Sacramento - Week 18

Due to the new security measures requested by the Mission leaders, the names of all investigators and people that Sarah comes into contact with will be replaced with the name of a well-known character from a children’s movie. This will keep the identities of people safe as well as make it easier to keep everyone straight. The name given is in NO WAY intended to reflect the personality, looks, or circumstances of the individual(s).

“A Yellow Dress and Redneck Hymns”

Monday May 27, 2013

Hello everybody! 

It has been an interesting week in Green Valley. I realized last week I didn't actually say what happened at transfers, so in case you didn't figure it out, I'm staying in Green Valley to finish training Sister Roberts. 

Highlights from this week: Well, Daphne has made another step toward baptism but as usual it began with something disastrous. We got a call from the hospital Saturday night saying Daphne was there so we called her and asked what happened. She told us the sheriff found her wandering around her front yard in a daze so they took her to the hospital to get her checked out. Turns out that her medications reacted weird with each other and caused her to go cuckoo. So, at 9:40 at night we were calling our Zone Leaders, telling them this and asking for permission to go out late and let her cats into her house. I don't think they believed us at first, but then they just couldn't get over the situation. But, we went over and checked on her after she was released and she told us she is sick of focusing on herself and wants to move her baptism date up and go out and visit people with us. We took her out with us this morning to visit Snow White and she loved it. It's going to be good for her to have a feeling of purpose. 

We are in full swing planning Mary Poppins' wedding! And, she wants Sister Roberts and I to be bridesmaids. So that means I have to buy something yellow.....but it will be awesome to have missionary companions standing up there with them on their big day. The gospel is awesome! Look how it has changed Mary Poppins and her Fiancée’s lives! 

As missionaries we have to get creative at finding people. Sometimes, people avoid us and we have to become Christ sanctioned stalkers. For example, this week we went with our Bishop's family to the high school spring choir concert so we could track down the parents of several less actives in the choir. We took Christopher Robin too and it was a blast and very successful! We got to talk with lots of them and hopefully they won't avoid us now. The choir sang a lot of gospel songs and it was like being at a revival. The choir director is a member who used to be in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. We had a blast listening to the Lower Lights which is like a bluegrass county version of a lot of hymns CD and we were having a missionary redneck moment driving home in the Doolittle's truck rocking out to "I saw the light. No more darkness no more night. Now I'm so happy, no sorrow in sight. Praise the Lord, I saw the light!" 

Christopher Robin's Door after we Heart Attacked it :)

Christopher Robin had his surgery on Thursday and everything went well. It's looking like he should have a quick recovery at the most 6 weeks. We heart attacked his door the day before surgery with lots of missionary phrases on sticky notes and all those foam sticker hearts (thanks for those mom! I knew we would need them one of these days!) My favorite sticky note said, "Serve the Lord, not the frisbee." (Because that is how he tore his meniscus) The sad thing is that they did have to trim like 40% of his meniscus so now he can't do any more jumping sports. That means no volleyball, which was his favorite thing. I told him though, that there are plenty more things to do with life and he is fine with it. We love Christopher Robin and his positive attitude! He is an awesome missionary and we will be sad to see him leave even though we will be SO happy he gets to go back to his mission. 

If there is one thing I have learned from my mission so far it is that you can't judge a book by its cover. This week we met a guy named Sinbad. Sinbad has a beard and dreadlocks. Normally, if I saw Sinbad walking down the street, I would probably head the other direction and fear for my mortal life, but now we talked with him and had a GREAT discussion with him about the gospel. We are hoping to see him again and get him coming to church. I am starting to truly glimpse the meaning of the Lord looking upon the heart. When we see someone, do we see their heart is singing or do we see what song we write for them in our heads? 

Our Bishop's daughter owns the same dress as me,
so Sis. Roberts borrowed it so we could match.
Christopher Robin made fun of us so bad,
but we all know it was actually quite awesome. 

Mom, you asked what you should have said to the lady who asked what I am doing on a mission. I guess the best answer you could give is that I am paying my own way for 18 months to serve other people. We do service and teach people about Jesus Christ. We teach them that their families can be together forever and that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them. And then you say, "Do you believe that? Would you like to meet some missionaries like my daughter?” or “Do you have some service that needs done at your house or for someone else? I know some missionaries who can help!" 

That's about it from Green Valley this week. It has been a slower week, but never short on the miracles. We are working hard and time is flying way to fast! I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth today in its fullness, and I am so grateful for the chance to share that with the people in Green Valley. 

Love y'all! 

Sister Burchett