This week hasn't been too exciting. Except I went on exchanges with the English elder in the town over for the day on Wednesday and that was pretty fun. Let me tell you teaching and contacting in English is so much easier and pretty fun compared to a language that you are still learning. :) We even taught one of his investigators the first lesson and I was so comfortable and smooth in English. Except I kept saying Jesucristo instead of Jesus Christ. But that's okay it worked out. Exchanges are actually quite exciting. Change is nice out here since we do the same thing everyday as missionaries.
So later this week we had lunch with Sister Fuentes in our branch who fed us deer steak and some cheesy Mexican spaghetti. I loved it, but my comp. didn't.Anyway, after we finished eating we started to talk to her about her BOM reading when the doorbell rang and two JW's (Jehovah's Witness )came in. One of them is one of her friends and they are pretty close, but unfortunately she is trying super hard to give her testigo crap. She apparently comes to this Sister's home every Friday and teaches her testigo doctrine and gives her anti-Mormon stuff. It was awkward while we were there, but we just tried to be nice and eventually waited them out. We weren't going to leave her that day until they had left. So we just sat and waited in the living room with them waiting for some false doctrine to be taught. Luckily nothing bad happened and they left without any issues. So after we left we asked how Sister Fuentes feels right now. She said confused. She said for some reason the testigos make sense in her head, but her heart tells her that the Mormons are right. It was perfect because we just taught a wonderful lesson on the Holy Ghost and bore witness like bosses. We didn't fight her on trying to prove whether we are right and the testigos are wrong, but we testified and then told her that there is someone who knows. I told her that she just needs to ask our Heavenly Father and she will receive an answer. She told us right there that she knew the answer, but she was now scared to tell her friend and risk losing their good relationship. So our next goal is to help her through that. We will see how it goes. That was a bomb lesson though.
Then this Sunday was stake conference for us and we were in charge of making sure all the Spanish members had headsets. So we missed the first part of the first talk, but we got to hear most of it. It was weird because it was broad casted from Salt Lake. It was good though, and Elder Richard G. Scott spoke. He threw down on treating women right, and dressing modestly, being good parents, and the importance of getting married. It was such a good talk that lots of our branch members really needed to hear. I hope it stuck with them. That was about it for Sunday though. Oh except dinner with the Issa's. They are such a wonderful family. President Issa and his wife are awesome. She made some good lasagna and then just loved to talk about our families with us. Oh and Ryan I am not fat. It's just the picture. I'm a solid 152 right now and at least I don't think I'm fat. I am riding a bike and it kills me. I can't come home fat, so I'm trying hard to work out and eat healthy. Sometimes it's hard when we get fed so much and if you don't eat a lot the Hispanic members think you don't like their food. I'm trying to find out all the tricks behind not having to eat like fourths at every meal. UGH!!! It's all good though.
Well it's good to hear that things are all good. Sorry to hear that about Ryan though. Man you are just a wreck. Maybe you should start holding people's hands when crossing the street and stuff like that. Who knows what will happen when you go up to school. Speaking of which have you decided yet? Time is running short. :) Oh also if you buy the music I can have it on a CD, but if it's not then I am not aloud to own a burned CD. I can only have burned CD's if you already own the music. But to be safe it's probably better if it's not burned. But yeah just any Spanish music would be nice. There is no restrictions on music. As long as me and my companion agree on it and if we think it helps us think of Christ. And also with the athletes I doubt that there are very many if any Spanish futbol athletes, so just send me a hard copy of what you can. Thanks Bud you are the man.
Hey Mom could you get me Russell's address? I have send him two letters now and they have both come back to me. I guess I don't have his address right or he is not in Las Vegas. Anyway if you could do that I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you very much.
Hey Dad I realized the other day that I don't have my priesthood line authority. I never got a copy of that. Could you get me a copy of that or is it done some other way? Just interested in seeing that.
Well guys I love you all very much and I'm glad to hear you are all doing well. Keep up the good work. I love you to death.
Con Amor,
Elder Burnham
Picture taken by Sister Issa
Letter to Elder Burnham's parents from Sister Issa
Dear Families,
We had the great pleasure of having your sons over for lunch this afternoon. As they prepared to share a message with our family, they all sat down together on the sofa and I snapped this picture thinking of the mamas of these sweet elders and how they must miss them. My husband and I have been called to serve in the spanish speaking branch and I cannot tell you how much your sons do to move the work forward in our little unit. They are happy, hard working, well mannered young men with wonderful testimonies that help strengthen our members. They are truly a blessing to us. Our own son is a full time missionary in Hawaii and although we are very grateful and aware of the great blessings and opportunities their missionary service allows them, we also know that they are missed by their families. Thank you for sharing your young men with us. We'll do our best to watch over them and feed them (although I suspect they've already told you that the branch DELIGHTS in keeping the fed).
Best regards,
Regina Issa
