Parades and Trolley Rides

Hello!                                                                                                   July 7, 2014

And happy 4th of July last week!  It sounds like it was a fun busy day, just like it normally is! :) So that is marvelous!  I'm glad it was good day, and that everyone is happy and doing well!!

This week was a little different, as most are when there is a holiday, those weeks always seem to be our slowest weeks, but it was still a good one.  We had quite a few opportunities to give service, and well, the rest...I'm trying to remember what all we did.

On Tuesday night we did help the elders teach English class (we have a free class for Chinese people to come and learn English!) So that was pretty fun!

Wednesday I had STL council, to talk about how we can help our mission and the sisters in our mission.  I talked to President Orgill after, just because I had some concerns about going home, and I just wanted to be able to focus and work hard for the last few weeks of my mission, and I was able to get a blessing from him.  I am so grateful that he is my mission president, he really has changed my life, and I am so grateful not only for him, but also for the priesthood, what a miracle and blessing it is that we have it on the earth today!  As a missionary I've really developed a greater appreciation for it and a deep love for it as well!  :) And Wednesday was one of those days!  :)  So that was a great part of my week! 

Thursday we had a great district meeting, that really just pumped me up.  Or maybe it's just cause I'm nearly finished that I'm all fired up and ready to go teach and baptize the world!  But we taught Mike right after district meeting, and I invited him to be baptized (which for a good part of my mission that always made me nervous, cause I would say, “what are they going to think or say?”)  But,  that is our purpose as missionaries, to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, BAPTISM, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.  So I was like, “ok gonna just invite everyone to be baptized.”  So we did.  And he said no, cause he "was already baptized."  So we'll be talking about the priesthood soon to help him understand why it is so important (his salvation!!)  So that was kinda sad, but I left knowing that I was and am doing what I am supposed to as a missionary, but I can't control the agency of others, which is hard, cause I know how much the gospel will bless the lives of those I come in contact with everyday!  But, its ok, I'm still inviting, and always giving the option! :)

Friday was good.  I did wake up homesick, and I was like... man, today will be long... but then I got up, got ready, and went out!  We went to Woodbridge 2nd Ward’s breakfast in the morning! And it wasn't the same as ours at home, but it did feel familiar, being with people who I've been able to grow close with.  So it was fun to see everyone, and a lot of people were like "you're almost done aren’t you?"  They remember well, but I mean, I was in their ward a year ago, so it was awhile ago.  But it was fun to talk to them! :) I also got to see Trinity and Mackey! They are doing well, and it was good to see them there!  The Woodbridge community in Irvine has a mini parade where kids can ride bikes or scooters and parents and kids can walk.  So we walked in the parade with one of the families from my old ward.  It was really fun! :) 

We had a lesson with Sister Pan (cause she is Chinese and didn't celebrate the 4th).  And that I think went well. It was in Chinese, and I was so tired that I almost fell asleep! (AHH)  But then we went to our mission conference after, and that was so great!  We took pictures, had food, played “minute to win it” games (which... when you are wear a suit or a skirt make things just more funny).  So that was fun, and a good way to get everyone involved.  And then we got to see a slideshow of pictures of all the baptisms that have happened in the past year! So that was really great to see!  Then, as a mission we watched Son of God.  I'm still not sure how I feel about that movie.  It was weird to see Hollywood’s take on the Savior’s life.  But it did help me think more about what our Savior did for each of us, and I am so, so, so grateful for His sacrifice that makes everything possible!!

Then I went on an Exchange, to Laguna, but not with Sister Hurst, I went with her companion Sister Harrison, and it was so fun.  We had the greatest time on Saturday!  We were able to talk a lot, and talk to a lot of people!  It was super, super great!  Also, in Laguna, they have these Trolleys that go from one side of town to the other (since in the summer traffic and parking are TERRIBLE).  So we decided to try it out and we were able to talk to a lot of people! :) So that was great!  I also got to see a few families in the ward.  I really don't know what it is about Laguna, but I just feel such a strong pull to be there.  I haven't felt this way about any other area, I’m just grateful that I got to spend the longest time in that ward!  It is a special place, and I'll probably go back one more time, one more exchange there before this transfer is through.

Yesterday was good, but also a little bit weird.  I've been thinking a lot this week, just about the things I've learned as a missionary (I feel like I talk about this every week, but everyday I realize more and more that I learned).  But one thing that I was thinking about yesterday, and I actually shared my testimony about it, is how much one person can make a difference.  The little things really can turn into big things, just as we are ourselves and as we turn to the Savior.  I mentioned also the Savior, and how He was just one person, but because of what He did, He changed not only the world, but eternity.  And true, we may not have that big of an impact, but everything we do can make an impact on someone.  As a missionary, no effort is wasted.  Everything is worth it.  We can touch lives as we live the gospel, and as we strive to follow the Savior’s example.  And that is something that is a big part of my mission. My mission has not been easy.  And Sister Orgill said something to me at the mission Conference that was just perfect.  Some of the elders and sisters were singing a song in another language, and it was so great, but Sister Orgill just leaned over and whispered to me, "I am sure that there are days that you just want your mission to be over, because it is so hard.  But then there are other moments like this, where you never want it to end." And it is so true.  Because there are so many hard days, and sometimes I have wanted my mission to be done, cause real life seemed so much easier than what I felt like was happening to me.  But then, those moments, where you are just filled with the Spirit, because of the things that are happening, the things that you are learning, you don't want it to end.  So she really did describe it perfectly. :)  I love being a missionary. I love that there is so much that I get to do, so many people I get to meet, and that I get to share the message of our savior Jesus Christ every single day! :) I love it so much!  It is the best thing.  I love it :) 

So, this week was a good one, and this next week, I am excited for! Exchanges, MLC and just being a missionary!

I hope you have a great week!!

Happy Birthday McKenna!!!!

I love you!! :)

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

Girl's Camp

Hello Family!!! :)                                                                                                               June 30, 2014

It sounds like your week was pretty great!  And learning to play tennis? That sounds fun!  :) haha.  Every week we have an activity with the Yale ward and we play badminton, and I am so terrible at that as well.  There is a reason that I do not play sports, but that’s ok we still have a good time! :)

So this week was A MILLION TIMES BETTER than the past week.  We weren't sick anymore (thank goodness) and we talked to a lot of people, and saw a lot of miracles.

Monday night was great.  We stopped by this referral, but they weren't interested, and so I asked them for a referral, and they referred us to their neighbor, and she is really sweet, hopefully we will be able to go over and share a message with her this week! :)

Tuesday was transfers! So that was exciting.  But also really, really crazy.  So many missionaries that I know really well went home last week, including Sister Kimball.  It was really weird to see them go.  And even weirder to think that that will be me in such a short amount of time.  There was this one elder who goes home the same time I do that was like, "are you trunky yet?"  I don't know if I'd be considered trunky... I'm too focused still, but I am tired, but we still go out and work hard cause there are things to do, but like I said last week in my email, I am excited to come home, but I'm also excited for the remaining days that I have left! :) So that is super great! :)  But it was pretty funny, and weird, and I just decided that elders are pretty weird, especially when they are about to go home.  anyway, that's my story about me being trunky apparently. :)

Sister Lin is so great.  She is from Taiwan (is that how you spell that?)  Anyway, she is super quiet, but she is a powerful teacher!  So far our trio is great!  We've been spending time in both the Chinese and the English ward.  As our main purpose this transfer is to get Sister Lin and Sister Chua ready to handle the Chinese ward on their own!  So that is exciting!  And they will probably be taken out of Oak creek as well, but we'll see in a few weeks.

So anyway, like I said, this week was pretty good!  We got to see a lot of members this week, and we got to do service for Diana again, and she is just so great!  And there are a lot of miracles and potentials that happen every single day!  We were able to talk to a lot of people this week, and well, honestly right now my whole week is kind of a blur, but I just know that it was a really great week!

Oh, I just remembered, we also had Zone Conference this week.  And that was so great!  They talked a lot about lifting the faith and how we can listen better to the Spirit.  And President Orgill talked a little again about how we can invite the forces of light into our lives, and continue to do the things that God would have us be doing! :)  So that was great, and it was a really powerful spiritual day!  So that was lovely! :)

Lets see, oh, on Saturday there was a baptism in the Woodbridge 2nd ward of a man that the elders have been working with for about 2 years! So that was great!  And then, about 30 minutes before that, the elders called us and told us that the lady that was supposed to speak had just had mouth surgery, and so she needed someone to read her talk.  So at Ruben’s baptism, I read her talk!  It was fun, and a little weird to be reading someone else’s words, but it turned out well!  And the baptism was so great! :)  So that was Saturday.

Sunday was great!  So, first, our zone had a goal of talking to 6000 people in the month of June, and on Friday they told us where we were at, and I can't remember the number, but we asked roughly how many each companion needed during the week to reach the goal of 6000.  They were like, "well 105, but for you sisters, 275 (cause we contact like crazy)."  And at that point we were at about 60 and we were like, “challenge accepted.”  And we did it.  We ended up talking to 316 people, and it was so great!  Even though most of those people rejected us.  There is something powerful that happens as you open your mouth and share what we hold so dear. The spirit is great, and it is so fun!  And last night as we were walking around, it hit me, again, that I won’t get to do that forever, exactly the way that we do it now, but that just made me more anxious to talk to as many people as we can!  And so that is what we will do! :)

This morning we got to start our day off early with some service.  The young women have girl’s camp this week and their theme is "The Amazing Race," and so their first part of their "race" was at our stake center, and they had to count the pictures of Christ, and so our job was to help direct them in anyway so that they could get to the next "leg" of the race.  It was super fun, and just as we were being there, I was just thinking about my experiences at girl’s camp.  Those weeks were some of the best of my life, and some of the most spiritual moments that I've had.  I am so grateful for the opportunities that I've had in my life to have those experiences, and the ones that I've had as a missionary that strengthen my testimony every single day! They are so great!  :)  Also, I got to see Trinity, I'm so glad that she is able to go to girl’s camp, I'm sure her testimony will be strengthened even more as she enjoys this week, and I bet it will help her get one step closer to being baptized!! :) 

Anyway, so that was my week, I know not a whole lot of detail about people, but just know that good things are happening, and there are a lot of potentials that I am excited to work with! :)  This week should be good.  I will say that the 4th of July was and will be the hardest holiday for me as a missionary, just because of all the things that we do as a family!  But, we will be having a big mission conference that will be most of the day to celebrate our mission being a year old! So that is good! And I am looking forward to that!  J  So it should be a great week!!!

So today, I'm just tired, but happy and well and good! The gospel is true! It truly brings us the most joy that we could ever experience! I love it! :)  And I love being a missionary! I hope you have a great week!!!  I love you!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

Adding Sister Lin to our companionship at transfer meeting

The Mandarin Ward Sisters

The Things I've Learned

Hello family,                                                                                                       June 23, 2014

Glad to hear that our kitchen looks normal again!  That is great news! :)  Haha, glad that things are going well for you all as well!!!  For me, this week was so bizarre. So weird.  And it was hard.  And I was sick! So that didn’t help any.  So lets see....

Tuesday was great, we got to do service, and we talked to a lot of people, and we were both happy and all was great.

Wednesday was rough. I don’t know what happened to me, but I woke up and I just felt overwhelmed and upset and sad and all sorts of emotions and in companion study I broke down, and Sister Chua just told me that everything was going to be all right.  :) And it was.  Sister Hurst called me, and I broke down again (I think it was a little bit of me freaking out about how I don't have much time left as a missionary), so we ended up doing exchanges and so that is why I went to Laguna Beach.  Don't get me wrong, I love Irvine, but I needed to see the ocean, I needed something different, so I was feeling pretty selfish. So that is why we did the exchange.  It was good to be back again, good to be remembered and just feel loved by those who I care so much about. So we did see Ronnie, and randomly there were some goats by her house, and that is why you got videos and pictures from Ronnie of me feeding goats.  You're right mom, never a dull moment as a missionary, that is for sure!!  Also, super awkward, but when we went to see Ronnie, there were some youth at the park by her house, and one of the young women came running over and gave me a hug, and then, a guy who got baptized last summer, I think, came running up to us as well and was like "my turn."  I stuck out my hand and was like "no way, can't hug me, not gonna happen."  But he ignored me and hugged me and Sister Hurst.  Awkward.  He was also wearing a swimsuit, so no shirt.  Super awkward.  Then we fed goats.  Life is crazy and weird as a missionary, but it sure makes for good stories ;)  haha.

Thursday was a lot better.  We had district meeting, and then we got to teach Mike.  Mike is so great! He was a former, but he wants to meet with us again, we still aren’t sure how much potential he has to being baptized yet, but we will be seeing him every Thursday.  Then we went to choir, late, and I just decided, well I'd actually been thinking about it for a little while now, but I’m not going to do choir my last transfer, I just want to go out and be a normal missionary (as normal as you can be haha...) and find, teach, baptize and see many miracles.  So we went there, then after dinner I felt so awful.  We went home and we texted the elders and I got a blessing.  And I've been trying to figure out why I've been sick.  Cause I keep getting sick.  And I feel like God has wanted me to rest, but also, one thing that was said in the blessing was, "take time to reflect on the things that you've learned on your mission."  And so, I've been able to do that, since being sick is SUPER boring as a missionary!!  But I'll get to that, and my thoughts on that in a minute.

Friday I felt all right and our choir was recording our songs to make a CD, which took ALL DAY.  Super long.  And I only made it through 2 songs and then I sat out the rest of the time, and I was like, "why am I even here today??"  Still don’t know the answer to that one, but that was Friday.

Saturday was CRAZY.  We went to the new trainers meeting (cause Sister Chua and I are both co-training, finishing training Sister Lin, the other Chinese sister, to get them ready to be in the Yale ward by themselves next transfer).  So that meeting was GREAT!!!!! I just felt the spirit so strongly and it was just a great meeting.  Then, we did a mini exchange, and Sister Larson came with me to San Clemente cause Ed got baptized!  :) So that was great.  What wasn't great was that traffic on the freeways was AWFUL and we walked in during the musical number, literally minutes before Ed was baptized.  Crazy, but at least we got to see that.  :)  Then the rest of the day was a blur...and I was frustrated and sick and tired, but eventually we did get home and got transfer calls, and both Sister Chua and I are staying, but we will be going to transfer meeting tomorrow cause we'll be getting sister Lin :)  So that will be great!

Yesterday was a miracle.  I love the sacrament.  I love being companions with sister Chua.  I love the experiences that God lets us experience while we are here on earth. 

Yesterday Lynda was baptized.  It was a very powerful and spiritual baptism.  She has just changed so much from when we met her 2 months ago, and that really is one thing that I've learned as a missionary, that the gospel changes people.  It has changed me, and it changed Lynda.  So that was one of the sweet experiences that I was able to see this week, and what a blessing that was.

So this week has been an interesting one.  My emotions have been all over the place and I really have no idea why.  But since I've been sick I've been able to think a lot about the things I've learned and the things I've experienced.  And I'm not going to share all of them with you today, cause there are still things to learn, and still time to have even more experiences!  But I think one of the greatest things that I've learned this week especially is that God is in the details of our lives.  He has a plan for each of us, and we do not know what that plan is all the time, but as we trust Him, he does lead us along.  And I guess going along with that I've learned that this is God's work, He is the master of the harvest, He wants even more badly than we do for His children to return to Him.  Some take more time than others, and others are ready to be baptized right away.  I feel so blessed to be serving as a missionary, and to take part in this great work! It really is so amazing, I love it!  And you are right dad, sometimes we are laying the foundation for future missionaries, and that is a miracle just as much as a baptism is.  I love this work, I love sharing the gospel everyday, and I plan to continue to share it always.  I love the gospel, and I just love life.

I was able to have a conversation this week with Sister Putnam, it was on Friday, when I was feeling really crummy at choir and so was she.  Her current companion is about to go home (like 2 days) and she was just like, "Sister Burningham, it is OK to be excited about going home, just keep working hard, and doing your best everyday."  That is what the Lord wants, that is what He asks, to do our very best.  So I won’t lie and tell you that I'm not excited about coming home in a few weeks.  But, what I am more excited for right now is too just live in the now, to work hard, to talk to everyone that I can, just like I have been for the past well, long time.  haha.  But I am just gonna go out and work, and love the people and love God, because that is really all I can do.  Miracles come, blessings come, and we just keep doing what is right, and we will see God's hand in our lives. :)  And that is a great miracle!!!

So I hope that you all have a great week! I am looking forward to the new adventures that comes as we'll be in a trio, and getting used to that!  But it will be great! :)

I Love you!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

God Answers Prayers

Hey Family,                                                                                                                 June 16, 2014

Sounds like you've had a fun week, especially as you've been in DC, mom and dad, so that is pretty great! :)  Glad this week was good!  Our week was kinda crazy, but fun!

Tuesday started early with a district temple trip, and then district meeting, then choir and choir photos (we are making/recording a CD this week, so that should be fun!)  Lets see, then we were late to dinner cause of choir, and I think we just went contacting after that, I really can't remember.

Wednesday we did something called 24’s.  So half our mission met for what was like a mini transfer meeting.  We already knew who was staying and who was going.  I stayed in my area, and Sis Chua went to another area.  Basically what 24’s are is a big exchange with a ton of people going on exchanges, so that was really fun!  I was with Sister Flora and Sister Lin. Sister Lin is the other Chinese sister and she and Sister Chua will be companions for most of their missions in the Yale Ward! :) So that is cool!  And it was fun to get to know both of them!  There were many tender mercies that we saw that day (like people being home that normally weren't), so that was great! We also had dinner at this restaurant called Boiling Point, where it is all soup, and the soup cooks as you eat it. Super different, and I have NO clue what I ate...I love Chinese food, always full of surprises, but that was fun!!

Thursday we all met back up and had a mini testimony meeting of the miracles we had all seen on our exchanges, so that was great!  And then it was just nice to be back in our normal companionships. That afternoon we got to go and do some service for a less active in our ward, and help her organize her house!  So that was fun, and really made us think in a way that we aren't really used to as missionaries!  But that was fun!  Thursday night we also got blessings from our Bishop in the Oak Creek Ward!  And that was great!  And really uplifting!  One thing that really stuck out to me in my blessing was this, "Let the Lord do the heavy lifting, put one foot in front of the other and open your mouth."  And as I do that then we will find those that are prepared to hear the gospel!  :) So that was a great blessing!  And we were both very, very pumped about life and what we can do in this area!

Friday was weekly planning, and we planned for this week, and that was great, we also taught Sister Pan, she is doing well!  So that is great!  She hasn't been to church yet, but we are working on that one!  Friday night we also stopped by a former investigator and he was really happy to see us, telling us that he had been thinking about us that morning, wondering when we would come back to see him again.  Miracle!!!  :) He also set up his own return appointment, so that is great! We'll get to see him this Thursday, so that is marvelous!!  :)  Also, this is just one way that God really is aware of each of us.  We were about to go visit a less active, and Sister Chua got really, really bad loud hiccups.  And they were making both of us laugh!  Finally we calmed down enough to pray, and then as I was praying, she hiccupped again, making me laugh, but I kept trying to pray, and prayed that her hiccups would stop.  When we were done praying, we looked at each other, and her hiccups were gone!  It was really funny, but also just shows that God is aware of EVERYTHING that we go through.  Now, I know that sometimes I get frustrated with answers or solutions not coming as quickly as that, but answers do come, because God is our Father and He wants us to have the answers and the things that we ask for, as it is in line with His will for us.  But anyway, God does answer our prayers!!!

So Saturday, I woke up with a massive headache, and not feeling too great.  I tried hard in personal study to read from the Book of Mormon and study for our day.  But I just couldn't handle it, so I told Sister Chua, “I'm gonna go sleep.”  She said “ok,” and then I ended up sleeping for 2 hours.  And then eating some food, and sleeping a little bit more.  By this time I discovered that Sister Chua also did not feel well at all.  But we had a lesson with Sister Pan, so we went to that, but we both felt so terrible, and I was just praying the whole time that God would help us.  And He did. Then we had a District Blitz, all of our district went to an area, and went to a few different areas to contact to help find new investigators!!!  Sister Chua and I ended up teaching the restoration to a group of about 7 people, but they were at the park as a youth activity for their church, but it was still really cool to see.  After that we went home and slept some more.

Yesterday was Father’s Day, and that was great.  But we both still felt so miserable.  We went to Oak Creek sacrament, and after one of the elders was like, "you sisters look like you are gonna die."  Well we felt that way too.  But we were determined to go to Yale's sacrament meeting too, so we headed over there, where the elders in that ward told us the same thing, and asked if we wanted blessings.  We agreed.  And both of our blessings were so similar (at least, that is what Sister Chua said, I couldn't understand hers cause they said it in Chinese). But basically, it said,  “God knows that you are being diligent, and that you are working hard, but today He needs you to rest.”  And I was like, “umm no, I have 7 weeks left, I can rest in 7 weeks,” but God had some other plans for us.  So we went home and spent the day inside.  So that was fun.  haha.  But I did go through my stuff and de-junk a bit, so that was nice!  haha.  Also, Lynda was supposed to get baptized yesterday, but she got sick, not really sure what happened, I just know she had to go to the ER (yikes!)  So she's in our prayers, and her baptism has been postponed.  So that was yesterday.

So today, we feel a little better, but we'll just be taking it easy, and I think I'll go take a nap after we go shopping.  So that will be great! :)

So, that’s me!  Looking forward to another great week filled with many miracles, cause there are so many every single day!!!

I love you all!

Have a good week!!!

Love,

Sister Taylor Burningham

Mission Choir at the Newport Temple

Mission Choir