Transferred

Things have been going great here! We were so stoked, we had 6 investigators at church, two of which have bap dates, and a couple of them were people we just tracted into! We had an awesome experience with Mark, he is a guy in his mid 30s that we tracted into earlier in the week, and right off the bat we knew that he was Golden, he asked us all the right questions, he has been on a soul search for the truth, and just by studying the bible on his own, he knows that the authority of God is important, so he asked where and how he can find it, and he asked about Prophets in our day, and he even said "this might sound a lil crazy but I believe there is a literal spirit world where our bodies go before resurrection, where we can continue to learn and grow! Anyway he showed up to church yesterday and loved it, he stayed the 3 hours, and then after church it was just him and us in the chapel teaching him for about an hour or so, he said I love all of it, I really do, I just want to know about Baptism! It was awesome!

Another one of our investigators that was at church that has a bap date is Kacy Kemp, she is 18 years old and is living on Patrick air force base, she just entered the air force 6 months ago and is from North Dakota! When one of our members out there (an R.M.:-) invited over to another members place to play board games she asked if there was going to be alcohol, because she wont come if there is, he said, "nope, we are all mormons" and she didn't know what that meant, she had never heard of the church before! Her father and mother raised them going to a number of different churches, mostly presbyterian, and she was very confused about religion growing up, but we have started teaching her, and she is flying through the Book of Mormon, and she LOVES it! She already believes it is true, and she is so excited to be baptized. in her own words "this time the right way and for good" It is awesome, I can totally see this becoming one of those stories where he baptizes her and they get married in the temple! I hope so at least:-)

Our other date is Beth Ryan, she has had a date before, but this time she said that she is ready to "cut the crap" and she is giving up smoking! She is being so stalwart and is doing so good!

Orlando Florida Mission Home

Things are going so good in this area, I am very sad to leave, I got the phone call on Saturday Morning, and President gave me a new assignment, there is a zone called La Zona Hispana, and it encompasses all of the spanish missionaries in all of the actual city of Orlando, all in all about 12 companionships i believe, anyway he wants me to go there and be a Zone Leader over there, he told me some of the challenges and problems they have been having there, and since I have never served in the city, he told me to go in and "fix it". I don't know exactly what has been going on, but I am very excited to be serving in the heart of Orlando, and since our spanish zone covers all of orlando, I will get to see the entire city! I am really excited to be in full time spanish work again to! And I get to see all of the missionaries from my mtc district that I haven't seen in 14 months! It is going to be great, I hear that this is the best spanish ward in the whole mission too! but I am so sad to leave this area, I love this area so much! I love our investigators and I feel intertwined with each and every one of them, and I feel like a family member of each family in the ward! Bishop called me up from the congregation to come and leave them with a talk and a testimony, I couldn't believe how hard that was to testify while looking at the ward and people I have come to love so much!  Last night we drove around after our lessons and I got to say goodbye to some of our investigators and members, I greatly dislike being transferred, you get so involved and intertwined with all of these people then you have to say goodbye! I know that I have friendships that will last a life time here! I am really sad about leaving my companion, Elder Green, he has become my best friend out here, I have always loved my companions, but we had a perfect companionship, I love him! I am going to be way sad to say goodbye, at least I will still see him at zone leader meetings and stuff!

My new apartment is about 1/4 mile from Pres and Sis Darrington's home and about 2 miles from the mission office, so as far as mail goes, just use the mission office address, it will get there really quick and I can just pick it up from there when we drive past.  I better go because i still have to do alot of packing, I love you all so much and I am praying for you!

Love,  Elder Burdick

Today's email

We had another really good week, finding 8 new gators (investigators) having 7 lessons in members homes, setting 1 date with someone for the first time, and having another person at church for the first time besides our "usuals":-)

we have had some really cold days this week, like down to 50 some days, poor me huh:-( Jk, I cant believe how much I have acclimated and my blood has thinned out, some mornings I wake up freezing! it will probably only get warmer from here!

Yesterday we had a cool surprise, our bishopric found out right before our pec meetings that David Archuletta (cant spell his last name, the really popular american idol kid) was in town visiting some members from Palm Bay and that he was going to do a fireside in rockledge at 6;30 that night, it was funny, everyone thought it was a joke to pull people away from the superbowl, but then our bishop called our stake president and it was real, I don't know much about this kid, but he must be a big deal, because there were soo many gasps when they announced it from the pulpit, and we have two high school age investigators that were not going to miss it for the world, so we were allowed to go, because it would be dead trying to do work during the superbowl! It was funny, we got there about 15 minutes prior and the stake center was already getting packed, I think that there was all of floridas young women there, anyway he showed up about 10 minutes late, and when he walked in, everyone stopped talking immediately, I didn't see the big deal, but then he sang a solo, and that was amazing!!! he sang be still my soul, one of my absolute favorite hymns, he was awesome, then he answered questions for about and hour, it wasn't too well organized because it was set up the morning of, but then he sang I know that my redeemer lives, and it was amazing again, it brought such a strong spirit, i love music, especially the hymns!

afterward he was signing and taking pics, and we had to leave to be home on time soo bishop clarks daughters were waiting in the HUGE line, so we gave them our little white books, and he signed one of the blank back pages, i guess he must be pretty popular, because they were making a really big deal out of it, i thought it was cool though that he would take an evening while on vacation to talk to the youth and help them understand what is "important" in life!

This video is from a fireside back in June 08, but I imagine this is what Sam heard. :)

Today's Email

hey fam! We had another really good week, finding 8 new gators (investigators) having 7 lessons in members homes, setting 1 date with someone for the first time, and having another person at church for the first time besides our "usualls":-) we have had some really cold days this week, like down to 50 some days, poor me huh:-( Jk, i cant believe how much i have climated and my blood has thined out, some mornings i wake up freezing! it will probably only get warmer from here! Yesterday we had a cool suprise, our bishopric found out right before our pec meetings that David Archuletta (cant spell his last name, the really popular american idol kid) was in town visiting some members from Palm Bay and that he was going to do a fireside in rockledge at 6;30 that night, it was funny, everyone thought it was a joke to pull people away from the superbowl, but then our bishop called our stake president and it was real, i dont know much about this kid, but he must be a big deal, because there were soo many gasps when they announced it from the pulpit, and we have two high school age investigators that were not going to miss it for the world, so we were allowed to go, because it would be dead trying to do work during the superbowl! It was funny, we got there about 15 minutes prior and the stake center was already getting packed, i think that there was all of floridas young women there, anyway he showed up about 10 minutes late, and when he walked in, everyone stopped talking immediatly, i didnt see the big deal, but then he sang a solo, and that was amazing!!! he sang be still my soul, one of my absolute favorite hymns, he was awesome, then he answered questions for about and hour, it wasnt too well organized because it was set up the morning of, but then he sang i know that my redeemer lives, and it was amazing again, it brought such a strong spirit, i love music, especially the hymns! afterward he was signing and taking pics, and we had to leave to be home on time soo bishop clarks daughters were waiting in the HUGE line, so we gave them our little white books, and he signed one of the blank back pages, i guess he must be pretty popular, because they were making a really big deal out of it, i thought it was cool though that he would take an evening while on vacation to talk to the youth and help them understand what is "important" in life! anyway, i better go, i hope that you have a great week, i love you soo much, and i am praying for you! thank you for all you do!
love,Elder Burdick

Today's detail-less email

Hey fam!

Thank you soo much for all of your emails! I definitely have thee coolest family ever!

Well, I know that i have had some great weeks in the past, but this last week definitely surpasses them all! I have just had the most amazing week of my entire mission i believe! The lord has soo richly blessed us! We taught soo many spiritual lessons this week and sooo many amazing people! We taught probably about 7-8 lessons a day, most of which were in members homes, we were being led every step to prepared people! When we would go contacting we would meet the most amazing people one right after another and we had our phone ringing like crazy for more appointments to be set up! We have served with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, and the lord has blessed us for it! It is soo satisfying at the end of the week to look back and know that you did your absolute best, and that you filled the measure of your creation! That you laid it all out on the line for the Lord, and received blessings from on high! I give all credit to him, but i am soo thankful for the opportunity to have him work through me! It seems like when we weren't teaching, we were on our knees thanking the lord and praying to find the next lost sheep! The spirit of God like a fire is Burning!

Thank you soo much for all that you do! I love you soo much! I am praying for you! Love, Elder Burdick ps. The church is soo TRUE!

Now you are as informed as the rest of us! :)

January News

Email 1/5/09 - "EEERRRRRR, It deleted my whole email when I tried to send!  I don't have time to write it again, I will have to send some snail mail home today! and mom will have to update!!! SUPER BUMMER!"

Snail mail - "So here I am writing some snail mail, I was silently pretty upset at my computer!  So I will try and remember everything I had written in the email. :(

Things are going really good here!  I already love my new companion, Elder Green.  He is from Santaquin, Utah, about 20 minutes south of Provo.  He is an awesome missionary with a very powerful testimony!  We are already really good friends!  I love teaching with him!  The Lord has already blessed us with so many new investigators and teaching opportunities.  On Saturday we had been tracting for about 1 1/2 hours and we knocked on this one door & they invited us in before we could even say anything!  Turns out that they had been to church before in South Carolina and then moved down here.  They had two copies of the Book of Mormon, one in English and one in Japanese!  What is crazy is the day before we were in Orlando for our zone leader meetings and I was in the supply room looking for things and I came across a Japanese video (that is only in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean) so I thought 'hmmm, this might come in handy', so I picked it up and the very next day we tracted into the very first Japanese person I have met on my mission!  It was awesome!  We taught the whole first discussion right there and tonight we have a dinner appointment to have sushi and afterwards watch that video I picked up!  The Lord works is mysterious ways! 

I had a really great Sunday, I loved it, we had so many investigators show up, even ones we found the day before tracting!  The Lord is definitely blessing us right now! 

...we found out the whole mission is getting cell phones! in two weeks!  I am so stoked, I have been on both sides, with and without, and they are definitely an asset to the work!  We are even getting rid of all the fax machines, even media referrals from SLC will be by text.  There are going to be tight restrictions on the regular cell phones, so there won't be any probs with disobedience!  I am really excited!"

Email 1/12/09 - "Things are going great here! We had an awesome week! And had some more amazing experiences with people that the Lord has put in our paths as we have been tracting! At our zone leader meeting President Darrington also introduced a "new" way of contacting people at the door, and just like all things you get out of it what you put into it! Some missionaries that are awesome missionaries in our zone loved it, while others weren't very excited about it! We have been doing it ourselves and it definitely helps find those that have been prepared, so this week we are going to go on ALOT of exchanges with the missionaries in our zone to get them excited about it and show them by example how they can use it, I think that is one of my favorite things about being a zone leader, being able to go and spend a day and a half with another missionary in their area, to learn and grow together, and to get to know them and help them find more joy in the work! I love the missionaries in our zone right now!

We had stake conference this last weekend in Rockledge and I didn't know it until right before that there was going to be two of the 70's there! It was an amazing spiritual stake conference! The spirit was so strong in that room! It was Elder Andersen (area 70) and Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the presidency of the 70! He was an amazing speaker, I loved his talk!

This morning for p-day, we drove out to the church ranch and took their tour! It is amazing that over 300,000 acres of a ranch could have the spirit just as soon as you entered at the gate! It is amazing how the lord has instructed his servants to take care of that land! We got to see thousands of cattle and gators and all the old houses! It was really neat!

In my thoughts and journal I have been thinking a lot about changes I have seen in my own life since coming on my mission! GEEZ, I  couldn't imagine not being here, doing this, learning what life is really about, but most of all learning who my Savior is and sharing that with others! I love this work and my Savior with all my heart!"

Email 1/20/09 -  "Things are going really good here, we had a great week last Week, we had zone conference last week on Tuesday down in Palm Bay, and Elder green and I were asked to do a training on finding by the spirit! It went really well, lately we have been really focusing on the spirit lately and finding the lords elect, and I love it, we have such an awesome time tracting, sounds crazy I know, but we love it, the spirit has been so strong, it is almost as if we can feel if the person is going to be receptive before they even open the door!

This last Sunday we had our Wards Preach My Gospel Kickoff, where we presented to every single member of the ward during the third hour the study guide that we have been working on for quit a while! It is going to be awesome! I want to send the study guide home to you so that all of you can do it as well! It is to be done as families in family home evening with specific reading sections and commitments, for a span of 10 weeks, and at the end of the 10 weeks we are going to have an awesome Easter Fireside, for them to bring all the people that they have been working with! It is going to be really cool! We got everyone really excited about it! I think it would be so cool for you to do it as well!

This week has been so great! The spirit is so strong, I have never felt so guided and led before in my entire life as I have been here! I am so excited for this week, We have so many appts set up, about 4 or 5 on most days, and the rest of the time we can't wait to go tracting!

On Monday, being a holiday all of the youth had school off, so we set up an ultimate frisbee tournament, for them to bring their non member friends along, it was so fun, so many of even the old guys showed up to play, and we had some great non members there! We played for about 3 hours straight! I loved It!"

Sunrise at the Beach

The Patrick air force base is in our area, so the other day we went out there to eat with some members that live on base, it was way cool crossing the Indian river to get to the beach side, and I saw the Atlantic ocean for the first time in real person, I love the ocean, I can't wait because the last p-day of every transfer the coastal zones get to go to the beach early in the morning to watch the sunrises, that will be awesome! -Email 10/20/2008

November 3, 2008

November 3, 2008

Today was zone p-day, so we had the opportunity to go to a sunrise as a zone on the beach, it was way cool, and I took lots of cool pics to send home! afterward we played beach volleyball, and then went to Melbourne's chapel and watched the Emma Smith Movie, it was way cool to be on the beach, I am def. coming back here to go surfing! - Email 11/3/2008

October 2008 pictures

October 2, 2009

Zone Leaders               October 9, 2008

October 9, 2008

October 10, 2009

Elder Kenneth Johnson & Elder Burdick            October 17,2008

"In two weeks we will be having a mission tour with Elder Kenneth Johnson, The British 70, he will be attending all the zone conferences, and doing training's, I am really excited, it should be neat!" - Email dated 10/6/2008  "First off, on Wednesday night we had an investigator fireside in Orlando as part of Elder Johnson, of the seventy) (the British one), as part of his mission tour, we were able to go out there with a member and take Beth Ryan to it, it was amazing, it was one straight hour of spiritual power, it was crazy I was actually exhausted afterward, he just laid it all out on the line! Then on Friday we had our zone conference down in Palm Bay, for all of the south missionaries, It was amazing, General authorities are definitely different when they aren't behind the general conference pulpit, Elder Johnson has such a great personality! It was such and spiritual and fun zone conference, he kept calling people at random to do things, and he called me up and said Elder Burdick, bear us your testimony, my heart started to beat, and so i said a little prayer in my heart, and all of a sudden everything was sooo calm, like I was on the beach or something! Words were put in my mouth! After zone conference he met with the zone leaders, there were only four of us for the south, so it was just us and Elder Johnson and President Darrington in a room, that was awesome as well, i got to have a great conversation with him and being a missionary and he gave me some great advice." - Email dated 10/20/2008

October 22, 2008

October 27,2008

"I guess I will start with last p day in the night, we went over to an awesome families home named the carters, and they invited a less active and we all had a lesson on families and CARVED PUMPKINS, I cant believe I went soo many years before my mission without carving pumpkins (by my choice), it is sooo fun, and I will get home right before halloween next year, so be expecting a pro carver to come home:-) I had a big pumpkin, so one side had homestar runner, and the other had Strongbad! I need to send a pic of it, it is awesome!" -Email dated 11/3/2008