AMEN!

Hello Family and Friends!

What a crazy busy and many changes happening this week! Both here and back at home. I gotta give a shout out for my sister, Robyn. She's becoming Sister Burnham 2 in just a few days or Hermana Burnham. Haha Super exciting! And here I have a new mission president! President Mangum from Orem, Utah. I get to meet them on Thursday...which is my year mark! Lots and lots of changes and things happening. It's crazy but all of it blessings :) I miss the Peterson's so much already but I have the blessing to love another mission president :)

Our area is booming, we are so busy all the time but it's the best work. Thank goodness for the help of exchanges which I'm coming to love being able to work with the other sisters...it's super fun. But we Nanay Celia getting baptized next week. Yay Nanay! Haha and four of the Gregorio kids. All of them on July 12th. They are all excited and so are we. It will really bless the Gregorio family, becoming examples to their dad and oldest brother. The force is just working really hard on them right now... :( Jonathon has been really hung up on word of wisdom. He has the most beautiful desire to change and especially for his family but word of wisdom is his greatest weakness. Hopefully we can teach him tomorrow if he's sober about the word of wisdom. Just keep him in your prayers along with his family. I've never wanted a family to become complete so much before in my life until them. I refuse to be transferred till they do. Haha No they will :)

So the title of this email is because whenever I say, "through Jesus Christ..." or "because of Jesus Christ..." Little Joy, one of the Gregorio girls getting baptized always says proudly, ":AMEN!" It is so cute! They are the cutest kids and family. We taught them the plan of salvation this past week and went on a "trip". We went around the room at different points of our journey; the pre-mortal life, life on earth and then after. Eventually all of us making it to the Celestial Kingdom with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and with our families. As we taught it so simply, it just become a more beautiful truth to me- that we really can make it there, with our families. And it's possible because the ordinances have been restored and are available at temples of God. And sa pamamamagitan ni Jesucristo, through Jesus Christ and His atonement, it's all possible. Amen. :) (That was for Joy).

I\m just grateful for this last year that I've had to teach these beautiful truths, be a part of other people's lives who have been become my dearest friends. I love the Filipino people with all my heart and the missionaries that I serve with. It's truly the best calling I have ever had and it's been the best past year. Thank you for all your love and support. I'm done yet. Haha :) But I will be in 6 months. But that's something that I don't want to think about yet. Haha

Like the story of the little girl who throws the starfishes back in the sea to save them, even though she can't save them all it's a small deed, it still made a difference to that starfish. I hope that you can look for those small acts of kindness, of good works that do make a difference. And most importantly by sharing the gospel. Don't hesitate to save someone.

Mahal na mahal ko kayo! Have a great week!

Love, Sister Burnham

The Power of Change From the Story of Alma the Younger

Family and Friends!

Wow, can you believe that we are really into summer right now? I hit my year mark pretty soon. It's crazy. So many things are happening too- back at home and here. I get a new mission president on Sunday. CRAZY! It's really hard to say goodbye to President and Sister Peterson but change is required in our lives and it's good. Hard but good. Just like with being a STL- BIG change. Haha But I'm starting to get the hang of it and I'm starting to breath again. Haha I actually get to learn a lot from the other sisters and by going on exchanges with them. At first I felt like I wasn't good enough as a missionary to do so but my district leader, Elder Shaw who actually was in the MTC with me told me that I was called not because of my perfection but because of my experiences. I really recognized that as I was on exchanges with a sister, Sister Kekauoha, who is training a kiribati sister. I was able to relate to her and help her with the challenges she is having because I experienced it. I'm grateful that I had those experiences so now in turn I can help those that are going through it now.

Anyway, the story behind my title. So I was on exchanges with Sister Kekauoha, when we taught Jonathon. Jonathon is Winona's husband who was just baptized this past month with her oldest daughter. We are teaching all her kids right now and the dad was hesitant at first but we finally have been able to teach him. Well, we had a great lesson with him, about repentance. We were trying to teach him the restoration but his concern was how he could change, how he could truly repent and make things right. We read Alma 36 with him and he compared himself to Alma the younger. But the beautiful part in that story is what happened after he repented. It touched Jonathon's heart and he came to church for the first time yesterday. Determined to change and fix things for his family. We have a completed family on the way...it will take some effort and time to get there but it's on the way. He's already changing.

I just love being a missionary...seeing people change and being a part of that. It's amazing. Something else I learned this week from MLC- the missionary leaders meeting was a reminder to act in faith. That's the biggest lesson I learned from President Peterson, to act in faith, but that faith in Jesus Christ. I've done hard things, I'm still doing hard things and seeing others do hard things but we can because we have faith in Jesus Christ. "I just keep going." -President Hinckley. It's a lesson that I think I will treasure the rest of my life.

I pray that we all may be able to act in faith like Jonathon did, to change and to do so in Jesus Christ. Like my favorite scripture Moroni 7:33 says. I love you all and may you see the Lord's hand in your life. I can promise you that it's there.

Mahal na mahal ko kayo! Have a great week making a difference!

Love, Sister Burnham

 

 "Yes, I ate the whole balot! Feathers and all!! So gross!"

 "Exchanges :)"

 "All my MTC batchmates are STL's now! Sweet!"

 "Elder Kauvaka and Elder Mcmillan- favorite all time leaders :)"

"Lunch on p-day! Magandang Tanghali po!"

 

"And President and Sister Peterson :)"

Happy Father's Day

Family and Friends!

How was father's day?! I totally forgot about it till I saw dads at church wearing "best dad" pins on their white shirts. Haha Happy Fathers Day though!

This week has been busy busy busy! So much work to do here! But we work a lot with this one family, Gregorio family. Sister Winona is a recent convert with one of her daughters and we are now teaching her family. She has nine kids! Haha And they are the cutest family. Five of her other kids are going to be baptized next month and it's fun teaching them :) Her husband was really distant at first from us...but he is really warming up to us and we actually finally got a lesson with him. We were teaching Winona about priesthood one day and he was listening off in the distant. Sister Balcita, being the magaling missionary she is recognized that and asked him an inspired question...I can't remember what she asked but he started to cry and said how he needed this in his life, especially for his family. Oh, I remember because one of his sons was in an accident before I came and he received a priesthood blessing and survived. Ever since then, he wanted to be able to do that for his own children. And to be with them forever. It's going to be a long road for Johnathon, since he smokes and lacks commitment, but he will come along. But I know that the Spirit was working through him, I saw that.

We also had our last zone conference with the Peterson's. It was so sad! They leave the end of this month so it was like a farewell...I do get to see them one more time at MLC but it was so good yet so sad. Something that I loved that he said to us though was "The most important things in life, are not things." I thought how true that has been, like all my experiences here as a missionary and my family, he's right they are the most important and they aren't things.

Well I love you so so much! Wish me luck this week and still keep me in your prayers...I go on my first exchanges, tomorrow! AHH!! Haha kinda panicking inside but I know that it will be okay. I'm just not where I want to be yet as a missionary but Sister Balcita taught me that we will always feel that way and as long as we do our best, then that's the kinda of missionary the Lord wants us to be. It will be good :) Just pray. And I always pray for you :)

Mahal na mahal ko kayo! Have a great week! Go make a difference!

Love, Sister Burnham

 "All the great kids!"

 "Zone Conference! Sister Japus and batchmates!"

"Happy Independence Day!"





"And of course, Happy Father's Day!" 

"(I love Sister Kinikini, she reminds of Robyn!)"



Big Changes

Family and Friends,

So lots of big changes happened this past week for me! My life changed just from one phone call that I was transferred  Sayang talaga! I came to love Santa Maria very much and it was hard saying my goodbyes. It was a hard area and I thought many times I wouldn't be able to do it but I put my trust in the Lord and miracles happened. They'll have three completed family baptisms this upcoming transfer that me and Sister Temaaka started to teach. It's okay that I'll miss their baptisms, just that I had the honor to find and teach them, that's all that matters to me.

Anyway I got transferred to Lipa City, it's HUGE!! I'm in a city and it feels almost like I'm in America like in Phoenix except more green. Haha But it's a fun city and the work here is booming. The ward, (I'm in a ward!) is super strong, members are working with us all the time and there's a great support here. My companion is Sister Balcita and she is awesome!! Sobrang sweet and one of the best teachers and missionaries that we have here. I've learned so much from here already. But I'm lucky to have here as my STL trainer. Yep, I'm a STL na. It was kinda frightening at first because I'm over all this sisters but it's a wonderful opportunity that I have to love and serve the sisters. And to learn from them. Actually Sister Japus, who I was in the threesome with once, is in my zone! So I'll go on exchanges with her sometime! I'm excited :) Life is just good :) I'm grateful Heavenly Father has given me this chance, this trust and that I have this time to become even more.

The work here is great, we have lots of investigators and we are busy, busy! We actually had a cool experience yesterday, we went to church and this sister walked in by yourself that you could just tell she wasn't a member by her dress. My companion went and talked to her and came to find out that she moved here and wanted to come to the mormon church, to start over again. She had been taught by the Elders before in the past and wasn't never really serious about it but she's looking for more light in her life and she knew she could find it at church, were she had felt something before. So, we went and taught her later yesterday afternoon and  she's golden. She's listened carefully to every word we spoke and she just want's to know what really is true. And she's willing to change everything to know. I just really could feel the spirit working in here as I shared Joseph Smith's story to her and I saw in her eyes that this is what she needs. It was just amazing and I know that her heart is prepared.

I'm so grateful to be here. I feel like Heavenly Father is giving me a chance to become even more. He put my through some hard things in the past and they aren't over, different now but I feel like he's given me the opportunity now to really shine. I've defiantly become more because of the past things I've experienced in my mission but now is the time to give my all... especially since I only have about 7 months left...so sad. Haha

Look at what Heavenly Father has done for you too...and remember that we all meant to be more. Keep working everyday to reach your full potential, what Heavenly Father knows what you can become :) I love you all, mahal na mahal ko kayo!! Have a great week and go make a difference!

Love, Sister Burnham

"Saying goodbyes."

"Shally and Alan, completed family in June."

"Pizza with Vaugh- he would work with us all the time, astig siya!"

"Transfer Day!"

"New apartment! I'm with the best roomies too- Sister Buckley and Sister Kinikini (We both love Nacho and we always say 'Happy Christmas Harry!'"

"And Happy Independence Day...this week!"