Monday, January 13, 2014

Hey Ya'll


Good week this week, really good! :) 
Soooooo Tuesday we had a lesson with one of the guys we met at the library, whose been coming to church. HE'S GETTING BAPTIZED!!! YAY :) he actually isn't in our area so we handed him off to the elders in his area. This guy is SO prepared. I haven't met anyone so prepared my whole mission. He's been looking for this. He has SO MUCH FAITH. He's great. I am so excited for him!! Man, he's wonderful. 
GET THIS. Wednesday we had lil extra time before we needed to be home, so we went to Wal-Mart to contact. We met this girl, Mary. SHE IS UNBELIEVABLE. I LOVE HER SO MUCH. Like so so so much. She's so funny.She has been super devout in her Christian church, but the last couple months, she has kinda veered off the path a little, and has just been feeling kind of guilty. We were able to bear testimony to her of the Atonement IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ISLE AT WALMART!!! How dope is that?!?! There we were, in the middle of walmart all teary eyed. It was so cool. Man I love those experiences. THEN, SHE CALLS US (that never happens) and schedules an appointment with us, takes us to lunch, agrees to read the BofM, and come to church. I love her so much. 
We are still teaching the guy from India, he's so great! It's neat/hard to teach someone w/o a Christian background... trying to help him have his own spiritual experiences instead of just spittin out info. 
Jae is doing so good too. She's the one with 3 cute lil ones!! She started a new job today, which is really great. She seems really happy lately.:) We were finally able to see where her interests are, so that was really great. She's so sweet. I love her kids SO MUCH. 
There was a music convention thing downtown this week, and there were lotsa members downtown... it was so nice to here "Sisters!!"... kinda comforting, most people downtown don't know who we are. Always say hi to the missionaries, it makes their day :) 
FUNNY STORY OF THE WEEK! hahahahha 
Soooo..... Saturday night we're biking home in the POURING RAIN right? Tampa's drainage system doesnt keep up with the immense amount of rain, so there's huge puddles EVERYWHERE. okay? okay. Soooo, we're biking home, almost to our nieghborhood, gettin drenched, laughin our heads off. Sis Millard is in front of me... when a semi comes... and envelopes her in a HUMONGOUS wave of puddle water.... hahahahaha I about DIED laughing. She's such a trooper :) I sure love her.
Well, we've got another meeting with President tommorrow about this Metro area! Should be great. Elder L. Tom Perry is coming to our mission next month to see how we're doin... YIKES! :) 
Sure love you all so very much!!!
Sis Burton

1/6/13

Well I think I have not much time... So i will try to explain to you our week :)

Monday was SO much FUN!!! I will try to send pics... we went to a member's hubby's coast guard boat. Totes fun. 

Thennn tuesday was STELLAR!!! we went la hunting and met THREE PART MEMBER FAMILIES!!!!!! YAY YAY YAY!!! :) they allll said that we could come back!!! YAYAYAY!!!

The circus was goin on this week... so we handed out cards there. It was fun!!! Saw elephants and tigers and lions... holla :) 

we got a referral for this guy from mormon.org. He's AWESOME. he's form India, studying his masters at UT. He has been goin to Christian churches, and when he researched online, the first thing that came up was us! :) He is great. 

Yesterday was super fun!! President invited us over for dinner with his fam!! We played games with his daughter and his wife, while he watched a game. It was cool to see him in that setting. It was a super super fun night! :) I sure love him. 

welllll that's about it!!! I sure love you all tons and tons!! hope you're being good and stayin happy!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Sis Burton 

pic is my skirt gettin caught in my bike.... haha

Christmas Fun 12/30/13

MAN. Christmas Call was definitely the highlight of my week. It was SO SO SO SO good to see ya'll :) I loved every second of it. 

Christmas was honestly so good. We went to the Smiths and it was so nice. We felt so at home there with their cute little family. Bro Smith is from Denton TX dad. Their the cutest little family. We had fun. 

The ward is ridiculously great and way too good to us. I love them. 

This week was really good! Awesome lesson with an investigator and her cute kids Christmas Eve. Taught her little boy to pray and he said the closing. It was suppa cute. They all came to church yesterday!! YAY :)

Handed out TONS of cards this week. Lots last night at the Lightning hockey game, just planting lotsa little seeds :), getting some addresses or names to add on facebook. It's fun work.  

Went to the BEACH on monday for a mission Christmas Party, that was fun! 

Going on the base today to take a tour of a Coast Gaurd ship w/ the other hermanas and a family from the ward... should be suppa fun. 

I feel like there's not much to tell cause I just talked to ya :) haha I sure love you!! Sure love being a missionary. It's the best.

Love you!! 
Sister Burton 

Christmas Miracles 12/23/13


First things first, did I mention that we were FULL BIKE now? Okay well we are. And it's great- we just laugh the whole time. Especially Friday night. hahaha Soooo i had already had a bunch of close calls all day friday on our bikes then we were going home for the night. I went through our gate to our apt complex and the arm fell on my head, then rebounded forward, came back and hit me in the face. Sis Millard and I DIED laughing. Man it was so funny. Theres your funny story of the week for ya :)

THIS WEEK WAS FILLED WITH MIRACLES. I'm serious. We are being so blessed its blowing my mind!!! This has been the most miraculous week yet on my mission. I'm so grateful.
Tuesday: Riding our bikes to see a less active, we stop to talk to a woman on her porch. She lets us pray with her and says she'd love for us to come teach her more about the Mormons. So we go back on Thursday, teach her the restoration lesson and SHE WANTS TO GET BAPTIZED. Miracle.

Guy comes up to us at the library, asks if he can learn more about what we teach. Miracle. 

Wednesday: Different guy comes up to us at the library, told us that "something told me i needed to talk to you",talk for a while, agreed to take the lessons. Met with him on friday. He had read the chapter we gave him in the BofM. He knows he needsta get baptized. He came to the ward party on Saturday and to church yesterday. Miracle.
Thursday: Going to see a less active. She wasnt home. Legitimately RIGHT after we walk off the porch, a mom and her little girl walk by, agree to let us come over. Miracle. 
After handing out TONS of cars at an event at the Straz in our santa hants :), we were walking and across the street we see a momma with her 3 kids (THEY ARE SO CUTE.... the boy is 3, girl 2, baby girl 9 months I am obsessed with them.). I had a feeling that we needed to talk to them, so we went all the way back around, talk to her, she agreed to let us come over, went by on Saturday. She wants to start the lessons. Miracle. 
Friday: Got a referral from the elders for a girl who works at our FAVORITE place, Taco Bus. Went and asked her if she was still interested... she is. We have an appointment with her this week. Miracle. 
Sunday: Sacrament meeting WAS SO SO SO SO SO SO GOOD. I loved every minute of it. MAN i was an emotional wreck. It was great :) 
We did a chalk activity downtown... "What are you giving for Christmas Tampa?" where everyone came and wrote/drew w/ chalk. there was lotsa people. It was rad. Met a guy who moved here 3 years ago and hasnt been to church since... got his address so the other missionaries in his area can go see him. Miracle. 

Crazy miraculous week huh? I know with all my heart this is God's work. There is no way we could do it without His hand, it's be impossible (my favorite scripture Alma 26:12)  I know that He lives and He loves us so much. He is SO mindful of His children. He wants them to come home to Him.
I know that His Son is Jesus Christ. I know that He lives too, that His love is infinite and eternal, and so is His Atonement. I know that we can change and become better only because of Him. He knows us individually... every little thing and He loves us perfectly. How happy I am to be able to testify of Him... of His birth, His Atonement, His resurrection, and His love. I love Him. I know He lives. 
This has probably been the most treasured week thus far. I am a grateful girl. I love you guys SO much!!  SOO much. Mom, Dad, Jake, Blake, Bubba, and Ky... I cant express to you how excited I am to see you in TWO DAYS :) I've been so anxious.  Merry merry Christmas :) :) 

12/16/13


Okay. So... here's the thing. 
SISTER MILLARD IS MY NEW BEST FRIEND. Heavenly Father knows just who you need, ya know?! :) Man. I love her so much. She's 23, from Salt lake, and just the sweetest thing. She is SO FUNNY. We just work super super hard and laugh all day long. We are full bike now, so the laughing increases on those things. :) I love her. SO soooo sooo much. She reminds me of kenz alot :) 
Well well well. GUESS WHAT?! Our assignment changed just a little. We are now half metro half working with the Tampa 1 ward. Which is pretty stellar/perfect. I am so excited to get working with a ward again, and so happy to be doing metro work too. Things are goin good :)
We got to go to Night in Bethlehem yesterday (a live nativity in Odessa). All my Odessa family was there. I got to see Sis Ramos!! :) she is like my mom here, so that was really really great. We both cried. I love her. And Sis Catmull too. And the Hunts!  and Shannon. Man. I love that ward. One of the girls we were trying to start teaching is an investigator now!! Shes 12 and super cute! She made me a Christmas present, SO STINKIN SWEET. It was nice to go there, kinda my own little Christmas present :) I love those people. I'm so excited to be workin witha ward again!
Things are going so good. I am SO pumped for Christmas, so pumped to see ya'll on SKYPE!!! :) HOLLA!!! :) man. That's gonna be super rad. I love you guys so much. 

I cant believe how fast time is flying... it's starting to FLY. I dont like it. I love being a missionary. 
I'd do this forever if i could. There is no where on this planet I'd rather be than here in downtown tampa wearing this badge and testifying of my Savior. I love Him. That's why I'm here :) I love you all too!! SO SO SO MUCH. 
Sister Burton

Christmas Time in the City 12/9/13

Sooooo this week was nuts. Good as always though :)

TUESDAY was RAD!! :) I went on exchanges. In Odessa. With Sister Goodman. It was like old times all over again. I loved it. Man. That girl is my best mission-friend. I love her so so so so soooo very much. Like alot. MIRACLE happened while we were there! This guy that I taught like the very first transfer in Odessa (Lorenzo) we havent been able to get in contact (so like 8 months ago, right?). Well one of our appointments fell through and we were in the car about to pray and ask where to go. I saw Lorenzo walking and i was like Sis G! Pull over! Soooo she did, and I talked to him and he wants to learn more!! He said "I remember the way I felt when ya'll had me pray and I wanna feel that way again. I was so happy." So we got his address and number so the missionaries in his area can teach him. Rad right? We always pray about who goes where for exchanges, I felt weird about going to Odessa cause I didnt know if I just wanted to go there or if it was the Spirit, but Sis Bush felt real good about it. Good thing she was in tune, because Heavenly Father knew I needed to be there to see Lorenzo cause I'm the only one who knew him :) rad right?! God is so so mindful of His kids :)

Get this. Friday we had MLC. For the activity we went to the Donny and Marie Osmand Christmas show... weird right?! haha I'm probs getting awkward missionary status cause I felt weird anytime they'd sing a not-hymn song. hahaha :) its fine. 

Then SATURDAY... Transfer Calls. I totes thought I was outta here, but turns out I'm staying here in Metro. Sis Bush is leaving :( and IM TRAINING. a brand new sister.... AH. That makes me real scared because this area is so different than other areas (we dont teach many lessons, we dont work w/ the ward very much) so itll be interesting to train her... But I know it's what I need. I feel like this area and this transfer I have learned and changed alot... So I'm excited to learn lots more. I'm excited to get my new companion tomorrow too, I'm sure she'll be great! :) man. I'm scared. haha. it'll be so fun tho, teachin' me to rely on the Lord and obedience :) 

Sunday was great. This ward is incredible. Seriously the neatest people. We watched the Christmas Devo at Bishops house. He kept quoting the scriptures that the speakers would say, you know, like dad does? :) haha made me think of/miss him. :) 

Well well well. I love you. So much. SO so so so sooooo much. I'm so happy! I hope you're happy! Isn't Christmas time just the best?! I love the Spirit it brings! I'm so excited for it! If ya'll have any ideas of fun missionary finding/proselyting activities we could do downtown let me know... we can use all the creativity we can get :) I love you all so so so so so so so much!!

Sister Burton 

PICS!!
944- sis g and I on exchanges... after slaving away in the sun (seriously, its still super warm here... not to run it in or anything ;))  setting up for the "Night in Bethlehem" (the coolest live nativity youve ever seen) 
973- puppy of a new investigator that we found thursday night!!! :) another miracle :) 

12/2/13 Best Week Ever


Sooooo basically this week was stellar!! Let me tell you everything :)
 
Monday: Trying decide where to go for dinner, felt like Taco Bell was the place. Went, and got TWO REFERRALS, people who want missionaries... The Spirit will guide us where Heavenly Father wants us, I never knew itd be Tbell :)
 
Tuesday:We did the "What are you Thankful for Tampa" Chalking... It was super rad and fun. I was with Sis Behr on exchanges... shes the sweetest!
 
Thursday: First off, our apt was FREEZING COLD. We weekly planned all morning, but our heater was broken... I was dying. I will send you a pic of my outfit :) I was wearing sweats under my dress haha.
 
We had dinner with the SWEETEST FAMILY and their neighbor who is a non member. IT WAS SO SO SO SO SO SO SO FUN!!!Then we had another dinner at our ward mission leaders, it was so great!!! (I missed you on Thursday Dad. Bro Lewis walked us out to the car, and I thought of when you used to do that with me and I got all teary. So.... I love you!)
 
Friday: Exchanges with Sis Miller (who is going to byui and studyin the same thing as me... HOLLA) SHE IS THE BEST!!! Guess who we gotta see?!?! TSHANDA!!!! :):):) she moved in by them, so we gotta see her... I was so so so so so happy :)
 
man. I love being a missionary. Heavenly Father is guiding us to where we needta be everyday. I love it.
 
Next week is transfers. We find out on Saturday... I honestly have no idea what is going to happen with this new area... we shall see :)
 
I LOVE YOU SO SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!
Sister Burton

Nov. 25, 2013

Well well well. The weeks are flying by. Seriously. I feel like I was just sitting here emailing you. I have been out nine whole months, is that crazy or what?! It's pretty crazy. 

Mom! Thanks so so so so much for the pics!! SEND ME MORE!!... (one with the whole fam would be great...:)) I love your emails... just what I needed to hear today :) 

Nothing really new going on. Just talking to people about the Gospel everyday. We are teaching this AWESOME Muslim couple- they are the sweetest. I was surprised to see how much we have in common with them, it was neat, they're such good people :)
We both got to speak in Sacrament meeting, that was pretty great. I was still shaking like always. When I sat down i thought (I went way too fast... dad woulda told me to slow down) ;) 

OH. Listen. 
This is the coolest idea EVA that the Elders had.... this week we're going downtown and in chalk writing "WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TAMPA?" and then handing out chalk and having EVERYONE write on it. Its gonna be suppa rad. I'm so excited. After they write, we're gonna bear testimony and give em mormon.org cards. It's gonna be suppa rad!! 

We are going to the Ward Mission Leaders (the Lewis Family) (the COOLEST PEOPLE EVER) :) for thanksgiving- it'll be fun! :) 

I love you all so so so so so so so so so so much!!! I am SO thankful for you, for this gospel, for this nametag that I getta wear everyday and tell them how to be happy and how to have hope. Man I love it.

Love ya'll!!
Sister B