Email August 10, 2015

Email August 10, 2015 – Elder Kenneth Wm. Burton

Bunch of Burtons

Okay, I'll start out with the bad'ish news and go on from there. I fell off my bike and may have broken my wrist. Not a bad break or anything. It feels the same as it did when I had a micro fracture in my wrist senior year from wrestling. Its the same wrist too.

So here's the story. We were biking out somewhere and were heading up a long hill. All of a sudden my gears slip and next thing I know I'm on the the ground. A pretty solid fall. I caught myself perfectly, although that's probably the problem. I also destroyed my pants. Somehow they ripped down the front of the thigh. So that was on Thursday. Saturday morning I decided I should probably have it looked at so we went to the hospital because all the other doctors offices are closed on the weekend. The doctor there was no help at all. He played with my wrist for a minute, poking at it, bending it. And its sore, but nothing bad. It mainly feels really shaky and weak. So he gives me some weird look and tells me he doesn't think its broken, but if I want to I can buy a brace for it. I thought he would at least x-ray it or something. He said because I wasn't in extreme pain and it wasn't swollen at all, it must not be broken. Last time I went a whole month on it before I finally found out it was fractured, it wasn't swollen at all, and didn't hurt too badly. And even if it is just sprained, the reason I came to the hospital was to find out for sure. To figure out what really was wrong not just to get an opinion. I already knew I needed a brace. I just wanted to know exactly was wrong. Ah well. I ended up buying a brace, and it feels a tone better while its on. I'm planning on going to see my actual doctor in a week or two if its still feeling the same.

So that's exciting'ish news..... Sorry mom, I'll be more careful. 

We went out to start knocking I think it was Thursday, right after my bike crash actually. The first door we knocked on there was no answer. So we moved over to the next home. On the way we could hear behind the hedge that the owner of the first home was in the process of clipping his hedge. Which made sense why he didn't answer the door. So we poked our heads over and called out to him, and offered our help. He came over, a little confused, but after a minute of talking to him he asked, "are you sure you want to help?" "Of course!" He welcomed us into his back yard and we then followed him around as he clipped the bushes, and we would pick up the fallen branches after him. That's when my pants saw their last days. I bent down to pick up a pile of branches and they split between the legs, on both edges of the seam. Now I have that to add onto the rip down my thigh. Luckily I don't think Jens, the man we were helping, noticed. So that's good.

After we were done with the yard, he sat us down at a table he had outside where he gave us something to drink and we were able to start talking with him a bit about what we do as missionaries. He opened up and asked a few questions and we taught him a lesson there and set up an appointment for the next week. We've been seeing service open so many hearts recently. We've been sharing our success with members and they've now been giving us referrals to help their friends. I think in the last two transfers I've consistently received more referrals than any other area. We're seeing a lot of good come from it too.

This morning I was reading through Moroni 7 and had something catch my attention while reading through the verses about charity. In verse 48 it says "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love... that ye may become the sons of God...that when he shall appear we shall be like him... that we may be purified even as he is pure."

"That we shall be like him..." and then reading earlier in verse 45 we learn that "charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

These characteristics of charity are the Christlike attributes that we are commanded to attain. Patience, love, obedience, diligence, knowledge, faith, hope, virtue, and humility. All of these attributes are described in verse 45. Although worded a bit differently. Too often I feel like we understand the word charity to mean just giving to others and being loving. Which it is, but its so much more. It is the one word that comes close to describing Jesus Christ and his character. "If ye have not charity ye are nothing". Our goal is to "be purified even as he is pure" and that is done through the gift of charity, through becoming like him.

Thanks for all of photos this week! Its always fun to see you all having a great time.

I just felt prompted to let you all know that I love it here. I really do feel so happy! There is no replacement for obedience and hard work. They are incredible gifts that God has given to us to find peace and joy. As one applies them, the spirit comes, and I've found it impossible to be down when the spirit is there. This work is of God. I can testify of that.

Love, Elder Kenneth Burton