Dear Mom and you,
I decided this week that one of my
favorite things about being a missionary is all the service opportunities we
have! Whenever we meet people, even if they don't want to know anything about
the church or talk about religion, we ask them if there is anything we can help
them with (such as carrying things, yardwork, etc). We found a really kind
elderly woman who lives next to someone we teach, and it turns out that she
needed some help with her garden. On Saturday we went over to her house (in
shorts and t-shirts!) and spent a few hours pulling weeds and getting all the
leaves out of her flowerbeds. Most of the flowers she had were Irises, shout
out to Grandma Mortenson! It was really fun and afterward she seemed much more
open to talking to us. Most people are like that, in that they open up more
when they see us in normal clothes and can see that we really are just normal
people who want to help in any way we can. After finishing in the garden, we
went into the house and shared the Easter video with her and talked more about
Jesus Christ. She grew up Lutheran and now belongs to the Presbyterian (sp?)
Church, and she has gone to church regularly for 83 years. What a record! We
talked about how many of the churches have similar beliefs, and it was amazing
to me to see how much faith and diligence she has, and I appreciate her
example. She's a very sweet lady and we're planning on still visiting her to
see if there is anything else she needs help with.
Another service I often have the
opportunity to do that I had never really thought about before is helping with
homework. Who knew understanding Geometry would come in handy as a missionary?
And Earth Science? I actually don't remember much about earthquakes and Earth
Science that well, but I help her find the answers in her textbook and help her
see the connections. I don't feel like I'm doing much by just reading her book
with her and helping her find stuff, but then I remember that's not really why
I'm there. I just want her to know that she is important and that we care about
her, even when we're not at the church. I know I've said if before, but God really
is in the details of our lives and He cares even about the little things!
I noticed another random thing about
myself that I never really thought would help me be able to relate to other
people, and that's my love of the DI and thrift stores! Yesterday we saw a
woman who had given us a drink on a hot day a few weeks ago, so we pulled over
to talk to her again. She was unloading her car and showing us all these great
bargains she had just found at a yard sale and the thrift store and explaining
the projects she's planning with them, and we helped her unload them. We talked
with her for awhile and made plans to come back this week and help her organize
her garage and do more yardwork! More service!
I really love all of these service
opportunities we have, and it makes me think of a that quote that says
"Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words." Jesus
Christ spent His life in the service of others and led by example, and He has
told us that we are serving Him when we are serving others. I know that I need
to improve my teaching skills and learn how to teach the Gospel simply so that
I will be prepared when the time does come to teach with words, but I am
grateful that I can still teach in the meantime even when I don't know what to say.
I am very grateful for all of you
and your examples to me! Thank you for everything, and I still hope everything
is going well!
Lots of love,
Hermana Burton
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