Monthly Archives: November 2014

Hello everyone!  Well, it seems like I just got settled into my new area on the island of Mindoro, but I have now been transferred to the mission headquarters in San Pablo!  I have been called to serve as the new Assistant to the President (A.P.) in the office there.  Things are kind of a whirlwind right now so I don’t have a lot of time to write because I have to pack and catch the ferry back to the main island of Luzon.

Elder Burbidge soaking up the Philippine sun!

I’m excited about the new adventure and assignment, but sad that I’m leaving my island area and my companion.  I am looking forward to growing so much in the mission office.  The office elders and my new companion are all my close friends in the mission, so I am looking forward to working with them.

I’m grateful for all of the things that I was taught back at home.  I use those lessons every day in my mission.  I am realizing here in the mission field how much I learned – just about life and the unwritten order of things, meaning just how we should treat people and act and respect others.  I appreciate those lessons so much more now than ever before!

Elder Burbidge and his companion from the MTC reunited at a mission leader’s conference.

For those of you who don’t know, as part of my new responsibilities I will have the opportunity to travel throughout the mission training other missionaries, assist President Mangum with transfers, welcome and orient new missionaries to the Philippines, and conduct leadership training sessions.  We will also be expected to continue our regular missionary work of finding people interested in hearing the truth and teaching them the Gospel.  Thanks for your ongoing prayers and support!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Hey everyone!  Just a quick blog post this week since we have been pretty busy with missionary work!  My companion and I left the island of Mindoro to go to Mission Leader’s Conference (MLC) in San Pablo and while there I was reunited with my whole group of missionaries from the Missionary Training Center!  Then I stayed the night in a town called Lipa, where my second trainee is assigned so I got to catch up with him!  My companion, Elder Pulido, is freaking legit – we get along great and just laugh all the time.  It was a great conference.

Elder Burbidge and his fellow missionaries at MLC

Once we got back to our work area, we had a zone P-Day and so we went to the beach early this morning and had a sand castle contest and helped some dudes fishing.  It was fun.

Crabby Patty anyone?

I had a good birthday.  The other missionaries in the district, some members, and Sister Mangum texted me happy birthday this morning.  The senior couple missionaries here did too. Don’t worry, I’m well taken care of here =).

So mission life can get stressful, but not like you’d think.  There is just a lot of little things that add up and so there’s just so many things in my mind all the time.  We do teach a lot in our own area, but then as zone leaders we go on exchanges with the missionaries from other towns and areas.  It’s usually only once a week that one of us isn’t here in the area due to exchanges.

I read Hunter’s blog and he sure sounds good!  I’m glad he’s doing well!  I’m really sweaty right now!  I can’t wait to feel the cool Washington climate again.  On our trip to MLC, we slept in a city called Lipa which is the third highest elevation in the Philippines and I freaking loved it.  The temperature was soooo cool there.  It felt like California temperature at night!

My companion wrote me and Hunter a message for our birthday!

Me and Elder Pulido on the ferry to the main island of Luzon for the MLC.

Well that is about it for this week!  I love you and hope everyone is doing well.

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Hello all from the beautiful town of Calapan on the island of Oriental Mindoro.  Mindoro literally means “gold mine” due to it’s history of providing mines and other resources for the main island of Luzon where Manila is located.  It is a beautiful area and I am happy to be working here with Elder Pulido.  Sounds like Hunter and I have rhyming companion names (Hunter’s companion is named Elder Tolido)!

The work is going strong here.  I don’t have a lot of time to write but have attached a number of photos from my new area.  Love you all!

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Going full jump mode near the sea!

Our whole zone of missionaries on Mindoro. We get together frequently to have zone activities on our P-Day.

“Squirreling”

Me and my companion with an elderly couple who were very nice but also quite small!