Howdy y'all! We got transfer news this morning and you'll never believe it! I'm being transferred to... Gilbert, AZ! Sister Bench is staying here in the Tally 4 ward, and she is taking Sister Bowman's place to be with Sister Moss. So there will only be one set of sisters in the ward! That's a blessing, for sure! I know it seems cliche, but the fact I'm going home this week doesn't feel real, and my whole mission is already beginning to feel like just a dream. It truly passed by in a blur. But isn't that what this life will feel like when we pass on to the next life? God's work continues to roll forward!
Also... I considered it, but I wasn't mean enough to just send you this scripture!
2 John 1:12 "Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full."
So I will also tell you about my week, but just know that I do have a lot to say than can be written. And I'm looking forward to seeing each of you again this week in Arizona and having a fullness of joy!
Monday
Today was one of my favorite preparation days because we got to go to skate world... for free! I had forgotten how much I love skating. We went with the Tally 2 sisters and had a blast! A member picked us up for dinner and took us to a Tex-Mex place. Little did I know that it was just the beginning of a long chain of Mexican food this week! And just lots of food in general!
Tuesday
Sister Bench and I trained in District Council on working with members and left a commitment to share more meaningful dinner appointment spiritual thoughts, leaving commitments that will strengthen their conversion to Christ. It's one way you can strengthen members and build their trust. Plus, as they feel the Spirit and joy of the gospel, they will want to spread it more, so you can get more referrals! For our closing song, we sang "Once There Was a Snowman" and at the end, our district leader had hand-made fluffy-fabric snowballs and threw them at us. Thus commenced an epic snowball fight! We went contacting at a park later that afternoon, and I felt strongly that we should talk to this young man staring off into the water. We were able to teach him the entire Restoration and invited him to pray. He asked us sincerely, "Have you ever felt God's presence before?" We were able to bear powerful testimony with him, and we prayed with him at the end. Right there in a public park on a bridge overlooking the lake. That evening, we had dinner with a less-active. I had just randomly called her from the ward roster when Sister Bench was sick, and she said she'd take us out to eat, which was awesome! And can you guess where she took us? To a Mexican Restaurant :)
Wednesday
After an early lunch, we were just heading out to go contacting in a far away area, Woodville, when we get a text from a member asking if we can reschedule our lunch appointment from Friday to today. As in right then. So we agreed and had 2 lunches! After, we drove down to Woodville, the outskirt-sketchy part in our ward boundaries. Winding dirt roads, abandoned houses, unable to find addresses. Yup, reminded me of the first half of my mission! We had some miracle contacts with less-actives and a referral, which was super awesome! At first the referral, Shirley, wasn't super keen on us coming back, but after bearing powerful testimony, she softened and said we could come back, and also that she'd come to church! That evening, we had dinner with the Smiths. They are the coolest couple ever! And Sister Smith's dad works on desensitizing people with food allergies (people like me!). They took us to a hole-in-the-rock Mexican place to eat (third time's the charm), then they had to go shopping, so they bought us ice-cream too! It was so meant to be that I got to meet them.
Thursday
Best Thanksgiving ever! Such a blast! We went early to the Holdaways so I could help her cook some things that I could eat. And guess what?!?!?! We made mini pies for me to eat. They were so yummy and made me feel so special and happy. Then we played with her kids while we waited for the other ward members who had been invited to show up. Literally, most all of our favorite members came! And all of the food was amazing. Such a dream day. That evening for dinner (which was actually only a couple hours later), we went over to the Walkers and I somehow managed to cram more food inside of my poor little stomach. 
Friday
We got to spend the day with the campus missionaries who serve on FAMU since their campus was closed down for the holidays. We decided to go to the mall to contact people while they were black-Friday shopping. We actually met some really cool people and had a blast! After we dropped them off home, we went to the park and contacted more people, teaching some people, giving away a copy of the Book of Mormon, and praying with another lady at the playground. Public prayer is a very common thing here in the South!
Saturday
This morning we were able to drive down to Panama City to attend a baptism for a lady Sister Bench taught. We have the best Zone Leaders who let us take their car to use up all of their miles so we wouldn't have to worry about going over this month. Not sure if that was missionary-legal... but it worked out! Plus, their car is waaay nicer than our Corolla. Sister Bench was so happy, so that made me happy! That evening we attended a baptism the other sisters in our ward had, and I was asked to sing a musical number and do a Spiritual thought during "intermission," so that was fun!
Sunday
I tried really hard today to take the sacrament with more thought and meaning, truly reflecting on where I was falling short and how I measured up to the Savior. As I had a deep and sincere conversation with my Heavenly Father, I felt spiritually rejuvenated, and the entire rest of church was so much more of a spiritual experience for me. That afternoon, we were able to help some people move and clean up. One was a referral from the FAMU sisters, and the other was a new family moving in. Service is always the best!
Spiritual Thought:
"There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings. Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny."
-Grateful in Any Circumstances by Elder Uchtdorf
Saying goodbye has always been hard for me. I don't like permanent change; it's hard. But I do know that it is what helps us grow. God says, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance" (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4). I have many bright and important "seasons" ahead of me, and I'm excited to see what God has in store. But I also look forward to the day when there are no endings, and I will get to be with all the ones I love for eternity.
Much love,
Sister Burnham
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