Elder Truman Burgess

I have this weird gas reflex that has developed over the past two days where I burp every 30 seconds. It stinks. Literally. 

On that attractive note, Yo! 2015 is here ahhh yeeee! It's intimidating, terrifying, and yet exciting when I think I will be a missionary this entire year. O.o

I'm loving it though! My second transfer is almost over, as is my first 12 weeks, which means I will be graduated from a padawan to a jedi knight in a week and a half! Oh boy am I looking forward to not living the trainee life anymore... I am so excited WOOOOOHOOOO! 

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This year's New Years was absolutely the most boring New Years of my entire life. A nice boring, but boring nonetheless. I got to go to bed early. That was nice.

The weeks are flying  by now. I'm trying to think back to crazy experiences over the past week and the weeks fade together into months. Elder Plumb, the trailer park hilarious Arizona desert rat that I love, went on exchanges with me in my area for a few days. For some reason the most adventures occur on exchanges. 

We went by a house that honestly looked exactly like the house in the movie Monster House that I felt we really needed to go by. It also didn;t help that the evening fog was so think that we couldn't see more than 20 feet above, behind, or in front of us, so I was fairly creeped out already. After knocking on the door hesitantly, it swung open nearly instantly and a charming 50 year old lady welcomed us with a bright smile. "Hello! Come on in!"

I was creeped.

Smooth jazz and dimmed lights set a strange suave atmosphere in the monster house as she led us past what must have been five giant guinea pig and ferret cages over populated with creatures. We went into the living room where her husband sat on a giant bean bag chair, legs crossed and facing us, and said, "Welcome. Take a seat, my friends. See that star on the Christmas tree? That is the star of Bethlehem." 

By far the goofiest, most surreal home I have ever entered. Tommy and Elizabeth Bowers are our two newest investigators, along with their star of Bethlehem on their Christmas tree that they say will stay up the whole year. They are soooo open to the gospel! It's awesome and inspired that I'm the missionary to meet them because, truthfully, I doubt there's any other missionary out here that would click with their hilarity.

I've learned more than ever the reality of the Lord's love for us. Here I live in Arnold, Maryland, the absolute last place I would ever have imagined myself living, surrounded with people that are only open to being helped by me in all of my flaws and corky characteristics. As I put my faith in his will for me, God directs my paths to meet those in need. The number one thing that I learned before coming out that I wish more missionaries and people everywhere would understand is to STOP WORRYING! Do your best to be the most loving, honest, genuine person you can be, love God, and everything falls into place! Stop worrying about if you're doing enough to follow God's will, or even if God exists! Believe in yourself with sincerity and hope for a better world. Hope and love are the two keys for faith. Faith that will lead to a knowledge of God's love for us. Faith that will lead us to happiness. Faith that will lead us to green pastures and still waters (psalms ftw). Build your faith through love to God by opening up in true, heartfelt love to him. Talk to him! I know I wouldn't be able to continue this journey were it not for the one that's always willing to hear and care for our individual thoughts.

I also could not continue out here if it were not for all of your support! Every one of you have helped me out in life, most when I didn't even deserve it! I love all of you!

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Until next week!

xoxo

Elder Burgess