Hey Family,
Thanks again for your letters. I really appreciate them. I love hearing your advice on things. It's my favorite thing I get in letters. I miss being able to just go and talk to you all about things on my mind. So, really, I appreciate it. By the way, Jared, my zone leader Elder F told me to tell you he loves you and happy belated birthday.
Things are going great in my area and with my companion. I really do love him, and I understand why we are companions together. I see how much he's improved in the past couple of weeks along with myself. I see he's really striving more and more to love the people. And when I let him know we shouldn't do certain things he asks me for help to stop. I feel like we're working hard to achieve our goals together and become better missionaries.
Anyway, this week was really really busy. On Monday and Tuesday we had some baptismal interviews and then Wednesday to Friday we had leadership training so we only got to work in our area on Saturday and Sunday, which wasn't very good because we really need to do some more finding in our area, but Elder P just went to another area and worked there because we weren't able to find a member.
This week I think mostly I learned a whole bunch of things I needed to improve on. I think I've been kind of feeling before this week kind of lost; how to find new investigators, because we've been struggling so much with that, how to work more in unity with my companion, but this week I finally began to understand a lot of things that I need to do. And as Elder P and I sat down, goaled together a lot of things, and applied them these past two days, I've felt really blessed for it.
I'll go back first though and talk about the training. So Tuesday night I had to go to Numancia for a baptismal interview since the ZL's had Zone Leaders Conference they got permission for me to do the interview for the DL there, so I just ended up sleeping there and then going with Elder L the next day to Iloilo on the 5 hour bus ride down there. That was a lot of fun, but I had written down a ton of vocab words to learn. Anyway, on the Series buses when we pull into stations there is always people who come on the bus selling stuff like water, coconut pies, bananacue, and just snacks I guess. Anyway, this guy came onto the bus selling a pineapple and I thought, "Wow, I could use a pineapple right now." So I bought a pineapple and sat back down, really excited to eat it. But then I quickly realized, I couldn't really eat it, because I didn't have a knife. I asked the lady next to me why they even sell pineapple while you are riding a bus, but I guess it was just for suckers like me. And then we got to the Molo Apartment that night to sleep and we were cutting up the pineapple and then the office elders came and told me I had to go to Arevalo to sleep! So I didn't even get to eat it that night. But I'm glad I was able to bring some enjoyment to other elders.
Anyway, the Leadership conference was way good. I learned so much things I need to do. One, is we talked about having a vision again. Having goals you want to obtain in the future. When I look at people, do I see them as I see them, or do I see them as God see's them? And how am I helping them and myself become as God see's us. I realize there is so much more I could be doing and made a lot of goals to get better. I guess that's why eternal progression is so important. You got to continually get better, and if you stop, you fall a little. But, at the same time, it's okay if your not perfect, it's okay if you make some mistakes, because you'll learn from them, and become so much better afterwards.
The other training on Prayer was about how to make our personal prayers better and help our investigators truly and sincerely pray to receive answers. And also about other little skills in Preach My Gospel that we really need to work on. Right now I just feel way excited to learn more and more.
Anyway, exhausted, I finally got back to my area with Elder P at the end of Friday night. On Saturday we did our weekly planning and made great goals and I felt it was the best companionship study we ever had too. Then we went out and worked and had a great day. A couple Less-actives finally committed to come to church and then actually did. Sister Myla is still learning and doing great with everything. Hopefully we can figure out the last barrier for her finally making that covenant of baptism.
On Saturday night we went to the Rufino Family again but their relative was in the hospital. But they are okay now. But they weren't able to come to church again yesterday. We taught them yesterday but weren't sure what to do. But we felt we needed to go back to some basic things with them. After some questions we found out that a lot of hard things have been happening in their life at the moment. Then after talking to them some more we found out not even the member in the family was saying her prayers anymore. We talked about that with her and she said she would and then helped them make goals to pray as a family. I hope they do because I feel like that is what they really need to continue to progress towards baptism and overcome all these crazy obstacles.
Sunday was a great day mostly because us trying to uplift the members is finally paying off. One family finally talked to another about the gospel and we got to visit this member referral with them. It was really cool and hopefully we can keep helping them to progress. Our ward is doing a lot better now. There's so many less-actives finally coming to church every week. My first transfer here in Banga my Zone Leader, Elder D, would ask me if this one family he taught and baptized (where I am was his first area) a year and a half ago was coming to church. They never did but now Brother hasn't missed church in like a month! It's awesome. I think as we continue helping our members faith and strength grow then the other side of missionary work will take off too and then we won't have so many less-actives. I'm excited to see the continued progression happen in this area.
Well, family, I love you. I hope I can keep striving to be a good missionary and I am thankful for all your prayers on my behalf and on behalf of all the people here.
Take care,
Elder Burton
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