More miracles!

Dear Mom and remarkable people,

Well, it's been another week! It was kind of crazy because we had an All-Mission Conference on Wednesday down in Santa Rosa so we could say goodbye to President and Sister Alba one last time, and they will be on their way home today. President and Sister Wright are already here in the mission, and we will get to meet them on Saturday. I learned so much from President and Sister Alba, and I know that I am going to learn so much from the Wrights as well. 

I hope you all enjoyed hearing about all the miracles last week, because I have another one in particular that I want to share! We had a lesson on Saturday with our investigator who will be baptized next year, and he is one of the coolest people in the entire world. A little bit of background before I go on: we showed up for a lesson with him once and he came out with a bottle of coke for each of us (I don't normally drink a lot of pop, but we generally accept whatever people offer us, except for drugs of course). Since that time, he always has some kind of drink or little treat for us when we come over. On Saturday, we were running a bit late because we had to turn around and go back home to pick up the Conference talk that we wanted him to read, so we decided to take him some cookies I made that day and a bottle of cold water to make up for us being late. When we got there, he said "Oh is that water for me? I have some water for you too!" And sure enough, he had bought an entire case of water for us. We got closer to the trailer and something smelled really good, and we discovered that he was also grilling hamburgers and Italian sausage for us in a little dutch oven on the ground (he knows I lived in Italy for a year and he said that I probably like Italian sausage because they eat so much of it over there). Then he goes in the trailer and comes out with ice cream bars and tells us to pick one. It was so funny because he said that while he was getting everything at the store, he really wanted cookies but he decided not to go down that aisle. Then when he got home, he was really hot and thirsty and wanted something cold. Then we showed up with the cookies and cold water! We had an amazing lesson with him about the story of Enos and the power of prayer, and he told us that he always feels so light when he meets with us and that all of his prayers are being answered. After the lesson, he went in the trailer and came out with a bag of bananas and peaches and yogurt for us to make smoothies with because says he remembers us saying how much we love smoothies once. Even if I just stopped right there, the story is pretty remarkable but what's makes it truly miraculous is that I only have $5.08 in my bank account for this month (I'm still catching up from that one time my companion and I got scammed into $40 haircuts, but that's a different story). Each week my companion and I buy a case of water (because the water isn't clean that comes out of the tap) and I would only have had enough money to buy the water this week because it's my turn and I figured I would just eat oatmeal for a week. And then we discover that our investigator bought it for us and even got us smoothie-fixin's to top it off. Tender mercies, my friends! It was an answer to a prayer that I didn't even say, yet Heavenly Father is still watching out for us.  I know He is watching out for you too. 

Happy Fourth of July to everyone this Saturday! I hope everyone is happy and doing well!

Hermana Burton

PS- So this same investigator just barely texted us (we are going to have a lesson with him tonight) and he said "for after study I bought Kentucky Fried Chicken family dinner if y'all hungry" so we texted back and said "You have got to stop spoiling us! We're getting fat!" and his reply was "Thats ok God has someone for y'all who dont mind" Haha always trying to lift our spirits! On a more serious note, it is really amazing to hear him when he prays while we are there. He is so sincere and honest with Heavenly Father, and I remember one time when he thanked Him for sending us over there and said that we really are making a difference in people's lives. And of course this happened on a day when I was a little discouraged and wondered if my being here was even helping any body at all. Heavenly Father does answer our prayers, even through the prayer of other people.

Coincidence? I think not! (Monday, June 22, 2015)

Dear Mom and many other marvelous people,

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?" Moroni 7:27. The answer is a resounding NO! Miracles have not ceased! 

Yesterday was a day overflowing with miracles. To name a few: we met a young man standing by the door of the church yesterday, and it turns out that he is a member of the church but has not come in five years. No one even knew about him because his records were never transferred here. And guess what! He is Hispanic! Let me fill you in on the background. To show our faith in our calling as Spanish missionaries and that there is a reason that we are here in Willits, Hermana Akre and I set a goal to speak to each other only in Spanish this week. We set this goal last Friday, but planned on starting it today. And yesterday, before we even started our goal, we found someone to teach in Spanish! And he has Hispanic friends he wants us to visit! I am amazed. After only setting the goal, Heavenly Father is already opening the windows of heaven for us. I can't wait to see what more comes of it this week from actually following our goal.

Another miracle: our lesson in Relief Society was an answer to my prayers and questions. For those of you who don't know, the lessons are assigned even up to a month in advance.

Another miracle: We found a way to get in touch with our missing investigator's boss, who will see him this week. We left him our phone number and received the assurance that he will pass it on to "Waldo." We know he is still alive and well and that he will have a way to get in contact with us soon.

Another miracle: We set a date with another investigator who cannot be baptized until November of 2016 due to parole. He agreed to prepare to be baptized the week after his parole is up. When we invited him to pray and tell Heavenly Father about his plans to be baptized and to be accountable to Heavenly Father for it, he said the closing prayer and said on the spot: "Heavenly Father, I am going to be baptized on November 5, 2016. I know it will be a fresh start." 

Another miracle: One of the less-active members of the church here that we have been visiting sent us a text message yesterday and asked when we could come over this week. He has never really cared about us coming over and seems to "put up" with our visits, but he has been ignoring messages and phone calls and acting very apathetic towards everything and the church. And out of the blue (we didn't even see him last week), he texts us and says he wants to meet with us. 

Miracles have not ceased among the children of men! As a wise and very persecuted prophet once said, "God Almighty is my shield; and what can man do if God is my friend?" 

He is your friend. He is your Father. Happy Father's Day to all of the wonderful fathers in the world! I personally have been beyond blessed to have the father that I do. Thank you for everything, Dad! 

Lots of love,

Hermanita Burton

Where's Waldo? (Monday, June 15, 2015)

Dear Mom, etc,

I don't even know where to start! Actually I don't even think I remember anything that has happened in the past week, it was such a blur! My new companion is Hermana Akre and she is originally from Canada but her family moved around a lot so she has lived in six other states as well. She was in Canada the longest though, so that's what she claims as home. I love her so much! We have worked so hard and laughed so much in the past week. Every night we come home and it feels like the events of the morning happened a month ago and not a few hours ago. One blessing I have been given is to work with companions who are "old" (according to the other 19 year-old missionaries) and they teach me so much. Hermana Hamblin was almost 24 and Hermana Akre is 22, and I love their wisdom and maturity. I know that the age requirement was changed for a reason and that it is all in Heavenly Father's plan, but I must say that working with the two of them is helping me become a better 19 year-old missionary. 

So, on a fun side note, our investigator disappeared...  (sorry, but his name isn't Waldo) He was going to be baptized on June 27th and I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen (we know have no clue where he is), but oddly enough I'm not worried about it. He is one of the most amazing people I have ever met and he motivates me to be a better person. Examples: he walks miles to get to the church in the unbearable heat carrying a large print copy of a triple combination (if you've never seen one, they're gigantic) and even stays to sing with the ward choir. All the years growing up when I complained about church lasting for three hours, and now he has only been coming for a few weeks and he is always happy and cheerful and stays for four hours! Not even the ward members here are willing to do that. And he always arranges his schedule to make sure he can meet with us. When one of his friends starting sitting in on the discussions, he bore his testimony about the Book of Mormon and how things are changing in his life once he started making an effort to recognize God in his life, and even his friend started talking about the changes he has seen in him already since he started meeting with us. We went over to the trailer park where he lives to see if he had come back yet, and we met with some of his friends and neighbors who we started teaching and they told us about how he keeps telling them about us and the church and how he is committed to joining and making changes in his life. And such humility! He is a single man in his 50s with no connections really with his family, and he is turning everything around. He taught himself how to read in his 20s and has been devouring literature ever since. He is now going back to college and devoting himself to church and activity attendance. So yes, we have no idea where he is at this moment, but no, I'm not worried about him. We will see him again, and I can't wait! He truly helps me improve and realize how much I have been given. 

We also had the opportunity to do a lot of service this week, which was so fun! We went to the Senior Center and painted nails for the elderly women there, and I couldn't believe how happy they were and grateful for such a simple service. They have taught me a lot too.

Well, that's all for now! I hope everything is going well with everyone!

Hermana Burton

Willits still going to be fun! (Monday, June 8, 2015)

Dear Mom, etc,

Well, here we are at the end of another transfer! No surprises really, we knew that Hermana Hamblin would be leaving (she has been here in Willits for sixth months) and she'll be finishing out her mission in San Rafael. I'm going to miss her bunches, she has really taught me a lot. I'll be staying here in Willits again and "leading out the area" as they call it. One side of me is a little stressed because it's a big responsibility, but on the other hand I'm not too worried. Everything will work out. I recently rediscovered 3 Nephi 13:27- "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" Just like you can't be taller just because you think you should be, it doesn't help to worry and fret about the situation. I'm going to work hard and do what I know how to do, because that's really all I can do. Heavenly Father's children here are in His perfect hands, luckily not mine, and He will take care of them. Even though I will really miss Hermana Hamblin, I am looking forward to another adventure.

Speaking of adventures, this has been a pretty crazy week too (no surprises there either). I think one of the weirdest things was the crazy lady who was harassing us and following us as she was yelling at us at the top of her lungs and trying to "run us out of town." The saddest part is that we could smell the drugs so strongly. They consequences of it are so drastically obvious and they can truly damage you, yet there are people everywhere who are so tangled up and weaved into it that they can't see that there is an escape route. There is a reason why sin is so often referred to in the scriptures as a chain, and the Gospel is called freedom. Heavenly Father's commandments are not intended to lock us up and restrict us, but to keep us free. 

Another random thing we did this week was work with some people from the MTC and from Salt Lake who wanted to observe our studies and work, and then to discuss some new pamphlets with us that the Church wants to introduce. God really is hastening the work and putting so many useful tools in our hands that will help us bring His children safely back to Him. 

Well, here's to another six weeks here in Willits! Always an adventure! Thank you all for the love and support, I hope everything is going well!

Hermana Burton

:( -----> :) (Monday, June 01, 2015)

Dear Mom and _______,

Have you ever had one of those days where you are so happy and just can't stop grinning? It's kind of like Barbie at the end of that Toy Story Movie: "Goodbye! Goodbye now! Goodbye folks! Oww, my cheeks hurt!" That's kind of how I felt yesterday. This week was very crazy and stressful, and pretty rough right up until about 7:30 on Saturday night. But then we went to the church for April and Pepper's baptism and I couldn't have been happier! Now I understand why missionaries get so excited about that. It's not because it's just another number and it's definitely not a measure of success, but the joy that comes from watching someone change their life and enter into a covenant with their Heavenly Father is indescribable. It's a journey that we have come on together, and as I have watched them grow and learn, I have grown and learned as well. So many people talk about the reasoning behind mission calls and about how "there are people in that place who only you can help." But I'm convinced it's the other way around. They didn't need me. I needed them. Even though I was called as a Spanish missionary and I still haven't taught a single lesson in Spanish over these past five weeks, my time in Willits has not been wasted. I love the people here and they have helped me grow and improve in so many ways, that I'm sure will also help me and others when I finally do get to teach the Hispanic people in California. It has been hard and quite discouraging at times, but just as there is always bad in opposition to the good, there is always good in opposition to the bad! 

What I guess I'm trying to say has already been said better by someone else (I don't know who, I just found this poem one day)

Highs and Lows

A mission is a strange experience, 

A trial and a test,

A mission throws at you the worst,

Yet, teaches you the best.

I've never been so happy,

I've never been so depressed,

I've never felt so forsaken,

I've never been so blessed.

I've never been so confused,

Things have never been so clear,

I've never felt my Heavenly Father so distant, 

He's never been so near.

I've never been so discouraged,

I've never been so full of hope,

I feel I could go on forever,

I've come to the end of my rope.

I've never had it quite so easy,

I've never had it quite so tough,

Things have never been so smooth,

Things have never been so rough.

I've never been through such a deep valley,

I've never been to so high a peak,

I've never felt so sure and strong,

I've never felt so weak.

I've never had so many ups,

I've never had so many downs,

I've never had so many smiles,

I've never had so many frowns.

There might be more to it, but this was the only page I found. Somehow I feel like this is what we're going to say when we are standing once again beside our Heavenly Father someday, but instead it will begin with "Life on Earth is a strange experience..." 

I know that I wouldn't have recognized what a beautiful and uplifting day yesterday was without having been through the rough days ahead of it. I hope all of you are recognizing God's hand in the details of your lives and experiencing the joy He intends for you! Lots of love!

Hermana Burton