Mary Jane and Bella

My Darling Family,

So since the time I've been in Taiwan it has been said twice that I look like Spiderman’s girlfriend. I don't know where that came from but maybe it's because of my red hair now. Who knows? The best is that everyone says my new companion looks like the Twilight girl. It's so funny because the way they describe it is "oh she looks like the girlfriend of that vampire in that love story with werewolves" so funny to me! How did Easter go? If you want to know the truth we forgot about Easter. Yikes! I guess it's Easter every day in our hearts, but they don't celebrate it here and it's not in the calendars, and they don't even celebrate it at church. We were asking the Elders if it was Easter on that Sunday and they weren't even sure. We had Easter on the mind but just didn't know what day it was! But I will say this one thing I am so grateful for Easter. I was studying in Helaman 14 this morning and read these passages:

15 For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.

16 Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.

17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.

18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.

My dearest family. I know with my whole, whole heart that because of the resurrection we will be brought into the presence of our Father. It is because of that act that we are able to continue on the path of the plan of salvation. Without our Savior overcoming the fall of physical death we would be stuck just like Satan. We wouldn't have a body like our Heavenly Father we would just be sad little lot spirits just like what one of my former investigator thought and what most Buddhists think, but this isn't true! We couldn't progress and we couldn't obtain all that our Father has in store. The Resurrection is the bridge to eternal progression and it was made by our wonderful Savior. I remember teaching Penelope and she had a problem with this. I remember studying it so hard and trying to figure out why the resurrection really was so important and it's really because we're so stuck without it and it's what brings us to God's presence! God is so smart. And because of the resurrection we will be accountable for our actions. It takes us to God to be lovingly and justly judged. No matter who we are this is going to happen! Yikes! But not really yikes because we're lucky to have this wonderful life to prepare.

We had a miracle week. 7 new investigators. Who knew? One is a family. It's a Lin family and the mom doesn't believe in God. She doesn't believe because she sees all the poverty around her and starving kids and she just can't see how there can be a God. I get it and I can see where she is coming from. The world really isn't fair. I have no idea how it is right now honestly, but I know about the sadness, sickness, and poverty of course. It's because we're in a fallen world in a fallen state. We got to learn and grow right? We are going to have those bad things around us and we are going to encounter heartache, but lets all remember God so loved the world he sent His Son to atone and to experience all of our sickness and pain. Every little part of it. Every sadness, every heartache, every pain, every dark moment, all of it. It's Christ that can bring us light and hope when situations are dark. Yeah, the world is imperfect so wouldn't it make sense to have a perfect example to look to to bring light and hope? Christ went through all the heartache so he knows how to overcome every challenge so that is why he knows how to take us out of ours. Christ doesn't change our situations. He changes the man who then changes his situation or is strengthened to endure what has been given. My dearest family I have no idea where all my preachy just came from but I do know this I know Christ lives. The last testimony I give is that He really lives and he's helping us every day with our lives in every needful way.

ps-new investigator mom. We met her last Tuesday and she has already read to 1 Nephi 18. It's scary how prepared she is but so exciting!

Love you all sososososo much.

xoxoxo

Sister Burr

We tried to go to a museum, but it wasn't even a museum. That's a big tree stump from Alishan!

Look at my cute companion! It was her first time drinking papaya milk. So good. It's too hot already. Summer has started to come. Which means mangoes are coming soon. SO GOOD! And typhoons! I'm so excited, but I'm so not excited for the heat and sweat.

The Lord is in the Work

Darling Family,

I'm so sorry, I've been miserable at writing you the past weeks. It has been so busy and I'm trying to figure out how to sign up for classes (yikes what), but I think I got it figured out. Wow! I love my sweet new companion. She was just what I was missing in my life. I can't even describe the joy it is to be her companion. She is faithful, fun, her Chinese is amazing, she has a gorgeous singing voice, the cutest laugh, positive attitude, and basically she is an angel fresh from heaven. She was much needed.

Quickly let’s just say how WONDERFUL the message of our beloved prophet was. Wow! Really! Let us be kind and caring to each other. Can the Lord say anymore? We are brothers and sisters just all trying to get back to our Father. Also, I loved Sister Stevens talk on prayer. And how he accomplishes his miracles one prayer at a time. The restoration of the gospel started by one simple sincere prayer than acting on that answer. That was such a good reminder talk. I feel like there were a lot of reminder talks that help remind us to look at how we are doing and what needs to be done. Elder Uchtdorf’s on gratitude definitely was one of those.

Miracles galore. I can't number the miracles this week but it was probably around 20. My favorite one happened last night. There is an RC who is also less active. So sad. Yes I know. And we haven't been able to contact her the past 6 weeks I've been here. We planned to just go to her house last night and as we did her mom was home. We taught her and she was so touched by prayer and the message of God on families and we are going back this week. AND we have a wonderful new investigator Deace who came to church this week and is so prepared and receptive AND we had a former who just walked over to church today just wanted to come back AND we found this family whose mom wants her kids to grow up in the church and has already been reading the Book of Mormon from some Elders who gave it to her in the past AND mango bing is coming in a few weeks. Yum so good. AND this is the Lord's work man.

I love you all so much.

xoxo

Sister Burr

My sweet new companion Sister Biancardi

We have geckos! They make funny sounds. Look it up on Youtube or something. The people of Taiwan use the sounds for their doorbells.

Alishan

My Dearest Beloveds,

Wow. I really missed the mountains. It was so wonderful to be in a place that was decently not too crowded and just had so much space! It was such a blessing. It made me think of what Martin Luther once said "God's Gospel is not just written in the Bible. It is written on leaves, on trees, the sky and the stars" or something like that. The trees were absolutely gorgeous. God created such an absolutely gorgeous world for us. We went with the senior couple, the Kailiponis. They are heaven sent. They also have a car and take us to Costco every now and then, but really heaven sent. There was one day I was just talking with Sister Kailiponi and I missed grandpa and grandma a lot for a few seconds because she reminded me of grandma and grandpa. They are going to be going home in August with me so that will be fun to end with them. They are such examples of love and service! I hope to serve again when I'm old.

Well, my dears I know this for a fact. I will be in Jia Yi three more months because I am training again! Another heaven sent tender mercy. I absolutely love training. It's one of the most miraculous and inspiring things. The missionaries from the MTC are so fresh and it's so fun to learn with them and watch them begin to develop their skills and talents! I'm still nervous even though it's the second time but I'm absolutely excited. I love companionships. The companionship is the basic unit and so important. It was a little rough this last move call so I feel like it's a big tender mercy to train again because it's one of my favorite things in missionary work.

We did grave sweeping this last week! No that knife isn't to kill zombies, it's to pull up sosososo many weeds. I've been looking forward to grave sweeping since last May. It was FANTASTIC. We just basically pulled up snarly thorny weeds but it was so fun to see the beautiful graves underneath.

I was reminded of the importance of love this last week. There's a lot of “numbers” pressure in Jia Yi and there's a lot of needs. It was super easy to get caught up in it. I don't like that. I truly know this work is fueled and maintained on love. Whether that be love for God or our fellowman. I feel like I lost sight of that for a little but as I remember President Monson's words "Never let a problem to be solved more important than a person to be loved" I'm reminded that most of the time the problem is people just need to be loved and then they find the strength and confidence to make the changes they already know they need to make. Man, last move call was the most exhausting yet, but it was full of miracles and the Lord's constant care. I've made it a goal to every day write 3 tender mercies and 5 things I'm grateful for in my journal each night. I feel tender mercies and things we are grateful for are different and it's important to notice both of them. Tender mercies are just God's hellos and little nudges of love telling us He is there and He knows. He really knows. You should try writing those things down!

How was conference? I can't wait to hear the words of the Prophet and apostles! It'll be the best birthday present to watch conference this Saturday.(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

My dears. I absolutely love you and hope that you enjoyed conference, the Final Four, and everything that has been coming your way. Have a faith filled week :)

xoxoxo

Your Daughter