Sister Burnham: A Small World and More Tagalog!

Pamilya!!

Thank you for all the emails, it's so much fun to read on how everyone is doing and this is my favorite part about p-day :)

First off, happy p-day!! I love p-days!! It's a little break from the ordinary day of classes, tagalog, and learning how to teach. I love it all but it's nice to have a break!

So, I need to ask a few favors. Will you write my district letters? I think it would be fun that while you are at the reunion you can all write us letters. We all have the same mailing address. There names are Sister Reed (my kasama) Sister Keith and Sister Brewer. Elder Finch, Elder Oberg, Elder Hinton, Elder Parry, and Elder Gallen. Elder Gallen is from Micronesia. I just know that they would love it! Mom, will you send me a couple more pairs of crocs. My kasama has these crocs that look more durable then the ones I have and I think they'll last longer. She said that she got them on amazon and they're called mary jane's. If you could just get me a black and brown pair that would be great! Salamat! Also I will most likely get to call you in the airport when I leave the MTC. I'll give you more details later but just be aware :) Will you ask Reese what his email address is and writing address ? I haven't heard from him yet and I'm dying to see how's he doing :) Thanks!

How's everyone?! How was the reunion, I believe it's going on right now, right? Or is the next weekend? I can't remember :) How was Abby's retreat? And I haven't heard from Amber and Cameron! How am I going to practice my tagalog if Cameron doens't send me letters? Haha One of the teachers here actually knows Cameron- Bro Mansfield. He told me hi from Cameron. There's all these connections here in this MTC- the mormom world really is small. Haha :)

Mom, thank you so so much for the package! My district went crazy over the taffy. We ate pretty much all of it in one night but we loved it :) Also, thank you for the book, it came at just the right time. This week was busy- Sunday was a great day, we did choir practice and then on Tuesday we sang in the choir at the MTC devotional. Elder Hinckley- President Hinckley's son, spoke to us. It was a really good talk. He told us that there is now 70,000 + missionaries world wide and that is the most we have ever had. We gave a wonderful talk- parts I loved were. "Be tough, you will be expected to endure it. Missionary work is hard. The Lord has chosed you to be a solider in His cause." I loved that. A mission is already hard, and I'm not even out in the field!! Hahaha but the Lord has chosen me so I can do it :) President Smith afterwards talked to us and he told us to watch for a miracle everyday and to write it down. It's helped me alot this week with recognizing the Lord's hand in my life and being grateful for all the simple but wonderful miracles.

This week started off hard, last Saturday, after emailing, we had class later that night and found out that an Elder in our district went home. It crushed all of us, I think we all were holding back the tears. I felt so bad for his companion, Elder Finch, our district leader, took it the hardest. It was so sad. But Elder Lindstrom had some depression problems that needed to be taken care of back at home. We pray everyday for him that he will come back out. It was hard for us but from it we have grown closer together as a district. We all love each other and take care of each other as a family. It's amazing how close I feel to each one of them after 2 and half weeks. But I feel like I've been assigned to them to be a part of this district family. Sister Reed and I are great friends! We're always laughing and goofing off, like yesterday, Brother Kovach told us that some Philippinos say farty instead of party. Haha they think we make the f sound with every p. We just died laughing. We also had flarp the other night and you can imagine how much we were laughing from that. It's great to have a kasama who finds laughs at the same things as I do :)

We've been teaching our teachers as investigators. I won't lie- teaching in tagalog is hard!! You know how to ask them these questions and what not but then they give you an answer and your like- Ano?! What?! And learning a lanugage is a bunch of memorizing. I forget half off what I was going to say when I get in there! Haha but I do my best. Something that I learned the other day though is that you can't teach without the Spirt. Thursday I was having a rough day, emotionally and just wanting to give up. We taught out teacher, Sister Briggs and the lesson went terrible! I couldn't remember anything and worst of all I couldn't feel the Spirit. Because of my negative attitude and feeling my heart and mind with doubts and fear, I was not able to teach because I did not have the Spirit. It was a lesson that I will never forget, especially out in the field. Sister Briggs afterwards, had us read 3 Nephi 12 together as a district and I think she was inspired to do so on my behalf. I quickly rememebered that those thoughts were not good to dwell on that they did not come from my Savior. During personal study time, I studied and prayed with all my heart and those feelings left me. It's amazing how those thoughts and feelings still come, even as a missionary.

But I am doing great now :) Missionaries have their up and down days, but you have to not let that get the best of you and pick yourself up. Working also helps, thanks Devon for that advice :)

Well, I will send some pictures in another email. I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Tagalog of the week:

Misionero po ako sa Simbahan ni Jesucristo ng mga Banal sa mga Huling Araw. I'm a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints :)

Muhal ko kayo!

Sister Burnham