January 26th email

OK, so this week has been tough. 

Yes, teaching real people. With real potential. :) I mean everyone has potential, but these last two weeks we have focused on a couple people and one seems to be doing really well just her husband is not for us teaching her, so we have hit a speed bump with them. But I have started praying that he will get over his issues so she can continue to progress. 

ok, so now for my week. Not much happened over the last week, until this weekend. On Saturday we were riding our bikes around and we locked them up at a store that is like 3-4 miles from our apartment. this is a store we go to regularly to find people to talk to. And that night we locked them up because it was close to where we were at the time. And after we locked up we went to some lessons with a member in his car. an hour and a half later we get back to the store and go to get our bikes and everything seems fine. Until I actually look at my bike. The seat was missing. Like someone somewhere took my seat. So I look down and I am like really? Of all the things to take from a bike... the seat? so I am going to Bike Tech today to get a new seat. hopefully it isn't a ton of money. But I am also counting my blessings because it could have been a lot worse than just the seat. So for the ride home my companion took my bike, because he is more accustomed to riding standing up apparently, and I took his bike. By the way his bike was untouched. (because it is not a bike anyone would want to mess with anyways) so that bike ride home was fun. and you should expect a charge to come from bike tech at some point. Not sure how much it will be though. 

and yesterday we went to a family to eat a meal after church and I insulted the member. But I think i had a really good reason. So every Sunday this same family invites us over for a meal after church and normally I am ok with the food. But yesterday I just couldn't do it. It was some soup with strange corn stuff and pig's feet. Yeah, pig's feet. So I tried to eat what I could and she asked if I wanted more and I told her no. That was the insult. I was told to never say no when offered more food. But I just couldn't do it. It was either make her happy and make me possibly get sick, or make her upset. So I took the second option. Even the other missionaries gasped when I refused. But I just couldn't do it. It wasn't that is tasted bad, it was just the thought. 

So that was the best part of the week. Losing a bike seat, and eating feet. 

Other than that... For the other missionaries in other areas. I have heard some stories of less Spanish than us, but I haven't heard that much. And it is so hard to get people to church no matter what area. This last week we invited I think 5 people in person on Saturday night and they all said they would come. But only one showed up. And the last couple weeks it has been the same on Saturday and Sunday morning where we ask people, and they say yes, but nobody shows. It is one of the bigger problems we tend to have. That and actually teaching people. We make appointments but they always fall through. And this week I was getting really down about all that, but then I read something that said as long as we do what we can, the Lord will bless us. It isn't about the people who turn us down or don't keep their commitments, it is about us trying our best and the others making their own decisions about their lives. We can only do so much for them, and that is what we determine our success with. Trying.

  But again it is the effort that matters. 

and that is my life right now. 

I hope you have a good week too, and on Sunday I hope everyone is happy with whoever wins. (the superbowl) I am sure it will be amazingly crazy here. 

still love and miss you guys a lot!!!!

-Tanner (Elder Burke)

January 20th email

We have finally had some real sit down lessons with some people! And I kind of helped... One of them was really interesting. Before the lesson we were tracting and we met someone who said they would read the Book of Mormon but they knew they were sinning because they have a same gender attraction (I am trying not to disclose anything too personal just in case btw) So we explained that if nothing else the book is good for increasing faith in Jesus. So after that house my companion and I started talking about gay people and what we think about that stuff... And that was interesting. So anyways during the lesson on the Restoration we asked if there were any questions or problems (preguntas o dudas) and the investigator brought up that she has a gay friend and she wanted to know how we felt about gays in the Church. So we looked at each other and were like we just had this conversation, and now we are discussing it with this investigator during the most random time. It was very random, but at least were knew what to say. :)

And we met this really cool person in a park the other night. He was out for a jog and we stopped by to ask if he was interested in a message. He said yes and that he just moved from Georgia and was actually looking for a church to attend to. And he kept asking very specific questions that basically led us to taught the most part of the Plan of Salvation right there in the park. So we asked for his address and phone number so we could keep teaching later. But when we tried to call the number it is not working, and we went to the address and he doesnt live there... So while he was really cool to meet, he ended up being not so easy to find again. 

And another cool story was last night. We were tracting and we got to this house with a woman who wasn't really too interested in our message at first, because she just barely found God and was kind of not sure what to think about us with more new things. But when we asked if we could help her out she asked if we knew a good family doctor in the area that could help her with some things. And it just so happens that three days ago I went to a doctor (who is part of a family practice) and is a member. So we gave her the number and address of him. That was when she started telling us about her life. Because it was really a miracle that we showed up when we did. She just moved here from Georgia (second person from Georgia who moved here who we have met. Something must be going on in Georgia) and is staying with her sister for a while to get her life together. She has been having a lot of medical problems along with family problems lately and so she figured that since she felt at her lowest she would turn to God. Which is a good idea. So she informed us that yesterday was her second day reading from the Bible and we knocked just as she was reading something in the Bible and thinking about how God can help her. And so we listened to her life story, which has a lot going on, and afterwards we shared the Book of Mormon with her and explained a bit about how the Book can help her find God more and it can help her navigate through the Bible with footnotes and the index. And so it was really helpful for her, and it was amazing that we happened to stop by at that moment as she is reading and praying, when she wants to find God, when she needs medical help (after I just found a good doctor), and when she needed someone to know because she just moved here and has some social issues also. So yeah, we considered that a miracle for sure. And while it was in english, and we can't help her any more because we can't teach english speakers after the first interaction it was really nice to see how God is trying to help her. 

So those were the main stories from this week. Other than that we have been trying to help the ward (apparently there are almost 400 people on the role but only 120 attend on Sundays) so we have been trying to find Less Actives and help people come back. But our main problem is that most of the people on our list have moved so they are no longer in the ward area and shouldn't be on the lists. But at least we are helping with that. 

And we are trying to find people. Which is a big thing. And when we do find people we tend to have trouble meeting up with them to teach them. But this last week we did good. So maybe this week will be too :)

Today I am going on exchange. Which means I am switching with another missionary in a different area so I get a new companion for 24 hours. I am pretty excited that I get to learn how someone else teaches, and I get to meet new people. And I get to have one less day on bike, because this is my normal bike week, and the area I am going to gets the car. :)

Other than that I am learning how to eat that much food. And amazingly I have lost weight. These bike rides are definitely helping. Most days it is around 10 miles of biking with where we tend to go. But it is fun. And so yes the other suit does fit. :) And I mentioned I went to the doctor, and that went really well. Apparently as a missionary I get some special treatments. I told the mission office I needed to get some medicine and they set up the appointment for 4 days later. and when I got seen it wasnt an endocrinologist, but a normal doctor. But he gave me a prescription and he just want me to get my TSH levels tested some time during the next few months just to make sure it is ok. So yeah, that was interesting because it normally takes a lot longer. And I got the prescription filled at walgreens and I can only get a month at a time, instead of three. So I have to go back every month. But I guess that is ok. 

Yeah, other than that I dont think there is anything I need. I tried to share the candy from the box but Elder C.  doesn't like Haribo so I get them all to myself. :) Not complaining. And he doesnt watch many movies, or listen to much music besides Classical (even as a non-missionary) So there is not much that we can talk about but we are getting along really well. We keep busy enough to not notice the massive differences. :)

Yep. That is how things are going here. And the seahawks won, so we dont get to tract on Superbowl Sunday :) Because apparently a lot of bad things happen when you interrupt the superbowl with the seahawks....

Miss you all a lot and love you very much! Thanks for being there for me! 

-Elder Burke

Made it to Washington!

So the week leading up to leaving was crazy-ish. We had a lot of boring meetings and by the end of it I was just ready to leave. Elder insert -Tanners mtc companion here- had some really bad luck the day before we left. He went to do laundry and all his whites turned brown because of some bad water in the pipes. So we spent all day on Monday trying to wash his clothes so they could be white again. And that night we all said our goodbyes. I traded a tie (apparently tie trades are a big deal, so i figured I needed to trade one at least) So that last night our teacher brought in a few ties and we traded. That was fun.

 And then traveling was crazy! In Mexico we waited in line for almost 3 hours before security. And we almost missed the flight. Then in Dallas one of the people in our group lost their luggage so that took a while to locate (it was in Toronto) and since that took a while, we almost missed the second flight. and When we got to Seattle/Tacoma we couldnt find our ride so we were waiting there for a little while. Overall Tuesday Morning was filled with prayers and a lot of stress. Then we found our ride (they were stuck in traffic) and went to the Transfer Meeting where we met our new companions/ trainers. My comp is Elder C. 

So yeah. That was a couple more hours of the day at the meeting. Then we dropped my stuff off at the apartment and went straight to tracting. We go tracting every night from 5-7, so I have been learning to talk with everyone. We have been helping a few people from that though, so it is good. And we have a couple current investigators who we are trying to get to baptism in a few weeks, but circumstances are hard for them. So we keep praying and hoping things will work out. 

As for my bike. I did get it and the box. Thanks for those. The Candy is Awesome! I shared with our investigator's kids during a church tour and it kind of calmed them down for a couple minutes :) 

And the bike is great. We only have a car every other week in this area so we had bikes this last week. (which is not too fun the first day, but I have come to enjoy the bike rides) And this week we get the car! Yay! By the way we are in the Lakewood area, which is the area with the most spanish speaking people in the mission. So great place to start. 

So for the most part the people here are great. We have had a few dinners with members and those are not so great. The food is awesome, it is just the portions. We get massive portions and if you dont ask for more or take more when it is offered you are offending them (as i found out yesterday when i tried to decline... not a good idea) so we get tons of food and I feel sick afterwards, especially on a bike, but it is good. At least I am not starving....

So yesterday we were riding back to the apartment around 9 and we saw this guy sitting on a wall by the sidewalk, so we stopped to talk. And we found out that he doesnt live on the street at all, he was having a bad day at home and went for a walk and ended up stopping there for a while, when we found him. So we talked with him for a while and shared some uplifting messages and it seemed to really help him. It was really one of those right places right time things. And it was in english so it was kind of cheating. :) But I figure if I help someone, no matter what language, I am doing good.

Anyway. I am sending you a box today, hopefully, so you will have my address then but here it is anyway :) And I should be here for the next 11 weeks before I might change. So for the next little while this is my address:

Elder Tanner Robert Burke

8407 26th Ave Ct. Apt J

Lakewood, WA   98499

You can still send things to the mission office, but i wont get those things until someone goes to the mission office or there is a transfer meeting, which could take some time. 

 Love and miss you all a lot!  Thanks for the package and for still being there for me! I hope you guys are still doing ok, and that everyone is getting along. And now you all can write me!!!

Love you

-Elder Burke