20 November 2011

Hey Family!


Hehe.. this week I'm writing really late. We actually planned a Family Home Evening earlier so we worked earlier, email at night. But the FHE was way fun. We went to Sister Maymay's house. She should be baptized on Saturday along with Sister Joan and Brother Nelson. We're way excited for this upcoming week. But our P-day today was way fun. We went up to the waterfalls. They're called the sadsad waterfalls. Not that they're miserable. I think it could mean either boogie or foundation.


That's scary what's happened to Grandpa! I hope he'll be okay but I feel he will be. When you're in the service of the Lord he's going to take care of you. That's actually one of the promises the Lord gave me through President Muirhead when I was set apart, that my health would be protected by a shield. I've felt that blessing so much on my mission. I've still not missed a day of work because I've been sick. :D But I'll definately keep G&G in my prayers.


Hmm.. anyway, this week was way sweet. My dear old companion Elder Jenkins, I got to work with him on Tuesday again. It's been like 11 months since we've been companions. Really young companion's none-the-less who had no idea what we we're doing. Anyway, I loved working with him. He's such a great guy and great example. He's way hard working and really is fulfilling his purpose as a mission. He's tearing it up in his area.


Actually he told me a kind of funny/really sad story. So he's in Comian, and my tatay, Elder Tiamzon, was in that area before. Anyway, Elder Tiamzon baptized a lady there a couple months ago and then a couple week ago his old companion was looking through pictures of the baptism at the beach and noticed something a little strange. Elder Tiamzon baptized the lady with his left arm to the square instead of his right... Anyway, they told President and they told them to baptize the Sister again. Anyway, the sister is less-active anyway and Elder Jenkins can't find her anywhere and none of the members know where he his. So kind of sad, but I guess it's good that if she's less active she hadn't yet been baptized.


Elder Jenkins and I had a really good day together though. Our biggest appointment was with Brother Nelson. He's been preparing for baptism but the grandma has been hinting he still smokes. Anyway, we had a really good lesson with him on baptism and covenants and nay told us that he doesn't smoke anymore, just snow bears now. Nice! And he seems way ready now for baptism. After we taught Ben. He's a goof ball. He likes comparing how americans and pinoys look. He said Americans have big noses but don't have kissable lips. awkward. He also told Elder Jenkins he looked like he was 35. Which slightly offended him. But it's better than being called 12. I hope one day I can grow a beard.


What else is cool is with our investigator Joan. All she wanted more than anything more in the world was to be baptized but she couldn't keep the Sabbath holy. So Elder Reeves and Andrews finally dropped her and didn't go back for a while and when we went back a couple weeks ago she told us she had no work anymore on Sunday. Now she's prepared herself and I'm way excited for her this Saturday. She's so great. They don't have a lot, but they have a strong testimony of the gospel. The sad story is her daughter, who was supposed to be baptized with her, is moving to Bacolod to live with her father. I just hope she's taken care of there. Because the church would be so much help to her. But the daughter is way cool. She's like 13 and is marking up her book of Mormon. She's actually been trying to learn piano and we've been teaching her some stuff. But she told us she asked if there is a church in Bacolod, so hopefully she keeps going, though it will be hard for her. Just keep her in your prayers. I'm way sad she's leaving though, and I hope her family will be okay.


Elder Reeves and I have been working on teaching more clearly. The route we're taking now I think is just making cool parables about stuff. Like maybe people don't understand stuff if we say it straight up. But if we talk about a caribou rolling through the mud pool they all get it! That is how Jesus did it and it's working really well. We're just getting random parables coming in our heads like crazy thanks to my good friend Holy Ghost and we feel our investigators are understanding way well.


This week we bought turtles. Right now they are in our back-yard in a tub. I guess we're supposed to let them poop for a week before we eat them. I was hesitant because we're not supposed to have pets but Elder Reeves told me it's like buying a kilo of pig to eat. It's not a pet, it's just dinner! We're actually going to take them to our branch president for a FHE next week and cook them there. But I'm starting to grow to them, especially Michelangelo. We actually had 5 of them but while we were asking our Branch President how to cook them 2 of them escaped. Way sad. We were going to buy little masks for them and weapons and do ninja turtle fights. :D


Elder Chandler taught a really good lesson in Sunday School on obedience and talked about why we keep the commandments, maybe we ayaw silot (don't want punishment), maybe we gusto bugay (want blessing) or maybe we follow because we love God. It helped me refocus my perspective. I don't want to expect rewards or expect glory because of my service to our Savior. I want to do it because I love God and thats it. Sometimes you think of the blessing a lot I think like, hey, my wife will be really beautiful because I'm obedient.. hehe. But if we serve because we love God, he'll be so much more pleased with our work. Just like if at home I went and do the dishes (nod nod, wink wink) because I love my mom or companion instead of doing it then asking money (gusto bugay) or so I don't get a lecture (ayaw silot).


There's a monkey that always hangs out on the wall of our church. The kids play with him (more like mock him). I approached him once and he dived off the fence at me, flared his scary teeth at me. I thought my life was over. But luckily he's tied up.


Well, I love you all. Take care. I remembered this morning to wash between my toes.
Keep up what yo all doing. Enjoy your thanksgiving.


Elder Burton
P.S. I guess I'll request jerkey. That's good. Love you.
P.S.S. I got your scripture cases. Hopefully they are good. I think they are way sick. (that means cool) But they are like regular size so I don't know if you have like huge grandma scriptures (jokes lang!!) But hopefully they fit.

P.S. Do I have money in my account? I guess it will be like 50-70 to send the pack. And sorry mom I can't find a nativity. I even asked the senior couple in Antique and they said they've been looking but can't find any. But I'll keep my eyes out.

P.S.S.S.S.S^7 Sorry I scolded rob, because two days later I got his letter in CArgo. WAy to go rob you little ninja poetry slammer. I'd like to hear some of your work. Send it my way my friend. (and maybe a dictionary too, elder jenkins told me I speak no good english now) I'm kind of really no good to speaking english.