Extreme Cold Warning Survivors! January 19, 2016

Alright there is so much to say in so little time!! Baaa...

Miracles galore!

On Wednesday we had a lesson scheduled with our investigators out in Loon Lake. It is in Saskatchewan and about an hour and a half away. It is on a First Nation Reservation and it is kind of sketch so the Senior couple from Lloydminster, the R's, came with us. We got out there and the family wasn't home. We knocked like 10 times to make sure. So we went to this run down cafe with the R's and waited for a bit. We called them a couple times and nothing. We also got a media referral for another lady out there but she didn't answer her phone either. After a while we went back to the B's house. This time we knocked even harder and more. Nothing. We called a couple of times. Still nothing. So we hopped in the truck and drove home, disappointed. On the way home Sister T said, "Why didn't the Spirit tell us they were not going to be home so we didn't drive all the way out there for nothing?" I got thinking about that a bit and realized that that is not the Spirit's responsibility. Heavenly Father wanted us to go out there for some reason. Either for us to learn something or the R's. Who knows. But I do know there is a reason we went out there. I have been pondering about that all week..

This was truly a faith building week! Last week we met with so many Less Actives and Investigators and had such a good week, and this week no one wanted to meet with us. But it was just as good! For me at least! I learned a lot about myself and preparing to go home. So many things are preparing me! I am so grateful for that!

We were supposed to have exchanges this week but one of our Sister Training Leaders was really sick. So instead they both drove up here and we had like a Grand Slam ish thing. One of us would stay in the apartment with Sister R and go over our  Area Book and Planner and such while the other one went out and worked with Sister L. I learned a lot! It was such a fun exchange! I sure love and appreciate Sister R and Sister L! They are amazing! Sister R is going home today. I am so sad for her! But she has such a strong testimony and faith that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing! She is amazing! I am so grateful for amazing examples around me! <3

On Saturday we went to the Church to make copies and the programs for Church the next day were sitting on the table. So we were looking at it and Sister T pointed to one of the speakers and it said my name...haha! We were both super confused. We texted Bishop and apparently they forgot to ask me. Haha good thing speaking in front of people doesn't terrify me anymore! So I spoke on Sunday. And it was probably the best talk I have ever given, for the first time I didn't write down exactly what I wanted to say I just wrote down a couple of scriptures and quotes. It was amazing! I was able to speak to the congregation and the Spirit was able to work through me! I LOVE THE SPIRIT!

I am so very grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary! I love it here in Cherry Grove even though it is freezing. Don't worry we survived -40C! Our truck almost didn't start but we were heading to church so the Lord blessed us! I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father who is watching out for me and teaching me so many things!!

I love you all!

Love, Sister Burton

This is my Joy! January 12, 2016

Hello! We had an amazing week out here in the middle of nowhere!

W and K were baptized on Saturday! It was an amazing day! They were so prepared! For some reason so many funny things happened at the Baptism.  K was terrified of going into the water. When she was baptized she didn't bend her knees or plug her nose. So that made it hard for B, who was baptizing her. Her whole body didn't go under so when she got up and tried to get all of the water out of her nose and eyes by spitting and coughing, they told her she had to do it again. She was not impressed..But she did it again and it was all good! W made the same mistake of not bending his knees too.. After the baptism we were talking to the them and K kept saying, "This feels nothing like the shower I took this morning!" They kept talking about how refreshed and good they feel! It was so amazing to witness! And D our other investigator gave the baptism talk at their Baptism and it was soooo good! She really studied and prepared for it!

"This is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy." Alma 29:9      #shoutouttoAleeceforshowingmethisscripture

Missionary work is my joy! I love it! I love that I can be an instrument in His hands!

This week we were able to go out Bonnyville, a town 40 minutes away, to meet with Less Actives. Everyone who moves into Bonnyville goes Less Active. The ward calls it the Bonnyville Curse. Hmmm.. something should change right? Well that is my goal. I am going to do all I can to help the Less Actives in Bonnyville! We met an amazing family on Sunday! They moved to Bonnyville a year ago from the Greenfield Ward in Edmonton. And now they are physically less active, but not spiritually. They have really strong testimonies. And they have the cutest baby EVER! I told them I would come back up here to baby sit her. I love her! ;)

We are teaching an older couple, the S, and they have a bison farm so we got to go see the bison up close. We were in a truck luckily. It was super cool! Sometimes I forget we are in the county...well I don't forget for too long because it is very apparent!

I must've been in a prayin mood this week because Sunday night I woke up on the floor on my knees with my arms folded on my bed. I thought I must have fallen asleep praying. So I finished my prayer and got up to go exercise, only to look at the clock and realize it was 2am. So I got into bed and fell asleep. Hah it was the weirdest thing ever. So apparently I pray in my sleep...

I have gained such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon this week! On January 1st I was filled with a strong desire to finish it before I came home. I was in Omni then. So it was a little far fetched, but I decided to read 10 pages a day and give it a shot. I have continued reading 10 pages a day and I am now in Alma 24. I have gotten so many things out of reading it this time! I love the Book of Mormon!! I know that it is true and I know that it is the way that we draw nearer to our Heavenly Father and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

I love you all! Have a good week!

Love, Sister Burton

xoxoxo

Gratitude January 5, 2016

Hello! This week was amazing! I really do sound like a broken record. But honestly being on a mission is the greatest thing ever and every week just keeps getting better and better!

This week was one of the best of my whole mission! Cherry Grove is sooo wonderful!

I am sooo grateful for so many things! So I am going to tell you about my week through gratitude. We will see how that goes.

Beautiful Sinset!  And us jumping on a frozen lake! 

Good thing Canada is so cold or we would be IN that

freezing lake! :)

1. I am sooo grateful to be here in Cherry Grove with Sister To (pronunced Toe). She is amazing! She has been out 3 months and is from Layton, Utah! Cherry Grove is also amazing! It is a big ward for being in the middle of nowhere! Everyone here is related. There is like 5 last names on the ward list. haha not really but pretty close.
2. I am grateful for the warm apartment we live in and the truck we have to drive. Yes, a truck. I did have a baby freak out when I was told I had to drive a truck! But it is good! We haven't died yet! I am extremely grateful for that and we are able to drive all over! We drive a lot up here! Everything is so spread out! We drive a lot on dirt roads too! So a little car just wouldn't do it. I am so grateful for the Lord's resources that we are able to use!

3. I am grateful that I am not as much of a picky eat as I used to be! My very first day here I had homemade deer jerky..It was really good! But the thought of it being a deer freaked me out! But I ate it and I liked it and more and more people are going to feed us deer and elk...yay..?!!

4. I am so grateful for the humility among the people in Cherry Grove! We are teaching quite a few people! K and her son W are getting baptized on Saturday! They are amazing! They have completely embraced the gospel and are soooo excited to be baptized! K is about 60 and W is in his 30's. I had the opportunity to teach them yesterday and it was so great!! They are hilarious! I love them!!! :) We are also teaching D! She is a mother of 2 young kids and married to a less active member. We spent New Years Eve with them and I love them soooo much!!! :)

5. I am so grateful for a supportive family and friends at home and the love they have for me and the gospel!

6. I am grateful for a New Year! And I am extremely grateful for 2015! I learned so much here in the great white north! I love Canada!!

7. I am soooooo grateful to be here in Cherry Grove because I got to see the NORTHERN LIGHTS! #dreamcometrue They were so beautiful and so amazing! I have never seen something so amazing!!!!!!!!!

8. And I am SO grateful for the gospel and the opportunity I have to share it with others! We have had so many tender mercies this week from Heavenly Father! We have been trying so hard to be exactly obedient and working hard and we have been blessed beyond belief!

Well I love you all! Have a great week!!!!
Love, Sister Burton

xoxoxo

Sis. To and Sis. Burton

We helped at the Primary Party on Saturday!  They did a Stripling

Warriors Training.  We played a game to help them understand

the story of the Stripling Warriors!