February 25, 2013

My wonderful family!

Why do you spoil me so much! Jon and Nicole, i would love to be your valentine since i can't be anyone else's! Thanks for the package. i used the cinnamon bears to commit many missionaries in sunrise to go to be byu afterwards. We have too much fun hear in Las Vegas. Also, mom, thank you for sending those packages to the two elders. Sister Royal gave me a call and said they got here and asked me about them. She expressed her gratitude for your thoughtfulness and generosity. Thank you. Also, Sister Nieto and i LOVED our package. The committed mailman picture made me smile and still makes me smile. Thank you for including sister nieto. We have a lot of fun and we've put to use the skirts and slippers. Do you have sadie's address? i'd love to send her a thank you card.

Well, We have had a good and rough week. Nadia has been reading the book of mormon. She says she feels happy everytime she reads. She said she feels like God loves her again and she wants to keep learning. On thursday we had an appointment with her and apparently her husband doesn't want us to teach her. She sent us a text to drop us but we were...i guess inspired not to check our phone so we went anyway. She hugged us so tight when we knocked on her door. Her husband wasn't home and we read the text. Our hearts just sank as we read the text. We didn't cry in front of nadia but we decided to fast and made plans to come back when he would be home. We are still working on contacting him but please please please help us with prayers for jose to let us teach in his home....or even that he will let us talk to him. Nadia is so sincere and so good. I know God wants her to be blessed. 

We also had breakfast with the stake presidency about a week and a half ago. i was so impressed and i can't help but think of you, dad. I know that you are blessing many many people's lives. I'm greatful for you selfless service and unfailing example. i was laughing as sister nieto and i talked one day because i remember when we went out to the garden to get some fresh tomatoes and we didn't have any at all. We later found out that it was because you had given to the neighbors. you were born a missionary dad. I'm glad you made me take rasberries to the pandi's nextdoor even when i was shy and didn't want to. thank you dad for teaching by example. you have worked so hard your whole life and i hope i can do the same. Thanks! Anyway, back to the stake presidency breakfast :) the president was talking about the mission interviews. One question is if they have a faith in jesus christ and a testimony that jesus christ is the savior of the world or something along those lines. He said people always say yes but what he values most is the response to his next question, "why." I got thinking more about the why i believe what i do. Why do i feel confident in my testimony. Why do i look dumb riding a bike in a skirt. Why am I happy? why are there hard weeks? and good weeks? The why of the gospel is so revealing of God's true character: A loving Heavenly Father who simply wants His precious children to return to him. When president Stapleton set me apart that was one thing he mentioned that i've been able to use my whole mission. It's true it all comes back to a loving father in heaven who wants to be with his children again. 

I am so so grateful for the gospel and for the miraculous blessings it brings to the faithful. How i love my Savior and my Father in Heaven. I gladly dedicate my life to him one day at a time. Thanks for you emails and support. I love you very much and feel your support. Keep taking care of the neighbors, dad, and never forget your zoo face. We have every reason in the world to be happy happy happy! i love you! Hurrah for Israel

Love

Hermana Burrup

ps- YMLU

pss- way funny that you met garrett breeze. Cool guy. I'm glad you got to talk to him. He's very talented and a lot of fun!

Dear President Neider,

I loved interviews. Thank you for all your help and I'm sorry i took so much of your time but thank you very much for blessing all of Las Vegas! This week sister Nieto decided we WILL ride bikes as a result of Sister Neider's comments. We are going to get out and contact more people and work harder and more effectively! I want to work harder, be better, be more effective, leave a big mark on the lives and area of sunrise for the better. I love Jesus Christ and i know that He loves the people here and wants to bless them. I want to help. Thank you for your examples and help. We love you and your wife! Hurrah for Israel!

Love

Hermana Burrup

February 18, 2013

My dear Family,

The scriptures are so neat! I feel like recently i have been learning better how to study my scriptures. There is a whole chapter in Preach My Gospel dedicated to effective study. President and Sister Neider say that our prayers should be garden of Gethsemane experiences and our personal study should be sacred grove experience. It has become so clear to me the role of scripture study in our personal conversion to the savior. The spirit really can guide us to the things we need to read or the things others need to know. Sister Nieto said just yesterday morning, "I'm not really sure how i found this scripture but i really like it for nadia." God's hands really are in the simple and small details of our lives. He has all of eternity to help us. It isn't a matter of time. It's a matter of love. His time and His love are both infinite. 

We visited Nadia again this week. We were hoping to have the opportunity to teach the restoration to her husband as well and get the whole family involved but he was sick. We are still working and praying for the opportunity or maybe the inspiration in how to get him involved. Last week we committed her to read the introduction. When we talked to her this last week we followed up on the commitment only to find that she not only read the introduction but the testimonies of the 3 witnesses, 8 witnesses, and the prophet joseph smith. We were really impressed and excited for her. She is so sincere, humble, and wants to do what is right. If we can get the rest of the family on board it will be a sweet family of 4 investigators. The daughters are nadia and grecia ages 12 and 8. Cute cute family. 

We also had a fun day yesterday. None of our investigators came to church! So we were in contact with them. Gabriela was one of them. We talked to her and made an appointment for later that day. When we went we really weren't sure what to say or how to say it. She had committed to come to church but said she couldn't because she was sad. The appointment went very well. Gabriela is also very good. She wants to do what is right but sometimes struggles with depression. She refuses to take medication but every now and then she is overwhelmed with loneliness because she literally has no family here and she is scared to leave her apartment because she lives in more dangerous area. We were guided to share the scripture in Isaiah 56:6-7 with her where The Lord says he will "fill us with joy in his house of prayer" We talked about how the gospel including church attendance fills us with joy. We cannot consider it even an option to break the commandments. It's a sacred obligation we have as followers of Christ and even more as bearers of his name: baptized members of His church. We invited her to night church. She only had 10 minutes to get ready but she made it work. I was so excited to see that she is making sacrifices to do what is right. We are still trying to find a way for her to move into her own apartment so she can be baptized on the 16th. Please remember Her in your prayers!

Well, With transfers we have a new district leader, Elder slik. He is younger in the mission but he wants to work and we're excited to recieve more inspired trainings from him. That is the only change in our district but we have a new sister in our zone from Okanawa, JAPAN! Her name is sister nakaima coming from temple square.  There are already more missionaries coming. Areas are being divided and lots of people training. This transfer is only going to be 5 weeks instead of 6 to accommodate all the new missionaries. I'm starting to panic that my time is short in Los Feliz. I love it here and i love the members. It's a good area and we are working hard.  I love the scripture in luke  24:32  where it says, "did our hearts not burn within us?" I love that we can feel that at any moment if we simply do our part by reading the scriptures and saying your prayers. I love you so much! Make time for the Savior every day and as i've been counseled before. Not just any time but we must "dedicate prime time" to him. Take care and may God bless you! Hurrah for Israel

love

Hermana Burrup

ps- ymlu

Dear President Neider,

I'm so grateful for the morning schedule! The last couple of days i have loved my personal study and seem to be waking up smiling. Sister Nieto and I are trying hard not to fall into any kind of neutral. Even if neutral is at a high level because we are working hard neutral is not a principle in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We had an interesting week. Some really good appointments and some unforgettably unusual street contacts. Sister Nieto and I are having fun and trying to work more with the members. With the ward members we have set new goals to take members with us whether or not there are appointments so that even the members and youth can participate in the different aspects of missionary work. How i love being a missionary. I want to magnify my mission, my life, myself, and others. The gospel of Jesus Christ in it's fulness was miraculously restored to the earth so we can have the restored blessings that accompany it. Thank you president for you positive influence, excellent example, and Christlike leadership. We love you and your wife and look forward to interviews this week. Hurrah for Israel and His marvelous work!

Love

Hermana Burrup

February 11, 2013

My dear family,

Thank you for your supportive letters! Someone saw the email from mom today and said, "whoa your mom loves you. My mom only writes me a few sentence." I really do feel so incredibly blessed for people who support me.thank you. I'm sorry we are writing kind of late. transfers are tomorrow and there are a lot of changes here. I'm blessed to be with sister nieto again but there are lots of changes so we did a last hurrah and climbed sunrise mountain. it was so beautiful. We had the neat opportunity to sing hymns (ex: high on the mountain top and a few others) on top of the mountain. it was fun. I've really enjoyed being in this zone and close to the temple. 

A quick update on investigators:  Gabriela is still preparing to be baptized on march16th. She is living with a handicap man and has to leave before then. We are working with her so she can still prepare for that day. She is so sweet and has a desire to do what is right. She really enjoys going to church and has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. She is very sensitive to the spirit but feels confused that she has felt the spirit in other churches as well. We are working with her to help her understand specific prayers with specific answers. I love her even her dogs climb all over us :) We have a new investigator nadia and her husband jose. She is so sweet. We've only had two lessons with her. She has a life of regret. she said, "i don't think god still loves me because i haven't kept my promises and i've sinned so much" It broke my heart to hear her say that. It was really neat to teach the restoration with the inspired focus on God's love for Nadia. The Gospel was restored so that Nadia can have the blessings of the restored priesthood. All things do testify of god's love. the Gospel principles teacher wasn't at church so we had the opportunity to give an impromptu lesson on the creation. How the lord answers prayers. I was touched by God's love as we learned together about the creation as a key part of the plan of salvation/happiness. 

Well, i'm sorry there isn't quite as much time to write because we're behind schedule but to finish off, i want to share my quick testimony and personal experience. This morning in personal study i was studying baptism and i loved the scriptures in mosiah 4:11-12. I had to read a few times but When we have a remision of our sins we are given joy. I was thinking about my personal baptism and how excited i was before and happy afterwards. Then i learned about the power of the sacrament. The promises of baptism are equally applicable to the promises of the sacrament. Our commitment and our preparation and our joy can be the same and stronger each week. I love the gospel and i love sundays! I am so happy here. Even on rough days we seem to be happy! Thank you again!

I love you and hurrah for israel!

Hermana burrup

ps- mom, i loved your card. Thank you so much. it put a big smile on my face. I love you!

Dear  President Neider,
The transfers are going faster and faster. Honestly, it makes me nervous. I feel panicked that my time is ticking but i'm working hard. For some reason or another i keep thinking, "no time wasted" not a minute in the car before going to the house or a minute in the apartment before leaving to proselyte or a minute late to start personal study. I'm trying hard to stay consecrated and move forward to be more and more consecrated. We have a new investigator this week and we taught the restoration. She had a personal experience that helped her know that the first vision was real. It was a neat experience to be guided to someone prepared for the gospel. How i love the Lord and His work. I'm excited for interviews because it is always relieving to receive the instructions that i need if i don't realize it until i recieve it. At our zone meeting we learned about leadership. I feel very blessed to have good missionary leaders here. Elder Martinez and Elder Dubois gave very inspired trainings. Thank you president! Hurrah for Israel!

Love

Hermana Burrup

February 4, 2013

My Dear Dear Family,

I love Mondays and i love every other day of the week. Golly, life is so great! Thank you for your supportive emails and letters. How i love you each! Sometimes i wish i could just read your emails to the investigators so they could know, hear, and feel of the great charity you have for others. I deeply appreciate your fasts and prayers for me, my companion, the investigators and ward members. "No effort is wasted!" so thank you! It's been a better week this week. I hope you know that i was happy last week. I worried this week that i made mom worry last week. I guess it's genetic. Either way, We are happy and doing well. This last week we had several special experiences. We have several potencials that have told us that they would let us come but never do. This week we had several opportunties to share the message of the restoration simply with these people. I don't know that we have ever shared the restoration with so many people on the streets in a week. Every time it felt inspired and they responded well. The spirit really does guide us to do and say the things that THEY need to hear not what we want to say. (Although i do want to tell to everyone about the restoration! it's so fun!) We also recieved some phone calls from people that we have talked to recently to make appointments. There is a lot of work to be done and with a positive attitude as a result of proved faith we can bring God's desired miracles to his treasured children. This week i learned from our district leader, Elder Martinez, that,"the things that build are faith are the same things that require our faith." If we want faith well start testing it! put the Promises in the scriptures to the test by praying about the Book of Mormon or making room enough to recieve His words. Faith is acquired by daily decisions to depend on the Lord in EVERY aspect of our lives. The Lord has richly blessed us and my heart is full. We feel undeserving but are excited that we get to be a part of the Lord's Great and Marvelous work. I love the Book of Mormon and have felt the spirit testify of it's truthfulness. This morning i was reading in Mormon 8. vs 14-17 talk about the divine calling of Joseph smith and i felt the spirit testify that He was called as God's very own prophet of the restoration. Joseph Smith did translate the book of Mormon by the power of God and Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ. In Mormon 8:12 it says that we can learn "cosas mayores" or "greater things" if we simply believe it's words. I put myself to study the phrase and found it in ether and in 3rd nephi. we learn greater things form jesus christ himself, from our own personal study of the scriptures, and through prophets. But we must first soften our heart through humility to receive "cosas mayores" (alma 12:10-11) I love the scriptures and we are blessed to have the book of Mormon. Let us share it with all who will recieve it and even all who will not. All people need at least the opportunity given my god through his servants, us. I love you very much. i'm "trying a little harder to be a little better" today and every day because every day is "the best day of my life" and possibly my last. May god always bless you with for your support in his "work and glory!" Hurrah for Israel!

Always with love

Hermana Burrup
pss- pictures of the view at night taken at the end of preparation day NOT proseliting time. and sister cedillo before she went home 

[The pictures didn't actually come through in her email :( ]

Mom, thank you for your support. I appreciate you sending a package to those elders. I know they will love it! they work hard and even farther from home. If there is any room in the next package i would love my slippers. my feet are always cold in the mornings :) if not, no worries at all! I appreciate your help and your emails are always a relief to read. I feel like you are saying them yourself. I feel of your love and support daily with a surge on mondays. THANK YOU. i will never be able to say it enough. 

Dad, I had a dream that your cancer came back in your knees....watch out! :) I hope all is well. i pray for you daily. I love you and think often of your diligent service to us, your family; the Lord, your callings; and to all of god's children; your job. I want to be as diligent and selfless as you. Keep it up and never let up. You will certainly have one of the biggest mansions in heaven!  :) I love you very very much!

Janae, I loved your picture! Before even reading your comments i said, "wow, she's so cute...and her shirt...and her skirt...and her shoes!" then i read the comments and i thought it was so funny.  I guess i am a mini janae just still in the mission. thank you janae for sharing your missionary experiences. Don't worry about freezing. it's hard not to because we want to do everything so perfectly. I'm sure you are doing great. Keeping in touch alone shows genuine love for others and people notice it! and nate is huge and way too cute! :) - also, terry is the name of the man in my letter to president. we can pray for both terry's! - and last thanks for the address!

Christian, i have already started praying for you and your future mission. I so look forward to your service and our service together even if it is in difference parts of the world. You will be "the Lord's shiny tool" because you are preparing now. I am so impressed with your preparation and applaud you for your dicipline. Dicipline and Self-Mastery with effective goals will put you onto the road to becoming like Jesus Christ. It's the process of perfection but it does have a price but a price worth paying! I love you bud!

 Well, i got a letter from Nicole today! thank you so so much Nicole. you are so sweet and thoughtful. You are an example of goodness, compassion and charity to me. I love you! I've actually recently had the desire to learn french....can you teach me someday? i've been praying for you a lot! I know the Lord will bless you and jon with a family. The timing is by the Lord's design. I know you trust him and it builds my own trust in him. I'm excited for the Lord's blessing that are simply being prepared for his precious daughter and son. stay smiling with those big lips, big hips, and big heart of yours :)

Dear President,

Every struggle is a chance to overcome and becoming even more converted to our Lord Jesus Christ! Thank you for the call to make sure we are well. A rough week made for a great week this last week. We have been working hard to talk to everyone and it has been a blessing. Friday at 8:45 our plans had already been finished but of course we can't go home early so we said a quick prayer in the car that we could be guided to someone in need of the gospel in those last 15 minutes. Wow! Heavenly certainly answers prayers! after turning down 2 streets we found someone in his garage. He was rough looking but incredibly humble and excited by the message of the restoration. It's a referral for English but I'm sure they will do great! We have been extremely blessed this week with new investigators (including a family) and discernment for dropping investigators who are not yet prepared to receive the gospel. I love the Lord dearly and I love His servants. It is a blessing to be with sister nieto among His chosen children in the Los Feliz/Sunrise area. Thank you president! Hurrah for Israel!

Love

Hermana Burrup

January 28, 2013

Dear Family,

How i love you! I always feel motivated to meet your compliments and encouragement. I hope you know that i am working hard. I am trying to pretend that every day is the last day of my mission and work my hardest every moment.  Sister Nieto and I set some great goals about how to be more effective in our preparation for our investigators. I think that whenever we rededicate ourselves to the savior the devil pushes back harder. Maybe that is the real reason mondays are hard. We've just taken the sacrament the day before. Either way, Satan's been pushing this week but we are holding our ground. This week we had very few lessons. A lot of canceled appointments and people suddenly turning cold on us. In all honesty, I was a little frustrated this week especially because i had my first chew out moment with a Jehova's Witness. Holding your tongue is hard sometimes. I wonder if the savior had to hold his tongue or if he just controlled his thoughts. We tried our best to just smile, say ,"well that was interesting," and move on to people that want to hear simple testimonies and obtain their own. Although we had few lessons we worked hard to stay positive and get some work done in the area book. We had almost 3x our normal street contacts this week. So we are still working! The work never ends because we all need more help and more access to the Savior. So, thank you for the positive comments this week. Especially thank you janae for your sweet email. They were needed this week. Well, i'm glad that the word sanctification is your word today! In the scriptures it tells us to keep the sabbath day holy. in spanish it translates to sanctify the sabbath day. I've always thought it was a neat word but never really knew it's real meaning. i'm sure i still don't but sanctification defined by the guide to the scriptures in the spanish scriptures is, " the process by which a person is freed from sin and becomes pure clean and holy through the atonement of Jesus Christ." see moses 6:59-69." I love the definition. We use it to explain that we can only be cleansed through the savior. The way we receive that cleansing and the way we are able to remember him on His day is by taking the sacrament. That is why we literally cannot keep the sabbath day holy without the Sacrament. We can't be cleansed through the atonement without that ordinance. We are pretty dependent on that ordinance. I was also thinking about the importance of independence in our spirituality and the one line conlusion i came to is that "Independence in our spirituality is only obtained by single dependence on the Lord through humble acceptance of his help and blessings." I feel so so blessed to have someone i can depend on. I'm trying to meet expectations of the Lord and bring His miracles to the people here. If you have any insights on how, I'm still trying to figure it out. I wonder if I've gotten as far as i should be at my almost half way mark in the mission. All i know for sure is that letting up is not an option. I look forward to better weeks, and maybe worse weeks. Whatever is ahead i look forward to. What a blessing it is to sacrifice my all to the Lord. The mission is kind of like the military. In many ways we are fighting for a purpose. It's ok if we get beat up a bit. (Matthew 5:11-12).   We live just south of the Nellis Air Force base so there are always a lot of jets and fighter airplanes above. They practice for air shows so it's pretty neat but we don't stand a moments just to watch. Living so close there are a lot of uniforms and soldiers in the area. Christian i really enjoyed your insight on the temple. I hope you serve a mission where there is a temple close by. How are your papers going? about when are you expecting to receive your call?  I was thinking about you. You are a great example for me. Don't be afraid to start praying now for your future mission leaders, investigators, and members. they will be so blessed to have you. Well, Thank you again for your support and Love. How i love hearing about you. I love you all! Hurrah for Israel!

Love- YMLU

Hermana Burrup

pss- janae do you know the mission office address so i can send a letter to jessica?


Dear President Neider,

First off, thank you for your help this week. It's been a little bit of a rough week with some disappointing changes with investigators but we are well. Sister Nieto is a fun companion to have. She keeps me smiling and working hard. She is filled with good desires and wise counsel and teaching. I'm learning from her. I have a lot of changes to make but we've set good goals to become a more effective companionship and ultimately more effective servants of our master, Jesus Christ. We really hit the roads this week and got more street contacts in. We are also trying to work with the members. Just yesterday we visited a family and made a plan for a Family Home Evening that they will invite another family too. We are excited to see how it goes next week. Thank you for the wonderful Zone Conference this week. I know that the counsel was inspired and I'm grateful for the blessing to have inspired leaders. Hurrah for Israel!

Love

Hermana Burrup

January 21, 2013

Dear Family,

I love Sunrise! I definitely love being here. It is so nice to hear good news from warm springs and i'm trying hard to keep in contact with people because of a neat experience i had this week. This week we had sister exchanges. Basically all the sisters in the mission come together, eat lunch, have a little training and then we go on exchanges the next day. I stayed here in Los Feliz and to my surprise, Sister Celis came back with me! It was so fun to be companions with Sister Celiz again! I love her a lot and it was so easy to see that she has become a very effective missionary. I learned a lot from her even in just one day. The 30 minute drive back to the mission office, She was calling old investigators and inactive members to make sure they were still going to church and reading their scriptures. It was really simply but i learned something from her in those last 30 minutes together. Once a missionary in an area, you can always be a missionary in that area simply by extending more and more invitations as we keeping in contact with people. We must show them that our love for them is not conditional on our assignment to serve them. I believe that much of missionary work is done after leaving an area. Every member, missionary, friend, even interaction leaves an impression. Is it a good impression or a bad impression. Did you look happy or hurried or frustrated when you served them? Is it a lasting impression? My goal is to leave lasting impressions of positive and spiritual moments on the lives of everyone i come in contact with. we have been working hard at talking to everyone. It has been pretty fun but hard to make every contact a meaningful and lasting impression. we have a goal to leave our trace everywhere we go. So much that someone could walk down a street and find us simply by following the church materials we leave. Talking to people is sometimes hard, especially when they are obviously trying not to talk to you or avoid you. Almost always, when genuine love is expressed they open themselves to receive more. Kirsten, i love your goal to give out 1 book of mormon every month! i know you can do it!!! Even if it is the first of the month, you can still do it! Talk to the missionaries too. they will help you. When the members give the investigators a copy of the book of mormon with their testimonies it is more effictive. As missionaries, we have a different objective than most. We all naturally want to be needed but ultimately, in the Lord's work and as missionaries we work so that we are no longer needed. Independence in our spirituality is only obtained through our single dependence on the Lord. The missionaries leave so quickly that converts and investigators will not last if it their activity is dependent on us. Our job is to find the perfect fellowshipper so investigators don't even want to sit with us at church. If they prefer to be with a member than YES!  we are doing well. Sounds kind of funny and i'm not sure how exactly to express it but more than anything, missionary work is working with members to help others feel loved and welcomed in Jesus Christ's church through genuinely sharing our testimonies and offering help through the restored ordinances of the priesthood. This is how active and strong members are creative: Networks of supportive and righteous influences. It is true of members and Non-members. Active and Inactives. Even true of our friendships. What a neat work this is! Life is flat our wonderful! There is so much good to be done, so many good books to read, so many lives to touch, so many people to serve. There is no reason for idolness! "Actively engaged" in God's work is the Greatest work we can do. I love you all! I hope you are well. I am praying for you right along with my investigators. Christian, i even fasted for your mission prep last month. I'm excited for you! Keep preparing and you have no regrets. Nobody wants to start a mission with regrets so make sacrifices now to prepare. I love you all!

Love

Hermana Burrrup

ps- mission ideas: Dad, i was thinking about how you put the General Conference Ensign in the waiting rooms and exam rooms of your office. You could even go one step further and put a tab on Elder Russell's talk, "Ask the missionaries, they can help you" with the missionaries phone number on a mormon.org card or something. I don't know. Missionary work is creative, it's fun, and exciting! another idea. Do we have a spanish branch? The church offers an english program. It is really effective. our branch had 2 people baptised from english classes last month. it all has to be approved through the stake presidency and even the mission presidency to get help form the spanish missionaries. it's pretty cool though! Last idea. We've been encouraged to help people make family mission plans.....cool idea? do we have one yet? Well, i'm in! :) One more idea. so you meet someone ask them what their weekend plans are. then they ask you and you say, "hey, i'm going to church on sunday....want to come!?" with a zoo face. Missionary work isn't as hard as we make it!  dnc 24:12 and it has existed since the beginning! moses 5:58 sure love you and keep up the missionary work. 

Dear President Neider,

Today was a fun week! I'm not thinking of any specific reason it was a fun week. Simply, i love being here! I know my days are numbered. No matter how big or small the number is, they are numbered. Elder Dubois and Elder Kerr always say, "what a blessing!!!" about everything that happens in here. That is how i feel about being a missionary. What a blessing! I love the singleness of purpose here. I love the structure and organization. I love the dependence on the Spirit for inspiration. I love how individual God's love is for his children. I am so blessed to share that love with the people here. We meet people daily that don't have the slightest glimpse of their worth. I know that their worth is defined and has been since the beginning. Our decisions don't change our worth. Our past doesn't change our worth. We have a whole future ahead in the Atonement. thank you 

President for All you do! I am so excited for Zone conference tomorrow!

Love

Hermana Burrup

January 14, 2013

My dear dear family!

You are so so fun! Thank you for encouraging words, confirming testimonies, and zealous efforts! I love hearing about your own goals and efforts in missionary work. Sometimes i think, "if i were a missionary in washington i would do this and this and this." BUT i am not...at least not yet! This week was a fun week. For starters, 1 1/2 weeks ago our heater broke so we waited until last monday, preparation day, to fill out the maintenance report for our heater and our lock because it has been causing some problems. We went about our missionary work and got home just before 9:30 only to get to a door where the lock was fixed but jammed. So we got stranded out of our apartment for a night and had a legal sleep over with sister cheatham and Garner. No toothpaste, PJs, beds....nothing. it was funny but we survived and got it all fixed the next day. We are teaching Alan's stepdad still in ASL. We now have a translator to help though so it goes much better. My fingerspelling is slow and inneffective :) But either way, that has been a lot of fun. Sister Nieto pointed out the scripture in isaiah 29:18, "And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book..." We both thought it was a neat scripture to read right after a lesson in ASL. He will be refferred to english soon but until the details get organized for where is best and where there is translation available, we will keep teaching him. Alan is doing really well. He sends us funny text some time. He is already in Jacob in the Book of Mormon! He is flying through and randomly texts us references that he likes with his testimony and encouragement to work hard. He just found out this last week that He won't be able to serve a mission because of his past problems. We are sad for him but so excited to keep working with him and get him back into full membership with the church. His change of heart really was a miracle! On Friday he told us, " May the Lord hang out with you guys like he always does." It is pretty funny because Sister Nieto and I don't know street talk at all so sometimes we get kind of confused but we always laugh it off. Please keep Alan in your prayers that he can always have the faith and strength to keep away from his past addictions, and other temptations. We are working hard with the inactives, members, and investigators. I don't know if i have every tried to focus on so many things at the same time. We are hoping to get going on splits soon so that we can invite more people to claim the blessings of heaven. What a neat work this is! One of the Zone leaders in the mission said, if you aren't happy, you better start doing more street contacts. When i first heard that i thought it was kind of strange but as i have thought more about it is true! The funniest things on the mission always happen street contacting and much of the inspired finding happens when contacting. What a blessing it is to talk to  EVERYONE! It has been a little harder lately because of the weather. We have the goal to talk to 10 people everyday on the streets. It has been surprisingly hard but we are going to work for it! Sister Nieto is helping work hard and enjoy it too. We are goofs together but I'm learning a lot from the way she teaches. A main thing she has taught me is simple but it is about faith. It reminds me a lot of Kirsten's lesson last month that she shared with me. What she taught me is that real faith is not just hoping but expecting God to fulfill His promises. In Alma 32:21 and in Ether 12:6 it defines faith. It describes it as a hope for things unseen which are true. In Spanish, the word hope is the exact same word as expect. So maybe faith is also an expectation for things unseen which are true. When we build our faith through 1. prayer 2. scripture study 3. church attendance and 4. temple attendance our expectation, hope, and confidence increases that God's promises are not empty words but words with depth, meaning, and purpose. I depend greatly on God's promises as a disciple of Jesus Christ, as a representative of Jesus Christ, and as a latter day saint with covenants to do my part. How i love the Lord! What a privilege it is to make any sacrifice no matter how large or small it may be to serve God and His Children. From one very special day and forward i have and will CONSECRATE my whole self. May God always bless you! I pray for you often and am motivated and enlightened by your testimonies. Hurrah for Israel and "may the Lord always hang out with you!" :)

Love always,

Hermana Burrup

ps- YMLU ;)


Dear President Neider,

I love being so close to the temple! We had our first lesson at the temple on Saturday. To our disappointment the temple was closed but it still went well despite the cold. We have been working hard to help this specific investigator, Gabriela, understand the spirit. She is so sincere. She is reading the Book of Mormon daily now and has already born her testimony that she knows it is true. Her confusion right now is why the spirit helps her feel peace in many different churches. We have some plans to help her and we are excited for her to keep progressing. President, I am often impressed by the sincerity of the people and their desires to really understand what God wants for them. We are also visiting a family. The wife is progressing so well and the husband is very critical. The difference is so obvious between those who honestly seek The Savior and His gospel and those who do not. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ in its simplicity. I love the temple, and i am so grateful for the help of the Holy Ghost in this work! I hope you and Sister Neider are well. I so look forward to learning from you both in Zone Confernce. We love you and are praying for you! Hurrah for Israel and God's marvelous work!

Love

Sister Burrup

January 7, 2013

My Family is The best!

Thank you for being so supportive! i am so so blessed to recieve support from not only most of you but all of you. thank you! Well, This has been such a great week! Sunrise is famous for being one of the best areas for member missionary work. Sister Neito and I have the goal to take advantage of it! i feel like my time is ticking. I'm not counting down the hours until i go home. i'm counting the hours with the question, " how much can i get done in x amount of time." it is surprisingly effective. Goals are so powerful! So, Sister Nieto and i are working hard! Back to the members, Every transfer we have breakfast on Saturday morning with the stake presidency. It is really nice because we feel supported by the stake presidency, we adress concerns about missionary work and the wards we are serving in, and we recieve some more motivation with the encouragement we recieve from the stake presidency. We talked about how the sunrise stake includes the temple. This stake has many of the strongest members in Las vegas because the members here are here because they wanted to be close to the temple. It's true. I love it! The members here are a wonderful help! So, mom, about your question of if you can send copies of the Book of Mormon with testimonies, that is really helpful for missionaries but because i'm in spanish it is a little harder because we give them out in spanish. So, write your testimonies in copies of the Book of Mormon for the missionaries in the ward. What is ideal is that every Book of Mormon they give out have the testimony of a member in it. Not a member across the world but maybe a neighbor or friend. Someone that they can meet. It's a motivation to come to church. that's what is best. Honestly, family, the best support you give me are your missionary experiences and efforts. Dinner with missionaries is the perfect chance to invite someone over too! it doesn't have to be awkward or uncomfortable. Every time there is a ward activity, invite someone! help them see the church building and feel welcome there. Most of the time missionary work is hard, it's because we make it hard. Every time we talk to someone it shows our faith. and when we show our faith guess what!? God gives us more! Isn't the gospel so so neat!? I love it so much! Today during companionship study, i was listening to Sister Nieto as she shared her thoughts and about the doctrine of christ. i was just soaking it in. Speaking of baptism, she said, " God doesn't make exceptions, but He IS a loving Heavenly Father." i loved it! we have an appointment with a couple tonight. Very Catholic. Elvia and Wydder. We were talking about how to help them not feel like we are disregarding their baptism but helping them understand why we must be baptized God's way. He doesn't make excesptions to the requirements that he sets but he does love us and through the missionaries is giving more and more people the opportunity to understand those requirements. The gospel is so simple! Sister Nieto has been in the mission 6 months. She's originally from mexico but she came from utah. She is really funny. She seems serious but if you listen to what she says she is HILARIOUS! i'm very excited about this transfer. She has had some neat experiences in North Las Vegas which will be a great strength to Los Feliz ward. We are working hard to visit the inactives here. It takes a while to gain their confidence but sincerity and consistency or diligence makes a big difference. Well, in my letter to President I mentioned Alan. I'll attach a picture of alan. Alan is doing wonderfully! We are in close contact with him to make sure he keeps going strong. We may end up teaching his step dad in asl with alan as the translator but it's not all for sure yet. either way, exciting things are happening in Sunrise and there are many people here prepared and happy to recieve the gospel. I have a strong testimony of the church. I have a testimony that we are god's children and that missionary work is a key to our growth and our success spiritually. Creativity in missionary is effective and fun, especially for the members (they don't have as many rules). Be happy! you ahve every reason to be happy and others will want that happiness! I love you all! Hurrah for Israel

Love

Hermana Burrup

ps- janae. it's Sister Pamela Nieto with hometown: stansbury park, utah or maybe orem.  so you can facebook stalk her :) i knew you'd ask for it if i didn't give it to you haha!

pss- YMLU

psss- pictures: 1892- last picture with sister holland. I already miss her :( 1893- Raquel (the one from warm springs that needs a new job that i love dearly) came to transfer conference so i could actually say bye. 1898- Sister nieto and I! 1909 - The 4 sisters in sunrise. Sister Cheatem and i met in the MTC. I love her! and Sister Garner is a nauvoo missionary. love her too! i'm trying to convince them to transfer to BYU

1882- Alan and his mom and step dad - i never knew my asl would be needed on the mission.

1887 - Maggie and Jovanni Acevedo - we dropped her this week. She has to get married to be baptized. :( but we love them. Pray for them!

1883- Gabriela- i look dumb but we love her. We invited her to be baptized but she doesn't understand why she ahs to be baptized again. We are teaching doctrine of christ this week and will invite her again. She canceled the last 2 weeks for coming to church. we are praying that this week she will come!

1869 - Christmas with sister holland

1869

1883

1882

1887

-1892

1893

1898

1909

Dear President Neider,

Miracles are still happening! a very very inactive young man named Alan was able to cold turkey quit crystal meth, a serious of other drugs and law of chastity problems. We don't know the details of it other than the cause of the change of heart was loving parents, missionary efforts, and ward members trying to contact him again. The gospel is a network of "fishers of men." That's what i'm trying to be and i know that i have to keep trying to be for the rest of my life. i might as well do my best to master it now. The sooner i can master it, the more people the Lord can touch! Well, Alan came to church for the first time in about a year and bore his testimony in sacrament meeting, translated sacrament meeting for his deaf parents (which his step-dad is a new investigator- exciting!) then he stayed and testified of God's love for us and need for our dedication during gospel principles. He met with the bishop and is now along the road of repentence and mission preparation. How the Lord blesses His children through the Book of Mormon! Alan's change of heart largely came from the Book of Mormon as well. I am also so blessed to be with Sister Nieto! I loved serving with Sister Holland. I am still praying for her. I believe that the close contact with Sister Neider about health and the morning schedule has made a difference and will continue to help her. Thank you for blessing me with wonderful companions. Sister Nieto has brought the miracles here :) Everyone is glad she is here and I am looking forward to much more service with her. President, thank you for being an example of obedience. I am happy when i am strictly obedient and i am happy when i am working. I can see that in you and Sister Neider's lives! Hurrah for Israel!

Love and Prayers,

Sister Burrup

A clip from President Neider's letter to the mission. He is so great!

The Spirit of the Law. Some missionaries in our mission use this phrase, "The Spirit of the Law", to justify finding an exception to a rule or ignoring the rule altogether. Usually mission rules must be followed unless there is permission first obtained to change the rule, and it is not correct to avoid the rule by saying, I will follow the Spirit of the Law to obtain the objective of another good or bad goal or desire.

Consider the following:

In Matthew 5:20-44, Christ showed that obeying the “letter of the Law” is a matter of physical action, whereas obeying the “spirit of the Law” requires more than just outward actions—it also involves an attitude of the mind—referred to by the Apostle Paul as “circumcision of the heart” (Rom. 2:28-29).

For example, Christ showed that to merely refrain from adultery is obedience to the “letter of the Law,” but to obey both the spirit and letter of the Law, one must also exercise self-control (“temperance”–Gal. 5:23), and not even lust after someone (committing “adultery in his heart”).

Another example (not mentioned by Christ in Matt. 5) is in the keeping of the Sabbath Day. To merely “remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8), “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb. 10:25), is in obedience to the letter of the Law. But to also rejoice in the Sabbath and call it a “delight” (Isa. 58:13) is keeping the spirit of the Law, as God intends. This principle applies to all of God’s laws.

The spirit of the law is the idea or ideas that the people who made the law wanted to have implemented that are obtained as we abide by the letter of the law. The Spirit of the Law helps us follow the rule more closely when grey areas appear, rather than find exceptions to the rule.

Love and Happy New Year

President Neider

Dec 31, 2012

Dear Family,

Transfer time is here again. Sister Holland has been transferred to Black Mountain. I am sad that we don't get to keep being companions but The new sister coming in is sister nieto. i'm really excited to serve with her as well. There are a number of people here, specifically inactives that we will have to work to gain their confidence again. Sister holland has worked hard in this area. As for the work, Gabriela is progressing a lot. She told us this week that she was ready to be baptized when meeting with the missionaries before but had a family emergency and left the state for months. She has had a number of experiences that testify that what we teach is true. She's wonderful! She's very talkative and actually really funny. Her apartment smells like dogs but we really love her! We were given a list of inactive sisters to visit. This last week we had 11 visits with inactives. We are working hard to move the work forward here. I am very happy here. I'm grateful and humbled by the calling of representing the savior. this last sunday i gave a talk in sacrament meeting. They let us choose the topic. I felt strongly to talk about the doctrine of christ with a large emphasis on the ordinance of the sacrament. How important the sacrament is! We learn from the prophets that missionary work is a key to the spiritual progress of the members. I ended reading the quote in Preach my gospel in chapter 1 and talking about how missionary work is very simple. We learn with our friends. if we have an understanding of the doctrine of Christ we are will prepared to teach our friends. 

i have little time today because of transfers and the change in schedule but I have a testimony of the scriptures. I know that the Lord is absolutely aware of us! thank you for the pictures, packages, letters, and prayers. I feel your support and prayers. They are needed because this work is eternally important. As we look forward with optimism the Lord blesses us! Thank you for all you do! sorry again this is short. Take care and next week, i promise to have more! :)

Love

Hermana Burrup

Dear President Neider,

Merry Christmas last week! I hope you were able to spend a great one with your family but also in the Lord's service. How i love the gospel. I never want to stop being a missionary so...i guess i won't! This week was a great week.  Sister Holland and I set some great goals and tried to make them happen. We are going to keep working forward. I'm excited to serve with Sister Nieto. I love Sister Holland a lot. After talking with Sister Neider she has gotten up every morning except for one because she felt sick. She's trying hard. This week i had really good study. The Lord does help us in this work! As i prayed for answers, and studied diligently to better understand, my answers  did come. The Lord is aware of his chidren in sunrise. Both missionaries and not.  The spirit is so important and i know that as we do things according to the Lord's will, the spirit will always be with us! Thank you president for having the spirit! Hurrah for Israel!

Love

Hermana bururp