Keep Reading Your Scriptures!

Hello all!

I totally forgot something last week! We had a meeting with a General Authority 70 named Elder Kopischke from Germany. He is an absolutely incredible man. He is like a mini Elder Uchtdorf! (forgive my spelling I only spell English words) He got us all fired up to encourage people to do family history and how it is a great tool for the spirit to guide people. He also held up the Book of Mormon and yelled in a very thick German accent "YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM THIS BOOK!!" and he is absolutely correct! It is the best and most correct Book on this earth today.

This week things are starting to warm up. The temperature is getting hotter! It got 80 degrees one time and me and Elder Conk were dying! Haha just kidding we are good because we found out our apartment has air conditioning. We cranked it down to 60 degrees and we both LOVE it! It's like living in a refrigerator!

Our investigator Delores is still awesome. However she said she wants to stay non denominational. We are continuing to work with her and we will take her to the family history center this Tuesday. We answer all the questions she has, but we encourage her to pray. Next lesson we have with her we will talk about prayer and priesthood some more. 

I also went on exchanges with my zone leader Elder Roche. I love him to death but he is normally super strict and on the ball with everything, which is good. However, he was ultra sick and so we stayed in and made cake and stuff. We tried to work but he did not have the energy. We had tons of awesome conversations and he is a spiritual giant. 

We have also been listening to lots of talks, and have really gotten us into the Bible. It is super awesome and hey, if you study it, the Bible proves we are the only and true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today

I love all of you! Keep reading your scriptures! 

-Elder Burt 

Happy Father's Day to All!

Hello all!

This last week we taught Deloris again. She said she wants to stay non denominational, even though she has a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. We will keep working with her, she is so spiritual and incredible, and I know if she softens her heart and turns to Christ she will want to be baptized by someone holding the priesthood of God.

We also unfortunately bashed a lot this week. Idk what it is but they always end up being Baptist or born again Christians. I find it funny how they have anti-mormon classes, but we don't have anything like that in our church. We teach to love people we disagree with, and love our enemy's even more just like Christ said, while they teach that we should hate those that are even slightly different. Me and Elder Conks goal this week is to be more loving and humble. Bashing has got me super into the Bible though, and it just proves that this is the restored gospel of Christ on earth today!

Yesterday was Father's Day, and it was awesome. We heard an incredible talk from one of my favorite members Brother Pedigo. He is a convert and used to be a Stake President, so he was super on point and is kind of a legend. The Spirit was so strong, and it made me really remember and appreciate my Dad and everything he has done for me. I love him so dearly and he is one of my best friends. I love you so much Dad! He is one of the reasons I am out here, he raised me in a gospel centered home with my awesome Mom, and guided me through my roughest times. I kinda broke the rules and sent him a short text to make me feel better :). Don't worry, I will be more obedient in the future.

This week in my scripture study was great I finished the book of Alma, which I loved. Learning the history of the Nephi people's was an incredible and tragic part of the Book of Mormon, it is important to know however.

I love you all so much. Happy Father's day to all!

-Elder Burt 

Happy 19th Elder Burt!

Elder Burt celebrated his 19th Birthday on Sunday June 17. He sent us all of these pictures to show his amazing birthday breakfast and baking skills! 

French Toast Nutella Roll Ups - super fancy! 

Bacon! - Of course, Cameron doesn't celebrate most holidays without bacon!

 His very own Texas sheetcake! I sent him the recipe including the secret ingredient I use to make the cake he loves! When I expressed my regret I couldn't send him a cake he said "Give me the recipe, me and Conk bake!"

And in true Cameron style he spent his birthday money on Nerf guns and the missionaries had a Nerf fight on P-Day! I'm so grateful he had a fun birthday in the mission field! Birthdays are kind of a big deal around here so to know he was really happy filled my heart with joy! I sure love this missionary son of mine!

Jesus Christ is the Center of Our Church

Hello family!

First I wanna say congratulations to my sister Lyndsey and my little brother Spencer! Lyndsey is 16 and Spencer is 9! Lyndsey DON'T KISS ANY BOYS! Spencer have as much fun as you can! I love and miss you all so much. I pray and think about you all the time!

This last week was pretty great! We found a women named Angie. She has a sister that is a member and is really looking forward to meeting with us. I gave her a Book of Mormon and I am really looking forward to where she goes in the gospel! We had a lesson with Deloris and it went really well. We explained the plan of salvation and she excepted and loved it all. She thinks super deep into stuff and actually opened my eyes on a few things. I didn't know they talked about the war in heaven in revelations! She is super intelligent and I could totally see her working in the temple! She wasn't able to make it to church because of health problems, but we will be meeting with her soon again.

Unfortunately we also ended up bashing a lot this week. It is really sad that people think we don't worship the "real Jesus". As it says in the Bible and Book of Mormon, God the father and Jesus Christ are one in purpose, and separate in body and spirit. It is so sad to see people deny my testimony in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the center of our church. We have prophets, apostles, bishops, relief society, and many other wonderful things, but without Christ, they are meaningless. But with Christ, they are tools that can be used by his perfect hands. Do your best to live a Christ centered life. 

Not much else to say. I would really recommend all of you read Romans 8:16-17. Our divine purpose is to be heirs to the kingdom of God. We are loved by Him, and although we are nothing compared to Him, we are EVERYTHING to Him!

I love you all!

-Elder Burt

Elder Burt says "Every guys dream home"

So long fluffy hair - hello to official missionary haircut! He is still super handsome!

Remember to Keep Your Life Christ Centered

Hello!

This week has been awesome! Teaching this awesome black lady named Delores, and she is great. She really trusts the bible, she is awesome! She came to church and everyone loved her!

I am so grateful to be able to teach her. Teaching people is awesome, and whenever we teach, I feel like the Spirt takes over, and I love it. She is super Christ centered which is great. Those are my favorite kind of people.

I also went on exchanges with Elder Lelo this week. He is Polynesian and we had an extremely successful exchange. We gave away tons of Book of Mormons and helped people out. We worked hard and did awesome. 

I would like to take a few sentences and talk about sacrament meeting. It seems to be a common trend to get up in Sacrament meeting and share a super long story, not say anything about Christ, and then close in the name of Jesus Christ. There is nothing wrong with giving a talk when you are assigned one, but testimony meeting is for testifying of sacred things you know to be true, not to tell a story about how grateful you are for your new water bed. They should be short, simple, and powerful, and most importantly Christ centered.

Our ward REALLY struggled with that yesterday. Just remember, it's not a talk, you don't have to take that long. Just testify what you know to be true.

I am working really hard, and I love being out here. Remember to keep your life Christ centered, pray daily, read scriptures daily, and attend the temple often. You have no excuse not to go my friends and family, almost all of you are in Utah.

I love all of you dearly! Drive safe!

-Elder Burt

I saw some F-18s yesterday! 

Random Pictures from Elder Burt

"There's a destroyer in the sound right now! The same kind from "The Last Ship" HEHEHE I'm so happy!"

"This is Mark, he is awesome!" Mark is an amazing member who takes really good care of the missionaries in Everett. He takes them out to eat, grocery shopping, plays with them on P-Day. He has been a member for over a year and works in the temple now. We are so grateful for Mark!

 "A WWII B-25 bomber plane has been flying around all morning. Destroyers have been moving in and out of the port as well. I love the mission."

Elder Burt and Elder Conk have perfected peanut butter and chocolate pancakes. He said he has the Spanish Elders over for breakfast all the time. Last Monday I said something about wishing I could send him his favorite Texas sheet cake for his birthday. He said "Me and Elder Conk bake." It was so funny, when he left he could make really good omelets, cheeseburgers and popcorn. Now he bakes apparently - I love him so much!