Happy New Years Eve!

Hello all!

I had an amazing week! Christmas was fantastic, we had fun opening presents in the morning, and Elder Lowry got tons of stuff! I was nervous he wouldn't, but he is doing great. It is so much fun having a son. He is a fantastic missionary and it is a privilege to be with him. We have so much fun! He also works me to death. Unfortunately last night he was pretty sick, so he hit the sack early. Before that we had dinner with the Stake President and his wife. Fantastic and fun family. He did something super duper funny though! He pointed out how in the pamphlet we use, Joseph Smith looks like hes talking to Kirk Cobain and his twin brother! HE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS THE STAKE PRESIDENT TILL AFTER! It was SOOOO funny! His wife said "Isn't that a little blasphemous"! So funny!

Our investigators are not doing so hot though. They are either out of town or waiting till February to meet with us. Its a real shame. Sooooo we have to be out and about tracting a lot. I don't mind it, but I would rather be teaching lessons. Please pray for us that we will be able to find more people to teach. That would be wonderful.

Its kinda hilarious how much chocolate we have. If you are so kind as to send me a package, I would ask that you don't put any treats in it. TRUST ME WE HAVE ENOUGH!

I have been reading in the Book of Mormon a lot lately as well. Just finished Mosiah. That story of Alma the younger is so amazing. I didn't really have a testimony at all throughout high school, sure I went to church and stuff, but my mind was always elsewhere. However being on this mission has really strengthened me and help me know who I am. and why I am here. I am so blessed to be able to share that with others.

Thank you all for being so patient and stuff with me back home. I feel like I was kind of a brat sometimes. I will make it up to all of you as best I can. I love you all! Have a great week!

- Elder Burt

Merry Christmas Eve!

Hello world!

Wow, what an amazing week. First things first, Elder Harris got transferred. What a great companion! He loves the Gospel and is a solid human being. What's funny is that he got transferred to the Clear View ward, and that is in my district! I am still a district leader, and I am over the whole Snohomish Zone, 10 missionaries! I love them all and they are great. It is not as hard as you would think. As the Prophet Joseph Smith taught "Teach them correct principles and they will govern themselves" and my district has been taught wonderful principles!

I am training Elder Lowery. He is awesome! I love him so much, he always wants to be out working. He is doing way better then I did my first few weeks, and it is great. We have found more people to teach and stuff, and it is wonderful, We have tracted whole neighborhoods already. How great is that! He has also brought me up to date on movies and video games, which is always good I guess haha.

Yesterday was a special invite Sunday. Me and Elder Lowery alone handed out 50+ invites and a ton of people came. Lots of less actives and people that were not even members. Brooks Bench, a man who has wanted to come back to church for many years, finally came. It was a special and amazing experience. He is a great man, and it was awesome seeing him there.

Needless to say I have been loving the Book of Mormon. I am in the Book of Mosiah right now, and man it reads so much like a novel I would read back home. Ruined cites, wars, ancient records, evil and righteous kings, but most importantly the fullness of the gospel!

I have sent my life givers some videos of me opening presents. I may have opened some from the other people haha.

GO TO THE TEMPLE ALL OF YOU! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

I love yall so much. Have an amazing Christmas!

-Elder Burt

Sultan Pass

Howdy everyone!

Welp, the Sultan Elders just got on the plane to go home today after 2 good years. Along with 28 other missionaries! How crazy is that. I am really going to miss some of them. The others, well, I'm just gonna be OK with them being gone.

Well, last week for Elder Harris in Woods Creek involved a lot of ministering. We said goodbye and stuff to a lot of people. We unfortunately did not have a lot of time to find people. That is OK though cause guess what! I am going to be district leader training! I am going to train a fresh missionary right from the MTC. In other words, I'm pregnant!

However, Sister Ballard is leaving my district and this makes me very sad. She is 5'1 and the most sassy human being I have ever met. She is so funny!

Saturday we went up to Steven's pass with the Sultan Elders to plan. It is on the very edge of our mission. The drive was amazing. I saw snow for the first time in months. 

This morning for P day we went to the Reptile Zoo and I was in heaven. I sent my mom some of the videos I took there and it was funny! I will probably go back with my new trainee.

Albert is doing amazing still, but wants to slow down the discussions with missionaries. He says he gets really really attached, and is very sad to see Elder Harris go. However, the Bishop is looking to get him to go do baptisms at the temple. 

OK everyone, here is my assignment for all of you this week! GET READY FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT NEXT YEAR! The BYU has published a more up to date translation of the new testament. It is more accurate and easy to read. It also has amazing notes, go get it!

Have an amazing week everyone! Love all of you! 

Elder Burt

Light the World

Hello all!

First of all I would like to put in another plug for light the world. This last week was light the world, and this week is light your community. Me and Elder Harris did tons of service all week. It was so great. The church is doing a great job this year. 

We had a lesson with our new friend Sally. Unfortunately it did no go as well as we wanted it to. She found a book called "MORMONISM EXPLAINED". That book is about as retarded as you would expect. It just antied her up. We did a great job addressing her concerns, but despite that, she still had a hard heart and didn't listen. I felt pretty bad. Had we not talked to her, she wouldn't have such a bad image of the restored gospel. It's a real shame. 

On the plus side, Albert is doing super well and received the priesthood on Sunday! He wasn't one of those baptisms that goes inactive immediately. He is already one of the most dedicated members there are. I love that feeling! It makes the whole mission worth it! I love it. Thank you all of you for your prayers.

I also went on exchanges with Elder Haseldon. He is the well fed Elder from Britain! He is very smart and we talked the whole time about the Gospel and Guns the whole time. He is super awesome! Very good worker. It's a shame he goes home in 7 days! I am going to miss him greatly. 

We all had interviews with President Wilding. He is such a genuine and amazing man. We had an amazing and good conversation. I love him lots. He said I'm doing a pretty great job. I hope he's right! 

Thank you all for being so great! 

Go to the temple love you! 

Elder Burt

Cursed with a ghost???

Hello Everyone!

Well, this week was certainly and interesting one. We visited the Zuccati household. They are a super awesome family, however they have not been to church in awhile. We have been visiting them on a weekly bases to try and make sure the gospel is present in there home. Well, their daughter, tried to curse me with a ghost. I think it was a joke. I will let y'all know if anything comes out of that!

We have really enjoyed teaching Albert the new member lessons. He loved talking about the spirit world with us. He really is the sweetest and greatest guy. Keep praying for him to continue to wax strong in the gospel. We also showed him pictures of lots of temples and stuff. He really enjoyed it. Pray for him!

We have also started teaching a women named Sally. She is very strong in her baptist faith. She was super strong in her faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly father. We actually managed to convince her that a lot of what we are saying is true, and we did it all by quoting from her King James Bible! We will be doing lessons with her starting tomorrow. We will be reading the Book of Mormon!

I hope you all had the opportunity to watch the Christmas devo that our wonderful first Presidency put on last night! That talk from our Prophet almost made me cry. What a great guy! I pray for that child that she will feel comfort and blessed. I'm sure she already is!

Well, I hope light the world is going good for everyone. I certainly enjoy it. Saturdays day of service was great as well. We helped a lot of people put up Christmas lights.

Well everyone! Have an absolutely amazing week! Marry Christmas!

Elder Burt