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] ”
March 3, 2014
Hello everyone!
I'm going to share this first because then I can not
mention it again and just live in denial, but I found out I will be coming home
on June 5th which is about 6 weeks sooner than I expected. Because our 18 month
mark happens between transfers, some of the sisters I came out with go home in
June, and others will go home in July. So, I will be seeing you sooner rather
than later, but for now, let's all live in happy denial, because I LOVE
missionary work!
We were
blessed to have some rain this week in Folsom! Oh how we needed it! And we
still need more. It's been an interesting experience with the rainy week. It
feels more like Seattle than California ! It's interesting because people
look at us like we are absolutely crazy to be outside working. I can't remember
if I already shared this story so if I did, just laugh with me again. We were
contacting a potential investigator about 3pm and by this point we were VERY
soggy....we looked like wet cats. Still, when this man opened his door, we
smiled our best smiles and said, "It's a beautiful day!"
He looked at
us and said (in a heavy Hispanic accent) "Oh, this is a bad
decision!" He went on to say, "It's raining! You are all wet! If you
get sick, you won't be able to talk to any more people, so don't you think it
is a good idea to stay inside and talk to people when it is dry?" His
concern was so sincere, and we couldn't help but laugh and thank him. Ever
since, and I think for the rest of my life, when I think about doing something
that isn't maybe the best idea, I hear in my head "This is a bad
decision!" The spirit works in mysterious ways.
We had an
amazing week with the Stewart family. On Monday night we taught the whole Peanut
family: Charlie Brown, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Snooopy. We taught
the Plan of Salvation with Brother Munster
and two awesome girls in the ward who have been the Peanut's friends for a long
time. The spirit was so strong! The best part was when we all knelt in prayer
together at the end. I don't think they have ever prayed as a family before.
They were all near tears.
AWESOME
AWESOME AWESOME.
This week they
were at church again. Lucy had a migraine, but Charlie Brown said, "Ok.
You stay here and rest. We're all going to church and then I'll tell you all
about it." We had the best testimony meeting and the most amazing gospel
principles class. We talked about grace - what it is and how it blesses
us. The teacher, a fantastic ward missionary who just got released to be a
seminary teacher...we're trying not to be bitter, shared a story of when she
experienced God's grace. She was traveling with her husband and two boys
through Elko , Nevada
There was a
man who witnessed the wreck, but he said to her "I called the cops and
that's all I can do!" and he left.
She said she
remembers looking to heaven and saying "Help us!" and hearing a voice
say "You're in charge." She said she felt an immediate charge of calm
and energy and strength. She was able to get her kids taken care of, her
husband set up with the first responders, the whole family to the hospital,
etc. They were all okay and she had them in a hotel. She walked over to a store
to get a few things and then when she was coming back, saw her sister and
brother-in-law. (Her other sister had called them and sent them to meet the
family without her knowing). She said it was at this point that she just
collapsed. She testified that it was grace that gave her the enabling power to
remain calm. The first responders were so shocked that her blood pressure was
normal and she was handling everything so well. But it wasn't her. It was the
grace of God giving her strength. That's what grace is - enabling power. What
an amazing gift from God.
We were
teaching our investigator Nala about grace and the atonement this week. We
brought a member with us and she was talking about the power we can receive
through prayer. She said there is a spot in her house where she always goes to
pray. She said, "There, I just imagine there is no ceiling. Sometimes we
feel like our prayers don't make it past the ceiling, but I just imagine that
there the ceiling is gone. There, my prayers go straight to heaven!" We all
need our place where we can ‘have no ceiling’, where we can feel close to God.
For some of us, it's a quiet corner of our home. For others, it's outside in
the fresh air in the quiet. I think it's important to realize, though, that no
matter where we are, there is never a ceiling. We ALWAYS have a direct line to
our Heavenly Father's ear. He is ALWAYS there, ALWAYS listening, ALWAYS waiting
for us. He loves us.
ALWAYS.
I heard a
great quote from a missionary letter yesterday, "Want to be happy? Do what
you said you were going to do (before you came to earth) and be who you said
you were going to be. It's that simple."
In other
words, stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, in all places.
That's what we committed to do before we came here, stand as a witness. We each
have our own purposes and paths and special things to accomplish here in this
life, but all of us are sent to stand for Christ.
The
bishopric here in Folsom 4th ward was re-organized on Sunday. The most amazing
thing about the restored gospel is the principle of revelation. After the
apostasy, other churches basically declared that revelation had ceased. There
was nothing more for God to give us. Clayton M. Christensen in his book "The
Power of Everyday Missionaries" says he explains it this way: In heaven
there is a great library with answers to all our questions. Anyone can check
out a book, they just have to ask. After the apostasy, everyone stopped asking
questions. God wouldn't send an answer to someone who wasn't asking, because
they wouldn't receive it. The Restoration all began because Joseph Smith asked
a question. He re-started the principle of asking questions and receiving
answers. When we ask, our minds are like Velcro. God can send an answer and it
will stick, because we are looking for it. Even then, God didn't dump all the books
in heaven on Joseph Smith all at once. Joseph still had to ask. He still had to
check out books from the heavenly library. Today, we are still doing that.
Every decision in the church is based on the principle of asking questions and
receiving answers. It's amazing! Think of all the things God still has to share
with us. He wants to, but are we asking?
Fun story
for the week: Our favorite missionary spot is Chick-fil-a. It's right across
the street from the church, so we end up there after district meetings all the
time. The workers know us. It's really quite embarrassing, but we love the
values and not being open on Sundays! Anyways, they have a place where you can
put your business card to win a free catered lunch for your office. Every time
we go, I leave a mormon.org card with our number. Well, they
called this week and said that they had picked us! They wanted to thank us for
always eating there! So, our Zone Training this week will be followed but a Chick-fil-a
catered lunch. One day, all the people at that restaurant will be
baptized!
On that
note, Eat More Chicken and have a wonderful week!
Love,
Sister
Burchett
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