“Put your trust in simple acts...”

This may have been the greatest missionary week ever. “How is that even possible?! Battle fury?” Well, I will tell you. Prepare to be amazed.

Tuesday, we had exchanges with Elder Shumway and Elder Hallett. Elder Shumway, Assistant to the President emeritus, went with me in my area. We had a great time, and we got a phone call for this awesome person, who will be described later. Elder Shumway is cool. We did a lot of finding, with minimal success, but we had a really good time. 

Miracle new investigator number one: We had a dinner in Cascade with a family, and they invited their granddaughter and grandson-in-law. She is less active, and he isn’t a member, but they are both interested in gaining what the church has, including the focus on family. We taught them the first lesson, and it was solid! We have a return appointment on Wednesday, and we are stoked!

Second person: We received a phone call from a member on Tuesday. This member has a friend who is engaged to a less active member, and he has been searching a lot. The member, who had been on two missions with his family, had taught this man the first discussion, and invited him to baptism, which he accepted! He wanted us to come by on Thursday for the second discussion, which went great! We have a return appointment Tuesday...

We took a trip down to Wolf Creek to visit a recent convert family, and that was super cool. Our Branch Mission Leader took us down there. It was cool.

Those are short updates about what happened, but I can’t write now and think that will suffice. Thank you all for your prayers!

Rock and roll ~

-Elder Stephen Burch π

“Please keep inside what makes you care; you have it always... Do you believe in what you want?”

Quotations of the week: 

“So, your poverty is the reason why you forget how to use math?” - B.H.

*sees on Facebook a ‘What ethnicity do you look like?’ test* “That is the dumbest thing I have ever seen.” - Elder Burch π

Did I mention that there are nukes in Great Falls?

Elder Brown and his birthday pancakes

Plan of Salvation

"If love is a labor, I'll slave 'til the end..."

On the adventures of Elder Stephen Tanner Burch π... 

This week saw Elder Burch and Elder Brown venture to Billings, where they enjoyed exchanges with the Assistants to the President, Elder Luebke and Elder Tucker. This story is primarily to show that God answers prayers. (If my formating is funky, I apologize. It is funky as I type it now and I'm not sure why. Ah, well.) I prayed the night before exchanges that we would be able to find a new investigator and that my faith might be strengthened. Well, the next day, we shovelled the mission home (I used a snow blower for the first time!), and then I went with Elder Tucker and we did some finding. We were trying to contact off of a part member family sheet, and suddenly Elder Tucker says that he feels we should knock some doors in the Rose Garden Apartments. So, we head off, and the fifth door we knock on is a kind, young gentleman who says that we can come back! Prayers are answered, and God is eager to help us in our personal, practical challenges. 

I think that is all that is relevant today. I will include quotations of the week, as well as pictures. I hope you enjoy!

Rock and roll ~

Elder Burch π

"... I've been here so long, think that it's time to move. The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon..."


"There is a special place in the Telestial Kingdom for them, and it has no plumbing!" -Elder Campbell

"Cut Bank is like a clingy girlfriend. you want some space, but you're ultimately glad it's always there." -Elder Hayes

"It's like a Nephite mic drop!" -KH, referring to Alma 30:60

"We'll go visit Brother Porter, and then we can send this receipt to Elder Baird." -Elder Burch
*pause* "I hope he isn't in the shower." -Elder Brown
"Elder Baird?!" -Elder Burch

"What are they gonna use this fire hydrant for? Putting out the swing set?" -Elder Brown

"They're Canadian; whatcha gonna do?" -Elder Brown

SPPD! 

Sun Prairie is ghetto. Also, I'm on another horse!

The District

Overlooking Billings

The biggest game night ever!

“It’s too cold outside...”

You only get pictures today. 

Almost.

Know it is really cold. And transfers went smoothly despite snow storms. I saw so many people I love at transfers! So good. And exchanges with the assistants on Thursday. And Elder Tate Shumway is a great district 

Leader. 

- Elder Burch π

Elder Wheeler, me, and Elder Murphy 

Elder Lester, myself, Elder Campbell, and Elder Brown

Sister Miner, me, and Sister MacQueen

Myself, Sister Taylor, and Sister Medley

Myself and Elder Ray

Sister Rash, myself, and Sister Hymas

... What grass?

The refinery blocks out the sun. Makes it look like the apocalypse.

"Suddenly I see..."

I have been keeping a consistent journal since Monday. I was pleased, because I was going to be able to use the journal to make my email here way better, because I would have a detailed log of what even happened this week. Well, poop. I am at the church and the journal is at the apartment. Lame. Que triste. Ah, well.

On the topic of that journal, I am writing the happenings of the day, but I've also taken it upon myself to write down five things for which I am thankful in the form of "I am thankful for ___, because ___." I've seen a little improvement in how I see the world and my overall thankfulness for things. It is a solid practice, and I highly recommend it to anyone. After those five things, I took a page from the Book of O'Konukia (a.k.a. the warped and beautiful mind of Elder M. K. Campbell) and place a quotation of the day, which I will attempt to place at the end of these emails. Because, fun. And, worth it for the story.

 This week had ups and downs and all the normal stuff, but goodness gracious it was accented by an awesome occurence. Let's flash back for a second...

Last week on The Many Adventures of Elder Burch: "A member in Two Rivers had invited her friends to church, and this is the fourth time that they had come, and we were able to  talk with them a lot more. FOUR TIMES! Non-members! From a friend's invite! How rad? (Also, member missionary work at its best. Take notes, you all.) They are a newly married couple, and have mixed religious upbringing. Anyway, we have a lesson and dinner scheduled with them and the members this Friday night! How cool! We are blessed to be in the service." 

So, that lesson happened this week, and it ranks among the best Fridays I've ever had on my mission. 

Good thing Number 1: The member family, the Crist family, is a fantastic family. Sister Crist is one of the greatest humans, and she is a phenomenal gospel principles teacher. So, it was a joy to eat with them and have a lesson. 

Good thing number 2: "We're going to have salmon for dinner; is that okay with you?" "...Yes. Yes. Yes it is." Salmon is my actual favorite meal of all time, and the Crist family makes some excellent, excellent fish. (Reminds me of the fantastic salmon of my youth. Thanks, Grandpa and Grandma Burch.) So, that was rad. 

Good thing Number 3: The two friends are super cool. Newlywed couple, Kenny and Jenny, who are super funny and enjoyable to be around. Outgoing personalities and all. They're super cool. 

Good thing Number 4: Elder Brown's magic show was very well received. Always a good time. 

Good thing Number 5: The lesson was superb. It was so, so good. We taught the Restoration, and they seemed to understand it well and it made sense. Afterwards, there was a question session which was awesome, and we had to duck out at 9:15 to avoid the public pumpkin transformation that occurs to missionaries out past curfew. 

Good thing Number 6: We talked to the member after church (we were in Cascade, and these people are in Two Rivers) and learned that Kenny and Jenny had both come, and had brought their mother, too, who loved it as well! How super duper rad is that? 

Good thing Number 7: We have lunch and a lesson at the Crist home on Saturday at 1 and I am so psyched it is ridiculous. 

How cool is that? I'm so excited.

The warm weather spree has officially ended. (Killjoy!) The day after Groundhog Day, a day of a high of 35, we woke up the next day to the first snow we'd seen in two weeks, and a temperature of 2. D*ang groundhog must've saw his shadow. 

We had back to back dinners at the Mahana home Saturday and Sunday! The Sunday meal was actually provided by the Riley family, and the Mahana's just hosted it. It was awesome. 

Oh, hey! Transfer news. I am staying in the Montana Billings Mission. 

And this area. I'm staying in the area. Cool! I love this area! This is interesting, because after this transfer, there are only three more. I'm thinking that I'll only have one more area, but who knows?

Cool. Thank you all for reading and caring and all that. Rock and roll! ~

-Elder Burch π

"This is what I wanna be..."

Quotes of the day that I can remember:

*walks out of unnamed gas station* "This place sucks; we're never coming back here." - Elder Brown

"You know you're in Montana when someone mentions Trump and tells a story bashing Fords in their testimony." - Elder Burch

"Breath mints aren't made of metal!" - Little girl at the Cascade County Detention Center

"It is weeks like last week that make me want to stay here another transfer. It is days like today that make me want to leave." - Elder Burch 

Next time, I'll have all the quotations.

Look at that, preaching to every nation.

"Sit tight, take hold, Thunder Road..."

*looks out window in the morning after days and days of good weather*
Stupid groundhog must've seen his shadow.

The Great Falls District, for the last time.

Look how dejected I am.

Man, this is a lot of pictures. Ya' welcome.

Courtesy of Elder Campbell

Elder Campbell, Elder Brown, myself, and Elder Lester

 "I'm on a horse!"

I think there are new investigators that way!

No Ice

"You've got the love I need to see me through..."

Everyone,

Hey hey! Two quick miracles and a short rundown of my week. Because it's one of those days. I had to take the ASU math placement test today. I'll probably have to take it again. *shrug* Happens. I haven't done math in 18 months. 

Miracle 1: When I went on exchanges with Elder Murphy in Cut Bank a few weeks ago, we tracted a bit. We ran into this guy named Kolby, who is a Blackfeet native and has a family. We were able to talk with him about the Book of Mormon and gave him one. Elder Murphy called me the other day to tell me what happened there. The day we showed up, Kolby had decided to quit all his addictions, and since we had been there, he had read the Book of Mormon any time he'd been tempted by his addictions and he had been clean since that day. Cool!

Miracle 2: A member in Two Rivers had invited her friends to church, and this is the fourth time that they had come, and we were able to  talk with them a lot more. FOUR TIMES! Non-members! From a friend's invite! How rad? (Also, member missionary work at its best. Take notes, you all.) They are a newly married couple, and have mixed religous upbringing. Anyway, we have a lesson and dinner scheduled with them and the members this Friday night! How cool! We are blessed to be in the service.

The other thing I've come to realize is that, although the city of Great Falls isn't my favorite place, the people in the Cascade Branch and Two Rivers Ward are fantastic. Absolutely the best people, and I love them. 

We spoke in the Cascade Branch this week. It was cool. 

The sisters that came out with me go home on Friday. That's weird.

Rock and roll ~

Elder Burch π

Game Night

“How this felt one year six months ago...”

Good day, everyone,

I would like to begin by letting everyone know, lest there was any doubt, that choosing to serve a mission is the best decision I have ever made. It’s more than serving a mission, though. It’s about serving a faithful mission. Missions have the ability to change a person drastically for the good, but it is only if that person lets the mission do so. It requires a willing heart and an open mind, and a lot of hard work.

This last week, we have been working hard with these investigators of ours. I think I need to take another look at Preach My Gospel Chapter 11, How Do I Help People Make And Keep Commitments?. I’m doing something wrong or else this week just threw too much at people. Either way, it was a little disappointing with the sacrament meeting turnout for investigators. *shrug* It happens, I guess. We will keep trying!

We had exchanges. We did a good amount of service. We spent way too much time looking for keys, and we had a lesson with some new (old) investigators. 

I was going to put in some grand oratorio about how much I’ve grown and stuff in the last 18 months, but I decided not to. I’ll let my actions speak for themselves.

Thank you all for all you do! To any of you that participated in the scheme to wish me a happy birthday, I applaud you. Thank you so much :)

Rock and roll ~

-Elder Stephen Burch π

“I cannot forget, I hope we don’t forget...”

Name that Batman villain.

Some members had us over for Korean food.
These stone bowls had been heated in the oven
and we put our food into the bowls and they
cooked it for us. How neat is that?

That is my cake. I’m 8 years old!

"Here's looking at you, kid."

That is both a song reference and a reference to a movie. Get rekt.

Oh, man, this week. We went on exchanges with the Fairfield Elders, and Elder Leach came to Great Falls with me again, same as last transfer. (If you remember the Facebook post where we were giving pizzas to homeless people during #LightTheWorld, that picture was with Elder Leach.) It was a good time. We had a lesson cancel, and that pretty much wrecked our whole day. So, we buckled down and went tracting for some 3(?) hours. It was a good time! We met a woman named Jennifer, who has some struggles, and she took a Book of Mormon! She didn't express too much interest in taking the lessons, but that is okay because we will return and ask her if she got a chance to read at all. Then we will ask if she'd like to learn more. It's a process, you know. 

We also had zone conference! Elder Brown and I remembered last minute that we had to give an hour discussion, but we had both read the material, so we were able to pull something good out of the blue. It was based on the talk "Becoming A Consecrated Missionary" by Tad R. Callister. The "Lock Your Heart" section was a little super awkward (I'll never live it down...), but it was good. That last statement was approved by Sister Wadsworth. Good times. 

I ran into a tree. The snow was fresh. I'm from Arizona. It was a recipe for disaster.

There is a cool game called Wonky that we played with members. Elder Brown bought it. 

I will let the pictures speak for the rest. Just know that I have a testimony of the gospel and the God cares and is willing to help us improve ourselves. I love you all! 

Rock and roll ~

Elder Burch π

Spreading this fire from door to door.

Not bad for hitting a tree at 30 miles per hour.

Zone conference. Great Falls, hype!

Elder Brown is gonna find all those cards in short time.

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