Hey Family,
Sorry I'm emailing kind of late! There was a brown-out earlier when we were suppose to email. We just came from a members house. He was the first ever district president here. He's a nice guy, and we're hopefully getting a referral from him who will come to church on Sunday. He's already been talking to him. So I'm excited!
I hope everything is going well over there. We had transfers this week, and I知 in my new area right now in Da-o, Antique. My companion is Elder Andal. He was actually in my zone before in Guimaras. I don't know if you remember my story of the elder who we had to go rescue in the middle of the night because he was coughing, but that's my companion.
My last couple of days in Guimaras we're way good. I really miss it there. The Gonzaga's are on fire. I'll never forget the last sight I had of them. They were all just sitting outside of their house, their Book of Mormons and Bibles on their table. They seem really happy. I'm not worried about them. I don't think they will ever go less-active. I'm just really going to miss everybody there. I'm way jealous. We actually went to Saling Gallano on Wednesday and she is on fire too. When we got to her house there were like 7 people there she had invited to listen. One of them, Sister Lalaine, told us she read the pamphlet we had given her and prayed and knew its true. She told us she wants to be baptized! That's the first time that has happened my entire mission, that someone just read and prayed before teaching them and they already want to be baptized! We planned to have an FHE at her house tonight and she's going to invite more people, plus we'll be able to meet the rest of her kids. I'm just way grateful for the chance I had to serve in Guimaras. I miss it, but I'm determined to make this area my best area. On Wednesday, President called me to give me my new assignment. He told me he is way happy about Guimaras. "It's on fire!" he said. I told him, "Yes president! I love Guimaras!" Then he said, "Well, you'll love your next area too." It was kind of funny. He then encouraged me to continue to lift where I stand and told me I'm going where the Lord wants me to go. I really believe that. But it's been tough so far here. My companion, Elder Andal, is a great missionary. I think he's a great teacher too. I'm really grateful having him as a companion. He's a lot different than Elder Collins.
Transfer meeting on Friday was really good too. Friday was actually Holy Friday here. So everythings shut down! Except for here in Guimaras. Every year in Guimaras they have a crucifixion. It's really sad, I'm glad I got to leave the island. It's crazy how so many people don't get the point. Christ suffered so we wouldn't have to suffer! We just have to repent and live the gospel! I'm grateful for that knowledge we've been given.
So far things are going pretty rough here in Da-o. We have just 1 investigator, Edgar. He's a great guy, his wife is a member, but they aren't married yet and he still smokes 20cigarettesa day. So we have a lot of work to do. We have to find a lot more new investigators and really get the work moving along here. We haven't got to work too much because we had conference this weekend but I'm excited to hit the ground running!
I actually did have one miracle happen this week. I told the Gonzaga's back in Guimaras that I might transfer and they asked where. I told them I didn't know yet, but I guessed and said, 'maybe, antique?" Then they said, "oh we have a relative you can visit in antique!" I wrote it down. When I went to transfer meeting and saw where I was going I looked in my planner and saw that this man the Gonzaga's told me about lives in Da-o, Antique. So we'll hopefully contact him this week.
I loved conference. The messages we're perfectly timed, just because I've had a lot of mixed feelings lately and really been pondering. It's been crazy. People here always ask me how long till I go home and I just tell them, "Still a long time!" But then Elder Andal just tells them. It's weird knowing I don't have a lot of time left but I want to make it worth it. I want this time in my mission to be the hardest working time I have. That's all I want. I really liked the talks given though. Especially Elder Bednar's about magnifying your calling and acting! Then I liked Pres. Uctdorf when asked what the eternal consequences of the things we've been commanded to do. Especially here in the mission that had me ponder that these missionary rules they aren't just for nothing. They don't just affect us here. They have eternal consequences. And not just for us, for others too. Little things that missionaries do that they aren't suppose to do will affect people for a long time. We got to make sure our example is always righteous. Because it's so much harder to fix these things later.
When I got here on Friday we just went around and visited members, met them, and invited them to conference. I guess things turned out pretty good because attendance for Sunday morning was 20 higher than it ever had been before! We actually meet in a meeting house, not a church building. Members were really surprised so many people were there! We just had conference here in Da-o instead of the district center because it's so far away. Tomorrow we have to wake up at 5 in the morning to make it to district meeting. FUn..
The area is really beautiful here. It's in the mountains in one part and then right along the ocean in another. I'm way grateful to be here. Hopefully everything goes good! Keep us in your prayers!
I love you all! Take care always,
Elder Burton
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