June 23, 2014

Email June 23, 2014 – Elder Kenneth Wm. Burton

"What more can I do?"..."I can Try."

Bunch of Burtons

Crazy morning already. We spent an hour after studies helping a members son move, and then went shopping. As we were about to make the purchase the phone rang and it was Liselotte. She was needing a ride from someone down to Aarhus and was asking us for a members number. The government is putting the family in a family center down in Aarhus for a month or two to help Simon quite drinking and also to get some therapy for the baby Anakin, the nurse thinks he might have a small mental problem. Simon has been put on a medicine that will make him get super sick each time he drinks to drive out the desire to drink. After figuring out a ride from her mom Liselotte called and asked if we could stop by and offer her a blessing to help her get through everything that's going on right now. Elder Hawkes gave an amazing blessing guided by the spirit, and you could see it helped almost immediately. Liselotte still has a strong desire to be baptized, she's going to try to figure out a way to get to church every Sunday in Aarhus. We'll need to let the Elders down there know so they can be on watch for her and help out in any way that they can.

 Its great that Simon is able to get this help. The drinking was getting out of hand, Sunday morning Liselotte and her mom showed up to church almost in tears. Simon had gotten drunk and had started getting violent with Liselotte and started trying to choke her out, her mom slapped Simon to get him to stop and then he beat her as well. Cops were called and I guess that's why the government is having them go to Aarhus today. I guess if they didn't agree with the treatment Anakin would have been taken away.

They wont be getting back for a few months, I would love to still be here when they get back and continue teaching them. I honestly feel like they are one of the main reasons I was assigned to serve in Frederikshavn. They showed up in church my first Sunday and I have come to really love their family, even with all the craziness that's been going on.

We set a baptismal date with Julia! For July 12th, We're trying to meet with her a few times during the week now as well as in church on Sunday to make sure she is confident and ready. She's doing well, still a little hard to get her to answer all the time, but its improving, she just needs to realize her grandparents wont answer for her and then she will answer.

We have two new investigators up in Skagen. Referrals from the Bornholm Festival. We went up to Skagen and stopped by to contact them for the first time. They opened up and let us in. Sat us down, brought out soda and then lunch. Perfect timing, we hadn't known what we were going to do for lunch, another small blessing. We didn't teach the whole first lesson, mainly answered questions to how our church is different than the Danish church. But they liked what we said and invited us back!

You all remember the quote in Ephraims Rescue when someone asked Ephraim "How do you do so much good?" his answer, "I try". We need to show our faith by trying, by doing all we can to accomplish the things we have been commanded to do. And when we cant do any more, when we are at our last straw, we will receive help from the only being that can. In Enos when the brother of Jared is trying to figure out a way to light the boats. He first asks God for help. Is told to go find a way, anything but using windows for they would be dashed to pieces, and fire, for they would not travel by the light of fire. The brother of Jared went out and did what was commanded, he made a plan, and then "tried". He put in all the effort he possibly could. He searched out and found a specific kind of rock. Cut out and then melted it into stones, and polished them until they where as glass. And only then, when he literally could not do anything more on his own he went to the Lord and asked for help. For the Lord was the only one with the power to light the stones. That is what we must do. Try. Show our faith. Put in the effort that we can. And trust in the Lord that he will take care of what we cant. Faith is power. Through faith all things are possible. "For with God nothing shall be impossible", Luke 1:37. We have Gods help if we show our faith in him.

I hope to hear from you all! Have a great week!

Meget Kærlighed!

Ældste Burton