Marc's email 7/30/2012

Hey mom and family and stuff, So everybody is just home from the mission besides Kyle and I. We are just living the dream still trying to get by. It sounds like this last week was a good one for all of you. Nothing too exciting sounds like. Tell Olivia I say hi and that I have read all of her emails I just sometimes dont have time to write back. It sounds like the family is doing well and just working like usual. Matt just chose to go to go to Phantom with Adam and Ryan huh? Wow makes me think of the decisions I am going to make when I get home. It has been months since I have heard from Kyle, I just hope he is working all day everyday and he makes the best decision. I would hate to cut my mission short. AK is going out with Lyndsey? Matt better get on that, he is struggling and stuff. Yeah that is crazy that cam and coop and everybody else starts school soon. It seems like they just got out.. Cant believe July is already over. Well this last week was a pretty good week. On wednesday I had to do divisions with our DL so I was with elder Black from Mapelton. He is a great kid and a good missionary. Elder Webb is also progressing and learning and he is doing great. He and I get along really well. We work hard and just do what we are supposed to do. It is a miracle being with him cause it makes me just focus on the mission and training him and I have to time to think of the time or anything. This last sunday we had some people in the church. Bere went to church again and she loves it. She will get baptized this saturday. Her dad is not very happy that she is listening to us but she has told us that she is going to make her own decisions and she wants to be happy and see her mom again. We also had a girl named lupe that went. She is like 60 and Karen Tippetts status. I love teaching her, she is awesome. She also liked the church and should get baptized soon. Other than that we have just been working hard and teaching people. This week should be better than last week so I am excited for it I know that this church is true and the Gospel saves lives. I know that anybody who prays about the truthfulness of this message will discover the best treasure that one can find. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and will guide all men back to the presence of God. Families are eternal and the covenants we make with God are bound together by the Holy Priesthood. It is the power of God and through it we can see miracles. Joseph Smith was a prophet. He saw God. I love this church and the members of it. I love my area and the mission. Pretty much I love everything. Well Family I hope you are all happy. Love you all Elder Burr

Marc's email 7/9/2012

Hey family, So it really sounds like the whole world is burning up right now. That is incredible that there are so many fires and dad has so much work going for him. I swear he hasnt worked this much in the history of the business but it sounds like he is busy. So apparently our new mission president came in but I still havent met him. I am thinking that soon we will have some zone conferences and I will get to meet him. On tuesday they gave us our changes and I am training yet again. My companion is Elder Webb from American Fork and he is way good. He is willing to work and to learn. It is pretty funny cause he is barely learning the language so I am sure that he talks how I talked like 2 years ago. But I hook a brother up so its all good. His parents own the cold stone on 5th east in AF so you could go meet his parents if you want, maybe get hooked up with some free ice cream or something. This last week we have mainly just been teaching. We have an investigator named Vicky and her two kids. She says that she doesnt want to change religions because she believes in the saints and images and stuff and she doesnt want to accept the fact that God has given us to commandment for a reason. We are going with her tonight and hopefully she gets baptized soon. We also have several people progressing that we found this last week that we will be teaching this week to see if they progress or not. I only want to teach my comp how to be obedient and how to work hard. So it will be a great last 12 weeks. I love the mission and the work I am doing. I have never been so happy and content in my life. I try not to think about home because I would just rather be here serving the Lord. The end is coming quickly but there is still a lot to do. I love you all thanks for everything. Elder Burr

Marc's email 7/2/2012

Well it sounds like quite an eventful week there in Alpine. It is crazy how the Lord always protects those that follow Him. The Lord has promised that those who keep His commandments will prosper in the land. You were able to see that this last week. Mom, Elder Webbs´ mom works everyday but from like 9 to 1 so go hit them up and see whats up. From what I hear she is a great lady. It also makes me happy to know that Elder Harding went up to visit with you guys. He is a great kid. I love him alot. The work here in Guady is still going. Elder Webb and I taught several lessons this week and have found a few people. We went yesterday with the daughter of an hermana that was ridiculous. She is like 16, has piercings everywhere. Her mom wants us to teach her so we will be going back to see if she is interested in being baptized. We also went to visit a family and the dad is an alcoholic member... Yeah member of the church. Anyway they were happy we showed up and want us to go back so today we are going to teach them again. It is always stressful teaching a new companion cause I really have no backup besides the Spirit but training is always when I feel the support of the Lord more than in any other phase of the work. I love it. My companion is great. We get along really well and we work hard. I love you mom, you are the best mom in the world. I couldnt ask for a better mom, one that loves me more or takes care of me better. Thanks for everything. Family keep on keeping it real and stuff. I love you all Elder Burr

Marc's email 6/25/2012

So it sounds like all of you moved to my old area with the heat and stuff. That is ridiculous that it is 100 right now. That just means that it will get hotter and hotter. Mom the zone conference with our president was awesome. He truly is a great man that I love. He loves all of his missionaries and was so full of inspiration it isnt even funny. He is awesome. The hermana is also great and I love her. She said something in her talk that was great. She said that when we get married we shouldnt just find a pretty girl, she said we need to find the mother of our kids. So llooks like the tables have turned and ALL of my old options went out the window with that comment. Except a few good ones. The area here is going really well. Yesterday we had a zone conference and my ward got closed and we got mixed with the Huentitan ward. It is an awesome ward and the members all love us. I am still very happy to be working with them. We just got the notice today that in 2 weeks the whole mission program in mexico will stop knocking doors and contacting and will start working with the members. It is something that our president has been telling us for months and finally the Prophet spoke and so I am happy for the change. I have learned well how to work with members so it should be great. Today I find out who my new companion is, I have a feeling it will be a greeny and I will be training for the next 12 weeks. I sure hope so. On saturday we were able to baptize Mauricio, Zaraya and Irwin which was an incredible service. They are awesome and they are making plans so that in a year they can enter in the temple and be sealed. I am so happy for them. We are also teaching the mom of Mauricio which is a miracle. she will be baptized in 2 weeks. I need your prayers so we can find more people to teach and baptize. I love you mom thanks for everything. I got your package which was a real treat. The tie is tight hah. And just so you know, my area is a lot cooler than my other area. Im out love you all elder Burr

Marc's email 6/18/2012

Sounds like every week you guys have no time to breathe. What the John Hansen... at least that gives me hopes to get married as well. If he can do it, so can I right?? Tell Jim and Susan I say congratulations and stuff. Matt is a little met kid, I have like 4 weeks that he has not written me. I know he is cool and stuff but to forget a homie out here on the fronts?? Ridiculous. Well do I have some news for you. So on thursday I was happily working in Santiago working with our converts when at 840 I got the phone call from the APs that I was gettting special changed. Turns out that our mission lines are changing and we are taking some areas from the other mission. So right now I am in the other mission, the East mission with Elder Garza from the other mission. He is teaching me the area and the members and in a week we will have our real changes where I will get yet another comp but from my mission. I am in an area called Huentitan and it is sweet. It is in Jalisco and it is pretty awesome. We have 6 baptisms lined up for this weekend and I love the area. I am pretty sure it will be my last area. It has been an awesome week so far. It was hard to leave Santiago because I had several investigators and loved the branch but the Lord has called me here. We have our zone conference tomorrow which will be awesome. Pretty much life is awesome right now, I love itt. Well There is not much more to tell you. Everything is going well. I love you all Elder Burr

Marc's email 6/11/2012

Yo estoy bien y ustedes? Wow was this a fast week. It sounds like the home front is just crazy as well. Everybody getting married and growing up and stuff. I got the chills when I heard about Brysons mission call. He will love his mission if he is willing to sacrifice everything and get to work. The weather there sounds nice to me. Beats the heat here in Santiago. All I know is that there really is no difference from the heat in the day and the heat in the night. Pretty much I feel like I live in an oven. It is awesome though. This week we have our last zone conference with the president Saucedo and it should be great. We are going to tepic on friday morning and I am hoping it turns out to be a spiritual feast. He is a great man, full of the spirit of God. This week was a good one. We returned to the jail and talked about the families. We had them write a hand written letter to their wives or moms and we are now going around handing these letters out and talking with their families. I Have had many great experiences doing it. We continue having success. We should baptize these next two weeks if everything turns out how we have planned. The Lord has entrusted us with many of His choice children and we are working hard to help them and get them into the waters of baptism. EVerything here is going awesome. I am loving every second of it. Time is running out and I have lots to do! I love you mom and family. Keep it real Elder Burr

Marc's email 6/4/2012

Who did Kevin Whimpey marry? That is weird to think that everybody is just hitched now days but there are many fish in the sea. I loved the quote about the spirit of christ. It is very true and there are many people who realize and recognize that this message is true. I have seen it countless times in the mission. Also sounds like you are jacking dad up on the play selection. I dont think I will be able to go to those lame plays after the mission. God wouldnt want me to I dont think. Also sounds like the kids had fun on the lake. Sounds like everything is good out there!. EVerything here is also going really well. This week we were able to find several new people and see a miracle with Viridiana and her decision to pay tithing. I know that tithing is something that God requires and He blesses those who pay tithing. I know that all of his commandments are true and we can only be truly happy if we keep them. We have several people that we are teaching and we hope to baptize this week. We have the mom of a convert that can get baptized so we are working with her. her name is rosa and she seems pretty set on her decision. Well I really dont know what to write you guys. EVerything here is just moving right along and I am happy. I love what I am doing and I know it is true. I love all of you and hope you are all happy. Thanks for everything Elder Burr