Florida or Bust!

As a family, we have decided to walk the distance from Bennington to Orlando, Florida before Elder Burdick completes his mission. Together we hope to have walked 2298 miles before October 2009. And maybe be a size or two smaller!! Thank you Lara for up-dating our count down. Start Walking!!!

Saturday, August 8, 2009

About time… May

I know, I know… it’s been way too long since I’ve updated this!  I decided to just post the highlights from the past three months, so here is a look back – starting with May!

“I cant believe how fast the weeks go by! I remember at the very beginning of my mission in Poinciana, a returned missionary member told me that each quarter of your mission goes faster and faster and faster! And this last quarter has been starting way to fast already! I am scared at how fast it is going! It seems like i wake up in the morning and i end my prayer, blink once or twice and i am saying my prayers again to get ready for bed! … tomorrow Elder Law and I will be picking up our new companion together! YEP, Elder Law and i are staying together for his last transfer! And President called a third companion, he told us that he wants us to train him to be a zone leader, his name is Elder Bellamy, he is my best friend from the MTC, he is in my original district, we are really excited, it is going to be fun! We just found out from the assistants that they are taking away our corolla and we are getting a dodge minivan:-) i am excited, it will be fun!!!”

Well, you can probably guess what i am going to say, but it really was the best week ever! CIMG3618

EL BAUTISMO DE LA FAMILIA VACA

...we had a lot left to teach them on Wednesday, so we taught them for 2 hours straight and then they got interviewed the same night, to be ready for Sunday! It was a great baptismal service, everything went perfect, and the meeting was packed, a great number of the Spanish ward was there, but there was a surprising number of English people there as well, President and Sister Darrington were there, and a lot of the senior couples from our mission wanted to be there as well! Since stake conference is next week, we confirmed them there at the meeting, the spirit was very strong, one of the strongest i can remember from my whole mission! A day i will never forget! They are already looking forward to being sealed one year from now…”

“Florida summer is in full swing with high 90's and chuck full off humidity! I can tell that summer is here especially because of the forecasted storms and rain showers every day now! … On Thursday was Florida's Special Olympics at Disney Sports complexes, so we volunteered to help, we were there from 12 to 5, and that was the absolute coolest and most worthwhile service project that i have done on my mission! Service itself brings so much joy and peace, but being surrounded by thousands of Gods special children, seeing all of them so happy, having thousands of people cheer for them, was priceless, i cant even describe the joy i felt as gods beautiful children smiled from ear to ear, one down syndrome girl specifically made my eyes water, as she was running the 100 open with her arms in the air the entire time with a smile bigger than life itself, then afterward she started telling people "i did it, i did it" then some tears came to her eyes as she looked at the crowd that was cheering for her, she was so happy! Geez, makes my eyes water just thinking about it!  Our job was to stand at the finish line, to congratulate them, and direct them to the shade and water! It was so awesome!”

“This Sunday we had some awesome investigators at church again, A guy we tracted into named Jose Diaz, came to church, and he loved it, as soon as he came to church, he was a little late, so i waited for him in the foyer, and we walked into the chapel together, and they were singing "yo creo en Cristo" i believe in Christ, and it sounded more angelic than i have ever heard in this ward, and we started crying before we even sat down and as soon as the song was over he leaned over to me and said "there is something different in this place, i feel something soopowerful and peaceful, i don't know what it is, but i want it" He loved church and we challenged him to read and pray and we are going to teach him today! I cant wait! “