I Moved to Summit County! Weekly Letter -- 8.10.2015

Hello Family!!

Well, I spent my morning driving down to the bottom of our area to get a TB test checked that we got last Friday so we can do volunteer work at a rehabilitation/rest home every week. Not fun, but I did it! The only thing that stinks is we have to go back next week and they have to stab us with a needle and do it again! Who came up with this two part TB test. Not my most favorite thing to do in the world....but it's a great way to do some service! Oh the things missionaries will do to help people....

Alright, rewind a little bit. Last Wednesday was transfers and I'm now serving in the Solon South Area with Sister Hancock (Twinsburg, Hudson, and surrounding cities...in Summit County!!)! It's a huge change for me. When I was serving in Shaker and Kirtland I lived at sites and then drove into the area. Solon is a bit different. We live in Twinsburg and drive to Kirtland to serve there Thursday and Friday. It's so different not living right by the Newel K. Whitney Store. I've lived there for a the last year. 

So now Sister Hancock and I live in an apartment all by ourselves. It's a bit quiet, but I really do like it. I have met so many great people and I've only been in the area for four days. 

My mailing address is still the same (especially for packages): 

7800 Kirtland-Chardon Rd.

Kirtland, Ohio 44094

If you want me to get mail Saturday through Wednesday, you can send it to the apartment. If not, I don't mind waiting to get mail on Thursdays when I'm in Kirtland. 

But if you want to send me letters, you can send them to: 

10827 Ravenna Rd. #102

Twinsburg, Ohio 44087

So let's start off with my first day in the area, Friday:

TB test...not fun. 

First appointment with Sami, a member referral. She's amazing and became a new investigator!! She even came to church yesterday! She's 15 and just wants to know if God even exists. She is so sweet and so willing to do the things to find out if God is there. 

We met a few members and then had a first appointment with a church headquarters referral, Ron. He has gone through so much hardship in the last 6 years, but he is so open and willing to see how the gospel will help his life. New investigator #2! We took a member with us and they connected on so many levels! Really, member missionaries are so important! Miracles all day. 

Saturday: 

We went to the Twins Day Parade and gave out over 150 water bottles with attached pass-along cards in 20 minutes. Next time we have to have way more than that! It was fun and there were so many twins!!! You'll have to Google it. Who would have thought...Twinsburg, Ohio. 

After that, we were able to do service for a potential. She is the sweetest thing and I just love doing service. There is nothing better.  

Sunday: 

Church! And I finally got to stay for all three hours. So good. To top it off, Sami was there! She only got to stay for Sacrament Meeting, but she seemed to like it. I like the Solon Ward a lot.

Well there's a little part of my week. It was pretty great. Transfers always take some getting use to, but Sister Hancock is great and I'm so excited for this transfer! Also, Sister Hancock is graduated from collage and she's older like me, too! Not that I don't like 19-year-olds, it's just nice being with her that's all. =) 

Anyway, the gospel is amazing! Heavenly Father loves us all! I'm so grateful to know that. It brings so much peace and joy into our lives. Nothing is better than knowing that we are loved by a perfect being who created the universe! If He did that, He can help us with whatever hard times come our way. He loves us. Trust Him. =)

I love you all!

Sister Burns

Elder Roundy was a pretty great District Leader. We had fun. 

Last day together as a Kirtland Area. 

In the School of the Prophets.

I love my Sister Merritt!

Pretty day at sites. 

TWINS DAY!!!

Sisters Hardy, Holyoak, Hancock and me...I ruin the whole "H" thing. 

 

Sister Hancock and I!

Sister Rallison went home. =( 

Buildings all over Hudson look like this. It's so cute!

Weekly Letter -- 8.4.2015

Hello World!!

It's transfer week and I'm getting transferred! I wont find out until tomorrow as to where I'm going, so You'll have to wait until then. 

I have a very short time to write, but I have to tell you about Steve!!

For those of you who don't know who he is or just need a refresher: He's a member's friend that we have been teaching for a few months now. He's 74, a gypsy, has been involved in so many religions, but he loves what he has been learning here. He's technically not in our ward boundaries, so he hasn't really been able to progress while we have been teaching him. He has a few things holding back from being baptized and we just had this feeling that once he felt comfortable going to the other ward he could finally progress. Well, through so many little miracles, he was able to meet the elders from that ward and he actually liked them! He has been meeting with them for two weeks and yesterday he set a baptismal date!! August 29th! I am beyond excited for him! 

It's just so great to see God's had in everything. We needed to start teaching him first because he is really open to girls. We were able to teach him and help him build that foundation. After he had that, he was comfortable with the elders and whalla! Miracles. God knew exactly what Steve needed to grow and progress. Sure, at times Sister Merritt and I didn't know how to help him, but looking back over the last few weeks, God knew exactly what we should do and He led us right to it. 

I love serving here. I love the people and the gospel! There is nothing better or more fulfilling. I know my Savior lives. This is all worth it to know that. 

I love you all!

Sister Burns 

                                          

  Adventures from last week at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History!

Tyler, Morgan and Elder and Sister Mueller up at the Morley Farm. They finished their mission yesterday. =( They will be missed!!  

Sister Rallison is leaving tomorrow. =(

Studying outside

                                     

And the best package came yesterday from NAUVOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAY MADE!!!!

Last District Meeting

Weekly Letter 7.27.2015

Hello World!

This week was amazing! We were able to do 12.5 hours of service! There is nothing I love more than service. Sister Brooks and her family came back from Utah for the week to pack up their home and get it ready to sale. We were able to help them twice this week. Sister Brooks told us of so many little miracles that happened with it all. I love Sister Brooks for that reason -- she notices God's hand in all that she does, even through the hard times.

Also...we siphoned three 50 lb. water drums from her basement....and the siphon wouldn't work all the time, so ended up hand pumping the rest of the water into a bucket before we could lift it high enough to dump it in the sink. Adventures! But I love doing things like that for other people....especially Sister Brooks.

In the middle of helping Sister Brooks, we were able to help two other families move and other, smaller service opportunities. I just love service. Mosiah 2:17.

Side tangent: Preparation Day next week is Tuesday. Transfers are on the 5th! Why is this going by so fast!?!

Sites is slowing down and I'm so sad about that. I just love showing people Kirtland and feeling the Spirit so strong with each moment. Oh well. It's a time to look back on and just love! The Spirit is still wonderful no matter who is here.

Steve is doing great! He came to sites this week and just loved it. There was a cool little miracle that happened, too. Steve is technically in another ward so we've been trying to get him in contact with the other Elders, but Steve doesn't want to switch wards. He has friends in Kirtland and is happy here. Makes sense. Anyway, early the Wednesday morning that we were going to take Steve out, the Elders had just finished their interviews with President at the Stake Center and Sister Brown told the Elders to run to sites and print off an article she wanted them to read. While they were there, they met Steve who showed up early! At that same moment, we arrived and then their next appointment cancelled. They were able to go on the tour with us and we had a glorious time. Steve loved it! Since then, the Elders were able to meet with Steve and he's going to their ward next Sunday. Steve is so great and I have loved seeing the change that has come over his life. For an example, he hasn't had coffee in almost two weeks. He doesn't even want it anymore. He has seen so many blessing is just those two weeks. Miracles come when we keep the commandments!

Oh, happy Pioneer Day, by the way! No one here celebrates it....goodness, Ohio. Oh well.

Alma 32...I just read it again this morning. Amazing.

I love you all! God does, too!

Sister Burns

Sorry.....I didn't take any pictures this week. We're going to the Natural History Museum at 1 today so I'll have some next week.

Weekly Email 7.20.15

Hello Family and Friends!!

A week of miracles!

1) Connee and Chuck came to sites!!! Nothing makes my day more than seeing people I love from past areas. Nothing is better than serving those I love! Alright, there are a few parts to this miracle. Chuck felt like they needed to go to sites. They didn't know why, but they just needed to come. I saw them and they saved me from a flirtatious boy that wanted me to take him on tour.....whew. The Kirtland Relief Society was having a party in the picnic area and we went over there to eat. A sister in the ward is friends with Connee and they started talking. Connee had me come over and tell the sister that we loved doing service and we helped Connee so much with her home and now it's a place where the Spirit can be. 

Anyway, after we left and went back inside with Connee and Chuck, Connee told us how much of a miracle it was that they came, that we led them over to the picnic and how she was able to talk with this sister. I didn't connect the dots until later. The sister calked, embarrassed as ever and asked if we could come help her clean her home. She is planning her daughter's wedding, has back problems and can't keep up on her home. She said that the home was out of her control and she needed help. 

Well, the next day we went over to help her. The moment we walked into her home, she told us how that day at the picnic was a miracle. She had said a prayer that morning telling Heavenly Father how she can't do it anymore. She felted swallowed up by her own home and she needed help. She didn't know where to go or what to do, but she knew that the Lord would help. Well, looking over what I just said, you can see how strong the power of prayer is and how miracles happen when we follow the promptings of the Spirit and let the God direct our paths. 

Serving that sister was just a highlight of my week. Seeing a small speck of hope enter into her eyes was just a great thing.   

2) Steve quit drinking coffee! And his air conditioning started working. He says it's because he's following the word of wisdom. He's progressing and is such a sweet old man! He is technically in the Euclid ward, so we're trying to get him to meet with the missionaries over in his ward, but I love teaching him until that happens!

3) Not really a miracle, but it was pretty great! Brad Wilcox came to sites yesterday! We got a picture...but there wasn't a SD card in the camera, so I guess the camera deleted the picture. Oh well. It was still wonderful to see him. 

He talked for a little in the fireside that night. He said how Joseph Smith was either called of God or he was the worst liar in the whole entire world. If he was wanting people to believe him he would have said something that the general population of Christians would have believed, Like God and Jesus were one person and a spirit. Instead he told the truth of what he saw that went against the false traditions of the day -- God and Jesus Christ are two separate being of flesh and bones. If you're going to lie about something you're going to want those listening to believe you. No one wants to get caught in a lie. This might make more sense coming from him. but it was just great to listen to him.  

4) We haven't been able to meet with Sister Khattak in almost two transfers. She is a less-active member and was so close to coming back to church, but then she fell off the face of the planet and we couldn't get in contact with her. Well, we decided to knock on her door and she answered! She told us that she had the worst headache, but it just went away 30 minutes before we arrived. If she had the headache she said she wouldn't have answered the door. Ahh, it was so good seeing her and hearing about that little miracles beforehand. She said she knew God wanted her to meet with us because her headaches never go away like that.  

5) Sister Clarkson (a less-active) came to church on Sunday! The sisters have been working with her for months. She stayed for all three hours!

6) I went on exchanges with Sister Livingston in Shaker Heights. We were able to stop by Debbie, their investigator. They invited two brothers from the ward to come to the lesson and give her a blessing. She had only gone to church once, but she knows it's true. She was having a very hard time and needed direction in her life. The brethren gave her a blessing and it was so sweet and powerful. The feeling of love that Heavenly Father has for her was so wonderful. Her countenance was completely changed after the blessing. To top it off, she went to church yesterday! 

7) Not a miracle, but I got to sing in the Kirtland Temple last week with Sister Livingston and Finlinson. Pretty amazing. Also, it was three parts and I held my own the entire time. Family...be proud. =) Did I ever mention I sang for President, too, and got to sing the solo part of the song? Not sure if I did. Family...be proud again. Sister Burns is working on breaking down her shell. =)  

Well, I have to run and get some things done, but know I love you all and I know that Heavenly Father does, too! 

I love you all,

Sister Burns

Weekly Letter 7.13.2015

Hello Family!!!

This week was a pretty amazing one!

Lets start off by saying I have such a strong testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! Every single concept that Christ taught, every single aspect of Heavenly Father's plan and the Authority Christ gave to His apostles is restored on the Earth. I was able to meet Elder Holland this weekend. It was just for a short moment, but is was a powerful one. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ. One thing I loved was seeing him with his family. He's a lot like how I picture Christ's original apostles and the early apostles of the restoration -- humble and full of love, willing to do whatever the Lord asks of him.

As Elder Holland was on sites Saturday, we could feel the Spirit so strong. I don't know if He had anything to do with that or if we were just more spiritually prepared that morning, but I was able to take some of the most powerful tours I have ever taken in my life. I am reminded over and over again that the Spirit is the teacher. When I'm striving to do the best I can, the Lord takes care of the rest. When I'm willing to listen, He guides and directs His servants. Nothing is better than knowing the Spirit is guiding what you're saying. To be honest, I don't remember what I said on most of my tours this weekend (12 tours in three days -- 36 hours on my feet. Whew! I don't know how I survived that), but I do remember the feeling that accompanied each tour I took.

One tour specifically was the American Heritage tour group. It was all recently graduated seniors. Many of which are planning on serving missions or have already received their calls. Others weren't too excited about missions towards the beginning of the tour. Both Sister Merritt and I felt strongly to focus on missionary work in the School of the Prophets. (Not that we talked about it before the tour...it just happened that way. The Spirit is an amazing thing!) Again, I don't remember what was said, but we ended up singing "Called to Serve". I don't know why we felt like we should focus in this way, but by the end of the song, those that were questioning missions were sobbing. The feeling in the room at that time is one I can't explain, but goodness, it was an amazing one!

Second tour and a missionarcle ( <-- you know you're a missionary when you go to type miracle and this comes out. Haha)

Okay, the second tour and a miracle to me happened last night. I was dead tired. (With exchanges and random events happening, I ended up at sites all but three hours this week. My last full day in the area was the fourth of July. 12 hour days at sites are so tiring at times! But I love them!) I couldn't even think through what I was saying. I'm pretty sure I repeated most of what Sister Merritt had said on tour, but I was drained. We took a pretty stressful tour right before, so I was just counting down the hours until it reach 9 o'clock. It was one of those moments that I was either going to start laughing hysterically or crying and not know why. (I promise that normally never happens to me, Mom) I really didn't think I could do another tour. My mission presidents voice was in my head "pull it one more mile" and I just kept praying that I could make it. I really needed sleep. And then the buzz came..."Sister Burns, can you come down and take a tour?" "....yep!" And down the stairs I went.

Anyway, I took the tour and I just kept praying for help. The moment the families walked out of the film a sister came up to me. The senior elder had told me that she had just got off her mission three day prior from Columbus, Ohio. She just hugged me and started sobbing. She told me to love every moment of my mission because it goes by in a blink of an eye. She gave me the motivation to keep going and do what the Lord needed me to do. (Possibly one of my most favorite sisters)

That tour became my all-time favorite tour. We sat in the School of the Prophets and talked about Heavenly Father and the love that God has for His children. I have never felt God's love so strongly for anyone else than I did for those in that room right then. I knew that God knew them individually. He knew what they were going through. All I could think to say was that God loved them. I don't remember what else I said, but every single person on that tour was sobbing. (Including me. I knew the tears would come eventually that day) The Spirit was the strongest I have ever felt it in that room. No one could deny how special that moment was.    

I didn't know what those on tour needed to hear, but I know that God know them -- He knows all of us. He knows our ups and down. He never leaves us alone. He is always right there helping us along the way. Sometimes we're just too stubborn to see that or to let Him help us. But He loves us and will never leave us. He loves you...whoever is reading this right now.

I am so grateful for this week. I am so grateful it was so hard and I had to rely on the Savior to help me make it through the day. It's because I had to strive so hard to be near Him that that tour was such a great one. He was there to help me do what I was called to do. Sure, those things aren't always easy, but they are possible through the Savior. And the outcome is so much better than anything I could have thought of on my own.

Needless to say, this week was a highlight of my mission. I don't always get to stay in contact with those I take on tour, but I know the feeling felt in Kirtland will stay with them forever. This is such a special place.

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week! Read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church -- blessings come far greater than you can image! It's free and right in your hand ready for you take. Don't forget how much God loves you!! And how much I love you, too!!

I love you all,
Sister Burns

Waiting...

Still Waiting!

​This was a pretty amazing moment! - (Meeting Elder Holland)

And to top it off, I got to see the Peers, too!

I love being a missionary!

Weekly planning! With brownies....it's a must! =)

"Pull It One More Mile"

Hello Everyone!

This week we were able to meet President and Sister Brown! They are great! It's a change, but I'm looking forward to getting to know them more.

President's theme of sorts is "pull it one more mile". They are rodeo/horse people and they love anything to do with that. He just talked about how sometimes life is hard, but it's when we're down and feel like we can't move on, that's when we rely on the Savior and "pull it one more mile". There are so many times during missionary work that you feel like you can't go on -- that things are just too hard, or you're just too tired -- but with the Lord we can keep going. The amazing thing is, you always have the strength to do hard things. That's one of the many miracles that comes from the mission. When we're obedient we see miracles. And that applies to every aspect of life -- not just missionary work.  

Favorite scripture of the week: 1 Cor. 3:17 "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" -- very fitting for the 4th of July! We have freedom from pain, guilt, sadness, etc. when we invite the Spirit into our lives. That is when we receive liberty -- and having liberty is something we constantly have to fight for. We can't be stagnant. (Thanks Bishop Christensen for that one!)

Sites have been getting busy!! But I LOVE it!!! With our areas combined we have been able to see so much growth there and then be at sites so often! (Donald, Harry, Kristen, Steve, and Bernie are all doing great!!!) Goodness, I love it here! The Spirit is so strong! Literally, every time I walk onto sites I feel God's love for all of His children. There isn't a better feeling. I was able to call Dave yesterday, too! It has been a few months since I've been able to contact him. He didn't get baptized (not sure why), but he's still going to church and he loves reading The Book of Mormon. We'll see what happen with that.

I love the sisters I serve with, I love the mission, I love the people I get to serve. There is nothing better than being out here!!! =) Missionary work is the best!

I hope you all had a great Independence Day! I love you all!!

Also, if you have questions on things that I never write about, let me know. I never know what to say in this thing.

I love you!
Sister Burns