Nov 24, 2008 Starting more serious journal writing....I love my mission

Nov 24, 08

Hey Mom and Dad-
Those pictures you sent are crazy!! Wow, I thought you were exaggerating when you said the fires were 100 ft tall. You weren’t joking! So yeah the whole camera thing was a huge bummer. I was pretty down about that for a while because I had a ton of pictures and videos of my old district which was my favorite district so far on my mission. I really don’t need much for Christmas though. You really don’t have to get me a new camera. I will just by some disposable ones haha. And as far as cloths and stuff, I like regular width ties, not the slim ones. I have to warn you though, I am very picky about my ties, and I really don’t need too many more. All I want is like 2 more ties, and there are a couple that I know express carries that I really like. I don’t really need any more white shirts, im pretty much covered in that area. I told you about the pants, probably just a black or brown pair size 30”32 from express. The size 30”30 ones have tended to get a little too short after I wash them. That’s really all I need, and I don’t even NEED that stuff so you really don’t have to get me anything. Oh yeah, as far as the mosimo shirts, I don’t really like those ones as much as the Athletic fit ones that I used to get before. And I wore a size small in those. If you just got me like 1 or 2 of the dark charcoal grey color of those that would be fine. Ok im don’t asking for stuff.

This week has been much better. We had Zone conference this week and that always makes for a good week because we are always so pumped up to work afterward. My only struggle lately has been with Elder Hill. He is an extremely hard worker when he wants to be, but then other times he will just want to sit and not do much, which irritates me. He doesn’t really like other people telling him what to do so that has kind of caused some contention lately because im not just going to sit and waste time out here. I didn’t sign up to come out here and work 75% of the time. Its not just him though. So many of the missionaries out here are just so young, and they are so naive about everything. Its not like im mature or anything haha, you know im not, but some of the missionaries out here you just cant help but wonder what they are doing out here. I don’t know, sometimes I regret not coming out here when I was nineteen, but then at the same time, im grateful, because im able to get to a lot more people than I think I could have when I was nineteen. Sorry about that tangent, like I said, we had a good week this week. I was a little bothered because we got in last night with 30 minutes left of our day, and we only got one investigator all week. So, Elder Hill and I knelt down and prayed for inspiration for what we could possibly do at 8:30 on a Sunday night where we could find someone who is searching for the Gospel. We both decided to go out and walk down our street. While walking, we both felt that we should walk into this little apartment complex that is next to ours, and as soon as we walked in, we saw a lady taking out her trash, so we decided to talk to her. To our surprise, she had never even heard of the Mormon church and she wanted to learn more. We set up an appointment for next Saturday with her. The Lord delivers when we ask in faith, that’s all I can say.

So have yall gone up to the lake at all this week? I havnt heard any fun lake stories lately. I guess the whole fire thing must have been a good scare for everyone. Next time you sent pictures out, can you send some pics of our house and the backyard? That sounds kind of weird, but I would just like to see all that stuff haha.

So ive started to write in my journal after like 8 months. Ive written in it a few times, but not as much as I should. This week ive been writing in it almost every day. I guess I just figured that you guys will have all my letters when I get home and that I could just look at those as my journal, but lately, I feel like I should really be writing all the expeiences ive been having on a daily basis down. Seriously Mom and Dad, my life style has changed so much out here. The Lord has shaped me and is continuing to shape me into everything that ive wanted to become. I love my mission. Im so grateful for the savior and everything he has done for me. I love you Mom with all my heart. I love you too Dad, so much. Im sorry I have to cut this short, I only have 5 minutes left and I haven’t emailed president yet. Just know that I am happy and I love you!!!

Love,
Elder Joshua Burnham

Yorba Linda of Fire Week of Nov. 15, 2008

Mom, Dad, and Fam-

I am so happy to hear you guys are ok! A couple days ago I was at Pizza Hutt and they had the TVs on. I looked at the TV for a split second, and in huge letters I see YORBA LINDA ON FIRE! I was like, what the heck!!?? The News was showing videos of it and I recognized some of the streets they were filming. So yeah I was pretty eager to email you guys. Im not gonna lie, I was 2 seconds away from calling president and seeing if he could call you guys to make sure everything was alright. That letter that Mom sent was like an action movie. Im sitting here in a nice quiet library, and when I started reading the email, I pretty much yelled, “holy crap!!” I feel like I cant even write back after an email like that. Everything that went on this week is pretty boring compared to 100 ft flames almost completely destroying our house and our entire city. When I saw the news, I though for sure yall would be up at the lake house! Did you guys not realize how close the fire was? Im still all shaken up, so I cant even imagine what it was like for you.

So everyone is ok though? Did the fire go by Bretts or Rays house at all? Why couldn’t the fire just go get all the protesting gays? That’s crazy that they are still at it. Weve heard bits and pieces out here. They tell us not to talk about politics or anything out here, but its kind of hard not to when that’s all we hear about when we talk to the members. It’s a little annoying.

Anyways, the work was kind of slow this week. It was actually a really frustrating week for me to tell you the truth. I’ve gotten into a mode lately where I just don’t really like wasting any time. ......... There are just a lot of little things that I let get under my skin and I shouldn’t let that happen. I have a lot of pride that I never new I had, so im really trying to work on that.

Things are still going really good with both Jenny and Marty. Jennys baptismal date is still on December 13th and Martys is now on December 5th. Im really excited about Jenny, shes just so excited to get baptized. Shes getting involved with the youth and going to institute down In Pensacola. You can just tell that her testimony is so sincere. She still hasn’t told her parents about it. She says that she doesn’t care what they say or do, she knows that its true and that’s all she needs.

Transfers are coming up next week. I really don’t know whats going to happen. Theres a possibility that Elder Hill might leave. Im most likely going to stay because they aren’t going to white wash Crestview, theres just too much good stuff going o here. If Elder Hill leaves, theres a chance that I might train because there are 6 missionaries going home and 12 plus missionaries coming out. I really don’t know though, we just hear rumors about what going on so its kinda fun when tranfers come around.
Everything thing else is going good though. Im getting way excited for the Holidays. Its pretty crazy if you think about it, ill be talking to yall in about a month on the phone. Actually it will probably be sooner because they let us do a pre phone call a few days early so that we can tell you what time exactly we will be calling. VERY NICE!! Haha.

So I havnt sent any pictures home yet of Elder Hill and I? The last ones I sent were definitely not the ones of Elder Honzic and I. I think your getting confused of who my Companions have been . I was trained by Elder Honzic, then I was with elder Taylor, then Keesler, now im with Elder Hill. K well I have to wrap this letter up, I only have 7 minutes left and I havnt even written president yet. I love you you Mom!!!! I love you dad!!!! I love you family! Oh, wait, my time just got extended an additional 15 minutes. Sweet!!!

K so have I already told you what I needed for Christmas? Not really anything haha. Ill try and think of a list. So far, all I can think of is a pair or two of size 30”32 express pants. Brown or black, or both haha. Anyways, I love you!!!!! Send pix of the fires and ill send the chip home in the next day or two. Bye!!!

Love,
Elder Joshua burnham

Last couple of weeks in Crestview have been amazing

Mom and Dad and Family-

What the heck?! I wrote you guys last week! That is so weird! Dang it that makes me kinda mad actually. Im really sorry guys. That would ruin my week if I didn’t get a letter from you guys. Don’t ever think that I would deliberately not write you guys. I will never not write you on purpose.

Anyways, I guess that means I have to catch you up on the last two weeks lol. The last couple weeks in Crestview have been amazing. Crestview seemed to be dead at the beginning of last transfer, and now in the last few weeks it seems to have exploded. I don’t know what happened. I think I told you about Marty, well he is getting baptized on November 22nd! Im pretty sure that’s all I wrote about in the last letter. Or maybe it was the one before? I forget. But yeah he is an amazing person. The only hurdle for him is Coffee. Oh yeah and I guess theres the whole fact that hes an active anarchist haha!! But we can work on that. I'm trying to think of what else happened last week. All I remember is that we did a whole bunch of tracting and had a whole lot of success in that. I think last week was Zone Conference as well. It was one of the most powerful Zone Conferences that I've been to so far. I made a ton of little changes because of it and it has made a huge difference in the work. The Lord has blessed us so much.

This week was even better than last week. We found a few new investigators and we have had some amazing lessons. The one I want to bring up is the one we had with Jenny. I think I told you about her a few weeks ago. Shes about 18 years old and her boy friend is the one I told you about who reminds me of Ray. He just got his mission call to New Zealand. Anyways, his girlfriend Jenny was interested in the Church and so we have been teaching her for about 5 weeks now. Last week was pretty scary because she had talked to her Catholic priest and a bunch of her catholic friends and for a few days there she didn’t want anything to do with the Church. We were all so confused because she had born her testimony and had told us she knew it was true. We were pretty discouraged. After a few days she called us and said she wanted to meet with us without her boyfriend Ben being there. He had been at every lesson before so that kind of confused us. But anyways, so we met with her yesterday which was fast Sunday. Surprisingly we found out that she had fasted. All I can really say about the lesson that we had with Jenny yesterday is that it was the most powerful and spiritual lesson I have been in so far. Jenny started out with many questions which we answered. I wish I could remember everything that was said, all I know is that it was pretty much just a testimony meeting with the 3 of us. Elder Hill and I bore our testimonies and by the time the lesson was over, Jenny’s countenance had changed. She then once again bore her testimony and was completely in tears. She told us that the next step for her was baptism! So we set a date with her for December 13. Let me just say that there is power in Fasting. We thought we were the only ones fasting for Jenny, but it turned out that Jenny and Ben had both fasted, the Mozina family from our ward had fasted for her, and even the Stake President had fasted for her. Ahhhh, I just wish I could tell you everything that happened or at least write out how happy I am! I get frustrated because I cant type everything that I feel. So yeah we have 2 baptismal dates set, Marty and Jenny. Please keep them in your prayers. Especially Jenny. She has a tough road ahead of her because her whole family is Catholic and very stubborn. Please pray for her.

I cant believe how involved the church is in this whole Prop 8 thing. That’s so crazy. It’s a pretty big deal out here too but its probably way crazier in California. Yeah send me those papers so I can vote. I hope its not to late though, I hear election day is tomorrow? I don’t know, they don’t tell us anything here.

Oh yeah, I think I told you the wrong size for those brown express pants a couple of weeks ago. I said size 32”32 but I think a size 30”32 would be better because they run kinda big.

Ill send pictures soon. Sorry its taking so long. I just want to get as many as possible in each chip.

K anyways, all is well here in Crestview. Ive been the happiest that ive been my whole mission so no worries. I love you guys so much! Mom- how is the business going? How are the kids? Dad- is the practice still going strong? Hows the boat and the sea-doos? I love you guys with all my heart!!!! Bye!!!

Love,
Elder Joshua Burnham

P.S. Im going to send this twice just to make sure!!