Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!! We didn't get too many valentines, just the candy they gave out at church. Not too much happens though as a missionary on Valentine's Day. I guess the youth had a dance the night before and so we stopped by to say hi to everyone, but besides that not much.

So this week is transfers! Some crazy stuff is happening in our mission! A bunch of areas are being closed and there are a lot of elders white washing areas, because so many people went home this past transfer due to sickness. So Hermana Townley is going to go to the Sierra Vista zone to be a Stl! She's a bit nervous, because she is ending her mission in an English speaking area. We were both surprised because we figured once you hit a certain amount of time as a missionary there was no way that you would be sent English, but just kidding because she's going to probably end her mission there! I'm getting Hermana Monk.  I've never actually met her well maybe once, but never really talked to her because she has been outside of Tucson her whole mission and I've been here the whole time, but she was companions with Hermana Flake before Hermana Flake came here. I've heard good things about her! She is also only like 1 or 2 transfers older than me on the mission which is different! Most my comps have been near going home! It's also going to be crazy because they are moving the zone leader area from the El Rio branch to Los Reales, so I'm basically going to be in the same area as my zone leaders my whole entire mission haha, but it's nice to have them.

Anywho, this was a really great week! Lots and lots of miracles like always! We were really lucky this week because we had 4 member present lessons which is amazing because the week before we had 0, and it's pretty hard to find members who can/ want to go out with us. But luckily, on Wednesday this Hermana named Hermana Vargas came out with us, and we were able to visit 2 people with her. It was awesome because she was not afraid to speak her mind and testify! We had a lesson with our investigator Isabel and her friend Claudia, and we were trying to explain the importance of baptism and priesthood authority.  They were really struggling with understanding why they would need to be baptized into our church, and Hermana Vargas just strait up told them that their baptism was invalid and respectfully explained it to them. They totally understood, and it was such a miracle because they didn't get offended and they finally got something us and other missionaries had been struggling to teach! It was a miracle!

We also had a really awesome lesson with Ernesto, the man who offered us water a few weeks ago. It was funny because I thought he wasn't all too interested, and we knocked on his trailer the other day.  His son answered and said he was in the bathroom, but to wait and he'd come talk to us. So we waited for like 10 minutes and we finally just decided to leave, but right as we went to leave he came out! We then read 3 Nephi 11 with him. It was super cool because he just really wants to involve God in his life, and he is always praying and seeking His guidance.  It's cool that we get to help him learn, so that someday he can be worthy to have the Spirit with him all the time! Also we talked to him about baptism because that's the first thing Jesus teaches the people. It was really cool because he was like wait so not just anyone can baptize? And we are like no they have to have power/ authority from God. Then he's like then who has this power? And so we got to explain the restoration to him, and he totally understood it. He doesn't feel ready for baptism right now, but we invited him to read and pray and hopefully he will want to be soon!

Something that I have been working on all transfer is not being afraid to invite people to be baptized on the first lesson. It's something I have been struggling with my whole mission because it's kind of a really bold invitation, but we are asked to try and invite when the spirit prompts us. The funny thing is I have been working on it, and finally this week I found myself in a lesson with one of our new investigators and just invited him, and I wasn't even afraid. It was really cool! I love that God's promise in Ether 12:27 is true. 

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

God has definitely been showing me the things I can work on as I go to him in prayer.  When I do that and humble myself, He does strengthen me. It's just amazing to me that the atonement not only makes up for my mistakes and heals me, but also strengthens and enables me to become better. I'm so grateful for my Savior and all He has done for me. He is my example, and I hope I can become more like Him every single day.

I love you and hope you have a really good week!

Love,

Hermana Burgoyne