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)

Pictures

 Me in Elder Robb's puffer jacket.

 And a picture of a shirt I bought at the National Noodling Tournament!

 

I knocked your street, with no luck I may add!

  

I thought I would send some pictures. Elder Robb and I made some team shirts for Horseshoes.

New Trainee

Man, sounds like quite the week! I kind of want to see Jenni and Bud's house, but I don't want any kids in the shot. Well this Wednesday I will meet my trainee. Elder Haskell is going to Altus and opening a new area. That will probably be his last area. He has these last 2 transfers left. I'm kind of glad he is leaving, his trunkiness does not help anything! Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum! One comp leaving, the other just coming in! I'm pretty dadgum nervous about training, but I'm also really excited..... I think. So if any of y'all have tips please send them my way, they will be much appreciated! So Mother, I have a few inquiries. Would it be possible for you to get some music collected and send it my way? Music is approved that is uplifting with good messages. I would really like that! Also I'm running low on stamps and I was curious to know if you might be able to send some? Last, but not least, Could you give me Sean's new address? So I've got some new info; the Mission Department has issued a no backpack rule. They claim they are unprofessional and make us targets. The rumor is shoulder/side bags will be approved, but no backpacks. Also, Ipads are coming in to our mission soon. This will be very interesting! I'm pretty excited about that. So I am serving around an Elder Sewel, from Loomis CA, great friends with the pilchers. Small world right? Also one of our AP's was Elder Fischer's Zone Leader in the MTC. Crazy right? Well this transfer will be "a whole new world" for me! Keep my trainee in your prayers, he is going to need them with dealing with me! I love you all sooo much. Hey before I wrap up, I am curious to know what has become of Freddy Lemmo? Has he gone back out? Anyway, I hope y'all are adjusting again. I love you guy and pray for you always!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham (B2)

Huggin'

That was exhausting to just read! It sounds like y'all had a splendid couple of weeks! Im a little jealous, but not really! Well before I forget I want to share something I thought pretty interesting; it's from a John Bytheway talk. Our Great-Grandfathers called it the Holy Sabbath, our Grandfathers called it the Sabbath, our Fathers called it Sunday, and we call it the weekend. There is something terribly wrong with this isn't there? This just got me to thinkin' about how I keep/kept the Sabbath day holy. Anyway, so the two baptisms went smooth! I implemented Brianne's intermission thing with testimonies on 3x5 cards. She really appreciated it. So yeah my solo went well, meaning I didn't screw up. Then at the second baptism all 4 elders signed "When I am baptized." It shocked her and she began to cry. It was a very neat experience for me! Maybe ill film myself doing it and send it to y'all. This probably wont be my last experience with signing because I found out I will be staying in Pauls Valley. Pretty early to find out right? Well here is the big news..... I have been called to train! Crazy right? I received a phone call from the assistants right after the baptism and they said I will be training next transfer in Pauls Valley. I'm super duper nervous, but excited at the same time! I've only been out for 4 months for goodness sake! I got to thinkin' about this and how it would work out with Elders Burnham serving together and it might work out perfectly. Sean has about 2 transfers left if im not mistaken. Training is a 12 week program or 2 tansfers. This may be a blessing. It would work perfectly if granted. Sean would fill my trainee's position! It makes me all hyped to think it could be happening! Plus, we have found like 5 spanish families that would be perfect that Sean could teach. My hands are shaking! Im pretty excited to be a "father" hahaha. Hey mother i have a question for you; did you ever find out what was up with that SD card I sent home? Oh and one last thing, I hate the no hugging rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BLEH! So we met this young mother, she's probably 24, and we had been visiting with her husband. Well Friday night we knocked their home and was planning to teach them, but she said he was gone and she didnt know where. They had had an argument that turned south and she thought that might be the end of their marriage. Then she unloaded the big guns! She told us that her father, step-father, sister, grandfather, grandmother, and brother had all died and she had just beaten cancer and how she was diagnosed her junior year, so for prom, graduation senior pictures she had to wear a wig. Her son wasnt supposed to live more than a month, all these things, then out of the blue she asked "Can I hug you guys, y'all have something I need." BAM!!! Shotgun to the heart! I knew I couldn't do it but I wanted to help this woman out in any way. Luckily she went for Elder Haskell first and he stuck his hand out and dodged the hug, so it was easier for me, But dang I blame our family for being such a huggy family! We gave her a Plan of Salvation and Family proclamation pamphlet then prayed with her. The next night we went back and found out that both of them had read the proclamation an where on much better terms, had worked things out and are wanting to come to church and learn more! Im way excited for them! I lord truly works in mysterious ways! I love this work! I love the Plan of Salvation, and knowing I will see my family again! I love knowing true happiness and joy! I love my Father in Heaven, and His son Jesus Christ. I love the gospel! I love the Book of Mormon! Im excited and terrified to train, but I know it will help me grow! I know things happen in Heavenly Father's time and not our own, as frustrating as it may be, I know it s always what's best for us!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Burnham (B2)