Sister Sydney Burningham

Mon, May 19, 2014 at 11:04 AM
First witness of road kill.

Dear Family and Friends,

Okay, let's just get this horrifying story out of the way.  So we're driving home one night, it's pretty late, we're on the backroads because it's saves us miles and we're winding in and out and all of a sudden a bunny come hopping out into the road on the other lane, a car comes up over the hill and.... yep, dead bunny, right in front of our very eyes, you know for how much road kill is here, I have never actually seen it happen, it was horrible!  Luckily that bunny is in a better place but it really shook up Sister Sume, haha, she loves those little guys.  Anyway, it's kind of sort of funny, not really but I sort of thought so.  The good news is that you really are just supposed to hit whatever is in front of you because if that car had swerved at all it would've hit us head on, so moral of the story, just hit the bunnies, they'll be in a better place.

We have gotten a few new investigators this week!  Which is wonderful, one of which is our neighbor and she is wonderful.  And also, we have this other neighbor from Germany and every time we walk out on our back deck he's there studying away, he goes to University of Tennessee (UT) I can't say "UT" because then it just looks like Utah, haha.  But he's really great, we've introduced ourselves to everyone and now everyone says hi to us it's great!  It's all about getting out there and sharing the good news.

Well we are still in a trio here, Sister Roundy, Sister Sume and I.  This trio has been such a blessing, Sister Roundy has just come in and lifted us up and given us the hope we needed to really and truly build up this area, she's so diligent it's inspiring.  We have seen a lot of success this week, we have a baptism in a couple of weeks, this wonderful lady whose husband grew up in the church, but went inactive, he's back now and they have two adorable kids.  I'm so excited for them and that we get to witness a family on the path to being together forever.  We also had the most incredible lesson on the Book of Mormon from a lady in the ward and I just wanted to share her conversion story---

She was 16 years old living here in Tennessee, her father was a Baptist preacher, and they do NOT like Mormons.  She was given a Book of Mormon by a friend at school but just sort of pushed it aside for awhile.  She finally felt like she really needed to read it, she loved her Baptist church and didn't want to go against her family but she knew she needed to ask if it was true, because something was pulling her towards the church.  She read and got down on her knees one night and asked if it was true, she just knew it was, but then she fought it for awhile, fearing what her family would think of her.  So then she had a series of three dreams, the first was her father's funeral she saw him in his casket with his bible in his hands and there were tons and tons of people at his funeral from the Baptist church he preached at.  The next dream was her mother's funeral, she also had her bible in her hands and there were tons of people from the Baptist church at her funeral.  The third dream was her own funeral and in her hands was the Book of Mormon and there was no one at her funeral.  She prayed about these dreams and knew she was going to have to stand alone.  She finally sat her parents down after meeting with missionaries behind their back to ask for permission to join the church, her father said she has a choice, she can join the church but she will not live under his roof.   She joined the church was disowned by her family and went to live with the current bishop and his family. Years and years went by she got married in the temple and had three children, her mother passed away and her father got very ill and she was the only one close enough to take care of him, so he came and lived in their Mormon home.  It was then that he first saw that we were Christian and that they talked about Christ and loved him, had pictures of him and were just trying everyday to be more like him, he started to soften and to feel the spirit, till he died he didn't deny his faith which he held dear in the Baptist church but he told her that he was sorry and the last two people he saw on earth were two Mormon missionaries singing Silent Night to him as he took his last breath.  She has high hopes for her dad when she can do his work in the temple in December.

I'm reminded of a quote by President Thomas S. Monson

"May we ever be courageous and prepared to stand for what we believe, and if we must stand alone in the process, may we do so courageously, strengthened by the knowledge that in reality we are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven."

She knew is was true and she stayed true to that testimony her whole life, I think about those who have gone before me, my ancestors and those who always stood true to what they believed, it is not always easy, but it is worth it.  I am so grateful for the gospel and for what those who have gone before me did so that I could be blessed with the knowledge of the truth that I have.  I will be forever grateful to my Mom and my Dad who always stayed true to the gospel throughout my life and raised me up to know who Christ is and that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and cares about me and my life.  I know he lives, I know he loves us.  We are never alone, and everyone needs to know that they too, are never alone.

I hope you all have a wonderful week, thank you for your prayers and support!

Love,

Sister Burningham.