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 ”
November 12, 2013
Hello!
I just love Folsom. The end.
It has been a great first week. Sister
Ward and I are super busy. We have two investigators with baptismal dates.
They're from a part-member family (the Frankenstein’s). They are the sweetest
girls in the world. They're family is incredible, and I feel like a big reason
I was sent here was to be able to serve them and learn from them. There are
these moments on your mission where you realize someone is just for you, and
this family is just for me.
We added a new investigator this week
name Maleficent and she is incredible. She is so open and the product of member
missionary work. She met a member who worked at a doctor's office she has been
attending for 8 years. For 8 years this member saw her at her appointments and
they became great friends. After 8 years this member was getting ready to move
and decided to invite Maleficent to learn more about the church. She accepted
and teased him for not asking her sooner. She is facing lots of obstacles, but
is facing them with an open mind and faith. Members are the BEST missionaries.
Also, she just bought a ukulele so I was able to tune it for her and teach a
few chords. No coincidences.
Here in Folsom 4th ward they have a
special Sunday school class called the MMTC (Member Missionary
Training Center
I taught gospel principles this week
for the first time. Welcome to the ward. Please teach this class. So I found
myself in a class with people I didn't know, without my companion because she
was helping teach the MMTC. I prayed deep within myself that I could facilitate
an environment so the spirit could work, and I testify that God is a God of
miracles. The class was on Repentance, and so the Lord led a discussion on the
atonement and the purpose of repentance through me. The spirit brought to mind
a quote I had read in "Adjusting to missionary life" (my favorite
mission resource). It goes something like this, "Repentance isn't the
backup plan. Repentance is God's plan of happiness for every person."
My goal was to help the class
understand and view repentance not as a backup plan or a scary thing but as an
amazing gift and the singular way we can be changed into what God needs us to
be. The spirit was so strong. It was amazing to me. Brother and Sister Frankenstein
were there and I watched both of their faces as they realized that they really
could repent and start over and do things right. Sister Frankenstein was
crying, and I was so grateful that the Lord sent me here.
We had a lesson with the Frankenstein’s
that afternoon after church. We talked about the Plan of Salvation. A few weeks
ago they wouldn't let anyone from the church into their house. Now, they want
to be sealed as a family. They're coming to church and their daughters are
going to be baptized. Best part, their dad is working so that he can baptize
them. Miracles happen. I think of all the home and visiting teachers over the
years that tried and felt like they failed to help this family. All of the
prayers from their families that seemed to be going unanswered. Never give up.
God is real and he is always listening and working and planning. In His own
time He helps us make the right choices.
For more about my area: It's hilly and
mostly suburbs. Lots of families. The ward is medium sized with not nearly as
many less actives as my last area. We have a Blue Chevy Cruz that I love, but
we bike too. We live with a member, she's very sweet! The Elders in 5th ward
live in our area with a member as well so it's fun to see them all the time.
Elder Hemingway is from San Antonio
and Elder Seaman is his companion. It's great to serve with my favorite Tennessee kid again. We
have another set of sisters in our zone that are on bikes. One of my Zone
Leaders I served with in Carmichael and then there are two other Elders I
served with in El Dorado
here too. Reunited and it feels so good! I just love my missionaries. The work
is going really well in this zone and we are hoping to break the high water
mark for baptisms this month or next.
Funny moment from my week: We were in
district meeting and we were setting goals for the next couple of months. We
have a goal to have a white Christmas where every companionship will baptize.
When asked what we should do for January there was some debate on whether or
not we should have a goal for everyone to baptize again. As usual, I think I'm
funny so I said, "We may not have a white January but we can at least have
a dingy cream."
No better way to introduce new
missionaries to Sister Burchett than that.
Several of them told me on Pday
"That's when I knew we could be friends." Moral of the story - just
be yourself. Somebody is bound to love it.
I'm so grateful to be here in Folsom
at this time. I just love it and we are working hard and seeing miracles.
Love y'all!
Sister Burchett
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