September 19, 2016

Current Address:

Elder Truman Burgess

3556 Carriage Hill Circle

Apt #101

Randallstown, MD  21133

Subject: Cooling Cement Adventures--

Preparation days are always a big deal for missionaries. For us every Monday is set aside from 6:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. to grocery shop, clean, do laundry, and whatever time is left is used to hike, play sports, go to the zoo, etc. So you know that as Monday gets closer missionaries already have plans set in store to make the most of it.

Elder Ashby and I geared up and tightened our laces, ready to sand-volleyball it up at the Baltimore Inner Harbor sand courts, and drove down the road to carpool with some other missionaries. The normal meet up spot is exactly half-way in between our areas, making it the most efficient way to save our precious car's monthly miles. Unfortunately this half way point happens to be in the thick woods on a sharp turn, side-winding around a river. We parked our car, set foot out the door and noticed a mini van screech around the corner, followed by a loud crash.

Immediately the four of us ran around the corner to see what had happened. A woman named Tasha was driving her nine-year-old daughter and three-year-old toddler to a private school when her front left tire popped as she turned the tight corner. Luckily her brakes were working well, so everyone was all right, but they had the dilemma of a popped tire in a mud drenched side of the road. 

She had a spare tire, but no jack or tools to change it. Just so happened that our Ford Fusion had the exact jack needed for the size of her tires, and two of us had job experience specifically changing dozens of tires a day. Oh, and did I mention we weren't wearing our "beloved" white shirts and ties? Mud was a welcomed friend for the moment.

While the other three Elders slipped and slid to take the tire off, I noticed that Tasha was arguing with someone on the phone, leaving her two daughters standing anxiously and scared in the mud. I wiped off my hands, walked up to them, and began asking them what their favorite things to do were.

"Watch t.v." 

"Play on my mom's phone."

....

I knew there had to be something else, so I prodded a little further, "What about.....dancing??"

Immediately both of their faces lit up and the nine year busted into free style dance moves, her little sister looking up to her and trying to mimic her moves. I added in a couple moves, then laughed it off with them and challenged them to a patty-cake contest. Yep.

There on the side of the washed-out forest road I had the most intense and enjoyable patty-cake clapping game of my life. The three of us ended up laughing our heads off and getting more and more into the game until the other Elders interrupted and gave me a hard time for literally playing patty-cake while they changed a tire in the mud.

I looked to the left and saw Tasha folding her arms with the brightest smile on her face, wiping tears away. She told us how grateful she was that we were there at the exact time to help her, both with her kids and with the tire. Also turned out she is looking to join a church with her family. Hm. What a coincidence. ;)

xoxo

Elder Burgess

September 13, 2016

Sizzling Cement Adventures

If you're a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, chances are your life will involve an unusual amount of interviews and meetings for the rest of mortality. There's much to be said in the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and much help to be given among our varied and intricate lives. As a missionary we have even more frequent meetings and interviews, though you get used to it after a couple months. From a secular perspective these meetings may seem excessive or over-whelming, and often times in the Church they are perceived that way too, but I have found some of the most powerful spiritual experiences for me have occurred wearing a suit and sitting in a pew, or face to face in an interview with a leader.

This week a man named Elder Robert C. Gay of the Quorum of the Seventy (a group of disciples that travel and counsel with the 12 Apostles across the globe) visited our mission. This is why this email is Tuesday rather than Monday. Anyways, the entire east side of the mission met together in Columbia, Maryland for an interactive discussion with him about missionary work. We all were seated, scriptures out and studying with prelude hymns playing ahead when my spiritual bubble was popped by an Elder at the end of the row sharply whispering, "Elder Burgess! Elder Burgess! President Christiansen (my mission president) wants you to be interviewed by Elder Gay." I set the scriptures on the pew and awkwardly squeezed through the tightly fit missionaries and followed the Elder into the hall. A couple chairs were set outside the room, filled by missionaries varied in size and gender, myself seated as the last interview. Now, I've been in a lot of interviews with people. Mostly they consist of the person interviewing discussing with you how you're doing physically, spiritually, and mentally, and if you have any questions you could use help with. Every time I feel good afterwards and walk out with renewed tips to embark with.

So sitting down in the chair I was confident and relaxed for whatever lay ahead, not a care in the world dwelling on my mind. In fact I took out some fruit snacks I had in my pocket and casually ate like an elementary schooler enjoying his snack time. After just one gummy out came the first Sister missionary that was being interviewed, tears streaming down her face in borderline hysteria, clearly trying to end her sobbing with constant eye rubbing. 

Now I was a little worried.

What happened in there? What lay ahead for me? Oh boy...

Each of the following interviewers entered and left, each with clearly crying eyes or deep looks of thought staring at the ground as they went back into the chapel. Like the last kid to the plate I was on the edge of my seat with anxiety for what awaited me with this prestigious man. Elder Gay is 60/70 year old man who has a PHD in economics from Harvard University, has been the head of flipping companies like Outback Steak House, Staples, Burger King, and Toy R Us, was a mission president in Ghana and the Ivory Coast in Africa, and has served alongside the Prophet and Apostles for the past decade. 

In I walked into the Church classroom not exactly sure what to expect. There he sat on a normal, uncomfortable, metal folding chair looking at some scriptures as I entered the room. His eyes looked up to me and I saw the kindest looking old man chilling reading the Bible. Hm, I thought. All seems ok....surely he's finding scriptures to chastise me with or something. But as we began talking together we discussed school plans, where I'm from, how he just reorganized some church boundaries in Gilbert, Arizona, and how my mission has gone so far. Abruptly he asked, "what is the number one lesson you have learned from your mission?" I thought for a moment, then replied by sharing how I have drawn to a close and intimate relationship with the Grand Creator of the universe, my Father in Heaven who cares for puny me among the incomprehensible enormities of creation unfolded by His hands. I also gave a few other life lessons I've learned on the side, and then all he said in response immediately following my answer was,

"Remember that the Lord will never forsake you. Never forget that." 

Oh. Gee, thanks. A little unexpected, but oh, well, all good, moving on with the interview. Thanks for the tip, I thought. We talked for a little bit longer, then he said, "Alright, our meeting is just about to begin in the other room. Ask me any question about anything," like a genie in a bottle. I thought for a bit, then asked the question that has constantly been on my mind the past two months. I told him how many of my friends have returned home from their missions with zeal and perseverance, then end up forsaking not only the Church, but God Himself. I have thought about why that could be over and over, and the simple conclusion I have come to is that they lack one essential skill. Remembrance. I have had undeniable spiritual experiences with each of these missionaries and friends that a book of scripture could easily be written about, and yet they fall back into their old habits and sins, not only sitting stagnant, but even digressing in virtue, faith, hope, and love. I asked Elder Gay, how can I make sure to remember my life and these experiences that have brought me this far?

He paused, gently smiled, looked down, then deeply stared into my eyes and told me, "If you record your spiritual experiences in ink or in a tangible memory, your mental memory will expand and you will never forsake the Lord. This is how you will know that the Lord will never forsake you." 

The beginning of the interview tied into the conclusion and my heart sputtered with the mental realization of what had just taken place. A true servant of the Lord had answered my prayers and what had dwelt on my mind for months. Sure enough, I made a point to be even more diligent in recording spiritual experiences not only in my journal, but in planners with little notes, even on napkins and candy wrappers to record later. I read through my 1 and 3/4 finished journals from the mission and I was hit with how far I've come with the Savior walking beside me. What an experience. I still don't know what was said for those missionaries to break down in streaming tears, but I do know what was said for me. A life memory recorded as a witness that God will always answer my prayers.

xoxo

Elder Burgess

September 5, 2016

 On a random door knock a lady in cheetah speckled clothes immediately welcomed us into her home. Her husband was playing on the computer and wouldn't come out of his room, so we sat down with cheetah clothes lady named Crystal. 

Whenever we meet someone who begins their conversation with, "I saw a documentary about you," we brace ourselves for whatever may follow. I'm glad I did too, because she had a misunderstanding between us and some terrifying cults in the desert, delivered to us in possibly some of the most colorful and rude language I've heard. Not sure if I should be grateful that she was drinking or not, since she was just as willing to change her mind as she was willing to share it, after we helped clear up that we aren't abusive psychopaths (though not sure about E Ashby yet....heh heh). She definitely wasn't drunk, just a bit tipsy from a wine drink off with her mother-in-law. This led her to ask a few heart-tugging questions about life and statements clearly void of hope in her life as a wife and a mother. I've found that the only real way to connect with someone substantially, both for those sober and those under an influence, is by placing myself in their empathetic shoes and listening. In fact, I'd be willing to say some of the best experiences I've had with ministering have come simply by listening with loving ears. 

Crystal went on for a while, we chimed in a few encouraging words and scriptures, she went on for another while, then stopped abruptly and thanked us for willing to listen to her problems despite being complete strangers.Now, I feel like my new companion Elder Ashby looks like a normal, same age guy like myself. We both have brown hair, both Caucasian, only like three/four inch height difference, similar weights, and we even both wear glasses. Yet I was surprised when squinted eyes followed as she looked between Elder Ashby and I, and she added, speaking to Elder Ashby, "You his boy? He your Pops? You sure look like father and son." 

I never have been called my companion's legitimate father before. I suppose the wine might had something to do with it, but I'll take it as a well placed compliment.

You're never too sure what to expect around here. The remarkable thing to me is that everyone has their own time tables, their own agendas, their own schedules, yet in the jumbled spider web of busyness, miraculous crossroads present themselves turn after turn, setting us in the exact right place and moment needed to help another brother or sister out in their respective dire circumstances. Simply by walking down streets we gather  timeless adventures.

xoxo

Elder Burgess

August 29, 2016

Though we don't have to worry about paying gas money in Mission cars, we do have to be ever watchful of our allotted mileage count for the month. So, as any missionary from our mission will tell you, the end of the month seems to bring in its own stressful eye glancing to the odometer more than usual.

Exchanges, meetings, and leaving behind suits dozens of miles away added up to the end of August, leaving Elder Wind and I with few miles left for the final week. This meant we would proselyte on foot (since I can't bike because of my surgery a year ago ;)) no matter how far our appointments were. Just so happened that they were on the opposite side of the city for us. Throw in 100 degree weather and you have a 9-10 mile round trip trek for a single appointment. Off we went with surprisingly high spirits, off to teach our boy Olakunle from Nigeria. A couple hours later we were drenched in sweat with mouths like cotton, but we finally reached our destination.

You guessed it. No one was home.

Many sighs followed, then we turned back in order to get to our dinner appointment on time. Two old hood women mocked us right off the bat, and jeering from flying cars pushed us onward. Our heads drooped lower and lower as our hamstrings cramped tighter and tighter, until we wearily arrived to dinner. Refreshing as it was, our plans for the rest of the night were shot from cancellations, leaving us to freestyle proselyte like the olden days. 

Before embarking into the evening, we said a prayer together specifically asking for someone to cross our paths ready and willing to learn the Gospel. The prayer came from the bottom of our hearts, sincerely and with real intent. About a mile's walk later we turned down a shoot off street looking for some doors to knock. A small crowd of adults were in a conversation down the block. When they spotted us, a man jogged towards us and shouted, "Hey! Can I have a Bible?"  His niece, nephew, and sister followed him and a miracle happened. We began to teach them the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Smith and all of their hearts were hooked to each word we said. Soon more and more people streamed out of their homes one by one, carrying a chair or a bible, and before we knew it we were teaching an old fashioned sermon. They treated us with unbelievable respect and hospitality, washed to a shine when contrasted by the adversity experienced only a few hours earlier.

Each person literally begged for us to return to teach them more. Sincerity works wonders. I've learned that all the knowledge in the world is useless unless paired with a sincere, humble, and loving heart. Instead of blood sacrifices from the Law of Moses, Christ asks each of us to offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit upon the altars of our pride as a sacrifice to him. The blessings rained from heaven are real, and they are powerful. Whenever you feel that life has you down and you feel alone, reach out with a humble heart and a willing mind to our Eternal Father in Heaven. I promise you He will answer in palpable truth, unparalleled by the  vague vanities of the world. 

Sadly, Elder Wind is transferring to Pennsylvania this week, but my new companion is Elder Ashby, who is actually coming from a six month service in Hancock, MD, one of my former stomping grounds! I bet there will be many stories to share and many more on the horizon.

xoxo

Elder Burgess