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