"I lit a fire that wouldn't go out..."

Happy Monday to you, an entire legion of my best troops!

This week was kind of really super good. I mean, it had its frustrating parts, but it was pretty good overall. Let's talk about it.

To begin, this week started with a bang, as exchanges with the YSA went down. Elder Wright and I went to the YSA, and Elder Maynard came to Missoula 5th with Elder Ash. (To be fair, it is technically incorrect to say that I "went to the YSA," since the YSA ward covers all the young single adults in Missoula, all the way up to Polson and all the way down to Hamilton, but you understand, I am sure.) I don't know what it is, but miracles always happen on exchanges, and that was the case here.

Short aside from the primary narrative, Elder Ash is awesome. I left the area to go do work in the YSA and never once did I have a worry in my mind. I knew Elder Ash would work hard and get good things done, and that is a huge blessing. Elder Ash is a boss.

So, exchanges. Besides helping a member of the church get in contact with the bishop so he could get back to his home ward in Bismarck, ND, we saw one of the best examples of member missionary work ever! (Those at home, take note of this.) A member of the YSA, now three months off of his mission, works construction. He made a friend, and religion came up in one of the conversations. This member noticed that this guy seemed like he was searching a bit. He was happy as he is, but he was searching, too. And, he took the opportunity. Having already established a friendship with this guy, totally unrelated to the gospel, he told the guy about the Plan of Salvation, and asked if he'd care to learn more. And, he would. So, they came to the institute building with Elder Wright and I. We played a bit of pool first, and then headed into a room to talk about God. The guy had many questions ranging from topical to humorous, but you could tell that he had sincere desire to learn. The friend helped us teach, added testimony, and gave his friend a copy of the Book of Mormon in which he had marked all the references to Christ. The friend accepted, wants to continue to meet, and even said that baptism would be a thing he'd be down for. (For which he would be down.) 

Member missionary work is not only awesome, but it is the key to any and all effective missionary work.

While I was gone, the home front flourished, too! Elder Maynard and Elder Ash worked hard and we have three new potential investigators, one of which has a scheduled lesson for tomorrow at three! How cool is that? 

Any time the going gets tough, the Lord will reward us more especially if we stay on the right track and keep going. We were reading in Mosiah with an investigator, and the recently baptized members are fleeing with Alma from the Lamanites. They eventually find a place to settle and build a city, but the Lamanties catch up with them, and place guards around them. As a preamble to that happening, the scriptures read, "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. Nevertheless--whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people." Jason asked us, "The Lord chastened them. Were they unworthy or wicked or something like that?" We had a good discussion about that, and I think it applies to all of us.

The people of Alma weren't wicked or unworthy, no. But, it is easy to be righteous when things are going well. It is easy to praise the Lord when blessings from Him are easy to see. And so it is with missionary work. It is easy to be cheerful and hardworking when investigators are just coming out of the woodwork and you have tons of lessons to teach and there is progression being made. It is significantly harder, though, when the going is rough. It is hard to have faith and work hard when there is no one to teach and rejection is behind every door. And so, sometimes the Lord wants to prove us, to see if we're just fair-weather followers, or if we really have faith in the Most High. This is what He was doing with Alma and his people, and it is what He does with us. So, when the going gets rough, don't falter. Better days are on their way. Things can be hard, "nevertheless, whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day." I have a testimony of that.

Keep being awesome. Keep on keeping on!

Rock and roll ~

-Elder Burch π
2400 Old Fort Rd. Apt 221
Missoula, MT 59804

"... Until it consumed the walls and roof of this house."

Elder Ash and I looking like models

Reunited with Elder Emms, my Valentine!

... and Sister Jacoby!

"Of being lazy and being bored..."

Denizens of the court(s),

This week is busy, too. Also, I didn't have my iPad most of the day. I
promise that I will not make crappy emails the usual. But, for this
week, I will simply send pictures. I love you!

Rock and roll~

-Elder Burch π

"... We just want more and more and more until it's all we can afford."

These are both from the district meeting discussion on bicycle safety.
Worth it for the story.

"Life is sweet in the belly of the beast..."

Hello, all.

My time and patience is short today, especially since I already spoke
most of the good happenings this week to my parents. So, I'm going to
pull an Elder Jones and be brief.

We might have two new people to teach. Other than that, we need to
find more people.

Exchanges coming up with Elder Vargas! I love him!

I am tracting more because I don't like tracting.

The district is the best ever. I love being district leader. It is my
favorite thing I have ever done. I hope I get to keep doing this for
the rest of my mission. I know that isn't realistic, but there we go.

President is the best.

Despite many struggles facing us, mainly having nobody to teach, Elder
Ash and I are finding much joy. I am learning the joy of bearing
testimony of Christ and inviting, even (especially) when they don't
accept. There is joy to be had in the Lord's service.

"Do you have a level 58 rogue named 'Book of Mormon'?" - Elder Burch
to Jason. And, the answer is yes. Yes he does.

The priesthood is real. Blessings are powerful. Elder Ash brings the
Spirit like a lightswitch. It was awesome.

Last story. We went to a less active, part member family, and he
always asks us to come in when we knock. They are both older, and she
is hard of hearing. Anyway, I peak my head in and ask if his wife was
home. (She's the member.) He said she wasn't, so I say, "Rock and
roll," and am about to leave. As I'm closing the door, I see his wife
in the kitchen. I pause, then open the door again.
"Wait, she's right there!"
"What?"
"Your wife! She's right there in the kitchen!"
"I just didn't know if she wanted to talk with you!" 
It was funny. We got to talk with her. He left the room. Good times.

-Elder Burch π

"...I was a boy, and now I am a bat."

Flowers in the road

Elder Berrett and Elder Hendrix

The Rogue

The Zone!

"While I get my last rites read by a thief..."

Personalities of all types,

This week was mad. Actually crazy. Here we go. 

So, transfers happen on Wednesday, right? Elder Ray and the rest of the nerds who are leaving get in the vehicles and get on the highway to Helena around nine in the morning, and we get the new recruits around three. Well, this story begins before that. 

A week or maybe longer ago, we got an email from our vehicle coordinator telling us that Ford had recalled the door latches or something else of little consequence on our 2013 Ford Fusion. (Brother Furrer would here make some joke about how Fords suck.) We were instructed to call the Ford dealership near our location. We do, and we schedule the appointment for Tuesday morning at eight. They made it sound like the repair would be fairly quick and inconsequential. Cool. So, we take our vehicle in and wait in the lobby. 

And wait.

And wait. 

Two cups of cocoa, one cup of cider, and seven hours later, we decide that it is probably time that we go somewhere to get lunch, while we continue to wait on this stupid car. We head to Red Robin for our first meal of the day, the time now a little after three, and as we are about to go inside to eat, we receive a call. It's from a potential investigator that we have whose dad is a member. Or, he was until he passed away just hours before. He asked if we'd be able to come by and perform last rites or whatever. I informed him that we weren't Catholic, but that we would absolutely come and pray with them. So, we walk another mile to their house, pray a little bit, talk a second, and begin to head back. The time is now such that we have to go to a few appointments, so we go do that. 

Still no call on the car.

We visit some people, then some other people, and then we go to an investigator's house for dinner. It was a good time, pretty tasty spaghetti, and as we are walking away from that we call the dealership for them to come pick us up with their shuttle so we can get our car.

No answer. Three times.

Crap. They're closed. That means we have no car, as well as no keys to the apartment. No biggie, though. We never lock the apartment. We did have to cancel service, which sucked because we had no way to get out to the boonies where we were needed.

We head to the apartment to take stock. The door is locked. What? Why is the door locked? It suddenly hits us: They inspected the apartment today while we were out! They must've locked the door when they left! So, now we were homeless, carless, and our phone had just died. To top it off, transfers are tomorrow, and Elder Ray needs his stuff. Fortunately, after going to Shopko to get fig newtons to calm our minds, we catch our neighbor out on the balcony and ask if we can use her phone. She graciously agrees, and we call a member, who insists that there should at least be a few people at the dealership in sales. He takes us there, we are able to get our apartment keys (but not our car!), and we are able to make transfers. Worth. 

Goodness, that day was crazy. 

Okay, the rest of the week.

Elder Ash is awesome! I really like him. He's from Artesia, New Mexico, and enjoys running, soccer, reading, and nerdy stuff like Star Wars and heroes. We have had several late-night conversations about Star Wars. (Though, none as long as the debate about the lake of fire and brimstone I had with Elder Berrett, and certainly none as long as the talks about nothing with Elder Campbell his first night in Buffalo.) We've been doing work, I went running for exercise for one of the first times ever, and we have had plenty of instances of breaking out into song. (Mostly music from our youth about which we are embarrassed to have listened, but worth than I thought anyway.)

We went on splits with one of the two priests in the ward. That was cool.

I felt really proud of myself the other day. At a doorstep, I felt like I gave my most honest and bold invitation yet. I mean, the invitation is always the same - to learn more about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ - but I feel like I was more forward, genuine, and open with my statements. I don't handle rejection well at all, and so I'm usually pretty cautious about my door approaches - I have difficulty being bold. Which is lame! I shouldn't be that way! I know it is true! I know that I am endowed with power and that my calling is as a representative of Christ! Anyway, this woman mentioned that she was of her own faith, and I asked about that a little. She said she was familiar with Mormon beliefs, but I was skeptical. I asked her if there was one question that she had about the LDS people. She couldn't come up with one, so I told her that one of the major differences is how we believe that, just as is written in all the holy scriptures from the creation of the world, God still works through a prophet who gives us the will of God. I testified that the truths restored in these latter days will bring us peace, joy, and a sense of belonging, even more than we already have. I told her it would help her come closer to Christ, and I asked if there was a time we could come back to teach her more about these truths. She told me, "No, go find someone else to preach to. *laugh* I'm too old for this." As we left, and we drove away, I felt bad that my sincere testimony did not produce some kind of result. On the other hand, I felt awesome about how I had spoken. I felt, more than ever, that I had fulfilled my purpose to invite others to come unto Christ. I hope that I can remember this and do it more often. Pray for me. 

I think that is all of consequence. Keep on keeping on. I love you guys!

Rock and roll ~

-Elder Burch π

"Start up the car. Bury your memories..."

Elder Ash!

Pros

Again with Missoula and odd political statements...

That priest I mentioned? The one we went on splits with? Photo
credit goes to him. I'm probably Snapchat famous at this point.