Round 2

Kumusta!! 

So first off....I AM TRAINING!! AHH!!! NEXT TRANSFER! Which starts next week! I'm kinda freaking out inside but not too much, I had a feeling. Haha But I'll have an anak and I'll be a nanay...I feel so old! Haha I guess it's normal to train as a sister after your training because there are so many sisters! Haha But I am so far from the perfect missionary...but it's okay. I can do this, I still might not speak Tagalog very good or know all the lessons but I can do it. Haha I'm just going to need the Lord's help...and a lot. Haha Just keep praying for me! Haha :) It will be good though, I'll learn really fast! Haha :) 

Anyway this week was great because it was the Ting's baptism!! It was the best thing in the world and it has been the best part of my mission thus far. I love them so much and being a part of helping them to the waters of baptism has been the greatest joy I have ever felt. It's true about that quote- " I feel sorry for the man or woman who has never experienced the sweet joy which comes to the missionary who proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ, who brings honest souls to a knowledge of the truth, and who hears expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving that come from the hearts of those who have been brought by his labor to a comprehension of life eternal." -Heber J. Grant. It's true though, as Dorina hugged me and said thank you, my joy has never been so full :) It was a good day. 

So now to why this is called round 2...haha so the next day at church, me and Sister Malig are sitting next to them. Right as soon as sacrament starts, Dorina whispers to Sister Malig saying that she was baptized with the wrong middle name!! It was her mom's middle name!! Oh no....haha so we told the zone leader, who told our branch president and then when the time came to confirm them we only confirmed Angelika and Oliver because we had to redo her baptism!! Haha But all turned out okay, we just redid the baptism after church and confirmed her right afterwards and she is finally a member! Haha It has to be done right :) Haha I think the paper work just got mixed up and when we asked her why she didn't say anything on Saturday she said she was just too excited and nervous. Haha She's so funny and cute, and we were able to just laugh about it. Haha I love her :) 

Well today my email was late because we had p-day! We went to this beautiful beach and it was a ton of fun! Except I forgot sunscreen and so did the rest of us whites and now were all burned. Haha but it was a lot of fun and I'll send pictures :) 

Well I love you all! I love hearing from you all and I guess you'll soon find out about my next companion/anak! Man, I still can't believe I'm training! I'll actually reach my 4 month mark on November 3rd, can't believe I've been out that long! Time goes by so fast!

Happy Birthday Amber on Sunday!!

Tagalog word for the letter: (I'm going to start doing this :)) nakapagpapakabagabag

Real word...it means bothering. Like you would say, "Ano ang nakapagpapakabagabag sa iyo?" Fun right?! Haha :) 

Mahal ko kayo!!

Mahal, Sister Burnham 

"Her daughter Andrea, were friends :)"

 

"Anna- one of our progressing investigators, super sweet!"

"The baptism!"

"Sister Malig's birthday is tomorrow so we got her a cake!"

"Elder Langi and Elder Tuivuti eating the rest of the cake, haha love them!"

"Starfishes!! With Elder Adams in the background..."

"Some boat riding...."

"And our zone!! Great fun :) "

The Greatest Miracle

Family and Friends!!

This week has been full of ups and downs but as for right now, I am the happiest missionary :) I'll get to why in a little bit :) 

So I got your package mom!! Thank you so so much!! I loved the Halloween stuff, we're going to have a little Halloween missionary party, our curfew is 6 for Halloween so I'm totally going to make it happen :) It's exciting! We'll take lots of pictures :) 

I also tried some new foods this week, quail eggs- which was really good! Chicken intestines- squishy but good :) And balot again, the fertilized cooked egg. Haha We recorded us eating it, it's pretty good. I still couldn't eat the chick, I chickened out! Haha And the Filipinos didn't either so that was my other excuse. Haha it's so nasty lookin'! Haha But it's more fun in the Philippines!! Next time, Sister Malig is going to make me try chicken feet...yep, exciting!! But seriously, I am eating so much here, I'm going to come back mataba!! Fat and white! Haha Oh, it's not good...

Anyways, the greatest miracle occurred this week with the Ting family. I love them, seriously, they are my favorite. They even invited me to spend Christmas at their house! Haha oh, I'll be there! Haha :) And we just always have fun with them, whenever we feel depressed or down, we go straight to the Ting's. They are seriously the happiest and funniest family. 

Well, it's now their time to get baptized! So they had their interviews Saturday and something happened that I wasn't expecting...Oliver passed, but Dorina and Angelika didn't. Our district leader is awesome and handled the situation great, it's just that they didn't really know for sure if Joseph Smith was a prophet and other little doubts. They believe in everything we taught them and know that this was a good church and everything, but they didn't know for sure or have a testimony of their own. I was devastated. At first I thought I failed as a missionary and that I did everything wrong. That it was all my fault...that night was rough for me. I've come to love these people so much and having this happen made me really sad. I've never have really felt and cried so much over someone. And never have I prayed so hard from someone. But a miracle happened the next day. They still came to church and while at church the Holy Ghost worked through two new converts to bear their testimony to Sister Dorina. They had no idea about the situation but they shared with her how they didn't know everything but they knew that these things are true. That they have faith that they are. Then that night we taught them Alma 32, about faith and planting a good seed. Teaching them that a testimony and faith is not a perfect knowledge, but knowing that these things are true. We watched the Restoration DVD and afterwards the Spirit was so strong as Dorina started to share her experience last night on receiving her answer. She couldn't sleep and remembered our district leader telling her to pray whenever to get an answer, she did and knew in her heart that all these things were true. We then bore our testimonies to her and we were all crying by the end. Haha Our district leader interviewed them again today and they are getting baptized this Saturday! I couldn't be more happy. 

I know that this church is true, and that it was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. And that through him, came the Book of Mormon. A book that we can read and know if these things are true. I have seen it work in my investigators and the power of the Holy Ghost is real. It's amazing. Even though there was a bump in the road at first, it made our happiness more full when we were able to get over it together and Dorina, Angelika, and Oliver really receive their own personal answers from God. I know that God is fully aware of us and that he answered my prayers as a missionary and their prayers to know the truth. It truly was a miracle. And I'm so grateful that I got to be a part of their conversion, it confirmed to me that they are one of the many reasons why I am here :) 

Well, that was my miracle this week. Miracles happen all around us and never forget how truly aware Heavenly Father is in our lives and loves us. I have seen it everyday and I can't deny that is true. 

I love you all!! Thank you for the letters, I love them :) Always keep sending them! Have a great week and never forget I love you!

Mahal ko kayo!

Mahal, Sister Burnham 

"Yep, that's a chicken head..." 

"Games with the Tings." 

 "Teaching a baka :)"

 "My cut from a tricycle!! Dumb tricycle..."

 "Fireflies!!"

"P-Day and Thor hammers from Jollibee! Astig! (yes, it was totally worth it :))" 

 "Love the Halloween Oreos!"

 "Tings at church :)"