Lost and Found

All good stories start at the... middle... right?  I should know this.

 

Last week we recieved a phone call from President Del Guerso.  Everytime he calls us we get nervous and anxious.  But he called us with the incredible news that a man named João had called him, telling him that he had found 2 bags on the side of the road.  And that he had found Presidents number amongst our things.  We started screaming and jumping in the middle of the streets of Osasco!

 

We basically ran to the man´s house and he came to the door with OUR BAGS!  I was so happy and grateful and unbelieving I almost gave him the biggest hug.  Instead, we opened our bags and found everything.  Documents, credit cards, EVERYTHING.  Everything was still there, down to my favorite chapstick. 

 

He saw two men that very same day throw our things on the side of the road, picked them up, and searched through all of our stuff to find some sort of contact information.  Written on my old planner were several phone numbers, of which he picked at random, the number of our mission president.  MIRACLES PEOPLE.

 

It was a miracle.  In São Paulo, THE "terra sem lei," a whole 45 days after we were assaulted, just days before the end of the transfer, God put our things in the hands of a man of good faith.  He prepared the way. 

 

So long story short, I got transferred.  It was hard to say goodbye to all of the beautiful people I have met here.  Irmão Antonio made me sob like a child when he gave me a going away speech.  He said, "I hope you always think of us and keep us in your prayers.  Because we will certainly always remember you.  We will carry you with us."

 

I was sad, but I felt surprisingly okay.  Because I know God has other adventures in store for me and other people to meet as well.  I am now in Campo Limpo!  It is a rather ironically named city, as it is filthy and almost 100% favela.  I've never seen such terrible poverty in my life.  But I am loving the people and my new companion is great!  Her name is Sister Valente! 

 

The internet here is terrrible so I sadly will have to end here this week.  But please enjoy a picture of me trying to eat a chickens foot.  I almost threw UP! 

 

I love you all dearly and hope you had a feliz Páscoa!

 

com amor,

 

Sister Burch

(no subject)

I am about to say something I never have before.

#thesearemyconfessions

I really just love kids.  I do I do!  Well, on my mission anyways :)  I love teaching them, I love talking to them about God.  I just love them.  They are just better than us adults!  They have more faith, more courage, and are just closer to God.  Jesus agrees with me too!

"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. "

These munchkins are some of my favorite people in the world.  Gustavo and Henrique are their names, and it was the biggest blessing to be able to teach them and watch them learn and grow and follow Christ into the waters of baptism!  In the end it was me who learned from them.  There are just some people you know you knew in Heaven!

Thats all for now! 

com amor,

Sister Burch

Só Alegria

Holaaaa gente!  How great was General Conference??  I for one LOVED it.  (check it out at lds.org, you won't regret it!)  I even got to watch one session of it in ENGLISH which was an awesome break for my brain and spirit.  We sure are blessed to have a living prophet. 

This whole week has been abnormal and awesome.  Today we got to go to the São Paulo temple!!!  Temple days are the best days!!!

Missionary work sure can be challenging, and São Paulo is a crazy place.  This has been a week of adventures!  I ate the tail of some strange animal, saw a dead person on the street, and really offended some dude when he tried to kiss me and I gave him a really awkward handshake. 

But General Conference and going to the casa do Senhor today really gave me the strength and motivation I needed to keep on going!

 Helaman 5:12 "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

This favorite scripture of mine just about sums up this transfer.  We all live in a crazy unpredictable world, and the only constant, reliable thing is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And His gospel offers us a sure foundation, a foundation that gives us the strength and the power to overcome our weaknesses and challenges.  God is good! 

beijos,

Sister Burch

a little something

Hey ho helloooo!

First of all, if you are lucky enough to be near your family, give them all a big hug and a kiss!  Family, I love you all so very much!

Parabens papa on your job promotion/move to AFRICA!

Parabens Daniel on getting your drivers liscense!  Watch out streets of MN!

I pray for you all on the daily.  I dont have much time this week so here are a few pictures for your enjoyment!

::fleeing from cockroaches/lizards

::my best friend in Brazil is a 70 year old man.  Love irmão Antonio!

::my comp. throwing an egg at our zone leaders head >:)

boa semana para vocês!!!

com amor,

Sister Burch

why my life is like a video game

So, I turned 21 this week! 

My birthday was a day full of lessons and appointments and walking!  But our very last lesson of the day was with a very special family.  And they surprised me with a feast of churrasco and the most delicious chocolate cake!  I have never felt so much love!

We are family.  My goodness, I would do anything for them!

And now I will explain why my life is like a video game.  Before reading, please crack open your Bibles and read Matt 7:1.  For I am about to show you just how big of a nerd I am.

In my past past life, I was a gamer.  Fable, Oblivion, Skyrim, Call of Duty, you name it, I played it.  Well, in most of those games, you go up to random people on the street, talk to them, figure out their problem, and they tell you to go do this quest which is in another land, and you have to go find someone else and rescue them.

Well, that is my life!  This week we had a list given to us of people who needed help.  Complete strangers who live in all four corners of Osasco.  With a map in had, we try to find them.  We talk to random people on the street so see if they know them, ask neighbors, and with the help of the Lord, in our own way, we rescue them too. 

For example, this week we found this old lady on the street struggling to climb a hill.  We stopped to help her and she told us about her friend who was in trouble.  Her friend needed help and she could not reach her in time because of her physical ailments. 

We accepted the challenge and off we went, in search of a person we had never met, in a place we had never been.  We passed through sketchy parts of the city, walked right by a gang of armed men, and they didn't even look our way. 

Like I said, my life is a video game.  With less violence and more Jesus.  Missionary work is an adventure and it is the most fulfilling work in the world!  I love the Lord and I live for this!

Until next week!

com amor,

Sister Burch