Hold on to your testimony.

I hope you all had a very memorable Easter. Remember that this coming weekend is General Conference! Let's all be prepared to be enlightened. Here's this week's message from our boy. No photos this week but we'll see what next week brings. -Kimberli



Hello Everyone,

I hope you've been enjoying your Easter Holidays. It hasn't really felt like Easter for me without my family's traditions but that's okay. I hope you've all been able to enjoy your chocolate but that you haven't forgotten the true meaning of Easter. Please never forget the Savior and what He has done for us all.

This past week hasn't been very exciting. We've just been teaching and getting some disappointment. People aren't really progressing. They love what we have to say but once we ask them to do something they're gone. 

We have had a good time with Barak though. He's 9 years old and has his baptism set for April 17! I'm so excited! At first we had a hard time teaching him but now he's progressing very well and his English and social skills have improved! Elder Saiah made a profound statement last night about how he couldn't understand how a 9 year old has found that this gospel is changing him and improving his life significantly but others couldn't. I agree fully. It's sad how people are choosing to dwindle in unbelief.

Well I thank you all for your prayers, It means a lot to know that I have so many people rooting for me!

I encourage you all to reflect on your faith and your testimony. I've discovered this week that a testimony is very powerful. You don't have to be a super genius or know the gospel inside out, but if you know in your heart that these things are true then you can work wonders. Please look for how you can build that testimony.

Thanks again and until next Monday,

- Elder Burgess

When the going gets tough...

Happy Easter this coming Sunday! :) It's in March...strange, eh? It's another Monday and our boy has spoken!



Hello Everyone,


This week has been alright. There's been some rough moments and some sad moments. People have cancelled and rejected us... But, it's not the end. We've also had some success. We taught a lot of lessons this past week and we were able to finally meet with a few people we've been trying to meet now for weeks!

We also had Zone Conference. Zone Conference was wonderful. I learned a lot and having so many Missionaries around was spectacular! We discussed a talk called "Lock Your Hearts" by President Spencer W. Kimball. Technically he was still just Elder then though. It was given on a Mission Tour back in 1967! But the message is still applicable and not just to missionaries. It really got me thinking about whether or not our hearts are locked on the Lord. It can apply to all of us. 

We also had a great chance to meet with Brother Lucas, the pastor. Our meeting with him was extremely powerful! I feel we may just have broken some new ground with him. 

Lastly I would like to share something I learned. Do you have real intent? Well, do you? In Moroni 7:9 it says, 

"And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such."

This scripture got me thinking. At times in our lives we ask Heavenly Father but we don't see his hand in our life. How many times did this happen because we didn't have real intent? Food for thought.

Well thank you all for the love you have shown to me and the support you send my way, it means a lot. 

- Elder Burgess

Here's the Hippo Crossing sign that so many of you were asking to see.

Singing in the (pouring) rain!

Thank you for the continued support for Cameron! -Kimberli



Hello to you all!

So it's finally been raining here! We've really needed it and it has sure come down! Tuesday we started riding the bikes around and after our last appointment it was pouring. The moment we stepped outside we were drenched from head to toe! Today even the streets are rivers. I'm so happy we have the bakkie (truck) or else we'd be rowing down the streets!! Haha!

This week hasn't been too eventful though. We've been able to find some new investigators and we also lost a few. We have a new sister that was given the Book of Mormon a few months back. She's read it and loves Jesus now. So when she ran into us she recognized the name of the Church and asked us to visit. We went and started reading the Book of Mormon with her. She's very nice and fun.

Other than that I just have a slightly wild story. So we had Zone meeting up in Tzaneen, which meant that my district needed to drive up. Elder Saiah and I rode with the new Zone Leader, Elder Woniala. Side note, he's a wonderful elder and guy. Anyways, the other Zone Leader said that him and his companion would drive up. This was a bit concerning because his companion is very new on his mission, like just a few days. And he's only been driving manual for a very short while. Well on the way back home we get a call from them saying that their car is stuck in 5th gear. So eventually we get them to pull over so that they wouldn't die in the middle of the road. The stick was completely loose... I'm not sure if it was from elders being too rough with the car or if the new elder didn't push in the clutch far enough but the car was shot.

Sorry, not too much this week. Know I love you all and I appreciate your prayers.

- Elder Burgess

My bike tried to eat me...

God's love is very real.

Happy MONDAY everyone! Enjoy your day and smile because the world needs more positivity!



Hello all my lovely people!

So life here in South Africa has been moving. It's been good but a little hectic with transfers being delayed and now having the transfer finally here. So I will be staying in my area of Mokopane with Elder Saiah so he can finish my training. I'm so glad for it too. It's been nice working with him and I'm learning a lot. Also, we both wanted to stay here so that we can continue the work. We've begun to turn the area around. 

This past week had a few ups and a few downs. We'll go with the bad news first. A couple of our investigators, the good ones at that, have dropped us. They've moved away for school and work. But on the bright side we have received a few more investigators and we were finally able to contact one that's been really busy. His name is Bright. He's from Ghana and he finds so much peace learning from us. I love teaching him and I hope things continue to progress with him.

One of the highlights this week was definitely seeing Brother Pabale confirm his wife and daughter members of the church. We were asked to stand in and it was amazing. The priesthood is very real and it is the authority of God. On that, I can tell you of the best part of my week. We were visiting Sister Dorothy and her kids and at the end of the lesson her daughter asked for a blessing. Dorothy asked her who she wanted to give it and she pointed to me. I had the amazing opportunity to give my first blessing. Never before in my life have I felt the power of our Heavenly Father than at that very moment. I was so nervous of messing up, especially her name (it's Tshegofatso Belina Elena Koopa). It was amazing!!

I thank you all for all the love and support you send my way and know I'm returning it. I love you all and I pray that you strive to stay connected to your Heavenly Father.

Love, 

Elder Burgess

Behold, my new ride. We now have a bakkie and it's very fun to drive!

Knowledge is powerful.

Hi guys! So sorry this post was delayed-my fault. Moving has been hectic this week. Next week his email will be up on Monday. Please enjoy Cameron's update! 



Hello to you all!

Life here in Limpopo, South Africa is going well. It's been a bit harder of a week though. Plans haven't been going very accordingly. We met with President on Tuesday for training. They wanted to see how trainers and trainees have been doing this transfer. Things have been good for me and my companion but I'm not so sure about the other new missionaries. It went pretty well but the meeting was in Pretoria so we drove a lot that day.

Thursday I received my first package, which was hand delivered by the new senior couples, Elder and Sister Hall. My parents were able to meet them and give them my license, letters and some things that could help. It was really cool having it hand delivered. I'll be honest though, it made me miss you all. I hope you're all doing well. Friends and family are so very important and that's why I'm here, to bring them together. I want to have all those I care about, and all those I love, with me in the next life. I want everyone to have that chance also. I'm here to share the gospel and help others in progressing with the plan that our Heavenly Father has given us. 

I also had another baptism! it was for Sister Crystal. Her husband is the one that has been a member for 10 years. Yesterday he baptized his daughter and wife. I'm so happy for him! Seeing families being brought together has been such a blessing in my life.

I've learned so much on my mission and I've even learned about learning. Please read D & C 88: 77-80. It talks of learning, both in the gospel and things we learn from our lives on this Earth. There's also a surprising commandment that I didn't see before and that's to share what we know, both in the gospel and the world. As we do this we are promised that we will learn even more. The life before this life and the life to come are all about learning. Please continue to learn with me Brothers and Sisters.

- Elder Burgess

I got a little friend from home :)

Brother Pabale with his wife, daughter and the rest of his family. So exciting to see this baptism!