Happy November!

Hello everyone!

I hope that your week has been grand!! Happy NOVEMBER!! Wow time is flying!! And hey, I'm almost 20. Wahoo!!!!

Anyways, this past week has been going well for me. The weather has been so nice! It's been cloudy and raining and I've been loving it! For us here in Nam, things have been okay on the missionary work side of life. Things just keep going! We had a great moment on Friday though! So on Thursday Elder Mosweswe was on exchanges with Elder Reynolds and they were walking down the street we live on when they're stopped by a sister. She asked them a wonderful question, "Why do you keep passing by but you never visit my family?" Turns out she's a less active and we went and saw them on Friday. It was sad because the mom was caught at work but we were able to see her kids and talk with them.

So on Saturday we ran into an interesting fellow named Erastus. Erastus was a member. Now I've stated how people say that even though they've been baptized but he literally was a member. It was about a year ago that he left the church and had his records removed. He read some anti-Mormon literature and in his own words he felt that "there were things kept from [him]". So he left and then tried pulling other members away. It's sad what bad publicity can do and it's even sadder that some people believe what they read. It was a sad moment talking to Erastus but it couldn't take from the highlight of my week.

Ottilie, a wonderful sister and investigator has accepted a baptismal date!! So she's actually been taught by sisters over the phone and now us. Her co-worker and friend, Sarti, is a returned missionary and visited the states for General Conference just barely. The sisters asked if she had a referral and she gave her friend's number. Since then they've been chatting and teaching her. Ottilie has been coming to church and loving the discussions. When we went there Saturday night she said, "We need to talk about baptism". It was amazing and by the end she accepted to be baptized on December 10th!

I've been loving my mission so much and since I've been able to meet and teach people I've gained a great appreciation for the gospel and for our Lord, Jesus Christ. A really really cool thing about the work is that it's moving! This coming transfer (i.e. next week) we're sending missionaries to Swakopmund. Swakopmund is a city on the coast that has a branch but has never had missionaries!! Who ever goes there is about to make history! I would love to go there eventually. I hear it's really beautiful and it's on the coast! They baptize in the ocean!! HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE!?!?! I of course might not go there ever but still the thought is cool.

Well have a nice week and "Don't forget to pray"!!

- Elder Burgess