Oh, That's Beautiful!

Hello family!                                                                                                                April 28, 2014

I'm glad to hear that your week was good and that prom was fun! I love the pictures Kenna, thanks! :) 

This week has been a rough one, well in terms of the work, we had several (like 4) set investigator lessons at the beginning of the week, but one by one they all canceled, cause they were either sick, or randomly out of town, or just busy.  So that was a bummer and we weren't able to teach any of them this week!  So that was just rough!!  But, the future is bright, and it can only mean that good things are coming because Satan is fighting so hard right now!   So, we are keeping the faith and just working hard! :)   And I know that good things are coming!

At the same time as all of our investigators cancelling, we had a pretty good and adventurous week.  Let's see, so Tuesday I was on an exchange, and at about 11 we got a call from Elder Orme, one of the senior missionaries in charge of the cars, telling us that we needed to come to Irvine, get a paper from him and then go to the Chevy dealership to have our car inspected because it had been recalled.  So that is how we spent most of our afternoon, driving to Irvine, and then hanging out for 2 hours at the dealership (with about 20 or so other missionaries who were there for the same reason). So that was really exciting! ;) The good news is that our car passed the inspection, and it is working properly so we get to keep the car! Hurray! :)   But that made our day pretty great! :)  Fun time, exchanges are. And I guess really with life in general, nothing ever goes the way we think it will, but it sure is great and exciting! :) 

Wednesday was also good, I had an interview with President Orgill (yes, I seem to have a lot of those...ok not really, but he is just so great!)  We talked about a lot of things, and how I can better help some of the sisters that I have been asked to be over as a Sister Training Leader, and at then end I asked for a blessing, and that was really, really great.  Each time I have received a blessing from him, it has become more and more evident to me the plan that God has for me, but not only that, but the Love that He has for me.   And then I just want to go out and share it with all the world! :)   Which as a missionary, I have the blessed opportunity to do so. :)  hmmmm, I just love the Gospel :)

Thursday was good, I was on another exchange, and that was great! I was somewhere in Laguna Niguel, and I was able to meet this old lady (she is 97) and her name is Wilma. She was so adorable, and it really was great to see how happy the gospel makes her, and she mentioned how she is grateful that she had it, and that she probably wouldn’t still be around without it.  I want to be a cool old lady like her someday...(oh ya know, just in like 77 years).  Another cool thing about her is that she did ballroom, she danced all over the world! Super cool! :)   When we told her that I did ballroom too, she grabbed my hand, and looked me in the eyes and said, "when you’re done, come back here and visit me and I'll give you one of my old dresses."  The light was shining in her eyes, and she was just smiling, so she may be one that we have to visit, if I can remember how to find her.  :)  And not because of the dress, but because of the Spirit which she had around her, it truly was inspiring! :)

As we planned for this week on Friday, it is so evident to Sister Hurst and I how much really is possible in Laguna Beach!  Which is so exciting!   And yes, right now we may only be planting seeds, but that is so important!  And we will be blessed with the opportunity to help others accept the gospel, and that truly is so wonderful!  But I just feel blessed to share the gift of the Atonement with those around me, change is hard, so hard, but as I myself have been changing, it is so much easier to invite others to do the same, and to share personal testimony about what it has done for me.   It really is remarkable.   And we are able to see miracles every single day! :)

Saturday was Mormon Helping Hands! That was fun!  Can't believe it has been a year since I last did that!  Pretty crazy how fast time goes!!

Yesterday I had the opportunity (for the first time on my mission to speak), and I did see Ronnie holding up her phone, and figured she was taking a picture to send to you, what a funny girl.  :)   But, my talk was interesting, so I had planned out mostly what I wanted to say (I didn’t write it word for word like I have in the past). But then, as Elder Schumacher (an elder also serving in the ward) as he was speaking, I felt prompted to share my story of how I came on a mission.  So I did, it was not something that I had planned on sharing, but I am grateful I did.  The Spirit was strong, and I think many of the ward members appreciated it.   I feel too often that as missionaries, members and investigators look to us and see someone who is "perfect" but I think as missionaries, as we open ourselves up, and share personal experiences, and share feelings that we had (like for example, I never wanted to go on a mission, it wasn't a part of the plan, but as I learned to rely on the gospel, I knew that it was something that I needed to go out and share), but as we share those things, I feel like we become more real, we show everyone that we aren't perfect, because we aren't.  We are still human, still mess up, we ALL need the atonement.  But I myself was grateful for the opportunity to speak, to share my testimony and to really remember how I got out here, and recommit myself to this great work. 

  

Time is flying by.  Each night as I pray I wonder, how can today already be over???  And that is what I wonder all the time.  I promise, I am not getting trunky, but I did calculate how many days left I have just cause I was curious.  As of today 101.  And I’m not going to count down,  but knowing that my days as a full time missionary are limited make me push even harder.  I want to lift the faith of as many people I can. I want others to feel the joy that comes from living the gospel.  And I am going to work hard every single day so that I can know that I did all that I could :)

This week was also full of many personal experiences and miracles which I will always hold close to my heart.  This work truly is a miracle.  Seeing people change is a miracle.  Helping others find hope is a miracle.  Laughing when you are tired and just got a door slammed in your face by a less active member is a miracle.   It is all a miracle because the Gospel is true, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a miracle.  And it is beautiful, just as a potential investigator said to us when we called him yesterday.  He asked, "what would you be sharing with me?"  And we said, "a message about Jesus Christ and His gospel."  And he said, "oh, that's beautiful!"  And it truly is!  So I hope that this week we can think about this beautiful gospel, commit ourselves to live more like Christ would, in all aspects of our lives! :)    I hope you all have a great week!  I love you!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

Me and Sarah (Our Ward Mission Leader's daughter) on Easter

Me and Sister Hurst - Easter

Sister Hedrick, Sister Carlson, Me, Sister Hurst right after we heard from Elder Anderson