June 3

My dear Family,

Sounds like it was incredible week in Washington. Christian i wish so badly i could be there when you go through the temple, christian. You will love it more with every time you go. From what I've been told you have already been able to gain a love and appreciation for the temple. Never lose it and you will receive the inspiration you need throughout your life. Really and truly, the temple is a place of revelation and teaching. Your mind is opened when you are in a holy place where you can feel strongly the Lord's presence. Where you leave behind your worries, and really ponder the things that God want and expects of you. Being a missionary, is a wonderful experience. Sometimes expectations are hard to meet. Expectations of your companion, other missionaries, leaders, members, investigators, The Lord. There are so many expectations and you want to meet every single one. It's hard sometimes not to ever drop a single ball. Really and truly though, the Lord's expectations are of the greatest importance. What does he expect? well it's right in Preach my gospel. There's a hundreds of pages but chapter 1 explains our purpose.  We must never get relaxed in fulfilling our divine commission as members of the church with a gift to be shared. Sister Neider shares a strong testimony every time she speaks. this week it has really been on my mind the importance of sharing a sincere testimony often. Anyone can say that they don't believe a principle or doctrine but it is difficult for someone to discredit your personal experiences, testimonies, and feelings of conviction. When we testify often and simply the spirit can testify powerfully and directly. The Holy Ghost is the key to conversion. I was asked to speak on the Holy Ghost in district meeting and I thought back to our Skype FHE where we made a map of our conversion. Really, every step we make in our personal spiritual progress can only be made possible through the Holy Ghost.  Every time we exercise our faith we are blessed with an increase in the spirit. What a blessing to have the gift of the holy ghost as our guide.

Well, to tell you a few things about investigators. Flor and Dionicio are really progressing. They come to church every sunday now. We invited them again and they acted like, "of course, why wouldn't we go? We always go." They are set to be baptized on june 29th. This week we are planning on teaching the law of chastity. They need to be married before they are baptized. They are a cute family. We feel so blessed to be able to teach them. We are also visiting a family: Fransisco, maritza, and frank. They dropped us last night...kind of. We shared John 7:17 with them and asked them to pray before they shut the door. Please pray that they will let us teach them again. We love them. They are cubans and i have never had such a hard time understanding Spanish but in this last meeting i really feel that the Lord helped me to understand.  The Lord is in this work and wants us to be successful. We must work and show our faith because it does make a difference! Also, Lisbeth has been progressing but she needs to quit smoking. And Esteban relapsed on the alcohol really bad and really hurt his wife emotionally. We are trying to help them both. Please pray for them as well. Dad, if you have some packets or worksheets for your patients to help them quit drinking or smoking, i would love it! 

Thank you all for your help and support. I love you very much. WE have a sunday bag taht we take to church for the kids and man do they love the puppets mom! Thank you!

All my love,

Hermana Burrup

ps- christian there is a sister here waiting for her visa. The first thing she said when i told her you got your call was, " tell him to put in his visa today!"

Pss- Jon, on an exchange last week, Sister Despain told me about a workshop you did where she wrote a letter to a high school friend of yours (probably kristin?) and then she ended up keeping the letter. She found it about 6 months into her mission and she said it changed her mission. Just wanted to let you know. Sure love you and thanks for your work there. you are helping lots and lots of people!

Dear President Neider,

Sister Zegarra and I have a lot of fun together while working hard. I've loved being here with her! She and i are almost done with the 12 week program and we've been working hard to keep the area book updated. It's been a huge blessing to plan using the area book as we were taught last Mission Leadership council. I am looking forward to this Wednesday as well to receive inspiration for the area and how i can better fulfill my calling. I'm grateful for this calling but i still feel like I'm figuring out how to do it more effectively. This last week i was blessed with opportunity to go on an exchange with Sister Wardle. She is very enthusiastic about the work. She really talks to EVERYONE! i was very impressed. She really came here to work. I think she is doing a great job. While together we worked specifically on the blessing contact. Replacing the, "we are missionaries" phrase with, "We are representatives of Christ sent specifically to bless you." I think that will really help her have more success in street contacts. We also worked on how to plan lessons specific to the needs of the investigators and based not on what's next but what will help them progress. I felt positive about the exchange and feel she is doing a great job.  Sister Oyanedel is doing her best and sister Wardle has been a great blessing for her! Thank you president for your help and example. We love you and appreciate you!

Love

Hermana  Burrup

May 27

My dear dear family,

I think we have all been spoiled this week. Christian is going to peru, and i got to be a part of it. mom talked about all of her blessings, kirsten and mike are moving forward with help in the decision making process, and steve and janae are doing great with aubrey too. It's all good news in the family. This week I'll only add to it! So many investigators came to church! We were pleasantly surprised. The gonzalez family came as well as alejandra and her 3 daughters, and dionicio and Flor. It's been neat to see how this really is the Lord's work. He helps us and inspires us. The members were incredible supportive as well. This is an excellent ward with excellent leadership. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve here. The organization of the church is so neat. It really is meant to be a church "of one heart and one mind." I am learning more of the importance of unity and communication with leaders and auxilaries. Sister Zegarra really is an excellent missionary. She is already doing so so much. When we selflessly work for others, we are inspired to know what is best and how to do it. I love the work that the church as a whole does. It is focused on Jesus Christ, and helping each and every one of God's children. Family History, Relief Society, missionary programs, Seminary, Ysa wards, activities....all of it has a purpose and place. Sometimes i feel like i don't know how to balance everything. Everything seems to be an emphasis. Everything seems crucially important. Why? because this work and my purpose is of eternal significance so my focus has to be eternal as well. I strongly believe that the serving a mission has opened my eyes to better understand my temple covenants. It is meant to be a guide to my life. My temple covenants are a power to me and my motivation is my love for the Lord and his perfect will for me and others. I love you all and i love his work. i love my mission my companion my president. The Lord really is good and helps his children as much as he can. thank you again for your prayers and help. i am so blessed to be a burrup! 

Love

Hermana Burrup

ps- my district leader elder judd just lost his dad. Please pray for him and his family. He's a great elder and is working hard. 

Dear President Neider, 

It's been another good week. We struggled a little more getting our Lessons with Members this week but we do feel the support from the ward. We had many investigators at church this Sunday and the members really helped them feel comfortable, wanted, and that they belonged there, including the bishop.  The Lord has blessed us a lot this week. To be 100% honest, i feel quite undeserving of many of the blessings he is giving us. We have been trying hard to stay caught up with the area book and it has been a great blessing in planning. My greatest worry is mainly making sure that every investigators needs are being met and that we have appointments with them every week. I will work harder to be more organized and more diligent in my work.  I also received the phone call from my brother. He is serving in Peru, Lima East mission. He and sister Zegarra are very excited. Thank you from me and my family for letting me be a part of this monumental day for one of my best friends! 

Also, this week i had a great opportunity to go on an exchange with Sister Despain. I had planned to go there with Sister Cichoski but as it got closer i felt that i needed to be first with her trainer then with her. So that is what we did. It was wonderful. Sister Zegarra and i both felt that we learned how to teach more simply. Sister Despain is a great teacher and really loves this work. I was impressed with her positive and trusting  attitude and her quickness and confidence in testifying of the restoration. 

Thanks president for everything! We sure love you!

Love

Hermana Burrup

May 21

My dear Family,

Sounds like a lot of neat things are happening in the family right now! thanks for sending me pictures and telling me all the good news. It's so fun to see your faces and cute Aubrey in her dress. Mom, you are so talented with sewing her dress. She looks so cute. I'm excited to meet her eventually even if she will be big then.

Well, the work is going incredibly well. Alejandra has a baptismal date for june 22! we are really excited for her but she didn't come to church this last sunday like she said she would. We are trying to work with her on that. Also, Lysbett is progressing. She went from refusing to make any commitments to excited and understanding the book of mormon and hasn't missed sacrament meeting this whole month. The Difference was simply hope. She was living with someone and last week he said he wants to leave. We had a good lesson this week on the importance and meaning of covenants. We need to be willing to make any change whether it's easy or not. W talked about claiming and choosing your salvation rather than just hoping it will be made easy eventually for us. She is a sweet sister. Hope was the difference for her. When we feel there is hope a renewed motivation comes. All hope comes through Jesus Christ. I was thinking about how neat that is. When we really focus on the hope and potential we have through Jesus Christ we have a renewed motivation and faith to move forward and really progress. I feel like my time is short and i have so much to do and so much to change before it all ends. So this realization is of special signifnicance for me as i become the person i desire to be: christlike and perfected in and through him. We also had a neat experience due to sister Zegarra´s inspiration. She literally just felt like we should knock on a door so we did and it's a mother and son. The son is trying to change and quit his drug addictions. He has a lot of potential. Honestly, the work is great. i feel nervous about this next transfer because i might lose sister zegarra to an english ward. what a bummer. I'm mostly afraid that we won't be able to get everything done that we need without doing splits. But the lord will provide and i'm sure any  companion that the lord puts here will be here for a reason. Know that i love this gospel and know it is true. Can't wait to hear about your mission call, christian!

Love you tons!

Hermana Burrup

ps- Christian, i have great great news! We had interviews with president this last week and President Neider says that when you relieve your mission call you can call me right before you open it!!!! I am so excited for you. I don't know if you will get it this week or next week but either way, i'll write the phone number down.it is 702-203-1943

Dear President Neider,

I promise I've been working my whole mission but i feel like this week was probably the best week yet because we worked like never before. Honestly, there is so much work to be done in paradise. I feel so blessed to be able to serve here but at the same time I'm trying hard to keep up with everyone. we are trying to make sure no one falls through the cracks and give everyone the opportunity to hear the gospel.  Sister Zegarra is an incredibly strong missionary. I'm impressed by her understanding of the gospel and i feel the spirit strongly when she shares her testimony.  I love the church, i love the Savior, i love the work, and i love paradise. There are many in need of the gospel that will accept if we are only willing to obey the promptings we receive. Thank you again President for your powerful example and testimony! We love you and your wife and are grateful for your leadership!

Love

Hermana Burrup

May 13

My sweet sweet family,

I wish i could have had 15 some  laptops to be able to skype every one of you at the same time. It was so nice to see a few faces of the people i love. Thank you for your supportive words, testimonies, and many many prayers. What a blessing it is to have you. i believe your prayers work miracles for the people here as well. thank you thank you thank you!

I feel like i don't have a lot to say since we were able to talk yesterday but a good thing that is new is that sister oyanedel found my other shoe. I don't have to buy new black shoes afterall! Also, we have a lesson with stephanie and esteban tonight with the primary president as well. we are excited for the lesson and hoping to set a baptismal date with them. For the first time ever they sat by each other holding hands at church. They have a lot of marital problem so the gospel is little by little bringing more love into their home. They have 3 little boys. They are progressing beautfully. We are tryign to help them keep momentum and establsih the habits of reading the book of mormon as a family and pray. At first they refused to even pray in the same room. but little by little they are starting to work together. They say they are married but that they don't have any photos so we will need to teach law of chastity earlier rather than later to make sure that won't be a problem.

Well, my testimony is getting stronger day by day. i love what a sister said in her testimony. She said, "even the most bitter of rejection strengthens my testimony because i know even more firmly that no matter what, i know that it is all true." i loved it because it is true. Some people are flat out rude and some people are incredibly kind. No matter what we talk with all. From the consecrated missionary talk, "if i want to baptize some i'll talk to some. if i want to baptize many, i will talk to many. if i want to baptize all, i will talk to all." i prefer to say bless than baptize even though they go hand in hand. I loved hearing your testimonies and i love sharing my testimony. i hope i can be better and never go back. as mom says, "today is the first day of the rest of my life!" i love you and know it is true! hurrah for Israel!

Love

Hermana  Burrup

the many sisters that taught eva

just before her baptism

sister oyanedel and eva and i. We are all pretty happy! :)

sister cedillo came to the baptism! so good to see her!

Dear President Neider,

I am so excited for interviews tomorrow. I love the opportunity to meet with you and your wife. Well, this last week i felt like we worked hard but didnt' get as far as we would have liked. In all honesty, i feel that better organization on my part will help. I do not like being on the phone duriong proselyting time so we are going to try to use lunch to make sure everything is set up and ready to go.  Sister Zegarra is doing well. I've been working on english with her and we are getting caught up in the 12 week program. It really is inspired. Also, this last week i went on an exchange with Sister Oyanedel.  She is such a sweet sister and i loved the opportunity to work with her. She really knows how to love people and testify from her heart. She is a great missionary.they are working hard and doing well.  Thanks president for all you do! I really want to be better and i feel like my time is ticking faster than should be allowed. I look forward to learning from you and your wife every chance i get. Thank you!

Love

Hermana Burrup

May 6

My great family!

Another week come and gone and i'm bummed. people always talk about celebrated the 1 year mark but I feel like we need to do a funeral or something. I guess I'll get over it. Well, Happy Mother's day, Grandma, Mom, Kirsten, Janae, and Nicole! You are examples for me. We have been so blessed with a great mother and I know that each of you are the same for your kids...and husbands :) Families are ordained of God! How grateful I am for mine.

Well, The work is still moving forward in paradise. We've really struggled helping people understand the importance of coming to church this last transfer but yesterday we had 6 investigators at church. We are grateful but still disappointed others didn't come. The good news is that Stephanie came. She is progressing now as she reads and prays. There have been a lot of problems in the home and marriage but as they begin praying together and reading together I know that they will see the difference. She can already see a difference in her husband. Daniel also came to church with his mom, step dad, and aunt. It was a very positive experience for them. We are excited to continue working with them. Lorena has stopped answering her phone and didn't keep her appointment this last Friday. We fasted and are praying lots that we will know how to contact her and what to say when we do. I have faith that there is some way that we will be able to. We love her and her children. They like learning but I think they are scared and confused by the things they hear from different people. Thank you for praying for them. I know that prayer is powerful when it is sincere and meaningful. Some GREAT news is that Eva Caballero is getting baptized this Saturday. I don't know if I have ever been so excited for a baptism. She is ready and committed. We just received a referral yesterday. Eva wants us to teach her family. That is how I know her conversion is true. She wants to share it with those she loves. This last Saturday, Isai falcon was baptized. I had the opportunity to go to the baptism. I love so much the people in Los Feliz and I am developing more and more love as I work hard here.

On a spiritual note, I've been studying again how to be a consecrated missionary. My heart is a little heavy knowing that my days are numbered but I have desires to change to be better, to surrender all, be my best, and work with everyone. I know that is starts with my mind and how I use my studies. I feel that I need to increase in humility to do it. Humility is a key to learning as is faith in jesus Christ. in Jesus the Christ it says, "faith is preceded by sinderity of disposition and humility of soul" and "Faith is best gaged by obedience and untiring service" I love that. "untiring service" I know that the power of the atonement is what gives us the faith to obey and serve untiringly.

How I love you! I am so grateful for you and look forward to talking with you this next week. For Skype, we will work it out. I love you so much!

Love

Hermana Burrup

More pictures from Salvador and Emma's baptism. just received them from sister nieto. I'll send more soon

Dear President Neider,

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and I love sharing it. We've had some good experiences and some disappointing things happen this week but we are still working hard. We are going to work forward. We really do love it here. We have been trying to be organized to have more Lessons with Members and specifically to do splits. Sister Zegarra is a very prepared missionary and doesn't have any problem being a leader. Splits is a great opportunity for her to lead lessons and take initiation in the work. This week we have planned to practice more street contacts in English for our Language study. Also, This week we will do our first exchange with Sister Oyanedel and Sister Wardle. We look forward to learning a lot. Thank you for all you do! Hurrah for Israel!

Love

Hermana Burrup

April 29

My dear family,

It's been a great week and a little bit of an overwhelming week. We are trying so hard to be prompt, fit in all the appointments, and not miss any studies. It has proven a little harder than we would like. I feel so rude interrupting people and then before we know it we are late. So, we are going to be better organized. Can't wait to master it because we'll be able to fit more in the day when we do. Transfers are also tomorrow. Thankfully, my prayers have been answered and i get to be with Sister Zegarra another transfer. I've learned a lot from her, we laugh all day, and we work hard all day. Funny things happen all the time with my Spanish and her English  At least 5 times every day we patiently listen to each other then say, "wait...what?" it's funny. We just laugh it off and work it out or stop trying to explain it and move on to something else. So, thankfully i'll be with her again but there are still some changes this transfer. First, Sister Whitney stoker will arrive this Wednesday  I hope i get to see her. After this transfer there will be 46 sisters in the mission and the large majority are new missionaries. Many people are training this transfer without having finished being trained. The Lord really is working with us and helping us. To help in the training of the new sisters the church has started something called, sister training leaders. They will be normal missionaries with normal areas but will go on exchanges with other sisters. It is definitely an inspired way to help us sisters also receive the training that we need. So far i have only had the opportunity to do exchanges once. it will be a big change to the mission but definitely a positive one. If you ask the elders in our ward they will probably know more. I'm excited to learn lots more! To explain the changes we had a sisters luncheon with President and sister Neider with trainings and a testimony meeting. We felt the spirit strongly and a renewed faith to carry us in the work. Missionary work really is exciting! A lot of exciting things happened this week. First, we received great news that Eva Caballero is going to be baptized!!!! Eva is sister Caballero's daughter in law. We taught her when i was there and she has just been scared to get baptized but she now knows and is ready. May 11 she will be baptized. This last Saturday we also went to Jose Salvador and Emma's baptism. It was a neat experience to see them again but this time as they make sacred covenants. Their son baptized them which made for a sweet baptism. It reminded me of good sunrise and the time and work spent there. It was a joy to see again members, the bishop, investigators about to be members, and others that i worked beside. The members of las vegas are strong members and i love many of them. I also recieved good news that raquel (the one that has to change her job to get baptized) is preparing to be baptized. she has interviews for the new jobs. please please please pray for her. I also received news that alan montana, the 20 year old inactive convert from sunrise is struggling again. I have permission to write him. Please pray for him as well. As for paradise, we visited Lorena and her family. We invited them to be baptized in june and the concerns came out. I used to be nervous to extend commitments because of the concerns but it is the only way to discover their concerns. Lorena and her family are a cute family discovering for the first time anything religious. We are planning a simply lesson on prayer with them so they can learn how to pray sincerely. I'm excited for them. I have a testimony of the gospel of jesus christ. i know it is true and i love it! and i love sharing it! we pray to be guided to those who are prepared and we pray that those who are prepared may be guided to us. Thank you for your support. I have been incredibly blessed and can only work to show my gratitude. I love you dearly and i love the savior! Work hard, pray hard! ;) Hurrah for israel!

love

Hermana Burrup

Dear President Neider,

What a week! It's been a good week without a doubt. Sister Zegarra and I had some neat studies this week. We did some role plays this morning and i felt like we were given better questions to understand the needs of investigators. We have been so incredibly blessed, President. Frankly, i feel humbled by the blessings and at times undeserving. Sister Zegarra is such a hard worker. I feel like she has taught me how to use the ward council better and get the investigators more involved with the members. She's an excellent missionary president. She gets frustrated with the English sometimes but she is improving. I'm very proud of the work she does and the progress she has made. we've started doing splits this week which has helped us get more work done. She does well even on splits. She's a keeper for sure! Well, to finish off, we are still working in the 12 week program. we studied this week how to better teach people than lessons. I felt like it was exactly what we needed to better teach and better teach together. I'm so blessed to be i Las Vegas with sister Zegarra and the Neiders!

Love

Hermana Burrup

April 22

My dear dear family,

Are you happy? i am so so happy! How i love the gospel of Jesus Christ. Last night sister Zegarra and I had so much fun planning. Sounds goofy because we were exhausted. We worked hard this week but as we reviewed our weekly accomplishments we felt that the Lord was pleased with our work. I have been praying for greater love for my companion and unity and I know that the Lord is helping us. She is AMAZING! I sometimes selfishly wish to myself that she wasn't from Peru just so i could see her every week after my mission :) But either way, things work out the way they are and i'm not allowed to encourage her to move here....at least not until next year. She brought the miracles to las vegas with her faith and diligence!

Well, as i was thinking about investigators, I knew that the Lord has blessed us so so much. We just starting to teach some 6 families. I've worked hard my whole mission but never have there been so many prepared for the gospel and families! i love families. I've literally just been at awe with the number of people and their sincere desire to follow the savior. I know that i have a stronger testimony. It was strong before but it has grown. I know it is true. I can feel the gorwth in my own expectations. As I thought about the investigators i realized and thought to myself about each. I really believe, really believe that every single one of them can make the changes can direct themselves to christ and follow him. As i kept thinking aobut it, i knew that it was true. I expect God to answer their prayers and i expect them to feel the spirt and find the truth for themselves. It's true. not just kind of true or mostly true but it is completely and wholly true. That is what the fulness of the gospel means. What a blessing to be shared. Sister Zegarra and I spoke in Sacrament meeting yesterday. I spoke on the restoration and she on personal testimony. As i pondered on how to approach the topic the ideas and quotes came to mind that I needed. I started talking about how excited and URGENT we feel about sharing good news or good events in our lives. How many times does the engaged person talk about their excitement to be married....100 times! we know they are excited for their wedding because they talk about it. If we understand the depth and significance of the restoration we will feel energetic and enthusiastic and urgen to share the message of the restoration. It is good news that is spreading across the earth!

Well, to tell you some good news, we went to meet Daniel a 12 year old investigator a few weeks ago. This week were able to teach his aunt, mom, stepdad, and family friend. after the lesson we were able to talk more with him about the book of mormon. He said that he knew before he read that it was true. It just made sense that Jesus Christ would come to The americas. Then when he read he was able to feel that it was true. We are excited to keep working with him. We also are teaching a couple. Esteban and Stephanie. They are new investigators, referrals from another zone. He has a baptismal date for this saturday but has only been taught the restoration. We are going to work with him to for another date. Before, he was alcoholic and had a lot of problems in his home and matrimonio. But he has improved. He hasn't been taught the word of wisdom but he says that he doesn't want the alcohol when he reads the Book of Mormon. The wife called us in tears because he called her fat this week. The only way we know how to help a marriage is for them to read and pray as a family. We are working with her to open her mind to reading the book of mormon. We have a family home evening planned for them to teach the restoration. Also, there is the Lobo family. Their spanish is hard for me to understand because they came directly from El Salvador but they are reading the book of mormon and we made a return appointment with them for tomorrow. There are great things happening and many good people in need of the message of hope in Jesus Christ through his resored church and gospel. Emma and Salvador from Sunrise are getting baptized this saturday. Their son will baptize them and i'm excited to see them. Also this morning we had permission to visit the guadelupe and daniel lopez family for ice cream. They are the family from warm springs that was inactive for 20 years. They are active and their children came to church for the first time this last sunday. Hermano lopez is preparing to recieve the melchizedec priesthood and they are preparing to enter the temple. I look forward to being with them at their sealing.

As you can see great great things are happing. I love the gospel and i'm so excited to be here at this time. Thank you for your support and prayers. i recieved the birthday package and loved it. Thank you! Hurrah for israel!

Love

Hermana Burrup

Lopez Family this morning

Dear President Neider,

The Lord has blessed us incredibly this week. We are teaching new families! We've been working hard to to stay in contact with are investigators and potential investigators to keep lessons in the schedule and help as many people as possible. We worked hard to have more lessons with members this week and it proved to help a lot. We are teaching a mother and her 2 daughters. We worked with 2 of the laurels in our ward to come and fellowship and i i really think it gave the mother hope that her daughter stephanie can improve and progress. I also loved the mid12 week program training. I'm trying to do as you suggested and compliment sister zegarra everyday. She is such a hard worker. She has already taught me a lot about how to work with different auxillaries to meet needs of investigators and help them feel more comfortable at church. I thank the lord daily for sister zegarra! We are still working on her english and still working in the 12 week program. We are behind but trying to get caught up again. This week we focused on and learned how to leave better commitments. How i love preach my gospel and the scriptures. the Lord has richly blessed us! Hurrah for Israel!

love

Hermana Burrup