"Vaca Santa"

VACA SANTA. That is all I have to say. We found out something very awesome about Edith this week. Her boyfriend is...... A MEMBER! Ya. He is totally a member. He was baptized when he was a teenager, but now is just really inactive. He works in Santiago so is only home every other weekend and this last weekend, well a week ago weekend, he told her he was baptized. And then told her EVERYTHING about the church. The Word of Wisdom, the sacrament, temples, Priesthood, everything! It was so cool to see her talk about what he told her. But, she had never known he was a member and they have been together for about 15 years. So she was a little shocked to hear that, but at the same time really happy. It kind of confirmed her testimony of our message. So Edith es muy bien! She is progressing very well :) I love her so much!

Besides that, we had a pretty great week. Oh we had a lesson yesterday that was AWESOME! We were just knocking doors with Roberto Carlos, a member, and we felt the impression to knock a certain door. So we did and the guy, Jaime, let us come right in. We just talked and got to know him. Then his wife came into the room with their one year old son. He was so cute :) And we got to know them more. They are very young and kind of struggle a little bit getting by. We asked them what theyre greatest desire in life is and that is to provide for their son. They had a bunch of bible quotes around their house so we know that they do believe in God and are Christians. They dont really attend any church though. They asked a lot of questions about where we go after this life. We think maybe they had a loved one pass away recently. But they were so interested in what we had to say and asked for us to come back on Friday or Saturday. So yay!!! It truly was inspired. 

Besides that, I am just living the missionary dream in Chile. We had Stake Conference this weekend and President Bluth and Hermana Bluth came. Man. I love them so much :) The whole conference was about members and missionaries working together. WOOOO!!!! Go missionaries :) But it was so good to meet all the members in this stake. More than half of them are converts. It was crazy to see that so many here in Chile are converts. That makes me have so much faith when I teach others. 

The Spanish is coming along! I felt soooo much better this week! I actually taught more than 10 minutes in a lesson. It was incredible. I can truly feel the spirit work through me when I teach. 

Well folks. Thats all I really have this week. Remember though, that every member is a missionary. You dont need a nametag to share the gospel with others. The gospel is for EVERYONE. Remember that this week :) LOVE YOU ALL!

Con amor,

Hermana Burnham

"My study wall"

"They still make Trix....shaped like fruit."

"Thanks for the Dr. Pepper Mom!"

"Me and Nathalia.......love her!"

"Making pajaritos"

"Cooking for the branch activity last week."

 

 

 

"A Little Piece of Home"

I am living in Round Valley people!!!! First, the weather can never decide what it wants. Hahahaha! One day, it is blazing hot. The next, freezing cold. The next, it´s raining. And then today, we have hot and rain. Goodness gracious. Decide Chile!!!

Second, dogs. DOGS EVERYWHERE! I feel like I am going to get a dog bite anyday now. Yesterday, jajajajaja, Hermana Lozano stepped in dog poop. It was so funny! Me and Nathalia were laughing so hard. Then all the dogs in the neighborhood, about 15, started barking. ALL OF THEM! And Hermana Lozano was scrapping the dog poop off then 2 dogs tried attacking us. It was so funny. We just had to laugh about it all. Because, what else can we do?

Independence day was sooo quiet here in Curacautin! I think everyone died for 2 days. The celebrations happen 2 weeks before the 18th actually. It was not fun to have a ton of loud speakers right across the street from our apartment and then fiestas that lasted all night. Goodness Chile. 

Our investigador, Edith is doing pretty good. She didnt go to church yesterday, but seriously. Who did? We only have 24 people in church and 4 were just visiting for the holiday. She is trying to give up smoking and doing pretty good! She has started to smoke less and less! YAY! I am so proud of her :) We also have Monica! She is doing good too! She is 27 and took the lessons before but never really committed. But after, in about June, she quit smoking and everything! She was going to go to church yesterday, but didnt because she stayed up til 5am with Nathalia! Tsk tsk Nathalia! 

Anyway, besides that, we didn't get any new investigators this week :( A little sad, but that just means we can work harder this week! Thanks for all the prayers everyone! I can really feel them everyday! I love you all so much :) Chile is treating me good. Besides the dogs that want to kill me. Today is my 2nd transfer! WHA!?!?! So weird. Of course, I am staying in Curacautin for another 6 weeks :) Yay!!!I love this small town :) 

Well, everyone! Have a great week! Make sure to read your scriptures and do the little things! Little things can become big things!!!

Con amor,

Hermana Burnham

 

 

"Miracles"

¡Hola!

This week was about 1409124129830124701234 times better than last! Just because we had so many miracles happen! :) 

We have an investigator, Edith. Oh Edith. I LOVE HER! She is just the bomb. She is about 37 and has 2 sons. Her husband works in Santiago, but she lives here in Curacautin with her 1 son and the other at college in Concepción. We have been teaching her for about 4 weeks now with little progression. She is praying and reading the Book of Mormon, but not attending church and she smokes a lot. We have prayed like crazy for her, because we just feel so good about Edith. She is renting her house, but wants a house of her own. She told us this a few weeks ago. We promised that if she prayed and tried her hardest, she would be able to find a house of her own. 

On Wednesday, we went to go visit her, but she wasnt home. Then about 10 minutes later we ran into her on the street! MIRACLE! She told us that she got a house! MIRACLE! And when she got that news, all she could think about was us. It was so cool. She just had a new light about her. I could see that she was so happy and literally had a new light in her. SO COOL. 

We taught her on Friday and asked her to come to church and she accepted right away!!! She has refused about 2 times in the past. MIRACLE! And so she and her 14 year old son came to church. I know she loved it and the members were so sweet and inviting to her! I loved it :) I love Edith! And she told us at the end she didnt bring her cigarettes, which is huge for her!!!  I am so happy!

This week was just good! And this one will be good too because it is almost independence day for CHILE! WOOOOOO!!!!! :) Lots of Chile flags, good food, people, music, and FOOD! We made pajaritos with Maria Cristinas family. And now, not actual birds. Its like cinnamon rolls. No clue why they call them pajaritos though. Its strange. Hahahahaha! Oh Chilenos and theyre made up words. Today we have a party with the branch! EMPANDAS! Wooooo! I love Chile and the yummy chocolate. 

This morning me and Hermana Lozano went running. I thought I was going to die. But we need to because we both eat so much chocolate! Hahahaha the life of a missionary. Gaining weight and preaching the Gospel. Thats my life now :) 

Have a good week everyone! And remember, PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED! :) LOVE YA!

-Hermana Burnham

 

 

"Choose Your Love and Love Your Choice"

 ¡HOLA FAMILIA Y AMIGOS!

 

This week was......well. No easy way to put it. HARD. Super, super, super, super HARD! Curacautin man. Why must you be so difficult. Oh well. I WILL SURVIVE!

 

We just had to travel a lot for conferences and meetings so we lost time there and we had 3 door slams. 3 people. 3! I will hurt anyone that does that because it is the worst feeling in the world to have a door slammed in your face. Anyway. We just had to push back a lot of baptism dates because none of our investigators came to church. So lame. But hey. That just means we have to work harder this week. ¿Cierto? So ya. That's really it! Hahahaha!

 

So today was return and report for all the newbies and trainers. It was SO GOOD! Hermana Bluth man. She is the bees knees. She talked to the newbies and her topic was Choose Your Love and Love Your Choice. Of course, when we see this, we think of like a boyfriend or girlfriend, husband, yada yada. But she compared this to the mission. We all chose to be here on this mission. For me, I never wanted to go on a mission a year ago, but the Lord had different plans for me. He didn't make me go on this mission, but He did tell me that I needed to. It was my choice to come. Not my parents or my friends. Mine! And she encouraged us to all love our choice. AND I DO! Even when this is so hard and all of our investigators are being little stinkers, I love it. It is hard but the more I stay here, the more I love it. I am always shocked by the support I receive from home. You all ROCK MY SOCKS OFF!

 

But as for the investigators, we have 2 really good ones! Florina and Monica. Florina is 57 and is Evangelica. Its kind of like Baptist. She is so sweet and always wants us to come visit her. And then Monica is 27. She has taken the missionary discussions before, but never committed. But now, I know she is ready. The other Hermanas just planted a big seed :) She is so sweet. She should be getting baptized on October 11! We just need to teach her when she is not playing soccer. Everyone here plays soccer! EVERYONE! Its so cool.

 

My Spanish...... It's getting! I feel like I improve everyday, even if it is a little bit. Language study sure helps :) But it will get there! I just have to work at it each day.

 

Well everyone, choose your love and love your choice! And remember that Heavenly Father loves you. Afterall, we are all his children.

 

Con amor,

Hermana Burnham

 

P.S. Lo siento for no pictures :( I am in concepcion today and this computer is ancient. Hahaha! Next week!

"Angel with the Bread!"

Well, this week has been...... interesting. VERY interesting.

All in all, I have fleas. I guess that is karma for throwing a rock at a dog!!! Hahahhaa! But I have just been getting these red little dots all over my legs and my hands that just itch like CRAZY! So then I told Hermana Lozano and she suggested I call Hermana Balden, the mission nurse. So I did and sure enough, I have fleas!!! Hahaha so being super ghetto, I bought RAID and sprayed down my mattress and sheets. And all the entire room. And bathroom. And kitchen. And living room. Its so awful. They itch like crazy. I am now a dog. I have fleas!!!! Darn you Chile for giving me fleas.

Now for the door slam. This last week was really hard. I had 2 people be very, very, very, mean about my Spanish. I wont talk about it more, but just not very nice about me not really understanding Spanish. So I have been down in the dumps a lot. Then on Thursday, all of our appointments (we had 4!) were cancelled. So we just decided to knock doors that day. One lady, oh my. Hahahhaa! She barely creaked open her door and in a harsh voice, ¨Who are you?¨ We are missionaries from............ And then she slowly, without saying anything, shut her door. Can you say AWKWARD!!??!?! Hahahhaha! it was so funny. In the middle of my sentence, the sound of a slow creaking door shutting in our faces. Hahaha! At the time, I was upset, but now I just find it funny. We also had one lady run away from us about 5 minutes after that. So what a FUN day. Not, but we still contacted a lot. We do a lot of street contacting and door knocking. Scary, but it helps me with the language. 

 

Now for the angel. Saturday was another rough day. Just a lot of things. We had a lesson with our investigator, Nicol. I love Nicol! She actually started talking to us on the bus a few weeks ago. But she invited her very stong opinionated friend for the lesson and it was not good. Thats all I have to say. So me and Hermana Lozano were soooo discourage after that. And then I was super hungry. To the point where my stomach hurt. We saw a tiny little bread story and so I was like, hey, lets just buy some bread (the Chilenos always eat bread at every meal. Its the thing here.) And so I asked the lady for 2 pieces of bread and she gave me 4 and then said I didnt need to pay. ANGEL!!!! It sounds dumb, but it helped me realize that there are nice people in the world. Especially after a week of really mean people. She was so sweet. She gave me a big kiss on the cheek and sent us off. (Thats how the Chilenos greet each other. Kiss on the cheek!) 

 

Anyway, I can honestly say that I am so happy last week is OVER! It was so hard to keep going when so many people were that mean to us. When I think about it all, it was meant to make me stronger. Sometimes I dont know what keeps me going during the day because the life of a missionary is hard work. But I know that it is my Heavenly Father who keeps me going. I can feel His presence in my life right now in the mission. I love being a missionary!!! Even if it is hard, I love it. Never have I felt closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

 

Thanks for all the support that I get from everyone I know! You all are the best! :) Try this week not to get frustrated with people that are mean. Look at them like a child of God. Its hard when they are being mean, but I promise that it works. LOVE YA!!!

-Hermana Burnham

 

 

"The celery is huge!"

"Me and Rafa...he is so cool! :)"

 

 

"The 4 Zone Conference"