Wonderen in onze contact gebiedt!

"Miracles in our contact area!" Hey everyone! I hope that you all had a wonderful week! Things are still going great here in Bonaire and we're seeing so many cool miracles!

We had a pretty good week this past week and we had so many appointments scheduled. Sadly, almost all of them fell through, but it's exciting that we have so many people that have said that we could come back! We've never had this many appointments before and it's been great talking to so many people and meeting a bunch of people that are willing to have us come back! We were able to teach someone named Lucia that I talked to on the airplane coming back from Aruba a few weeks ago and it went super well and she wants us to come back so we're super excited about that. Also, on Saturday we talked to two different Dutch people that also set up appointments with us which was such a miracle! Great things are happening here! Church was also great and a bunch of people received callings this past week which was so good! The branch is growing and many miracles are happening here! I love Bonaire! 

Also we were able to do some service for the Saragoza family and caught an igunana and then we did some service for the Albus's which is always a good time! Things are great here and I can't complain! Thanks for all your support and sorry that this is a little shorter this week, but I'm out of time! Have an awesome week and I love you all!

-- 

~Elder Burr

 Sunset!

(Mom comment - I saw this picture of Parker and thought ... man he's gained weight! After seeing another picture I realized that he just has wind blowing through his shirt!)  :)

  Elder Geigenmiller and I in various places and the iguana!

Wat kan je doen?

Hey everyone! Hope that your Easter Sunday was awesome and that you had the opportunity to think more on the Savior and his Atonement!

We had a really good week this past week! We were able to talk to more people than normal that were willing to listen to us and were able to make a bunch of appointments which was awesome! One CRAZY thing that happened is President Albus (from the district presidency) fell off a roof and dislocated his hip and shoulder! He's going to be out for like 8 weeks which is a big blow, but it's been inspiring as well. Even with all the pain that he is in, he came to church on Sunday which was super inspiring. Also, it's been so cool to see the help that the branch is providing for the family. The Mens family is taking care of the kids every day, and the relief society is making a bunch of meals for them which is going to be a huge help. It's just so cool the effort that they are all putting in the effort to help this family in need. This branch is great! So we were able to do some service for the Albus family as well which was fun as well. A spiritual experience that we had this week was in the lesson that we had with Mona. It was the first time that we were able to see her for a month so it had been a while. The lesson that we had with her was awesome and just really guided by the Spirit. She just really listened and we were able to testify about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she understood it all. So we are excited for her progress and to see where this all goes!

I had a cool experience this week in being able to bear testimony to someone that was doubting a lot and having a crisis of faith. These words can help us all I think. To my friend, and to all who wish to bolster their faith, I give you this promise: as you faithfully live the gospel of Jesus Christ and abide by its teachings, your testimony will be protected and it will grow. Keep the covenants you have made, regardless of the actions of those around you. Be diligent parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends who strengthen loved ones with personal testimony and who share spiritual experiences. Remain faithful and steadfast, even if storms of doubt invade your lives through the actions of others. Seek that which will edify and fortify you spiritually. Avoid counterfeit offerings of so-called “truths” which are so pervasive, and remember to record your feelings of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance.”8
In the midst of life’s greatest storms, do not forget your divine heritage as a son or daughter of God or your eternal destiny to one day return to live with Him, which will surpass anything the world has to offer. Remember the tender and sweet words of Alma: “Behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?”9

To all who feel the need to have their faith fortified, I plead with you, do not forget! Please do not forget.

Don't forget that God loves you! Have a wonderful week and continue to be awesome and have spiritual experiences! you all are wonderful! Lobi!
--
~Elder Burr

 Bonaire!

Fasting Miracles!

Hey everyone! Hope that you had a wonderful week this week! I´m finally emailing on a Monday again for once and hopefully that will become a habit again but you never know in this mission. But that´s what this mission is: crazy!

I had a pretty good week this week. I went on exchanges with Elder Galke and Elder Polanco and I talked about that a little bit, but they are awesome and we had a great time in Aruba with them. I flew back Thursday and Elder Sarmiento and I contacted some super cool people on the airplane ride back home! Who would´ve known that there would be so many prepared people on airplanes? This italian lady was so awesome though and just so interested in learning more so we are pumped to go teach her! We had some good lessons this week and sat with some cool people as well but I think that the miracle of the week was on Sunday. Elder Geigenmiller and I were fasting for a new investigator and praying every day for one and it was just seeming a little unlikely to ever find one! Then we go to church on Sunday and one of the youth named Richard came over to us and asked if we wanted to go teach his friend after church. We said sure and went with him, not sure how it was going to go. Well we go meet this person named Angelo (but everyone calls him PeeWee) and he was so cool! He´s 19 and hasn´t been to church for 5 years and is searching for a church to go to. We had a really cool lesson about God with him and we are pretty excited to see where he goes! Super sincere and is really looking for the truth! Miracles! Other than that, we´ve contacted some cool people this past week and we are excited to follow up with them and see if they are truly searching! That was our week!

One cool thing that I was studying and that stuck out to me this past week was a scripture in Alma 30:34. 34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren?

I was just really thinking about why we do missionary work since we don´t get paid or anything. So why are there so many missionaries in the world? Why am I still on a mission today. And the answer simply is that this work is true. The gospel has brought so much joy into my life and now all that I want to do is share it with others. This work is true and I know that God is guiding the work. As we open our mouths to share the truth, God will put the words into them that will tough the hearts of the people. I know that that is true!

Thanks for being awesome and I hope that you all have a wonderful week! I love you all! Lobi!

--
~Elder Burr

 My invention on how to dry my clothes faster and... me again!

Alles is gek geworden!

Hey everyone!

Emailing late again since the email place has just not been working lately, but as my companion would say, "wat kan je doen?"Or in other words, what can you do?

We had a great week though and have two investigators that have been reading and agreeing to meet with us which has been so cool. Their names are Lourdes and Tecla and we're super excited for them and the progression that they are making. Good things are happening here and I'm just so excited for everything! Bonaire is awesome!

I also got to go on exchanges in Aruba with Elder Galke and Elder Polanco and they are doing awesome and it was super fun to be with them, learn from them and also help them out a little bit. Miracles always happen on exchanges!

Conference was definitely a huge highlight of the week and I loved Henry B Eyring's talk on walking with Christ and here's a quote from it: "Brethren, our ordination to the priesthood is an invitation from the Lord to walk with Him. And what does it mean to walk with the Lord? It means to do what He does, to serve the way He serves. He sacrificed His own comforts to bless those in need, so that’s what we try to do. He seemed to take particular notice of people who were overlooked and even shunned by society, so we should try to do that too. He testified boldly yet lovingly of the true doctrine He received from His Father, even if it was unpopular, and so must we. He said to all, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28), and we say to all, “Come unto Him.” As priesthood holders, we are His representatives. We act not for ourselves but for Him. We speak not our words but His. The people we serve come to know Him better because of our service.

As soon as we accept the Lord’s invitation “Walk with me,” the nature of our priesthood service changes. It becomes all at once higher and nobler but also more achievable, because we know that we are not alone. I felt this most powerfully when President Thomas S. Monson laid his hands on my head nine years ago and blessed me as I began my service in my current calling. In that blessing, he recited these words of the Savior: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88)."

These things are so true! I know that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God and that it should be our life goal to walk with Christ. I invite you all to ponder more ways to walk with Christ and to try them out. Great blessings will come from it. Love you all and hope that you have a wonderful week! Lobi!

-- 

~Elder Burr

 Me and the apartment! Sorry I'll try to send better pictures haha!