Sister Burnham's Family

This is Sister Burnham's Family

From left to right:
Sister Sara, Brother Ryan, Brianne, Brother Sean, Brother-in-law Christian, Sister Jennilyn.
Bottom row: Mom holding niece Claire, Dad holding nephew Landon and then niece Brooklyn


Three sisters blond, brunette, and red... but all so much alike!

We love you so much Sister Burnham
xoxo

Miracles and a flat tire...

This Past week we have had miracles after miracles.

Okay I am so sorry for not writing to you mom. I didn't get your letter in time, so I just wrote to Dad. Oops! I will remember that next time.

So I received the Ward Letter. And I will try to write this letter so Sister Walker can put it into the Ward letter for next month or whatever you want them to know.

My testimony of Fasting has grown. During our fast I went tracting while the Sun was shining high. We had no snow fall last week until Sunday. Sunday we had nine inches. During tracting we only had to knock on two doors and already we had a new investigator. Three doors down we taught another young lady who let us in because we looked young and hip. Thanks for the new dress code! This was while Sister Corbridge was in Hill Street and Sister Klingler was teaching with me. It's better Sister Corbridge went, because if I did, I found out from her comp that I would have killed her. I guess our personalities clash. But we all are daughters of God!

Sister Klingler came to Sterling Heights while Sister Corbridge went to Hill St. That was fun. I was able to drive which I love to do. Surprisingly I knew where I was and we never had to really use the GPS. Maybe once or twice. Sister Klingler loved Sterling Heights. She loved teaching our investigators and found a new freedom. She was there when we gave an investigator Andrew, a church tour. Andrew at the end committed to Sister Klingler's "As you...will you..." Yeah! I talked to her before about Hard commitments. She was surprised I have never given a soft one. I only know how to do hard commitments. Which means saying Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ instead of a soft commitment saying, As you come to know these things will you or are you willing to be baptized?

So the focus we had was to teach simple and not worry who starts the lesson. I had a conversation with her about how Sister Corbridge and how I have seen Sister Corbridge tecniques and was disappointed. Sister Sung is teaching the same way Sister Corbridge did five months ago.

Later we went to pick up a member to come to a lesson and when we got there she came out and told us her husband just died in Ohio and she was very calm about it. In shock she was running around trying to tell her neighbor that she couldn't teach her kids today because of the event. I could only stay with Sister Zufall for a little bit because I had to meet Sister Corbridge and exchange back.

When we did, I felt this sad feeling like I was releasing Sister Klingler back to the wolves. Sister Klingler told me if she is patient and waits 5 min, Sister Sung calms down from being mad then everything is fine. I was grateful to see my comp again even though it was only 24 hours we had been apart. We met with the Martin family and after we left started to cry. We were that happy to be back together. Sister Corbridge did not have a great time teaching with Sister Sung. We even gave a prayer of thanks in the car for bringing us back safely together.

Friday Night we got a flat tire. I was able to get the jack and spare tire out and was just about to loosen the bolts when Brother Bentley came to help us. I was so close to changing my first flat tire on the mission. But it was a good teaching moment for Brother Bentley's 12year old son.

Sat was also a day of miracles. We finally were able to meet with a few formers and gained them as new investigators. They had the question about temples. The member who was with us was able to answer the question and I remember thanking God for allowing time for her to be with us. Cause Sister Corbridge and I would not have been able to fully answer her concern. Later that night we had a dinner appt. and a member referral was there and we gained Emily as an investigator. She is 18 and ready to learn why she can feel peace and gain strength in the gospel to know what her purpose is.

Sunday we had four people at church and was happy to know all of them are on date. And they stayed more than one hour. Some two some three.

So good week!!

How I have grown...

Dear Family And Friends,

So this last week I had Sister Jones for a companion. She came from Romeo. Exchanges were fun. She liked Sterling Heights a lot. She was excited to do her first Church tour. The church tour went very well. We found out when we committed her to baptism, that if she were to get dunked she knows that it needs to be by proper authority. But she said it is not time yet. She still needs to come to church. But she is reading in the Book of Mormon. She was able to meet some investigators.

I already know the area pretty well which helped with exchanges. So we got to Church. Five Investigators came and three Less-Active Families came that have not been to church for about 10-30 years. We were so torn in so many directions and full of joy I started getting a headache. It was so cool though. Sister Corbridge and I were able to share the Prayer lesson. (they spoke in Sacrament Mtg.) I was able to express to my own family in the ward that I pray for them every day, and when I do I feel that pure love for a moment and that charity. And I sang Hymn #158 for my ending testimony. (She did an amazing job, I was crying) It's basically a prayer. It was cool to look into every one's eyes. This opportunity was an amazing experience. The ward was filled with the Spirit to the point I couldn't stand after Sacrament Meeting, I was so tired. Church yesterday was like being on cloud Nine!!!!

I am happy to be able to share with you what I have experienced. We are going to have many miracles happen in the next few weeks. Just you wait!!!!!!!

So my mom wanted me to try and tell her how I think I have grown. UHHHHH....I don't know really how to answer that. I know more about the doctrine. I know how to prayer more specifically. I know how important reading the scriptures are and going to church. I know that the temple is a great goal.Sister Burnham after some tracting in the snow

I know that I don't like tracting for now. But my mom gave a wonderful testimony about tracting. Keep it coming I really need it. Tracting is still not in my blood yet. I know I have grown in the Spirit. I know I can see miracles more. I can understand the scriptures better too. Explaining myself is improving. I am trying to laugh more and not be so uptight or what I mean is when we get lost or when we make a mistake I am prone to laugh rather than to get frustrated. Which is a big change for me. Even though I have said all this I still feel like myself. I still feel like I have kept what good I have in me and God has enhanced it. I love everyone and I know that everyone needs to be loved. That, I have found much easier to do here than I have found anywhere else. I have an excuse for being all mushy and gushy. It's AWESOME!!!!!! I will come home saying that word every five words. SO, remember I love you and miss your hugs and kisses.

Happy Valentines Day!

Lets Hope We All Will Finish Strong!

“Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace.” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988, p. 361.)

Sister Burnham and Corbridge's apartment.

We stopped by on Valentines Day to bring a little treat to the Sisters.

We caught them in their down time on P-day.
We love you Sister Burnham

Lots of things have happened

Sent: Monday, February 7, 2011 9:54:34 AM

All right so this letter is going to be very long because a lot of things have happened in the last week.

I have to get my planner out because I can't remember every detail.

On Wed and thurs we went to the training meeting for leaders and the sisters were invited. My district was all there except one elder. The district leader's comp. We learned how to practice teaching better, how to plan and use our time wisely when studying and how to rely on faith and not fear. We also ate really good!!!! We stayed the night in Bloomfield Hills with the other sisters in my district. I was able to teach with Sister Mary Vance who I know from BYU. We taught a member who found out last week she has pancreatic cancer. Then her neighbor came over to giver flowers. Her name is Lynn. Lynn was taking the lessons but was dropped a few months ago. So while Lynn was cutting the flowers I took advantage of the moment and starting teaching a lesson instead of leaving. Lynn listened and commented on a few things. She even came and sat down on the floor to listen. I talked about a Living prophet, our purpose and the Book of Mormon. She agreed that all that I was saying made sense. So I felt comfortable following that comment to ask her if she desired to have the Holy Ghost with her always. She answered with a yes. So I asked her if she would be baptized!!! She said soon after that she had already been baptized. So, I introduced the priesthood, and she said, "We are on two different sides of the street. If you could find a meeting line then maybe I would do something. But right now I don't believe you need authority to baptize." She said she was Lutheran. I thanked her for having faith in Jesus Christ and told her that if she reads the Book of Mormon she will find even more truth to the Gospel she already knows. She left after a prayer and trusted me and I could tell she respected me more. That was a miracle that I was able to tell President Holmes at the training meeting continued the next day.

There were two men from the MTC who travel to different missions to help them progress. They were impressed by our mission president on how fast he is able to changes things on his own knowledge and effort. I was proud to hear that. We have upped every goal since Nov. and Dec. 25% more baptisms a month. But we can do even better.

So I left those meetings a new missionary, and I am lucky because i have only been out a small time.

In PMG the summaries of every lesson in Chp 3 I have started to read over and over to feel comfortable being able to teach a lesson at the door when tracting. I feel that Sister Corbridge is feeling an urge to tract more soon. SO I should prepare my self... Ugh tracting:(

SOOO Sat is what I really wanted to talk about. We taught Tony who is getting baptized on Feb 19. He is quitting alcohol, swearing, and trying to sleep. We asked his fellowshipper Ryan if he could give him a blessing. Tony is fired up and ready. We get to experience finding someone and seeing them baptized. That doesn't happen usually. We taught him the restoration simply using a note book to draw pictures of Tony reaching the gate and what happens while he endures. He said that made a whole lot more sense.

Then we went to a part member home. The martins!!! Rida(wife) and Veronica(daughter 9) are going to come to church next sunday. They are committed to read and pray every night together. After we prayed Rida held Sister Corbridge so tight and started crying thanking her for what we had to offer. She said that her family needs this so badly. Veronica wanted to come to church because we made it sound like so much fun. We left so pumped up!!!! The spirit filled in the spots, while we were teaching as simply as we could. And I have to just bear testimony that whenever you teach with a child who is listening the lesson runs with such ease and I love it every time. They make such sweet comments. It felt like Sara was there which made me thank my God even more. Family memories flooded my mind as we were there. I love my Family.

That night we went to Brother Rays trailer. He is committed to be baptized on March 5th. Pray that he quits smoking in time. He is the most charitable person I have ever met that is not Mormon. Since there is so much snow, he cleared the whole court for his neighbors. With his crushed heel. So we came when he had just finished our parking spot. He is all limping with his big gray boot. The sight was touching yet frustrating cause if he doesn't quit smoking and treating his leg like this we keep threatening him he is going to lose his leg. Which helps him get focused!!! Ha ha ha!!! So we get in side and start teaching out of Matt 6. Good chapter for him. Things really got in to perspective about forgiveness and how he needs to put his trust in God. Of course I had already made the choice that I was leaving that night with all his cigarettes and his smoking machine. He makes his own. So I grabbed the machine, the filters, and the tabbaco and put it in front of him. He GASPED!!!! I took his hand and we told him what needs to be done of he wants to be baptized. Good news is he let us chuck it!!! Bad news is he caught Sister Corbridge taking his new pack of ciggarettes and said, "but not those"!!!! So we argued for a bit telling him he doesn't need it. But he won and we left frustrated as ever. I felt bad that Sister Corbridge put herself in that situation. We were surprised the next day when we came over the Change that came over him. He had a nice shirt on. He brought out his ties so that we could help him pick which one to wear at his baptism. We were shocked. But he said that he made a deal with God that he would quit. Now if we could get that last pack and his lighter. That is our next step. But he needs to give it to us and have it be his choice. He didn't come to church because he slept in. But I have a good feeling we will see him in a shirt and tie next week and the following after. He was a new man when we saw him last night. I love him and I know the Angels in heaven are cheering for him. And that's what we told him last night. We taught him about the Gifts of the Spirit. And we told him that he could have any of those but he needs to seek after them and pray to know if what he has seen in his past with seeing the devil and Christ and seven angels lifting up his head, if those were from God or Satan. And only him and the Lord through prayer and through the Holy Ghost will know. He really liked that and said he would pray. Well that was a miracle night as well.

Tithing stories. Debi Gennero was a woman we were teaching but she has not been in town lately. But last time we taught her she was saying how much she wanted to be in a family that loved her and treated her like a daughter. We were about to leave when she handed my comp a 100 dollar bill. She said it was her tithing. "If I am going to be baptized and a member of your church I better be doing my part. Will you take this to your head guy." We told her she didn't have to until she was baptized but that didn't make a difference. She said then take it and let him decide which family needs it. So we took it and gave it to the Bishop. She was so grateful that we were willing to do that. I was shocked. I have heard investigators wanting to pay tithing before but not that much. She was an inspiration to both Sister Corbridge and me.

So Sacrament Meeting was awesome. An investigator Nick Adkin and friend came to our ward. Sister Stroup works with both of them. Sister Stroup bore her testimony on missionary work and how Tony has changed completely. She talked about how Tony has been an example when it come to reading the Book of Mormon. Instead of going for an after lunch smoke he was reading on his I-pod the scriptures. That hit her so hard. She also said that one of those great kids were here at church. Nicks  face just lit up!!! She came down after a fabulous testimony and then surprisingly a little boy went up and bore a sweet powerful testimony. He didn't end in the name of Jesus Christ, but it was powerful. And when he finished Nick Adkins says to me, "I have to go up there." He walks up there and introduces himself as that kid Sister Stroup was talking about and that Tony was the kid who surprised him when he found him reading instead of smoking. Nick thanked everyone for being so kind to him and his family. And told us that he wants the happiness we have. I wanted to yell across the room and commit him to baptism right there. But that would not be good so I just cried. An investigator bore his testimony!!!! WOW! Every one liked that Sunday. Nick is going to be baptized.

Great things are happening and while I am apart of it I will finish strong, in the Spirit!!!!