Week 28: Bermejo

Hello everyone!!

I have been having a couple medical problems here in the mission field, and I need to come home for the treatment. I will be heading home tomorrow!

Thank you so much for every single e-mail, prayer, and letter sent. I am so grateful for such loving friends and family.

I know that missionary work is the work of the Lord, and that by His hand, this church is guided. I know that we are God's children, and that he loves us with a perfect love at all times. 

LA MISIÓN ARGENTINA MENDOZA

"¡ALCANZANDO LO MAS ALTO!"

Mucho amor,

Elder Andrew Burns

Week 27: Bermejo

Hola mis queridos norteamericanos :)

This week went by really fast, and this transfer is over in two weeks! Crazy. One of the things I love about being a missionary is the fact that I am learning every second of every day, and I really felt that this week. We don't know how much we don't know until we find out what we didn't know! ;)

An update on my Spanish: I am starting to feel comfortable with talking to anyone. However, if they start talking about a subject in which I don't know the vocabulary very well, chao chao. I get lost really fast. For example, if someone starts to teach me how to change the oil in a car, using all of the terminology of car parts, it's hard to understand. 

Let me blow your minds real quick. One reason why it may be tough for English-speakers to learn Spanish is because of the huge amount of prepositions that are used in English. Tons of verbs in English are 2-3 words, and almost all of those verbs have prepositions like 'on', 'off', 'up', 'down', 'out', 'in'. Like 'show off', 'look up (to someone)', 'flip off' (the insult). The literal translations make NO sense!  

Anyways... :) All of our investigators are progressing! Hopefully we can place a couple baptismal dates this week. 

One thing I learned this week that meant a lot to me is learning to love ourselves. That doesn't mean NOT hating yourself, but rather it means to trust in yourself and give yourself credit for doing the right thing. If something is tough, we can admit it. We shouldn't think that we are strange for not being happy all the time. 

I love you guys!

Vuestra dulzura (hahaha),

Elder Burns

Week 26: Bermejo

HOLA :)

Well this week was really strange, haha! I'll try to cover the main things that happened.

On Tuesday morning, I woke up with a wicked case of food poisoning. I was in bed for the next 72 hours! Everything's alright now, but that really messed up our planning that we did for this week so we had to kind of just run around and improvise for the rest of the week.

The good news is that we have an awesome new investigator! Her name is Cynthia. I think I mentioned Nico and Kathy in a previous email. Cynthia is Nico's brother! She's 9 years old :) She listens incredibly well, and completes all of the commitments we extend! This Sunday, she brought the lesson one pamphlet that we gave to her and just carried it around the whole time. It was so precious! She wants to get baptized the same day as Kathy in September!

I'm so grateful for your prayers and emails. Please know that I find great strength with the knowledge that so many people are praying for me!

I love you all!

Elder Burns

Week 25: Bermejo

Hey everyone!!

I don't have much to report this week, but we have a couple new investigator FAMILIES :) That is always a blessing. Family is soo important to Heavenly Father, and its the purpose of everything we do in the church!

I have felt a special love for the Atonement this week.1 Nephi 19:9 is one of my favorite scriptures that explains the life of Christ.

 9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.

Pay attention to the last phrase!! He did all of that because of the love he had towards us. If our desires are powerful enough and in the right direction, we can do anything. Because of the desires of our Savior, he completed the Atonement. Because of the atonement, we can find happiness in this life and live eternally with our families in the life to come. His influence is available to everyone! 

I love you all,

Elder Burns

Week 24: Bermejo

¡Buen día a todos!

This week has been great. Even though washing an area is a little tricky at times, we have learned so much. Bermejo is a branch, so there aren't that many members, but they are just as helpful, if not moreso, than some wards! We have received tons of references and those make our work so much easier.

Kathy (investigator) and Nico (former inactive) are a couple that will be getting married in September so that Kathy can be baptized! They are super kind and really receptive. Their testimonies are already really strong. 

We haven't been able to meet with any other investigators this week, but I am confident that we will have more luck with that this week!

There's not much else to say, but I will leave you all with a photo of me and a man from Rodeo named Pedro Venturini. He had some of the most thoughtful questions I have ever heard as a missionary, and he taught us so much. I hope Elder Piedra and his companion in Rodeo can help him to keep progressing!!

Con amor,

Elder Burns

Week 23: Rodeo de la Cruz

Hello all!

Sooo. I'm being transfered! I will be going to Bermejo, which is actually in the same zone that I'm in right now (Guaymallén). I can't wait! My companion is Elder Rodriguez from Chile! He and I will be washing (we both will be new to the area). 

This week, I have really grown a love for teaching. Focusing on investigators, their feelings, and helping them see God's love is extremely fulfilling. We had a "charla franca" or a "drop-cane" lesson with the Marinero family, which is basically when we talk about things as they really are. For example, if someone doesn't keep the Word of Wisdom, they cannot have lasting happiness and will be condemned for it. I love these lessons, because the spirit is always so strong. You can BET that the spirit will testify of pure truth.

That's pretty much it for this week, but I hope you all are doing well!! Pray and read your scriptures!

Elder Burns <3  

The pictures: 

One is of me holding some alfajor wrappers. These things are cheap, and incredibly tasty. The one in the middle is a Terrabusi Triple Torta and it is KIIIING.

The other is of my planner for this month. ¡AGUANTE AMERICA!

Week 22: Rodeo de la Cruz

¡Buen día queridos familiares y amigos!

First, I want to explain the picture I sent last week of me holding that cup. That is mate (pronounced "mawtay") and it is extremely popular here. Its actually pretty good!

I don't have much to say this week, other than the fact that transfers are next week and we're working on our investigators in the best way we know how!

I was looking back at some marks I put in the Book of Mormon and I found a passage that applies beautifully to missionaries and pretty much anyone else that feels they are having problems with prayer. Mosiah 26:13 says:

 13 And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.

This verse explains that Alma was having trouble making a decision, and he did not want to displease God, so he went and prayed. Then, for the next 7 verses, God just explains how proud He is of Alma for requesting help before making a decision, as if the real test was just if he would seek God's help or not, and the answer doesn't matter that much! For example:

 17 And blessed art thou because thou hast established a church among this people; and they shall be established, and they shall be my people.

 20 Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep.

This week especially, I've seen the importance of counseling with God in all things through prayer. Sometimes, He just wants to see us put forth an effort and pray. Other times, He wants us to wait for an answer. Either way, He's not ignoring you. I promise that with all my heart.

Mucho amor,

Elder Burns