the gospel has shaped our family...

Mom and Dad- What in the WORLD!!!!! You bought that boat?!?!?! Wow I am actually really jealous right now haha. Just kidding. But seriously that is the coolest news ever. Youll need to send me some pictures. How does it drive?? That really stinks for you guys though, how are you gonna ski? When I was reading that I was drooloing all over the key board by the way. Thanks a lot. How did everyone else like the boat? How fast does it go? Ok im done asking about the boat. La la la la la. This week went a little better than the last week we had. We found about 6 new investigators through tracting so that's nice. We ran into some old English lady who talked to us for about 2 hours on how the whole bible is a bunch of silly rubbish. She wouldn't let us leave!! I got pretty impatient with her and kind of offended her but whatever haha. In that same day we found another guy who was a bible Baptist and when we told him who we were he was like, " Im sorry but unlike you two, me and my church actually believe in Jesus Christ." And when we bore out testimonies that we did he was like, "That's just semantics. We all know that your church doesn't believe in him." It is so frustrating because everyone here in the south has that same mind set. They all have a specific date that they were "saved." J. Golden Kimball said, "It would be easier to just burn the whole south down and do baptisms for the dead." Haha. Were making preparations for that because seriously that would be so much easier! Its really fun though because its really giving me a strong desire to know the scriptures better. We only get an hour of personal study every morning, but seriously mom and dad, my study skills have improved 100%. Im recieveing so much help from the Lord. Its awesome. Yesterday some lady gave us about 7 lbs of frozen crawfish so I think were gonna cook some up tonight for dinner. Yummy. Weve been getting fed real well so don't worry. We go over to a member named sister Thomas's a lot to eat. Shes a big black southern lady and she loves feeding us. She always makes candied yams. She made sweet potato fries last time we were there. Shes one of my favorite members out here. For 4th of July we went over to her house to eat and then we went to one of our investigators houses and watched her kids light off fire works. It was a good nigh. Did you guys go to any kind of firework show? Like I said, we lost a lot of our investigators last week but we made up for it this week. We are still teaching about 2 people a day. All of our investigators are way cool and they all have a lot of potential. Please keep praying for them. It kinda stinks cuz Elder Taylor is getting transferred most likely on the 23rd of this month so im gonna have to celebrate my birthday with some missionary I don't even know. Lame Sauce! Itll be fun though. Sister Thomas is having us over that day and she said shell cook whatever I want. Shes the coolest. So I just want to let you guys know how much I love it out here. I really do. This truly is a life changing experience. It gets frustrating at times but those frustrating times are when my faith and trust in the Lord kicks in and my Testimony is strengthened in every experience I have. I know what kind of member I want to be when I get home. I know what kind of father and husband I want to be. I have found what truly makes me happy. Our family means the world to me and the gospel has shaped our family into what it is today. Thank you for raising us the way you did. Well anyways, I gots to go now. Mom- I love you so much! I hope the business is still working out Dad- I love you too! I hope the practice is kickin butt and that is so awesome you got that boat. Well I love you guys both. Im sorry this letter wasn't very long. Ill write a better one next week. I had a lot of different people to write today. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!Love, Elder Joshua Burnham
P.S. Im going to write an email to Shawna. Ive tried sending her one but it keeps getting sent back to me so could you just forward this to her?
Shawna- Hello Sis! Seriously those letters you sent from Julie and Ryan made my day! Haha the one from Ryan made me laugh out loud in the library im in. Tell Julie no I haven't seen Jesus in person but if I do, I will make sure I tell write her and tell her all about him. Thank you so much for that poem you wrote. It was really beautiful and heart felt haha. OMG I cant be serious with you. Just Kidding. I love you Shawna. You're the best. Your kids are the most amazing kids in the world. Tell them that I miss them and that I love them. Tell Andy I miss him too and give him a dead arm for me. Seriously. Well im gonna go. I love you Shawna!Love,Elder Burnham