Rodney King!!

So today we will be confined to our house. LA has a history of rioting so we are going to be stuck inside when the verdict comes out for the Missouri shooting case.

This week was fun because I got to teach a chinese person with a christian background. Her name was Huang Qian ( yellow money??jk different characters) but yeah, so we had our first lesson with her and we were teaching her all this cool stuff that she had already hear before "God loves, us we are his kids, " you know, just run of the mill non-denominational Christian evangelizing, BUT when we got to Joseph Smiths first vision, everything changed. Huang Qians was just so calm and so quit, and it was just so cool. I know I have been out for a long time now, but I love that I can still have these experiences with these lesson that I have taught a hundred times. Yeah, a lot of crazy stuff went down in Joseph Smiths life, but I just know that the first vision happened, and that God the Father called him to be a prophet. I am really excited to see where she goes. It has been a while since we have gotten an investigator to really progress, but the overall chinese district is doing awesome. The other set of Elders in the Ward found a guy wander into the VC. His name was Frank Xiao and he had heard about the Church in China, but he couldnt get full information because no one was willing to talk about it fully becase of the government rules, so he decided to travel to Utah to see the temple and the church with prophets that those people in China were talking about. But, he landed at LAX and googled the church and found out that we have a temple here and so he just decided to stay. He is just a super humble guy that loves christianty, hates communism, and rides motorcycles, thats my kind of guy! he will be baptized on Dec 7th. Its so cool, the modern day pioneers that we get to see. It reminds me of all those people from Scotland and England that came over to build Zion, and now all these Chinese pioneers can be baptized and return and build up the church. Our mission president always says our job is to find and baptize the future general authorities of china. We are still in the middle of the Restoration!! We carry a message that no one else has, WE ATTEND THE TRUE CHURCH OF GOD EVERY SUNDAY!! Thats just crazy to. #blessed. Oh man, when I start doing hashtags, it is time for me to get of.

I am going to be spending thanksgiving with a nice crazy portoguese family!

I love you guys!!

Elder Burr

The Long Haul

Just finished a 5-week transfer and now we are in for a 7-weeker! I am still with the big-boy, Elder Zhang and I am trying my very best to make him lose weight, we even went to Ross last P-day and bought him some skinny slacks for motivation, but alas, he goes into hunger rages and eats a ton of microwave burritos and sriacha sauce. 

Haha! So we were helping our investigator Wang Zi Yi pray for the first time, so we were having her list off the things she was thankful for, she said, " the world, my family, my friends, my school, the great communist party of China.." after she said that I just lost it and started laughing, and she got a little mad at me for laughing at China. 

AWESOME SUNDAY!! So a girl that Elder Bria and I street contacted into at USC four transfers ago got baptized on Sunday. I couldn’t go because I couldn’t find an investigator to take to it, but it was just an awesome testimony to me that I need to try me very hardest in every contact, in every person I talk to because who knows where that little experience will go. It really is true, we plant seed every single day with how we live our lives, I am just lucky enough that I wear funny white shirts and Mr. Mac pants with pleats and people instantly know I am a missionary so they can associate with the Church, it will for sure be a lot harder after the mission, but I am excited for it. I shouldn’t think about life after.....

That is so awesome Tori is heavy with child!! Ohh man, life is just moving on and on. That pictures that Dad sent a while back were crazy! Mellissa and Tina and Becki look so old! Has Rebecca been applying to school? 

ahhh, I don’t know why, but lately the rejections have been a lot more. These rich Asian teens just aren’t worried about this stuff right now. It has made me realize more and more that we are looking for the elect. I know God guides this work, and that is why I keep going. If I was out here for just me and my companion, I would have quite a long time ago. All I can do is pray for these investigators. Please also pray for them!! Thanks family for being a part of this hastening!!

I have been turning to this scripture a lot lately, Alma 37: 33-34 

“Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.”

This scripture has been helping me understand what I am doing out here.

I know this is true. It is all centered on faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Let’s never ever forget that!

Love you, thanks for everything!

Elder Burr

Crispy

The weather is getting crispier, just a like a Carl's Jr. $1 chicken sandwich.

Thanks for the package Mom!! And also thanks for all the Hostess snacks Grandma, it was like I was back at the cabin, sneaking into the pantry while all the Uncles and Grandpa are playing Hearts and Brads all like "shoot the moon Johnny!!" (I never did quite figure out how to play)

Whenever I tell people that I have a family of 8 and we are all active, they are super impressed. Keep it up Mom and Dad!! But don’t push too hard ; )

I was teaching our English class students a lesson on money and at the end I shared a message about how grateful I am that my parents and the Gospel taught me what’s most important. That titles like CEO, CFO, etc etc, are not the most important titles, but Father, Son, Brother, Grandson, Friend, these are the most important titles. Also what things are important to obtain. Not money, cars, or possessions, but spiritual experiences, knowledge, and family relationships. Our investigator QiQi (a single mom) was listening and she was very touched! It made me realize how blessed we are to have this Gospel. The things it teaches us and our families are so important!!! I really believe that there is no substitute, no other things that can teach these eternal virtues with such strength and conviction. It is very easy to take for granted this Gospel, I know I did before my mission, but as I share the things I know to be true and I feel the Spirit testify through me, I remember just how valuable this gospel knowledge is. BUT OH MAN! It is so hard to get other people to realize this sometimes.

The RC's in my area are doing well! They should be going to the Temple soon!

I like the Fall!! It is pretty much the same weather, not that much different. It is so weird just remembering what happened a year ago. In 7 days is the 1 year anniversary of Betal Liu being baptized. Things have been hard for him and his wife, they live far away from Church and it is hard to get work off because they are illegal, but they have been checking out English wards (even though they don’t speak a lick of English...diligence!!!)

Samson and Tiffany are still in China, they could be in Hong Kong by now. I will need to email him.

Darren and Wenqi are preparing for the temple in Feb!!

Leo is still in China, he is really from any branches, but I try my best to email him.

Regina is doing good! She has almost read the whole BOM but has a hard time making it to Church.

Near and Bo Yi are awesome, they are always trying to date the female INV's at USC.

Eric is also awesome, he will go to the Temple this month!

Love you guys!!

Elder Burr