Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Email September 27, 2017

Email September 27, 2017 –Elder Jackson Kunzler Burton
Three weeks down!

Hey everyone!
         It's been another great week at the MTC! The daisenpai, the missionaries 6 weeks ahead of us, just left to Japan. It was kinda sad to see them go, but I'm excited for them to go do great things in Japan. Them leaving also made me feel like I don't have much time left in the MTC, even though I still have 6 weeks. It made me even more motivated to make the most of the time I have left.
       We had a devotional yesterday by Elder Bragg of the quorum of the seventy. He gave such a great talk! A couple of the main things I got out of it were that we need to be full of love, and we need to have faith. Sometimes being full of love can be really hard. There are lots of people that are hard to get along with, but if you try and remember that everyone you meet is a child of God, it gives you a new perspective. Try and see people the way God sees them, and it becomes a lot easier to love them. Faith is also super important and powerful. I came across this scripture the other day in my Book of Mormon reading, and it's a really powerful promise about faith. Mormon 9:21 "Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth." I love this scripture. Faith is real. I've really trying to develop my own faith lately, because it's so important in missionary work. We had a discussion in class about faith that I thought was really cool. Everyone has heard of faith described as a little seed that grows into a plant from Alma 32. What does a plant need to grow? Water, nutrients, and sunlight. Our faith is the same. The water is taking the sacrament and renewing our covenants every week. We nourish our faith through the word of God, or the scriptures. The light is our own personal revelation, which we receive through prayer. As we constantly do these things, our faith will grow into a large tree that can withstand the whirlwinds of the adversary. But the thing I think is most important is this. Once you've grown your little seed into a tree, are you done? Is it accomplished? No! This is where enduring to the End comes in. It doesn't matter how big a tree gets, if it stops receiving light, water, and nutrients, it will die. The same is true with our faith. If we stop taking the sacrament, reading the scriptures, and praying, our faith will wither and die no matter how strong it once was. And all three are required, not just one or two. Our faith must always be growing, like a tree. We can't stop, or we will fall. I promise that if you keep going to church and taking the sacrament, reading and studying the scriptures,  and praying with real intent,  your faith will grow, and you will begin to see miracles in your life. I know this gospel is true. I hope all of you have a desire to come to know that for yourself. I love you all! じゃまたね!

-あいしています!
Love,
バートン長老

Elder Burton

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Email September 20, 2017

Email September 20, 2017 – Elder Jackson Kunzler Burton
Great week!

Hey everyone!
       It's been another awesome week here at the MTC! This week has gone by so fast! I saw Cole (Elder Kunzler) at the temple this morning. He leaves for the Philippines today! I can't believe it! We weren't able to get a picture but I gave him a big hug. He's going to do so well! I also saw Mckayla (Sister Geddes), a couple times, she seems to be doing really well, and I ran with Joseph (Elder Trotter) and later with Chris (Elder Brown) during excercise time, which brought back some great memories from cross country. I've been running three miles nearly every day, and it feels great! I forgot how much I've missed running. And I've been getting back into shape a lot quicker than I was expecting,  yesterday I ran it in 21:06 which I'm pretty happy with.
     The language is going well. I'm trying to do better at speaking Japanese whenever I can, and it helps. Speaking the language you're learning is by far the best way to get better at it. I think that's the biggest thing I was lacking when I took it in high school. Speaking of school, go Tigers! That's so awesome they beat Bonneville! Good job Sawyer!

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Email September 13, 2017


Email September 13, 2017 – Elder Jackson Kunzler Burton
First week!

Hey everyone!

     This first week has been amazing! I love the MTC! It's funny people keep asking me and the others in my district how we're doing, making sure we're not too stressed or anything, but I'm doing great! This is the least stressed I've been in years, and it feels great. Without having any homework assignments coming up or my mission looming, now I can really just focus on learning the language and the gospel and its amazing. I've learned so much already! My branch president and his wife, President and Sister Collinsworth, really like to emphasize having the right mindset and focusing on the positive. They have lots of stories about the power that comes from it. A quote they said is, "What you focus on grows." So if you focus on negative things, even if it's things you need to stop doing, it has the opposite effect. You need to focus on the good things you should be doing, not on that bad things you shouldn't be doing. That also relates to the devotional we had last night by Patrick Kearon of the presidency of the seventy. He's that British guy who spoke in general conference about helping refugees. He gave a great talk. One of the things he said they I really liked is that you can CHOOSE to be happy. Our circumstances don't determine our happiness, we do! I sang in the choir for that devotional, and the song we sang was "Nearer my God to Thee," which is one of my favorite songs. If you read the lyrics, it's all about being strengthened and finding joy even in our trials. I know that is true. God gives us trials not to hurt us, but to strengthen and refine us, and they really can bring us joy. I've learned so any other great lessons this week too. The spirit is so strong and so constant here at the MTC and I love it.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Email September 6, 2017

Email September 6, 2017 – Elder Jackson Kunzler Burton
First Day!

Hey everyone!
       First day at the MTC is pretty much over! It's been great! My
 P-day is on Wednesday so that's when I'll be emailing. The MTC is awesome!  Everyone is so friendly and helpful. We had a cool meeting where we taught investigators as a group with all the new missionaries. It was really cool, and the spirit was so strong. They just passed a microphone around to anyone who wanted to speak, and it took a while before I worked up the courage to say something,  just because there were so many people there, but I was so glad I did. It helped me get past my fear a little. I also learned how important the spirit is. It really does make up for our weaknesses. Sorry this letter is so short I don't have much time but I'm doing well! By the way I don't have many people's emails so please forward these to anyone who wants them. I love you all!

Love,

Elder Burton

Entering the Provo MTC

On September 6th the Burton family assembled to take Jackson to the Mission Training Center and begin his mission. We drove 2 cars from Ogden to the MTC and Alex met us in Provo as well. The only one we were missing was Peter who had a root canal to preform.

After a quick lunch we headed to the Provo Temple for a few pictures.

Everyone snuggled into the suburban to make the official drop off.



Jack was somehow sitting in the back corner of the car and therefore the last one to get out of the car.


One more group snapshot . . .



and hugs . . .


and off he went through the new underground parking to start his missionary service.



WE LOVE YOU JACK!!!!