7th time’s a charm

January 12, 2016

some of my favorite people

So, we just had transfers here in the mission of Resistencia Argentina, and well you would figure that having basically 6 transfers here in the same area would mean that maybe you will get moved to another area, well... no!  ja ja  I’m going on number seven baby!  One more transfer and I will have almost one whole year in the same area.  Mendoza Al Sur es básicamente mi rama ahora, vamos a enviar todo de mis datos y información de me aquí. Me voy a conseguir una casa y mudarme acá. jaja! (Basically my branch is now going to send for all of my data and information for me here.  I’ll get a house and moved here.  LOL!)  So, of course, I’m content with the decisions that God puts for us missionaries and also for me specifically!

Matias who is progressing really well and super-fast is just a stud.  Never have I ever seen such great Faith and determination to change his life.  Sunday came and he came to church, but told us that basically he didn’t go to work because he’d rather follow the Lord’s standards and not the world’s. Now I would very much like to emphasize on faith a little bit, because as we are still somewhat integrated into the world by norms and even trends with thoughts, we may look at this situation as complete foolishness on his part. Alma 32:21 Says

"And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."

Now let us look at the perspective of believing in God.  Never have we seen Him, but we believe, we hope, and we continue to look for signs of his existence.  This is the typical way of explaining faith. However, when we look even deeper into the meaning of faith it is our actions as well. In James 2:26 it says:

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

By our faith we are driven to act, and by our actions, we complete our faith.  So when I see that a man like Matias who doesn’t have much education, choose God’s will over his own job and then lost his job, showed to me his faith.  When we see other people make life decisions based on God’s will, we should rejoice in their choices and not think automatically that they were completely misguided and stupid to make a decision like that with comments like "how will he live?"  "He has thrown away his life" Or one of the most common  "He could have waited till next Sunday and go to church.  Why did he throw away a job to go to church that day?"  As I have said these are thoughts common to our society when we see others make choices based on faith, do we doubt that the Lord will provide for him?  The greater the sacrifice, the greater the reward.  Never have I seen a man so centered in Christ that it has caused me again and again to reflect on my own faith.  What have I done to obey the Lord?  Am I ready to sacrifice everything in an instant for Him?  I hope that we can all reflect more on the sacrifices that God asks us to make when we come to choosing to do the right, and may we act instantly without a doubt that when we do what we know to be right, it is pleasing to God.

I have a new companion now, who as well is from Chile.  His name is Elder Santiago and He is really cool.  Our first day together turned out great, as we found some of the people that we have been looking for.  Now we have a mom who tried going to the church before, but got lost and will be going this time.  And also a girl who loves to read the Book of Mormon.  I love the way we can have great success with all and do our part in teaching and bringing people unto Christ.  My companion seems really excited and is working hard to learn the new area that he is now in.

Other than that we will be having a great week of successes and we will be bettering our ways of teaching and finding new people to teach.

Con amor, Tu Elder favorito,

Elder Burke

P.S. enjoy the snow those of you that can.  I am dying from all the heat we have here.  If you want to experience what it’s like to be a missionary in Argentina in the North, put on church clothes (long sleeves if you dare) and just sit in a sauna for 15 minutes- if you actually do it.  Take pictures so I can laugh and you can tell me how uncomfortable you felt! jaja 

Mendoza al sur branch
(ramon garcia, cristina aguiere, hna. lujan. mama de cristina, brigido, dalma, simon, hna rene, hna raquel gomez, leo aguiere, mily aguiere, galo, sandra gomez, joaquin, eli sarur, matias, hna lezcano, fede lezcano.

front row. hno rene, elder montero, jorge, juan, hno lezcano, me and kiara)