GROSS PICS!!!

We fed a spider a lizard. 

 

 My companion after working on his bike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Beau's infected knee. I think it's called Marsa. It's got gauze hangin out!

Hard Times

First off I feel terrible that you feel bad for your longer emails. I love receiving updates! I did not ever mean to come across as ungrateful for your descriptive letters. They are wonderful! This week was very unproductive. We have not been able to really see anyone! It's been very difficult. Those we have been teaching have all of  sudden gotten sick! It seems like everyone is getting sick around here! 

We had one very memorable lesson, We taught a lady named Melinda. She is Filipino. The language barrier is bad! Anyway, we found out why it's been so hard to get her and her husband in the same room. We set up an appointment and James will show up, then the next one just Melinda, and it goes back and forth! We finally sat down with Melinda and put the beef on the table! We found out that the reason she and James are married is because he got her pregnant when he was serving in Japan, and felt obligation to care for his child and the child's mother. They have no foundation, and barely understand/speak to each other. Apparently there was a pregnancy scare, and so when we showed up she was frantic and going all crazy Asian on us. She wanted us to do the abortion right there, she wanted us to get lawyers there, and she wanted us to basically kill James for her, so she doesn't have to deal with him anymore. It was crazy. In the end we convinced her to seek out the Army Chaplain and counsel with him. (Her husband is a major in the Army) She also agreed to meet with a marriage counselor. I was very glad our member was able to talk her through how marriages take work and faith. It was intense. After all of this we actually got her to pray, as a child. She repeated every word Bro. Melling said. Then she committed to read from her Tagalog and English Book of Mormon everyday! We are still waiting to see what happens. While all this was going on Sis. Melling was finishing up a Home Study so they can adopt two Russian girls. The Mellings are troopers! I'm going to make brownies or something for them!

Attached pics: Beau (Recent Convert) and Monica (Excommunicated Member)

Chad Bolton (Recent Convert)

 

 

 

Pictures from the City

Here's some pictures from the city. Aaron Gates, the man I escorted through the temple, and was a witness for his sealing.

 

 

Another Baptism

It has been another good week! We ended it with another baptism! We were teaching him in secret so his member wife would have a great surprise on the day of his baptism, but he couldn't hold out, he felt like he was deceiving his wife and told her two days before the baptism! Pansy! Just kidding! I thought that was very impressive he felt that way. They will have a long and happy marriage! 

I'm really bad with these picture things, I keep forgetting to bring my cable to get the pictures off the camera. I promise they will come soon.

Bro. Chavez...... Yeah he's a character. Elder Chavez was in my district when I served up in Ponca City. He kind of looked to me as a mentor because him and his trainer did not mesh too well. I did my best to turn him back to his trainer but at the time pride was a big factor in all parties. I also had many occasions to counsel with him about staying out in the mission field. He was belittled quite often by his trainer about being an 18 year old immature missionary. It started getting to him and he began to believe that he wasn't capable/worthy to serve. Those were some counseling sessions I never wanted, but will never forget! We grew to be good friends and he was the kid that will be wrestling collegiate. He is being looked at by Purdue. His father works for a company named Brute. They deal a lot with wrestling gear and since OSU has a pretty decent wrestling team he sent Elder Chavez and myself gear. I thanked him a lot, and told him it was very unnecessary but he insisted. I feel they think I did something a lot more spectacular than I did, I just helped him understand the atonement and Doctrine of Christ just little more. If I wasn't there someone else would have done the same. But I'm glad they see me as a friend. He kind of has become a little mission brother and I try and look out for the kid. He has a lot of potential, last time I chatted with him, he has trained, been a DL, and is now a Zone Leader! 

Well, I love ya! Look for a letter in the mail! Don't open it until Thanksgiving!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham