Sacramento - Week 51

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).

“And Thus My Brain is Fried…”

January 14, 2014

Hello one and all! 

I'm sorry to say that my email will be short. But I am happy to say that I hope it will be powerful! 

Now, it is short because this week was so long and exhausting that my brain is completely and utterly fried. I can't even remember what I had for lunch today! This is a lesson to me that I need to be better at keeping track of what I want to write home about during the week. I used to be so good at it, but have slacked in my old age. New Year's Goal for Progression? I think yes! 

Today we added a new family of investigators! Mickey and Minnie Mouse are very spiritual people who have been church shopping for quite sometime and haven't found what they are looking for. We taught them about the Restoration and they were very intrigued. They committed to come to church on Sunday, and we are praying that they feel like they are on the right path to finding what they are looking for. I LOVE when people are honestly seeking. It opens their hearts to the spirit and miracles happen. 

I was blessed to be able to lead Primary in singing time on Sunday. Some might not find it a blessing, but I just adore it. Let me tell you why! I look at these Primary children and I see the individuals that are being prepared to fight in these last days. Everyone always talks about a "chosen generation" but they always forget to say what exactly they are chosen for. They are chosen to fight! They are chosen to stand! They are chosen to WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK! They are chosen to prepare a world that is falling ever more quickly into the pits of doom for the return of the Prince of Peace. How awesome and daunting is that?!

I think of the hymn "True to the Faith". It says, "Shall we shrink or shun the fight? NO!" 

It's a unique opportunity as a missionary to teach the primary children how to share the gospel at such a young age, and to bare them my testimony through the songs we sing. The children were learning "He Sent His Son". What a beautiful testimony of the Savior! The song is basically a question and answer session with Heavenly Father. It teaches of the beauty and power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. There is great power in Primary, if we will just take advantage of the simple doctrines taught there. 

One of those simple doctrines is service. I remember a primary song that says, "When we're helping, we're happy, and we sing as we go!" Sunday night I saw this principle in action. You see, the stake made a little goof this month and forgot to make the new building cleaning assignments. So, on Sunday night the building hadn't been cleaned for 3 weeks and there was a funeral the next day. Missionaries to the rescue! An emergency service project was assembled and I found myself in my favorite dress cleaning the church bathrooms and, in the words of Maria to Captain Von Trapp in the Sound of Music:

Captain: My children have been running around Salzburg wearing nothing but old drapes?!!

Maria: And having a wonderful time!

Sister Ward and I sang (bathrooms have such fun acoustics) and laughed and cleaned while the other missionaries vacuumed and washed windows. It was a great time! When we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are only in the service of our God. But, God's service to us is the spirit and the joy we feel when we are laboring for our fellow men. When we're helping, we're happy! 

So lend a helping hand, and sing a little song this week. And when you see the Primary kids on Sunday, high five them and say "You ready to go to work?" Have fun and get it done! 

Love, 

Sister Burchett