Matt's email 11/15/2010

Dearest mother,
It sure does sound like you had a crazy week. Trying to stay busy with the family and the ¨friends¨ if that is what you call them. That´s awesome that you are starting such a Christ centered holiday season. It is hard for me to find the holidays here. It is hard to do when the weather pattern is completely turned upside down and dumped on my head. But the days come and go here as if they were nothing. It´s almost depressing, but I am loving it. Every day I try to comprehend the fact that I am just a 19 year old boy lost in the middle of nowhere, trying to get by with the Book of Mormon plastered in my hand everywhere I go. It is such a blessing to hold so much power every day. It is something that the people just don´t realize. Last night we decided to go to a family that is going through some pretty hard times. The husband is just a punk, the daughters are super solid and the wife just doesn´t know what to do. They are the Zarate family. They were baptized about 5 years ago. Anyways we got to their house and there was an evangelical missionary there! We were just too stunned, but we entered anyway. This guy was rocking a size extra small cut off shirt, a sick military hairdoo, and jean shorts. Apparently he got out of jail in june and now he is a missionary?? Yeah what? But he tried telling us that anyone with the GIFT to teach is a prophet and you don´t have to have any special calling from God. He was also trying to show us all these scriptures in the Bible, but he couldn´t find one. He would always use the phrase, ¨the word has told us.¨ He was a real show this guy. But in the end we both bore powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the family decided to join our side and bear testimony to this guy. I felt bad for the kid, but what was he thinking trying to combat the truth and steal one of our member families? God obviously won´t let that happen. It was a great experience to use the knowledge God has given me and to see where I really am with respect to the Bible and the teaches it has. Also just to update you on the family of Viviana and the kids. She is doing really well. We had to chance to visit with her a few times. She loves the Book of Mormon. She knows and recognizes the power it has, but she doesn´t want to accept the fact that she has to go to church. It is quite the challenge, but I´m sure that with the power of prayer, God will work a miracle in her.
This past week I had the opportunity to to divisions with another elder in the district. We had an interview to do so I made my way over to his area. While we were there, the whole city had an earthquake simulation deal so the entire military unit was in town. They had helicopter and airplanes flying all around and the kids thought the world was going to end. They have never seen such a thing.  Apparently in the year 1977 there was a massive earthquake there and because of the fact that nobody was prepared, they decided that it might be a good idea to teach the people what to do when the next one hits. I think it might be a little easier to just listen to the Prophet. What do you think?
Anyway that´s about all I got. I love you. I hope you have a fantastic week. I am so blessed to have been born in such an awesome family. I love you all.
Love
Elder Burr