bons momentos

A True Brazilian

This week I recieved the biggest compliment anyone has ever given me on the mission.  (besides that one time a drunk guy told me I looked like the princess Kate Middleton).  And the compliment giver was my very own President Del Guerso.  

He told me that I had become a true Brazilian. 

Not because I have mastered the Portuguese language.  Not because I have adapted exceptionally to the culture.  

But because I got assaulted... again.

And President, in his good humor, declared me an official native.  I feel honored.  I will spare the details and simply say that we are okay, and the bandits must have been sorely dissapointed when they opened my bag to find nothing but a Bible and a Book of Mormon.  Maybe they will have a change of heart. ;)

I have learned that when difficulties come, it does no good to ask "why did this happen?"  But rather to ask, "What does God want me to learn from this?"

And when we ask God and ourselves this question, we can learn and grow a great deal.  As the men drove off, I was left once again on a street in São Paulo with nothing to my name, but a few pass along cards in my hand.  And what came to my mind in that moment was a scripture.

 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)   

I felt completely calm, knowing that things and stuff and possessions don't last very long and don't mean a whole lot.  What is important cannot be taken away from us.  

And this week our friend Carol laid up for herself a treasure in heaven.  She followed Christ's very example and was baptized.  There is nothing happier!

com amor,

Sister Burch 

Climbing The Wall

Once upon a time on the American Continent (about 6 BC), there was a man named Samuel.  He was a good man who had faith in God, and therefore, was commanded to go forth and preach to the Nephites that in 5 years, the Savior of the world would be born, to save us from our sins.  So he went into the city and began to teach the people.  The people had hardened their hearts and cast him out.  He walked away, defeated, ready to go back to his home.  But the Lord commanded him once again to go back and preach to the people.  So he was obedient and returned.  This time, the Nephites did not even let him  into the city.  So what did he do?  He climbed the wall.  And from the top of the wall of the city he preached and prophesied all that God put into his heart.  (Helaman 13)

"If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always gotten." (source forgotten by Sister Burch)

Samuel knew what he needed to do.  But he was left without much help or instruction.  His first two attempts were utter failures, so instead of giving up or trying to keep entering the city the same way, he changed his tactic.  He had to make a change to see a difference.  So he was proactive and used his creativity to think of a solution.  He climbed the wall.

If we want different results, we have to be different and try different things.  So I am using all the creativity I can muster here in Campo Limpo.  Sister Barboza and I are adjusting our focus.  We are climbing the wall.  And we are seeing changes.

Our focus is on FAMILIES.  And we are teaching a family that is so spectacular.  When I met them, they were familiar to me.  I felt so strongly that it was not the first time I was talking to them.  I felt instant love for each one of them.  For Caroline, for Michael, for Rafael, who happens to be seven feet tall and has dreads down to his waist.  Yup.  I was meant to meet them.  This family has been jumping from religion to religion their entire lives and has never found the answers they've been searching for, until one day God crossed our paths.    

I am so so so feliz.  And I love you all so so so much.

beijooooos

Sister Burch

(photos: a tea party, and the Brazilian pit bull named Billy-Burch)

Photos

Temple day!

You win some, you lose some

Welp.  The world cup has ended, and unfortunately Brazil sort of crashed and burned towards the end.  But hey, you can't win them all.  And besides, all the Paulistas are saying that it was paid off anyways. hahaha.  I got a call from my zone leaders during the game versus Germany, and was ordered to wait inside for two hours before walking home.  My height, pastyness, and blue eyes are German features I just couldn't hide from the angry mobs of people on the street.  Fortunately, I didn't get murdered and everything has gone back to normal now!!  

I've been going through a lot of highs and lows.  Some days are grand and others, dissapointing.  But that is the mission life, and I will just keep on going!

The members in Campo Limpo are working together with us, and yesterday we witnessed a huge miracle.  One of the members works in 2 condominiums.  She is in charge of 2 buildings, each with 13 floors, and 8 apartments per floor.  She invited us to deliver parking passes to each family.  What an idea.  So we went, we delivered, slightly aprehensive to talk about church with wealthy families who normally don't accept us.  We presented ourselves and then I prepared for the "No."  And each time, I was surprised when I heard instead, "of course!" or "Yes, we are in a lot of need of prayer."  To our surprise, almost every single family asked us to come back.  Like I said, that's 8 families per floor. 8 x 23= .... I'm bad at math.  Anyways.  It's a lot of families.  We are blown away.  

You win some and you lose some.  But we have small victories every day. 

Today, my investigator William named his pit bull puppy after me.  But that's just one example.  ;)

Eu amo vocês!  

beijos,

Sister Burchizinha

Photos