All Work, No Play

I finally got some pictures of Sister Burnham to put on the blog so here are a few cute ones I saw.

Beautiful


Sister Burnham doing some service

Gotta love the tennis shoes and skirt!!!

Sister's Trip Downtown

All the Sister's in the Detroit Mission took a trip to see downtown Detroit.
Here are some pictures from their trip.

The work is moving along

Sister Jones and Sister Burnham

Usually when I prepare to write you I am so excited, then when I sit down to type everything just leaves my mind. It is so weird. I really need a new memory. So, this week I have made a couple of discoveries. I have found that I don't give out commitments very well. I want to focus on leaving reading assignments from the Book of Mormon. I think that would be a good start. My hope is that I can give out better commitments that apply specifically to their needs as an inv, mem, or LA. That is my goal this week. Commitment Focus. I will tell you how it goes. I am hoping that I will be able to see a change in my investigators and see them progress as I am bold with giving invitations. I am studying from PMG (preach my gospel)and praying for the spirit to help me. Its worse with Member lessons. So I am trying to adapt my teaching to those that are high on the spiritual level as well. It is easier to start simple. So the faith I have right now is based on the many people I have already seen repent and change and go through baptism.

Miracles:
1) Sister Jones woke up this morning after going to bed at 3 because she couldn't sleep. She cleaned the whole apt last night while I was sleeping. She is doing fine now, but I worry lack of sleep will kick in soon. I have not witnessed a mad Sister Jones yet...! I hope she sleeps good tonight.

2) An inv's wife shut the door in our face. We walked away slowly and then we hear him running out to greet us, apologizing for that. He stayed and talked to us more about his life and situations. He doesn't see himself joining the church, but he does want us to teach his daughter somethings. Little does he know!

3) A member called us last night and gave us a referral!

4) Our new inv is Miss Ervin. She is wonderful and welcomed us into her home for 10 min and we were able to set up another time to meet her.

I am hoping to see more miracles this week in the singles ward. It's dwindling in my eyes. I want to see more of the missionary work progress in that area. I pray that we get more referrals from them as well. And I am really sad Nick and Tony are not active any more. They are supposed to be coming. I was surprised to see that they have not come to church the past months I was in Romeo. :(

I am finding it difficult to focus on two wards. But my desire is to be comfortable of my surroundings enough to be able to know people quickly. The wards are bigger and it is taking me longer to get to know everyone. Sister jones was so shy, that we still haven't met every member yet. But that will change. Sister Jones said since I have been here we have had more member appt ever. They are amazing and have done such good work here in Bloomfield. I love being here after Sister Klinlger. She left a good part of hers self here, and I can see how the ward members loved her. Just how they treat us, its fantastic.

The work is moving along. Sister Jones wants dramatic growth, and I have to keep reminding her to except the gradually climb, however slow it might seem, as long as it is climbing higher than before than I am happy. She so desperately wants a baptism, she overwhelms herself sometimes. I have done that too, but my state I am in right now is that I am just grateful to be here and teaching and sharing my testimony with every one that lets us talk to them for a min.

Finish Strong

Love you and will write each of you this week. I loved every one writing me.!

Sister Burnham found Burnham Rd. up in Bloomfield Hills Michigan!

Buenos Dias

!Buenos Dias! !Familia!

This past week has been so good for me. My Comp Sister Jones is from Otto Wyoming. She and I are very much alike. We laugh at each other all day and are being silly and sing in almost all our lessons. She is a beautiful alto singer which means I have to take on the role of the Soprano...it's turns out better when I have her singing louder than me...just kidding. Last night we had an experience with music. We sang to Sister Beckett who I have connected with so quickly. She and I had a moment after I said the prayer. It was the first time meeting her and after I finished she said, "This sister has God's spirit within her, she is connected." I was so touched. The next time we met with her Sister Jones and I sang a few hymns, and she kept saying that she couldn't describe the feelings she was having as we were singing. She trusts us so much. She compared me to her son as someone who she would pray with to really feel like God is in the room. She said she loved praying with her son, more than by herself. I was reminded of how powerful the Spirit can be.

What is so interesting is that this has happened many times on the mission. When I was at a leadership training meeting in Lavonia last month, we were practicing, on a few members, how to find people's concerns. When it was my turn I was so nervous. But when I starred at her in the eyes, I all of a sudden felt so much love for the woman. She started to cry, and even though you could hear the other missionaries teaching, it felt like I didn't have to say much to bring the Spirit into her heart. She told me how she saw at the beginning I was nervous and she was anxious for me, but then when I started to talk all of sudden I had things under control. It's the best feeling ever. And I am grateful to be able to participate in miracles like that, often.

More about Sister Jones, she is a farm girl. She owns cows and pigs. They have over 70 cows. She is a hard worker. Oh side note before I forget, we are getting a new car, 2011 Ford Fusion. YAHOO! Anyways, she was supposed to train, but God had other plans for her. We bought tons of veggies. Our fridge is packed full of green stuff and mushrooms, onions, and eggs and squash, and watermelon. We are working on eating healthy! And we do tye-bo at the church every morning.

Also THE TEMPLE IS NEXT DOOR TO OUR CHURCH BUILDING. I MEAN IF YOU GOOGLE EARTH IT IS LITERALLY NEXT DOOR. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! I AM THE LUCKIEST MISSIONARY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How are things in your new area? The area is big and rich! The houses are big. I did find a Burnham Rd and Burnham Ct. There are actually two Burnham Rds. We ARE GOING TO TRACT THOSE BEFORE I LEAVE THE AREA! The ward is a normal size.

Is Sister Jones as wonderful as you expected? Yes

How often do you get to see the other sister missionaries? There is a companionship Sister Vance and Vanici that serve in Sterling Heights. I am back in the same district I was before I went to Romeo.

Is there a new area opening up for Sisters somewhere? Sister Klingler is training in a new area being reopened called Waldlake I think.

You only have a handful of Sisters in your mission, right? Yes there is nine. One tripanionship is in Hillstreet's area. Sister Dunn, Sister Pollock, and Sister Packer. Both sister Pollock and Sister Packer are leaving in a few weeks.

How are the wards you're serving in? Awesome! I can't believe how much potential there is for both wards to grow.

Do you go to both wards every Sunday? Yes I bring snacks too!

Transfer and Happiness

Hi Family I got transferred to the area I was just doing exchanges in. I am in Bloomfield Hills. My Comp is Sister Jones. She is going to be one of my favorite friends ever. I love it here already. We cover two wards. One regular and one YSA Ward. Yeah Finally! I am So happy!

Dear Family,

I want to express to you how much this last week of the transfer has been the icing on the cake. Sister Dunn and I found out about transfers a day earlier than the rest of the mission. We were told that we are both being transferred out of the area and being put in different companionship's. Elders are going to white wash into Romeo’s Area now. Lucky for them the appt was newly organized and clean. I think one of the reasons we are transferred around different areas, is because the sisters need to do a deep cleaning every three years after the elders. Hahaha! That was told to me at church this Sunday from a member. I was happy to be there to here that.

So since Friday we have been saying goodbye to people. Sad this is Sister Dunn’s first transfer so she is taking it hard. It was so sweet though at church this week. At church the branch presidency called us up to share our testimonies since we were leaving. Sister Dunn went up first, and then I went up. I took that opportunity to sing hymn#158, Before Thee Lord I Bow My Head. I find singing is the best way I can express my testimony and the joy I feel. Sacrament meeting was perfect for all of us. They talked about being good examples and Choosing the Right. It was so good it made Carl cry. I am sad no one else of our investigators could attend.

We said goodbye to Carl and Mark today. It was a sweet touching moment. They let us know that we did our job, and that he will always be grateful. They were super emotional. Let me tell you, that when old men cry, I mean really old men cry my heart just sinks and reminds me of my grandpas. I miss my grandpa recently, when I was called a “Little Angel” from one of them. I soon went back to the time when I would dance with my grandfather and he would tell me that I was his little angel. An Angel has been described as someone who speaks the Word of Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost. I will keep studying and feasting upon the word to always be prepared to be someone’s angel. And that goes for all of you too. Be that angel to someone else and share your testimony so that they may feel that goodness they might not have felt ever in their life. It is a small and simple thing that brings the Spirit into someone’s life. Go for it!

Last week I was on exchanges with Sister Jones. She is leaving in 3 months and soon going to be training. We were in Bloomfield and the cool thing was the temple is right next door to the stake center. And I got to go to the temple on Thursday Morning. I needed a reminder! It has been too long. And I am so lucky to be able to go every quarter. All the Sisters went with President and Sister Holmes and the Assistants. We had a few members from each of the areas come along as well. It was Awesome!

I learned from Sister Jones how to humble when teaching. I learned that with the spirit you can have the courage to say the right thing. We met with a young man named Shawn. He is in the army. He is turning 20 in Oct. And I thought about Sean and how he should be getting his call soon. SOOOOOOoooo WHERE IS HE GOING? !!!!!!

I love the Work and will miss Romeo very much,

I always grow more from each area I have been in. Monroe, Sterling Heights, and Romeo.

Finish Strong

Love You!

Today Brianne hits her 1/2 way mark!!! Send her some extra love and letters to get her through the next 1/2 of her mission!

Thanks for all your prayers for Sister Burnham.