Happy days

Hello hello :)

Mission time is so crazy, I can't believe it was only a week ago we
were on Skype together. Looks like you had tons of fun in
Yellowstone!!! Dad, you're lookin good... Losing weight?! Holla :) I
posted a family pic on my Facebook for Mother's Day, and tons of
people in the ward have come told me how beautiful my family is... I
agree :) sure love you guys.

Can't believe jake is old enough to date... I hope he has tons of fun
at prom... Wish I was there to get him all ready (probs not as fun as
gettin girls ready for prom) and embarrassing him ;) looking forward
to pictures!!

Have fun on your mother-daughter date Ky and mom :) I would love to be
there too mom, but we will be having mom and daughter dates up the
wazoo pretty soon, can't wait :)

Tomorrow I will be out for 15 months!!! Yikes... Dad, it'll be the
"Top of the 8th" :). Love that that's how you count it :) saw someone
inna ranger hat the other day, great conversation starter. love me
some summertime baseball.


New song..... HOLLER ;)

Sung to my girl Beyonce's "Irreplaceable"

It's my name, it's on that tag
Pull up a seat we'll tell ya more about that

Standing in your front yard tellin ya all bout what we do
Talkin bout how you'll never ever find a church so true

We got ya to say-

You want to know bout us
You want to know God's love
You can find joy beyond belief
And be with your family eternally
(And your bay-bay)
You want to know bout us
You want to know Gods love
We can have another meeting tomorrow
So don't you ever for a second get to thinkin-
That you can get rid of us ;)


THE RAIN!! :) okay, let's be real. There is nothing like Florida rain.
I'm in love with it. Wednesday we decided to walk all day long... And
I mean we got caught in a the DUMPING rain.... We just laughed and
laughed. Pretty sure people think the Mormon missionaries are helpless
psychos thanks to us, but we had fun :)

Friday night we went on a mini exchange and both went to Dade City to
split with the sisters there. That place is beautiful!! It reminds me
of all those "country drives" I used to take back home. Man... Love
it. Kinda reminds me of Shelley... Kenz! This is where we can have our
neighboring houses and combined bbAll court and swimmin pool :)

They have been having trouble finding people to teach. Sister Bailey
and I have been praying for them all week. Sister Ellis and I decided
to go to the library to find... It was closed BUT there were two cute
girls right there who we talked to and set a return appointment with!
Answered prayer :)


This week was so good!!!

Maritza- she is doing so so good!! we saw her almost everyday this
week. She is the best. She came to a baptism on Saturday and church on
Sunday. In our Friday lesson, i felt to promise her that she would
receive her answers this weekend if she prayerfully came to the
baptism and church looking for her answer. We will meet with her
tomorrow and hear how it went :)

Ethan! Boy oh boy I love this kid. He is so stinking cute and just so
good!! He told us this week that he wants to go on a mission when he's
18 :) :) sis b and I told him we'd come back for his farewell :) he
should be getting baptized this next month. He's always asking us the
earliest we can come over, he just loves learnin. Such a good boy.

Saturday was so fun!

Amy got baptized!! One of the people the sisters in our ward are
teaching. Her hubby is a member, they have a 1 year old. It was
seriously the cutest thing when he got all choked up in the font...
Sweet little moment :)

Maritza and Ethan both came to that!


One of the members had us go visit his neighbor, she was the sweetest
lady! She moved to Canada this weekend, so we won't see her, and I
mean she wasn't super into the doctrine we taught, but she said
something that really stood out to me. She said "I don't know about
this Joseph Smith thing, but if being Mormon means being like Trevis,
then I think y'all are onto something good." Then she told us all the
things that Trevis, her member neighbor had done for her and for other
people. People watch us, and if the only thing they know about Mormons
is that we are a serving, giving, kind and loving people, but they
aren't interested in the doctrine yet, I think that's okay. Who knows
the day linda will remember her Mormon neighbor or the Mormon
missionaries who taught her about some prophet named Joseph Smith. I
guess my point is people really are watching, all we have to do is
live the gospel and be good and invite, and let God do the rest. I
can't wait to be a member missionary.

I read a talk from Elder Holland this week and I loved it! "Plan right
now! Plan right now for the stories you will tell your children about
your mission. Live right now in every way to look them in the eye and
put them on your knee and rock them on your lap and tell them as I am
telling you, that you loved every day of your mission. That you worked
your head off! That you’ve never worked so hard in your life. That you
were tired and sweaty and dirty and hungry and you knew how Paul felt
and you knew how Peter felt and you knew how Mormon felt and you knew
how Moroni felt. And I promise you that your children will remember
and never forget it, and they will cherish it and hold it dear for
their mission and so the generations go. So life is lived and this
dispensation is pursued, and the Kingdom comes and Christ does arrive,
whenever that is. Live now for those generations."

I already can't imagine not coming on a mission and missing out on all
the blessings I've received.... And I can only imagine how much more
I'm going to say that in 20 years, in 40 years. When we give The Lord
our will, He blesses us beyond measure... More than we could ever
imagine ourselves... I'm talking the literal opening of the heavenly
windows here. God always keeps His promises. I love hHim and seeing
the blessings He is so ready to give.


Pics:

Please excuse me :) I be going picture crazy these days.

Spa day
Ward girls Ava told me Sunday at church "sister Burton, I can't wait
to get baptized" :)
Sis Nakamatsu, one of the sisters in our district, went back to temple
square this week.
Rain before and afters
Kenz.... I seriously can't contain my excitement :)