Well, I am in Ohio! And it is so green here! The trees are stunning and there are so many of them! I don't realize the mountains are missing because the trees are so high. The humidity isn't bad at all either...I kinda love it. Except when it's cold and with Fall coming, it's chilly a lot! Shock surprise, I'm freezing most of the time. Ha. I might have already had hot chocolate... =)
My companion is Sis. Harrison and she is wonderful! She is beyond dedicated and helpful. The first few days were adjusting days and there's a lot to adjust to. I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it though. I haven't cried once since being out here, so I've heard that means I'm doing amazing! Ha. Oh, and I've come to realize that I am, in fact, a Utah driver. My companion has Spina Bifida, so I get to drive on my first transfer! Whoot, but it's such a pain. Anyone who has served a mission with Tiwi understands my pain. It yells at me a lot...but I'm getting better with these 25 MPH speeds! Yes! Also, living on a budget is hard! I haven't had to do it for a while. All good things, all good things.
Our area is Shaker Heights North. It's about 30 minutes outside of Kirtland, so we get to drive out there three times a week. (I'm not looking forward to driving it when winter comes. I might cry...) I LOVE our area. The ward is wonderful and completely dedicated to missionary work. There were four baptisms the week I got there and so many recent converts in the ward. We have three sets of missionaries in the ward and so much to do! Exciting for our mission, Gladys Knight is coming to do a concert on the 19th and 20th. She's a bit of a hero here and so many people LOVE her. Gladys uses it as a wonderful missionary tool. Members can come, but they need to bring investigators and that's not hard for them to do. Some people are bringing
10 - 15 people or more. The people hear Gladys and coming is a no-brainer. I'm excited to see how it changes our mission. (Also, rumor has it that LeBron James is coming with his LDS aunt...Cross our fingers! Wouldn't that be cool!)
10 - 15 people or more. The people hear Gladys and coming is a no-brainer. I'm excited to see how it changes our mission. (Also, rumor has it that LeBron James is coming with his LDS aunt...Cross our fingers! Wouldn't that be cool!)
My first day was such a whirlwind. We woke up (Mom and Dad, thank you for the letters and pictures! Much needed) and were able to tour Kirtland with all of the incoming missionaries, the mission president, and Karl Anderson who is the king of Kirtland history and the patriarch of the Kirtland Stake. So with all of them we were able to see all of the Temple (Including upstairs where they normally don't take tours) and we were able to read from the Doctrine and Covenants and really experience what happened there. Something that never happens on a normal tour. So blessed! Then we toured the sights and spent a lot of time in the School of the Prophets. Wow, I never knew how many amazing things happened here. Kirtland really is key to the restoration of the Gospel. There is a reason the First Vision is called the first and not the only. =)
We then went to Transfer Meeting, I got my amazing companion, took my suitcase to our house, and went right to our area. We were able to meet with a few member families and one little boy we are teaching. Overall, great day!
We rotate days between our area and Kirtland sites. And I do love the sites. It is slower now since school is back in session, but we have had a few tours. Yesterday was amazing! We took a non-member older lady and her husband on a tour. They are from Columbus and just saw Kirtland on the internet and decided to check it out. They came for a history tour, but I know they left with so much more. We were upstairs in the N. K. Whitney Store and Sis. H asked the wife (Mary) if she wanted a Book of Mormon. She said she was familiar with the book and felt it would be better saved for someone who hadn't already heard about it. No worries. But the best part was that throughout the tour you could see her change. We talked about the people and why they did what they did. We talked of their sacrifice and their faith. Ahh, it was wonderful. As we left the Johnson Inn she walked next to me, and with a soft voice asked if she could still have that book. Best feeling ever when you can help someone be in the right place to feel the Spirit and God's love for them. She completely, willingly gave us her information and I cannot wait to talk to her about what she's reading.
Funny moment of the week. We are teaching a little 8 year old, Demetrius. His sister joined the church a bit ago and now he's old enough to get baptized, too. Goodness, he is so funny and SO smart. He has so much spunk and little black boy attitude. One lesson we were talking about Prophets and showed him some pictures of Bible prophets. As we were flipping through pictures he suddenly stopped us on a picture of Christ on the cross. He was like, "Is that blood! Is he dead? How'd they kill him?" (The way he said it was hysterical in only the way a little black boy could! Ask Emily for You-tube videos and you'll understand completely what I'm talking about.) He then proceeded to be obsessed with death and the "Under World" and being thrown into the fire. Oh silly. (Made me think of Ben's line in the British Pageant) I LOVE teaching him though. He has so many deep questions.
I guess I could talk about where I live. I live right behind the N. K. Whitney Store! So cool! I love living on site and being so close to this beautiful place. Ahh, I feel the Spirit so strong and I know special things happened here.
By the way, my address is never changing!! =) It's always going to be the Visitor's Center. I will be moving areas and homes, but mail can always be sent there. (Sending to the mission home takes a lot longer.)
7800 Kirtland-Chardon Rd.
Kirtland, OH 44094
And....YOU ALL CAN E-MAIL ME!! =) Although, snail mail is beyond exciting and I would HIGHLY recommend you all sending me packages and letters to my cold and lonely mailbox *cough* *cough*, but you can send e-mails as well. I don't have a strict time limit on the computer either. =)
I sure do love this place. The people of Ohio are wonderful and I love talking about the Gospel with them. I never realized how simple the Gospel is and how much it changes peoples lives. You can see how much happier people are with it in their lives. We have been able to meet with so many converts (because Ohio is full of them!) and hear their stories. I know because of Jesus Christ's Gospel, we can have that happiness. I see it so much already and I know I have just started to dip into it.
Read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church...God is there. You will see if you keep looking and keep your heart open...I promise.
Love you all!! Write me! Especially you, yes you...the person reading this. Because odds are I don't have your address or e-mail. =) Thanks!
Until next Tuesday,
Sister Burns
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