Party Crashing

Beloved Family,

Move call! I'm not moving! I'm staying in DaYa with Sister Park and I'm excited because we found some great new people and still have a lot to learn together. This week was super busy and full of so much. Wednesday night we had our Halloween party. It was SO GOOD! We had dry ice, a spook alley, face painting, a costume parade, and about 100 people came! That's super good. I was a witch and had a broom and a member gave me a hat. It was so fun. Daya has amazing members. There is a sweet lady who makes food for us every Sunday and a Ye Family who lets us bring investigators over for FHE. So good. When I first got here, English Class was at a 30-40 people attendance and over the month and a half it has more than doubled! We have found so many new investigators from English. So many mothers and their families, but they are all so busy. We have a lot of great people, but they are so busy with taking their kids places, work, and basically like Mom. They do have time though and we are praying and working hard to meet with them. That's the biggest problem right now. Just meeting with those people we have found.

Sister Xie is amazing. Wow. I love her. She brought her father to church and shared the gospel with her friend and said that she'd love to invite her friends to our activities. We are working with her sister right now and I feel like with Xie JM's help she can get that testimony she needs.

Penelope is one of our investigators and she says she finally believes the Book of Mormon is true, but still doesn't want to get baptized. No worries. We'll work on that. She's so great and really getting to know the members and their testimonies have been strengthening hers. EVERY MEMBER A MISSIONARY. I can't say it enough. Did you read the October Ensign First Presidency message. It's about rescuing. It's by our beloved Prophet. "To the Rescue" I think. I wish everyone could have that mentality. We have a lot of less-actives and I've seen church attendance go down. Everyone needs to be reached out to. Member, non-member, active, non-active, doesn't matter. We're brothers and sisters. It's so important to be aware of others. To be aware of what they're not saying or what they say and what they need. A favorite, President George A. Smith said “Kindness is the power that God has given us to unlock hard hearts and subdue stubborn souls and bring them to understanding of his purposes". The world needs kindness and love. I'll never stop talking about the power of love. It's amazing and real and when pure form God.

Speaking of being aware.. I wasn't aware this week and it happened! I got hit! A scooter T-boned me. Don't call my President. I'm really fine. He hurt his leg and got scratched up, but it's a miracle I got the tiny scratch on my ankle. It really was a miracle. He was going so fast and I had my reflective gear on but there was no avoiding it. I saw him coming and thought “this guy is going to hit me!" The next thing I knew I was standing, he was on the ground with my bike and scooter. I have absolutely no idea how I got off my bike and was just standing. I keep thinking back but there's no memory. If that isn't proof that there are angels around I don't know what is! It was my fault and I have to fix my bike but now worries. I also got to ride in an ambulance, cop car, go to the police station and hospital all in one night. So much fun. I have his number and want to apologize and invite him to church. Maybe he didn't see me because he was pondering about his life's purpose who knows, but I’m fine!

Okay, I love you all so much.

Keep the basics. Prayer and scripture just like Daddy said.

Love,

Sister Burr

The Halloween party! Those are the Beitun Sisters with Sister Park and I

This was the aftermath of Friday night's crash. I had a good cry and ate congee

Story Time from the Orient

Beloveds,

(baby brother watch out. There are surprises and you might just want to take a picture because this is long)

Let’s start from the beginning shall we. I've realized a lot these past few weeks. You know me. Always making decisions with my iron will and going through with them. I've always been someone to just plow through and do things. I'm thankful for all the things that you all said to me, even when you thought I might be mad, but little do you know this mission has given me the patience of a dove.  I chose to come out on a mission because I felt a desire that I couldn't shake. I felt like I wouldn't be me if I didn't come out. I had the prompting actually a year ago that I needed to come out and serve but I see how the Lord has been preparing me since I was just little. I've been able to use experiences from when I was 11 that have helped me help the sweet people of Taiwan. I went through with it with the biggest leap of faith I've ever taken in my life!  When I came out I was all the way in. Both feet in Taiwan heart and all, but as time went by I realized I stuck one foot back into America. I wasn't committed to the mission anymore. For most of my mission I haven't been committed to my mission. My view was this: I'll go on my mission and when God gives me a feeling that I can go home I'm taking that like a mango bingsha and making like a tree and leaf. I was praying for God to change my heart and help me be in the mission and not to go home, but in all honesty that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to go home for most of my mission and every time I prayed I was trying to change God's will. I was happy but a part of me ways always sad and that was because I wasn't doing what I knew I should be which was giving my all to the mission and throwing the option of going home out the window. I knew I felt that prompting to go and I was just fighting with my sweet Heaven Father. This really effected my spirituality and I see it now. Man, there was one lesson I absolutely could not feel the spirit and it scared me so bad, because as we know the spirit is everything in missionary work. My heart was so hard. It was literally hard!  As my prayers became insincere my faith decreased, I started focusing on myself, and I lost the love joy and appreciation of this great work. Bad! I'm a proud silly dumb girl. I really turned inward and made the decision to go home. Honestly, I gave up. I didn't want to do it anymore and I lied to myself and said oh it's fine but I knew what I felt a year ago when the Lord wanted me to come out. And further I said I'd do this. I took the call and thank you all those who reminded me that. I don't feel super bad because it took President Hinckley 6 months to "lose himself and go to work" and it has taken me 8 months, so I'm not too far behind our sweet former prophet. If anything I've learned that when we know the will of the Lord just follow it. It's way too tiring to fight it and it wrecks our spirituality. Also, wow it's so true that insincere prayers over a period of time will decrease our gratitude, faith, and love. I'm so happy I had this experience so that I can use it to do missionary work. I'm in. Both feet in. I'm not leaving this beloved island until it's time. This made me think of my running days. I remember the first time I pulled out a halfy. I woke up one day and decided to run. I pulled on my tiptoe running shoes, left my watch at home and just ran. I ran and when I felt like it was time to go home I did. I mapped out the run and surprisingly enough I pulled out a halfy and some. Not bad huh!  Now my running muscles are gone and my blood cells are sea level blood cells that will hate Utah air, but that experience taught me something. Because of that experience I knew I could run a half and that helped me run even further the next time and the next. This is a foundation for my life and I can't stop running now. I know that completing this will give me a foundation that will help me go further and do harder things in the future when I need to. Also I realize my most enjoyable runs are the ones that I just go and do and I don't put markers I need to hit (like running to the next stoplight or tree or school. I just run.) I put markers on my mission. I though oh I have #baptisms under the belt, I went senior, I did blha blah blah. Fang Si! Bad bad! I realized I stopped doing this work for God and I did it for myself. I wanted to accomplish these things so I could say I did it. Oh man. I'm not proud of this. As I said, silly dumb girl. Don't worry I'm changing ^_^. It's time to “run in God's name and let the world stand back in wonder" time to do this for the Lord. Can I tell you it's amazing how quickly the Lord forgave my stupid faults? The spirit is back and my love is back. It's not in full throttle but it's getting there. I've got goals. I was teaching our sweet Penelope and I had the spirit. It was SO good to feel the spirit again and to know that I wasn't fighting God anymore. I'm back and I'm here to stay. As Sister Park likes to say "I've returned". YEAH! ALRIGHT! That's the story now let me tell you about the beloveds:

Sister Xie. She received baptism on Saturday and it was the most beautiful baptism yet. I saw her throughout the whole process. I've been with her from the beginning, kind of. She met the missionaries 2 years ago and decided she wasn't into it. A month ago she just went to church because she wanted that peace again. We taught her and her testimony developed. Through the Book of Mormon only she came to know Christ. THE BOOK OF MORMON! No bible stories. I love that. It just proves how The Book of Mormon really is a testament of Christ. Wow. I absolutely love the Book of Mormon. I just finished and started over. Nephi is such a dream. The way he trusts the Lord is amazing. My trust is back. My faith is back. I'm back! Thank you for the love and support. I can't even express what it meant. I really did need it and thank you for giving it.

Okay, Love you all

Sister Burr

Happy Halloween. This was on our Costco trip. I got a costco card.

Sister Xie. She is so GOOD

She was so nervous!  A RC baptized her and it took about 5 tries without dipping in the water and 3 with dipping

Gratitude

Sweet Family,

Wow. So funny. Right now I am wearing this over-sized dress and our apartment guard says to me while I'm leaving " wow it looks like you were a lot fatter before". I love Taiwan. I love the people. They are so great. The members are definitely great as well. Our ward mission leader likes to call every investigator "keai" which means cute or adorable or delightful. It's so funny. We also have this angel of a sister who makes us food every Sunday and sticks it in a cupboard in the church so we can grab it after. So sweet. This Sunday was fast Sunday so of course it was filled with miracles! Finally! There is this recent convert who got baptized 3 months ago and hasn't been to church since. We visited her last week and met with her family, we fasted and prayed hard and she came and better yet the members talked with her and made her feel welcomed! I'm starting to see how scary it must be for those new members. It really is a whole new world where everyone knows each other, we have things like pot lucks, firesides, stake centers, and unfamiliar things. Members are so important with helping the sweet new members feel comfortable.

The work has gone so well! I've really changed the way I've been praying and I've seen such a difference. I've really been trying to acknowledge how this is the Lords work and my dependence on him while doing it. Prayer and effort paid off. We have amazing new investigators and a family that we are teaching. Our sweet converts coming to church and I really know that this is the Lord's work. It's a privilege to be doing this for him. Also lets talk about gratitude for a second and how when our prayers turn from prayers of continuous asking and to prayers of gratitude it's like any weight or stress is lifted from our shoulders. Gratitude goes a long way so sweet family let me tell you 1. Mommy, I'm so grateful for the constant example you set. You always had us write our journals, family prayer, family scripture study, fhe, any ward activity, young womans, and so on. Mommy I love you so much and you are such an amazing strong woman of faith. I love you. 2. Daddy, don't worry I feel the same towards you. You've always been a constant friend to me. Always a listening ear and never judging my crazy ideas like camping alone in the forest or doing the El Camino de Santiago. You really are a support to me and an example of love and compassion. 3. Tori. You're my beloved older sister. You've always been a friend and an example. You know I love you like crazy and look up to you in all sorts of ways. You are so caring and look for ways to help others feel good about themselves. Thank you for your love! 4. Baby bro. I love to brag and tell people you are my brother. There's no one like Alex Burr. You are so kind and giving. Even when we were little you'd give me your toys when I asked or your fries (maybe I can blame you for that weight gain jk). I'm so grateful you're my brother. You really do have a heart of gold. 5. Becky!  thank you for teaching me violin that one day and for talking with me and always going along with my crazy ideas 6. Tina thank you for sending me those pictures 6. Missy thank you for riding bikes and watching weird movies with me. xoxo

Let me tell you about out Xie JM. She is so great. 30 years old and just bought a puppy. She finds answers through the Book of Mormon! That's how you know they're on the right track. They read the Book of Mormon. It's so important.

Family the work is going well. The people are so busy, but the Lord is blessing us as we ask for it!

I love you

Sister Burr