Hello Hello!
Happy New Year, and welcome to the year of the dragon! This is a pretty cool year I must say, anyone who was born this year, is very lucky! I was born the year of the sheep... I mean that is still pretty cool. But if a sheep would be able to take a dragon in a fight, I really do not know. I will do some research on that and then get back to you. But anyways, Chinese New Years was so cool! I am very lucky to be in china town during this awesome holiday. The streets are loaded with parades, lion dances, and the whole ten yards. Every child is also well equipped with these cannons that shoot out confetti, you have to be very careful. I would say walking out side could be likened unto walking through a minefield. It is a blast! All this special food comes out as well that is not usually available. Oh how I love Chinese New year.
The missionaries performed a play again in front of the whole stake. This year we did the story of how the months came to be. They say that long ago there was a problem through out the entire world. No one was able to measure the time. As a result, they could not remember when major events had occurred. So a wise jade emperor came up with a resolution to this problem. He would issue a race amongst all of the animals in china! And the first twelve animals to arrive would have the honor of a month named in their honor. The rat (played by elder Barton) climbed on the ox's back in order to get across the river. The cat had the same idea! But, was pushed off the ox's back as they crossed the river. (This is why today cats are always chasing the rat!) The rat ends up winning the race, because he jumps off the ox's head to cross the finish line! THATS RIGHT I WON! Ha but anyways, that is the story. It was a lot of fun! It took a lot of work on our districts part. We put blankets over a volleyball net, with waves on the top to make the river. It was really cool I wish that I could have video taped it! I love Chinese stories, I think they are so creative.
As fun as the food, and the minefields have been, the work as still been really hard. No body wants to talk to a missionary when they are trying to party. So we have been outside doing lots of contacting. Weeks like this are great; it gives you an opportunity just to think. I was able to think about our investigators that are out of town, and ways that we can help them. I was also able to think about all of they amazing blessings that I have been given on my mission. All of the great things that I have experienced. It has been a long time since I have stopped and looked back. My mission has really been amazing so far. There is not a single thing that I would change. Part of the reason I think that my thoughts were led in this direction, was a conversation that I had on the phone this week with Jing. She was the Chinese lady that I was so lucky to baptize upstate. She just came back from a trip to Utah. Her daughter really wants to go there for college so she thought she should go and take a look. This trip was such a positive experience. She was able to go see Temple Square as well as the tabernacle. She also met many other members that were also Chinese. She went to church on Sunday and was embraced by the members and felt very welcomed. She felt the spirit very strong and her testimony was solidified. The reason that she called me was to ask me how two of her friends would be able to be taught the gospel. They do not speak English and after Jing taught them about our church, they are very interested. She also wanted to know more about the temple. And after she learned more was very excited to start preparing herself to go. I don’t know if you can have a better experience as a missionary.
When I was doing language study this last week, I was looking out the window of the china town chapel. We are on the fourth floor, so we can see out a little ways, with even pieces of the sky, which is very rare in New York City. As I looked in the sky, I saw a bird. I assumed because of the height this bird was flying at that it was an eagle, hawk, or an owl. The bird slowly began to descend until it got low enough to land on a flagpole, which was right in front of me. This bird was not an eagle, hawk, or an owl. It was a pigeon. I have to say I was a little disappointed. As I continued to look at this bird, I became very confused because of its behavior. It was not acting like the normal pigeons that you see in New York. It had a certain confidence that the very flap of its wings seemed to emulate. I thought this could be put into a pretty good analogy. We are all children of god. Even though we all look the same, if we have been baptized we take on a higher responsibility. We suddenly bear the name of Jesus Christ. We cannot participate in activities that would not represent him. We cannot be on the dirty streets eating the "crumbs of temptation." ha-ha! The coolest part of this whole experience was after the pigeon sat there for a while, one of the pigeons on the street flew up and sat with him on the same flag pole, they then flew away back to the same high plain that first pigeon was at originally. As good members of the church we need to share the gospel with our friends, not just keep it all to ourselves.
Well I hope all is well! I love you guys! Have a great week!
Elder Barton!
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