Hey! What's up man?!
You are truly the great spring. Because you are from Colorado Springs. This week was fun. I'm not sure what to write too much because I told you mostly everything on the phone. It was really really fun to talk to you all. It's cool knowing that you still have voices, I was worried they were gone forever. Just joke. Okay! Sorry my email is coming a little later today. Today we had a zone meeting in the morning and transfer announcements. After that the zone leaders wanted to go eat at this seafood restaurant because we are in Roxas, the seafood capital of the Philippines. It was delicious, but way expensive. But I'm really full. I can't believe I just spent seven dollars on delicious seafood. Oh well, it was probably worth it. I had this like fried squid, then shrimp, and a seafood soup, and rice, and a mango shake. It was delicious and a half.
So this next week is going to be weird. Because I'm transferring and going to become a senior companion. So we'll see what happens. I still have 2 days and a half here then a transfer meeting and then a 2 days in my next area before next week. So it will be weird. It's my first time leaving Roxas so we'll see what happens. I just don't want to transfer somewhere where I have to learn a different language. Anyway, I am really going to miss Roxas and the people here. They are really nice and good and I love my ward. I hope they love me even though I'm a spaz.
So last week. On Monday our Family Home Evening fell through but luckily the Stake President called us up and invited us. It was really good. Sister Olivare shared a message about Christmas and Missionary Work and I really enjoyed it. It really inspired me for the coming week and just knowing how important this work is. Even though I was far away from family, and far away from what I'm used to on Christmas, everything that happened is totally worth it. Because this work is far greater than that. Jesus Christ came into this world for this very reason, diba? For the immortality and eternal life of man. He came not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. It's really simple. And everything I do here as a missionary connects to this one event, the coming of our savior into the world. It's completely central to our message as missionaries. So I actually loved being able to teach and share. That's what we focused teaching people this week. Is just about Christmas and the life of Christ. I really like what President Monson said at the Christmas Devotional, "There is not a better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to redidicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ."
That's something I've noticed and tried to focus on for myself, and as we shared with others. That celebrating Christmas isn't something we should do just once a year, but something we treasure continually up in our hearts every single day of the year. Following Jesus Christ isn't something that's always easy, but there is always a way for us to do it. And it's something we need to dedicate ourselves to. And because God's plan is perfect, even though we fall short, Christ will make up the rest as we trust in him.
Actually on Tuesday of this week we taught the most lessons we ever had in one day all transfers. Then Wednesday we got a lot too. It was cool because a lot of the people we taught were just new investigators or new families and they just listened to us teach about Christmas and it was so easy to relate it to the Restoration. One new guy we taught told us, yeah, maybe if you want sometime I can visit your church. And we said, "Yeah you can!" And then as we left I peeked inside and saw him starting to read what we left him. I know I'm not a perfect teacher or anywhere near it. But basically all I have to do is trust in God that he will answer their prayers and, for myself, just show them the way to know, and help them have the desire and understand the importance of knowing. And those honest seekers of truth will basically convert themselves and experience a mighty change in their hearts.
Near Christmas it slowed down like the actual days, but we got fed, and shared with members. But on Thursday was a pretty cool day. During this Christmas season I was praying for more opportunities to offer simple service. Like besides just sharing I wanted just small opportunities to help people. So in the morning on Thursday we taught some lessons then we were walking to try somebody else and a Sister in our ward saw us and called us over. She told us she had been calling ward members to help her because she needed to carry all this stuff to the church, so we were glad to offer our help. Then we got to the church and Bishop asked us to do some tasks for him like get some purified water. Then we went out again to teach and another lady in our ward called us over and we had to carry this HUGE garbage can full of rice like 70 gantas (1 ganta=2.2kilos) It was heavy, but I was happy for these opportunities to serve our ward members. Then we went to our Ward Christmas Party and it was cool because we had a TON of less-actives come, including some we had visited the entire time I had been here but they had been shy of members, or they wanted to come back to church but they were shy. But not too shy for free food. So it was good we got some fellow shipping in. Even a lot of investigators came. I don't know why, but when we ask investigators to go to church, they are busy, but if we invite them to a ward Christmas party, they have nothing stopping them! At least they were fellow shipped and now have friends when they come to church, and now we know they can make it to church easily! Yeah boy! The games were fun too at the Christmas party. Though some were a little awkward. Then there were talents. Geezevey, Koka, and Ricka, and their Grandma Bunda, all did a dance. It was hilarious. Then they wanted the missionaries to do something. I wasn't sure what to do because usually I just try to clap with one hand, which they have liked in the past, but Brother Toto said I couldn't do that. So I sang I'm a diddly whack mack mormon daddy. The best compliment I got was that someone said it was different. But people thought it was hilarious at least. Though they said they couldn't understand it since I did it in english. So I started freestyle rapping in Ilonggo. Yeah, that didn't really work.
Sunday was a great day. After church we went and taught some lessons and one was really really cool. We had been teaching this one family for a while, they were out of town and just arrived earlier so they weren't able to go to church. We taught and followed up this girls reading in the Book of Mormon and after talking for a little, she told us she believed the Book of Mormon was true. We taught her a little bit about living prophets and the Plan of Salvation and the blessings we receive from the Gospel. It was really cool and then we felt we should ask her to be baptized but she said she can't say she can yet. But I believe she'll be prepared one day. She is really searching and really wants to know the Book is true and that there is a real, living, true prophet here on the earth. I think she understood and she said she would pray for us. At the end of the lesson she said the prayer and it was just one of the most sincere, honest, prayers I have heard in a long time from an investigator themselves. It's just really cool. I'll have to find out what happens in this area even though my time here in over. :/
Anyway, that's it. We are at this really expensive computer shop that's in the mall because we are behind schedule. I am sitting right under and air conditioner and I'm freezing. I haven't had this feeling in a long long time but I'm freezing! I can't believe it!
So I'll let you know what happens. But I'm loving this mission and..
I love you too.
Halong!
Elder Burton
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