Because of Him

March 29, 2015 (week 31 in Argentina)

An immense amount of love is here upon the earth as we come nearer to Easter.  I cannot express in words, actions, nor thoughts how great my thanks is to my Savior Jesus Christ.  I wish that all who read this message come to know Him more this month of April and remember that He lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S3TI4bYerU

Hermana Mara , Irina and Luna
(they are recent converts)

As for Argentina, so many awesome things are happening!  

Remember Pedro?  Well he is getting closer to being baptized on April 11 and came to church and had a wonderful time.  The trick now will be to get him to General Conference this next week since it’s a bus ride away for us.  But I have faith that he will come!  Also it’s conference so we are super excited for that!  Pedro is awesome and knows a whole lot about the doctrine of Christ.  It’s hard to teach him sometimes though because he loves to talk and we have to be patient and kind when we are trying to stop him and use the hour we have or the thirty minutes we have to share a gospel doctrine.  He also has a son named Antoni, he is a special needs man and is in a wheelchair and can’t talk a lot, but he gets super excited when we come to see Pedro and is so nice and funny.

Best Partners- Elder Nava and Elder Burke

This last Tuesday we were doing transmites or legal papers so that way I could be legal here in Argentina.  I just absolutely love the Argentine system of work, as in you wait… forever, and if you aren’t there you don’t get what you want.  It’s the same with everything; you really don’t know when someone is going to come because they aren’t very punctual in their line of work.  So we spent 7 hours waiting to sign a piece of paper, and we couldn’t leave the office.  I ended up talking to a lot of people, and even found a nice older lady who lives in my old area Fontana.  I asked her what she thought of the church and she told me that she used to go to church as an investigator in Paraguay but now she’s here.  I could tell her where the church was in my older area and she even knows a couple of members.  She seemed like she needed someone to be there for her.  She seemed really tired and weary, but we had fun talking and getting to know one another for a good while.  Sometimes what people need is not a fun lesson on a principles and doctrine of Christ, but to live it so that we may help people when they are feeling low.  Sometimes being a missionary isn't just baptizing and teaching lessons, but being there for people when they just need someone there to help them feel better.

Another cool story is that as of today I am finally mission nurse over the Resistencia mission! I was already doing side help with some of the missionaries but it’s been easy for now.  And all I have to do now is wait for calls and be ready for when the flu starts.  It already started with me but I got over it in two days but as for our companions in our pension, well Elder Nava got sick too.  I was basically babying him and giving him chicken noodle soup and everything… ja ja.  And then the same passed for Elder Flick and I was in the pension with him for a half a day and then I went to his area with his companion Elder Stout.  It was fun to see how much my Spanish and everything has improved.  9 months almost on my mission and everything is pretty easy now.  It’s cool to see how God helps us with the things that we think are impossible and with time, patience and perseverance, we overcome those challenges and they become mastered.  Just hold on, because it’s not just for spiritual things, but for temporal things as well.  Elder Stout and I were talking to his investigators and then we went to my area to teach Pedro.  Elder Stout just finished his training here in the mission a week ago so he doesn’t have as much time here in the mission as I do but he still has that same spirit that brings people happiness, regardless of your ability to speak the mission language.

Argentina is treating me well as we are now going into winter and that there isn’t as much sun and heat; the days go by a little bit faster!  It’s crazy!  I’m seeing a ton of photos from home and friends and I feel like I’ll be the guy that wakes up from a two year comma and someone will have to explain to me everything that happened!  ja ja!

But as for my personal address to all of you, I hope you know that you are loved not only by me, but by Jesus Christ.  Remember why we have Easter and Christmas.  Remember what He did for you and me and everyone.  Find Him, and you’ll realize that He has been there the whole time.

Love,  Elder Burke

la familia Lezcano
(a good member family who helps us find new people to teach)

Hermana Mara and her family!