Magtatransfer ba ako?

Pamilya ko at mga kaibigan ko!!

Du!!! Haha Kumusta po kayo?! Kumusta ang week nyo?Sobrang masaya na ako!! Just finished our zone p-day, way fun!! And spending my last days in Mindoro have been fun. I still don't know if I am being transferred yet...they haven't called me yet...I won't find out till tonight I guess if I'm leaving my island or not. It's about a 95% chance but if I don't, I'm okay with that :) Haha But at the same time, I think it's time for a change. But just so you know, I could be in a different area next email with a new companion...

This week was really good, Sister Maagad is over her sickness!! Yippie!! So we've just been working and working! Our area is doing really good...a while back it felt like nothing was happening and that I wasn't going to leave this area better than I found it. But now, I can leave it :) We have so many investigators and Tatay and Nanay are doing great! He asks TONS of questions every time we go...haha like "Why are people different skin colors, were Adam and Eve white?" Or "Why was Moroni a resurrected being when he appeared to Joseph Smith?" Haha I still don't know the answer really to that last one but we do answer, very simply and using both Bible and Book of Mormon and he really is coming to believe it's true. Before he had major doubts but now that he is reading the Book of Mormon, and searching it, like reading the index...he told us that he's coming to know it true and that our answers are true. It's amazing to see how the Book of Mormon really does convert and brings someone to the truth. 

We had a missionary fireside this week as well, it went really good and thank goodness for our Filipinos companions, we pretty much had them do everything. Haha But me, Sister Wilson and Elder Mcmillan planned it all! Haha But it was really good helping our members work with us. Seriously, I never realized how members should be involved in the work! And how important they are. I'm going to be the best member present and help when I go back home. Haha...But something I wanted to encourage you back at home is a challenge our Branch President gave our branch. 1 month per family, 1 referral to give to the missionaries. That referral might not lead to baptism but at least we show our faith but trying. Ricky also bore his testimony about how the gospel changed his life and it seriously made me teary eyed. It really is a gospel of change. And if Sister Jane didn't refer him to us, he would've not been invited to change his life. So I just encourage you to give that invitation, for someones life to be changed for the better. 

Well, been saying my goodbyes and everything...it's going to be hard to leave my island of Mindoro. It's become my home away from home. I've been studying lately John 15 that I have to give a talk about Wednesday and I love the verse about "no greater love does a man have than he that lays down his life for his friends." I believe that fits perfectly for the mission. Us missionaries, lose our lives, we forget about ourselves and sacrifice our time for the sake of our friends. But from it, I have found my life. I have loved giving up my life for my friends here in Calapan. All the members, all my investigators and my recent converts. They all mean so much to me. And I love them so much for what they have given me in return, my life and the better person I have become because of them. 

Well, now it's time for bigger things. I'm sure I'll be transferred...but I look at it as an opportunity to learn and love and grow in more ways than before. I'm almost to my half way mark, but I still have so much to give :)

I love you all!! May we all lose our lives in the service for our friends, no matter where we are or what we are doing. I know that the greatest joy comes from doing so. 

Mahal na mahal ko kayo!!

Love, Sister Burnham 

Sorry no pictures too, I don't have my cord with me... :( Next time!! In my new area!! Ingat!!

Yon, pumunta kami sa ospital ulit!!

Pamilya ko at mga Kaibigan!!

Yon, weird week para sa akin....pero nagsimula siya maganda kasi may exchanges kami. It started of good because we had exchanges!! This one was my favorite yet, I worked with Sister Ika, she's Tongan but from Utah. Love her!! Oh and Devon I'm suppose to ask...do you know a Elder Masiva? He was in your mission and he's Tongan too. If so, that would be cool! It's her cousin. Anyway I learned a lot from her but the main thing I wanted to share what I learned from her is that no matter where you are in the mission (or in life), there's always ups and downs and opposition in all things. Lately I've been feeling like a rollercoaster; up and down, down and up. I thought I was going crazy. But knowing someone, my sister training leader had the same feelings, really comforted me. She's awesome and we had a good time together. Even trying to teach someone who was trying to turn us into a seventh day Adventist. Haha always great :) 

But the reason behind my title is that I went back to the hospital!! But this time, not for me. Pero kawawa anak ko...sobrang sakit siya!! She's been having this weird side pains for awhile and we did go to the doctors about it before. But Tuesday night she couldn't even stand up straight because the pain was so serve. So to the hospital we went. It was a crazy night, calling Sister Peterson, calling our zone leaders, ya...but the doctor's assistant said it was either kidney stones or some sort of bacteria. So she got hooked up to an iv and we got the drugs going. She didn't like it, haha but she became happy after it finally started kicking in. Haha oh, she was fun high on the drugs!So we stayed the night in the hospital!!  Yep, we couldn't get the tests till the next day but we didn't want to take her home because she would be off the medicine and would be in serve pain. So we had a fun night in the hospital...haha :) It was all good, I had a little cot to sleep on. Haha Elder Mcmillan was going to bring me a mattress if I didn't have one but thankful there was. But I'll tell you what, it was not the best night sleep. Haha And Mom, I appreciate every time you've ever had to go to the hospital for us kids, it's not very fun for the caretaker I realized. Haha But the next day we missed our zone interviews....sayang but President and Sister Peterson came and visited us. By the time they did we hadn't seen a doctor yet and President wanted us to get out. Because they wouldn't start doing things until we threaten to leave (they were trying to get money out of us...ya....) So he made the Elders, Elder Manalili and Elder Mcmillan stay and help us get things happening and get her out. Haha Oh man, crazy day...all the nurses hated us by the end of the day. But long story short, after her x-ray, they finally found the problem. She's all cloughed up in her intestines. Like, really cloughed up. Which could cause kindey stones. So she was finally released but now she gets this fun fiber medicine that she hates and a change of diet. I feel like I've been the nazi nanay...haha but she's hard! She won't eat differently of take the medicine, only when I force her. But I tell her, if she goes back to the hospital I won't feel bad. Haha, is that mean? I don't think so. Anyway, so grateful for the Elders, they totally saved us from the greedy evil hospital. Haha :)And they would bring me mcdonalds :) 

Well besides all of that we celebrated Ricky's birthday and it was super fun! I love that man! He's so funny and he's so sweet. He just always thanks me so much for coming into his life and changing his life. I think I might have know Brother Ricky before...I think he was one of those people I was meant to help and find :) 

Well, I would write more but since that story was so long I don't have time. Haha Anyways, it was an interesting week here in the Philippines...don't get sick and stuck in the hospital here!! Haha It really wasn't that bad and the doctor was hilarious. He kept saying, "She has a long piece of poopy." Haha I don't think she liked that either. 

Ingat pamilya ko at mga kaibigan ko!! Mahal na mahal ko kayo!!

Love, Sister Burnham 

"Family Home Evening with the Ting's and there family friends...instead of powder we did coal!! Haha :)"

"Hospital!!"

"Elder Manalili- what a hoot!!"

"Tracting in the jungle...love it!!"

"Sister Maagad got dear janed last week...so this shirt was perfect for her...kawawa naman!!"

"Elder Manalili...preparing for eternal marriage! He goes home in March."

"Ricky's birthday party :)"

Naglaba Kami!!

Magandang hapon po!! 

Hello po pamilya ko and mga kaibigan ko!! Kumusta ang linggo nyo? How was your week?! My was good yet weird, haha but the best news is that I don't have a parasite and all is well once again. But we did go back to the hospital for Sister Maagad yesterday...haha they're going to know us sisters well before you know it. She might have a kidney stone or something is wrong with her appendix. Ya, poor thing. She's okay now with medicine and all but we'll find out later if that's the case...kawawa ang anak ko... :/ Pero, malakas siya! :) But she can't handle the cold weather too, it's cold for me as well. Haha I guess I better enjoy because it will get hot again before I know it!

So this week our work was okay...haha punted and punted!! But we did have a service project with Tatay Luncio and Nanay Lucia. Nanay is a laundry woman so...naglaba kami ang mga damit para kay Nanay Lucia!! We helped her do the laundry!! It was fun helping her, Tatay asking me all about snow in America, my family and just getting to know them better. But it was so exhausting!! Haha 2 hours of washing clothes by hand...ya, I miss my washing machine. Haha but service opens hearts. They're progressing really well, haven't accepted baptism yet... they used to be Iglesia ni Cristo... way messed up religion...they're founder was mormon actually. Ya, look it up but I call them the great and abominable church. And they have many great and spacious buildings here in the Philippines. Haha That's who Nephi was talking about, it's here in the Philippines. Haha Us missionaries just have a hard time with them but Nanay and Tatay have a lot of doubts about it since we've been teaching them and are starting to come to church. You can't deny the Spirit that touches and softens peoples hearts. 

Just like with Ricky, he's so cute! He blessed the sacrament yesterday and did so good. I feel like his mom sometimes though...haha I get so worried about him and pray for him all the time. Not like I need to worry or anything since he's so magaling!! But he's just very precious to me. But something I realized yesterday as he was blessing the sacrament, is that I did nothing to get him where he is today. Heavenly Father simply prepared him, put him in our path and the Spirit did all the rest. I was simply just the tools in his hands. It's amazing to look back and realize that by "small and simple things, great things come to pass." 

I'll be sad to leave, I know I'll be transferred soon, Jan. 30th. The day of doom. Haha No it will be good for a change but I LOVE Mindoro with all my heart and especially all the people that I had the honor to serve and to love. It's going to be hard to leave. But I'm making promises that I will come back to my favorite island of Mindoro. 

There's something I want to share with you all, with new changes on everybody's mine, especially mine lately with the new year and making my last year of my mission the best- it's from Elder Holland-

"The past is to be learned from buy not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future." 

I love you all so much and may we remember that counsel everyday as we do our best everyday. 

Mahal ko kayo!! Ingat po!

Love, Sister Burnham 

"Last p-day we went to the zone with our zone leaders and district leader...haha lots of fun!! Love my zone leaders, they're so great!"

"Nanay Lucia and Tatay Luncio and their grandkids...super cute!!"

 

"Celebrating Lorence's birthday!"

"Naglaba kami!!"

"Cuation...with Sister Grace, funniest member, love her!...haha :)"

Priesthood Power

Family and Friends!! 

WHAT A WEEK!! Haha So much has happened that it seems like New Years Eve was FOREVER ago!! Haha Though, New years here in the Philippines is CRAZY!! They go crazy here with fireworks, around 11:50pm Tuesday night, I though I was in a battle!! Haha It was the loudest noise of fireworks and people, ya, New Years is BIG here. Haha It was fun though, watching the fireworks from our apartment and watching the Ting's across the street lighting fireworks...but they are dangerous, Lorence almost got hit by one! Ya, lots of people get hurt actually...that's why we had curfew. Haha But it's a lot more exciting here, that's for sure :) Haha 

So it's been an interesting week for me, since Wednesday I've had really bad stomach pains and I've lost my appetite. I just can't eat very much. It's been good cuz I'm losing weight. Haha But it's not good because everything just goes through me. Hmm...not good. I was really sick one day before Christmas. Like the 24 hour flu or food poisoning, which I came to find out was food poisoning because me, Elder Mcmillin (my Australian zone leader) and Sister Wilson all at the the same place and all got sick the same day. But the Filipino's were okay. Haha But We're starting to think it wasn't the food because we all had different dishes...it was the water. I've learned my lesson...haha :) Yep....so ever since then my gut has kinda felt funny and I haven't had a normal bowl movement. Haha But the past five days have been really bad so I finally called Sister Peterson and she told me to go to the hospital. WOO HOO!! She thinks I have a parasite! Haha Yep, that's what I think too. The visit went fine, I had to make a deposit for them if you know what I mean....Hahaha They gotta check to see if I have a parasite some way! Haha But I'll find out later today. I feel okay now because I'm on some stomach pain medication but I still have no appetite. I just can't eat, I feel sick when I do. So we'll see what happens. Haha It's been interesting though, I'll tell you that. But everything will be okay, I got a priesthood blessing from my zone leaders. I just love them, they are both so great :) But it just helped a lot and it was much needed. 

I'm so grateful for the priesthood and that we have that wonderful gift in our lives. Ricky received the priesthood yesterday!! He's such a great recent convert, he even beared his testimony too and I cried. Haha He just has this strong testimony and he always expresses how grateful that the missionaries came into his life. I'm grateful that I got to be a part of his life. He's a good man :) One of the best that I know :) 

Well, besides Ricky, the work has been hard but me and Sister Maagad are making the most of it. She's a great anak and I'm coming to love and appreciate her more and more. We're becoming really good friends and I just love her. Wouldn't be able to do this work without her :) 

Wish me luck about the parasite!! Haha Hopefully it's nothing and I'll be back to normal soon! 

I love you all!! Mahal ko kayo!! 

Love, Sister Burnham