Praying for food

This week had some ups and downs and overall was a bit slow, but that's ok.

We were able to visit with Juan Limón twice this week two nights in a row! The first night we had had dinner earlier, and I was still super hungry, so I kept praying that someone would give us food.  Then we got to the Limon's and Hermana Limón asked us if we were hungry and made us some carne asada! It was so good! We didn't sleep that well that night though, because we had eaten super late. Then the next night we went over again and this time one of her sisters and other family friend were over eating, and they gave us chicharrones and more carne and it was super good! It was funny, because we had invited one of Hermana Limon's other brother in-laws over to teach Juan the law of chastity and so we felt a little awkward when we got there and they were having a dinner get together and we had invited someone else to come, but it worked out ok! I've just never had six members with us to teach a law of chastity lesson before haha. Juan didn't seem too uncomfortable like he sometimes does though!

This week we decided to knock around where our investigator Natalie lives. We found 3 new potentials right by her, but haven't been able to contact them yet! Also we were able to visit with Eric, but we will probably drop him because he's only interested in understanding people, and not in finding out if the church is true. So that's a bit sad :(.

A few weeks ago we had a group call with all the Spanish missionaries to talk about our language learning, and I got made one of the Spanish training leaders. That means I have to call all 3 other people in our district each Friday to make sure they are studying Spanish and then report back to another elder who is over us all! It's pretty easy I guess, besides that all I have to do is ask people to give language trainings every Wednesday and make the calls.

On Saturday we went to Patagonia to help a member of our Ward with his mud house. We helped mix concrete and cut some wire and random stuff like that. I got super sun burnt so when we went to our Ward talent show that night everyone kept asking what happened to me haha. The Ward talent show was also good! The bishop of the Spanish Ward paid $30 for us to get cupcakes from the auction they had. They were pretty good! They were salted caramel flavored and the frosting kind of tastes like the Carmel you make mom, it reminded me that I will be home for you to make all of your Christmas treats and I'm super excited for that :)! Later that night we got a call from Sister Kerr who is serving in Los Reales! She's our STL and I don't know if you remember this, but the transfer Hermana Garcia were together we contacted this man sitting in the back of his truck and ended up having a lesson with his brother and 6 children! We only got to teach them one other time while I was there, but turns out Hermana Kerr and Hernandez started teaching them again, and they are super ready for the gospel! So that's cool! Also Hermana Kerr also told me that Liz is doing super well and that they are hoping that in 2 weeks I can go on exchanges up there to go and see her! That would literally make my life, so hopefully it happens! I just think it's so cool to see that work I did 5 months ago is helping the sisters there now! I'm so grateful for how God works!

Sunday was pretty good! We had a few less active members come to church which was good! Hopefully this coming week the work will pick up a bit!

Anyways I'm so grateful for the chance God has given me to serve a mission! I've made a lot of mistakes, but I also have grown a whole bunch. Sometimes I wish I would grow a bit faster, but I know that I will keep learning when I get home too! I'm just so happy that I had the chance to share the gospel with others and help others take the steps, so that they can return to live with our loving Heavenly Father. I love the verse that Mormon uses in 3 Nephi 5:13 " Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." I'm so grateful for a Savior who makes this all possible and hope that I can become even more like Him each in every day! I love you lots!

Con amor,

Hermana Burgoyne 

Dylan's baptism was fantastic, and we didn't even have to do anything so that was awesome!

This week we didn't end up having too many lessons, but that's ok! We finished up all of our lessons with Dylan, so that she was ready to be baptized on Friday! We also got to visit with Natalie a few times. She's so sweet and I love teaching her.  We are just having a hard time finding fellow-shippers for her, but we will figure that out hopefully soon!

Wednesday was good, we had our zone meeting, so we drove up to Sahuarita and learned about how to teach repentance to our investigators. It was a good reminder that our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to repent and change, so they can have greater access to the Atonement in their lives! They also fed us Panda Express afterword, so we were all happy! 

Then not much else happened until Friday. Friday we had interviews with our mission president. They went well! It was funny because that morning I had felt prompted to bring my Book of Mormon with me to the church instead of just using my iPad and then as soon as I got into my interview I was so grateful to have it because he asked me if I had learned anything lately from reading the Book of Mormon.  I was able to open it up and find something to share rather than just trying to make something up on the spot haha. Anyways he gave me lots of great advice about less active work because a lot of our work is with less active members which is good, but it also keeps us from finding those who are ready to be baptized. Anyhow, it was cool because he helped me realize that well it is good to be teaching less active members who really need us we also need to remember that members are also able to help reactive less actives whereas missionaries are the only ones who are able to have convert baptisms. Our purpose is to help people accept the gospel and receive ordinances necessary for salvation.

Afterwards we had a pass off lesson with the Sahaurita sisters and we're finally able to teach Eric for the first time! He is a very interesting person, I like teaching him though because he takes time to think before he answers questions so it allows the Spirit to be there more strongly. Right now we are trying to help him understand why it's so important to know for ourselves that the church is true.

Later that night we were rushing all over the place to get to Dylan's baptism on time and turns out they didn't even really need us there early because when we got there Brother Allen ( our Ward mission leader) had already started filling the font and all we had to do was set up chairs and take pictures :). It was a beautiful baptism! It was cool to see all her family there for it, especially her dad who isn't a member and hasn't gone to any of his other daughter’s baptisms. We were also happy because her mom was able to give the talk on baptism although before a few weeks ago she wanted pretty much nothing to do with the church because she was pretty inactive, but with lots of events that have happened lately, prayers, and hardworking members we have seen miracles happen and her heart be softened. Then some of the young women had a special musical number in the middle and as they were singing a few more families in the Spanish and English Ward walked in so we had to set up some more chairs. It was so beautiful and I could feel the Spirit so strong :). Her family looked so happy after the service, and I know they could feel the love all of us have for them!

Anyways that is about it for this week. Yesterday I was able to study a little about prayer and the Holy Ghost and I loved a scripture in Romans 8:26-27 that says: 

"26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

I just thought that scripture was very interesting because it says right there that the Spirit makes intercession for us which is something that we usually think of when we think of Christ and so I was thinking about what that meant. Anyways I think that it's cool to think that the Holy Ghost makes it possible for us to access the Atonement. Like Jesus Christ made intercession for us by suffering and paying the price for us so we can repent, the Holy Ghost is what cleanses us and makes it possible for us to understand God's will and to have the will power to follow Christ. I hope to always live worthy of the Holy Ghost and the healing power of the Atonement in my life. I love what Brian K. Ashton said in conference ;"Repentance is not a backup plan just in case our plan to live perfectly fails. Continual repentance is the only path that can bring us lasting joy and enable us to return to live with our Heavenly Father." I know that in this life we are supposed to make mistakes, that's why we have the Atonement, because none of us are perfect or will be perfect. We will only be made perfect through Christ and that only comes as we repent and strive to live worthy of the Holy Ghost in our lives because "Receiving the Holy Ghost to a greater degree further moves us along the path of being born again." I know this church is true and I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who never gives up on me or any of us when we make mistakes! I love you and hope you have a good week!

 

Con amor,

Hermana Burgoyne 

Conference was great!

This week has been super busy, yet I feel like we had a lot of free time so I'm not sure how that works! This week we taught Dylan pretty much the rest of the lessons, and she should be good to go for her baptism this Friday! I'm super excited for her! I've absolutely loved teaching both her and Isabella.  They're like my little sisters, except not quite as great! Dylan is super funny. Earlier this week we had to teach her about the law of chastity, and she was just blushing the whole time haha. We kept teasing her because there is a little boy in our Ward that she talked about a lot. Anyways she's super sassy and likes to talk a lot! But we love her! Also it's been super awesome to be able to go over to her actual house to teach her every day, because her mom is getting more and more friendly with us! She still hasn't sat in on any of the lessons, buts she's been listening and her heart is definitely softening!

 

Other good news is that we were able to visit with Liz this week and share a little message with her. The good things was that Priscilla actually talked to us, and she told me that every time we visit she starts to doubt her decision to stop going to church. Right there I testified to her of the blessings of the gospel and invited her to read her patriarchal blessing and come back to church. She said she'd be willing to listen to a message from us at some point! The Spirit was super strong, and I know her heart will soften more with time!

 

Then our last miracle was when we went to go see the Ruvalcaba family and the father who sometimes pretends to be too sick to come see us finally came out, and we had a lesson with him and his son. He has some things keeping him from going to church, but I'm sure with time we will be able to help him and his family come back!

 

Also this week we had a billion dinner and lunch appointments which was good, but I don't think we've cooked at our apartment for 2 weeks and our food there is going bad haha. A lady in our Ward that the elders visit took us all out to get sushi since elder Brian is going home Wednesday. It was good! It just think it's funny that I think I only had sushi once before my mission, and on my mission I can't even count how many times I've had it haha, but I'm starting to like it!

 

Conference was super awesome! I really loved the talk by Elder Cornish about how we shouldn't compare ourselves to others whether it's thinking less or more of our selves! It really changed my perspective of how I should think of myself and those I associate with! Also I loved the talk about the Book of Mormon. The whole time I kept thinking about how grateful I am that my parents have raised me reading it daily as a family, and I've definitely seen it change my life and bless me! I love you lots! I hope you have a great week!

Con amor,

Hermana Burgoyne