Sister Sydney Burningham

Hi Everyone!

Turns out it was Veteran's Day yesterday, those Monday holidays they'll get ya on the mission.  But the good news is I get to take some time to email now.  I'm actually on exchanges with some sisters in a different area because we have to do three exchanges this last week before transfers.  And that is where our story begins.

Last Tuesday, a week ago, Sister Whitehead had to go get rabies shots because she got attacked by a cat in Middlesboro, Kentucky on an exchange.  There were five shots she had to get at the hospital, so we went to the hospital and we finished getting her shots.  We get a call from our mission President, President Irion, and he tells me that a Sister in Rockwood, Tennessee has been very sick and her Mom was on her way to pick her up to take her home, she had been out a year.  What he needed from us was Sister Turner.  They took her from us and put her in another area, an emergency transfer, I had heard of those but I had never actually had one happen to me or my companionship.  We had less than twenty-four hours left together.  It got worse as Sister Whitehead and I had to leave to go to mission leadership council that day with all the zone leaders and other sister training leaders so we found out and then left her alone with another sister for the day.  We got home that night and she was a wreck so we got her packed and she left around 9 Wednesday morning.  Now there are a lot of things I learned from this experience.  I learned how much I love Sister Turner.  I learned that I need to be keeping track of all the little details she remembered haha, we went out with a member the next day and we had like no addresses or numbers for people, she always took care of all that, used the phone called people/texted people.  So needless to say Sister Whitehead and I are stepping it up now.  Transfers are a week from tomorrow and anything could happen so I'll keep you updated.  I have learned more about how to adjust and get outside my comfort zone in ten months than I have in twenty one years of life.  It's just amazing.

As for our area, it is just amazing.  We have two people with a baptismal date, Misty Ramirez, her husband is a member, she loves the church and is really excited for baptism.  We've seen her come so far and we can't wait for her to raise her family in the Gospel.  We also have David Lee getting baptized, he is really struggling with some things right now but we are trying to help him through it.  There are members getting involved too and that is when things start to happen, when you involve members in your investigators lives.  It's just amazing the success we've seen as we've had goals to be exactly obedient and just always out building people up and inviting them to learn more about the Gospel. 

I know I say it every week but I just love my mission, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.  I was reading a talk my good friend Sister Stone has (she's going home in a week) she said it really helped her on her mission I'd like to just share one part of it with all of you back home.

"I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience, salvation was never easy.  We are the Church of Jesus Christ.  This is the truth.  He is our great eternal head.  Why would we believe, why would we think that it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for him.  In turn, how could we possibly bear any moving, lasting testimony of the Atonement if we have never known or felt anything of such an experience?... We have every reason to stand tall and to be grateful the Savior and Redeemer of the world knows all about our sorrows and afflictions and that for a moment or two in our lives we will understand what he went through for us.  The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane.  The only way to victory is the victory or the summit of Calvary.  Welcome to the journey of the Disciples of Christ."

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

We are part of something so much bigger than we will ever be able to comprehend.  Right now we as full-time missionaries are just running one short leg of the race and I'm so grateful that the Lord trusts us like he does.  Members and missionaries are working together to bring his children back to him.  It's just the best thing, ever.

I love you all alot, thank you for your prayers and love I feel it everyday! 

Love,

Sister Burningham

Elder Justin Thiel

Dear Family,

Things have gotten a lot better this week. I received the card from Kay and the money she sent me.  Tell her thank you for me.  It's getting so much colder out here. in the morning and at night it gets down to the low 50's and it got down to the 30's for one night and the humidity just makes it so much worse.  I have a request for you guys: when you can spare it I need some things as of this time. 1. Next transfers is on the 26 and if my companion leaves then I am left without a gps... so if you guys could get me one it will be much appreciated. 2. Also I have a small dvd player ( all missionaries have one in their apartment) and I have time every morning to work out so I would love it if you could send me a copy of the insanity workout with a calendar, that's if you can.  I would love to come back from my mission fit and be fit on my mission. 3. Lastly I would love it if you could send me some mittens because my hands get pretty cold and with the mittens if you could send me my red stripped hoodie ( which I left in the van ) to me for something warm to wear on p-days and at night. I know that this is a lot to ask and take your time if you need to, I'm just saying that I will need these items in the future.

Things are really starting to pick up here.  We now have 2 people on date for baptism.  One is named Eddy and he is a golden investigator.  He is planning on being baptized on the Nov 23.  The other is named Johnnie.  I think that I've told you about him in the past but now he's starting to get ready for it.  We have the largest teaching pool that we've ever had right now so we're pretty happy.  We are going to make sure that we continue to keep this up.  We have been going to see former investigators and going tracting, which I don't like to do, to find more people to teach. I don't have any funny stories this time, I'm afraid but I have had some funny moments with the sisters in my district and my companion.  They like the different voices that I can do.

For Halloween we got to come back to our apartments at 6 and do whatever we wanted till 10:30 so I just studied the whole time.  It was great and I learned so much.  Our ward did a trunk or treat and I got to try a boiled peanut..  It was nasty.  I didn't get any candy from the trunk or treat though sadly enough.  My members don't love me :(

One thing that we did this week was bake a cake for one of our investigator's birthday.  We made the cake ourselves and everything went well until my companion tried to take the cake out of the pan.  You see we did a 2 layer cake and the bottom layer came out just fine, but when my companion tried to take the top layer out of the pan, the cake ripped in half.... so what I did was mended the cake back together with frosting and then used tons of frosting to make it so you couldn't notice that the cake was in pieces.  It looked perfect when it was done and I was so proud of myself.  I'll have to send you a picture of it.  It also tasted pretty good by the way.

Well I love ya'll and thanks for all the support that you have given me.  I hope that you continue to read together as a family and I hope that moms leg gets better. and dad still owes me some of his missionary stories! Don't let him forget.

Love,

Elder Thiel   

Elder Seth Garner

Dennis Reynolds and Elder Garner

Quite a bit has happened since my last e-mail. I have a new companion! His name is Elder New! He is from New Mexico, and we were in the same district when I was in Julian, so we were already good buddies! He is 6'7'... The guy makes me feel like a shrimp. He has got a good six inches on me! Aside from that, he is great missionary, and I have loved serving with him!

We have a couple investigators with baptismal dates! Aaron Gadberry is back on for the 21st of December, and we added an investigator named Ben a couple weeks ago who has a baptismal date for the 4th of January. When I was with Elder Carey, we street contacted Ben outside of his apartment. He told us that he had ordered a free copy of the Book of Mormon online, but it never came in the mail, so he was pretty upset about it. He wouldn't accept a copy from us, and our visit was very brief (He was quick to run back into his apartment because he didn't want to be seen with the Mormon boys.). We decided to drop by this last week and give him his Book of Mormon. He accepted, we taught the Restoration, and agreed to prepare for baptism! We are hoping to get the Taylor family with baptismal dates here soon as well. Kyle Taylor came to church last week and loved it! He pretty much asked us when he would be getting baptized! We want to make sure everything is ok with his mom first, and hopefully get her and Nick on board for the same day as well.

This last Saturday was the greatest day of my mission. I received special permission to attend Dennis Reynolds' baptism in Julian. Words cannot even begin to describe the joy and love that I have felt for that man, and for the changes he has made. It was one of the most sweetest moments of my life! I am SO happy! Dennis has come down quite the road. Just over a year ago, he was an alcoholic of forty plus years, addicted to cigarettes, and homeless. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has truly changed his life! When I first met Dennis eight months ago, he seemed like the grumpiest, most bitter old man there ever was. Now I do not know anyone in the world that is happier than that man! I love Dennis!

We are receiving a new Tagalog companionship in our zone, so we have to go pick up some new missionaries and get things set up for them. I know Christ lives. I have seen his hand in my life and in the work of salvation. I cannot deny it. I love my mission, and I love my Savior!

Love,

         Elder Garner

Boy, this week is packed! We are not going to have too much time to do work in our area, due to many, many meetings and training exercises. This Monday, we had our Mission Leadership Council, tomorrow we have our zone meeting and we need to plan for our Mission Training Exchange which is on Thursday (that is where I leave my area for a day to coach other missionaries), that will get done on Friday, and then on Saturday, I will hopefully be heading back up to Julian to see Diana Sherwood get baptized! Man, this week is crazy!

Sunday was awesome! Kyle Taylor came to church again, and we were able to give his mom a blessing after. They are so ready to be baptized! Kristy doesn't want to rush things, so we will see where that goes. Aaron Gadberry is back on for baptism on the 21st of December. His anxiety has been holding him back from getting to church, but I know he can do it!

So our zone meeting is tomorrow, and I have felt prompted to teach about charity. Having Christlike love for those you teach is SO important. We have so many great examples in the scriptures of men who had the greatest love for those they served. In the bible dictionary, Charity means the greatest love of all. Christ was the most perfect example of showing this love. He did it in so many ways, but the greatest way he showed it was through the Atonement. Charity never fails, and neither does the Atonement, because that is the pure love of Christ! When an investigator understands the Atonement, they can easily feel God's love for them. Being able to show that Christlike love towards the people you teach is so key in letting them know that they are not only loved by you, but by the Savior.

This week is going to be rough with trying to visit people in our own area, but, I am looking forward to it! Dang, being a missionary ROCKS!

Love,

       Elder Garner

Elder Zach Beckman

HOLA everyone!!!

How the heck is everyone?? Well I'm doing good!!! Thanks for caring, but wow, was this last week awesome!!! Elder Seegmiller and I did WORK this week!!!  We taught 35 LESSONS!!!! in 1 WEEK it was so sweet we were just on fire!!  But man was it a ton of work, but Seegmiller is so legit he has only been out a month and loves working hard and has such a desire to be a successfull missionary!  I love being his companion... NOT his Trainor his companion!  He doesn't need a trainer he is so good ha ha!

But this week alot of fun stuff has happened!!!  To start off with a funny story with Janet. Well we were out trying to find new people to teach and we get this call from Janet and she is freaking out on the phone saying "Guys I need your help... my daughter is coming over for dinner and I am super behind on making dinner I need you to come make dinner while I clean up the house!!!" So of course we dropped what we were doing and went right over and started cooking an awesome meal!   It was awesome ha ha but as we were cleaning up and about to leave her daughter walks in and HOLY COW!!!   She was drop dead gorgeous!!! ha ha Elder Seegmiller was like "ARE YOU KIDDING ME... WHY DO WE HAVE TO LEAVE??"  ha ha ha ah but after that we left and went and taught a bunch of scheduled appointments!!  So that was a pretty fun day!!!

Next story was a way fun service project we did!! So a less active and his non member wife call us up and say hey we need you guys to come help us move some stuff.  But it wasn't just a random family, we visit them everyweek with out fail, so I know them actually really well.. well anyway we go to help them move all of this stuff and turns out we ended up staying and helping them paint their whole upstairs!!!  It was actually way relaxing and a good time.  They fed us lunch and then we painted some more and it was funny cause Bro. Krechmur, the less active, was like... "well all I have to do now is clean out the rain gutters"... so immediately Elder Seegmiller climbed out the window and started doing it for him.  It was awesome and alot of fun believe it or not!!  I love helping people all the time! Iit makes me feel needed when people call for service!!

Well another story about Janet was we were in a lesson with a member and we get this text from her saying,     "Hey can you take me to the hospital real quick, I'm having a alergic reaction.... so we rushed over there and took her to the hospital and gave her a blessing!  It was kinda scary but exciting at the same time... so from like 6 to 9 o'clock we stayed at the hospital with her just talking and telling her about how when you are baptized and become a member of the church,  you get home teachers who are there to help you out,  so if things like this ever happen you can just call them and she thought that was a cool thing about the church and she wants to get baptized on Dec. 4th so hopefully it all works out for her... but ya we took alot of pictures and Videos through out  the week it was a lot of fun.

Well not much else has happened besides all of that, but ya just another week of working hard and Doing work!!! But ya I'm loving it out here and LOVE RICHMOND!!! The ward out here is so awesome and they just take care of us so well its awesome!!!  But just know I know the church is true and I love being a missionary... It's the greatest thing in the world!

Well until I write next week,  peace out.... LOVE YA!!

   ~ELDER~

Elder Dallin Stout

On Monday, November 4, 2013 1:35 PM, 

So the first person I talked to on my first day, her name is Tanya and we finally got a hold of her! I taught her the Restoration and she's really open to learning, but she is not yet an investigator because she told us to come back whenever rather than a specific time.  Marry has memory problems and has been taught since the beginning of this year.  On Saturday she said she would get baptized if it meant she would be following Christ.  But yesterday she told us she would never get baptized because she thinks 2 times in her life to other churches is enough. It's difficult but it answered my prayer for her to be honest with us. My companion is very hard working and I'm so glad for that!  It's good to know you're doing all you can to help people. I'm worried about Troy we haven't seen him in a week and can never get a hold of him. I got my new bike on Saturday! So happy that I don't have to borrow an Elders huge mountain bike anymore! We do have a car that we use every other day so that's nice. Every companionship in the mission gets a cell phone to contact members and Investigators. 

  One of the members in my ward is Jack Regus. He danced with Judy Garland, taught Elvis Presley how to dance, and won an Emy award. I have a picture with it! 

Another recent convert was recently divorced from her husband who is the number one most recorded drummer in the world. The ward is awesome here they are all so willing to help us out.

On Monday, November 11, 2013 1:19 PM

Hey so I forgot to mention when I was on the plane over here I sat next to Elder Smoot.  He lived in Box Elder and was a wrestler there until his senior year. He was in a bike accident and barely survived. His cousins wrestle at Box Elder, they're Nick Sorenson, Raxton Yates, and Brock Hardy. (jr. high)  In my area the high school is called the Thousand Oaks Lancers. That's pretty cool.  I feel kinda at home when I go by it.  Anyway I found out that my companion was just Trained by Elder Jackson, who has a girl friend in my dad's ward in Roy.  She is Angelica, one of the young women in my Sunday school class there. 

So this week we had lunch with some investigators. Ron and Jeanie, they made us roast, potatoes, corn, pie, and ice cream! We rolled out of the house so full! We didn't eat anymore that day.  Luckily we weren't scheduled for dinner with a member. Yesterday one of our recent converts, John Grund, didn't come to church. His mom is Marry an investigator. We went over to visit them after church.  John was upset because of his current situation. He basically told us about how he was set up and the courts are corrupted and it ruined his life. We had no lesson plan, but we told him how trials come to us and to make this short he can't do anything about that, so stop complaining and do something now. Elder Driggs was completely guided by the spirit on what to say, and at the end of the lesson John's attitude completely changed. We were able to help him and his mother Marry was there just watching. I know she felt the spirit was there and the lesson wasn't for her. 

I read a talk this morning by Elder Bednar, it is called 'Things as they really are'. It is so straight forward and helpful. EVERYONE IN SOCIETY SHOULD READ THIS!!!!! take the time for the Lord and read it, it would be good for a Sunday thing.     

On Monday, November 18, 2013 1:05 PM, 

This week was very interesting, I went on splits with the zone leaders, the traveling trainers, and a blitz with Elder Watt. On Wednesday I was with Elder Eastman, we spent the whole day, it seems wandering, and no one we planned for was available. That morning we studied in Doctrine and Covenants, and read about Elders who needed to get to Saint Louis. They traveled quickly there on a river and the Lord corrected them to slow down and help people in the area. They made their way slower and met up with other Elders. Then they arrived in Saint Louis exactly when they needed to. This is what happened with Elder Eastman and I, we wandered and talked to a few people. Then we prayed and asked for guidance, we felt that we should return to the first area we were in for the day and talk with a woman who said we could come back later. On the front porch of the house next door was a young man who recently graduated from high school. His name was Daniel and we taught him the Restoration. We were talking for an hour and a half, we gave him a Book of Mormon and the Bible. We told him that as he comes to know the truth of our message that he will have a desire to be baptized, and then invited him to do so. He said yes, and was excited to read and learn. This whole day was for Daniel.  I learned that with patience and trust in the Lord,  He will guide and bless us.
That same day my companion Elder Driggs was with Elder Bate, they had an unexpected lesson with our investigator Marry. Our plan was to let her know that we were slowing down the visits and let her develop a desire to know the truth for herself. They told her that and she understood why. Last night just before bed John ( Who is Mary's son ) sends us a text. He said Mary came to him and they read out of the Book of Mormon. She expressed her desire to be baptized to him!  I thanked the Lord after hearing this and felt more joyous for her than I can remember.

I only get an hour a week to do Email, it takes most of my time to read them all and write to my mission President. I might not respond but if you send me letters in the mail I have a better chance at writing you back.

Elder Colton Richins

Mom...

I have no time really to write today. You know how crazy transfers are...but I do have new information for you. Needless to say my new transfer call has stressed me out of my mind to the freakin max. I haven't really been able to sleep or eat much because of it....well I'm guessing you are wanting to know what it is now, huh? I was transferred out of Viseu (I will miss them all so much) and I was released from being zone leader. I have been called to be the new Branch President of the Lagos branch. (the cool part of it, is this is the area that Kyle Lemperle ended his mission. So I am excited about that) But the whole branch president thing completely freaks me out. I am also district leader over some sisters. Yay. I know that the Lord qualifies those that he calls...I would be lying, however, if I said I wasn't nervous beyond all belief. I'm fine being a zone leader and being responsible for missionaries...but for a whole branch of members with physical and spiritual needs?!  President called me the other night and told me the situation of the branch. It sounds like there is a lot of work to be done here...he told me that they are currently looking to interview a couple of people to be the branch president here, who is an actual member and not a missionary, but until they figure that situation out, I will be the branch president. I talked to the office elders yesterday, and apparently ironically I was not going to come here. President had me assigned to a different area...but I was a last minute change. So....I don't know what to do basically. :/ I don't have a ton of information for you right now...I'm just have no idea where to even begin with anything. I'm meeting with my counselors today to kinda get an idea of what I'm supposed to do..and there is a senior couple missionary that said he would stay in contact with me to help me out if I need it as well. President said that he expects baptisms in the branch as well...so there is going to be major juggling required in this whole process. Well...please pray for me. I will probably...most definitely be ending my mission here. I'm looking forward to the lessons I will learn from it. I know it will help me to grow in ways that are not possible any other way. I don't feel like I have a sufficient knowledge of the church to do this...but the Lord knows better than me. I will just have to trust in Him like never before. Anyways. There is the news. PRAY FOR ME. :) Also. I got your package! Thank you so much! I'm wearing new socks and shirt and garments right now. It is quite nice. 

I love you! Thank you for all the support and love you have given, along with everyone else in the family! Wish me luck. I'm gonna need a whole lot of it!

Love, Elder Colton Wayne Richins

(another weird thing is that I won't be going by elder anymore...but by president... :/ :/ :/ :/ ) 

Elder Bremen Acord

Good Morning my wonderful family! How are all of you?

So last night we got a pretty interesting transfer call. I was texting President about how the attendance was in Sacrament this week and I told him that he better not call us because I really didn't want to leave. He texted back, "sinto muito" which basically means I'm sorry. Then he made us sit there and be super stressed for another hour! He then called and I refused to answer the phone, so Elder Darling answered it and started freaking out and making weird faces and stuff. Then he got off all mad and he said that we are both getting transfered to Praia to serve as the new zone leaders of the new zone in Praia. A new Island got opened up for the first time ever, Maio. And It is now part of our zone, which means that I'm going to be visiting Maio too! Sooo it super sucks that Im leaving Porto Novo, but at least I am staying with Elder Darling and we are going to be visiting Maio. The really hard part though is that our plane doesnt leave until tomorrow night, which means that our family night tonight is going to be super sad... Some people are going to be pretty upset. I had an absolutely amazing time here in Porto Novo. Easily my favorite area. We had another really good baptism on Saturday that was pretty sick. I have met soo many awesome people here and one day we HAVE to come back here and visit these people. It's weird to think now though that Praia could be one of my last areas. I'm excited, it should be a good experience, apparently we are going to be serving in this brand new branch that is kind of struggling, so we will see how that goes. We also have our mission leadership council on Wednesday this week. I won't be traveling nearly as much anymore. It should be a good transfer.

Okay, I love you family! Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Acord