Saturday

This week has been great! I don't have much time due to Zone P-day and Zone conference today. 

This Saturday was the most fulfilling moment of the Mish yet! Saturday Morning like this

8:00- Breakfast on Post and Post missionary correlation

9:00- Exchange report with my Zone Leader

9:45- Head to the temple for Aaron Gates' sealing. (He is the member I escorted through the temple)

12:15- Sealing

12:45- Pictures

1:00- Head back to Lawton

3:00- Civil marriage for investigator

3:30- Baptism for same investigator

4:30- visit Less Active who just went through a nasty divorce and was thinking of committing suicide. But did not, because of the visit.

5:30- Ward Halloween party, tons of investigators and Less actives showed up! The attendance was around 300!!!!!!!!!!

7:30- joint ward correlation! 

8:30- Resolved conflict between a Zone Leader and a sister in my district. 

9:00- Plan

10:00- SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was great! This Saturday we have another baptism for a kid who has been keeping it from his member wife. The plan is on Saturday he and his father in law will leave early to the church and the mother in law will say they need to go to the church for the kids activity or whatever. When his wife walks in the church doors she will see him dressed in white ready to be baptized! It's going to be sweet! They have been married for 5 years and she has always wanted him to take the lessons, now he has and the change has been phenomenal! I love this man to death! He's Polynesian too!!!!! CRAZY! I love their family!

Yes I got the package. I actually gave some of the Almonds to Bro. Aaron Gates as a wedding gift ;) He said it was one of his favorites, because it's hard to eat diaper :) (I don't get this. Does anyone else?) I love him to death! He would fit right in with our family! But he is family just like you stated in your email! 

Well I love y'all! Stay out of too much trouble!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham

P.S. I forgot to tell Dad, that no we are not getting very much rain here in Lawton. We had one day that was pretty decent, but that's really it.

Hold on and Believe in Him

As I was reading this letter a quote from Elder D. Todd Christofferson popped into my mind. He said something along the lines of the definition of being a leader is: "Putting on public display your weaknesses and then working to overcome them." 

...

Life is just as crazy as ever. We had stake conference this weekend, and it was great! Our stake president is the man! He is super missionary minded and we are going to see great things happen! We had a missionary panel and I was to lead it out, because of the leadership position I'm in. It was so fun and helpful for us. We have gained so much trust with the members out here! We have a baptism this Saturday! He, Beau, is a true example of the Atonement working wonders in someone's life. He used to be a crack addict, alcoholic, chain smoker, gang-banger, and addicted to mountain dew. He has/had a bunch of tattoos and earrings. He is now preparing to be baptized, and get married to his girlfriend. The plan is that he will get the priesthood and then baptize his wife. His wife is an excommunicated member who is wanting to get back into the church. It's a great story! I'll send pictures next week!

I love you all so very much! I haven't received the package yet, but I will be looking for it. 

Just out of curiosity, do we have any relatives still in OK? Chickasha is an area for missionaries to serve in. I may be able to request it if I have non-member relatives still. ;) That would be sweet!

 

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham

"Be assured that if you but hold on, believe in Him, and remain faithful in keeping the commandments, one day you will experience for yourselves the promise revealed to the Apostle Paul: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Keep Praying for Me

First off. I love you!

I don't like it when you make me cry in the library! This letter was certainly full of emotion. Behind all the words typed, was a knowledge of the restored truths. Thank you for bearing your testimony. It strengthens me to hear how much my mother truly loves, understands, and trusts the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you.

I am so glad to hear about the wonderful temple experience. It took me back to when I escorted Aaron Gates, and when I was a witness for the Carrillos. I actually just received an email from Aaron Gates asking me to be his witness for his sealing. He was married civilly Saturday, so family could be a part. They will be sealed the 25th I believe. That is the 1 year mark of his brides baptism! I am so humbled and honored to participate in these monumental moments in the lives of my eternal family! There I go crying again! 

I am sad to hear of Bro. McCall's passing. That was a family who I had a funny indirect relationship with, but truly loved. They were always there to encourage and support. I will keep them in my prayers. Just curious, what are the Benjamin boys up to? I worry about the boys that I was in YM's with. I wish I could do more. I am always more and more impressed with my little sister! I love her so much! She is truly becoming a beautiful woman! I love being able to see her testimony bud and flower like it has! I miss her.

I am shocked about Tiffany. I will admit, in my last area, I remember having a very strong impression to reach out to her. I don't remember why I didn't act. I probably got busy with all the other affairs of mission life. It's no excuse. I will definitely write my testimony and attempt to restrict any preachyness. I would ask that you proof read it and ok it. I would love to be able to return home and resume the friendship I had with her previously. If there is anything else I can do to help let me know.

This week we found out about transfers and E. Holbrook and I are staying. This transfer will be a weird one. It will be only 5 weeks, due to the holiday season. The next one will be 7 weeks. It's weird to think of how little time I actually have. I have determined I don't want to become a stone cold missionary who kills himself the last 2 or so transfers because of fear. I am going to enjoy and make these last months the best! I have accepted the end, and I am embracing it as well as I can. I am pretty sure I will die a DL so that should help out a lot. We are still seeing success. We have stake conference this weekend, a baptism in 2 weeks, then 3 baptisms the 1st of Nov. We sure are busy.

I love you all! Keep praying for me, I need it! 

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham

Wonderful Conference Weekend

Our weekend was definitely wonderful! We are seeing so many miracles! I'm so thankful for the Lord's hand in all this! 

So the fatigue, I feel its probably a combination of both. I just feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish a sufficient amount of work. I definitely have rededicated myself to exercising more effectively. And I've been doing pretty well with keeping that up. However, I do feel I am not doing enough. I told my companion we will start running in the morning, but he has been fighting a cold and now I am getting one. I will see how much this sickness will let me do (exercise wise). I definitely haven't been eating very healthily. I don't eat out, but out here in biking areas, It's just so hard to have a meal. Since it takes a longer time traveling place to place, we cut our meal times shorter to compensate. So that leads to buying quick things that aren't the most healthy. I'm trying to buy more fresh snacks, but when all I eat is a handful here and a handful there I don't think I'm getting the energy I need. I know I need to sit down and budget and set a meal plan, but I don't really know where to start. I know I need to eat more veggies and fruits, but how many, and what about the cost. It's not that I can't it's that it's hard for me to find time to do so. I know that's a lame excuse, but I'm working on it. 

ANYWHO! I loved Elder Robbin's talk on "which way do you face?" I also really enjoyed Elder Oak's talk. I received some revelation there with how I need to change. I will studying more on being meek and mild, and how I can apply that in my life. Jorg Klebingat called me fat so I'm going to run more. I really enjoyed Elder Cook's talk as well! I loved Elder Uchtdorf's talk on asking ourselves first "Lord is it I?" Then I really enjoyed Elder Godoy's talk! Then last of all I loved Elder Bednar's. I think I will be using Pres. Uchtdor'f testimony talk and Elder Bednar's talk a lot when teaching. they were perfect for missionary work!

Speaking of the Lemmos, do you hear anything about Freddy? If you see him at the temple, make sure you give him a hug for me! Tell him his cousin is doing well out here. In fact I barely missed being her DL. When I came to Lawton she went into my last district. 

So we are preparing to meet with our bishop soon. He has been pretty rough to work with. We don't know his vision, and we don't know him! We are working on unifying our vision with the Lawton vision. We are going in with the What, How, and Why of unity. We are focusing on the what and the why, and we will counsel with him the how. We just feel so separated from any of the Auxiliaries. We are seeing miracles but it is not with our leaders so there really isn't any trust. We are trying our best to be like Ammon and begin through service, but he hasn't let us, and he doesn't acknowledge it when it happens. We are working hard.

Well I love you! I will certainly keep Sara in my prayers. 

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham