Just to answer your question with the rain. It rains a ton here and it is a lot cooler than it was in Villa Hidalgo. This last week was a way tight week. We taught a ton of lessons and had one of the towns drunks in church. That was awesome cause it makes me realize that the church really is for everybody. It was sad though cause the people in this ward are all just really rich and arent too humble so they didnt really talk to him but he liked it and we noticed a change in him. Also we had Liliana in the church and if everything works out she will get baptized this weekend. This week I have realized how much the Lord trusts in me to do His work here in the earth. I have the calling to preach the Gospel and the plan of God to all of His children here in this area. It is a hard calling but one that i am honored to have. I have his name on my heart always and He is always with us. We teach His gospel and His love. When people reject us, they reject Him. I love my Savior and know He loves me.
As for this next week we have interviews with the President tomorrow so that will be good. I hope he can help me become stronger in the weak points of my life. I know I have weaknesses but the Lord has given me weaknesses to become stronger. I really do love the mission and am so grateful for the opportunity that the Lord has given me to be here. Its sounds like you are just alone now mom and everybody left you hangin. Thats not very tight but whatever I still love you. Well that is about it for this week. Thank you all for your prayers on my behalf.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Matt's email 7/18/2011
It made me so happy to hear that you could make it to President and Sister Lindahl´s homecoming. To be completely honest I had completely forgotten that it was yesterday, but I´m glad you could get to know them and see how incredible they really are. It was such a great blessing to have them as my mission president and I have learned many lessons from the both of them. Just listening to them talk, one can feel the powerful spirit that they each carry and see the love that they each have for each other and the Savior in their lives. They are great people and will be blessed forever.
This week in San Luis was very... hard?? It was definitely a different week. I don´t know what it was, but everything was off. I felt like the effort that we put into the work was increased, but the results decreased. I don´t know how that would work, but that is how it turned out. We did, however, have the opportunity to meet President Avila and his family on Thursday. They assistants came up Wednesday night to stay in our apartment, which was great, then we all met up thursday morning to meet them. President Avila seems like a great guy. He is a very spiritual man and can explain stories in the Book of Mormon like no other man that I have ever met. He makes it feel as if we were the main character in the story and that helps me understand the scriptures a lot better. He shared with us the story of Ammon and really helped me open up my eyes. It is incredible that Ammon, the son of a king, chose to go work among the lamanites, who were a people that just hated the nephites. He got into the land of Ismael and was immediately taken by the guards of the king and taken to the king
lamoni. Do you think the cords were made of silk and the knots were nice and loose? No. those people wanted to kill Ammon right when they saw him and what was it that the king asked Ammon? He asked him if the intention of ammon was to dwell among the people. Ammon said that was correct and he was maybe going to dwell there until the day he died. the king was happy to hear this and offered Ammon his daughter, but what did Ammon do? He made himself a servant to the King. What an example of humility and faith. That is exactly what I am here to do in Argentina. i have come for just a short period of time, with the idea to serve the people and most importantly to serve God. I know that this is a true work. It really is the perfect battle. I am so happy to be involved in such a great and marvelous cause. I want you all to know that things are going great here. I am so happy to be serving my God and representing Jesus Christ in the cordillera of Argentina. I love you all. I am so blessed to have such an amazing family!!
¨Pray on¨
Love
Elder Burr
This week in San Luis was very... hard?? It was definitely a different week. I don´t know what it was, but everything was off. I felt like the effort that we put into the work was increased, but the results decreased. I don´t know how that would work, but that is how it turned out. We did, however, have the opportunity to meet President Avila and his family on Thursday. They assistants came up Wednesday night to stay in our apartment, which was great, then we all met up thursday morning to meet them. President Avila seems like a great guy. He is a very spiritual man and can explain stories in the Book of Mormon like no other man that I have ever met. He makes it feel as if we were the main character in the story and that helps me understand the scriptures a lot better. He shared with us the story of Ammon and really helped me open up my eyes. It is incredible that Ammon, the son of a king, chose to go work among the lamanites, who were a people that just hated the nephites. He got into the land of Ismael and was immediately taken by the guards of the king and taken to the king
lamoni. Do you think the cords were made of silk and the knots were nice and loose? No. those people wanted to kill Ammon right when they saw him and what was it that the king asked Ammon? He asked him if the intention of ammon was to dwell among the people. Ammon said that was correct and he was maybe going to dwell there until the day he died. the king was happy to hear this and offered Ammon his daughter, but what did Ammon do? He made himself a servant to the King. What an example of humility and faith. That is exactly what I am here to do in Argentina. i have come for just a short period of time, with the idea to serve the people and most importantly to serve God. I know that this is a true work. It really is the perfect battle. I am so happy to be involved in such a great and marvelous cause. I want you all to know that things are going great here. I am so happy to be serving my God and representing Jesus Christ in the cordillera of Argentina. I love you all. I am so blessed to have such an amazing family!!
¨Pray on¨
Love
Elder Burr
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Marc's email 7/11/2011
Hey mom I am good thanks. How are you? The move into Guadalajara has been way tight. The other night it rained harder that I have ever seen it rain and the street in front of our house filled up with like 4 feet of water. IT was tight and made me want to grab my tube and go river rafting. This week was a week full of teaching and representing the Lord. We had to drop a few investigators but then the Lord blessed us with more. We had people in the sacrament meeting and are hoping to have some baptisms here in these next few weeks. When I came into this area there wasnt one investigator so that was hard but now we have some people so we will see what miracles the Lord can throw at us. Nothing too cool or amazing happened this week. We had another lesson with the family of ten and challenged them to baptism. They accepted so now we just have to see how they progress. This week was just another week where my testimony got strengthened and I grew closer to my Savior. That is what I love about the mission. There are times when the natural man would give up but as a representative of Jesus Christ these times are when I feel His presence most. I know He lives. I know He gave His life for us and I know we can live with Him again. As for the Bonzai tree.. He is just our investigator that always is willing to hear this message. We talk to him and teach him every morning. He is way tight. His name is Karate Kid. My comps name is Elder Lopez and we get along really well. I am pretty sure I dont need much in the package. Maybe just some treats and some tight stuff. I wouldnt mind some hand written letters or something tight like that. Just whatever you are feeling up to. Well it sounds like everybody is still doing well and still living the dream. Everybody is just abandoning mom which isnt very cool but it sounds like everybody is happy. I hope you are all happy and content with live. I love what I am doing and where I am. I love the Lord and the Book of Mormon. I hope you are all reading it. Well I hope you all have a great week. I love you all. I love you mom thanks for everything.
Elder Burr
Elder Burr
Matt's email 7/11/2011
So this week was just another very tiring one. On wednesday we had to deal with transfers and that was just a mess. I don´t know why the missionaries can´t just meet up with each other and travel together. It is something that I will just never understand. It´s alright though.. Everyone got to saint louis safely and we are just rockin it up here. This week we had quite a miracle happen... Let me just tell you about it: So Elder Huntington and I are teaching a couple named Mariela and Wilson. Mariela has been a member for the past 5 years and Wilson knows nothing about religion. For the past 3 years she has been asking him if they could go to a church and he has just ignored her saying that they will go someday. A few weeks ago she asked him again and he said they could go to whichever one she wanted... Obviously they chose the true one. The first sunday they came, Wilson didn´t know a single thing about what was going on, but after the meetings we got his address and on Tuesday we passed by. He absolutely loved the first lesson and he accepted a baptismal date right then. The second time we went by we taught them the Plan of Salvation and he said that he wanted to get baptized as soon as possible. Then the hard part came in. We had to teach them the Law of Chastity... Come to find out, she doesn´t want to marry him because she is giving him the famous ¨second chance¨ and waiting for the change. What a bummer huh?? But wait, don´t get too down because we believe in a God of miracles and He will never let us down. We were sitting in Elders Quorum with Wilson and before the class started he leaned over to us and began telling us that after we had left Saturday night they both sat down and started talking about their futures. Almost instantely she told him that she wanted to get married to him so that they could go through the Temple!!! He had no idea what the temple was, but he was still way stoked to know that he could get married. After explaining a little bit of the temple with him on Sunday he got all sorts of excited and now we are working on their marriage papers so that he can get baptized at the end of this month!!
That´s about all the good news I got for this week. I love this Gospel with all my heart. It is the greatest blessing that I could have in my life. I know that God is a God of miracles and I know that He loves me!
Elder Burr
That´s about all the good news I got for this week. I love this Gospel with all my heart. It is the greatest blessing that I could have in my life. I know that God is a God of miracles and I know that He loves me!
Elder Burr
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Marc's email 7/4/2011
Well another quick p day. We met up as a zone today and went to the Sirloin Buffet which was way good. We cleaned the house this morning and it at 4 I have to be at the district class. So needless to say another busy p day here in Guadalajara. To let you know a little bit about this week.. We were knocking doors in the richest part af this place and to our surprise a family let us in. We gave them the first lesson and and we invited them to church. They actually pulled through for us and went to church! That is a miracle cause the majority of rich people never let us in and they almost never go t church. So that was awesome and made me way happy. We also had a lesson with a family of 10 and we are going bck this weekend to see whats up. We met them knocking doors as well and the first day we gave the mom a blessing. We went back later in the week and the mom is getting better and the family is really paying attention. It is awesome to actually have some people that are interested in the message we have. My comp and I are still getting along way good. This week we were knocking a apartment building and we werent finding any people. We said a prayer and the next floor the door was already open and the family received us. Many might say that was coincidence but I know the Lord answers our prayers. Pretty much this week was way tight. We also bought a banzai tree this week so my comp and I practice with him every morning. I am glad to hear everything is going well. Next week I will have more time to write so I wont be all over the place next week. Dad I will pray for you so you get this job. 17000000 isnt a bad pay check but that job would be nuts. You would also have to do it without your crew. Well family I too am glad to be an American but more importantly I am glad to be a Representative of our Saviour Jesus Christ. I love Him and know He lives. I know he is always with us in our problems and He is always willing to give us the helping hand. I know the Atonement is nothing short of a miracle and I am so grateful for the chance that I have to prove mysef worthy to return to Him. I am more than grateful for the chance that I have to share this message with the people here in my area. Well I am out for now Ihave to run to catch the bus. I love you all and am so grateful for all of you. I hope you have a great week watching fireworks and trying to live the dream. Thank you for everything.
Elder Burr
Elder Burr
Matt's email 7/4/2011
Oh this week was one of those great ones. I couldn´t tell you 5 cool things that happened, but just the Spirit that was felt this week was awesome. I don´t know how it happens, but I was honestly on a spiritual high if those even exist. I have been listening to and reading conference talks every day and they have lifted my spirits so much. I leave the house ready to preach to everyone and it is the greatest feeling ever. It is so awesome to be able to knock a door, get rejected, knock another, get rejected and keep such a high level of excitement. Elder Huntington and I are getting along super well and we are stoked to be together another 6 weeks. We had the opportunity to baptize on Saturday. It was the sister of Mikaela, the girl that got baptized 2 weeks ago. She was a little more difficult to get in the water because she had some doubts about some of the commandments and she had an eye piercing that she had to take out, but God just pulled us out of the way and completed the job. (By the way are eye piercings and lip piercings popular there? Cause here everyone has them and it is driving me nuts.) We also had the opportunity to try pig brain... ... Yeah it wasn´t very good, but I was happy to say that I got it down.
Today for the 4th we made some awesome american style hamburgers and french toast. I couldn´t compare it to a family bbq, but hey it was the best we could do. I am so greatful to have been born in such an amazing country where so many blessings are at our fingertips. We have been talking about how amazing America is and it just ceases to amaze me. It is also an awesome opportunity to get to know other places and to see how they live. My eyes have been opened up so much on the mission and I have learned how I can truly help my brothers and sisters here in Argentina. I know that this Gospel is true and that it changes lives. It can make even the poorest person into one of the richest. I love you and hope you have a great week.
Oh and ps I think the new mission president is going to be amazing. I haven´t had the chance to meet him yet, but from what I hear he is way excited to work and is a very great man. I will let you know when I know him...
Elder Burr
Today for the 4th we made some awesome american style hamburgers and french toast. I couldn´t compare it to a family bbq, but hey it was the best we could do. I am so greatful to have been born in such an amazing country where so many blessings are at our fingertips. We have been talking about how amazing America is and it just ceases to amaze me. It is also an awesome opportunity to get to know other places and to see how they live. My eyes have been opened up so much on the mission and I have learned how I can truly help my brothers and sisters here in Argentina. I know that this Gospel is true and that it changes lives. It can make even the poorest person into one of the richest. I love you and hope you have a great week.
Oh and ps I think the new mission president is going to be amazing. I haven´t had the chance to meet him yet, but from what I hear he is way excited to work and is a very great man. I will let you know when I know him...
Elder Burr
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