Sacramento - Week 19

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).

“I really love cemeteries…is that weird?”

Monday June 3, 2013

Visiting Elder Harris

Howdy! 

This week was great. I just wanted to share an awesome experience we had this week. Last P-day for memorial day, we went to Green Valley Cemetery to visit Elder Harris. Elder Harris passed away while serving in this mission back in 2007. His parents decided to bury him here as a memorial to the mission. Whenever we are having a hard time or when we just need time to think on P-days, we go see Elder Harris. Anyways, we went with Sister Doolittle and Christopher Robin and several young women who are heading out on missions from the Green Valley Ward. After visiting Elder Harris' grave, we had one American flag left. Sister Doolittle asked Sister Roberts and I what we thought we should do with the remaining flag. Almost immediately Sister Roberts and I knew what to do with it. "We need to give it to them," we said, and pointed to the only other people in the cemetery, a couple standing over a grave about 50 yards away. Sister Roberts and I walked over and asked, "Can we put this flag on the grave?" The woman said "Yes! American flags were his favorite thing." We started talking to them and found out that the new grave was where they had laid to rest their 20 year old son who had passed away in a car wreck several weeks ago on Green Valley Road. The miracle was that Brother Doolittle had been one of the men who had found their son! We told them that we were there with the family of the man who found him. We began to speak with them about God's plan for all of us and tried to offer some words of comfort. The mother said, "I know that he is alright, but it's hard. I don't have that peace yet." We promised her that peace WOULD come if she turned her feelings over to the Lord in prayer and had faith that everything would work out alright. We left them with a handshake and a hug and a promise that all would be well. We're trying to track them down and find a way for them to meet with the missionaries again. I am grateful for the promptings of the spirit and this amazing opportunity to be a tool in the Lord's hands. I know there are no coincidences in life, just miracles and tender mercies. 

On a lighter note, we spent the most significant portion of our P-day camping out....and by camping out, I mean sleeping on the Doolittle's deck. You see, we can't be inside the house without an adult female present, and Sister Doolittle needed to work in the garden. Hence, Sister Roberts and I just took the camping pads out on the deck, grabbed a few blankets and the dog bed for Jody and settled in for a lovely afternoon nap. About a half hour into said nap, Jody started barking and we woke to see Christopher Robin looking at us very strangely. "I got home, looked outside, and saw two girls sleeping on my deck with my dog....never thought I would see that. Y'all are so weird." It's true. We are weird, but that was the best nap I have had in months. :D With Christopher Robin home, it was time to set up the teepee. I will have to take some pictures and send them your way. It is the most awesome thing ever, and I want one for my birthday next year. He is doing great by the way! The doctors thought he would never be able to play jumping sports again, but at his follow up appointment they were amazed at how well he was doing and said he should be able to play all jumping sports again in 3 months. He should be back in the field in about 4 weeks. Today he walked 2 miles and only had a little ache. He has to be able to walk 5 miles with zero pain before he can go back out. 

Brother Scott Oompa-Loompa has decided to take the missionary lessons! IT'S A MIRACLE!!!!!! He is the perfect example of what time and love can do for a person's heart. It has been the service of the ward and missionaries that has sparked his interest and desire to have faith. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and his faith is growing. He is changing for the better and it is AMAZING to watch. We can tell his marriage is stronger and his relationship with his children is better too. The gospel of Jesus Christ blesses our families. 

Heading out to go teach Daphne with a future Sister Missionary!

We took one of the girls who leaves for her mission in Wichita, Kansas in 24 days to teach a lesson to Daphne this week. She did great. We taught Daphne about the gospel of Jesus Christ and she really liked it. We had a funny experience while we were there (we always do). Daphne lost one of her medicine bottles and so we were tearing apart the house looking for it. I said, "Daphne, have you said a prayer yet?" She said, "No." I said, "Well, let's pray to find it." So Daphne calls us all together and we hold hands in a circle and Daphne offers the prayer. It was beautiful and sincere, but so very Daphne. It went something like this: Dear God, I need to find my medicine. Please help us to find the medicine before I have an attack. But if it is thy will that I not find the medicine, so be it. But I would like to find it before I pull out Sister Burchett's hair because it is so aggravating that I can't find it. Again, whatever you want, God, but it would be nice to find it before 5 o'clock. Thank you, God. Amen." It's a work in progress, but God loves us all and sanctifies all of our efforts. We found the pills about a minute later. 

Going out shopping!

Mary Poppin's wedding is this weekend! We went shopping today and found the perfect dresses. They are denim on top with brown belt buckle straps. The skirt on Sister Roberts' is yellow and mine is orange (which are Mary Poppin's colors) so it works perfectly. We are in full wedding planning swing. Everyone laughs when we tell them we are bridesmaids and says "I've never seen that before!" Missionary bridesmaids. Yep, only in Green Valley. 

This week at District training we were introducing ourselves. We always have the missionary go up and then all the other missionaries get to ask them a question. My Zone Leader, asked me, "If it's not too personal, what's the biggest change you've seen in yourself on your mission so far?" We were doing speed answers so I said, "Going straight from training to becoming trainer. I had to grow up really fast." But I've been thinking about that a lot this week. I just had my 5 month mission anniversary yesterday. How have I changed? What has my mission done for me so far? 

There's so many things that I realize have changed about myself. I am way more patient that I used to be. I've been humbled beyond belief. I'm happier than I have ever been because I've learned that positivity makes everything better. I love people more and better than I used to. I can really see that Charity that I have always wanted to have (because in all honesty my natural woman is a pretty judgmental person) coming through and changing me. I still get frustrated. I still want to shoot people in the face sometimes. Sometimes I want to kill my companion or my investigators, but whenever I feel that way, I have this little thought pop into my mind "My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them received the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." and then inevitably follows "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life." When I remember my purpose and my calling, all the natural woman stuff gets pushed away and all that's left is a missionary. I'm still me: sassy, silly, and spontaneous, but I'm the best version of me - solid in my Savior, spirit-filled, and sanctified. That's what the gospel does for all of us! Isn't it beautiful? :) 

Whoever said "Life is Good" must have been in Texas, but whoever said "they lived after the manner of happiness" must have been a missionary.

Love y'all! 

Sister Burchett

***Extra Photos***

We went to a wedding (Not Mary Poppin's) and there was a man in a kilt and a photo booth that was a door. So naturally we got pictures with the man in the kilt and us tracting out the fake door.

Just a shot with beautiful timing where it looks like
I'm going to kill Sis. Loli, but I'm not.