Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat! Kumusta po kayo?? Ang trabaho dito ay sobrang maganda. mahal na mahal iyon mga tao dito iyan trabaho ng Panginoon. hanggang sa huli ng linngo na ito magiging sobrang mainit. Bilang isang trainer ay sobrang mahirap, pero, sa pamamagitan ang pananampalataya at panalangin, naghahanap ako ng kapayapaan dito sa Lucena. Ako ay dito sa Lucena pa! Mihirap na naniniway iyan, di ba?? Pero, mahal ko iyan mga myembro dito at alam ko na mayroon ako ang layunin dito.

Have fun with that one, huh??? I’m doing great here! My new companion is Elder Bituen from Laog, Philippines!  This is the first time that I have been given the assignment to be a senior companion and a trainer of a new missionary so I am trying to do my best!  Elder Bituen is already a great teacher and is fluent in tagalog already so no worries here! We are really working together to become better.  CONGRATS TO THE SEAHAWKS!!!  That’s so cool! you know what else is cool?  Missionary work. I love, love, love, teaching other people about things that can make them happy at iyan paraan ng Diyos para sa kanila.

I’ve caught myself a couple times not being able to speak either english or tagalog, so that kinda stinks occasionally but that’s alright.  It means improvement is happening and that’s what we are supposed to do here in this life, is IMPROVE!!!  I love all of you and can’t wait to see you again soon, actually in about 18 months because i’m almost 1/4 through! Amazing! love ya!

Elder Tyler Norwin Burbidge

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

Hey guys, I don’t really have enough time for a long blog post again dang it! Our time on preparation day is limited to 40 minutes on the email system – and I have to write a detailed email to my mission president which takes some time. Then I try to get an email off to my parents and by then I only have about 15 minutes or less to write a blog post and respond to other emails from friends and family.  So be patient with me if I don’t respond right away to an email – I still love to get them and read about all the activities you are involved with!

I really miss all of you guys, but i’m doing well. On New Year’s Eve I have to be in the apartment by 6 p.m. We are going to order fried pig leg from a nearby restaurant and have a snack attack. It’ll be a good time I think!  That’s cool about the Seahawks wrapping up the #1 seed in the NFC! Go HAWKS!!!

HEY…one Christmas down, one to go before I come home! Hunter and I were emailing and it is crazy to think that we are almost at the 1/4 mark of our missions. Time feels like it is flying by! I’m enjoying it a lot, and I really like my area of Lucena. I know I’m here because the Lord wants and needs me to be.

Well, like I said, I don’t have much time, but I loved, loved, loved getting to talk to my parents and Hunter last week! I want to tell everyone back home that I love them and appreciate them being so supportive of us and understanding of the sacrifice that others make to be on missions by supporting the missionaries in our home ward and area.

I have been missing Hunter a lot lately. It is getting more difficult to know that he’s literally from Olympia to Portland away from me. Oh well, at least I know where he is and that he is happy and for the most part healthy.

I love you all!

Elder Tyler Burbidge

MERRY CHRISTMAS from LUCENA!!! I didn’t get transfered! I was so worried that I might be transferred! I love the people here so much and I’m excited for the several investigators that we have!

Being on a mission during Christmas is tough, but not as bad as I thought it would be! I’m feeling love from the members, fellow misisonaries, and the mission home! By the way, I broke the record for mail: biggest box in the San Pablo mission history so THANK YOU mom and dad.

Elder Burbidge and his companion share in some Christmas merriment!

The weeks are starting to feel like days! It is crazy that I’ve already been here for so long, right??

As the Christmas season hits with full force, don’t forget the reason why we celebrate! Jesus Christ is really the “reason for the season”. He has done and continues to do so much for us, I can’t express my gratitude. I’ve been studying some Christlike attributes and emphasized on patience. I’ve seen so many changes in my life and I know that i’m a happier person because of what I studied. Have a great Christmas this week! I love you all!

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Good afternoon from Lucena! I can’t believe that it is December already!! It feels like time is really starting to tick faster! This week was pretty good! I’m feeling more involved in the work every day and I’m starting to really get into the lessons that we teach. I’m starting to understand more and more of what people say, which is pretty dang cool. Speaking the language is a different story. Just when I feel that I’m doing pretty well, I get humbled. I guess that is how we learn though, di ba? I’m excited this upcoming week and I’m excited for the Christmas season to get more exciting.

Out doing the work of a missionary!

It sure doesn’t feel like Christmas here! Sure there are lights, christmas songs, and other christmas things going on, but it is still hotter than hot! It’s ok though! I love the Christmas season. It makes us realize what we are really grateful for and the reason why we are here on earth! It puts a lot of things into perspective and helps us to find peace, or start looking for it if we don’t have it. I’m excited to teach people about why we have Christmas and the ways that we can improve our lives. I miss you all so much!

The lush greenery of the Philippines! Christmas near the equator!

With Christmas right around the corner I am missing everyone a lot, but I’m having fun! The days are really starting to fly by! The Ward Christmas Party here is on the 21st of December which is only two days after transfer day, so who knows what will happen! I hope I get to stay here in Lucena, but on the other hand it’d be nice to have a change of pace.  I was disappointed to hear that the T-Birds lost in the State Championship game!  At least they got to play in the Tacoma Dome. That’s something I’ll never forget all the rest of my life!

My favorite food right now is little dried fish. You eat the whole thing, yes even the head. I got to ride on a rail trolley last night for the first time. One of the cooler experiences of my life. It was wayyy fun.

It’s not all about eating little fish heads!

Like I said, I miss all of you and I hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge

It has been another week here in the Lucena Third Ward! It seems like time is really starting to fly by! It was a little bit of a rough week, not much success, but things are picking up. HAPPY THANKSGIVING BY THE WAY!!!! how was your turkey??? My ham and rice was really great! Anyhow, I’m thankful for all of you and the examples you are to me. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be here. I can’t think of any place that I’d rather be, honestly. Heck, it is difficult, but I feel so blessed to have this opportunity. I love being here and feeling like I’m doing something worthwhile. It is so great.

The other day, I was walking down the street and I had to duck under a metal sign that was conveniently placed in the middle of the sidewalk. I took a few steps and heard a loud BANG! My companion pulled a “Hunter” as I like to call it, wasn’t paying attention to where he was going and smacked his face on this metal sign. I died laughing. He wasn’t hurt and I got a nice laugh out of it.

I’m excited to keep progressing. aren’t you? I miss all of you! Be thankful for who you are! Look for places where you can improve and make the changes necessary to become the best person you can possibly be in this life. It is all about the amount of effort that you put in to pursue your goals. I love all of you!

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Hello everyone! This week has been interesting! We now have 4 missionaries living in our apartment. My companion and I, a missionary from the closed Tacloban mission, and Elder Lyon from my MTC district! It has been fun having him around and I’m excited to see how much we both grow!

Other than that, a lot of the same! I’m learning a lot from those that we teach and from the members that are in our ward. It is so hard to see investigators struggle with things like coming to church or the Word of Wisdom. We are trying our hardest to teach them what they need to know, but ultimately, it is up to them because they have their free agency.

Happy Thanksgiving! I’m excited to eat rice, fish, and ham while you all are eating turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, the list goes on and on and on and on and on… right? Anyway, don’t have too much fun without me, but have a great Thanksgiving! It makes me miss home a lot, but I’m excited to continue with my mission!  I got pretty emotional hearing about Austin (editors note: Austin Jensen is the 20 year old, autistic son of our friends Steve and Janna Jensen who unexpectedly passed away last week)… That’s tough, but if I’ve gained a testimony about anything while I’ve been here, it is about the eternal nature of families. I love it that God loves us so much that He provided us to be happy for all of eternity. It is so flippin’ great.  It is still regularly sticky, hot, and not too breezy here. That’s okay though, the people here make up for it. They are so kind and loving, so mom, don’t worry too much about that.  I ate fish heads today by the way!

I don’t have much time this week, but I want you all to know that I’m happy and safe here!  I’m really learning to enjoy the moments that I’m given and to make the most out of every situation.  I’ve seen people change and I know that we can all become better people in this life!  I love all of you!

Elder Tyler Burbidge