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