Holly Jolly Christmas

23 December - 29 December 2019

I hope y'all had a happy Christmas! Lucy and I spent a lot of time binge watching Harry Potter and speaking in British accents this week. It's been nice being home because the weather is much warmer than it would be in Utah, I always have delicious food on hand, and I get to rest from school. The only downside is that I caught a cold, so I've been a bit sick this past week. We also watched a lot of movies this week, including the new Star Wars (which Lucy was crying about having to go see but then loved it and is now binge watching all the Star Wars) and Unitards (which mom and Lucy are obsessed with for some strange reason).

Wednesday - Christmas Day
I got woken up by an incoming video call from Aaron at 6:30am! Apparently, I was the only one who had my phone on and could hear him calling in. It was fun to go over and open presents with Aaron able to watch us. It was quite a magical morning. Everyone appreciated the gifts I got for them, and I got way more presents than I bargained for! I thought I was getting one or two, but I ended up with at least six! The real magic trick will be figuring out how to fit it all in my bag when I fly home! Sean and Lucy both received a magic kit box that they have been playing with ever since. We also had the most delicious lunch because my dad cooked a turkey and ham in the family's new smoker. We had the missionaries over. Soon afterwards, we all went over to grandma and grandpa Burnham's home to visit with all of the family there.

On Friday, I was able to babysit the Tilley's grandchildren. There were 11 of them, with the oldest being nine. I only had to change a couple of poopy diapers. They were really good, as always. I love babysitting all of them because they are such loving and cute kids and it helps me realize the kind of family I want to have in the future.

Saturday morning, Symantha showed up to visit. I painted her a cat on a tree as a present from me, and Lucy decided she wanted to paint something as well, so she quickly threw together a desert landscape on a mini canvas in roughly 20 minutes. I went to the temple afterwards, and I got to see Valerie for a split second in the initiatory room.

I went to church with Valerie and felt a recommitment in my study of the Book of Mormon. In Sunday school, we read over President Nelson's talk from Oct 2017 about the Book of Mormon, and what stood out to me was that in the promise he made, he said "daily immerse." That reminded me of how we are baptized by immersion, not by sprinkling water over ourselves. It caused me to reflect over the amount of effort I was making and how deep my studies really were. I want to be fully in. I have felt the difference between reading and studying the Book of Mormon. I have felt pure joy and the presence of the Spirit when my time reading the Book of Mormon is actual studying. There truly is power within the Book of Mormon that will fill us up with righteous desire and power. That evening, we went to support Zeb as he got his eagle. We were the only family on the Burnham side (besides gramps and grams) to show up to support them.

Much love,
Emily Burnham

Uncutting Corners: Putting Forth Your Best Work

In  Ether 3:1, the brother of Jared “did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount.”  He then asks the Lord if He can touch the stones to make them light up so they will be able to see on their journey in the barges that are “tight like unto a dish.” My teacher asked us a question I had never thought of before. Why didn’t the brother of Jared pick up sixteen random rocks from the ground and ask the Lord to touch them? The Lord would have been able to make any regular stones glow. Instead, the brother of Jared put his best effort and work into making the most perfect and clear stones possible. He took his best work to the Lord, and then the Lord made it better and more useful. I know in our everyday life, we get tired and want to cut corners in our work. Instead of doing the bare minimum, we should always put forth our best efforts so that the Lord can perfect and glorify our offering.

This same principle applies to schoolwork—especially as the end of the year approaches and finals are just around the corner. Sometimes it is so hard to find the energy and strength to stay strong. In my psychology class, my teacher read us an article about Christians in college. Christians are not just paying a lot of money to go to school, it is their calling to learn as much as they can and stand as a witness of God. They must spend their time wisely and better the world. My teacher encouraged us to stay focused on giving our best efforts in college by sharing an experience he had. When he used to teach a Book of Mormon class, he would assign his students to write an end-of-the-year paper on a chapter from the Book of Mormon, analyzing Hebrew poetry, symbolism, etc. The students asked him the minimum number of pages required, and he said, “I don’t know, but usually students in the past wrote at least 10 pages. I don’t think you could write it any shorter than that and still get a good grade—but I don’t know. I’m just looking for quality.” Then he paused and looked at his students, “Don’t just try to slide by with the minimum. Think about this as an offering to the Lord, thanking Him for the Book of Mormon instead of a paper that you need to at least get a B+ on in order to keep a good grade.” My teacher said that when the end of the year came, he had completely forgotten that he had said this to his class. When one student stayed behind on the due-date of the paper, he assumed the student hadn’t finished the paper in time and would ask for an extension. However, the student walked up and pulled out a giant book, roughly 60 pages long. He just didn’t want to draw attention to himself in front of other students. My teacher was surprised and said, “Oh, you didn’t have to do this for me.” The student said, “I didn’t do this for you.” Then my teacher remembered and understood. This student had done this project as an offering unto the Lord. He had not looked at it as a burden or done the minimum required for a good grade. He had made it for the Lord as a testament of his gratitude for the Book of Mormon. Just like the brother of Jared, he had offered unto the Lord his very best work.

As I go through college, I want to be able to enjoy each day, but I also want to have the right outlook on schoolwork. Everything I do should show the Lord my appreciation for Him. I know that as I do my best work, He will magnify it and make more out of it than I could by myself. I challenge each of you to spend more effort in doing your homework, assignments for church callings, or whatever work you have. As we do so, our work will not be a burden, but will become glorious.

Why Do We Fast?

In Christ’s time, a hypocrite was not a person who said one thing and did another. A hypocrite was a play-actor. A small group of men would be able to put on a big production because they would act one way—slumped over, deep voice, a costume—and then quickly change off stage and come back on with a different posture and tone of voice. The same men would play dozens of roles each, yet the audience couldn’t tell the difference. In 3 Nephi 13:16, Christ counsels, “Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.” Christ is telling us not to change the way we act in front of people, like a play actor. We need to always be ourselves—be genuine, a steady follower of Christ—no matter if we are fasting, or with our friends, or with our parents. In every circumstance we need to give glory to God and not hide who we are. The Pharisees in the bible may have been going without food, but they did so on the outside just for the sake of appearing righteous to their fellow men. Truly, deep down, they were not fasting for Christ, so they had their reward of looking good to others, but do not gain any extra blessings.

Additionally, my Book of Mormon teacher taught us the significance of fasting. The relationship between our spirit and our body is very delicate and interconnected. When our body is tired, we go to sleep. When our body is hungry, our spirit lets it be fed. Same for when we are thirsty. Our spirit is constantly giving into the requests of the body because when the body is healthy and functioning, so is our spirit. However, after a while, our body starts making demands instead of requests. This upsets the delicate balance between the two. On fast Sunday, our body demands food. We (our spirit) say no. The body is angry and freaks out (so to speak—really, you just consciously refuse to eat food even though your tummy grumbles and you feel hungry). Throughout the day, the body‘s demands turn to requests. “Please feed me?” Our body says, “Nope, not yet. But thanks for reminding me of the purpose of my fast.” As we let our spirit control our physical desires, the body eventually submits to our spirit and by the end of the day is pleading, begging for food and water. And we can finally give in because the balance between the two is restored. We get to go through this process once every month to keep our carnal and physical desires in check. We are more than our biology; we are spiritual beings as well, children of God. Our spirits have power—agency—over our physical body. I know that as we keep this balance in check, we will have more fulfilled and happier lives. I look forward to fast Sunday tomorrow!

What Would You Sacrifice?

            Watching General Conference today was amazing! I love that every single time I hear exactly what I need to. I know that whatever questions you have, they will be answered by the prophets and apostles of the Lord during General Conference.

            This week, I contemplated a lot about the story of Alma and Amulek in the Book of Mormon. In the city Ammonihah, Amulek feeds Alma, who is a prophet of the Lord, and is converted to the gospel. Because Amulek starts preaching of Christ among his friends and family, who are very hard-hearted and reject the message, Amulek loses everything. Alma 15:16 reads, “And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;”

            Amulek had to sacrifice a lot to remain faithful to the Lord. He gave up literally everything He had—his home, riches, friends, and family. I have often imagined in my mind what hardships and trials I might have to go through—losing my hearing or vision, having a close loved one pass away, losing a child. I know, it’s awful to think about. But I imagine a scenario and think to myself, “If this happened, would I still be faithful and rely on the Lord?” Usually I think, “It would be very hard, harder than I can ever imagine, but I will learn a lot, be humbled, and rely more on the Lord.” I hope by imagining this I am preparing myself to rely on the Lord no matter what happens. But then I thought, why do I have to wait for something big and traumatic to happen before turning more to the Lord? Why can’t I start small and give up what little sins and bad habits I already have? I know I am not perfect and have a lot to improve on, and I can already have the help of the Lord and build a closer relationship with Him. I encourage you all to listen to conference tomorrow with a question of how you can improve and be better in your lives. I know you can start making small sacrifices now—no more TV on Sunday, no more losing my temper—that will help you grow closer to the Lord and strengthen you for whatever the future might bring.

Start a Serious Study

For an essay I had to write in my Book of Mormon class, I read Mosiah 3 (at least) five times. There were so many things that I learned as I looked up key words in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, read it in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, searched on bookofmormoncentral.org for articles about this chapter, and viewed how Mosiah 3 has been used in General Conference by vising scriptures.byu.edu. If you ever want to dig deep into the scriptures, there are so many helpful resources out there that will help enlighten your understanding and help you grow closer to God. My favorite verse from Mosiah 3 is verse 7, which talks about the Atonement of Christ:

“And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.”

I have come to realize more and more each day just how miraculous the Atonement is, and how much I need it in my life. In the Women’s General Conference session today, Linda K. Burton said, “Covenant keeping discipleship requires our willingness to sacrifice.” Life is hard and full of trials and sacrifices, but through this we can become closer to our Savior. Although hardship and sacrifice is required of us, we don’t have to do it alone because of the Atonement of Christ. I have felt God speak to me personally to help lift me up when I’ve had really hard days, and I know He gives me the strength to overcome my weaknesses. I love Him, and I know He loves each and every one of you. You can grow closer to Him as you start a serious study of your scriptures and pray sincerely. Have a happy week!

Engraven on your Countenance

            Today was one of the best and most exciting days of my life! After waiting for five weeks, I opened my mission call this afternoon! I have been preparing to serve a mission ever since I turned sixteen and started accompanying my sister to mission prep. Now the time is here when I will get my turn to be a full-time missionary in the Florida Tallahassee Mission! In my personal scripture study, I was reading in Alma 5, where a lot of deep, soul-searching questions are asked. With my mind in “missionary-mode,” one passage in verse 19 stuck out to me: “I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?”

As I serve the Lord as a missionary, I will have His name on a badge that I will wear constantly. I will have His name directly over my heart, and as I preach the gospel and come closer to God, I will have the image of God engraven on my countenance. I know that as we come to know the Lord better, our testimonies will grow and our countenances will become brighter with the light of Christ shining through our faces. You don’t have to wear a missionary tag to share the gospel or receive a bright countenance. I know that the Lord has called me to serve a mission for a reason, and I can’t wait to serve, grow, learn, and become who He wants me to be!

Witness of God

            This semester, I am taking a History of Psychology course, where I have learned a lot about the “philosophies of men.” Many of them try to make sense of the world around them and find comfort by “reasoning” God out of existence—if the world has always existed, and humans are random configurations of atoms, there is no need for a divine creator. While most of the ideas of early philosophers are completely absurd, this conflicting idea is still around today. Is there a Divine Creator? Does God really exist? Are we just made up of atoms without a soul, changing through time due to evolution and natural selection? In a world of so much confusion, it can be difficult to find these answers or stand strong in your faith. However, my Book of Mormon professor pointed out a verse that describes the important role of a faithful member of Christ’s church in helping others to find the truth.

In class, my professor read to us Mosiah 18:9, which describes the covenant we make when we are baptized into the church: “Yeah, and [ye] are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yeah, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God...” My professor then pointed out the phrase “stand as a witness” and said something I had never thought of before. If we are to be a witness, our duty is to testify—to bear our testimony. This places God “on trial” with us as His witness in a world that is accusing Him of many things—of not caring, or of letting bad things happen to them, and the most ironic one of all—of not existing.

In response to those philosophers mentioned above, and to anyone reading this that is in the “jury” of this trial, I testify that I know God lives. I know He loves all of His children, and He is there to comfort them when terrible things happen in their lives. I know He died for us on the cross. I know that he understands us perfectly. I am a witness of His infinite love and strength. I have grown so much closer to God here at BYU as I have trusted in Him, and I know I could not make it this far without His strength and guidance. I have one final question: where do you stand in this trial with God?

Self Improvement

            Last week, I was asked to give a spiritual thought at ward prayer on Sunday. After saying I would love to give the spiritual thought, I prayed about what to share, but nothing really came to mind. A couple of days passed, and I realized I still hadn't thought if anything. I talked with my roommate and sister, asking them what they thought I should talk about. They both suggested that I should pray. Finally, Sunday morning, as I sat down to read my scriptures, I prayed to be inspired by something I would read. As I read through the chapter, I marked important verses and phrases, yet nothing really jumped out at me--until the very last two verses. As King Benjamin finishes his speech to his people in chapter 4, he urges his people to be careful so they do not sin. Mosiah 4:29-30 reads "And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."

                I am really familiar Mosiah 4:30 since it is a scripture mastery—one of the few I still have memorized due to seminary. I have learned the importance of watching your thoughts, because thoughts lead to words and actions. However, as I contemplated the verse right before it, about the many ways we can sin, a few questions came to mind: How well do you know yourself? How well does Satan know you? How well does God know you? It is important that we all know ourselves—our strengths and weaknesses—in order to be able to watch ourselves. Satan at least knows are weaknesses, because that is how he tempts us. However, God knows not only our weaknesses and strengths, but also how to turn our weaknesses INTO strengths (Ether 12:27). He knows us perfectly—better than we know ourselves. Thus, we should all take personal inventories every week with ourselves and God, recognizing where we fell short and how to improve. Instead of brushing aside your sins and weaknesses, truly come to know yourself—what you struggle with, things you are tempted by—so that you can specifically pray for those weaknesses to become strengths. I know as we work on improving ourselves, we will come closer to God. As we turn to Him for strength and help, He will lead us on a path of self-discovery and make us stronger than we could ever be alone.

The Godhead

            Nephi discusses the Doctrine of Christ in 2 Nephi 31, one of the best chapters in the Book of Mormon to explicitly list out the five points of Christ’s doctrine. However, in class I learned something I had never before noticed in this chapter. Throughout the chapter, Nephi hears the voice of Christ, and the voice of God the Father. The Spirit is also mentioned. Nephi is not only illustrating that the Godhead (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are three separate beings, but also that inspiration can come from any member of the Godhead. I always associate getting answers to my prayers with the Spirit, never considering that revelation could come to me from Christ or from my Father in Heaven. In this chapter, Nephi illustrates that the Godhead not only are distinct beings, but they have distinct voices. In 2 Nephi 31:11-12, it reads: “And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
"And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost like unto me, wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.”  (Boldness was added for emphasis)

 However, my teacher told us not to get caught up on small points in the scriptures that are not well-known and said that instead we need to focus on recognizing what is being said to us by God or the Spirit, rather than who said it. The Godhead truly is one in purpose, and for a lot of us, one in voice. Someday in the future, I hope I can know my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ well enough to distinguish their individual voices, but for right now, I need to put my focus on being able to recognize when I am feeling the Spirit and acting on the promptings I receive. I hope you will take this to heart and strive to hear and recognize promptings from God, knowing that each member of the Godhead loves you and wants to help you on your journey here on earth. Christ has encouraged you, and your Heavenly Father has sent His love. I know as we become better at hearing and acting on the promptings we receive, we will have more light and knowledge given unto us, and one day will know the voice of our Savior and Father.

Likened Unto an Olive Tree

I am feeling pretty ambitious this week because I have decided to tackle the longest chapter in the Book of Mormon—with just a verse. If I am being perfectly honest, this semester has been a LOT harder than last semester. As a result, I am often exhausted and stressed. But surprisingly, I have had a greater amount of joy and satisfaction. Seriously, I cannot survive this semester alone; it has been forcing me to rely on the Lord and His promised blessings. It has been both a trial of faith and a huge blessing. Now, what does this have to do with Jacob 5, the longest chapter in the Book of Mormon? Well, in my class, we discussed the background of this chapter. The House of Israel is compared to an olive tree, and the Lord of the Vineyard visits it four times and does 5 specific things throughout the chapter to his trees:  prunes, digs, dungs (nourishes), grafts, and burns. It mentions three of these actions in Jacob 5:27, “But behold, the servant said unto him: Let us prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may bring forth good fruit unto thee, that thou canst lay it up against the season.”

I feel like one of these trees the Lord is shaping. This semester I’ve been pruned—certain things have been cut out of my life because I literally don’t have time for them. And it’s been a huge blessing. I’m a better person because of it. The Lord has dug around me, loosening my stubbornness/pride and giving me trials to grow from in order to prepare me to be in a state where I can hear and act on His counsel—so that I can be nourished. I have learned to rely on God’s strength when I don’t have enough strength by myself. I have learned to be more humble, especially when I start comparing myself to others in regards to grades or spirituality. I have also had grafted branches implanted into my tree (so to speak). I’ve found service opportunities I never would have participated in before, like volunteering at an Elementary school. I’ve found so many ways to bless others with food or small, but heartfelt, letters. As I’ve tried to stay on top of school work and balance everything going on, I’ve noticed that God is burning my weaknesses and sins away, which hurts right now in the moment, but will someday make me stronger. I truly believe the Lord is purifying me so that He can use me for some greater purpose where I can produce good fruit/works.

  This has been comforting to know because it gives me hope that the Lord has a bigger picture for me than I can see right now.  Remember when life is difficult, and you feel like you are being cut up or dug about, the Lord is refining you. Hope and faith will carry you through. As President Thomas S. Monson once said, “the future is as bright as your faith.”

The Testimony of Two Nations

During this week, I have had had so many experiences that have made me realize just how wonderful and true the Book of Mormon is. As I was reading through it this week, I came upon a passage that perfectly describes how the Book of Mormon and Bible fit and work together. In 2 Nephi 29:6-8, Nephi quotes God, who chastises those who say they already have a Bible and need no more scripture. In these verses, the Lord asks, “Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews? Know ye not that there are more nations than one?” The Lord goes on to say that He has led many people around the world and has commanded them to write. “Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.” I love how this fits with the LDS doctrine of revelation. When God speaks to a prophet, it is considered like scripture. God works in the same ways as he did in times of old. He has called a prophet today and commands him to write, just like the prophets in the Bible.

 In addition to gaining a spiritual witness from God that this book is true, there are so many intricate details throughout the Book of Mormon that strengthen my testimony of its truthfulness. For example, in my religion class, my teacher pointed out that in Hebrew, there are no commas or punctuation, so in order to separate items in a list, they use a symbol, which works the same way as the word “and” in the English language. Therefore, whenever there is a list of items quoted, the words are separated by “and” instead of with commas. This is also why many sentences begin with “And.” This is one small detail that is easily overlooked or may be taken wrongly by critics of the Book of Mormon who might say that a book written with so many grammatical errors could not have come from God. I testify that the Book of Mormon is true, that it comes from God and testifies of Christ, and that God uses imperfect humans to carry about His perfect work. As a result of this knowledge, I have a strong desire to share the gospel and bring others unto Jesus Christ.

Rejoice, O My Heart

                The past few weeks have been very difficult because for some reason I’ve felt very discouraged and frustrated with myself and my weaknesses. I was also constantly feeling tired as a result of a heavy homework-load and early-morning custodial job. As I was down in the dumps, I just so happened to read a chapter in the scriptures that related perfectly to what I was feeling. Isn’t God’s timing the best? I was reading in 2 Nephi 4 where Nephi says,

“Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me… Awake my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart…” (2 Nephi 4: 16-18, 28).

Nephi is such an inspiration to me because even though he has seen visions and miracles from the Lord, this passage illustrates that he too is subject to sin and depression, but he is able to overcome these feelings by turning to the Lord and gaining joy and peace. I was then able to turn to the Lord and gain a perspective of hope that everything would work out, that God was happy with me, and that I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. My doubts turned to joy, and I know it was only because I turned to God, just as Nephi taught through his actions.

Goodly Parents

               One of the hardest things about starting college was leaving my family behind. I absolutely adore my parents, and I call them every day (well, sometimes three times a day because they don’t always answer the phone). Being on my own in a different state has made me appreciate my parents more than ever, especially because they are still helping me out financially so that I can receive a college education. They have given me a lot of advice and wisdom throughout my life that has helped me to survive living on my own, ranging from teaching me about the importance of being frugal and working hard, to avoiding strangers and saying “no” to drugs. In many ways I can relate to Nephi when he says in that he was born of goodly parents, taught in the ways of his father, had many trials and afflictions regarding his family (including brothers that beat him up and tried killing him multiple times), yet learned a lot and was favored in the sight of the Lord (1 Nephi 1:1). As I have studied this passage in the Book of Mormon, I have realized the importance of having great parents to look up to. I am grateful for my parent’s example to me, and I hope to be a good parent and teacher to my children in the future. No one has perfect parents, but mine are perfect for me. I know that God gave us our specific families to help us grow and learn in ways that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Yes, I sometimes don’t get along with my parents or siblings, but I’ve had amazing spiritual experiences and much fun and laughter with my family. Families are central to God’s plan of happiness, and I hope we can all work on ways to strengthen our families!