Feliz Nuevo Año!!! (Happy New Year)

December 29, 2014 (Week 18 in Argentina)

Hola from Argentina!

This cute little kid lives next door to us and calls us "amigo" every time we pass by.

 Christmas happened!  It was awesome and so much fun!

We went out caroling on the 24th in the park, with us, Elder Allred and Elder Ware, and Hermana Salinas and Hermana Hernandez.  Nobody really stopped and listened to us, but we sang our hearts out as we were caroling to our heart’s content.  The one guy that stopped and listened was a tad bit sad because he walked up to us and was thanking us for singing.  Afterwards we were in the pension for the 24th and 25th at 7 in the afternoon. The twenty-forth was nuts with the amount of fireworks they shoot off during the night!  It literally sounded like a war zone!!!! 

Our Christmas Tree

42 empanadas with pudding for Christmas Dinner

The twenty-fifth we got to talk to our families and of course we were super excited to see our families! Thanks mom and dad for the good laughs and thanks Alex and Brianna for being the same siblings I left over 5 months ago!  LoL… you guys are so awesome and funny.  We had a nice dinner with the other elders that live next to us and we ordered 42 empanadas and had another pudding (see Pics).  We sang and talked to the awesome people that we are teaching about Christ and His birth and just how important we all are to Him.

Christmas Dinner with Elders Burke, Swingle, Ware and Allred

This week has been hot as you can imagine and we have been sweating like pigs out here as we see our families that we go teaching.  We had the Agilars and the Mezas at church this Sunday!!! Wooohooo!  They loved it and were so happy that they went.  The Meza family is a nice older lady named Natividad (Christmas themed and her b-day is on the 25th) and her daughter Maria.  Both know of the importance of reading the scriptures and studying something before throwing it out. They are both awesome investigator!

Hand-made wind chimes from Hermana Aguado

Beautiful wind chimes

Elder Hidalgo and I

Study time with Elder Hidalgo

Dinner anyone?

Overall, this week has been full of love and I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year.  Make New Year’s resolutions that you know you will keep!

Love you all and have a Happy New Year!

Con Amor,

Elder Burke

Skype on Christmas Day

December 25, 2014

Today we were able to Skype with Elder Burke for 40 minutes.  The time went by very fast.  He was at the Aguado family's home for dinner and to skype home.  We were able to meet the Aguado's- what a nice family.  The 3 kids love Taylor and wanted his attention while we were talking with him.  One of the kids drew a picture of Elder Burke and Elder Swingle and showed us it.  It was great to listen to Taylor speak in Spanish as he interacted with the kids and gave them lots of attention.  We told Taylor about the Christmas snow and he asked us to take the computer outside so he could show the family snow- none of them have ever seen snow before.  So, of course we did...It was great to show them and then Brianna picked some up and made a snow ball.  You could hear the gasps of excitement from the children.

Elder Burke is doing well.  He loves the people and loves the food.  He loves sharing the gospel.  He and his companion, Elder Swingle (he calls him son since he is training him) get along well and are doing good.  He said they walk everywhere and it is always hot.  As they were walking over to the Aguado home to skype us, he said they got caught in a huge downpour and he was soaking wet as he was talking to us.  We also took some time to talk to Elder Swingle and find out more about him.

At the end of the time, we said a family prayer and Taylor invited the Aguado family in while Matt offered the prayer.  Taylor translated it after we said good-bye.

Now to just wait for Mother's Day....Love this young man.  So much fun to see him, talk to him and just watch him with the Aguado family.

Come See Him

December 22, 2014 (week 17 in Argentina)

Helllllllooooo from Argentina!!!

Niko and Juan

So first of I am beyond happy to get on to the email and find old familiar faces who haven’t talked to me in forever, like family members!  Truly warms my heart to know you guys read my letters... stalkers!  Ha ha… no seriously, I loved reading these awesome letters!

Now... for the story.......

................... Of my last week.

Elder Swingle, as my son, has had many awesome experiences to learn from his old pap (me) and he has taught me many awesome things for life.  We have been teaching so many awesome families recently, but the one that I’m excited about it the Familia Aguado.  We had a family home evening with their whole family and we taught about self-control.  And to teach the kids Niko, Juan and Celeste about this principle, we had them sit at the table as we were eating delicious cupcakes trying to get them to eat it, but if one of them ate a cupcake the other siblings would win!  They were headstrong and resisted our peer pressure and as for reward we gave them Airheads candy that I received from my family.  ´Merican candy!!!  Lol… they loved it.

Aguado Family

We had our Zone Christmas party with the other missionaries and we did Secret Santa and made a huge taco dinner and played with instant snow.  It was weird… the snow, because it wasn’t cold.... it just felt wrong.  But nonetheless we threw snowballs at each other!  We told stories, took many pictures, and ate like kings.  We had so much fun!

Zone Christmas party

Merry Christmas from Argentina!!!

"He is the Gift"- (El es Dadiva)

Instant snow....Making Snow Balls

I got to give a talk during church last Sunday about sharing this gospel.  I shared Luke 2 and the scriptures about the shepherds watching over their flock.  Many a time we look over this story as only a heavenly messenger came to give good tidings of great joy, but I compared it to a member who could be sharing such a message.  It’s just like now, today, many people go about their daily business ¨tending their flocks¨ until someone comes into their life and shares this gospel, bringing ¨tidings of great joy¨.  These people were scared at first from such a bright and magnificent appearance with instructions to go see a little lone babe.  But, having faith that at the end of the star would be worth it, these people followed with faith, and lo and behold they found good tidings of great joy, just as the angel had promised.  I know without a doubt that as members or as missionaries, sharing this gospel is like unto this story.  Those who know of such joy and only wish to share it point to the star and proclaim ¨come and see Him, the Lord of Lords, the Kings of Kings, the Son of God¨.  I can promise with all the power of heaven that if you follow such a star you will find Christ there at the end, and you will rejoice and thank God Almighty for sending such an angel to show you the way to such joy.

I love each and every one of you and invite you this Christmas to come closer to Christ through reading another testament of him: The Book of Mormon.

Have a Merry Christmas.

Love,

Elder Burke

Cooking (tacos) for Christmas Dinner

Why so serious???

Looking at the hard drive to the left and this keyboard, it's amazing we
even get emails and pictures from Elder Burke

Walking, walking and some more walking... 

IT’S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

December 15, 2014 (week 16 in Argentina)

  

HOLA DE ARGENTINA!

SORRY FOR ALL THE BLOCK LETTERS BUT ITS WHAT I HAVE TO WORK WITH TODAY. HA HA… SO JUST TRY NOT TO IMAGINE THAT I’M YELLING THE ENTIRE TIME HERE IN THE LETTER.

I DON’T KNOW HOW THE HOLIDAYS THERE GOES, BUT HERE IT’S THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF SNOW. BOY IT’S BEEN REALLY HOT HERE REACHING UP TO 45 C SOMETHIMES!  ELDER SWINGLE AND I HAVE BEEN SURVIVING AS WE GO CHRISTMAS CAROLING AND CONTACTING IN THE DRY HOT DAY. BUT WE STILL ALWAYS MANAGE TO HAVE FUN. SINCE HE IS MY FIRST SON IN THE MISSION I OFTEN GIVE HIM COUNSEL IN THE VOICE OF YODA LOL.  HE GETS TO BARE WITH THE FACT THAT HIS FATHER (ME) IS A TAD BIT OF A JOKESTER SOMETIMES.  HE LAUGHS EVEN HARDER WHEN I DO IT IN SPANISH!

SO AS THE TITLE OF THIS LETTER GOES, YES WE HAVE HAD A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.  WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THIS OLD NICE LADY NAMED FRANSISCA ABOUT THE CHURCH, AND WE HAVE ALSO BEEN TALKING TO HER DAUGHTER WHO HAS A 18 YEAR OLD SPECIAL NEEDS GIRL NAMED MAKARAÑA.  WE HAVE BEEN SEEING THEM FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW AND THEY’RE AWESOME.  BUT ONE NIGHT WE WERE WALKING BACK TO OUR PENSION AND WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE ROAD RIGHT I HAD THE IMPRESSION TO GO LEFT, SO ELDER SWINGLE AND I WENT LEFT INSTEAD OF RIGHT.  THEN WE FOUND THE IMPRESSION TO KNOCK ON A DOOR. WE FOUND TO OUR SURPRISE A FAMILY WHO ARE DESCENDANTS FROM RUSSIANS THAT MOVED TO ARGENTINA, AND THE WIFE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF FRANSISCA!  SHE TOLD US THAT SHE HEARD THAT WE WERE GOING TO HER MOTHER’S HOUSE AND HELPING HER FEEL LESS LONELY, BECAUSE NONE OF THEIR FAMILY COULD SEE HER THAT WEEK WHEN WE CAME TO SEE HER. THE CHANCES OF FINDING THEM WERE NOT THE LEAST BIT LUCKY, BUT OF A HIGHER POWER. WE FOUND A FAMILY WHO HAS BEEN SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING MORE THAN WRAPPED GIFTS THIS YEAR.

ANOTHER MIRACLE HAPPENED JUST YESTERDAY. ONCE AGAIN ELDER SWINGLE AND I FELT LIKE JOURNEYING TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE AREA TO VISIT SOME OF THE INVESTIGATORS THAT ARE FAR AWAY FROM THE CHURCH. WE KNEW WE WOULD BE WALKING A LOT IN A HOT DAY BUT WE WENT ANYWAY. WE COULDN’T TALK TO ANYONE OF OUR INVESTIGATORS.  BUT THERE WAS A HOUSE THAT WE CONTACTED BEFORE WHERE WE TALKED TO THIS MOM OF 7 AND A REALLY PSYCHOTIC DOG. WE WENT TO HER HOUSE AND LO AND BEHOLD, SHE IS THE SISTER OF HERMANO JUNCO!!!  THE JUNCO FAMILY FROM FONTANA, MY FIRST AREA, WAS NOT FAR AS SHE SHOWED ME PICTURES OF THE JUNCO FAMILIY THEY JUST SAW TWO DAYS BEFORE!  WHILE SHE WAS THERE WITH HER BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY, SHE TALKED WITH HERMANA JUNCO WHO IS A MEMBER, AND SHE GAVE HER MANY OF THE BOOKS THAT ARE BASIC TEACHING BOOKS IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATER DAY SAINTS. BETTER YET SHE’S BEEN READING ALL OF THEM!  WE TALKED TO HER ABOUT HOW SHE FELT ABOUT THE BOOKS AND SHE TOLD US THAT SHE FEELS SECURE WHEN SHE READS THEM; A FEELING THAT SHE CAN’T DESCRIBE. TRULY SHE IS COMING TO KNOW THE GIFTS FROM OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND THE POWER AND COMFORT THEY GIVE US.

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN FILLED WITH MIRACLES AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING NOTHING BUT SPREADING THE GOSPEL. THE VEIL IS THE THINEST EVER HERE UPON THE EARTH THIS DECEMBER. I HAVE WRITEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IN MY HEART FOR SOMETIME THAT I WISH TO SHARE WITH YOU:

WISE MEN OF OLD

WE WALK ENDLESSLY, WE WISE MEN OF OLD,

TO BRING HIM OUR MIRE, FRANKINCENSE, AND GOLD.

WE KNOW NOT WHERE TO GO AS WE TRAVEL AFFAR

WE ONLY FOLLOW THE LIGHT OF A GREAT BEAUTIFUL STAR.

WILL WE FIND HIM IN THIS LIFE? WE ASK CONSTANTLY,

WE KNOW NOT ANYTHING TO DO BUT MARCH ENDLESSLY

UNTIL WE FIND OUR LORD, SAVIOR AND KING,

THE ONE WHO GAVE US LIFE FOR ETERNITY.

TO ALL WHO READ THIS AND THE BLOG WHICH I’VE HEARD OF, REMEMBER THIS:

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO CHRISTMAS THAN THE HOLIDAY BLISS.

WE WERE GIVEN A GIFT MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD.

WE WERE GIVEN HIM, THE ONE PROPHESIED OF OLD.

HE IS THE GIFT FOR ALL OF US TO RECIEVE,

TO ACCEPT HIM WE MUST FIRST BELIEVE.

I TESTIFY OF THE DIVINITY OF THE CHRIST. THE GIFT THAT WAS GIVEN TO ALL OF THE WORLD, SO THAT WE MAY OVERCOME EVERY CHALLENGE WE FACE IN LIFE. I LOVE ALL OF YOU AND AM EVER SO GRATEFUL THAT I CAN HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME.  CAN’T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS.  CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU AND TALK USING SKYPE.

HE IS THE GIFT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzjFEMmM0Xs

http://www.mormon.org/christmas

ELDER BURKE

English in the Argentinan Park

December 9, 2014 (week 15 in Argentina)           

  

Hola de Argentina!!!

Trio:  Elder Burke, Elder Ware and Elder Allred

So this week has been somewhat different as Elder Swingle had to leave to do his legal papers in Cortoba which is a 12 hour bus ride here to there from Saenz Pena!  Crazy I know!  So, I was in a trio with Elder Allred and Ware for three days, and boy did we have adventures!

First off we met a guy who was beyond arrogant but to me I could tell that he was just trying to tell us the horrors of war.  He fought in some war here in Argentina and told us that as missionaries we don’t know the reality of life.  We don’t know wars, the need to fight for our loved ones and such.  I told him that one, I do understand that there comes a fine point in life when one is backed up against the wall and has to defend themselves.  We see it throughout life that if we let evil go unchecked or let it have what it wants, we will be destroyed.  I know war is one of the dangerous and scaring turmoils here in the world.  Imagine a world where we all see each other as brothers and sisters like we are.  Definitely the world would be a better place.  It is possible to have such a place.

Beautiful Argentina Sunrise

We also found this awesome home where this guy was living. Turns out that when we contacted him it was right before some very rich guys showed up to buy his beautiful acre of trees and paradise (dude has a green thumb).  So we were talking to these guys who apparently knew everything about the LDS church.  The two rich guys have talked to them in the states and seen them online. They also talked to us in English which was very different for me to do, but we came to know that these men may have known every detail about the church, but it didn’t mean that they had a testimony of it.  It showed me how simple the lord has made our path to return to him, all it takes is reading a verse from a Book of Mormon, and then praying with a sincere heart to know if the things it speaks of are true.

Also a funny update, when you have 4 Americans who haven’t had peanut butter for quite some time... yeah the whole tub of peanut butter will be gone before the end of the week. ha ha ha.

Sharing Skippy Peanut Butter- YUM!!

As of now we are talking to everyone about Christmas!  Woo hooo!!!  I’ve already taken the care package from my family (sorry but you will understand) and wrapped all the American candy and goodies for the families we are seeing every week. I’m excited to hear their feedback from eating real ‘MERICAN candy!  LOL

If you have a chance read John 3:16 and realize that every gift we can receive in this life is not as big as what our Father in Heaven has given us, and the best part is that He gave us the gift first.  How great and powerful God is to be humble enough to give his children only the best He can offer.

Les amo y espero que sepan Jesucristo viva!

Con Amor,

Elder Burke

Walking and walking and walking....

Orphan-Dog Pose:  just need to play music in the background

Primera dia de Diciembre!!!

December 1, 2014 (week 14 in Argentina)

Please forgive me if some of these words are a little crappy because I am literally on the most trucho (low quality) keyboard in the history of man!!

Thanksgiving was delicious as we made a pudding pie!

Thanksgiving- pudding pie!

Pictures are probably on the blog I keep hearing about.

 

This week has been awesome as our investigators, the familia Aguado, have been doing everything and trying to do to feel the Spirit.  The hard part is that they have some issues with one another,  I mean what couple doesn’t have one, but they seem to be working through their problems as they apply the Atonement in their relationship.  Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts our Savior has given us... and speaking of gifts...

I got a package from my family!!!  Happy Hanukah.. er.. Navidad!!!  The YMCA sent me an awesome gift to put on my wall!  I used so much tape today to put it up so I am now ready to start my first Christmas away from home.  LOL… the package was actually from my awesome family to whom I love very much!!!  The peanut butter and dino oatmeal were more than appreciated!!!  LoL! Truly the best gift to get to start off the month of December!!! 

The package we sent him (mailed from inside Argentina) finally arrives

I think he likes all the treats!!

Peanut Butter, Dinosaur Oatmeal- his face says it all!!

Love how he figures out something to make us laugh at home!!

He figures out the saying- each letter was decorated with a message on the back from each of his cousins!

We have been focusing now on sharing more messages of Christ and why he was born.  We have this awesome video that we watch with people sometimes on our small dvd player called “El es La Dádiva”; meaning “He is the Christmas gift”.  Of all the gifts we could have received from our Father in Heaven, he gave us His Son to take upon all our mistakes and mishaps; truly the greatest gift of all.

We have been helping other families with their specified needs (which won’t be shared), to help them overcome their trials and their problems.  We are beyond grateful to be the missionaries to lift them up and fight these battles alongside our brothers and sisters.  Truly it has been a fight against evil and the natural man.

I am proud to be called a missionary, and to have Christ’s name on my chest every day.

Sincerely,

Companions- Elder Swingle and Elder Burke

Elder Burke

Dinner Time:  Elder Ware, Elder Alred, Elder Swingle, Elder Burke

Elder Ware, Elder Swingle, Elder Alred

Saenz Pena

Gotta love the "Toni's" seasoning with the pasta

Dad and Mom find a way to get a package to Elder Burke- thank you Nu Skin!!