Letter #92

Hello hello!

This week was fantastic! Many of our investigators are starting to progress, and we were even able to set a couple baptismal dates! It has been amazing! These people that we have been working with recently are so prepared. It is so amazing how well God knows each and every one of his children.

I had one really cool experience this week that I will never forget. We were teaching a lesson when two ladies that I have never seen before came in and asked to speak with us for a second. I walked a couple feet away and my companion continued to chat with our investigator. It turns out that these two ladies were not members of the church but one of them had a son that was baptized a couple years ago. They recently moved to Indiana so we have not seen them for quite some time. Even though they were not members of the church, they knew that our church was a place that they could come for help. One of them had a daughter that just came to the untied states from china and has not been doing too well with the change. They told me that she is not very healthy and has been in the hospital for quite some time. They did not specify what exactly was going on but they asked if we would be willing to go there and visit her daughter. I agreed and set up an appointment for monday.

On monday, we met at our chapel in china town then went together in a taxi to the 14th street hospital. When we got there we noticed right away that this was not a normal hospital but a psychiatric ward. I had flash backs of reading the book "One Flew Over the Koo Koo's Nest" in high school and a feeling of uneasiness came over me. We went to the top floor of the hospital and waited out side a double bolted steal door for a security guard to come and unlock the door for us. When we went inside, this ladies daughter came around the corner screaming. She was mad that we were a few minutes late. Her mom told us to go stand off in the distance and wait for her to settle down. As we sat down on the cold blue leather couches many different patients continued to pass by us. They all had different problems. Some were alot more noticeable than others. My feeling of uneasiness turned into a feeling of peace and comfort as I tried to think about what Christ would do in this situation. I thought about all of the different accounts we have of Christs earthly ministry. He helped so many people and performed so many miracles. I pictured him just walking around this hospital, sitting down and talking with each of the patients. He would not load them up with all kind of medication that is hard to pronounce. He would simply love them and teach them principles of the gospel.

The mom came back and asked us to come sit with her daughter as she talked with the doctor. The doctor in my opinion seemed heartless. She was chinese luckily so she was able to communicate her points very clearly. She continued to tell this young lady that she was not normal and that she needed to take more medicine. Our new friends daughter really did not like medicine because of the way that it makes her feel. The doctor continued to tell her that she had to take it. I wanted so bad to shew this doctor away and simply have a conversation with this young lady trying my best to weave in as many principles of the gospel that I could. But, I don't think that would have been the best idea. The young lady ran away screaming in a temper tantrum. We asked the mother if we could have a few minutes just to talk with her but when she asked the daughter, her daughter was not up for it.

Me and elder huang left the chapel some what depressed as we thought about some of the things that had just happened. We both had the exact same experience. It is times like this, I realize that if everyone on this earth was trying to live a life like Christ did, it would be a much better place. As much as I wish it was like that, I am glad that it is not. It really helps me to realize how amazing Christ really was. The things that he did in his time on earth are incredible. I am so grateful for him and the sacrifice that he made for all of us.

Well I got to get going but I hope that you all have a great week! Thank you so much for all of the love and support that you all give to me, it really means so much!

Elder Barton