Happy and NO regrets!

 Thank you!

I love you!

This week has been a great one! We were able to see two individuals enter into the covenant of baptism. However, it wasn't the two I had been earnestly praying and hoping for. Sis. Ray and Riebe felt they had not received a discernible answer to their prayers on baptism. It was one of the most painful things for me to hear. I had so much hope, and faith that God would prick their hearts. It was a hard pill to swallow. I was holding back tears when they told me. They asked what the matter was, but all I could do was tell them I love them, and so does God. I gave them each a letter addressed to Modesto, and told them they have no excuse not to write. I even put the stamps on! They graduate this Friday and both head to Ft. Hood out in Texas. It certainly was a growing experience. This is where I look up to God and say, "alright it's in your hands now. I did what I could, I wont give up on them, but It's yours." 

Jesse Martin was baptized, I will attach a picture of his baptism. He asked me to perform the baptism and E. Bueno to confirm him. It was a great experience. While drying off and changing he told me two things. He said "I feel clean. I've never felt this clean." and "I will never forget this day!" I just about started balling like a baby. It finally hit me, I have 3 weeks left. We don't have anyone else on date to be baptized. That means that Jesse was my last baptism! The requirements are 3 times at church before baptism. It was a blessing to be dressed in white with this changed man

It was great! He already has a calling lined up. He will be teaching Elders Quorum. In fact he told his wife who has been a member about a year now and she got all upset because she still hasn't received a calling. Jesse called the Bishop out there, and they are now going to get her a calling. He is so solid! It's amazing what truth can do for a life. He was strict Southern Baptist, who chased missionaries away for years. Well, his wife was fellowshipped by one of their great friends while Jesse was deployed to Korea. She in turn was baptized. Jesse came home a little disturbed by the change, but knew he needed to look into it, if for no other reason than to support his wife. He then was shortly transferred to Ft. Sill where he met us. Now he is preparing to enter the Holy Temple and be sealed to his wife and five year-old son. I love the man dearly! 

The other baptism was a soldier out on post. She is great! She has been worked on by God previous to coming to Ft. Sill. She said that she had always felt God pulling her towards the Mormon faith, but that she was scared to act. Her first week here she was approached and committed to baptism. the next week she came back and scared us all by saying her husband said he would rather her not.......... she then said, "But I told him it's what I'm going to do, so support me!" She was then baptized! The strength of the converted is amazing!

I love the Doctrine of Christ, I love the Atonement, I love truth and light, I love the Book of Mormon, and I love God!

I am happy! I have no regrets! I will finish strong!

NEVER a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham

Pictures

Pictures

Miracles are great

Miracles are great! In case you ever wondered. I finally received my flight itinerary in the mail this week. That was a hard day. I thought I would be able to handle all this coming home junk. It immobilized me for a good hour or so, so I called President and just said "Hey, I did not think this would happen, but it is, any advice?" He said something I did not expect, and something I completely expected. He said: "Elder Burnham it's coming, and you know it. If I knew how to prevent or fix these feelings it would have been done and you would be all happy and baptizing someone right now. It is natural and you just need to take some time to commune with your Father and work this out. Remember that working hard to the very end is the best and I know you will do it, so do it!" It was a very short phone call, it was all I needed. Just hearing the confidence of my President in me gave me the strength to get up and work. The rest of that day was amazing! We gave a few blessings and had a great correlation for Post. Since then, I have been happy and have accepted the inevitable. I am happy to come home. I am satisfied and fulfilled! I have no regrets! I am proud, and have received the assurance that God is proud as well!

We had another baptism on post this Sunday. He had been coming for 5 or so weeks, and he came up to me before Sacrament meeting started and told me he is ready to commit himself to God and be baptized. It was awesome! I also was able to invite two other soldiers that I have been working with to the baptism and they are praying for baptism this Sunday. I have been praying more earnestly than ever for these two soldiers. I feel a very odd connection to them. They are both women, and from completely different backgrounds. One is Sis. Ray 20 yrs old, from Georgia, married, a Jehovah's Witness, and has been homeless for most of her life, and joined the army. The other is Sis. Riebe she is 18 from Wisconsin, Catholic (but hates the Catholic church), lived in Spain for 2 years as a nanny, and joined the army reserve. All I know is I have truly come to see them as my sisters and I have this burning desire to help them to those waters. They Graduate this next Friday, so this Sunday is their last. I have been praying so hard that they receive the witness and then ACT! I know it may be more of "my will not thine" but I know it can happen. I know God wants it to happen. I wont give up on them! 

This Saturday Jesse, a man we have been working with since I got here, will be baptized. He has elected me to perform the baptism and Elder Bueno to confirm. It will be an amazing day! I'm super excited! 

We have interviews today with President, I'm a little nervous/excited to see what the final interview will be like. Unless he interviews us in the Mission home one last time. I don't know. I had a bunch of questions for him, but I felt the prompting of the Spirit to throw them all out and accept all counsel and to only ask what I am prompted to ask. 

Today is going to be a good day! I love you! I hope your day goes just as well!

NEVER a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham

Amazing 23 months

I love y'all! This week was long, but was capped off with a great Sabbath!

I'm glad you got my letter! It was a needed thing for me to write. If you could, I would love to keep a copy of the letter. I wrote about the experience in my journal, but I know it wasn't as in depth as that letter.

It has been an amazing 23 months! I am happy! I was pondering the fact that I have been a District leader for 18 months this week. At first I started to complain about the stress that it has generated, the trainings I've given, and the accountability expected of me. It seemed to me I was being punished or picked on by President. Then one of those "tender mercies" experiences occurred. I would have it no other way!

The lives the Lord has entrusted me with, the stress that pushed me forward when I felt like giving up, the opportunity to sit and counsel with great men and women. I've had opportunities to sit at the feet of General Authorities and be chastised by them! Isn't that great!? Who get's that opportunity? It was dang scary, but whom better to receive correction from?

So I came across a verse of scripture in my studies that fits perfectly how I feel about those lives I have touched or been in. It gave me comfort and it was another tender mercy from the Lord. Colossians 2:5-7. (5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.  6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.)

At Post this week we saw some great miracles! We had three new missionaries on post because of the crazy transfer cycle this go around. They were all shaking in their boots, because they had no idea what to expect. I just smiled! I did my best to prep them, but I knew that the best thing for them would be to go in and sink or swim. I knew Lord wouldn't let them sink, so I had no fears. They did remarkable! I taught the 3rd discussion which is generally the hardest. I had the opportunity to talk with 4 amazing non-members. One a Baptist, one a Catholic, one a Jehovah's Witness, and another a Methodist. The Baptist is preparing for Baptism for the 25th. The Methodist graduates Basic this week so he wont be baptized here, but he had such a great experience that during the Holiday Block Leave he took a Book of Mormon home to his family and taught them. They practically disowned him, but he defended the faith and will be looking for missionaries at his next station in Virginia! Then the other two are praying to know if this is the path God want's for them! They are all so amazing! I have never seen such a place like Ft. Sill! I've come to realize I have a little bit of separation anxiety when "my" soldiers graduate and move on. I truly come to love them!

Also, in a funny way, I've grown so much closer to both my Grandfathers! I can't explain it, but I have such a greater love and appreciation for them than I ever have! I am proud to be able to tell the soldiers I rub shoulder with, that my Grandfathers served as well! I don't always mention the branch, but that doesn't really matter. They all defend our rights and Constitution!

Well, I love you so very much! We are planning another baptism for the 24th for Jesse, then later that day I will be heading back to the City for a baptism of a girl I started teaching. I could not be more happy!

NEVER a Second Wasted,
Elder Ryan Burnham

Tired, Happy, Excited, Scared, Nervous, Anxious, Ready, Mormon

This week has been interesting. I have had many opportunities to counsel with the sisters in my district. Well, first off I should tell you that transfers are happening this Wednesday, but Elder Bueno and I are staying together. He will be killing me. This is my last transfer! That means 6 more weeks! Ok, back to the sisters. They were supposed to have a baptism this Sunday for a girl they have been working with for 5 months or so. We had setup a baptism interview for Friday evening. When 4:00 rolled around I and my ZL was waiting at the church to perform that. I was on exchanges so I was with one of my zone leaders. Well The sisters showed up and Kyla did not. Kyla is in a poor situation. She lives with another kid who is renting from her. He is in his 20's and so is she. He is very antagonistic and negative. He claims us to be a cult and all that nonsense. Well he has been the main obstacle for Kyla to overcome. It seemed like she had up until Friday night. They share a phone and the man, Robert, kept answering and telling the sisters to back off and stop calling. Which the sisters were getting to the point of pestering them out of desperation. Anyway, the baptism didn't happen and the sisters were heartbroken. They have really come to love Kyla and experienced for the first time the pain of bringing a beloved investigator, their sister to the waters of baptism and she decide last minute to jump ship. It rocked their worlds! So instead of interviewing Kyla I took those minutes to sit down and listen to these devastated sisters. It was a weird feeling to be the most senior missionary in the situation. I respect my ZL's, but they are younger. It was definitely a learning experience for him. He was lost, and had no clue how to work with sisters in distress. I have to say, if there is anything I have learned on my mission it is that women are a different breed and cannot be treated the same as an elder. All too often Elders whine and complain about sisters and their "needs". I just want to slap those fools! I wish I could grab them by the back of the neck and shake them! It blows my mind how Sisters are so degraded because the Elders are not willing to put in the effort to work with them. No matter how exhaustive it is! I'm not going to lie, I think the only thing more exhausting for me then working/counseling with sisters is attending the temple. It's just draining. Well, It all worked out and the sisters are on cloud nine and understand more of the atonement and charity. They never realized that what they were feeling was a small sample of what God feels. It was awesome to see the light come on. I pray that light will stay and they will be able to push through the next sure to come heartbreak! They are young sisters and are great missionaries! I have high hopes for them!

The package arrived perfect! Nothing was damaged. Thank you! It pains me to hear about Bryce and Mindy. I will certainly keep them in my prayers. I will be attending the temple the 13th and will place them on the prayer roll. 

I'm tired, I'm happy, I'm excited, I'm scared, I'm nervous, I'm anxious, I'm ready, and I'm a Mormon!

I'm glad your holidays were so great! I love ya, and I will be seeing you soon!

Not a Second Wasted,

Elder Ryan Burnham