Sister Burnham: "Staying in Lipa"

Family and Friends-

So...no transfer for me!! I'm ending the mission in Lipa!! It's great but I'm going to be super busy, something is seriously going on everyday; meetings or exchanges or going to Manila and preparing to come home. It's crazy going into the last transfer but I'm grateful that I'm ending it here in Lipa. It's home to me now :) And the Gregorio's girls prayers were answered...they prayed that I would stay in Lipa. I guess Heavenly Father is aware of little girls prayers :)

I just love the people here in Lipa. We actually are teaching this new investigator that I didn't think would continue to listen to us but actually she's not only listening, she's reading, searching and asking tons of good questions. And she's not really fighting anymore like she used too. I mean, she keeps saying that she's going to be baptized but I'm thinking, "Just wait until you read the Book of Mormon and pray about it." She will and I know that promise in Moroni 10:3-5 will change her heart just like it has for mine so many times. But to explain the picture with the lipstick...haha she wanted a picture with us to show her member daughter so she put blush and lipstick on us and it was funny and all...but later on I got a terrible cold sore from her!! And I still have it!! I'm going to look great in my passport pictures at immigration tomorrow. Ugh...it hurts too but I'll get some medicine later and all will be well. Just so you know, don't use other lady's lipstick!!

Marissa and Ariel are doing great, didn't come to church yet...sayang. I feel like that is so hard to keep in the Philippines because Sunday is play day. Everyone does their shopping and what not that day or works. Ugh...we'll get them there...just patient is required and the respect of agency. But we actually had a little miracle of teaching Bro. Cardona this week. Bro. Cardona is this recent convert here who's actually been struggling a little bit. The other night we got punted from our last lesson for the night and then ran into that brother. He opened up to us how he drank the other day and just felt bad. We showed concern and told him that he needed to talk to Bishop but he didn't want to. We then asked if we could share to him the why. So we taught him and went over repentance and went over why he needed to talk to Bishop. It was really good and he's doing a lot better. There still might be problems there but I just know that Heavenly Father placed us in his path to help him. It's the little things like that that happen everyday that helps me know that Heavenly Father is really leading us to where we need to be and what we need to do.

I'm just in love with this work, there's nothing more satisfying then coming home at night from a long day of work that you know that you encouraged, helped people to rise above the natural man and follow Jesus Christ. There's a true happiness in this service because it's really changing lives, even some little things but it's really making all the difference to these people and it's changing who you are too into something that God wants you to be. I'm so grateful that I'm still here in Lipa, I still have so much to give here in such a small amount of time but I'll keep doing what the Lord needs me to do and keep becoming what the Lord needs me to become.

Well, I'm off to Manila to immigration and going to the temple!! SO EXCITED!! It will be great :) And then Thanksgiving is this week as well...so Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! Eat lots for me!!

Mahal ko kayo and go make a difference wherever you are!!

Love, Sister Burnham