Sacramento - Week 38

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).

“Missionary Fun!”

October 14, 2013

Well gang, another week has flown by. 

I'd like to say it was a remarkably eventful week, but my companion was sick all week. So really it wasn't. 

BUT I did get to study a lot while she was passed out dying and I read part of Jesus the Christ which I had not had any time to read while on my mission. (Side note, I have no idea how people come home from their missions and say "I read Jesus the Christ 8 times and the Book of Mormon 6 and all the standard works!" I spend so much time studying for my investigators that I don't get to study for me, and that's SO ok with me, but it was nice to just read for awhile and ponder.) 

So since there isn't much actual work to report on this week, I will report on our newest missionary tool from Church Headquarters. It's a booklet called, "Adjusting to Missionary Life". It's a resource with answers to every possible personal problem you can ever have on your mission. The theme of the entire booklet: LEARN TO HAVE FUN AND YOU'LL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER! I love it so much and can quote it already. 

One of my favorite quotes from the booklet is:

"God has a perfect plan for His imperfect children."

It's so true! Anytime we get frustrated or down or feel lost we just have to remember that God is there, that He is the master planner and that even when we have no idea what is going on, He does. 

We got to teach the gospel doctrine class yesterday all about....MISSIONARY WORK! It was awesome. And the Stake Sunday School President just happened to be there. He loved it too and he took some of our material back to the stake. I love seeing members get excited about missionary work and being able to help them grow. It helps me grow too. The things that I used to be afraid of don't scare me anymore, and part of that is because I know if I'm going to ask others to do it, I better be doing it myself. If there's one thing I've learned in the past 9 months, it's that God always keeps His promises. He does open our mouths. He does inspire us. He does send angels to bear us up. He is Almighty God and He loves us perfectly. And with a perfect somebody like that on your side, it's impossible to fail. 

I love you all and hope you have the most wonderful week! 

Sister Burchett

Sacramento - Week 37

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).

“ ! ”

October 7, 2013

I hope everyone had a wonderful Conference weekend! We definitely did here in Carmichael. 

I felt like every talk was absolutely inspired, and every talk either applied to me, my mission, or my investigators. My favorite talk was....you guessed it! Elder S. Gifford Nielsen's now famous to all missionaries "Exclamation Point!" talk. It's not just because he was a quarterback for BYU or that he delivered his address like a sports announcer (which gave me blasts from my past) although those aspects definitely helped. His talk was the perfect counsel for us as member missionaries. Like he said, this work won't move forward in the Lord's intended way without US. He suggests that ever member of the church make a game plan for how to be a better missionary and help the full-time missionaries. Here is the game plan he suggests: 

1. Specifically pray to bring someone closer to Christ everyday 

2. Pray for the missionaries serving in your area and their investigators  BY NAME every day 

3. Invite a friend to an activity in or out of your home 

In order to pray for the missionaries serving in your area and for their investigators, you have to know them. So this Sunday, learn your missionaries' names. I guarantee they are trying to learn yours if they don't know it already. And when you say "Hi, I'm Brother/Sister so and so." their mind will flash to their ward list and they will pull up every detail they know about you. You might be surprised how well they know and love you, even if you don't know them. 

(Read his talk here – Hastening the Lord’s Plan by Elder S. Gifford Nielson )

This week was very different from any other in my mission. Sister Kagie and Sister Repman were both sick as sick can be. So, Sister Abbott and I went out on team-ups. Which means I got to work in deaf work this week! We spent half of our time doing English work in my area and the other half all over the north half of the mission working with the Deaf. It was wonderful to use my sign language again and to be able to experience teaching the gospel differently than I'm used to. We also got plenty of opportunities to meet new English speakers to pass of to missionaries in other areas. One of the most memorable was a woman named Ruby Tuesday. She was down from Chicago visiting an investigator and we got to invite her to conference. She was excited to have the chance to "get my hair all done up and put on a dress or a skirt or somethin!" Simple pleasures. I decided to thank the Lord that night that every day I get to wake up and have a very good reason to get my hair all done up and put on a skirt. 

Bishop Wiggles received a referral for a less active woman living in a care facility, and so he sent us to go and visit her. Her name is Glinda. She's 38 and has MS. She was diagnosed the day after 16th birthday, one of the youngest people ever diagnosed. It was wonderful to talk with her, and we actually got to teach her roommate in the facility, Elphaba. Elphaba asked us if we sang, and when Sister Abbott and I said yes, she started belting out Amazing Grace! We jumped in and harmonized and it was the best feeling. I have such a testimony of the power of music to bring the spirit. Heaven was not a quiet place before we came to this earth, and it won't be when we return. I believe the mansions of the faithful are filled with the best kinds of music. There's something about a melody that fills and lifts the soul better than anything else. 

We've been working with a lot of less-actives, and we got to go to dinner with some recent converts and re-activating families. It was amazing to hear how they found the gospel and what they thought of their missionaries. One story in particular I will never forget. This sister was from Honduras and she was living with a less active member. Their missionaries were trying to get them to church. This is what she said: 

"We missed church and they came over and asked us why. I said, well we didn't have anything to eat for breakfast and we didn't wake up on time. The next Sunday they knocked on my door at 7 in the morning and when I opened it they were standing there will milk and a bag of cereal! I thought they were crazy and I was angry but my husband thought we should go if it meant that much to them so we went. I thought I was free of them but then they came back and said, now that you're going to church we need you two to get married. What kind of people do that? And then I did it. Why did I listen to them?! It never will make any sense to me and I hate them but I guess it worked out so I should say thank you sometime." 

I couldn't help but give a big fist pump in the air for dedicated missionaries! This gospel is the most important thing in this life. What is it worth to you? Would you let breakfast and sleep stand in the way of salvation? It gave me much more determination to leave people no excuse to jip themselves out of joy. 

So this week, here's the challenge: Develop your missionary game plan and remember Elder M. Russell Ballard's prophetic promise - If every member will reach out to just one person between now and Christmas, millions will feel the Savior's love. 

Love y'all! 

Sister Burchett

Sacramento - Week 36

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).

“There’s No Ghetto in Carmichael”

September 30, 2013

Well hello there all you beautiful people! 

First, let me just clarify that although you may hear that there is no ghetto in Carmichael, I am here to tell you that there most definitely is. I've seen enough on my bike at night to know that there is one, and it's all mine! I love our little ghetto slice of California. It's funny because within that ghetto slice is a completely upper class suburban non-ghetto slice. But in the words of a country song "When the sun goes down...everything gets hotter. Everything gets hotter when the sun goes down."

Don't worry! We are perfectly safe and angels surround us and I just think it's wonderful. Sister Kagie on the other hand has requested never to go out at night again haha! I really do just love Carmichael. I've realized that your areas on your mission are like your kids. You love them all equally, but you love them for completely different reasons and in different ways. I'm grateful for the little piece of His vineyard that the Lord has given me to labor in. 

This week has, as always, been eventful so let's start at the beginning, which is actually the end....

I saw these Dinosaurs at the mall and I joked with Sister Loli
"look it's you!" because she is a mission dinosaur on her way
to extinction. So she grabbed an even bigger dinosaur and
thus this picture came to be. 

The end of my trainer's mission! I got to spend last Pday in East Sac with Sister Loli because all of the other Sisters in my zone were going to the temple. It was a tender mercy to be together and we just lived in denial the whole day. It was so much fun! The next morning we met her at the mission office to watch the new missionaries arrive and get their trainers and for me to pick up some things from Sister Loli. We sat on the back row of the chapel with our ukuleles and yelled "Choo hoo!" which is basically the Polynesian "Yee Haw!" for the new missionaries just like old times.

My posterity quilt! Smells like Sistah-hood!

Before she left, she gave me our posterity quilt. Sister Loli's trainer got it from her trainer, Sister Loli got it from her, and now it's passed on to me and we all sign it. So one day, I'll pass it on to one of my trainees. And that day comes quickly everyone. I hit my halfway mark on Wednesday. 9 months! Can you believe it? I can't. Where has the time gone? I feel like I just got here and that I'm still learning and don't know what I'm doing half the time. But then the Lord reminds me that I do know what's going on, and I am growing and changing, and that He is proud of me. And I get really emotional inside (because as y'all know I am usually incapable of crying) and I joke about having a mid-mission crisis. But really I'm doing great. The idea of counting down from here scares me a bit, because I'm not finished here yet. Thankfully, I still have 9 months to work. 

The mission office was filled with missionaries all exchanging companions and moving around, so we got to see so many of the missionaries I have had the privilege of serving with. My roommate, Sister Abbott, said her favorite part of the day was going up to people and saying, "Oh! You're Elder So and So!" and then when asked how she knew them saying "I live with Sister Burchett".

This explains why so many people came up to me and said, "Hey! You've been talking about me!" So I just explained that I love them all so much, how could I not brag about how amazing they are?! And it's true! Missionaries are the best thing since sliced bread. End of story :) 

I didn't actually finish Daddy Dave's, but Sister Acker did so  I stole her
bumper sticker. I didn't even try because it wasn't worth the possible
sickness for the rest of my "Farewell to Sister Loli Day". But if I'm ever in
East Sac, I'm totally doing it :)

I was outside with my companion waiting for the other Sisters to finish and playing my ukulele when a member came over to pick up some Elders. He asked me to play him a song, so in jest of the melancholy transfer mood, I played a jazzy rendition of "God Be With You Till We Meet Again". He loved it and gave me this beautiful hand painted mirror. He makes them! We chatted and I was once again grateful for members and for the gospel that brings us all together. I'm grateful to know that we are all family, and we are all working to get back home. "Till we meet at Jesus' feet", those are the most beautiful words to me! That's the goal. To be reunited again at our Savior's feet. That's why I don't believe in saying goodbye. It's not goodbye. It's just "Till then". 

The work is definitely progressing here! We have 5 people with baptismal dates for October. They all have their own challenges and things they are working through, but the goal is this upcoming month. They all have to come to church, which is an issue here in Carmichael. It’s hard because people will be so prepared, but they don't come to church and so they CAN'T get baptized. And they don't realize how important Church is to following Christ and keeping their covenants. Or worse, the do understand, they do want to come, and then all sorts of things happen that keep them from coming. But I have faith! President Hinckley said, "Tell the missionaries to have more faith and they'll have more success." So here's to you dear Brother Gordon, we are gonna have some mighty faith! 

We had an awesome miracle this week. I had been praying that we find the people we needed to find. Sometimes, it's hard being on a bike because I feel like we can't see as many people, even though there are definite blessings from biking. So I was praying that no matter what we would find who we needed to find. I say praying, but it was more like extra passionate pleading. The kind that sometimes I think makes God want to say "Ok, I get it. Calm down!"

My new planner. I did a nose collage, Sister Kagie did mouths,
and Sister Abbott did eyes. Weird, but fun!

So we were out riding our bikes and I saw a man and a woman walking down the street. I waved and said hello and smiled what I hoped was a winning smile! They just stared with weird looks, which happens a lot so I just kept smiling and then all of a sudden I hear from behind me "Wait! Are you from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?!"

I nearly crashed I slammed on my brakes so hard. Sister Kagie made sure I had stopped and then said, "Yes, we are!"

We started talking to them and it turns out that the man was a less active member who had moved here and didn't know anything about what ward he was in or where church was and he wanted to start coming back. He said he had been praying to see the missionaries but he hadn't seen any. "I was just confused at first because I saw your tag but you were a girl and I had never seen a girl missionary before!" We'll see them this week, and I am so grateful for Heavenly Father blessing them to be in our path and for us being ready for them. 

I think God was afraid I might miss Sister Loli, so he sent an invasion of Polynesians to church on Sunday. The Tongan family in our ward was blessing their baby so half the Ta'alofa ward from North Sac was there. They bore their testimonies and said how happy they were to be in the Paalangi ward (white people ward) and how it didn't matter what ward you went to because we are all one church. It was a tender mercy and spectacular. We had a whole slew of less actives at church as well! It was great to have them there and see them remember how much they love church and need the gospel. 

And finally....Happy Birthday to my awesome Mom! We are, for one time only, sharing a birthday. Her actual day of birth and my mission anniversary. How fun is that?! Momma, thanks for everything. You're just the best and a saint and if I say anymore I'll get all gooey inside and I'm way too tough for that so I will not. Love you! Eat cake for me and know that somewhere in the ghetto, your daughter rides her bike proud to share your DNA. 

General Conference is this upcoming weekend. Watch it, Take notes. Love it. Remember it. Pray for answers to question and then receive revelation. We get to listen to prophets and apostles of Almighty God. How lucky are we! Invite your home teaching and visiting teaching families to watch too! 

b

(Read/Watch talks from General Conference here – LDS GeneralConference October 2013)

b

This is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It's all true, and it's all amazing. I'll never cease to be astonished by our Heavenly Father and our Savior's love for each and every one of us. We are so incredibly blessed to have this gospel, so get out there and share it! 

Love, 

Sister Burchett

Sacramento - Week 35

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).

“Transfers!”

September 24, 2013

Transfers! I'm staying in Carmichael to finish training Sister Kagie, for which we are both grateful. My work here is definitely not done and I'm excited to stay another 6 weeks. 

In sad news, BYU lost to University of Utah this week. It's a tragic day for America. One of the Senior couples knew my intense love of sports and they texted me updates all throughout the evening on the score and progress of my beloved Cougars. They are wonderful people! haha 

We had to postpone Tinker Bell's baptism because she missed church. All because of health problems and her ridiculous Chihuahua, Buddy, who has separation anxiety. I was explaining this to my Zone Leaders, and Elder Morley (who was my district leader and just got called to be the new Assistant) says to me, "I can solve this problem. What's her address?"

I said, "Elder Morley, you can't kill her dog."

He said, "Why not? All dogs go to heaven. Haven't you seen that movie?"

It was morbidly hilarious. I'm grateful for missionaries that have a sense of humor. I know God is grateful too. If he wanted robots, he would have sent those on missions instead. 

Our open house was a great success! We had lots of less actives come and it was great to have them there and get them involved. One family in particular, the X-Men’s, I was so glad to see. Sister Vaughan and I found them as we were sorting the ward list two transfers ago. Brother X-Men is a recent convert and Sister X-Men has been less active for a while. Brother X-Men has a 13 year old son, Charles, who isn't a member, and he is so great! I want to baptize him! But his mom doesn't want him coming to church. He came with the X-Men’s to the open house though so that's good. We helped teach their family the restoration for a new member lesson this week and Charles was SO excited to have a Book of Mormon. The Bishop's daughter and I got called on impromptu to sing for the open house so we found ourselves throwing together "Nearer My God to thee" We sang through it once with some harmonies and then performed it in the chapel. Last minute musical number for the win! 

I have a testimony that God does lead us to where we need to be, even when we don't recognize it. This week we were driving past a street and I said to Sister Kagie, "Hey, let's go see the Garrisons and fill up our water bottles."

Turns out they really needed us then. We were able to help them sort through some problems they were having and answer their questions. They just kept saying, "You are an answer to prayer." There is nothing that compares to the feeling of knowing that the Lord has sent you to help. You feel like a superhero. Missionaries to the rescue!

Our Ward Mission Leader, Brother Bear, came up to us on Sunday and said,

"Sisters, I want you both to know that I think you are amazing, and I appreciate everything you do, and I love you both. I really do."

I told him, "Awwww, Brother Bear. If we could hug you, we would."

To which he replied, "Yes, but that would be completely inappropriate." And then he chuckled and walked away. Members are the best! 

I've been thinking a lot about love this week. It's so amazing to realize how, as missionaries, we come so quickly to love people so deeply that we barely even know. In the words of my companion, "It's kind of ridiculous how much I love these people!"

You love your companion, your ward, your investigators, the missionaries you serve with. You love them with everything you've got and it is a miracle that the Lord allows you to love that much. 

I love all y'all! Thanks for you support and your love. I'm coming up on my halfway mark next week and I can't believe how fast time has gone. Make the best of every day because you just don't get it back. 

Love, 

Sister Burchett 

Sacramento - Week 34

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).

“ No Subject ”

September 16, 2013

Hello one and all! 

This week has been one of those crazy busy weeks where I feel like we did so much and yet I can't remember a single thing because my brain is going to explode. It's on overload haha. But that just means I'm doing my job (or so they tell me) 

This transfer is almost over! We get our transfer calls in a week and my trainer is going home. How did this time go by so fast?! It's scaring me thinking how fast the next 9.5 months will go. 

One of the greatest things that has possibly ever happened to me was that this week I got my official ASL name sign. In Deaf culture, everyone has a sign that is their name sign so you don't have to fingerspell their name all the time. Only a Deaf person can give you a name sign and each name sign has a meaning behind it. The ASL sisters gave me mine this week. My name is sign is the same sign that means (as close to English as it translates) "cherish". Why? They said it's because I love openly and everything I love I hold close to my heart and love deeply. That's why I'm so happy all the time! And so they decided on "cherish". I'm just tickled pink to have a name sign! Check that one off the mission bucket list. 

I'm gonna work the week in reverse because it's all I can do to think back 24 hours to Sunday so here we go. 

Sunday we had dinner with our ward mission leader and prepared for our open house this upcoming Saturday. I'm really excited and I think it is going to be awesome. We are inviting everyone we can and we are hoping for a great turn out and for new investigators and some reactivation among our sprawling population of less actives. 

Saturday Sister Abbott (my roommate and an ASL sister) needed an emergency pianist. They were performing in their ward talent show and their accompanist fell through. As they say "Burchey to the rescue!" So I got to go and to play for her and to sign with all the Deaf in the ward and that was really fun. 

My awesome tan line

I got to spend a lot of quality time on my bike this week. My tan line from my shoes is phenomenal. I will have to send a picture. I finally got a bike rack for the back of my bike and I bungee cord my bag to it. It is a blessing from heaven! No more carrying things on my back. YAY! 

This week was hard because we had two people on track for baptism at the end of this month, and then they both got deathly ill and missed church on Sunday so we had to move their dates to October. They have to attend church 3 times before they can be baptized and there aren't enough Sundays left in September. It's hard not being able to reach the goal we had set, but I know that God has a plan for these people and we are doing everything we can. So He will bless us. He always does. 

We received a referral from Headquarters this week and when we went to contact it, they weren't home, so we decided to go and visit some less actives who lived in the apartment across from them. The less actives let us in and were SO appalled that we were contacting those people. They went off about how they were drug dealers and if we went in we would never come back out. It took all I could do not to burst out laughing. Not that it's really funny, I mean it could legitimately be dangerous, but I just kept thinking: "Well then who in the world referred them to us?!"   hahahhaha Also, I just deal with everything by laughing so any sort of feeling of fear that I had (or should have had) resulted in laughter.

Sister Kagie kept looking at me like, "Why in the world are you smiling! We could have been killed!"

And I just kept thinking "Where in the world did that referral come from?" It's the weirdest experience, but we left them an open house invite. Maybe they'll come ;)

We had new missionary meeting this week (where the trainers and the missionaries that came in that transfer get together and have training and talk about how everything is going and how those missionaries are adjusting) and it was awesome to see so many of my mission buddies. It was all my old El Dorado crew and it was one of those ‘If you weren't an Elder I would hug you!’ type of moments. As per the usual I took it upon myself to make sure that the missionaries weren't too stiff.

We were talking about planning and the Assistants (who are in my zone) asked "What sort of things do you plan outside of the mission?"

{People started saying things like "Family, Dates, School, Career..."

I raised my hand and said "Dinner!"

Everybody busted up laughing and President gave me his usual "If it were anyone else but you I would be concerned" look and it was great.

So then, the assistants asked "What things do you plan on the mission?"

Before I could say it myself an Elder in front of me raised his hand and said "Dinner!"

I knew my work there was done. haha 

Southern moment for the week:

My Zone Leaders were talking about an Elder and I said "Bless his cotton pickin' lil heart" and they just about died.

"Sister BURCHETT!"  they said, "YOU CAN'T SAY THAT! That's so racist. People will get offended."

I just laughed and said, "Elders, there is nothing racist about it. I'll be fine."

And then, Elder Morley, possibly one of my most favorite missionaries said, "Sister Burchett, if you ever get sent to the ghetto, and I hope you never do, you'll get knifed! And that's not ok."

It was so sweet I took pity on their souls and said I'd try no to say it, but informed them that in the south it is perfectly acceptable.

They said, "But this is the West Coast."

and I said, "I know. Crazy liberals!" and we all laughed. 

Today during zone sports, Elder Richwine (one of the assistants) tried to threaten me so I wouldn't get him out.

He said, "Don't do it Sister Burchett or I'll send you to Stockton!"

I said, "Please do! I would love to go to Stockton."

He said, "Too bad there aren't English sisters in Stockton."

I said, "I think it's about that time!"

He said, "Nah, I'll just send you back to the hills."

To which I replied, "Go ahead! I love it there!"

He laughed and said, "I know you do." And then I got him out :) Missionaries, we are so weird. 

If you haven't read this month's Ensign, READ IT! It's amazing. I was studying an article from it this week by Brad Wilcox all about the Savior's grace. He gives the best analogy describing grace and works. It's all about piano lessons, something I am very familiar with. He said that the atonement and thereby the Savior's grace is like when your parents pay for piano lessons. The lessons are already paid for, but it's up to you what you do with it. You can do nothing and become nothing or you can fulfill your potential and practice and become better. The Savior already paid the price for us, but we aren't automatically perfect. We still have to work at it every day and it's up to us to become what we decide. We control whether or not we fulfill our potential. But the beautiful thing about the Savior's grace is that it helps us all along our journey as we become the best we can be. I know the atonement is real and I am so grateful for its power in my life. 

(Read it here -His Grace is Sufficient by Brad Wilcox)

Love y'all! Hope you have a great week and nobody "knifes you" for blessing their heart to the utmost possible. 

Sister Burchett 

The ridiculous house plant that Sister Kagie and Sister Abbott bought. I told them we are missionaries and we don't have time for plants, but they said it would make our air nicer and so they bought it. Everyday I call it some different silly name and talk to it and they hate it hahaahahaha. 

For Example: 

"What up french fry. What's crack-a-lackin?"

"Why are you calling the plant a french fry?"

"Because I wish we'd bought french fries instead."

We all have a good laugh :)

Sacramento - Week 33

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).

“Fanning the Flame”

September 9, 2013

This week's title brought to you by the La Sierra ward council under the direction of Bishop Wiggles, who on Sunday, presented us with battery powered portable fans for when we are riding our bikes. The best humans ever? I think yes!

This week has been full of ups and downs. Ups because it's missionary work and it's the best thing ever, and downs because we pedaled up a lot of hills and therefore we got to go down them too! I love riding up hills. And for this reason, Sister Kagie hates my guts. haha I just love the feeling of conquering something. You see this huge hill and think, no way José. And then you think, I'm gonna show that hill who is boss!

And then when you reach the top, it's the best feeling in the world! There is a phrase in the scriptures that says you can "come off the conqueror". I just love that. Every time I see someone come closer to Christ, I feel that same rush, because together that person and us as missionaries conquered Satan a little bit and it's one step closer to when we conquer him altogether. 

I saw that this week with Tinker Bell. We went to Tinker Bell's house and decided to leave a blessing on her home. In our mission, we have started a program called "The Savior's Peace and Blessing". In the scriptures there are countless examples of the Savior commanding His disciples to leave a blessing of peace on the homes where they are accepted. It's a priesthood blessing, but since we as sisters are called as representatives of Christ, we are able to perform the blessing on the home in virtue of that calling. It's not a dedication, but a blessing that leaves peace and comfort on the home once we are gone.

When we perform the blessing, we always ask the person what things they stand in need of in their lives, things that they are struggling with that we could help bless with peace and help as we are prompted by the spirit. For Tinker Bell, she was so worried about her dog, Buddy. Buddy hadn't eaten in days. He was so depressed because Tinker Bell was so depressed. He also has anxiety and so he chews up everything. She asked us to please bless him that he would eat. So as I gave the blessing I felt prompted not only to bless Buddy that he will eat, but to also bless him that he will be comforted and not have the desire to chew everything up. It sounds silly, but the spirit said that that was what we needed to say. As soon as we said "Amen" we opened our eyes...and Buddy was eating! And he hasn't chewed anything since. And it was a miracle. And it was just the most amazing experience. The spirit was so strong and I knew that God truly was mindful of Tinker Bell and that she was His daughter and that she had a Savior who has experienced everything she is going through and is ready to help her, and so He sent us as missionaries to teach her the gospel. As Moroni said, God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. 

We had dinner with the Von-Trapps and the Wiggles this week and it was so much fun! I asked Bishop about his conversion story and it was just amazing. What it boils down to is, as he said, "One day I couldn't find my wife in Raley's". So here's the story. Bishop and Sister Wiggles were married and had two kids. Sister Wiggles and the kids were all members, but Bishop wasn't. One day they were shopping at Raley's (a grocery store) and Bishop got a phone call. He went outside to take the call and when he came back in, he couldn't find Sister Wiggles and the kids anywhere. It was one of those situations where you just keep circling past each other and don't meet up. After wandering around forever, they finally found each other and Sister Wiggles said, "This is what it will be like if we aren't sealed in the temple. We'll be in the same place, and we'll know that the other one is here somewhere, but we won't be able to find each other no matter what we do. And it will be terrible." And Bishop said, "You're right." And he took the missionary lessons and was baptized and they were sealed on their anniversary a little over a year later. 

Funny story from this week: We were teaching our investigator, Ms. Frizzle, on her front porch and her neighbor came over. He was Russian. When he saw us he said, "I hope Jesus Christ is your personal Savior?"

And I said, "Yes, He is! And I hope He is yours too."

He said, "Yes He is...and (in a thick Russian accent) without Mr. Smith."

I just laughed and told him we would have to talk religion sometime. I find sick joy in people who think they are going to meet with me and set me straight and prove that everything I know to be true is wrong, and that's really awful. It just motivates me to bear my testimony to them because I know they are my brothers and sisters and that they knew it was true once too. And for the record, I know my Savior better because of "Mr. Smith". And for that I am so very grateful. 

Have a wonderful week! Life's meant to be joyous, so don't forget to smile! 

Love y'all! 

Sister Burchett