5 June 2011

Hey Family,

That's cool you are in Italy. I haven't heard anything about how I'm suppose to burn a tie. I'll do it! I don't really know any traditions missionaries do at their year mark. Send me a list or something.

I withdrew a bunch of money so I won't have to withdraw for a couple of years. But we're going to go today to this restaurant called Seafront which has really good pizza I guess. I'm going to buy a "super gang." I'm way excited, even though it's kind of expensive. It's like a huge pizza for like 15 people but I'm buying it just for me and my companion. It's going to be fun. That's what I'm doing for my B-day. Yeah boy! I haven't had pizza in a while now.

Anyway,this week was awesome. We did a lot of finding and I am way excited about some of our new investigators. On Tuesday at our district meeting, since it was the last Tuesday of the month, Elder Farnsworth could teach us about anything he wanted. So we talked about having the spirit with us, especially while planning, and while it is so important to plan. It was really helpful because he had us pick one of our investigators and split off and talk about them and what we can do to help them progress in the gospel. Something I've been really trying to do is see in my mind how these people can change in the future. Sometimes you see someone, they have so many concerns, and you get a little discouraged, but it's way important to have faith in how the gospel can change their lives. And I know it's happening and will continue to happen. Anyway, we planned for one of our investigators. The wife is way interested in the message, and she really likes what she is learning, then the husband is more chill about it. He doesn't really care. He'll listen, but won't really read and pray like the wife does. We had tried teaching and asking about families before, but when we asked her what she wants for her family, the sister told us, "nothing." They are kind of broken and don't really get along. But we planned for them and prayed and studied. Like when we saw them before we really saw the potential sister had but not really for brother. So we decided to change that and goaled to focus on them as a family. We studied how the gospel can bless families and it really took on a new meaning for us and I hope we can for them too. That all families have problems, but the gospel can heal them. So we are really trying to see in our minds how the gospel will change them individually and as a family. I think because of this too, the Lord is blessing us with more like full families to teach. And even though not all of them are the perfect family, I know the gospel will heal us all, and help us become the best we can be.

So on Tuesday afternoon we just taught Noel Arrieta again after studies and district meeting. He's living proof of how the gospel can really change families and strengthen them. He'll be baptized this Saturday because.. he's ready. Before he wouldn't even face the missionaries. He and his wife, Rutchie, were about to split up. But she prayed for him and he began to change and gave the gospel a chance. It's changed his life. They are way closer now as a family. His wife is way dilligent, she's already in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. And they are just growing together through the gospel. We're planning on teaching Noel how to read, so I'm excited for that.. though I don't know how to teach someone how to read. But I'm excited for him. Sister Rutchie also referred us to her niece. She was way excited to read the Book of Mormon. I think she'll progress too.

On Wednesday we went on exchanges again. I worked in Altavas with Elder Perez again. It was pretty fun, we had a good day, but I missed being in my area. I've spent 3 days this transfer in Altavas! I got to build my area, but it still feels good working in Altavas. We taught 4 of the same people that I had taught last time. It was pretty cool. Because I actually knew a little more about their background and as we taught them I felt more confident and more bold in my teaching, and I felt it was pretty effective. We had a good day. Elder Perez is a nice guy, but way goofy. I can't really describe him. Because you kind of look at him and thing he's just way intense but at the same time is intensity is really goofy. I also like the way he speaks english. Aww man, words just can't describe that guy, but I love him.

Anyway, I told you about last week we found this guy named Ricardo Delacruz. He's like way golden, we're just trying to help him find a way for him to get work off on Sundays. Elder Farnsworth and Elder Quinantoto taught him on Wednesday and Elder Farnsworth was way excited to tell me about him. He was just so excited to learn about the Book of Mormon and he just has so many questions, which, the gospel answers. I'm glad we opened our mouths. We are really striving to talk to everyone.

On thursday while we were planning we were kind of lost of where we should go. Our teaching pool is kind of low right now. We ended up picking two Baranggays close to the church and just getting out the ward list and writing down members houses we could try to find and get referrals. So we did that all day and didn't have too much luck with finding the members. We found out one of them had died, and a couple have moved. We need to update the ward list here..
Anyway, we ended up having a lot of luck that day with finding. We taught more than we do when we actually have appointments which was good. First we talked to this sister named Daisy. We found out she kind of has the same problem as the family we planned for, like she doesn't really get along with her husband too well, anyway, we talked about the gospel and families with her and how it would help and asked if we could come back to share with her and her husband. Sunday was his day off and the husband was there and actually excited to see us! He said he read and I was way happy for them. We'll go back to them on Wednesday and hopefully help them come to church on Sunday. They are a good family. I think God is really blessing us with families to teach, because we're really striving to find them and help them.

After that house we kept going house to house until we arrived at.. a house. Anyway, there was this old lady out front holding a baby and we started talking to her. As soon as we started she just started rejecting us. She told us she was way busy and had no interest at all to listen and we tried to testify a bit but she just wouldn't let us in. Anyway, we were about to leave when Elder Quinantoto asked her, "What about that baby's mom? Would she be interested?" Anyway, the mom was in the house doing laundry but we called her to come out. When she saw us she just got this huge smile on her face and invited us in to talk to them all. Anyway, I guess this sister is from the same area as Elder Quinantoto and they speak the same language. This sister, Juliet, is her name. Anyway, I guess her mom's best friend is a member of the church. And they had missionaries visit all the time but her mom didn't want to change when she was a kid. While that happened Juliet read like 3/4 of the Book of Mormon. Then she moved away to Boracay, and there is no missionaries there. After that she got married and moved here to Banga, and when she saw us it was her first time seeing missionaries in years. Anyway, we gave her a Book of Mormon again and she started reading it. She said she missed it and she wanted to learn again. We set up a time to see her husband with her. When we did, she told us about her reading, and she really understands everything. We talked about baptism and she talked about the spirit and how she never expected to see 2 guys come to her house again wearing white shirts, but it happened. She was prepared. I hope we can help them as a family come to church. She didn't come this week but she said she would next week.

Then we went and talked to a couple more people until at night we were about to visit more less actives when we decided to go down one more street. We went up to this house and they let us right it. A mom, a dad, and 4 kids. We shared the Restoration with them and invited them to read and pray about the message. I am excited to follow them up because they gave a strong commitment to read and pray. That's all I really need to happen. Because if they read and pray with sincere desire and real intent, they'll know it's true, and they'll want to change for it. We should see them Tuesday.

On Friday we went with Bishop to find this part-member family. They were taught by the missionaries before but couldn't be baptized because they weren't married yet. Anyway, they just got married last month so we wanted to find their house. They live really far away, like 40 minutes, so we took a jeepney and got to the baranggay then we were going to walk up this mountain to their house. Anyway, when we arrived Brother Sarita, the member, drove past us and gave us a ride on his motor to his house. It was way good timing. We taught they and bishop was a great help. We invited them to church and at church they did a baby blessing for one of their babies. It was sweet! Sister Sarita should be baptized in a couple of weeks. We're just making sure she has a testimony of her own. She's willing, but we want her to know for herself.

So Sunday was sweet. We had investigators at church. It was funny because when we arrived at the church there were already 5 people there. 2 of them were investigators. They beat like all the members to church. It was way cool. Then an hour later when it started more came. It was a really good fast and testimony meeting, but I was beat and out of energy. But it was a good week all in all.

Haha, a sister walked in the computer shop just now and told me, "Elder Burton, you have a HUGE package waiting for you." Yes!!! I'm so excited! Thank you so much family.

Anyway, I know what you mean about appreciating being in a huge ward. We're really trying to strengthen quorums working together and auxiliary leaders. If we had a lot of support from them the work would be easy, but the main thing is we just need more active members and more priesthood leaders. Some of our active members have like 5 callings, and it's hard for them to focus on them all and also focus on their schooling, or for some, to find their eternal companion.
We try to be as supportive as we can. I guess the best thing I can do is just work as hard as I can to find help people become active and find for potential priesthood holders. That's why Elder Quinantoto and I are really striving to build our area from the inside out. Strengthen the area precept by precept. And I feel it's working. The works progressing. It takes time, but I know it's happening.

I love you all. Take luck.
Elder Burton