Marc's email 12/13/2010

This last week i got a backpack and a 30$ steak from outback and i enjoyed every single bite. It really beat the street tacos i eat everyday. The language is coming slowly. It is really frustrating at times because anything i learned before never really helped. It is all about understanding and nothing could have prepared me for that. But give it time and I am sure I will know how to speak. Missionary work is the hardest thing i have ever done. I never thought it would be but it kills me every day. I am sure everybody that has served a mission can testify to that. It is nothing you could ever expect, especially when you serve in a different country. I heard Kade Andrus got his call to baton rouge so that is pretty cool. Also I am pretty happy I get to have my clothes actually washed because in the parts where i have to do it myself i will probably just not do it. I had to wash dish rags over the stone and it sucked. This week we went, as a zone, to an orphanage. It was a great experience and also a saddening one. Those kids were so good and sweet and they never deserved to be in such bad circumstances. It made me grateful to be born into such a great family with such great parents. So i thank you for that. We also went yesterday to give a lady a blessing. We went into a house that was absolutely disgusting. There were dogs and birds everyday, so imagine the smell. There were seriously 10 people living there that hadnt brushed their teeth or showered it weeks. It was terrible and one thing we talked about after is even though they are poor, they can take care of themselves. It was sad. We also had a baptism this week which was awesome. We baptized Manuel and he is probably 65 to 75 years old. He is about to move to his house he owns on some island and he told me that i am always welcome to come visit after my mission. So whoever wants to come down to mexico after my mission with me is welcome.

I have thought alot about our trip to Israel and the things we saw. It was a spiritual experience that i will never forget. I remember they places and stories and share them alot. Well it sounds like you are all still very busy. BYU parties, Jazz games, talking to people that know me (there will be alot in the next to years) and whatever else. Just remember our purpose in life. It is not to be content with the world and the things it has to offer, It is to be content in the eyes of the Lord. I love you all and pray the best for you this Christmas season. I dont know it there is any way to get songs on to my ipod but if you want to send it you can. Anyway im out to eat and do some serious pday stuff. dont know what it is yet but it will be awesome. Mom i love you and everything you have done for me. You are the best.
Love, Elder Burr

Matt's email 12/13/2010

Sorry Im going to start this email out by admitting that the time is flying and I don´t have too much time to write. This week was a butt kicker for sure. On Tuesday I spent the morning packing all my gear for the move and then spent the afternoon saying goodbye to the members and investigators. It is incredible the love that is developed in just 3 short months, but it was great. Our landlord invited us for dinner at his house at the end of the night and it was just legit. We got there and he took us to his backyard where he had a table all set up next to his SWIMMING POOL. The table was full of china glasses and silver forks (something that is not seen here) and a whole lot of coke. He then took us over to the clothesline and showed us what we were going to be eating. Yep just a huge fat piece of uncooked pig leg. It ended up being really really good and the people fed me about 6 times way too much. On Wednesday I woke up at 4 in the morning to begin the travels. I left San Juan at 6, got to Mendoza and 8 15, Left Mendoza at 11 and got to Alvear at like 4 30. It was a really long day, but I arrived without problems and that is all that matters. The rest of this week has been pretty normal. We have found a few people that are getting ready for baptism and Elder Benitez and I are making up for the weeks we had together in San Ignacio (I hate that place.) But things are looking really good for us here and the miracles are definitely out there to be found.
I doubt you are going to believe this story that I am about to tell, but just know that I´m not lying. So yesterday we went to a place called Real del Padre. It is a little city outside our area where we want to open up a branch. When we got there we noticed that the doors were open to the catholic church, so we decided to go in. There was not a soul in there and it was probably one of the creepiest places I have ever been. As we were leaving we saw that the mass was going to start at 8. Luckily the bus passes at 8 30 right in front so we decided that we would pay a short visit. When we got to the meeting at 8 the priest was really excited to announce that we were there. It was pretty similar to the meeting Elder Williams and I went to, where everyone turned around and stared at us. Yeah it was awkward, but whatever. Anyway we were just chilling listening to this corrupt man speak when all of a sudden I felt someone touch my shoulder. I turned around to find the commrade of the Priest. He invited us to come outside with him. When we were outside the only thing he said is, "I invite you both to leave..." Yeah we were stunned. We asked him what it is that we did, but he never replied to us. The best part is that it was in front of about 50 people, and they all saw it. Basically the point of the story is that we got kicked out of the Catholic church for doing absolutely nothing, thus making it obvious that the catholic church is perhaps the farthest away from the church of God. I honestly think it was an answer to my prayer because the morning before I asked God to strengthen my testimony and reassure me that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church. I can say that I now know without a single doubt that this is the church of God. That Jesus Christ is the Leader of the church and the only way we can gain salvation is through the ordinances found inside the church and temples. I love this Gospel with all my heart. It is the only true Gospel on the earth and we are so blessed to have been able to be born in the church. I don´t know who the first convert was in the family, but when I meet them they will for sure get a hug. I love you all. Thanks for everything you do for me.
Love
Elder Burr

Marc's email 12/6/2010

Well it is nice to hear that errbody is doing well. my first week here was really something else but all in all it was amazing. My trainer is elder harding from spanish fork and elder wright from mesa. They are awesome and i am learning so much. On saturday i baptized a lady named aurora and these next two weeks we have dates for every weekend. the trick for being successful in this life is just getting out and doing it. thats really all there is to it. the spanish is coming along at its own pace. most of the time i am just chillin saying si to everything and laughing. thats really all i can do sometimes so it is whatever. I am in Zapopan Jalisco. It is pretty ghetto. when you google earth it you might see some nice city with a huge mall and nice car dealerships but dont worry i am not there. just look for the most met place and thats me. it is awesome though. it doesnt even feel like christmas out here so that is weird that it is already almost here. for christmas in two weeks we have a mission party and also christmas day there is a recent convert who invited us over for comida. she has a phone plan to the states cause her husband is there so i will call from there for free. the weather here is not too bad. it is always sunny but i only have back sweat for like 4 hours out of the day so i guess thats good. its not humid at all and it just feels like a spring day at home. As for laundry we just drop our clothes off at a laundromat and they wash and fold them for us for like 5 bucks. the food here is so good as well. we eat a lot of tortillas and tacos and meat with lime. i eat lime with everything. also something that will make shea happy is i have started eating onions on everything, so when i get home we can eat onions together. aside from all of the drunk people this place is awesome. it is also pretty safe and with elder wright and me as a companionship nobody is going to mess with us. he played football too and elder harding is a stud so just the three of us, nobody will try to do anything. mom it sounds like you and matthew pulsifer need to start hanging out with all of your new gadgets. i never thought that day would come i swear you just learned how to text. that is awesome though the most expensive thing i have carried for the last three months has been my sick watch from costco. I live a simple life now with a ton of walking and working. also this week i think on wednesday my comps and i are going to make a christmas miracle for this family of 6. we are going to paint their whole house for them. the husband said he wanted to but didnt have the money or time so we are just going to show up and do it. I am excited about that. elder harding came up with the idea and my companions are men with a purpose. we are out here to get it done and we get it done. barely have time to breathe and i havent sat for a week. yeah what. also i dont know how to work this keyboard so thats why there are only periods. to send packages just send everything to the mission house. the mail is pretty good and it will only take like 3 or 4 weeks. also i am going to buy a backpack today cause that bag i have ripped so i am just putting it on your debit card if thats ok. ok well family i love you all and you mom. keep up the christmas spirit. i love this work and what i am doing. there is nothing i would rather do. i know this church is true and the plan of happiness really is for us to be happy. i love the book of mormon and everything that is in it. i love all of you. im out.
Elder Burr

Matt's email 12/6/2010

So I would like starting off by letting you know that this week I did get those packages. I still haven´t opened up the presents, but the package did arrive. I had to pay 50 pesos which would amount to like 13 dollars to get it, but it was well worth it. I am trying to exercise patience by waiting until Christmas day to open the packages, and I am sure I will make it. I did read the letters and it made me happy to find out that all is going well with the family and every one is still happy. I can´t believe how much my nieces and nephews have grown. I am not going to lie, I had a hard time putting names to the faces, but that is what happens when you go 9 months without seeing or hearing the voice of someone right? No but thanks so much for the packages. I don´t know if you sent the backpack yet?? If you did, I hope it gets here sometime, because if not that means some dirty argentine is walking around with a brand new backpack. It makes me happy to know that all is going well over there. That is really cool that the authorities of the church are now trying to get closer to the saints. I am sure that is going to make a huge difference because pretty soon here we are all going to be tested in one way or another. As for the live here in Albardón... Let´s just say things are about to change.
Last night Elder Orduña and I were talking to a less active family, when all of a sudden we received a phone call from the assistants. After arriving home to the apartment, they gave the phone to President Lindahl and he informed me that my days here in Albardón have come to an end. On Wednesday I will be headed to Alvear to be zone leader with Elder Benitez. Yeah the same Elder Benitez that I was with about 5 months ago. I was super stoked to get that news. I´m way excited that I finally get to finish my time with him. He is a horse when it comes to working, so things are going to work out. Alvear is about the furthes you can get from Albardón, but it will be great. I get to spend some more time with the arrogant mendocinos, but at least the fruit will be good. I don´t really know what to expect about the whole zone leader deal... It seems like it will be a lot of work and maybe some stress, but I´m excited to blow it up down there with Elder Benitez. I just hope you are all understanding if I don´t have much time to write on p days, but I will try my hardest to keep you updated.
We also had the opportunity to have interviews with President this week. It is always such a great experience to meet with him and hear his words of advice. He started out by asking me if I was ready for a big change in the mission life. I now know why he told me that. He then started asking me how the family was doing. I told him that Marcus just entered the mission field in Mexico. That led him to tell me about all the murders and crime that is going on there, which worried me a little bit, but I know that the Lord protects His servants. It was a short interview, but I really do love my mission president. He is an incredible man.
Other than that, the life here in Albardón has been awesome. I have absolutely loved it up here, but I am looking forward to the change. I have grown to have a love for the majority of the people here in Argentina. I still have some room to improve, but it will come. There are still some that drive me nuts, but I have to look past those things. Just like the prophet Ether said, the miracle doesn´t come until after the trial of your faith. I have been studying the past conference session a lot and am so greatful for a prophet here on the earth. I love this Gospel and am so happy that I have the chance to share it every day. I love you all and hope you all have a great week!
Love
Elder Burr