Monday, January 30, 2017

MAKE IT HAPPEN

P-Day Exploring -
THE FOOTBALL STADIUM!!!! It was AWESOME!!!

Hello Hello! 
Happy last week of January! 
wut wut wut wut. 


We had such a great week, some of the coolest moments and miracles. At the beginning of my mission, my dearest mother sent me the coolest talk ever. Its called, "Bread or Stones; Understanding the God We Pray To" by S. Michael Wilcox. (I HIGHLY recommend it, it's become one of my favorites) We were pondering and praying about what to teach "A1" this week, and this talk came to my mind, so on Pday I printed it out and planned to give it to him to read. I had it with me in my bag the next day as we taught our investigators on campus (we planned to teach "A1" later that night) During one of our lessons, one of our investigators was getting pretty frustrated- feeling like God wasn't answering him and feeling like he wanted to give up. Instantly the talk came to my mind, and I even had it with me, so we read some of it together, bore testimony, and had a recent convert in our YSA ward who was with us share his conversion story too and the spirit was very strong. Our investigator left the lesson wanting to keep going, keep holding on, and keep trying. AMAZING RIGHT? Heavenly Father is aware let me tell ya!

We met with "J" again this week and holy cow, this kid is amazing. He read the intro and testimonies in the Book of Mormon and had the most in depth questions about it. He said he really loved church and what he'd learned and when came to the next lesson saying that he prayed about a baptismal date for himself. He came up with April 22nd and is excited! He said he really wanted this before he goes home at the end of this semester because he knows that "certain temptations will arise as he goes home and he knows this will help him be strong". Amen Brotha 

We met with "A2" this week and every time we see her I feel like she comes more and more prepared. She even had a friend encounter anti and ask her about it and she defended it and expressed her love for what she knows to be true. We've also started teaching her some of the commandments and guess what, she's already living them. haha we love her! She is working towards, and excited for February 25th to get baptized:)

Ok funny story from our Personal Contacting this week. We were out talking to students and saw on a screen that it was opposite day! So we got super excited and switched name tags hahaha clever right...we're genius lol. So we walk up to contact this guy and I shook his hand and said, "Hey, how's it going? I'm Sister Bur..Kam..mmerrr...man...." then Sister Kammerman says, "I'm Sister Burgon!" AND I LOST IT!!!!!! We both couldn't do it, we started laughing so hard and he probably thought we were crazy! Bingo buddio...we are. Well then we had to awkwardly explain that I was really Sister Burgon, not Sister Kammerman and it was opposite day...but hey he was cool and we got a return appointment, so proof that Heavenly Father really is in charge of this work, not even His goofy daughters can mess it up ;)  and a little laugh is good for everyone:)
Funniest part of this story...turns out opposite day was actually the following day!!!
We'll just chalk this one up to a blonde moment!!!!

Along with doing really cool service-inputting records for FamilySearch.org, having members powerfully testify at lessons, and having really cool surprise investigators at church, it was just an overall great week. 

The Lord loves ya! He is there! Matthew 10: 6-7,19-20

"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."

xoxo 
Love, Sister Burgon*
we had 2,394,837,489 people tell us that we look like twins this day hahahha
so we went inside and took a picture....i don't know what they're talking about hahahhaahahhahahaha

#twinning



Catch y'all in 
FEBRUARY!!!!*


Monday, January 23, 2017

65 DEGREES AND SUNNY - IN INDIANA - IN JANUARY!!!!

Hello from Indiana :) 
Hope this week was fantastic!! 

We had some awesome opportunities this week. We helped host/serve at a funeral with the relief society from both our ward and the Honey Creek Ward. They had prepared food for 50 people total. Well about 10 minutes before everyone showed up at the church to eat, we found out that there was at least 150 people coming. The relief society president silently slipped into another room and said a prayer that the food would somehow feed everyone who came. Well, miracles happen, and this was totally one of them. We were able to have a "5 Fishes and 2 Loaves" experience, because everyone got fed, and we even had enough for them to come back and get seconds! AMAZING. Literally witnessing miracles.


We also set up a booth on campus with posters, pamphlets, copies of the Book of Mormon, and pass-along cards...oh and chocolate...don't forget the chocolate. We got some cool people asking really cool questions. And it was super fun to switch up our finding methods too:)

Also, I LOVE CAMPUS BEING BACK IN SESSION....I don't know if I will ever be this excited for school again hahaha but it was wonderful to have our students back!! We saw so many of them, and most of them are picking up where they left off so it's wonderful. We met with a new-ish investigator named "H". She has been P R E P A R E D. As we were teaching the restoration, she would literally vocalize her thoughts, which just so happened to be the next point we were about to talk about haha. She kept saying, "I just understand this!" :) SO happy for her!

One of the greatest parts about working with students is that they are INSPIRING!! They teach me so much. We PC-ed into a guy named "J" who is a sophomore this year. We asked, "Do you have a faith in Jesus Christ?" and he humbly said, "No because faith requires action...and I don't have a church to go to. But I have been looking for one and reading my bible." haha whoa homie...that's faith if I've ever heard it :) As we kept talking, we found out that mr humble is SUPER smart....in the gospel and in life in general. We had a lesson with him a few days later and it might have been one of the coolest restoration lessons i've been in. Big things for this little dude! He even came to all 3 hours of church and applied how he can do home teaching in his life :) nice nice! Come join us brother!

Update on Mr. A! He came with us a few weeks ago to help us teach a lesson for the first time. The guy we were teaching was SUPER solid...and then all the sudden he took out a stack of papers filled out, front-to-back, with anti questions on them. I was worried that that lesson was traumatizing for "A" and that he would question too! Well this week he came to us explaining how he's been studying the questions that came up in that lesson so that he would know how to explain them to someone, if he ever got questioned about them. He's been studying from lds.org, the scriptures, etc...and knows more then us...I promise. It's truly amazing!!!! 

ALSO highlight....you've probably heard...but Rudy Ruettiger got baptized this week...ain't that just the coolest! :) Go Rudy!

Ecclesiastes 9:10
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy mightfor there is no work, nor device, nor knowledgenor wisdom, in the gravewhither thou goest."
Love you!! 
xoxo Love, Sister Burgon*

pix: da Mormon booth, the earth reminds you to smile, it hit 65 degrees outside...so a picture was necessary as we planned outside:), "when an investigator finally agrees to meet" hahahahah lol






Can't wait to see how this appointment goes...
I'll let you know next week!

'til then SMILE!*




Monday, January 16, 2017

LIVE IT WHILE YOU CAN


Hola mi amigos!!! 
Can't believe how fast January is flying by! 
Hope you all are enjoying it:) 
Campus starts this week!! AHH YAY...we are toooo pumped!!! 

This week was wonderful...so good!


On Tuesday we got the opportunity to go to the Temple, it was such an amazing experience. It has been quite a while since I've been able to go and it was so amazing to be back!!!! That is a speeeecial place! The Honeycreek Sisters picked us up to go and warned us that their trash had leaked in the car as they were driving it to a dumpster and the car smelled bad. We got in and...they were not wrong...hahahaha so we start driving and eventually stopped to get gas...and an air-freshener....while I was moving, I noticed that my dress was wet..so I asked where the trash juice had spilled and they said ON MY SEAT hahahahaha soooo basically I sat in moldy trash juice on the drive to the Temple....we all smelled like trash and air fresheners hahaha you can imagine the combo. On the more spiritual side of things, I was able to receive some amazing insights, answers and revelation while in the Temple and I knnowwww that that place truly is the house of the Lord. Good stuff.

THE SMELL.....soooooo badddd!!!!!

"J" (one that got anti-ed) agreed to meet up again and talk if we just taught her from the Bible. So we agreed and met this week! We got into a life-talk and she said that she was really wondering Why there are so many religions, where is the "one", and how can she know truth for herself. uhhh hahaha "J"!! The spirit was just telling us over and over to teach the restoration again. We've taught it to her before, but I guess it didn't stick with her, and now it is going to mean soooo much more to her because it will literally answer her questions. So turns out that there really MUST be opposition in all things, even anti! It has a purpose! So we taught half of the restoration until she had to go, and we will pick up on the 2nd half of it this week. She is being prepared!! How amazing is this!!!!

We also had interviews with President Carlson this week! I sure love the Carlson's and the sweet spirit they bring to us!! 



AT INTERVIEWS.
#floralfriday .... It's a thing!!!!

"S" was performing at her church on Sunday and invited us to go watch. So we church swapped! We went to watch her and she said that she would come to our church too! It's so fun to go to other churches and see how they worship. There's so many similarities and also lots of differences too. I'm just extremely grateful for the restoration and for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

Thanks for all the love and support! Ya'll are the best you know it?? :)

xoxo
Love, Sister Burgon*

Pix: teaching those students on campus...this is Abe...he's progressing quite well, 12 Months.....ONE YEAR OUT...CRAZY...., so we celebrated with cheese sticks of course haha





Can NOT believe I come home
THIS YEAR!!!!
Got to live this mission life to the fullest
while I can!!!!

Still so much to do...
now there is just
so very little time!!!!

'til next week...go
LIVE IT WHILE
YOU
CAN!!!!!






Monday, January 9, 2017

FORGET YOURSELF and ENJOY THE WORK

Hello!!!!*
This was a great and crazy and eventful week!! 
I hope you all had a good one! 

This week we visited sweet "J", that I mentioned last week. Her cousin, "S" was there again and she had something exciting to tell us! She said that after meeting last week, she went home and put on Facebook that she just had the most amazing meeting with the Mormons and how she felt bad that she misjudged them for most of her life, and that all week long, she looked forward to our next meeting. hahaha we were amazed. We didn't even think that our meeting last week could have possibly been so impactful. It was a tender mercy to me to be reminded that you just never know the impact that you have on other people around you. Hoping to gain more of that trust and to teach her more! Exciting!!

There was a day that we spent walking everywhere we needed to go and needless to say, it consisted of constant laughter because who knew Sister Kammerman can do a barbie/disney princess voice impersonation...and it's hilarious when you use it to do roll plays as we walked....t'was a great day and we were blessed with super cool people to help and teach.

We were finally able to meet up with those investigators who ran into anti-Mormon views and they asked their questions openly, we listened, and answered them openly. It was so comforting and reassuring to feel the spirit in my heart as we taught and testified. Where the spirit is, truth will not be denied. I'm grateful for every time we have gotten antied...I just learn so much and my testimony grows even stronger. There MUST be opposition in all things for that very reason. There is no comfort in the growth zone....if you're feeling uncomfortable or in a trial....you're probably in the right place...if you are seeking to grow and LET Heavenly Father mold you. :)

I am amazed every week at the strength and power that comes from church!! Try to make your church attendance a more powerful experience this week and you will notice a difference in the week to come! It's never too late to go back to church....never never never never :)

Last night we had a SUPER SWEET experience. All the sudden, lessons didn't work out and we suddenly found ourselves totally free for the evening. Right then, an investigator called and said that she was having suicidal thoughts. So we rushed over and talked with her and had a super powerful thing happen. She said that she just needed to hear God talk to her, but that she hadn't been hearing Him. So we had her pray and then flip open the scriptures to see what He was telling her. She said the most touching prayer and then flipped open to the PERFECT scripture for her. a m a z i n g. There is no denying that Heavenly Father is so aware. When we left her, she was a completely different person. Even just feeling of Heavenly Father's love can change lives. I know that He loves YOU!

Thanks for all the love and support! Ya'll are the best you know it?? :)
Love, Sister Burgon*

Pix: our cute ride and lesson helper...we love her

Stay warm! Be safe!
See y'all next week!
*

Monday, January 2, 2017

R I G H T T I M E - R I G H T P L A C E

.h a p p y  n e w  y e a r.  

Holy Smokes....is it really 2017? I hope you all had a great New Years.Thanks for all the Christmas wishes, emails, and support. It sure means a lot, I love ya! How was your week this week? It was another good one here in Terredise for us:) 

This week consisted of keeping in contact with our students as much as possible, getting rides from kind, life-saving members, visiting less actives, and many miracles. Heavenly Father has been providing people for us to teach despite not having students, or transportation. Super cool. We visited a sweet less active lady named "J". I love this crazy woman...she calls me, "Tiny". haha We have been visiting her for a while, and this time her cousin was there taking care of her. She was a little closed off at first but once we got talking, she opened up and we had an awesome gospel conversation with her. We asked if we could come back and teach them both and she was actually open to it. We are so excited to be able to teach "J" to help her come back to church, and to teach her cousin too...good potential :)

We also had Specialized Training in Fishers with President and Sister Carlson and the APs. I've been to this training a few times now, so this time I tried to listen a little differently to see what the Holy Ghost was teaching me and what things we could take back to our area to help the work. It's so cool how different things will stand out to you at different stages of life. What a powerful spirit is there when we meet together. Ah I just love it.

OK MIRACLES STORY....probably one of the coolest I've experienced. One day we were walking across town to visit a family that we felt we should see. On the way there we found the cutest family that was out on a walk. We got a return appointment for the next day and when we taught them, it was just so evident that we were in the right place, at the right time. It was amazing-so excited to teach them more. So that was little miracle #1....but then we kept walking. 

I was looking straight ahead and then all of the sudden, my body literally turned up to the walk of a house so I said, "Well I guess we're trying this one". haha Sister Kammerman said that she had felt like we should try that house too so we went right on up. There are no words to describe how perfect this was set up by Heavenly Father. 

At this house was a family of 5 kids and a single mom from Gary, Indiana. They were actually just visiting from Gary for the holidays and they left Yesterday to go back and then they're going to move back to Terre Haute in February. Seriously a miracle that we met them when we did. "Y", the mom, was talking to us and a little bit into the conversation, she opened up about the hard times that her family is going through. I said to her, "Well we are servants of the Lord, so how can we serve you today?" Her voice got shaky and she said, "We are out of food. I don't know what to do. I was looking for a pawn shop to sell my Christmas gifts so we could get food. I don't know what to do." We told her that we could help her get some food. And she literally broke down bawling. As she cried she kept saying over and over, "Thank you Jesus! thank you Lord." "Praise Jesus!" "Thank you! thank you! thank you!". We sang "A Child's Prayer" to her, and asked her to pray and flip open the Book of Mormon while we were gone. 

Gods love disguised as a few groceries
So then we left and walked to find a grocery store. We came upon a dollar store and had fun buying groceries. FEELING SO MUCH LOVE WHEN YOU SERVE. We hiked back with the groceries and delivered them to "Y". She was overjoyed and so grateful and even came across the coolest scripture in the Book of Mormon while we were gone. She said that when we left, she asked her kids, "Do you know who they were? Those were angels, angels of God." hahaha she's too kind really...but it IS amazing how Heavenly Father uses us as His hands. I felt very honored and humbled to be there to help her and her kids at that time. 

The next day, we went back and taught the entire family (except one daughter) the Restoration. They all were EXTREMELY thoughtful the entire time. They asked questions, gave insight and listened. At the end, the 16 year-old son said, "I just want to say thank you for bringing us this message because the story of the 14 year-old boy touched my heart. I've always wanted to hear God's voice, so now he's inspired me to pray harder." They are all reading the Book of Mormon together, and praying as a family about a baptismal date for March. How. cool. is. that. We were honestly...and still are...AMAZED. 

So grateful for this Gospel. A few of our investigators have got hit hard with Anti-Mormon views so we've been praying and searching how to help them and learning as much as we can. I just know with all my heart that this is the church of Jesus Christ. I know it was restored through Joseph Smith, a prophet called of God. I am so grateful to have it here today. What a blessing it is to be apart of. I will be forever be in awe of it. Helaman 5:12
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundationthat when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty stormshall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is sure foundation, foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

Hope you have the best week ever!! Love you guys!
xoxo
Love, Sister Burgon*

Pix:
GOT TO SEE  H A M I L T O N  BDE
THE MORNING WORKOUT CREW
WALKING and bonus......
GET TO SEE BEAUTY!!!!!
NEW YEARS GOT US LIKE....
2 Second Party...on the Balcony...with the Elders
hahaha 
Happy 2017 y'all!!!!
Can't wait to SEE
what the New Year brings!!!


I'll keep you posted...
Check back next Monday
for an update!!!*