3/16/15

When you return from a 48 hour exchange outside of your area, the last thing you want to see is the passenger mirror of your car missing. Gone. Completely. Elder Willis in his exceptional driving skills drove into a mailbox at 30 mph, obliterating the mailbox and the mirror. All while I was away in the crazy town of Damascus. Even though I had nothing to do with the wreck in any way, our car's been grounded for the next three weeks, leaving us to bike 20 miles out to the different country towns in our area every other day. Gee wiz is that fun.

 

oops, trying not to be that sarcastic anymore. eek :) As you hopefully can see from the Elder Willis picture of the century, the Omar, Aisa, Aisiah, Asia, and Amari were baptized Saturday! Before my mission, baptism seemed to slip my mind. All the way up to the baptism I still had the idea that baptism is just a small step towards a better life. It was when Omar, the guy closest to me in the picture, went first before his family in the water, head bowed, that an indescribable feeling washed over me. No one could ever argue the emotions I felt, the tangible Spirit of God witnessing to my soul of the important, enveloping miracle being performed in front of me. There's now way to explain what it was like literally seeing God's work and glory in the flesh. Omar came out of that font with his tattoo covered arms and fight scars, the brightest smile I think I've ever seen spread across his face. I'm not sure what the happiest moment of my life has been, but that moment may take the cake for now.

 

Yesterday in Sacrament meeting each of them was confirmed into the church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. What better gift could there be than to feel god's love and direction every day? Man, witnessing God's power through my fingertips in confirming the Espiritus was something purely unreal. God lives. His miracles unfold everyday. For one, me even being on a mission at all is a miracle in itself. Knowing each of you from all corners of the U.S. and beyond is miraculous. Above all else, it is the miracle of our never ending potential to change through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that pushes me onward in faith.

 

Now I'm getting all preachy ah naww

 

Exchanges in the town of Damascus can be described with three Media references (look them up and you'll see what I mean): Krusty the Clown's laugh from the Simpsons, A Leprechaun in Mobil, Alabama, and Whistle Tips. If my memory serves me well, watching each of those on Youtube will describe Damascus. All of this went down with Elder Mum, a 250 pound Line backer who will tell you he hates you to your face. That's what he did in the first minute of our exchange :) luckily, my undeniable charm and obvious humility warmed him up and now we're actually best friends. Maybe it was the 30 minute discussion on a door knock with a brother on the Law of Chastity and why we think he should take down the mammoth sized portrait of Sodom and Gomorrah-like activities from his wall, which was adjacent to his much smaller picture of Jesus. That was an interesting contact.

 

You never know what's going to happen in a day as a missionary.

 

xoxo

Elder Burgess 

 Cheesiest baptismal picture ever. This is the Espiritu family! Elder Willis is on the left next to me, he's my companion. And the one who looks like Michael Scott on the right is Elder Hall, one of my zone leaders. Ahh yes

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