March 7, 2016

March 7, 2016:

I'm getting transferred to Woodstock, Virginia tomorrow, the very same area that my uncle, dad, grandma, and aunt live in. I've been visiting my mission and my next area for the past 11 years. wow. Not only do I get to serve in this next chapter of the Elder Burgess adventures in Woodstock, but I get to serve with one of my best friends that I was in the MTC with, Elder Abraham! This will be an exciting path ahead, but part of me will always miss Hancock. Every area I've served in has been difficult to leave. It's almost like I have to leave home to a new life every few months.

Along our roads here in Hancock we met a random old lady who stopped cut us off in her car as we were walking, asking if we were Mormon missionaries. She continued to tell us that while she was 7th Day Adventist, her brother and sister in Indianapolis are Mormon. This lady's name was Jennifer, and wonderful Jennifer lit up two cold Elder's hearts by inviting us over for dinner in a couple of nights. Long story short, Jennifer and her husband Daryl are incredible people, brilliant in multiple scholastic fields and, above all else, the Bible. We've met with them twice now, and the mega stumbling block of progression in the lessons revolves around the necessity of understanding through your heart, as well as your mind. They have the unfortunate belief that knowledge from god and form our lives can only be received through the mind, since the heart can lie through emotions.

'sigh'

As incredible as they are playing instruments, cooking, and carrying on beautiful conversations, they miss an essential part of living life to its fullest. Similar to how Christ gave both his flesh and his blood, we receive in two different aspects: our heart and our mind. The two revolve around each other and establish each other. Learning in word and in spirit balance our progression like a right foot following the left. 

Understanding through your heart is a difficult to describe. Elder Flandro said it right, "There's a difference between your heart and hormones." It's the difference between lust and love, pride and honor, zealous and jealous, charity and entitlement. I suppose poets, song writers, painters, and sculptors have spent ages attempting to display what it means to connect with the heart. I've found that there's a direct reason why the Savior chose to describe the Holy Spirit of all truth, knowledge, and wisdom, as "the Comforter". In my opinion the difference between an emotion and a feeling is the presence of divinity. It's impossible to adequately describe the experience of discipleship. It's a path that deserves to be walked individually. It's a path that deserves a personal witness. If you feel you are missing a puzzle piece of your heart, look to Christ and follow Him. He has and always will be my source of hope for a better world. :)

The MTC District, 17 months later. 

The Elder who's head I'm stroking here is my new companion. who knows what the future holds. <3