"Boy, you was battle born."

This week was a fairly eventful week. There was a huge art show in town. The Out West Art show, to be specific, and we gave a fair amount of service at that. It was really neat to see all the different styles of art (I really like art), including a guy who does hammer and chisel. He was working with a type of rock that is essentially lava which erupted underwater and made a foamy expanded obsidian. It was neat, but I agree with his feelings that you can't get as much detail as on other rocks. He says people like the obsidian because it looks contemporary. I looked in his book of older projects and I like his other stuff more. Even still, very cool!

We had exchanges with the River's Edge elders, and I was able to spend the day with Elder Hallett. We had a fantastic spiritual lesson with an investigator named Josh. We taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ (through Christ we can be cleansed from sin, faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, (sacrament), and enduring to the end). As we shared the experience from Matthew 3 of Christ being baptized, Josh really felt something. "That gives me tingles. I bet God was really proud. It makes me want to do that." Long story short, he is on date for baptism on April 20th. (420! We joked about that briefly.) They're awesome investigators. Too bad I won't be there for the baptism because...

I'm being transferred! This might be my last experience serving in Montana. They're shipping me back to my old stomping grounds. Not exactly, but close enough. I'm going back to the Wyoming West Zone (Wyoming Best Zone) to serve in Powell, Wyoming, which is roughly an hour drive from my very first area of Greybull/Basin. I am excited to be back there (not in the least bit because of the sales tax I will once again have to pay (otherwise they'll send me to Federal Dungeon for tax evasion... again (no, still))), and I am excited to do the work! Elder Bly, here I come! Elder Bly is really cool, dedicated, and hardworking, and I am excited to be his companion. 

I think that is all for now. Enjoy the pictures! Thank you for all you do! Rock and roll ~

- Elder Burch π

"When they break your heart, and when they cause your soul to mourn, remember what I said..."

Giving service at the food bank during the BSA food drive

Elder Shumway, Me, Elder Hallett, and Elder Brown

Elder Brown and I after we helped this guy
unload is statues with the crane on his truck

Dinosaurs are cool

The guy that does the hammer and chisel art

Some of his art

The Bergs

"There goes my hero..."

All,

This week was really good. We had exchanges with the Ronan elders, and I was privileged to spend time with Elder Griffin, the new district leader. Elder Griffin has been out three transfers and he is an awesome missionary. We did a lot of good finding, including offering to rake peoples yards. Most of them were kind of confused, and some of the reactions were funny. "Hey, we're missionaries, and it is a beautiful day, so we are going out and doing service, because service is good. Can we rake your yard?" "..." "... for free?" "Oh, you don't have to do that!" (In my head) I know I don't have to. I'm dressed up in Sunday best, and I knocked on your door to ask you if I could rake your leaves. I understand that I don't have to do it. Now, can I rake your yard? It was a good time.

Later in the week, I went on another exchange with another Elder in the district. We did some really good finding, and found a potential or two. Finding has been slow, and we are looking to improve how we find people to teach.

We were asked to speak last minute in church, and so we had to prepare haphazardly. This was not made any better when the spirit told me that what I prepared was not good, and I needed to start from scratch and do this other thing. So I did. And I rambled. So my 12 minute talk turned into 20 or more. It's OK though. It went well. Our topics were on the priesthood, and so Elder Wheeler taught the restoration of the priesthood (basically the first missionary lesson) over the pulpit. It was great. I taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because baptism and confirmation and priesthood ordinances. Tangentially related, right?

Then the primary dressed us up. It was great. Elder Wheeler was Moses, and I was Dave Grohl. Elder Wheeler pointed out the similarities. He was right. I must've missed the part in the Old Testament when they talk about the Foo Fighters.

Jk, when my side of the primary sang the best, they were able to put on another piece of my costume, and I gave them one hint as to who I was. Let's play that game here! See if you can guess.

1. I was wise
2. I was a king
3. I was the son of David
4. I built a cool temple
5. I was a little too good with the ladies
6. I was a pretty solid king until I started worshiping idols...
7. ... And way overtaxing my people #taxationistheft
8. My name starts with an 'S' and ends with an 'olomon.'

Love you all! Rock and roll ~


"... watch him as he goes."

Backstage Picture

Us!

"With every sun that sets I am feeling more..."

Hello all,

We are bowling. I am emailing between turns. It is scatterbrained.

This week:

We did an extraordinary amount of service this week. We have helped three non-members move. The most noteworthy of which is this Hispanic couple we met the other day. I think I mentioned them. Anyhow, they asked for our help again, and it was cool! We got to know them quite a bit more. She is from Columbia, and he is from Brazil. They both ended up here through a program that put them in civil engineering programs here. They were very appreciative of the service, and are having us over Friday night for dinner, which happens to also be the wife's birthday. Cool. Service feels good. Though, more on feeling good later.

We did an exchange with the YSA Elders. I stayed in my area and brought along Elder Murphy, who has been out three weeks. It's a weird thing to think back to myself when I had been out three weeks. I've grown a lot, but there are also one or two things from back then that I almost want back. Introspection.

Our second exchange was with the Zone leaders on Friday. I was with Elder Tucker. I would be okay with having Elder Tucker as a companion. More than most Elders, he not only inspires me to work effectively and efficiently, but reminds me that the work can and will succeed, if we have faith and follow the guidance in Preach My Gospel.

The Zone Leaders called us Saturday night with some revelation. They reminded Elder Ash and I that daily goals are important, and that as we set daily goals by the Spirit, the Lord will provide a way to accomplish them. Well, Sunday came around, and Sunday was the only day we could do an amount of honest finding, primarily because of how much of our time was devoted to service. Long story short, there were miracles, and we will hopefully have a much expanded teaching pool very soon. The Lord is mindful. It's comforting and exhilarating. 

Love you all! Keep on keeping on ~

- Elder Burch π

"... Like a stranger on a foreign shore...."