Happy New Year

Man, I hate it when you make me cry in the library! Now my district is making fun of me! Thanks a lot! ;) This month has been the most memorable month of my mission! I have found my purpose in being here in Ponca and I have grown so much. I have felt my Saviors love the strongest while serving among the people here! The trials I have experienced have been minute to the amazing miracles I have witnessed! Most of them I didn't even think I deserved! I love my Father in Heaven! I love His grace! I am striving each and everyday to be better than the previous! I feel like the holidays have dampened my go a little, but resolutions are so great and fun to make! I'm ready to put my shoulder to the plow and plant some more seed! This week has been great! We had been working with Dana all week in prep for her baptism, and it went over sooo well! She is fantastic! We are so glad to have been the ones to guide her back into the fold! She has blessed our lives immensely! These coming weeks we are going to work diligently to help her daughter enter the waters of baptism as well! She has some shining examples to look up too, and seeing her mom get baptized was a great testimony builder for her. 

We will have another baptism up in Ponca City soon! I will be printing out some pictures from Walmart today and I will send them home for y'all. It's been a crazy month! New Year's eve wont be anything exciting it's a no-proselyting day, unless we have appointments. New Years day is a normal day. I love my Savior! I love the Book of Mormon! I love the feelings of the Spirit! I love being fed by members! I love having a cooperative and functioning district! I love reflecting on the past and seeing how much I've grown in the gospel and in my testimony! I love my family! I am thankful for all y'all do to inspire and bless my life each and everyday! I hope I was able to brighten your day with the few things I had at my disposal. I know it wasn't much but I wished to show my appreciation for all you have done! I will continue on strong! I will finish, I will not falter! I know who I am, and what my purpose is! I'm out here to love my brothers and sisters, the rest just falls in line naturally! I have been taught how to love by my family! Y'all are the most unconditional in your love! I wish to emulate that love to all! I will not waste my Lord's time! I will not be a stumbling block for others! I am a child of God!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham

Don't like ICE!

Well I don't like Ice!!!!!! Blah! :) We are so very excited for the new families in our ward! They have truly brought a fire to the ward that wasn't there before! And we are not done yet! We will be having yet another baptism here in Ponca City! Dana Stone will be baptized this Saturday! She has been prepared for quite a while! She was pretty reserved at our first meeting but we found out that was because she has converted and been baptized 3 or 4 other times. She felt guilty for the "easiness" in switching churches. We helped her understand that God was placing truth in her path and it was a preparation in her understanding and accepting truth when presented to her! She was very understanding and prepared to continue on her path of truth! We are so excited for this wonderful event! She has a great support system with her fiance and friends in the ward already! It will be a great Christmas present! We are also working with her daughter, and she is now reading and praying daily! She WILL be baptized in January! I'm glad Sean is instigating Sara with missionary mindedness! I can see Sara becoming a very strong testator of her beliefs! She has always been strong and determined with the things she knows to be true! I love that little girl to death! I'm not sure what this instagram is but I assume it's like facebook, If it can be utilized for missionary work I like it! I do remember that story, I love it! I'm glad your sacrament mtg went well, because we didn't have one! I guess Okies are scared of a little snow and ice. It really wasn't all that bad. But our bishop decided to cancel church :( I was looking forward to an amazing day! We still had one, but it just wasn't the same! Yes our Christmas conference was great! it wasn't a temple conference because the temple was closed :( but it still was good! VERY LONG, but good! We were there from 8:30am to 8:00 pm! We had some amazing talented missionaries perform and entertain! Yes I got the package sent directly to Ponca and the letters at the conference. I wasn't sure what to do with that giant one. I guess I'll find a spot on the wall for it! The conference was split into two days, Friday for the southern half, and Saturday for the northern. 7pm will work just dandy for me! I'm not sure if I have too many questions, but I'll see if there is anything I can come up with. :) Oh so in the package I sent home there are goodies for the munchkins so I don't know if you want to wait for them to come over or if you just want to go ahead and open it then give it to them when you see them... I don't care. As long as they get it ;) So Landon did get my letter? Ok that's good to know. I figured I would try and send him a letter monthly.... TRY..... :) Also will you let Sean know that the music restrictions that were in place have been lifted. President Walkenhorst has changed it to any spiritual uplifting music. Thanks you're fantastic! Well I've got a lot of work to do with preparing for this baptism so I gotta go. I love you all so much and I am looking forward to talking with y'all. I'll call the home phone. I love you more!

 

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham!

 

               7:00 pm!!!!! =   5:00 pm!!!!!

Weird Missionaries

Elder Burnham and Elder Roundy

Elder Chavez (he is a wrestler)

Elder Faulkner

Elder McGlothlin and Elder Burnham

Elder Ochs

Elder Roundy and Elder Ochs

9 Baptisms

Holy cow!!!! 9 baptisms!!!!! It is one companionship in our district, but I got to baptize one of the girls. The library here doesn't allow any external hard drives so I will print off some pictures at Walmart and send them. It was an AWESOME service! President Walkenhorst and the stake president attended because we now hold the record for convert baptisms performed in one day in the OKC mission! haha. Faulkner and I have 2 baptisms the 28th so that makes up the 11 baptisms. 

This month has been full of so many miracles! the Lord truly provides! The family is great! it was a family of 7 then another couple. They are both very strong and dedicated! 5 youth! and 3 in the primary from the couple. Our youth organizations just tripled!!!! As a missionary I would enjoy participating in the family traditions! I would love to laugh and play any games they have. I don't know, I just like having a good time, so anything that you can involve the missionaries in should be great! Hopefully they aren't shy! Those kinds of missionaries make me so angry! I want to hang 'em up by their toes and beat 'em like a pinata! Man as a missionary I would love a big meal with activities! :) It's called compromise! :) Well I guess I will read those scriptures suggested by Sean, and then I will respond either in snail mail, or next week in my email. So we got transfer calls this Sunday and Faulkner and I are staying for another transfer! I'm glad it's the promised land up here! Hey so about calling home on Christmas, when would you like me to do that? Any time works for me. Just let me know when that will fit best into your schedule. Love ya!!!!!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham

Holy Cow!

Holy Cow, miracles have been all over the place!!! Well to address the first question, yes we are allowed to write the next day if the libraries are closed. Our sacrament meeting went great we had 8 investigators at church! Many less actives and lots of supportive fellow shipping members! I would liked to have been informed I was teaching Gospel Principles that day, but being a district leader has improved my ability to do quick thinking and rely on the spirit. I taught on temple work and family history. Lesson 40 of the manual. I guess it went alright because I got a txt from Dana after church saying the lesson has inspired her to set the temple as her goal! That made me one happy missionary! :D Dana is doing so well!!!!! We rescheduled her baptismal date for the 28th so we could be there as well as her fiance. We had it originally set for the 21st but we have a temple conference and her fiance is a firefighter so he would be on call that day. She has already claimed she knows that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true scripture of God!!! I love this!!!! If you can't get me a copy of Sean's talk have him send hard copies! I have been studying lately for some trainings and today I studied about repentance! I love when your studies are so involved that the hour we have allotted feels like 5 minutes! I just don't have enough time in the mornings! I have also taken some time to study about the spirit of Enoch, and how we can have that spirit, and have "no poor among them." I love the Gospel!!!!!!!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham

Thanksgiving

Man I love hearing about the family! Sorry this is late the library wasn't opened yesterday. I'm glad all went well this holiday. We spent 30 min. of dinner at bishop's house. I think this is the first time I've liked all dishes cooked for Thanksgiving. We had to leave early due to a request of a blessing for a sister going into the ER. I have given more blessings in the ER than I ever imagined. I think in just these past 2 transfers I've given 9. So I want a little more info on this Robert kid. Also how's Wilson doing? I miss that kid, out of all Sean's buds he was the one I considered another brother. So, Man bags: what I have heard is that those coming in are required to have purses and those out here can have backpacks until they break. My backpack is currently functioning. So when it does die I'll let you know, sound good? The Okies are hillbillies do you think they care? Their favorite thing is duck dynasty and duck tape! Well I'm super excited for our Investigator Dana! She is progressing very well! We are going over tonight and will be celebrating her birthday, good sign, then we will teach the law of chastity hehe! My favorite! Well I'm excited for this winter season and for the opportunity to dive into Christ! I will be taking every opportunity to strike up conversations about Christ. It's great to catch people who claim to be a certain denomination and say they can't pray/visit with us. I just ask if they are Christian and they reply yes 98% of the time, then I reiterate my question and about 75% of the time they will feel compelled to participate! I love it. Well I'm running low on time and I've got to get to an appointment so I love you all, and I pray for you constantly. Keep up the member missionary work. Oh and ask dad about his spiritual message I gave him last week ;) hehe

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham

Busy is Best!

Man, sounds like a wonderful week! I'm glad you all have enjoyed this wonderful event of Sean returning home. I am anxious to see where his next move will be. Has he done all the crazy missionary things yet, like back up without anyone backing him, or get on the Internet, or watch a movie..... ? hahaha. Hey just curious when does Elder Fischer return home? I'm glad you got my letter. I guess I didn't decorate it with graffiti stating not to open it until Thanksgiving. Sorry. :) Man this area is picking up so much! We have a super solid investigator. Her name is Dana Stone she is the fiance of a recent convert and has had a bad experience with her church and is now ready to accept truths! It's wonderful to see how the Lord provides! So Speaking of stress I think I might have gotten in over my head with suggesting activities and service projects. I might be the one heading them all. A secret Santa drive. A ward rake and run, and then we have begun a competition with the other elders in my district to see which ward can get the most member present lessons, via member referrals. I love being busy! It keeps me out of trouble! Luckily we have a decent ward mission leader who is willing to step up when he can. He is an EMT so he has funky hours and can't always meet with us or even talk to us over the phone. I have gained such a testimony of relying on the Lord! With all that has happened recently I have had to just pray and leave it all up to the Savior, because I couldn't do it. We had an awesome zone conference this past Friday. Craig A. Cardon of the seventy came and chastised us all! It was great!!!!! I've never enjoyed being told I'm doing things wrong so much in my life! It's amazing what spiritual preparation will do for you! He spoke a lot about the concept of inviting the head of the house hold to pray, and how it's become routine to ask the head who they would like to say the prayer, well he said "never do that again!" Rather be bold and say something along the lines of "at the conclusion of our lesson we will have a prayer and you will be saying that, but before that we want to talk about the principles of prayer...." We are to use skill and tactic to overcome this giant hurdle! the reason we don't "ask" the head of the household is because we already know the answer. It's going to be someone else other than him/herself. I enjoyed it so much I applied it immediately. Right when we got back from OKC we had a lesson and guess what I did, I commanded that woman to pray! haha. It happened to be Dana Stone who is now prepping for baptism!!!! i love this work! I love being an ambassador for the Lord! I am so very thankful for this opportunity to serve! It is sooooooo fantastic! All I have to say is I would not trade these experiences for anything in the world! This Thanksgiving we were invited to go to Bishop's. We are hopefully going to receive more and more dinners this holiday season. Bishop announced from the pulpit that the members need to make sure the missionaries are cared for at this time of being away from their family. Honestly I was thinking to myself "self.... I don't think this holiday season is going to be hard for me, just stay busy, but I'll take all the dinners handed to me :)" I hope that doesn't make you sad Mom, But we all know you would rather me be out serving then home! I know and you know where it is I am to be! Just make sure you give the elders a little treat or something. They may not have as much support as I do! And to answer the question about my companion, I would say a letter could never hurt. Although he literally gets one a day. His grandparents send him like 2 a day then like a package every two weeks! It kind of drives me crazy! I haven't gotten mail in like a month! He just laughs and says he will have his sister write me :) hahaha. I love Elder Faulkner! Well I hope this letter is long enough ;) I am thankful for all you do for me!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham!

Happy DL

I am a happy district leader!!!!!!!! haha. One of the elders out of the struggling companionship has been transferred and the new elder is meshing with his companion perfectly! They are having all sorts of miracles! I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders let me tell ya! I had an interview with President Walkenhorst and we talked about the struggling companionship and what the Lord wanted me to focus on them and let Him take care of our area. Holy cow, that's exactly what I needed to hear. I was so down and out about my area tanking. Now that this "trial" is over I see how the Lord has taken care of my area. We are having referrals left and right and former investigators want to start the lessons again! It is such a remarkable thing to see miracles happen right in front of your face! I love relying on the Lord! This Friday we are having a mission tour conference, and Elder Cardon of the 70 is coming. This should be a great conference. I want to hear from Sean! That punk hasn't written in me in like 5 months! What the heck! I'm part of the family too! You don't leave your little bro out of the loop! He will bring some thunder you don't want! I'm glad you had a great time in the choir ordeal. So I have gotten the ward on board to do the secret Santa thing we did back home with the ornaments with descriptions of needy people ex. 5 year old boy toy. We have a fake tree in our apartment that's been up year round so we are going to donate that to the foyer for this season. I feel good about this project. I also asked a bunch of people if we could have their rake and go around and use raking as a finding method. Offer to rake a yard for free then ask if they have ever met missionaries before. I think it will be positive. So this ones for Dad; is there going to be a jiffy lube turkey bowl this year? So just thought I would stick a bug in the air; GPS's just got approved. I love ties. A sweet CTR ring. Oh and music just got limited to Mormon artists, MoTab, and Classical. Hey did y'all receive an email from President Walkenhorst regarding Christmas? Other elders say their parents did. I'm glad the package brought a smile to your face. That's my favorite thing to do! Well I'm excited for this season. It gives us great reason to talk about our blessings and Christ! Wait that's what all our messages are about! Whoda thunk! I love y'all! A letter with all my thankfulness is headed your way. 

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham 

P.S. I came up with a pretty good top ramen recipe. Take the Chili flavored ramen cook it, drain all the water, then add the flavor packet, then add 4-5 tablespoons of alfredo sauce. It's actually pretty good. Try it!

I "luff" you!

Thanks for looking for the wrestling gear. I'm very excited to be able to get back on the mat. I wrestled Elder Chavez last Monday on the stage, and I whooped his butt! It was great! i was actually surprised because he was a state placer in Utah. All well, I am just excited to get back to the sport I love. We are going to try and preach the first lesson while in a match, that means a 9 minute lesson! It's going to be grand! My record for speed teaching the Plan of Salvation is 57.5 seconds! We timed it! That's what we did when we were dying from unknown illnesses. We had the ward primary program this Sunday and it was great! We have roughly 25 kids all together. youth; we probably have 5 or 6. But we are teaching some families, and working with some less active families so we should be able to pump that number up. Hey dad, coming from a bishop, what do you think would be the most effective way about approaching the bishop for any assignments we could help with? I know just asking if there is anything we can do for the bishop isn't very productive, so what would you like to hear from the missionaries seeking service, focus families, etc. We have a very solid bishop but he claims he doesn't really have too many things for us to do, Which is a LIE! :) we have like 250 less actives! He really doesn't have a focus list and so he tells us to go out and get 'em all. Anyway, we got to do some service this past Saturday. We cleared trees from a members home and them caught a calf! It was smelly, dirty, and scary work. I almost got run over by a cow! But I am a big bad missionary and I scared it off........ with a big stick :) Oh while clearing trees, one of the elders had a tree fall on him! It was probably 15 feet tall and not very thick. It was dead and dried up but it was pretty funny to watch. He didn't have any fatal injuries so we all had a good laugh and he said "Now I've got something to write in my journal" I chastised him, he hasn't written in his journal since his first transfer. NO BUENO. I write in mine everyday :) So mother, I have been hounded pretty bad out here about not having a picture of my family. If there is an older photo with the whole family, would you be willing to send it out with my wrestling gear? Thanks I luff you! Everything is going well here, we are working with some amazing people and we are having young couples move in left and right so we have a lot of energetic RM's willing to go out with us......... and feed us :) Last week on Saturday we had all 3 of our meals provided, it was awesome!!! I love you all and I pray for you always!

 

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham(B2)

Miracles

This week was full of miracles! First I think a struggling companionship in my district is finally figuring out how to make things run smoothly. It's amazing how far love takes things. It's all a choice. I had each elder in the district read Beware of Pride by Ezra Taft Benson. That talk is a power house! It has changed my life completely! I encourage all to read or re-read this talk! Oh my gosh it's good! We have had enthusiastic members coming out with us and plenty of progress with investigators! Our ward is missionary minded, and we might be getting a third companionship here in Poca City, Spanish. There is a large population of Hispanics here, in fact we are attempting to teach a man who speaks only Spanish. We set the phone up on speakerphone and have our Zone Leader translate our lesson, its quirky but it actually brings the spirit in more. Because, we are kind of forced to teach very simply so Elder Reese can translate correctly. I have gained a huge testimony of simple testimonies! They are sooooooo powerful! I am really coming to love Alfredo! BUT...... we don't have to use the phone anymore. We had a young dentist and his family move into the ward and he speaks Spanish!!!!! Miracles!!! I think he might have thought we were a little weird when we almost started to cry when we found out he spoke Spanish. haha. It was a beautiful day, Then they randomly invited us over for dinner, GREAT day! We have found a bunch of less-active part-member families and we are excited to work with them. Members are giving us referrals! I'm losing weight from biking!!!!!!!!! This just might be the promised land! I'm a happy missionary! Oh, so I kind of blew it this past week. I was so enveloped in the work, that I forgot to wish Brianne and Sean a happy birthday. I hope they understand. Better late than never right? HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Well I love you all, and I hope everything continues to soar! You are all in my prayers.

 

Not a second Wasted,

Elder Burnham(B2)

Love Ponca City and Conference

Well Ponca City is fantastic! We have a ward, a ward mission leader, activities, members willing to go out with us. It just about made me cry! I was lost these past couple of days for two reasons, first I'm still the designated driver (since I'm still District Leader and have been out longer than Elder Faulkner) so I don't know my way around this city and second because I don't really know how to work with a functioning area, I've never been in one. We have coordination tonight with our mission leader, I'm a little nervous. I'VE NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE!!!!! Sad right? 7 1/2 months and have never had a coordination meeting. It's exciting! My district is pretty great! We are full of bold, loving, and genuine missionaries! I'm finally getting used to this district leader thing. I'm starting to like giving trainings and exchanges. It might help the other elders grow, but it helps me out more, I think. That may be selfish, but it's true. Man how about conference?!!!! Holy Cow!! I almost jumped out of my seat when Elder Ballard challenged all members to bring just one friend/person to the missionaries! I was looking around frantically to see if I wasn't the only person to hear that. Then Pres. Monson's talk darn near made me cry like a baby! I love that man! This conference was fantastic! Conference is like Christmas out here! Holy Moly! I love this work! I love conference! I love my family! I love being bold with people! I love feeling the Spirit prompt me to do ridiculous things and see the blessings come from it! I love reading the Book of Mormon! I love riding bikes in a flat area! ;) I love when members feed and go out with us to teach. I love receiving referrals from members! I LOVE LIFE!

 

Not a second Wasted! EVER!!!

Elder Burnham(B2)

Ponca City

This week has actually been a good one :) We were able to get into a lot of less actives and investigators homes. We saw a lot of the less actives at church but the investigators flaked. Which is too common for my liking. So  transfer calls did arrive and I will be transferred to the opposite end of Oklahoma. I am going to Ponca City. Just in time for Winter! Ponca City gets the worst snow storms in Oklahoma according to various sources. Woot Woot! I am going to be serving with Elder Faulkner. I know nothing about him. I think I will be his breaker, or his 2nd companion. So I will be "breaking" all his trainers bad habit he graciously gave to him 

:) I'm excited for the change of scenery, but I will miss Pauls Valley. I think I will miss Elder and Sister Fairbourn (the senior couple) the most though. I've practically been adopted into their family! I love 'em to pieces! Man, a whole marching band? Lucky!!!! I miss those munchkins! Give 'em a big ol' hug and kiss for me! Has Landon been growing? Hey mom, will you retrieve Elder Trock's address for me, I would like to send him a letter. Thanks your grand! Well I'm glad to hear all is well and busy on the home-front. I'm oh so looking forward to conference next week! It's like missionary Christmas! Free gifts of answers, counsel, the spirit, and love! Nothing beats conference! Well I hope the baptism went well. I hope to be attending one soon as well ;) I love you guys! Don't forget to try and make Sean trunky! I mean he only has one more transfer! SUCKER!!!! :)

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham(B2)

 

 

 

Ponca City (Pawnee: Riihitawiruʾ, Riíhitawiru, Riihitáwiru ^[4]) is a small city in Kay and Osage counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, which was named after the Ponca Tribe. Located in north central Oklahoma, it lies approximately 18 miles (29 km) south of the Kansas border, and approximately 15 miles (24 km) east of Interstate 35. 25,387 people called Ponca City home at the time of the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Kay County. The city is near the Arkansas River, the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River, Kaw Lake, and Lake Ponca, which all provide numerous recreational opportunities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PONCA CITY, OK – JULY 30: In this town northeast of Oklahoma City, there is a statue of Standing Bear, who was chief of the Ponca tribe. One can see the lights of the Conoco Phillips refinery only about 100 yards away. Some Native American Tribes in Oklahoma are in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline, while others are expressing concerns about the pipeline’s impact on native lands. (Photo by Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post

The Pioneer Woman statue was modeled by sculptor Bryant Baker and was unveiled in a public ceremony on April 22, 1930, when forty thousand guests came to hear Will Rogers pay tribute to Oklahoma's pioneers. The statue is 27 feet (8.2 m) high and weighs 12,000 pounds. Ponca City is the site of the Pioneer Woman Museum and the Pioneer Woman statue. The statue was erected to commemorate women pioneers. In the early 1920s, E. W. Marland decided to create a statue commemorating the Pioneer Woman.^[13] Marland was reportedly asked, "E. W., why don't you have ... a statue to the vanishing American, a Ponca, Otoe, or an Osage - a monument of great size?" Marland answered, "the Indian is not the vanishing American - it's the pioneer woman."^[13] He sponsored a competition for the winning statue.
In 1928, miniature 3 feet (0.9 m) sculptures were submitted as part of a competition by 12 U.S. and international sculptors: John Gregory, Maurice Sterne, Hermon Atkins MacNeil, James Earle Fraser, Alexander Stirling Calder, Wheeler Williams, Mario Korbel, F. Lynn Jenkins, Mahonri Young, Arthur Lee, Jo Davidson and Bryant Baker). They were displayed in twelve cities around the state, where they were viewed by 750,000 people who voted for their favorite.^{[citation needed]} The twelve original submissions have been on display at the museum at Woolaroc near Bartlesville, Oklahoma since the 1930s. Marland sold them to Frank Phillips after losing control of the Marland Oil Company.^{[citation needed]}
The British-born American sculptor Bryant Baker was chosen as the winner. His full-scale work was unveiled in a public ceremony on April 22, 1930. Forty thousand guests came to hear Will Rogers pay tribute to Oklahoma's pioneers. The statue is 27 feet (8.2 m) high and weighs 12,000 pounds.^{[citation needed]}
A related museum commemorating Oklahoma women was opened on September 16, 1958, on the 65th anniversary of the Cherokee Strip land run.^[14] It recognizes the work of Native American as well as European-American women, and their leadership and stamina in creating homes, raising children and taking care of the work of sustaining life and communities.

Uncle Ryan

Dearest Mother,

I'm glad you had lots of opportunity to play with the little people. I miss them. I wish we would have random people show up at our building! We did have one of our investigators come though! He has been coming regularly for the past month, but is struggling to understand the need for a second baptism under proper authority. humph. We started a stop smoking workshop with him and we are excited to see his end results! This man could use all the prayers in the world right now! Good for Brianne! Now if she would just write me :) I thought I told Sara to stay away from boys! I love treats! especially chocolate! :) We have a whopping 3 youth! WOOT WOOT!! Its crazy over here on Wednesdays! Only one of them is active though. We are in the process of reactivating the others. The one who is active is named Sophia and she is the model that Disney used to draw lilo for lilo and stitch. Crazy right? The whole branch here could use boosts! Have the babes confound the wise and learned! I have not run into any Futrells. I was told by another missionary that he thinks he might have met some in the Chickasaw area. But who knows. Nope no new leadership! :( I finally got fed up and threw a temper-tantrum! I called Pres. Walkenhorst and told him all that was going on (or the lack there of) he told me he would be calling the stake president to discuss of branch in depth. So Elder B2 might have become a thorn in some peoples sides! I like it! ;) muahahaha. I love you all so very much!

 As for my little Repunzel, I love you a whole bunch! I have a picture of you right next to my desk so every morning I see you and your brother and sisters faces! It makes me super happy every time I look at it! You are getting to be super cute, smart, and big! I hope you have the bestest bithday ever! Have grandpa give you a big ol' kiss for me! Then give your baby sister a kiss for me too! I love you!

Uncle Ryan.

I mean Elder Burnham(B2)

Not a Second Wasted. :)

Trial of Faith

Well I'm glad miracles are occurring back home, could you share? This has been a rough week. Everything fell through. Blah! Talk about a trial of faith. Well we were able to catch a few less actives, so that was good. Well I at least had Sunday to look forward too. We would be having a branch council and developing a branch mission plan..... BUST!!!!! It became a confession session, and finger pointing! After two hours of discussing problems only and no solutions, the only action items put down were a greeter at the door and more branch activities, THAT'S IT!! The action items us missionaries brought forward were joked about and shot down because they asked "Who would you coordinate this through, the branch mission leader?" If you don't recall, our mission leader is non-existent. He avoids us like the plague! So I've finally resorted to involving our mission president. I think some training and PPI's could be beneficial, this branch is a quaint strong little branch but it needs some major help. I of course can't instruct these auxiliary leaders. But I know who can, and believe you me, I think he is getting sick of hearing my prayers about this. hahaha. Well what can one do? The work goes on. I'm glad to hear the ward is still growing.  Well I guess I'm glad Sara is learning to accept all people as children of God. We need to stay focused on potential. I love you all.

P.S The pictures are of Elder Kawaii on exchanges, My good ol' companion, and a giant spider the size of my hand.

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham(B2)

Yeah, I did a hard thing.

Well Shoot!

Since I email at the church I have no set back! This week has been so so! We have been able to catch a lot of less actives and hopefully strengthen their testimonies! We are starting to see that part of missionary work pick-up (Less actives). I did exchanges this week with Elder Kahawaii down in Sulphur, we were able to teach a deaf family via pen and paper and using the cell phone. It was pretty interesting! But we had a wonderful visit, and they are just a super solid family! They even have a deaf dog!!! Its great! Elder Kahawaii and I ended up singing to an investigator, which was interesting. Kahawaii has a super good voice, so it covered up mine. :) I was a little hesitant with leaving Elder Kenison to run the area with Kahawaii's comp. because they are both fairly new out in the field. And yes my fear came true. They ended up getting in with a young family and I guess from what I understand, slammed them pretty good with authority and so I will be going over tomorrow to see the damage. What I gather is that they spent about 30 minutes just telling them that all their preachers, pastors were false and all baptisms they preformed were invalid and wrong. Needless to say they didn't take to kindly to it. I mean yes everything they said was true, but the delivery of the pie in the face is so crucial! So this will be fun!!! So I'm sorry to hear that the missionaries out there aren't really opening up to the members and creating environments/ relationships to build one another up. Its all about the members and working in unity! We are excited for the new drive in the branch here! We meet together as a branch next Sunday and will be creating our branch mission plan! Hey dad, you should send me a copy of the modesto 1st ward's plan! Sara,  Be the bigger man. (woman). Kindness brings about kindness. Love brings about love. Service brings about service. Just as those are true so is contention brings about contention, which do you want? :) I love you! I know you are awesome. I know you had to deal with schmucks for brothers, so here is your schmuck brother trying to help you out instead of beat you down! Sara you are the example to me, not the other way around. You do so much missionary work and you don't even recognize it! Continue being the light others can depend on when some kind of darkness blurs their vision. I know this gospel is true! I know what I'm out here doing is no man's work or labor, but God's. I know the trials we face can be sometimes blamed on satan, but we also need to take a step back and see how we can grow from our struggles. Will we get back in shape if we don't go through pain and soreness? I have come to love challenges and trials! I see them as a way to prove myself! Y'all know I'm a show-off, well lets all be righteous show-off's. Let's be able to look back at trying times and say "Yeah, I did a hard thing" How do we show-off righteously? Read Mosiah 18:8-19. "We are all enlisted til the conflict is o'er, happy are we, happy are we" I love you all so very much! Keep Pauls Valley in your prayers!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham(B2)

6 Months out

Well I guess I've got some explaining/ answering to do. I guess I'll start with the debit card dilemma. No it's not that I don't get enough, it's that I don't get enough to get the necessities and some materials for a stop-smoking workshop we do. We encourage our inves. to buy the stuff themselves, but as I'm sure you are aware the residents here in OK are often in some destitute situations, we try our best to get fellow-shippers to provide these things, and sometimes that works, but often the members are just as if not more destitute than the inves. I know it's not a very good excuse, But I promise I wont use my debit anymore unless its an emergency. I'm sorry. It's very hard to walk into a home that has no power, A/C, furniture, or food with a suit on, nice shoes, a nice back-pack to hold everything, a snack to keep me good if I start to get hungry. I try and give all I have, I know anything I do is temporary, but I try my best to help out in anyway possible. I know the water I bring will only quench their thirst for a little while, but the doorway I bring them to leads to the everlasting living waters! I just all would understand this in our wonderful message! Yes, I have been writing Tayler Fox, actually she initiated the contact. I just told her to ask Michael Barton about the Plan of Salvation, because she told me her grandfather just recently passed away. I haven't heard back yet. I have asked her to get me Kimberly Lewis' address but again i haven't received anything back yet. So Jennie got married aye? Good for her! Did Sara get to do a family name at the baptisms? Man next time y'all see Shea tell that woman to write me!!!!!!! she is being a brat! The only one who sees me off and she still hasn't written me. NOT COOL. We have not received any new leadership, our Branch President will be here for another month I believe. He hasn't even found a home to move into yet. BUT, He taught a splendid lesson during third hour, on hastening the work!!! He challenged the whole branch to specify their fast for inspiration for developing a mission plan, which has been non-existent since forever ago! We are so excited to see the branch step it up! I don't know if it was because Elder Burnham pesters members to go out with the missionaries, or if it is because I hound the branch president for a new mission leader, but either way he has stepped up to the plate! I'm excited to see the fire under everyone's cabooses! YEE-HAW!!!! Has Pres. Walkenhorst contacted you? Yes I am still training while serving as DL. I feel like I don't have enough time to plan district meeting trainings, as well as quality training with Elder Kenison. Thank-goodness for manuals we can rely on for basics. I've survived the first week so I guess I CAN do this. Yeah you can delete the photos and videos, the reason my pictures aren't good quality is because the camera is old and not the best of quality, I liked my old camera! but it didn't have an SD card :( I guess I can fidel around with it. So to answer dads inquiry; no the weather hasn't been to crazy. Super humid, which kills while biking, but just as hot as back home.... I think. I've accepted sweat as a natural thing and I have no phobia whatsoever! Sweat is my friend not my enemy! I have to tell this to myself every morning! Hey if y'all could get me McKay's address I would appreciate that. Thanks for the reminder dad! I totally forgot that a ward/branch activity can be scheduled soon! I will implement that in this little branch! That will be a great opportunity for fellow-shipping! Does the Modesto 1st ward have a mission plan? I want a copy? I've never seen one, my past two areas didn't have one, and since we are headed down the road to creating one it might be insightful to know what one might look like :) Well this week has been good, we did a lot of service this week! Elder Kenison and I moved in a sister from the Ada ward all by ourselves! We helped rip up old linoleum from like the 50's, that was fun, not as an occupation but for a one time experience it was fun! I ripped some garments in the process, oops. But I felt like a man! HOORAH! :) Well I love all of you guys! Keep up all the good work! I love it out here! I can't believe It's already been 6 months! Holy-cow this is flying by! It needs to stop that! Work on that for me will ya? :) I love ya more!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham(B2)

Pictures

District Leader!

Well this week has been quite full! Elder Kenison and I have become very acquainted with missionary "work" hahaha. We got to rip up an old floor, It was great! Not only were we handling big heavy tools, but we were not in a white shirt and tie!!!!! WOOOHOOOO!! We then taught this investigators family a very intense Plan of Salvation lesson! It wasn't exactly as we had planned it, but they understand it, and understand that they wont fully accept the things we teach until they truly have come to know the Book of Mormon is true! So they are reading! To go along with that, we ran into "Papi" an old southern baptist man, who is awesome! We knocked into him and the first thing he said was "I'm sorry boys I'm baptist" We didn't let up one bit!!! booyah! We bore testimony of the divinity of our message right there on his door step and asked him to read from the Book of Mormon and lo and behold, his next statement was "oh man I was going to ask for one to read, I really want to but I didn't want to impose." We are super excited for him! So this past Thursday we had a meeting up in the city and I asked President if he had gotten the letter yet, he said he hadn't. So I told him what will be coming and asked him what his thoughts were, well he said he never has heard of that, siblings serving together. He said he thinks that would be an awesome experience and he would be willing to work with whomever to get it rolling. I love Pres. Walkenhorst! He is such a great man! So inspired, yet so down-to-earth! So regarding those pictures you think you are sending out, I actually would like a picture of the whole family, as recent as possible but still before the mission. I'm gettin' hounded out here foo not having any so I need one with my siblings and all that jazz. Oh and I asked for some advice on training a while ago, well transfers are this Wednesday and... yeah any advice on leadership roles? Maybe even from Sean. I have been called to be the district leader down here. Well I'm loving it out here! Its getting a little crazy with them miracles! I love it! We will be getting a new branch president soon. Wednesday is the "meeting" for all priesthood leadership to attend, so it will be soon. We need it, I'm hoping this means a new branch mission leader! Things are picking up here in little Pauls Valley.

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham (B2)

 

 

Hunky-dory :)

I am glad to hear all is well and hunky-dory. I am also so thankful I will always have a place to sleep in your home even if it is in a sleeping-bag on the cold hard floor. Just a side thought, I wonder how many of those bags began as the Walker's, and how many of the Walker's bags began as ours? All well, well this week flew bye! We have been doing lots of work, and weeding out the elect from the non. I have really pushed this to the front of my sights and am trying my best to work with those I feel impressed are the elect. I desperately want to do my part in working towards the goal of 100 baptisms in August, but not to complain, Pauls Valley is notorious for being the "dead-zone." We had ended the drought with our one baptism last transfer, but let me tell you; Satan is hitting this mission hard with our new resolve! Us missionaries are very well known now, we have been involved in community projects, events, and lots and lots of knocking! We haven't seen too much result from all this, so we turned to the members! Which we should have done in the beginning, but we don't have the miles to get out to our members! Its so frustrating. We are trying so hard to involve the members here but no one has any motivation. We started a missionary 101 class to invigorate members, we try those who are within our miles. No one is doing anything because in 2 weeks there are going to be major changes to the branch. New branch president and all that jazz. Our mission leader is super dee duper less active! He is now setting us up! We setup appointments then he magically is not there! He is the only one I have met who has avoided his calling to this degree! BLEHHHH! But other than that the work is going great! We have found some families out there! They are in outlying towns that we can't get to frequently, but we are doing what we can! Oh, I don't know what it is but it seems like we are finding more receptive spanish speaking families than english, which is fantastic because we don't have anyone here who speaks spanish, Oh wait yeah we do our mission leader! :( We could use Sean immensely right about now! I know this will end up on Sean's screen so, Sean If you would please, write me and include your testimony in spanish that I can relay to these wonderful families. I actually kind of taught a lesson in spanish the other day. I took out the Libro de Mormon and read Moroni 7:45-47 in spanish and took the vocabulary from that and did my best. It was pretty cool, I so wish I had been called spanish speaking! Maybe we are finding all these spanish families because it is prep for Sean to come ;) hahaha. I thoroughly enjoyed the letter sent to the Mission Presidents. It is really cool to see the line of missionaries I come from! I am at this point the youngest serving out of our whole family! I have been prepared and had the best of examples to apply into my own mission! Thank you to all! I love you so very much! If you have gotten anything out of this letter, I would hope it was be involved in missionary work! I love this work! I love the struggles that arise, but I love seeing the growth when we finally look back and see the victory of those trials! 

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham (B2)

Every Member a Missionary

The week sounded awesome for y'all. I'm a little jealous, but not too much! I think the reunion I'm having with my brothers and sisters out here is pretty darn sweet as well. (And I've got Fields Pie) Man I still cannot fathom Sara being in high school. It's just not right! So, have you arranged for someone to pick Sara up every morning or will you be taxiing once more? I say make her walk! :) When does water polo practice start? Has she considered leadership? If not she better! It will help with college! Get involved Sara!!!! So we had our temple conference this past Thursday. It was great! The OKC temple is tiny but just as wonderful as any other. For our conference part Pres. Walkenhorst established his vision for the mission! For the month of July we got 28 baptisms and confirmations, For the month of August he has received inspiration to challenge us and see 100 baptisms and confirmations!!! HOLY MOLY!!! Its a big number, but if he has confidence in us we should have confidence in us! Needless to say the work is hastening! We have got to really put in the work now! I thought I was doing all I could before! I guess it wasn't good enough! Time to build upon the knowledge and understanding I have! I am fervently praying to find the elect in this little town of Pauls Valley! I am kind of feeling overloaded with responsibilities here in this branch, with having to teach gospel principles, a missionary 101 class, train, and do my best to help this vision come to pass! But who said it was going to be easy right! Maybe this dough boy will be back in shape in no time! So that's really all I've got for y'all today! Mom don't worry about the stamps too much, whenever they arrive they arrive. I'm learning patience and it will help me in the long run! Well I love you guys! I hope all is well wherever you may be! Thanks for all you do for me! Keep up the good work! And remember every member a missionary!

Not a Second Wasted

Elder Burnham (B2)

Wonderful Week

This week has been wonderful! I haven't seen the branch participate in missionary work so much as I experienced this week! We got a whopping 3 members with us! That is soooo awesome for out here! We saw some great miracles! One that ill just kind of share is about a man named Robert. We knocked some doors, and weren't having much success until we came across a gold mine!!!!!! TRAILER PARK!!!! It was great, we grabbed a bunch of potentials. Robert and his family being a few. Well we returned and taught the Restoration and it went superb! He told us that he had really not been very active in any church since his move from Texas, but that he knew we were sent of God to put him back on the right path! It was amazing! Even with Conan the barbarian on in the background we all felt the spirit! He wants to keep meeting with us and is all for reading the Book of Mormon! He wasn't too excited when we brought up baptism, but "Resistance is Futile!" I'm real excited to work with him and his family! His wife and son were both involved in the lesson so we are just pumped for them and for what lies in store for them! So the Google Maps car was doing its route while we were out tracting, so you might be able to see Elder Kenison and I on Walnut st. in Pauls Valley :) So I received the biggest wake-up call thus far! A 77 year old potential told Elder Kenison while we were on exchanges that every time she sees me she just wants to poke me in the belly! I WAS CALLED THE PILLSBERRY DOUGH-BOY! NOT COOL!!!!! Well needless to say, we have done a lot more biking, and my personal exercise has picked up! :(  Well I'm super glad to hear Sara is doing H2O Polo! I think she could be super good at that! Jenni can be here personal trainer! I don't know if I have a message for the family besides I love them all to death! Don't get into trouble and if they ever see missionaries offer them something to drink! Its dadgum hot! As for the memory, its more of for the home than the individual. I remember spending the night at grandma and grandpa's and all day long I was either at the park digging for those weird sand bees, or I sneaking grandpa's Vienna Sausages, or I was climbing the big tree out back. I remember falling out of that tree from like 15 feet up and running inside afraid to tell anyone because I thought I would get into trouble, silly, but I was dead afraid I would get chewed out for climbing the tree and falling out of it!!! Well That's really all I've got for y'all this week! Have a wonderful reunion! Don't forget to look for those fields pies if they have 'em there. I love y'all so much! Y'all are always in my prayers! Oh mom, how did the writing to the Presidents go? And nope just those stamps. I've got like 10 letter sitting in envelopes waiting for stamps :) I love you.

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham (B2)

Prayer Conditioned

Dearest Mother,

This week has possibly been the hardest, most rewarding week of my 5 months out here. First off let me tell you, If I ever get the chance I want to drop-kick Satan straight in the mouth!!!! Okay anyway, sounds like y'all had a pretty nice week! I still haven't been to that science academy! Which is super wrong, because I'm your sciencey kid! All well, I guess we will do it many moons down the road. How is Diane doing? Tell her hello and thanks for all the fun she created! She always was a great friend. Practically another aunt. Oh good-ol' DMV, I do not miss having to go there! the big 3 0 aye? Man my sister is old! :) She is practically a grandma! Hey mom, were you able to find those Field's Pies? mmmmm I had some this week and it was super good! I would suggest getting at least one pecan for yourself, you are not going to want to share! Well this week has been a great one! Elder Kenison and I went on exchanges and he and Elder Kahawaii ran Pauls Valley while I went down with our district leader to Sulphur. They were able to get into some homes that E. Kenison and I couldn't because E. Kahawaii is Hawaiian and everyone loves him! So we had a lot of peoples hearts softened. We taught a real solid girl, this is the girl that needed a hug. She has committed to baptism and is really excited for it! Now we just need to help her break some habits and we will be good! Smoking, drinking, and gambling, you know little things! Well I'm glad to hear all is well! I hope Sara will continue to be as much of a help as it sounds like she has been. I guess when you take the thorn out of someones side they become a lot nicer and willing to work. ;) I know I could be quite the thorn, but hey give me a break I was just doing my job! I love that girl! Well I'm fixin' to go, we have an appointment with Alyssa, the hug one, I love y'all so much. Be very prayerful this week. I know I will be. Oh I saw a church billboard this week that said "Come on in our church is Prayer Conditioned" Get it? Prayer Conditioned not Air conditioned! Bahaha. Anyway I love ya.

Not a Second Wasted

Elder Burnham (B2)

Posterity Picture and Pie

Wow Its always fun to hear from you all! These past weeks have been some good ones it sounds like! I don't even know where to begin. Girls camp sounds like it was a blast, no pun intended. Any rowdy priest bring pizza up this year? Man speaking of shotguns, that is the hardest thing for me out here. I don't know how many times i have been invited to shoot or handle firearms out here. Being so comfortable with them, it kills me not to go shooting with all these cowboys out here who have every gun/weapon known to man! But all is well. Man I really hope SanDisk can do something, that was 100 pictures. I would be really sad if they disappeared. It has all my MTC pictures as well. So Sis. Remington is going to be a seminary teacher? That is awesome! She will be great! Hey mom if you could, I would really appreciate receiving Freddy's address. I would really like to write to that man. So you want to hear about training do ya? Well I'm not...... hahahaha Well I am but I'm not. Elder Kenison is from West Valley, Utah and is a super solid kid. He came pre-trained. He's got the lessons down, he is bold, when I took him knocking, he would step up and say I've got this one. Which was pretty impressive. Especially since he had never heard of the "Heavenly Gift" before. I'm proud of this kid. He has got that greeny fire! He keeps me on my toes. He even took on some hardcore, holy-roller, crazy Baptist! It was hilarious to stand back and watch but he handled it quite well. So yeah, the training is going great, besides the extra hour of it! The training I really do, is little technical fine tuned stuff. But nobody likes to be nit-pickey. However, I've come to know that being nit-pickey and doing the small stuff helps us do the great stuff! By small and simple things..... Anyway, he is super solid. So when I read your email mom, I read "You follow your brother's council and train with confidence and "humidity." I was thinking to myself, why would you say that? That's a cruel thing to joke about! Humility, yeah that's a lot better! Ill do my best!

 

This is a posterity picture. Elder Anderson my father now a grandfather, me, and Elder Kenison. Hey so have y'all heard anything about the Church's cannery's shutting down? So I have my first dog bite!!!! WOOHOO! I almost killed the thing though! Stupid dog! Oh now that I have taken over the area I'm the one who gets to drive! I'm super happy to be behind the wheel again! Ok Mom, if you want a little bit of Pauls Valley, go to Walmart and go to the frozen desserts look for Fields Pies. The Pecan is my favorite. Anyway they're made here and I'm told are sold in every Walmart nationwide. So get yourself one! Well I don't know what to write about now. President Walkenhorst is super tall! Ok picture this, me standing at the pulpit and him standing on the floor below, we are the same height then. He is a funny laid back guy. He likes to hit too! I had my trainer interview with him and he walks out sees me shakes my hand then hits me in the gut and said "Your next huh? Bummer, come on in" It took me by surprise to say the least! But I love the guy. He is real easy to work with, So momma do your magic and try and setup my next companion! I love ya a ton! I hope this week is a little more relaxing! I love y'all so much, keep up the work, do your part!

Not a Second Wasted

Elder Burnham (B2)