Elder Holland came and MOVING to Bangkok

Elder Holland was absolutely incredible. Shaking his hand was even cooler. 555

One of the highlights of my entire mission. 

This mission means everything to me and it has in no where been picture perfect. I understand what it means now to struggle. Missions aren't supposed to go smoothly. They are supposed to be hard, because it's only through the trials that we will truly become converted. 

"This is NOT a cunningly devised fable."

I loved when he said that because so many people try to just easily shake this whole thing off as just wishful thinking and just false. But what Elder Holland emphasized is that the sacrifices made by many for this gospel are TOO great for it to just be a devised fable. THIS IS GOD'S TRUTH. Not just some make belief bed time story. He also emphasized that "He HAS been our age, and we haven't been his" so trust him. He also paid a really great tribute to the 2 Apostles that recently passed. Saying that "don't go telling them that this was all a cunningly devised fable" because this meant EVERYTHING to their whole lives. And Holland reiterated that it means everything to his as well. I can't explain in full detail just how I feel, but just know that I believe the declaration made by Mormon in 3 Nephi 5:13 - "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." Also, I am never going to be the same. I can't be the same. I am changed for the better and I am never going back.

Ever upward.

I know this is true. 

Just a few thoughts from Holland before I get started on this week. Feels like one of the longest weeks of my life, but so perfect and necessary. 

SO I FINALLY MOVED!!! 

I am now serving in Srinakharin! Which is in Bangkok. Yes. And my companion is Sister Hayes!!!!! She is from Rexburg, Idaho and her parents are currently serving as mission presidents in Costa Rica! She has 9 siblings in her family and I seriously LOVE HER! I can't even explain how great the last 3 days have been. She is from Sister Anderson's MTC group! :) 

We have been living in a hotel because Sisters haven't served in this area for over a year and a half so Sister Hayes and I are opening it! So we still don't have a house but that's fine because we are never home anyways. Our first day we met one of the sweetest ladies EVER. Her name is แม่ Nong. She was the on RS Pres, but now she is just a counselor in the RS presidency but she is so involved in the church it's insane. She was excited to get Sisters serving here. They have been wanting Sisters back for a while. 

Saturday was so great. We had a Stake Sports day, which was a lot of fun. So many members went! It was awesome. Got to meet a bunch of members from all the other areas in the Stake and it was just cool to see how many people were there! 

Sunday was amazing too. Church was so great, and we also got to go visit S. แนน (19 yr. old strong member) and her dad who isn't a member. Apparently, the Elders have been trying to meet him for a while because he is never home, but today we just randomly stopped by her house to meet her LA mom and her dad was there!! He said he normally isn't there but today he randomly had a day off. It was so cool, so we got to pray and read with them. Then we just walked with Sister นก a really cool RC, with an awesome story, and invited people on our way to our dinner apt. I felt happy. Just like I was floating. Honestly, these last 3 days I have just felt like I am floating. Sister Hayes and I just have so much fun, and laugh and are crazy. We are literally the same person. We both just have so much love for the work and people. It's so stereotypical to say, but I honestly haven't felt this good, this consistently for a while. Its just pure bliss right now.

Sister Hayes just gets it. She is an INCREDIBLE missionary, and her testimony is solid. She is also AMAZING at the language. Only 4 months in country and she already speaks better than I do. 555 And you can just tell and see how much she really loves the people. It's contagious. 

I am so blessed to be here right now. I feel like I have already learned and grown so much. I have made a goal to try and fully consecrate myself till the end of my mission, no more worrying about things I can't control, no more worrying about the future, no more dwelling in the past. It's all about the eternal perspective, and what I can do RIGHT NOW to become who Christ needs me to become. I have never been so happy. I love getting lost in the work. Sister Hayes and I are just glowing with happiness! 555 I just feel so happy! <3 

Sister Burbank

In Bankok

New Comp- Sister Hayes from Rexburg

Stake Sports day

Our permanent hotel room for now 

Saying good bye to Sisaket people

It's incredible because some how the gospel just keeps getting deeper and deeper for me.

So emailing got moved to today! Since we will be in Bangkok on Saturday to see Elder Holland, and we won't be having P-day next Monday. So President gave permission to email today in our areas. 

Not a lot to report, since I feel like I literally just emailed, but these last couple days were pretty good. I can't believe we are leaving tomorrow morning to see Elder Holland!! I am staying in Thonburi with Rina, since we have to stay in Bangkok for a couple nights, so that should be fun. Sister Sihabut is excited to go too! She wants to meet the Burmese Sister so it worked out great. Slowly I feel like I have been saying goodbye to the members here. Everyone keeps asking me when I am moving. It's kind of depressing, but its time. I am really going to miss it though. 

We have this one investigator right now, Sister Cookie, she is 17 years old and just the cutest thing ever. I have she came to church on her own last Sunday and this week we have been calling her to follow up on her commitments and she has kept all the commitments so far. I just can't believe how solid she is. She is what it means to find the elect. Her understanding comes so fast, and honestly I wish every investigator would have the desire she has. It will be sad not to see how things work out for her, but I am grateful I got to at least see the beginning of her conversion. I really hope Sister Sihabut stays to continue teach her. She's great.

If you are curious. Here is the list of scriptures that we were given by President to prepare for Elder Holland.

Here is the email President sent us:

While I was in the MTC, Elder Holland provided a list titled, "Twenty Teachings in the Book of Mormon on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland."

Given Elder Holland's passion for the Atonement and for the Book of Mormon, I believe this listing is a great source of study as we prepare to be taught by Elder Holland. Please read the references provided and discuss the concepts in Companionship Study.

1. Nephi's record of the "God of Nature" suffering and the first of Isaiah's testimonies of the Messiah (1 Nephi 19, 21)

2. Lehi's patriarchal blessing and discourse (2 Nephi 2)

3. Jacob's two-day sermon (2 Nephi 6-9)

4. Nephi's final testimony on the doctrine of Christ (2 Nephi 31-33)

5. Jacob's "few words" (Jacob 4)

6. King Benjamin's sermon (Mosiah 2-5)

7. Abinadi's declaration before King Noah, including Isaiah's prophetic testimony (Mosiah 14-16)

8. Alma's testimony to the Church in Gideon (Alma 7)

9. Alma's and Amulek's teaching to Zeezrom (Alma 11-12)

10. Amulek's discourse to the Zoramites (Alma 34)

11. Alma's counsel to his son Corianton (Alma 39-42)

12. Samuel the Lamanite's prophecy (Helaman 14)

13. Jesus's introductory discourse to the Nephites (3 Nephi 11)

14. Jesus's definition of "My Gospel" (3 Nephi 27)

15. Moroni's call to believe in Christ (Mormon 9)

16. Jesus's own pre-mortal testimony (Ether 3-4)

17. Moroni's message to the world on faith, hope and charity (Ether 12)

18. Moroni's summary of his father's teachings on faith, hope and charity (Moroni 7)

19. Mormon's epistle to Moroni regarding little children (Moroni 8)

20. Moroni's invitation to come unto Christ (Moroni 10)

I laughed because it is like half the Book of Mormon. But this is essentially what I have been studying every morning the last month. Honestly, it has been really cool to read all these scriptures of the Atonement back to back. It really strengthened my testimony on just how perfect the Book of Mormon is. All of these scriptures support each other and everything just fits together so perfectly. There is no way someone could make all this up. I honestly just love the Book of Mormon so much. I can't even explain it. I feel like every time I read it my understanding about the depth of the gospel increases. It's incredible because some how the gospel just keeps getting deeper and deeper for me. I NEVER could have imagined before my mission just how deep things really got. And I can't even explain what I mean either. It's something that you have to learn and feel on your own. "Working out your own salvation" kind of thing. SO GOOD FOR REAL! 

I hope everyone has a great week! I know I will be! :)

Love, 

Sister Burbank

LITERALLY. Planted rice this morning. And Elder Holland Coming to Thailand!

LITERALLY. Planted rice this morning. I am officially in the coolest mission in the entire world.

AND no crabs bit me. Miracle #2.

I feel like the longer I am here, the more I just feel like a khon Thai. But then I slave out in the rice fields all day and get totally sunburned and remember I am still that crazy redheaded Canadian born America raised white girl. The best part is that even though I feel completely burnt to a crisp. I am happy.

This week was wonderful. Kind of weird to be honest and FLEW by. But I enjoyed it a lot. We taught prayer a lot this week because believe it or not we got not one but two new investigators! It reminded me of the amazing gift prayer really is. I have seen my relationship with my Heavenly Father become so strengthened over these last 10 months I can't even explain it. Such a blessing.

So since this weekend we will be in Bangkok to see ELDER HOLLAND! So excited. And then the next Thursday after that is Transfers, so yesterday was most likely my last Sunday in Sisaket. Since the chances of me moving are pretty high. 6 months!! I have been in this one area for 1/3rd of my entire mission. So crazy to think. But I honestly got kind of emotional while I was sitting on the stand conducting the music. So much has happened these last 6 months here and I realized how much I really do love these people. It will be good to leave and get a fresh start in another area. But I really do feel like a part of me will always long to be in Sisaket. I am excited to see where I go though! Bangkok????? Probably. 

Anyways, P-day is changed to Saturday this next week (or Friday for you guys) because we will be in Bangkok Sat afternoon after the meeting with Elder Holland with nothing to do until the meeting on Sunday. So, all 180ish missionaries in the entire mission are going to be having p-day together in Bangkok. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. 555 But it will be cool to see everyone together. I want a copy of that picture for sure.

Just a quick thought from my personal study this last week. I spent some time studying D&C 4. You know the section that every missionary in the entire existence of forever has to memorize. I have read it and recited it so many times, but I don't feel like I have really internalized it for a while. But this last week verse 3 and 5 really stuck out to me.

3 "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;"

5 "And faith, hope, charity, and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work." 

I realized that it is our desire that calls us, but it is our NATURE that qualifies us for the work. It is not just a change in behavior to be faithful or have hope or have charity and love. Or to have an eye single to the glory of God, but it is quite literally a change of nature that we have to undergo to become qualified for His work. At first, a desire is sufficient because everything has to start with our desire first, but after that God expects us to qualify for His work by BECOMING. Becoming like His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. So cool, no? 

Everything comes back to PMG Ch. 6 - Christ-like Attributes 

Can't wait to see what Elder Holland has to say on Saturday! Hope everyone has a great week.

Love,

Sister Burbank 

We are on a sleeper Train to Bangkok

Place we planted rice

Our meal after planting rice.

"It will all be worth it!"

D&C 59:23 - "But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come."

Peace in this world....probably the most sought after feeling in times of self-doubt and inadequacy.

This week I changed what I asked for in my prayers. I stopped asking for a way to overcome my struggles, but instead I just prayed for patience. I finally applied what my head always knew, and let it touch my heart. I felt peace.

Something I learned this week is that when God asks us to be patient. He doesn't ask us to be patient alone. But instead He comforts us with that peace that only He can give. (John 14:27)

Alma 26:27 - "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bare with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

I think I finally understand this scripture. I've read it so many times I can't even count but I don't think I truly understood the magnificence of it until this last week. It's when you finally come out of the darkness of depression that you can truly recognize the hand of God in your life. When you finally FEEL what comfort from God feels like is when your testimony is strengthen. 

This last week the AP's asked us to email in one miracle we saw from the month of July. This is what I chose to write:

I have been on my mission for almost 10 months now and I can honestly say that the month of July has been the most miraculous of them all. However, not for the reason you might think because for the first time in my entire mission I have gone through an entire month and not even found/received one new investigator. Literally zero. Which is not a reflection of me and my companions efforts. Trust me. Now you might be questioning what is so miraculous about that. Well, I guess saying I received literally zero new investigators is a little dramatic. The truth is I did receive one. But she came in the form of an amazingly humble shy recent convert of 2 years from the country of Laos. Yes, she is my companion. This last month has been one of the hardest of my mission, but something I realized is that training one of God's missionaries is one of the greatest experience you can have. I learned that I had taken for granted how blessed I was to have grown up in the gospel. Having the influence of my parents shape my moral. While my companion had no such thing. She did not have the same upbringing I did and just the fact that she found the gospel is a miracle in and of itself. I love her with all of my heart, and her influence on me will be everlasting. She is my miracle, my one investigator, my greatest joy! Seeing her progress and understanding of the gospel increase has brought me more happiness than I can even express. God is truly aware of all of us. As His children He knows our individual needs. And this month, He knew that the struggles I would face would truly shape me into the person He desires for me to become. "It will all be worth it!" 

It was immediately after I wrote this out to send on Friday that my perspective changed. I felt myself finally come out of the darkness I was in and felt that healing of the soul. I realized that it is in the moments that I bare my testimony that I feel the most peace. But since we had had so many little changes to teach this last month, I felt lost and dark. What a realized is that investigators aren't the only person I can bare my testimony too. And actually they shouldn't be the only ones. I should bare my testimony to EVERYONE. Especially my companion. I finally let go of my pride and tried to open up to my companion, no matter how insecure I felt in the language. I realized that when I finally relaxed and stopped trying to speak to just speak, but to speak from my heart the words came. I realized that I can actually speak this language. Not very well, and not very pretty. But enough. Enough that the spirit can carry the message to the hearts of the people I speak to. I've learned to speak from the heart in English, but I realized how much I lacked humility in speaking from the heart in Thai. But now, I feel at peace. I feel at peace with the vulnerability. With the innocence. With the fluency of my speak. But most of all I feel at peace with the trust I have developed in God. 

This week is just the beginning. I finally let go. 

This work is in His hands.

So until next week!! When I will probably have a complete meltdown again and start all over, learning the same lesson I just learned. 555

Love,

Sister Burbank 

Spiritual confidence increases when you accept that 'often trials and tribulations are allowed to come into your life because of what you are doing right.'

STILL HERE - Transfer #4 in Sisaket

....which means we didn't go to Bangkok this week. We just stayed in Sisaket and got destroyed by a huge rain storm. 5555

Literally never been so wet in my life. Got to love biking areas. It has rained pretty much every day this week. And on Saturday night the power in our house went out which also meant we have no water either. Luckily after calling around we found someone to come fix it. Apparently, there was literally just a switch you had to flip and everything would work again. Unfortunately, we didn't know that so for 45 minutes we just sat in the dark. 

Also, on Saturday though was Sister กิกส birthday so we took her out to lunch. Just literally ate a bunch of ส้มตำ which I love, so that was fun. 

We got a new District Leader! Elder Howard. He is from Lehi, Utah and is from Sister Ong's MTC group. So he is just about to pass his year mark on the mission. I think he will be great for Sisaket. 

Other than that, this week has been pretty low key. Just inviting a lot and teaching. We are working on finding new investigators. Right now, we are teaching Sister Joy. She is the mom of a member here, and she is so cute. She is in her 40s but we kind of have to teach her like a child because within the last 20 years something has happened to her mentally and so she has to take a lot of pills to help cope. Because I can't speak doctor Thai, I actually have no idea what it is, but all I know is that she is so cute. She loves singing Hymns and praying. So we do a lot of that when we go visit her. 555 I literally just can't explain to you how much I love her, and watching Sister Sihabut work with her too is so cool for me. 

It's moments like that, that make being a missionary so worth it! 

Quote of the week: "Spiritual confidence increases when you accept that 'often trials and tribulations are allowed to come into your life because of what you are doing right."' (Elder Klebingat G.C. Oct. 2014)

Read this talk this morning during personal study. I finished reading all of Apr. 2015 conference talks, so I started reading Oct. 2014 again. This talk just happened to be the one I read today and it really was a tender mercy for me. I highly recommend reading it. 

I hope you all have a great week.

Love you! 

Sister Burbank

 

Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone. I never realized how many people I actually know. I guess you just have to wait till your birthday to find out how many friends you actually have. 555

But seriously thank you!

This week has been exciting. On Thursday we went and met the new mission president! President Johnson. And to be honest, that was so great. I feel so much at peace with knowing he is the new president. The weird part was realizing that he is my FATHER. Like seriously. He is so much like Wade it's weird. All the way down to fishing in Alaska. And ironically before they came to Thailand they took a trip to the Oregon Coast. Spent time at Gold Beach. Oh and did I mention his whole family is ginger and like 7 feet tall? 55 Okay he's only 6'5. But he has a daughter who is 6'2 and married a guy who was 6'9. Oh and he's an accountant. Seriously felt like I knew the guy already. They are from Utah, of course, and just the cutest people ever. President Johnson is just a solid rock kind of personality. Exactly like Wade. I have a feeling that I am going to like him being president because he thinks a lot like me. 555 AND HE PLAYS BASKETBALL!!!! <3  

Okay. Enough with the weird comparisons. 

This week was better. Still getting over my weird sickness. It's not a cold or anything like that, it's more like I am always just in pain and never want to eat. Which makes me sicker, and weaker, and all that jazz. But it's okay. I'll figure it out eventually. Had a lesson in Laos last night, and that was amazing because I actually understood. I can't speak Laos, but I can understand it. So weird. Definitely the Gift of Tongues. I hope I stay with Sister Sihabut this transfer, because I want her to teach me how to speak Laos. I can a little bit, but not enough to have a conversation. It is seriously so beautiful though. I feel the spirit so strongly in Laos, and I don't know why. Thai is beautiful too, but Laos just has a special place in my heart. I always tell Sister Sihabut how grateful I am that she is my companion. I really do love her. I don't know if I ever said this, but she was born in Savannahkhet. Just across the boarder in Laos. And she is the 7th of 8 kids in her family and is 27 years old! :) And she's perfect, which I pretty much say every email because it's true. 555

Anyways, not a whole lot of time this week, but just wanted to say thank you and I love you to everyone! Still don't know the verdict if I am moving or not. We will find out today though. I have been here for 3 full transfers now (4.5 months) so honestly it could go either way.

I love this area so much. I have gotten so close to the members here they are my family.

It's going to be hard to leave. 

Quote of the week: "Prayer is an act by which the will of the Father and the will of the Child are brought into correspondence with each other...many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ's name at all; they in no way represent His mind but spring out of the selfishness of man's heart." (Bible Dictionary: Prayer) 

Just some food for thought. I have really been reflecting on this definition this week. Helped me understand how to better use my prayers as a way to align my will with God's.

Love you and have a great week! <3

Sister Burbank

Happy 4th of July

Congratulations to Tory and Elise!! The beautiful couple. Thank you to everyone who emailed me this week with pictures! SO GORGEOUS. It ALMOST felt like I was there :) Also, Congratulations to Sister Adams who got married this last week too! Members showed me pictures here, and she looked absolutely beautiful! Miss you guys! 

Knowing that they both got married in the temple just makes me so happy too. It reflects me back to August 2014 when my best friend, Julie Anne "Moose-man" (555 it even rhymes...), got married in the Portland Temple. It's insane to think its almost been a year since then. But I still remember the feeling I had as I sat in the Sealing Room and watched her and Christian be sealed for time and all eternity. THAT is what it's all about. But don't worry, I'm not marriage trunky yet.... ;) I just feel so much loves!! I love all the love that's going on right now! In the next couple days, President and Sister Senior will be flying home, and President and Sister Johnson will be arriving. The love and respect I have for President and Sister Senior will be everlasting. Seriously though. They will never fully understand the impact they have had on my life. Which goes for all the missionaries that have had the chance to serve with him over these last 3 years. He has left an incredible mark on Thailand, and in the lives of his missionaries. And of course we welcome President Johnson and his wife as well! I am so excited to get to know them. We are going to Khon Kaen on Thursday for a short meet and greet. I am excited to see how this transition goes! I am lucky that this transition comes in almost the exact middle of my mission. These next 9 months with President Johnson are going to be LEGENDARY (That one's for you John.....555). 

This week has been incredible! So on Saturday Sister Mint got baptized! :) She is 19 years old, and just the most put together classy 19 year old I have ever met. She's just so down to earth and real, and I love her so much! The miracle part about her is that this last Sunday was the first time we had ever met and had a lesson with her since she just recently got back from Ubon. She lives with her extended family who are strong members here in Sisaket. I asked her how she was not baptized yet since she told me she has been going to church since she was a little kid. She didn't know but said she wanted to be baptized. So I told her that this coming Saturday she could get baptized if we just met everyday this week to teach her all the lessons. She agreed, and so this past week we have been going over to her house everyday and teaching her. Then Friday she interviewed, Saturday her Uncle got to baptize her, and Sunday she received the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Seriously the most smooth transition I have ever seen. And watching her face during all of it was just perfect. She is a pretty shy soft spoken girl, but her face was just lit up. She could not stop smiling! Which made me not be able to stop smiling! Everyone was just so happy, and you could just feel the love! (Is it bad if like a thousands songs just popped into my head after writing that...555) Anyways....this week is just happy!! :) Sister Sihabut is just perfect. Honestly. She is literally perfect. I have learned so much from her already and just hope that next week I don't move!! Transfers week again?!? So weird.

Random fact for the week: Me and Sister Ong nerdily figured out that the chances of a Sister Missionary getting called to Thailand is .05%. I am 1 of 43 Sister Missionaries here in Thailand right now, and there are currently about 85000 missionary out in 406 different missions. Needless to say, I think I am supposed to be here.

Love you all so much! Hope everyone has a Happy Fourth of July!! :)

Sister Burbank

Thailand: Where rabbits wear clothes and chickens fight.

Seriously....I love this country.

 Sister Sihabut is perfectly cute as always. 

LOVE HER.

 This was last Monday.  I literally look like death because I was so sick that day! 555

View outside the church.  SO BEAUTIFUL.

BAPTISM!! :)

I love her!

Sister Mint :)

 Sister Mint and her Uncle

 Teaching แม่สี except she only speaks Issan. So essentially I was pretty mute during that lesson. BUT I learned alot of Issan. So that was good 555

First two things she said to me:

1. Do you have a boyfriend?

2. Don't get married too fast when you get home.

5555

She was hilarious!! :) I LOVE OLD PEOPLE SO MUCH!!! 555