2-23-10 Mission Conference!!

Family and Friends,

To start off, I am staying here this transfer. We got calls Wednesday and found out. It will be strange to stay here for so long!! I am excited though, and I will still get to see the Sanchez family get baptized. Elder Anderson left from Columbus and the new Elder there is Elder Simms. This is his third transfer, and he was also trained be Elder Burton. That makes him my "brother" in mission language.

I am writing on Tuesday for a special reason. Yesterday, we had a once-in-a-mission-time Mission Conference. The whole mission gathered together in Omaha to listen to a few special people. Elder Holstrom, from the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve visited our mission. It is part of a week long thing they are doing, and are visiting 8 different missions. Apostles have a week "off" from their normal stuff to prepare their General Conference talks. Elder Perry has such enthusiasm for the work, he decided to take this time instead and visit missions. He was formerly the Apostle in charge of missionary work until Feb 1st.
It was a great experience. Elder Holstrom spoke about the purpose of companionships, as well as some other counsel for us. The spirit was strong as they all spoke. Elder Perry talked about the restoration. He talked about the history of the earth, and dispensations. He talked about the reformation. He talked about how those who have the priesthood are Agents of the Lord, and that they have his "power of Attourney", able to do things in his name, as if he himself were doing them. He bore special testimony about the Church in these days, how it is truly led by Christ himself. He bore testominy that all the Apostles are called of God. It was really special.

Due to lack of Spanish-speaking members, we have three English team-ups this week. It is going to be interesting. We are not sure quite how they are going to go, but we will make the best of them.

I feel like there was something I was going to write about, but I am drawing a blank. I will probably remember it as soon as I log off, or as we are shopping. Oh well. Maybe next week.

I know this is God's Church. I know it was restored through Joseph Smith. I am so grateful that we have the restored Church, and that we have the Book of Mormon, physical proof that it was restored. I know that anyone who sincerely prays about the Book of Mormon with a sincere heart, real intent, and faith that their prayer will be answered, will recieve a powerful witness of its divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. I know that we have fifteen Apostles of God today, with the senior apostle being President Thomas S Monson. I hope each of you take time this week to renew your testimony of the Book of Mormon through prayer. I know it will bless your lives in all aspects and that you will find renewed peace and happiness. I pray for you all and appreciate you prayers on behalf of all missionaries in the world. I love you all.

-Elder Burnham

2-16-10 Almost Transfers

Family and Friends(if any friends actually read these),

I did not write on Monday because it was president's day. It is wierd to write on a Tuesday.

Transfers are almost here again (they come too quick). We find out what is happening tomorrow evening. Maybe I will take over my first area. Maybe I will be shipped off again. Maybe we will both stay here again. Who knows?

So the My LDS Mail switched to a gmail server. It is way nice. It works so much smoother than the old one.

The weather was terrible Sunday. They canceled church because of it, which was disappointing. We had the Sanches family planning to come, but had to call them and tell the m to stay home. Hopefully they can make it next week and still be baptized on the 27th, but that would involve the dad pulling an all-nighter because he works every-other Saturday night.

I will include something that my missino esident sent out to us:

"Mission Boundaries

On Saturday there was an article in the Church News that stated: "To better align resources and adjust to the ever changing needs of the Church, 10 new missions will be organized in July, while 14 other missions will be combined with neighboring missions. The resulting number of missions will be 340." Related to us it stated that Church will "combine the Illinois Peoria Mission with the Iowa Des Moines, Missouri St. Louis and Nebraska Omaha missions." The mission president of the Peoria Illinois mission completes his three year mission in July. That is all I know at the moment, speculation on potential mission boundaries is not a concern to us now, we will be informed at the appropriate time, so please discourage any discussion about these changes. All I can say is that the Lord runs this Church and what is planned is His will."

We also get two new spanish-speaking greenies this week. I am excited for that.

That's about all for this week. Love you all.

-Elder Burnham