Alex Burr: Christmas in the field

December 22, 2014

Well, this week was super good!!! Miracles always happen on exchanges. Our investigator Wu Si Yuan accepted a date to be baptized on!! I taught the lesson with my old comp Elder Cooper. Oh man, it is so much easier to teach with an American. BUT living with Elder Zhang has been awesome, he teaches me a lot about Chinese, especially Beijing, culture. Like to show affection you kick somebody in the butt. It’s totally fine to ask questions about money, like how much was your house, car, how much do you make. It’s mostly a lot of smacking on the arm and back and stuff. It’s pretty fun, he is preparing me to be a factory master in mainland China one day.

So we also had the Christmas devotional this past week. It was cool because President said, "We are not going to try to simulate a Christmas at home, because that's just stupid, you are out in the field and your are here to work." It was super cool because he talked a lot about how the point of a devotional was to become more devoted, more devoted to following Christ. A more devoted disciple!!

It’s crazy, last Christmas didn't seem that long ago, but so much has happened in-between. The people I have met and this work have has the craziest effect on me!! I feel so different.

ALSO, so in my first area, Palos Verdes, the Stake President was President Lam. He was a really awesome guy and we ended up becoming alright friends. SO, he was released from the Stake President two months ago and he has now gotten a mission call to be the Mission President of the China Hong Kong mission! So that's pretty cool because now we have an inside! He knew Mom was from Hong Kong and he knew they all weren't members so he's pretty excited to send missionaries their way. He is one of the boldest members I have ever seen. I remember at his daughters mission farewell talk, he got up and spoke and said, "I invited many friends and colleges here today and I would like to tell you all that you need to receive this gospel, you know who you are." Then he started to point at people. It was doing lovingly so it wasn't weird. BUT anyways, I think this a huge blessing from the Lord, it is not coincidence that I was called to the LA mission and my first area was PV and now I know the Hong Kong Mission President, I know it is the Lord telling me that I have a duty and a responsibility to help my family receive this gospel. It’s like the most clear sign I have ever noticed in my life. I don't know what I will do, but I just need to not be afraid, only believing. This Christmas season I have received a strong testimony that Christ is our Master. That he really is the King of Kings, that Isaiah’s prophesies come to pass, fully.

Well, I am super excited to talk to you guys. I will be calling Christmas Eve. Anyways, this letter got really long, if you are still reading it, I wish you a Merry Christmas, and know that I love you so much, and I am so grateful for the role all of you guys have played in my life.

Love,

Elder Burr