It's all about perspective...and pneumonia

HOLA FAMILIA!!

It’s almost Christmas and it is just getting hotter and hotter here. The work is speeding up too.

This week President Gomez said that we are going to change the ideas of the people here in Iquitos. The elders are to wear their suit coats to church and the sisters are to dress a little snappier. It’s really a great opportunity to represent the mission differently. The hope is that the people will take church a little more seriously and ya know…come. The entire mission is having trouble getting the people to church. We are all teaching stellar people and every companionship has people that are very prepared. Here in Iquitos the people don´t go to church because they are busy working for Christmas. The people here are very poor and want to give their kids at least one thing. It’s a little backwards sometimes because in the states people go to church more for Christmas. Sometimes I forget where I am.

BUT guess what! We get to call. Today I am going to call to set up a time for Skype. So be ready! It’s gonna be the best because I am the best. My comp says I have to work on being humble. I don´t think so.

Also Gressy is back! Woot! She was an investigator in October and November but she went to her mom´s house for a while, well she´s back. We went to teach her and find out if she still wanted to get baptized. She said that she did but that she didn´t have a testimony. We asked if she ever had a testimony and she said no. We walked out of that appointment feeling a little beaten.  Satan is working so hard here and with some people he is winning.

Hna Woodbury and Hna Kirk (took over Versalles) are having a ton of problems with this. They have one of my old investigators. This last week something happened and the investigator asked them to leave. They haven’t been able to figure out what happened and they haven’t been able to go back. It’s heartbreaking to see the potential these people have and then watch them walk away. They literally have the potential to be Gods, to create worlds and spirit children. Sometimes I wish we could see the eternal perspective. If we could show the people who they are, who they were created to be every elder would have pneumonia [Dad: no, I didn’t translate this and no, I don’t know what having pneumonia has to do with anything].

When I get home we are going to publish my journal. It’s going to be called “A walk in the Jungle: Stories of a Sister Missionary.” It’s incredible to think that we are working with souls, not with people.

We had training by president and Hna Gomez this week. They talked about the importance of the testimony of the Godhead. We first need a testimony of where we came from and who God is before we can teach anything else. This was the first problem with Gressy; she never gained her testimony of Heavenly Father. This week we are going to focus on this principle; and I am going to commit each of you to review your testimony of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Think about what it means to you to be a child of God, and what it means to have divine potential. Think about your Savior and how you can grow more close to him. Think about the spirit and how you are using your gift of the Holy Ghost. I promise that your testimony will grow. Best wishes!

Hna Burrell