Sacramento - Week 13

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).

“Wait, people still get engaged? Missions make you forget.”

Monday April 22, 2013

Two of my dear friends back home, Ariana Vierra and Keyan Cluff are getting married! Not to each other. Separately. Like two separate but equal weddings haha. Congratulations to them both! It's weird getting those emails and realizing that life is still going on outside of the California Sacramento Mission. 

I got my pictures in the mail finally! Thanks! They are great and the Doolittle’s loved seeing the animals and the farm. 

What exactly happened in West? I haven't heard anything but some Elder told me today there was some sort of explosion??? 

Could you send me some more Texas flag stickers? I have two left and that makes me sad haha 

Congratulations to Bridie on making regionals! Whoo hoo! Those are blessings from me being on a mission :) just kidding 

James, you procrastinator. Never procrastinate the day of your repentance or the day of your social studies project, especially when it is on some random country like Cameroon. Where is that anyways? Africa? Love you!

My week has been CRAZY AND EXHAUSTING which as a missionary translates into a GREAT WEEK! 

We have been trying to adjust to our new living situation. I'm still waiting for news that we are moving back to Green Valley, but it has yet to come. Hence, I have yet to unpack. The Barney’s told us that they only have one complaint and that is that we don't eat a proper breakfast "A bagel is not a breakfast!" We try to explain to them that we get fed huge dinners and by morning we are pretty much still full so a bagel is all we need and then we have an early lunch. They don't buy that. The other morning they literally sat us down and force fed us bacon and eggs and toast (after I had already had a bagel by the way) I felt so sick and couldn't help but think, "You can't kill the old people. You can't kill the old people." It's a test of my patience and charity since I just want to scream "I'm 20 years old! I have been living on my own for 3 years! I can feed myself!" But then I remind myself that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, and if Christ were there he would sit and eat in silence with a big smile on his face, so grateful for their love and affection. And so, the bacon I did eat. 

Our big open house is over! It was a great success and everything turned out lovely. We had about 50-60 non-members come through which is amazing! We also had a miracle: 

A few weeks ago we contacted a friend of a recent convert at General Conference. Her name is Mary Poppins and she lives in Green Valley. We wanted her to come to the open house so we stopped by to give her an invite. Her mom was home and told us she wasn't and kindly blew us off. Marry Poppins didn't have a cell phone yet so we had no other way to contact her. We were setting up for the open house and a brother from another ward said, "Sister Burchett, I have a number for you. I talked to this girl at the Shell and she said to tell you she can't make it today but to give her a call." It was Mary Poppins! We called her and set up an appointment with her for tomorrow morning. She told us this is the last Sunday she will have to work so she can come to church and "I really need that." The sad thing is though, that she is a YSA (Young Single Adult) and would be attending the YSA ward so we have to turn her over the Zone Leaders to teach. I should be used to this by now, because every investigator we have found besides Daphne we have had to give to someone else. One day, the Lord will bless me with one I can keep, but until then as long as they are being taught and truly converted, it doesn't matter who teaches them. 

Daphne is ready to set a baptismal date! We JUST found out. She has been having a rough week with her new medication and hasn't been totally coherent, but President Willy-Wonka (our stake president and the one who referred her) just talked to her and she told him she was ready to set a date, that she needed the missionaries and the church more than ever, and that she was ready to make these changes in her life! THIS IS A MIRACLE! HALLELUJAH! 

We also had President's interviews this week. I think I was a pretty boring interview because I had no questions, no complaints, no concerns. I just wanted to know when we were going to be done so I could go back to work. I think this pleased him and perturbed him all at the same time. I love to give President Skywalker a jokingly hard time when I can. Some many of the missionaries are so formal with him that it hurts my soul. So I try to sneak in a few jokes when I can. 

Now a side note about my apron: When I packed for my mission, I threw in the apron that I have had since I struck out on my own in the world 3 years ago. That apron has seen so many dinners, and parties and batches of chocolate cookies meant for everything from congratulations to consolations to repentance. Where better for it to continue its service than on my mission? Ever since I got out, everybody always teases me "You brought your apron...that's weird" but they always eat their words when situations arise when an apron is needed, and in my things that very apron is found. Thanks to my Papa who taught me "I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it." 

I also am grateful for all the years spent driving me to piano lessons. I got to use my skills again this week at activity days, where I played Disney songs at each girls request and we sang and sang and sang. It was a blast and there were lots of non-members there that got great face time and heart time with the missionaries. Planting those seeds! 

Sister Doolittle and I decided we really missed Sister Loli's ukelele playing, so Sister Doolittle gave me an extra uke that was lying around the house and commanded me to learn to play. So I am struggling, but I can pretty much play "God Be With You Till We Meet Again". 

That's it from Green Valley this week. Keep your chins up and keep smiling because the gospel of Jesus Christ is rolling forth! No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing! And that's a pretty amazing promise. 

Love, 

Sister Burchett

PS I left my camera in the other Sisters car so no pics this week :( Next week! 

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FOR A LAUGH ~ 

Every week our mission President sends out an email to all the missionaries called the Sac Spirit. It's like a newsletter with different information etc. Well this week it said: 

Weight Watching:  Most of us must watch our waistlines by being careful about what and how much we eat.  It can be very difficult to keep your weight in check when members feed you large meals every evening and especially when dessert is served with the meal.  Some have found it advantageous to mark “no desserts please” on the missionary dinner calendar sign-up sheet as a way to politely ask members to eliminate this temptation.   You will want your family to recognize you when you return home following your mission.

President H. Benson Skywalker, Brothers and Sisters. Cracking us up without meaning to since 2010.