Becoming Converted to the Lord

Hello!                                                                                                             March 17, 2014

First off, congrats PHS for being 10 time state champs!  I am grateful that I was able to be a part of that, at that time in my life!!!

This week has been a really great one!  I wasn't sure what to expect at the beginning with 3 exchanges and Mission Leadership Council, but it really was a great week and full of miracles!  

Our first miracle is Ardell,  we met with him on Tuesday, and taught him the restoration.  And right before we taught him he was like "oh, after we talked last week I looked up your church online” (my mind was like "oh great, he found some anti stuff.... this is going to be fun), but instead he goes, “and I found this book, and wanted to know if it was the right one.”  He had downloaded the Book of Mormon to his phone, and he had already started to read it!   Before we even taught him, is elect?  I would certainly say YES!!!!   :)    Anyway, so that was reall, really great!

My days are all running together, but it really was a good week.  So we are now teaching Ardell, and he came to church and loved it!    Also, we started teaching a couple, Christine and Miles, who are great, and hopefully we will be able to help them progress!

We had Mission Leadership Council and talked about finding, and Joyce Tan came again and we reviewed windows, and my faith has been renewed in them!  :)    Also, because of an exchange I was able to attend the temple again this week, I actually went to a Samoan session, so it was fun to wear headphones.  But really, I was so grateful for the opportunity to be in the temple again. I really do love it there!  The Spirit was so strong as I sat in the celestial room.  I never wanted to leave.  But it did help me feel refreshed and full of the Spirit.

So this week was a great one, things are starting to happen as we continue to work hard.   But something is also changing inside of me, and it has been for the past couple of weeks.  Just the things I've experienced, the things that I have learned and felt, all have been helping me learn and grow.    See, I loved being a missionary, but now I LOVE being a missionary.  I love this gospel, and something finally has clicked in my brain.  And I have a greater sense of urgency.  I know how to be a missionary, I've been doing it for quite some time now.   Now, I feel as though I myself am being more converted.   And here are some of the things that I have been doing that I feel have helped that.

I've been reading Preach My Gospel, a chapter every week.  I read several chapters from the Book of Mormon each day.  I try to read one chapter from the New Testament everyday as well.  I am more engaged in all the lessons that I am in.  I pray for charity, so that I can have greater love for all of God's children. 

I feel the Spirit more. I really do.  I feel as though the little things (especially reading) have made the biggest difference.  I am a missionary, do I have spare time? No.  So when do I read?  At lunch after I've eaten, or at night after planning and after I've written in my journal.  I feel as though as I have made myself be more focused on the words of God, that I think less about going home, I think more about what I can do right now to be a better missionary.  But not only a better missionary, but also a better person.  

I was telling Sister Hurst the other day, that I don’t know what changes people will see in me when I go home, because many of them have been/are internal, things that I did before my mission that I didn't really like, but I am changing, and in that way, I will be different.  And I think it will be evident in my choices.  And no, I didn't come on a mission so that people could see that I changed, I came on a mission because the Atonement of Jesus Christ had healed me, and cleansed me, and I wanted (and still want to) give that to all I can.  Because that is the greatest gift that we can invite someone to have.  Will all receive it, sadly no.  But, I go out every day and invite others to come unto Jesus Christ, by inviting them to exercise faith in Him, and in His atonement, to repent, to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost, and then to endure to the end.  This is the great message that we have to take to all who will listen, what a calling, what an honor.   It is hard.  It is scary.  But it is true. It is powerful.  It is full of hope.  It is full of promises.  And I know that.  I know that as I live it every single day. I am not perfect.  Not even close. But, I pray everyday that God will forgive me, and help me when I fall short.  And He does.  I have felt the Enabling power of the Atonement this week.  There is no way that I would have been able to go through it (being with 4 different companions throughout the week) Without His help.  It is in Him that I get strength, and it is in Him that all these miracles we see are possible.  He is the source of my joy! :)    I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly father!  And for a Savior who atoned for me!  I am so grateful that our family is eternal, and that this time apart is but a small moment when compared to eternity!!!

I have a quote that I want to end with "When we become truly converted to Jesus Christ, committed to Him, an interesting thing happens: our attention turns to the welfare of our fellowman, and the way we treat others becomes increasingly filled with patience, kindness, a gentle acceptance and a desire to play a positive role in their lives.  This is the beginning of true conversion."  I don't know who said that, but I know that it is true.  Because I have seen how I react and what I do in situations that previously I would have reacted differently.  I am so grateful for this gospel, and for Jesus Christ whose atonement makes it possible for us to change if we want to! 

I love you all!  I hope you have a great week!!!

Moroni 7:45-48

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

P.S. It was 90 degrees in Laguna Beach yesterday!  Hello…summer?  

Have a good week!  You are in my prayers!

Inviting the Forces of Light

Dear Family,                                                                                                            March 10, 2014

First off, I can't even believe that Trevor is home! That is really crazy to think about!!!  I can't believe that he already served for 2 years, time goes by so fast!   But I love the pictures, it looks like he is happy!  And that is just great! Though,  I am sure adjusting is weird,  I can only imagine. Luckily for me, I still have some time before I even have to worry about that! :)

This week has been a GREAT one!  There are so many things happening, and well, we are really throwing ourselves into the work, and doing all we can to find more people to teach, and I feel like the Lord trusts us, because we are finding more and more people! But, I will talk more about that as I go throughout my week!

So, Monday night was an adventure.  We got home, and we planned, and because we were going to the temple early Tuesday morning, Sister Hurst was going to shower that night.  The other sisters that we live with weren't home yet, which we thought was strange, but didn't think much about it.   I was downstairs, and then all of the sudden Sister Hurst yells "Sister Burningham, come up here right now!"  She sounded a little panicked, so I ran upstairs, and she says, "did you put a box in our bathtub?"  Umm...no...that would be weird, why would I do that?  But, there was a box in our bathtub....    with something inside of it, but we were too afraid to look.  Haha.   So, then our roommates call us, and ask if we have seen the box yet, we say yes and they tell us that there is a mouse in it, because they saved it (why they put it in our bathroom, I really have NO idea!)  So then we started freaking out, and we opened the box with a hanger, and sure enough, there was a BIG mouse/rat.... not really sure what it is. But it was gross, and so the sisters, when they got home took the box outside, and now the mouse has a home in the outside world.  But it was a great adventure to start our week!!! :)

Tuesday we went to the temple, and that was just GREAT! I love the temple so much!:)   We also taught Michelle again, and also two of her kids, Morgan and Zach, who are also interested in taking the lessons! So that was a miracle!!! :)

Wednesday both Sister Hurst and I were SICK!  There has been a bug going around, so that was no fun.  So we stayed in for most of the day, to get better, since we had to cause we had things to do and Zone conference on Thursday!

So Thursday was fantastic!  We had our zone conference, and we all got trained on the different style of teaching that we are, in a way, piloting, so that was great!  And then President Orgill talked to us about Agency, and it was so powerful!   But he mainly talked about how everything we do, especially the little things, either invite the forces of darkness, or the forces of light.  We either give the adversary permission to work harder at us, or we give the forces of light, the angels that God has promised to come and help us!   He also talked about the ways that we invite the forces of light, as we pray, and study.  As we serve and do good.   Really, as we live the gospel and try hard to do good things, we are inviting God to come and help us even more.  So, now I've been thinking, “is this going to invite the forces of light, or darkness?”  It really is interesting to think about, because we ALL have Agency.  We can do whatever we want truly, and that is God's gift to us, and I am so grateful!   And now, I am just trying to do good!  So this week, focus on how you can invite the forces of light into your life! :)

After Zone conference, we went contacting and there was this guy that drove past us on this little road, and he stopped and reversed, and asked if I was holding a Bible (I was holding a Book of Mormon).   We told him who we were and what we do, and he told us that he had always wanted to know what we believe, but didn't know how.   So, we are going to teach him tomorrow.  His name is Ardel, and he is pretty pumped to learn more about the gospel, so we are excited to teach him!  And it was just evidence to me that we will be led to those searching, or they will be led to us. :)  What a miracle!

Friday was good! Planning day, and all of our appointments canceled for some reason or another, but we did end up seeing Ronnie, and taught her the plan of salvation...which you already know because she sent you that video of me teaching.  She's one funny girl, but we love her.

Saturday.... gosh, can't really remember what happened on Saturday. :)   Silly me.   But, we did have dinner with our ward mission leader, and a part member family, so that was great!

Yesterday was good!  We had ward conference, and then in ward council after church it really just hit me how much is going on this area, and how there is so much potential, and as we keep working hard ourselves and with the ward, that this area will be blessed.  I feel so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here in Laguna Beach.  Amazing things are going to be happening now, and in the near future. I hope I get to stick around to see it! :)

In the past week, I have seen a change in myself, and I don't really know what started it.  Maybe it is that things are starting to happen, so I am more excited about that!  I do think a lot of it is that, but another reason I think I can just see, and am understanding that my time on a mission is so short.  And I've worked hard my whole mission, but I feel myself pushing harder and giving even more. (More that I didn't realize I even had), because I truly do want to make every moment count.  And so far, it has.  I am so grateful for this chance that I have right now in my life to be a missionary!  What a great thing to be doing right now!  I absolutely love it! :)  And I love that there are so many people who don't have the gospel, and that everyday I go out and try to find those who are ready, who are willing to listen! What joy comes from sharing the gospel! I love it! :)  

I've learned so many things as I have been a missionary, but this week I have really been blessed to have the gift of the Holy Ghost, and everyday I learn more about how I hear it's small voice, and how it teaches me.  I am so grateful for this gift. I think I would be so lost without it!  I am also so grateful, just as you mentioned that Trevor was, for eternal families!  What a blessing!  And I just want people to have that! :)   

I love this gospel! I know that it is true!  And I know that it is true, because I have asked, and I have felt the Spirit testify to me as I've read, and as I've shared it with others!  This gospel is so amazing! I love it! :)    I love it!

I hope you have a great week!

Good luck at Nationals Kenna, I'll be praying for ya, and cheering for you in my heart!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

Our new friend.  In a box.  In the bathtub

Me and Sister Hurst

Me at the Newport Temple

Let's End the Drought!

Hello!!! :)                                                                                        March 3, 2014

This week has been pretty good one, and well, it also has been RAINING which is also great! :)

So this week we have been teaching a lot of members, which means we are getting better and better at teaching the restoration, so that is pretty exciting! :) Sister Hurst is fabulous, and I swear she came pretrained, so it has been a blast working with her!  And I am really looking forward to the weeks ahead! :)

This week has been good, I had realized though that the work in Laguna was waning, and we were struggling to find people to teach! So we've been doing all that we can, cause I know that as we do our part, the Lord will help us with the rest.  So, we've been contacting, we've been calling former investigators, we've been asking EVERYONE for referrals, and well we are just trying new things and going to different areas, in hopes of getting different results! :)    And we did! This week we were able to get two new investigators!  So that is really fabulous! :)   One of them is a lady named Michelle, and her daughter who is 10 was baptized last year, and I'm not sure why Michelle wasn't baptized, but we had a really great lesson with her on Friday with one of our members, and we will be teaching her tomorrow, and having dinner with her sometime next week, and well, it is great! And it really does look promising!   The other is a man named Abe.  I actually met him on Christmas Eve when we were downtown contacting.   When we first met him, he tried to bash with us, but we have run into him a couple of times, and he did want to meet with us.  So we were supposed to teach him on Wednesday, but that didn't end up working out, so we ended up teaching him on Saturday.  You could tell that he felt the spirit, but he was also trying to fight it a bit, so we are praying that his heart will be opened so that he will accept the gospel.   So that was GREAT!!  And we were super pumped about that!!

Also, we have received a few referrals from members, and we will hopefully be meeting up with them this week, and we will see where that goes!

But, this week, just as we have been in member’s homes and out talking to people, I have felt so blessed to have the gospel. I am so grateful that I was born into this church.  And I am so grateful that we have the knowledge that we do.  We have also been teaching the restoration a LOT!  Which is simply great!  God really does love us so much, and that is why He brought His gospel back, so that we could have it!  And He has also given us families so that we can learn more about Him, and well, I am also just so grateful that we have the knowledge that families are forever!  What a great message of hope! I am so glad that I am out here, and sharing that message with all who will listen!!

This week has also been WET! Lots and lots of rain this week! I've really enjoyed watching it rain!   I have missed having a change in weather, so it was nice!  And much needed! So, this week we got rain to help with the drought in Cali, and then we are also just building up this area, and making it be better!  Because we really can find people, there are so many who are searching, we just have to find them!  And as we do our part, we will be led to them, or they will be led to us! :)

I am so grateful for this gospel, and I am so grateful for my testimony.  I know that this church is truly God's church here on the earth today. I know that He loves us, and because he loves us, he has given us families and he has also given us people in our lives to help us!   I love that the gospel really is simple, we have faith, we repent, we are baptized (or we keep our covenants), then we have the Holy Ghost, and then we keep doing good, and we keep building our faith.  It is simple, hard sometimes, if we aren't doing the small things, like reading and praying and attending church, but life is so much easier when we are living the gospel! That is why we have it.  That is why it was brought back, so that this life wouldn't be such a challenge! I am so grateful that we have it, and that it is true!  And that we can all know for ourselves that it is true! :) I love that!  And I love the plan!  :)  It is all just so glorious!

So, my week was a good one! :) Lots of things happening, and lots of things that are about to happen!  So that is really exciting! :)

It sounds like your week was good, and this upcoming one is also gonna be good!  Super Crazy that Trevor is coming home on Thursday, I can't even believe that, two years really isn't that long, it has gone by so fast! :)     And Nationals is next week, man, that is super fun! I can't wait to hear all about it!   

I am so glad that things are going great, and that life is good! :) That is how it is meant to be! :)   And I am so very grateful! :)    

So this week, be happy, smile, LOVE THE LIFE YOU LIVE! And try to share this joy that you have received with someone else, whether you are able to share your testimony, or just brighten someone’s day, help someone else feel the love that God has for them! What a great gift you can give to anyone! :) 

I love you all!

Have an amazing week!!

And I will talk to you real soon!!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

The Miracle of God's Love

Hello!! :)                                                                                  February 24, 2014

This week has been a good one, still adjusting to the new companionship, but things are GREAT and miracles are going to happen this transfer!!! :)  

So, I guess I will begin with Tuesday, we emailed, and then made some stops in Laguna Beach and did some service for the Wittkops, and then headed up to Irvine for transfer meeting!    Which was super exciting!  And I got my new companion.  Her name is Sister Hurst, and she is just so great!   She is from Farmington and has 4 older brothers.    She plays basketball, and she is just a super hard worker,  we both want to keep working hard and seeing miracles, so we have been, and we will continue to, in all that we do!    So, we've been working well together, she is a solid missionary, and I already feel like she is an experienced missionary rather than someone who just came out into the field.   So, that is great! 

And so far so good, so we are excited for this transfer, and we really have a vision of having weekly baptisms, so now we are just praying to find those individuals who are searching for the Gospel so that we can help them partake of the fullness of all of God's blessings! :)   Cause that is why we are here as missionaries!  At first I wondered why our focus was baptisms, and how we would set goals for those people that we wanted to get baptized, but it is so important because it is the only way that they can return to live with our Father in Heaven, and well, I want that for myself, but I also want that for others around me, so it is just so great that I can be a missionary, and even though not everyone listens, we talk to everyone so that we can just find that one person, because sometimes that one person will make a big difference in the lives around them! :) So, I'll just keep trying to find those ones who are searching, so that they can enjoy all the blessings that we enjoy! :)

So Wednesday was good, we had choir practice a lot this week since we had a big event on Saturday, and they recorded it, so maybe we will get a CD or something, so that would be cool.  But practice, then we went and saw some members, because of the new teaching style we've been trying to implement we've been practicing on members, and I know I still have a lot of work to do, but it is becoming more natural, and it is easier to listen to the Spirit more as we are teaching.  :) So that is great!  

Thursday we had district meeting and then choir, and we also saw the Wittkops, and Ethan and Giselle, who are just so great!  They are so great! We shared the Mormon Message, "Earthly Father Heavenly Father" with them, and it always hits me hard, and helps me remember the trust that we should have in our Heavenly Father, and that it should be just like the trust that little children have in their parents!  So great!

Friday we had an EXCELLENT planning session, and this week is going to be a good one, but hard, simply because we are pushing our selves, and well, we are going to find more people to teach, and help more precious souls come into the gospel!!  

On Saturday I had a Sister Training Leader Council and we talked about Alma 26:22 and about the fact that we are doing the things we need to be doing to help thousands come into the gospel.  But one of the parts we are missing, or at least we need more of is faith. (Moroni 7:21-33) But I just realized that as we ask in faith, and then as we go out and do all that we can, that really is possible, it is possible for our mission to baptize thousands, as long as we have the faith and we work hard.  They did it then, why couldn't we do it now?!?!  So, now I'm praying to have more faith, and going out and working hard! :) 

  

I also had an interview with President Orgill, just cause I've felt a little stuck in my Spiritual progression.   And one thing that hit me hard as we were talking was the love that God has for me.  It is something that I think I forget about often. I don’t know why, I teach it nearly every day, but is something that I struggle with feeling,  But as I was talking to President Orgill, I just felt the love of God, and I am so grateful for President Orgill, and for the power of God (the priesthood) that helped me feel the love of God on Saturday, and everyday since.   I am so grateful as well for the atonement, and the love that is shown in that act, and that because of the atonement, I am made whole! I am clean! And yes, I make mistakes, but because of the Savior, and His help, I can overcome, and I can continue to endure, because he loves me!  And that is such a miracle! :)

Yesterday was great.  Brian's Grandma, "Grandma Joyce" got baptized, I feel lucky to have been able to teach her a few times while being on exchanges.  And it was just a great baptism, and she was just so happy!  This gospel truly brings happiness to all those who live it and take part of it!  Such a great blessing!!!!!!!

So, this week is looking good for us! I am excited for it!!!!  I love you all, and I hope you have a great week!!!!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

p.s mom, it is still a bit weird to me that you met one of my recent converts without me, but hey, I do think it is cool! :) And so did Ronnie, so I'm glad! :)

Love you!

Valentine's Day & Fire Alarms

Hello Family! :)                                                                                                      February 18, 2014

This week was a WEIRD one!  But, I blame it on being week six of the transfer, cause week six always seems to be a little off.  And I hope I remember some of the things we did seeing as I have a new planner, so I can't look through last week, cause it is at my apartment.   Anyway, things are going good!  Oh, and before I tell you about my week, I should tell you what is going on!  So, I get to stay in Laguna!!  I'm really excited about that! :)  And I will also be training!  So in just a few hours I'll go pick up my new companion who was in Utah this morning! :) So that should be really exciting, and a brand new adventure! :)  But, I will be sad to see Sister Morgan leave, she has been a great companion!  But, I’ll still get to see Sister Hedrick since we will still be living in the same apartment, but it will be nice to only be over just one ward again! :) Covering 2 has been CRAZY!

This week we went on a lot of splits, so me and Sister Morgan would stay together, and then Sister Hedrick would go with a member in her ward so that we could do things in both areas, we did that Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night!   So that was good and beneficial!   We were also able to see a less active lady this week that we haven't seen since me and Sister Morgan got to Laguna beach, so that was great! 

We also had our usual choir practice on Thursday, which by the way, was just kinda a weird day cause I cannot believe that I have been a missionary for a year!  That is just so crazy to me, it has in many ways gone by so fast, especially this past week, every morning I would wake up and be like, "wow, how is it already Wednesday? Or Friday or Sunday?”  The days are starting to fly!   Which is just crazy, but I am really excited that I'll get to train for the next 2 transfers, because I get to go back to the basics and just continue to become a better missionary!  I am really excited because when I trained before, I felt like I was the best missionary that I have been so far, and I really felt the Spirit a lot more, so those are just bonuses, even though it isn't always easy, there will be so much for me to learn! I am really excited about that! :) 

Let’s see, our Valentines Day was...really weird.  We did our weekly planning, and then I had a meeting, and while we were at the church, the fire alarm went off, which was super weird cause there was no one else in the building except for us, and so we all went outside, and after like 3 minutes the fire alarm stopped, but firemen still came, and asked us how we turned it off, but we hadn't touched it... so that was weird! And I guess we are just really good at setting the fire alarm off on the Holidays ;)   We had dinner with this really nice lady in our ward, and then we were supposed to give a treat to one of the young women in our ward, but couldn't find her house, and there were SO MANY people in Laguna Beach, it was crazy!  But no one wanted to talk to us (well, they were all on dates, so it is understandable, but it was no fun for us!)   So, at the end of the night we went home and well, I think there are just some days when, as a missionary you wish that there weren't holidays, so that people would be more receptive all the time, but that's ok. I'm glad that we still have holidays, and I'm glad that Valentines Day is over.   haha!

Lets see...I honestly really can't remember much of last week, which is sad, but we've just been trying to get Sister Morgan packed and still trying to help my brain be ready for the fact that I'm getting a brand new missionary!   In like 6 hours, so ya, I should keep prepping my brain for that! :) Well, it sounds like this week should be a fun one!  Good luck at the competition Kenna! I am sure you will do great! :)  

Haha, oh Ronnie, Ronnie is great, in fact she is trying to call me right now, but she won’t tell me why...but, we don't have much time at the library today, so will call her back soon, but yea, she is in Utah right now!  But, she is doing good! 

Also, we are still teaching Ethan and Giselle, and they are still super solid!!  Just trying to get permission from their dad, but yesterday we were at their house and Ethan was asking us questions about being a missionary, and talking about where he would like to go, and he is 12!  And not even baptized yet, but they are stellar! :)  I hope that they will be able to be baptized soon!!!

This week should be a good but interesting one for us.  Because over half of our ward is in Utah because they have the week off for "ski week" which is a pretty silly week to have off...plus they still get spring break in a few months, so that is just crazy, but we'll just be talking to lots and lots of people!  Should be really fun! :)  But, Laguna Beach is great!   I get to see the ocean everyday!  But the work here is really moving!   It is one of the highest baptizing areas in our mission!  So that is fun! Our Bishop is just on fire, and he is just so focused on missionary work, so that is great!  The members are really awesome, the youth are stellar!  A lot of our baptisms come from the youth, just because they are such good examples and really friendly with everyone at the high school!  So, the work here is really great, it has been slow the past few weeks for us because we haven't been able to put all of our focus towards it, since we've been covering two wards, so it will be good again when we can just focus on our ward and area! :)  

Miracles are going to happen!  I can just feel it! It will take a lot of hard work, but Good things are coming! :)  So, things are looking bright! :)   And I am really excited for this next transfer!   It will simply be great! :) 

I realized this week, once again, how blessed I am to have this gospel in my life, to have been born into it! :)   It is so great, and the greatest part is that it is Christ's original church!  And that it has been brought back, all because God loves us and wants us to return to Him! It is so great!  It is just such a blessing to have the gospel!   I love it!  It is so great!!!!! :)    So, keep living it, keep doing good things! And have a GREAT week!!!!

I love you!!!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

By the way, this is where Ronnie was when she was trying to call

One Year

Hello family!                                                                                     February 10, 2014

I hope that your week was a great one! :)  It sounds like it was busy, and normal, the life of a normal person, my week was pretty normal, if you are a missionary anyway!  haha, but it was pretty good!  And pretty interesting.

I've been thinking about being on a mission a lot this week, since, well, I can't even believe that I've been out for a year, that is really crazy to me, but I've just been thinking about my mission, and about what it has done for me, and why I still love being here.

Missions are hard, I know that a year ago, I really didn't know what to expect, or what was going to happen on my mission. I had no idea.    We were talking the other day, about how some people go to places of poverty, and they feel so blessed with what they have at home, and they are humbled by that experience.  Then at the same time, they are blessed with the opportunity to bring many souls unto Jesus Christ.  Here in the California Irvine mission, I feel like I've been humbled in a different way.    I feel like I've learned the importance of working hard, and never giving up, simply because, well, its hard here.   But, it is possible. Miracles happen every day here, and sometimes they aren't in the form of someone we teach getting dressed in white. But, they are the small things, like going to see a recent convert and being able to help his wife with a big project she has.   The miracle of a less active calling us and telling us that her husband wants to take the lessons.  It is a miracle when you go to a random sacrament meeting, and see someone who was in your first ward, and you are just able to talk, and feel not only their love and support, but also the Love that God has for each of us.

It doesn't matter where you serve a mission, because I know that you are called to where you need to be, where there will be people for you to teach, and learn from, but also, where you will learn and grow and be prepared for whatever life has to throw at you.   I know that this is where I am supposed to be, and for me, would I like to have more baptisms? Yes, why? So that I can help more people claim the blessings of this Gospel, but, at the end of the day, I do know that each day I did the most that I could in helping and inviting.  And if, if there are only a few whom I get to see enter the waters of baptism, that is enough, for how great shall be my joy? (D & C 18:15-16)  And that is the greatest blessing I could ever receive! But until then, I'll work hard and still try to baptize everyone :)

So this week has been pretty good, and also kinda weird.  It was also kinda like a roller coaster. We are still learning this new teaching method, and we have been practicing by teaching members, which overall has been a good experience!  We've shared quite a few spiritual experiences with members!   And others haven't had the same positive response, making us feel like crummy missionaries.  But, in those instances, it has helped me lean on Jesus Christ and His atonement more, because I need Him to carry me. I need Him to lift me, and guide me, and make up all that I lack, as I try my best. And it has been a testimony builder to me, as I have seen that happen, not only for me but also in my companionship!   I am so grateful that I am learning to rely more on the Savior, it is really a great thing, and I know it will help me throughout my life!

We had dinner with Ronnie and her family (which was Saturday and when you got the pictures), and that was really fun!  

We also taught the Wittkops with our Bishop.  And it was a powerful lesson, and the Spirit was strong.  And at the end Bishop got in their faces a little about how they should be baptized, but it was perfect, and now, we will just see if they act on the Spirit which they felt!

Ethan and Giselle are doing great still, we are still praying for their dad! We saw them at church yesterday, as well as the "great to be 8" activity last night for all those who are getting baptized this year!   We haven't seen them in a while cause their little sister has been really sick, but hopefully this week, so that should be good!  Keep them in your prayers!

And we are just trying to find more people to teach, but we do have a few potentials, so we have high hopes!   Also, transfers are next week, so that could be interesting! We will find out on Saturday what is happening, I think I'll stay in Laguna Beach, but, we will see! :)     Also, next week we probably won’t be able to email on Monday cause it is President’s Day, so expect emails on Tuesday, but be prepared for Monday in case that happens!!! :)

I hope you have a great week, fully of Charity (what? I'm a missionary, I only have this kind of love!!!)  And service!  Matt 25:40, try to serve someone before Valentine’s Day! 

Have a great week, work hard, dance hard, pray hard!  And of course, Smile!!! :)

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

P.S Happy Valentine’s Day!!

P.P.S.  How can I have been out a year!!!??? Crazy stuff!! Time to go kill it! :)

Focusing on Jesus Christ

Dear Family,                                                                                                                 February 3, 2014

It sounds like you had a fun and busy week, but it is good to hear that things are going well!! :) 

  

This week has been a good one for me!   Not too many crazy things happened, but it was a good week, and we are super pumped for this next week!  So that is a great thing!

So lets see...what did we do this week, now I need to remember... ;)  

On Tuesday I was on an exchange with Sister Oswald, and that was really great! We had quite a few teaching appointments, and I learned some great wisdom from a ward missionary, who said that if we can make just one person smile in a day, we have made the world a better place! Which I thought was pretty cool!! :)  So now, I’ll just try to make all of you smile! :D

I've recently been praying about how I can be a better STL, how I can help the sisters that I am over, because I've felt like I haven't been able to in many ways.  But as we were on our exchange, our dinner canceled, so we ate at home, and we were able to just talk, and I felt prompted to share a personal story which ended up being something that she needed to hear.  So I'm glad that I listened to the Spirit and shared something that I normally don’t, but that it was able to help this sister missionary and uplift me at the same time! It was a really great experience!

Wednesday we had district meeting, Sister Hedrick had quartet rehearsal and then we opened a widow kinda by the beach in Laguna, and Sister Hedrick played her violin and we talked to people who were walking by.  We did end up teaching a guy, Richard, but we don't have his phone number (oops…) and he didn't show up for his return appointment, but we were able to find 2 guys who aren't from here that really wanted to read the Book of Mormon, so it was still really great!  :)

Thursday was great! Simply because I was in a good mood! :)   We had choir, and then dinner, and then met some recent converts in the Marina Hills Ward, and we were just talking to them, and it was really cool to listen to this man’s story, of how the missionaries found them, and how the gospel has changed his life! It really helped me remember that even the small things we do as missionaries really does make a difference, and it really does help people, the service that I am doing! :)

Friday was good, we planned, had a meeting, had dinner, we saw Ronnie and watched Mormon Messages with her! (Origin is really, really great!)  And I can't remember what else we did! haha.

On Saturday we went to Irvine and had a brief meeting about how we can get more lessons, we are going to start teaching the lessons to members, in hopes of getting more referrals! But we will have a member of the ward scheduling our appointments with members, and well...it will be fun! There are just a few wards that are piloting this right now, so we will see how it goes, but we started yesterday and I just love teaching, no matter who it is, the Spirit is there!   It is great, and I love that I have the opportunity to be in so many homes and help them come unto Jesus Christ! :)

Then Saturday afternoon, we felt like we needed to go contacting on this trail, so we went to it, and there weren't very many people, and it WAS SO WINDY!!  We were laughing our heads off, just because of how windy it was...it reminded me of Pali lookout in Hawaii!  It was a blast though, and we met a guy who was pretty interested, but he was on a 20 mile run (who does that...)  so we weren't able  to teach him, so we'll see what comes of that! :)

Here is the ocean view from our windy walk

Yesterday was good but weird, we dropped of Sister Hedrick at her Relief Society president’s house in the morning and then me and Sister Morgan went to our meetings, and church was good, and then we taught a few members in the afternoon and evening! :) Which was fun, and then at 9 we got back with Sister Hedrick, who had been with ward members all day who were being her companions, so it was interesting, and it will be nice when we are only over one ward :)  

But, things are pretty good. We fasted for rain yesterday (along with all of Southern Orange County), and it poured last night. But it is sunny again today, so we will see what happens! :)   I wouldn't mind rain, though I do need to get a rain coat…or an umbrella, or I’ll just be wet ;)  haha.   Our teaching pool isn't very big right now, so we are searching for those precious souls who are searching for the truth!  We hope we find them soon! :)   

But things are good.  And this week, I've really been thinking about how much we need the Atonement, and how because of what Jesus Christ did, it covers EVERYTHING!   As we turn to him, we will be lifted, we will be released from the things that bind us, we will be free!  We will be happy!  We will be full of the love of God, and we will want to share this gift with EVERYONE that we meet!   And that is why I am here, that is why I'm on a mission.  Because the Atonement changed me, and I HAD to give that opportunity to more people.   And there are rough days, missions are not easy, but they are worth it. Because salvation is worth it, but it is hard, because salvation isn't cheap.  But it is possible.  :)  And I love that everyday I get to go out and testify of Jesus Christ, because he is the CENTER of all we talk about.  He is the only way we can return to our Father in Heaven, and as missionaries, and as members we have this gift, and we have the ability to share it with this world that needs a Savior. So this week, I’m going to open my mouth more, I'll testify more.   I'll pray more sincerely, I'll study harder, and work as hard as I can, so that someday, I will be able to look back on my life and know that I did all I could, that I held nothing back as I represented Jesus Christ, because He never held the truth back, so why should we?

Well, that was kinda deep... but just the thoughts that have been running through my head!   But, I hope that you all have an amazing week, and I hope that you turn to Jesus Christ and let Him carry you!   (Matt 11:28-30)  

I love you all!   And know that you are in my prayers!!! :)

Love,   

Sister Taylor Burningham

Sitting in a cupboard at the Christensen's house

Ronnie's baptism