knelt in a grove of trees to ask God
for direction in His life. His humble prayer was answered, and the
world has never been the same since. Prayer is real. When you have
literally no one else to turn to, you can fall to your knees and cry
out for help. He will hear your plea and He will answer you. The
Atonement is real. His grace is real. It isn't there when I have been
perfectly obedient and have done ALL I can do. His grace is there to
strengthen my feeble knees and enable me to endure. I have experienced
this time and time again. I know the word of God are His words,
written for me. Holding fast to that iron rod and continually pressing
forward is crucial if I am to have a lasting conversion. Time and time
again, I have experienced and witnessed each of these truths on a very
personal level. That is why I believe.

I cannot express the love I have for my Savior Jesus Christ. I let Him
down over and over and over again, but He has never let me down. He
gives me second chances over and over again no matter how many times I
stumble, fall, stray, and wander. He is my rock, my best friend, my
everything. I can't wait to see Him again.

Take time for Him this week as you ponder the significance of this
beautiful Easter season.
The tomb is empty. He lives.

"Have faith, have hope, live like His Son. Help others on their way."
"After all, we're just walking each other Home."

With so much love,
Sister Bartlett

PS: transfers are next week (I'll know on Saturday)...pray that I
don't get transferred!! ;)

                                                   Happy St. Patty's Day from PA!

Happy Sunday!

Our latest Motto.....

I don't know if I agree but PA thinks so!

Hallelujah!!

Dear Family,
Oh my stars. This week was amazing. Miracles and the most amazing
moments. Pretty sure I won't even be able put it into words, but I'll
try.

Sister Schofield and I went tracting on Wednesday! (Considering this
doesn't happen in the Sunbury area very often, this was pretty
exciting. :D) We were able to help these people move into their
house--it was awesome! We handed out a few of our cards to people and
it just felt really great.

Zone conference was on Thursday in State College. I was able to sing
my missionary medley, and sing "I Will Not Be Still" with Sister
Schofield. Both brought the spirit and made me so happy. Zone
conference not only changed my mission, but it changed my life. What I
learned there has forever changed me as a missionary and person. A few
things I learned:
>> "Perfect love casteth out all fear." (Moroni 8:16) When you love Jesus Christ, you can cast out your fear. Your love will be so great that if will become your motivator--fear won't have the power to stand in the way.
>> I am fulfilling my purpose as a missionary when I invite others to do things that will strengthen their faith in Christ. Even if they decline, I have done my part. (The same goes for you as member missionaries!!)
>> Knowing who I am and what I am called to do is the most important thing for me to know and remember. What I am doing is the most important thing I can do in mortality.
>> I may feel inadequate at times, but I am a child of God. My Heavenly Father is behind me every step of the way, and Angels surround me to bear me up. He will never ask me to do something I can't do with His help.

The commitment from the AP's was to invite at least one person to be
baptized every week. Whoa. I know we can do it with God's help!! We
also have been challenged by our district leader to hand out a copy of
The Book of Mormon every day. PS I have an awesome experience with
that:

Flashback to Wednesday night. After Book of Mormon class, a lady in
our ward came in and asked us if we had a copy of The Book of Mormon
in Spanish to give to her friends who were there. We ran out to our
car, and miraculously there was one there! So we were able to give one
out that night (just 24 hours after we had recommitted to do better
and actually follow through with our district leader's commitment).
Miracles!

Back to zone conference for two seconds. I realized I am coming to
know I will always be a missionary. I will always be doing missionary
work. I will one day get married to my eternal companion, and together
we will raise our own investigators and eventually converts. It will
be amazing and I can't wait. :)

Then we went on exchanges with our STL's.  I actually got to do a real
exchange!! I went to Lock Haven with Sister Crockett--'twas an
adventure! Let me tell you, miracles happened on both sides of the
exchange. When we went to this house to try a potential, he wasn't
there, but his roommate was. His name was Jony. We started talking to
him and found out that he doesn't really have a religious
background--he's not sure what he believes. He told us he was confused
after going to several churches. After asking him if he wants to learn
more, he said, "Sure, why not?" We told him about The Book of Mormon
and gave a copy to him. He said he would read "the book" and see what
it was about. Sister Crockett applied what she learned at zone
conference and asked him, "When you come to know these things are
true, will you follow he example of Jesus Christ and be baptized?" He
said, "Sure, why not?" It was so cool. We scheduled a return
appointment and when we got in the car and just couldn't stop smiling
and talking about it.

We left Jony's and drove to another house to try them. They weren't
home, so we drove away. This guy was working on his porch, and I felt
like we should talk to him. We pulled over, and saw this lady walking
towards us. We started talking to her--her name was Carol. We showed
her "Because of Him" and gave her a copy of The Book of Mormon as
well. We ventured over to the guy we originally stopped for...he
wasn't interested. But at least we got to talk to Carol.

Come to find out on the other side of the exchange (Sister Schofield
and Sister Durfee), they had amazing things happen too. They also
handed out a copy of The Book of Mormon and invited someone to be
baptized. Miracles.

Oh my stars and the new Easter initiative--go watch it right now!!
It's amazing. It gets better and better each time I watch it. And in
light of the new video and Easter coming up...

Hallelujah.
For His life.
For His miracles.
For His sacrifice.
For His resurrection.
For His love.
For His grace.
For His mercy.
For His forgiveness.
For His healing.
For life after death.
For all that is possible because of Him.
For forever families.
For this gospel.
Hallelujah for Him.

I can't even begin to express the love I have for my Savior Jesus
Christ. He is my Rock and my Redeemer, my everything. I'll forever
praise His name as I bear it. He is my best friend and I truly adore
Him. I LOVE BEING ONE OF HIS MISSIONARIES!!

Family, you can be missionaries now! With this new video, it is the
perfect opportunity.
Print off some pass-along cards and hand them out to people. There are
prepared people even in American Fork that are ready to hear the
gospel. Be prayerful, trust God, and go out and find them! I am
praying for your success. :)

Don't be afraid to open your mouth and share this gospel--the best
news that anyone could ever hear! Remember that "perfect love casteth
out all fear"--when you love Him, you will do anything for Him. And He
will help you every step of the way.

Make it an amazing week!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

"Have faith, have hope, live like His Son. Help others on their way."

All my love,
Sister Bartlett



                                        With Brother Murray in his garden in Sunbury!

The Singing Sisters on their way to Zone Conf :)

Combined Zones at Zone Conference

Exchanges with Sister Crockett

Here's My Heart!

Mom, Dad, Cameron, Brenden:

I have made a decision this week that will alter the rest of my
mission, and also the rest of my life. I've decided to completely
surrender and give my heart to the Lord. I've been reading this talk
called "The Fourth Missionary" by Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge (Adam
Chevrier sent it to me), and to say the least, it has changed how I
look at things.

He quotes C.S. Lewis when he says, "Give me all. I don't want too much
of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your
work. I want You. All of you . . . Hand it all over to me, the whole
outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams.
Turn them all over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a
new self in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you
Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your
heart."

Elder Corbridge.....
"I'm handing him my heart. My fragile, pieced together, mended
heart--I'm giving it to Him. I've said to Him: I give up. I
surrender. I won't fight anymore. Here it is. Here are my desires.
Here is my will. I want only to do what you want me to do. That's
enough for me. That's all I want."

I'm giving Him my heart and my will. It's His to have. I don't want to
keep it from Him anymore, and I don't want to fight Him anymore. He
can have it. I will go, and do, and say what and where He needs me to
go and do and say, nothing less. I am here for Him. This is not my
mission, but His. I am His--all His.

I know this will be a choice and a sacrifice I will have to make every
single day, but I'm ready. I'm ready and willing to do it. It's time.
I've half-heartedly made this decision before, as I went into my
mission...but I'm willing to now do it whole-heartedly.

Honestly, this week was super slow. Appointment after appointment
cancelled, which was really disappointing. It's been a battle to be
disappointed and not become discouraged, but I'm fighting. And despite
all that doesn't go right in missionary life, somehow it is all worth
it. All of it.

Something I've been thinking about a lot this week that I want to
share with you: I know of the sure reality of my Heavenly Father. He
is there and hears every single prayer. Spoken and unspoken. I feel
closer to Him now than I have my entire life. He is so real. And His
unchanging mercy and love are just incredible. I stumble and fall over
and over again, but I never run out of second chances. It must be so
hard for Him to believe me when I say that I'm ready to take His Son's
name and try again, but He believes me. And He helps me every step of
the way. When I feel lost and far from Him, it's as if He says to me,
"It may be dark, but don't worry. I'm right here." And He is
there--constantly. I can't even express how much I adore Him. Or how
much I adore this gospel. It is real, and it is true. I wouldn't give
18 months of my life for it if it weren't. What happened in the Sacred
Grove changed the history of the world, and it forever changed my
life. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I am rescued, saved, redeemed,
and healed by Him. Every day. He is my best friend and I adore Him
more than words can say.

Mom, Dad, Brenden and Cameron, thank you a million times over for your
thoughts and your prayers in my behalf. I firmly believe that I
couldn't do what I'm doing now without them.

You know how happy the gospel and the knowledge of your Savior has
made you--now go share it with others! Don't be afraid to speak up
about the gospel. It deserves to be spread and to be shared.

I hope you have a marvelous week. Remember who you are and that a
sister missionary in PA loves you very much!!! ❤️❤️

Live so that those who know you but don't know Him will want to know
Him because they know you.
"Have faith, have hope, love like His Son. Help others on their way."

All my love,
Sister Bartlett
D&C 78:18


                                         

                                          A lunch date with CUTE Maddy and her Lovely
                                            Mom, Sister Willis.  We. Love. Them!

                

Food Bank Friday & lunch after at T Chipotle

                                              with Sister Crum and her CUTE boys :)

Sister Schofield is 8 months old!! (So, Thai food. ;))