Sister Burton Takes on Anaheim!: Week 59: OIAUE!

^A Tongan exclamation that we've been using all too frequently......

Ok, first off, lemme just brag about my brand spankin' new companion: SISTER THOMPSON! So on Tuesday when we went to pick up our "greenies," the trainers all lined up outside and then they let the new missionaries come outside, where President would call their names and pair them up with their trainer. Well, as soon as I saw Sister Thompson walk out the door, I KNEW she was the one! As soon as President paired us up, we both screamed and gave each other a big hug! SHE'S SO AWESOME! We get along like 2 peas in a pod and I couldn't ask for a better daughter!
Sister Thompson is from Nashville, she just completed her first year at BYU Hawaii, and she LOVES polynesians! Hence, the "OIAUE!" phrase we use all the time...This is also her first time in California, so she is in awe of the weather, the diversity, and the palm trees (that sounds like me from about a year ago...).

*Sister Thompson's first lesson in the field was the Law of Chastity with Cassity. Not many missionaries can say that was their first lesson. But it went super well! Sister Thompson is a natural at talking and is just throwing herself into the work! Cassity just took the GMAT this past week and did much better than the previous times she's taken it. What did she do to celebrate? She drove down to the Newport Beach Temple to walk around the grounds and pray to express her gratitude to Heavenly Father! Who is this girl?! While she was there, she also received her answer that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet and that all of this is true (which is something she hasn't been too sure of yet). The Lord is continuing to prepare her for her baptism that's coming up in 2 weeks!

*Update with Maeve: she has safely arrived in Alabama and is getting settled in. We contacted the sisters in the YSA branch in Alabama and they are so thrilled to have her there! We should be having a little lesson with all of them this week. I sure miss Maeve, but I'm happy that she'll be thriving even more in the deep south!

*We had lots of meetings to attend this week, for new missionaries and also in preparation for Zone Conference, BUT we still were able to get out and meet some super cool people! We were able to hit up a couple of colleges this week and meet some people who are truly searching! We hope and pray that those we have appointments with this next week latch on to the truths of the gospel, because THE GOSPEL IS THE BEST!
We had a super funny experience last night as we were walking back to our car. We stopped to talk to this guy at the bus stop and then this other random guy walked up and said, "Hey did you ask her out yet?" We quickly tried to turn the conversation around, mentioning that as missionaries, we don't do that. The guy then said, "Not sorry for me, sorry for YOU!" and then just walked away. We could tell that he must've been on something, but it definitely made for a good laugh all the way back to the car! Being a missionary is great!

* In church yesterday, many of the talks centered around trials. NEWS FLASH: we all have them. One of the speakers noted how it's not the trial itself that makes us stronger, but it's how we react to the trial and what we do during it that can strengthen us or weaken us. It all comes back to Heavenly Father's gift of agency! We don't ask for the trials that we're given, but we do have control over how we react to them. So, choose happy! Choose the Savior! Choose to turn to Heavenly Father for comfort and solace! He is always here for us!

I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and emails! I enjoy hearing from y'all!

Love,

Sister Burton
2500 N. Bristol St.
Santa Ana, CA 92706