Sister Sydney Burningham

Hey Everybody!

Glad to hear everyone is doing well, congrats on all the new babies coming into the world in the extended family.  I love all of you!  I got Mike's wedding invitation, I absolutely love it!  Can't believe cousin Mike is getting married and Maggie soon, too!  I love hearing about all the fun things that are going on back on the home front.

As for the mission, things are going well!  This week I just have to brag about the youth in our ward, I mean seriously they are so BOLD about their beliefs and are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, they are the rising generation and they are going to be the most incredible instruments in the hands of the Lord to bring people to the knowledge of the truth.  There is this one young woman in our ward named Georgia.  Georgia is an incredible person.  She just comes up to us on Sunday and says "Hey Sisters I'm going to need a Book of Mormon, I have friends that are interested and I'll let you know and you can teach them and stuff."  Like it's no big deal like she just hands our Books of Mormon all the time.  I love it so much, they are all like that though.  They all go to early morning seminary at 6 a.m. before we missionaries even get out of bed and they are such an example to me of disciples of Christ.  I love them and we get to go on team ups with the young women and their moms and it's just been the greatest experience. 

As far as Thanksgiving and Christmas go, I am so excited to be here in Chilhowee and with Sister Whitehead another transfer, her birthday is December 3rd too so we are just spending all sorts of fun times of the year together.  We were really trying to think of a way we could get the ward to be pumped about missionary with this time of the year especially so we came up with an Advent Calendar, so everyday in December there is something you can do to prepare the share the gospel, or to share it.  Such as reading in Preach my Gospel on the Importance of Members, or reading a chapter of the Book of Mormon, or watching the Christmas Devotional and inviting a friend to come watch..etc.  It's been amazing to see the leadership of the ward just get right on board, we made the calendar with a member, printed them with another and we are seeing every ward member between now and December 1st.  It's been amazing to see them get excited to have ways and goals in front of them so that they can bring people into the gospel.  The quote that we are basing it off of is from M. Russell Ballards talk from last conference that says:

"We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior."

I love those last words, and what a wonderful gift to the Savior.  He wants nothing more than his people to know him, to know of the fullness of his gospel, and the way to salvation and eternal life with him and our Heavenly Father.  I am so grateful for this Christmas season and for the time I have on a mission to reflect everyday on what the Savior has done for me.

I love you all and I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Sister Burningham