Monthly Archives: January 2014

Hello to all my friends and family back home!  So even though I am very happy with what I am doing and where I am at right now, I’ve been feeling a lack of the spirit recently.  So I called my mission president earlier today and he really picked me up with some encouragement and advice.  He’s so amazing – I love that he’s here. He truly loves all of us missionaries that are assigned to him.  Through this experience I also learned about the power of prayer!

It’s so easy to share the gospel, once you get into a routine it is definitely hard to stop doing it! It is a little scary though sometimes, but if you know what you claim to know, nobody can take it away from you. I also learned that sharing the gospel isn’t something we do because it makes us happy – that’s just a side effect. Sharing the gospel is something we do because we understand how essential it is in God’s plan for ALL of His children!

This work is NOT for the dogs!!

I am glad to hear that the ward members back home are being encouraged to work more with the missionaries.  I have come to learn that if the individual being taught does more of the talking (ie. asking questions, reading the scriptures), that’s when the magic happens. The “inspired teaching method” is amazing. It’s all about asking inspired questions that help the investigators really think about Christ and His purpose for them. Cool right?  I think so!

Transfers are coming up but we won’t hear about them until tomorrow. Please tell everyone that I’m doing well and that I’m excited to train a new missionary! I’m probably re-opening an area that hasn’t had missionaries in a while. It would be neat if it was out on one of the islands like Mindoro or Marinduque, but that’s a dream because those are the island paradises… Hoping though! That would be so cool right???

I love you all and keep you in my prayers!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Hey everyone!

The exciting news from this week is the baptism of Sister Angel Constantino who is 16 years old! we only taught her for about five weeks, but she is way smart about the gospel and stuff! She loves Christ and was ready for baptism a long time ago before we even started teaching her. She’s the referral of an awesome family, the Vidal family who are some of the happiest people I know. They’ve got these two dogs that she yells at in English. It’s pretty funny.

Baptism of Angel Constantino!

Sister Vidal is a way good cook too.She makes us fried chicken, burgers, mango jello ice cream stuff, ube (purple sweet potato) goo, adobo, among other tasty things. they’re really caring about the missionaries and stuff too!

Hunter wrote me an email about his being sick – he told me all about the details, which I won’t share here!! I almost died laughing when I read his email. I don’t know where he got his sense of humor, but I die laughing in every email from him!

The other news of this last week is that I have been assigned to be a trainer for a new missionary when the next transfers happen next week, so that is both exciting and a bit scary.  At times I feel unqualified for this work and like I should have prepared more, but I know I have been called and set apart to do it so I will keep working hard and I’m sure it will all work out.  I’m concerned my new companion won’t speak any English so I hope we will be able to communicate!!!

Well, that’s about it for now.  I love you all back home and miss you but am happy where I am at and what I am doing!  Keep reading your scriptures and saying your prayers.  Heavenly Father loves you and all of his children!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Hello everyone back home – this is just a brief blog post because the computer I am on keeps crashing out!  We have a baptism coming up this week! I’m not actually doing the baptizing, but that doesn’t matter! It is a 16 year-old girl who we have been working with for the last few weeks named Angel.  She’s pretty cool and way converted to the gospel so I am excited for her to be baptized!

I’ve learned something essential to life this week, that we need to live central to ‘the doctrine of Christ’.  This realization completely changed my outlook on everything in life.  Check out 2 Nephi, Chapter 9 for that – especially verse 31. Pinakahuling verse in that chapter!   Also, I’ve been studying Abraham. I’m not sure how much any of you have studied the Pearl of Great Price, but it is all extremely deep stuff.  There’s a verse that said, ‘eternity was our rock, our covering, and our salvation,’ which I thought was pretty cool.  I’m also learning how to be a better father when that day comes.  I’ve been studying a lot of alma 36 & 37ish and the counsel that Alma gives to his sons is way cool stuff there.  It helps me become a better teacher right now but also to prepare for the future.  That’s weird huh!

I love you and miss you all so much, but I’m happy to hear that all are doing well even if there is cold and flu going around!!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge

This week was good!! Missionary work continues to be, well, work, but that’s what makes it fun! New Years Eve here was out of this world. It’s like 4th of July in the states but a million times louder. People make their own dynamite (pretty much) and light it and chuck it. It doesn’t seem to matter if it goes under a car, on someones’ roof, or right next to some missionaries walking down the street. Crazy stuff!

We’ve found some new investigators this week and they’re such great people! It’s so cool that i’m starting to really be able to understand the language and what is going on around me. There are times where I have no idea what’s going on, but then at other times it feels like we’re speaking in English. So cool, right?

It doesn’t feel like much is changing, but i’m trying to focus more on others and not so much on myself. I know that’s an obvious thing to do as a missionary, but i’m really trying to emphasize that this week. I hope you all had a great holiday season!! ‘Til next week!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge