Letter Home- December 16th, 2013

Sorry to hear that you aren't feeling well. Hopefully you get over it in the next few days!

Elder Lonas is going home on Wednesday. It's so sad! He and I have become really good friends. It's been hard preparing for his farewell. I think this is gonna be a sad transfer meeting. 

So, Lonas and I had an incredible miracle this past week. We have been working with this investigator named ***** since I came into the area. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and is in 2 Nephi now and has gone to church every week I've been here. She's even gone to 2 or 3 baptisms, but she just wouldn't commit to being baptized herself. Well, we stopped by Wednesday morning to read some of the Book of Mormon with her and we asked her if she had been praying about the Book of Mormon and about baptism. She really shocked us with her answer: "No. I guess I forgot all about that!" After a bit of chastising on our part we committed her to pray about baptism for that weekend. She said that she had some other issues on to deal with (family problems), but that she would try, but not commit. We left a little disappointed, but came back the next day to check up on her. She invited us inside and said "I've cleared up my schedule so I can be baptized. Is this Saturday ok with you?" DUH. We were so freaking excited! Well, of course Satan got to working right then. We found out that the water heater at the church had broke a few days prior so the water was FREEZING. We spent all day Saturday boiling water and filling the font pot by pot. In the end the water was still cold, but not nearly as bad as it could have been. Oh man, I just love miracles :)

Oh, and last night we got a call from a PMF saying that their 9 year old son wants to be baptized in a few weeks. Ha! We'll start teaching him tomorrow.

Can't wait to talk to you next week. Love you!

Love,

Elder Burton

Letter Home- December 2nd, 2013

Whoa, it is not 3 weeks until Christmas. That's just not possible! 

Do you mind sending me the addresses of all of your Sisters? I need to send them Christmas cards. Don't worry, yours in on the way :)

So we had a really weird experience this past week. Last Tuesday the Sisters gave us a call letting us know that a family was at the hospital and was requesting a priesthood blessing. It was a life or death situation so we drove over as fast as we could, but it was too late. We walked into the room and met two grieving parents over the loss of their 8 year old son. He went into cardiac arrest and had passed 30 minutes before we arrived. I've never felt so helpless or questioned why bad things happen to good people so much in my life. The worst part was the boy was just laying there on the table and we didn't know what to say. After a little while we were able to give the father a blessing and assist him in giving a blessing to his wife. That was the most powerful experience I have ever been a part of. I've never truly felt how much our Father in Heaven loves his children until that moment. The Spirit was so strong. I'll never be able to forget that experience. 

Other than that, this week was pretty typical. Oh wait, I just lied. We actually had a baptism on Saturday! ***** (from Yugoslavia) was baptized Saturday morning and confirmed Sunday morning. Missionaries have been working with her on and off for about 12 years, but Elder Lonas and I were here when she was ready to be baptized. It was great! She even got up and bore her testimony yesterday. Gotta love the way the gospel changes lives.

I guess I'll be talking to you in 3 weeks! Love ya and I'll talk to you soon :)

Love,

Elder Burton

Elder Burton's New Niece- Mikaela

Elder Burton became an uncle again on October 27th. Mikaela was born at 3:05 PM at 7 lbs. 3 ounces and 21 1/2 inches long. She is the newest member of our family and is excited to meet her Uncle Mathew in September! 

Letter Home- November 25th, 2013

We had the most incredible experience this week. Elder Neil L. Andersen and Elder Craig C. Christensen came and spoke to us on Saturday. It was so cool! They talked about the atonement and the joy of forgiveness. They were so funny and the whole experience was super positive. We were so excited when we found out who was going to be meeting with us. That's an experience I will never forget.

Don't worry, Thanksgiving up here should be fun. We are going to a church pot luck at 4 and going to a member's home afterwards. It's gonna be great. Plus our mission Christmas party is on the 10th so we are all looking forward to that! I hope you have fun with Monika and her family! I wish I could be there. Take lots of pics for me!

I love you and I will talk to you in a month! Crazy to think that Christmas is just a month away.

Love,

Elder Burton

Letter Home- November 11th, 2013- Transfer to Olympia

Olympia has been so great so far. It's way bigger than my last area and I constantly feel lost, but we have seen so many miracles already. Elder Lonas and I get along really well too which has made this week so good. He is a good singer and writes music so he's been asking me to help him out and sing some of his songs with him. Ha, it's super fun. Why didn't you tell me to do choir through high school? I think I would have loved that.

Missionaries here can still drive on their last transfer. Thank goodness, or else we'd be completely lost 24/7.... 

I think that's bout all I have to update you on! Oh, I don't know if mom told you but I would like my dark grey cardigan sent up here since it's so freaking cold. I'll remind mom again as well.

Thanks mom and dad! It's always great hearing from you. Can't wait to talk to you on Christmas! Love you :)

Love,

Elder Burton

Letter Home- October 28th, 2013

I was so excited to see the pics mom sent me of Mikaela! Wow, I definitely wasn't expecting to see my new niece today :) How long did it take Monika? I know she was incredibly fast with Lukas. Oh man, I'm so excited :)

This week was really good. The exchange in Forks went well and Elder Hainey and I had a great time together. He's probably one of my favorites out here. He's only been out for a few transfers, but he is a really good missionary. I was able to interview their investigator ******* while I was up there. I've never done an interview like that before! It went really well though and it was just amazing to hear his life story. He went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs in a matter of weeks all because of the gospel. I heard a quote once that really touched me: When you hit rock bottom, be sure that Christ is that rock. Isn't that just perfect?! I know, it's great. It's amazing how much the gospel changes people for the better.

That's actually what President Weaver and I chatted about in my interview with him. We talked about how much I have changed on my mission for the better and how that's what a mission is for! I don't think there will be any pics of me on the blog since Sis Weaver wasn't able to come up and take pics of us. SORRY! I'll have to send you some pics in the mail.

We've been talking a lot with the lady that cuts our hair, ******. She said that since her blessing she drank once and it made her really sick! Ha, God works in mysterious ways ;) She has invited us to come over and start having the set discussions with her and her family. Can't wait!

Ha, so I have to tell you a funny story. We have been meeting with this woman named ***** and we set up a church tour for this past Friday. We showed up to her house and she hopped in her car ready to follow us to the church. We made it all the way to the last turn and when I turned right she went straight through the light..... Oh gosh, it was horrible. We caught up with her later in the day just to make sure she found her way back home and she said she glanced away just for a second and then we weren't in front of her anymore! So, she just turned around and went back home so she wouldn't get too lost. Ha, we'll have to try again this week and have someone drive her.

I think that's about all to update you on. I hope you have a great week and have fun in Oklahoma this weekend! Say hi to everyone for me :)

Love,

Elder Burton

Letter Home- October 7th, 2013

Wasn't General Conference incredible. I think this was the first General Conference where I felt that every talk had something for me. I guess that's what happens when you tune in a little bit more. I really enjoyed President Uchtdorft's talk on stading up after you fall. I couldn't help but think of all the less active members we are currently working with and how that message would be perfect for them. I'll be printing out lot's of copies of that talk in the next few weeks :)

Thank you so much for that final email you sent last week. It's been a hard week.

This past transfer meeting I had to say goodbye to Elder Gray. I don't know if you remember me telling you about him, but we served together my second transfer and quickly became good friends. It was hard to say goodbye, and I have been noticing just how many of my good friends have left the WA-TAC: Parry, Gray, Thornton, West, Fa'aliou, Grenfel, and so many others. Who knew a mission would be such a bitter-sweet time! I guess that's part of life though. If nothing else I am thankful for the truly good people I have been able to meet so far.

Hopefully next week will be a little more upbeat. Maybe by then I'll be used to the rain and cold and see everything in a new light. I love you and I hope you have a fantastic week!

Love,

Elder Burton

P.S. We made new thank you cards today, so expect one in the mail soon. Oh, and Monika is SO pregnant. :)