Recognition

The work went okay this week. We had another elder go home, I think I already sent you a letter about it. It was hard. That's so funny you would say that my life thus far has prepared me for this mission, because I feel the exact same way. I am so thankful that is one of the principles that we get to teach to the people of Mexico, when we are given trials, the Lord is simply preparing us for something greater. He has trusted us to use these trials to become better people and better followers of Him. He can help us through our trials if we come to Him through prayer, broken hearts. and spirits willing to obey His will. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not thankful for His mercy. We are so blessed!  The gospel is a "puzzle piece" (Nan) that will fit in everyone's life, some time we just have to clean up the pieces. 

I am so thankful for all my friends and family that send letters. It's so awesome. I don't have time yet to write every one that wrote me back, but it's totally on my to-do list so please keep them coming! 

Oh! so cool story. After the temple today we went to Brigham's Landing for lunch. It's down the street from where we stay and is the one public place where missionaries are allowed to go. We ate at Burgers Supreme, and as we finished ordering the man taking our order said, the person in front of you left a $20 bill for your tab and I'll pay the rest! Enjoy your meal. I almost teared up just realizing the Lord watches over us through others service. Sometimes you feel like you're not doing that cool of thing because everyone and their mom is on a mission, but we really are sacrificing part of our lives and giving all we have. And it isn't easy, and it's always nice when someone recognizes that and serves you. So serve your local missionaries cause they need a little bit of loving! Or serve someone around you because the whole world needs a little extra love. 

Loving Every Moment

Hola! I'm in my second week here at the MTC and loving every moment of it. I absolutely love my zone and district. This week we had some cool experiences. 

I'm an HERMANA!

Hola Mama y familia y amigos! Here I am, a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints writing my first email. Where do I start? 

I got here and all the sudden it was go-go-go. They put me through so many lines and I got so many things (no kidding, the materials they give you weigh a ton! I'm going to have to be sending things home). Then I got on a bus and almost died of heat stroke. But I didn't, obviously so that was good. Then as soon as I got off the bus I heard, "Hola!" And I looked up and there was ELDER BRETT HIGBEE from my BYU ward. I couldn't believe it. So cool to see a familiar face so soon. Since then I've seen Elder McFarland, and Bradham from BYU, Hermana Sammi Lu? However you spell her last name and Sorensen from BYU anddddd Elder Wallwork! So cool. We are serving the Lord and it rocks. 

I live with three other hermanas and I love them all so much. My companion's name is Hermana Turley. She's from AZ and she is super sweet. Really strives to be obedient and has a strong testimony. (I need to find out her favorite flavor of cheese nips soon... get down to the nitty gritty). My zone and district are sososo chistosos (funny). 

Hermana Burton's Beginning

Awwww...our Hermana Burton flew out today from her hometown airport to live for six weeks in Provo, Utah to be trained as an official missionary!  FINALLY!!!!!!!!  She is not at all nervous and very prepared to serve the Lord.  Her family and friends are thrilled for her dreams to come true. We are looking forward to sharing with you that first email next week.

So, grab an envelope and write her a letter!  Here's her address until September 1st.  

SISTER AUDREY BURTON
SEP01 MEX-CIUO
2023 N 900 E Unit 850
Provo, Utah 84602

Airport Goodbyes: "See You in 18 months!"

The Real Deal

and she's off!

God's Not Dead, and Hasn't Given Up: My Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Throughout the Bible, God calls prophets. He sends them to preach that which some people choose not to follow, or believe. These prophets do the will of God, no matter what, even if death is on the line. So many wonderful prophets and apostles' words and lives are recorded through this sacred Holy Bible:

Noah, Moses, Abraham, John, Peter, Paul, and the list goes on and on. Even the beautiful words of Jesus Christ are found in the Bible: the One who also preached to the people things which they would not believe, not even His purpose and divinity as "the Christ" (Luke 22:67, KJV).
Yet throughout the Bible, amidst the death of the prophets, the persecution of the believers of Christ, and the beatings and the stonings of those who preached His word, our Father in Heaven continued to give what seemed to be impossible tasks to these beloved prophets and to Christ Himself. Why?

Because first and foremost, God loves His children. All of them: even those that will not believe, even those that cast the stones, even those who lifted His Son upon the cross and drove nails into His hands and feet. He loved them all, and was anxious for them to hear His word, and His message. He, as God, loved these people so much that He let them know they needed to repent. They needed to come unto Christ. They needed God. And because of His love, He was never going to give up trying to deliver that message to His children: that there is hope and forgiveness in Christ, to "repent" and to "be baptized" (see Matthew chapter 3, KJV), and therefore receive the kingdom of heaven.

It would almost seem redundant: that repeated pattern of prophet, preaching, and persecution, if we didn't recognize that every time this cycle comes around: God is giving His children another chance.

So here's my question: Why would He stop now? Why, after the time of the Bible, from the very beginning of the world to the end of Paul's words, would the evidence of a church of God, prophets, prophesying, and much more be diminished? Why would God, in a sense, cease to be God? Why would He stop trying to lead His children through a prophet? Why would He not call them to come unto Him: to repent and be baptized, if He had done it for years and years and years and years before? Why would God choose now to give up on His children?

My answer is: He hasn't.

God loves you. Whoever you are, reading this post. He knows you have struggles and trials and pains. He knows some days don't go as planned, He knows some days you feel like you can't go at all. He hears your prayers, if you pray, and if you do not, He desires to hear from you. God isn't dead. He didn't give up on anyone, especially you. GOD LOVES YOU.

And with that love, I testify that He has a Church on this earth that you can come unto. This church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He has a prophet that will guide you directly back to Him. His name is President Thomas S. Monson.

And just as God continued to give revelation and scripture unto the ancient inhabitants of the earth, He continues to do the same today, and has given us the Book of Mormon, additionally to the Bible, as the Word of God. If you are not familiar with my previous post, "I'm a Mormon, and I believe in the Bible", I invite you to read it. In part of the post I mention the Articles of Faith (essentially statements that summarize our main beliefs as a Church). The 8th Article of Faith declares: "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly, we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." In my previous post I also declare, and repeat again: I believe that Joseph Smith did the work of God, the same God who called so many prophets before our time, by translating the Book of Mormon.

Because there are many misconceptions about this Book, I would like to explain some simple facts to you:
It's proper title is, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Other testaments? The Old and New, found in the Holy Bible.

The Introduction to the Book of Mormon states: We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message which it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the Book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost" (Book of Mormon Introduction, emphasis added).

It's not a secret book, it doesn't contain anything that Joseph Smith made up, rather, it is the words of prophets, just like those in the Bible, who testified of Christ previous to and after His coming, as well as the record of Christ coming the Americas after His resurrection.

Might sound a little crazy, right?
But if God loved His children so much in the Western Hemisphere, wouldn't the all-knowing, all-loving God love His children in the Americas just the same?


"The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God's dealing with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and it contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting Gospel" (Book of Mormon Introduction).

As a latter-day apostle boldly declared:
"[The Book of Mormon] came forth in our day proving to the world that the Bible is true; that Jesus, by whom the Atonement came, is the Lord of all; that Joesph Smith was called of God, as were the prophets of old; that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the one place on earth where salvation is found" (Elder Bruce R. McConkie).

Joseph Smith was a young, fourteen year old boy who was humbly looking for a church to join. When he read James 1:5, "If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God", he recognized that "if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; and how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passage of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible...At length I came the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God" (Joseph Smith History, 1:12-13;emphasis added).

With this pure and simple motive, Joseph went into a grove of trees near his house and knelt to pray. He described his experience, "I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me...When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-- This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!" (Joesph Smith History 1:16-17).

God and His Son, Jesus Christ, had come to the boy Joseph. They told him not to join any of the churches, for they "were all wrong", declaring that "they [the churches] draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof" (Joseph Smith History 1:19).

After years of preparing the boy Joseph to be the man and the prophet that God intended for him to be, Joseph was entrusted with ancient plates of gold and through the power of God was able to translate the Book of Mormon, making these ancient prophet's words available now to all who would hear it, giving to the world a companion to the Holy Bible.

Joseph Smith went on to do great things as a prophet and servant of God. Just as prophets before, many disbelieved his words. Just as prophets before, he and other people of the Church, faithful followers of Christ, were persecuted, and just as before: Joesph Smith, prophet of God, was killed: for he would not deny it.

Why so much persecution, you might ask, if he was doing the supposed will of the Lord?
As Elder Corbridge taught in our most recent Conference:

"Opposition...[and] criticism are companions to the truth. Whenever the truth with regard to the purpose and destiny of man is revealed, there will always be a force to oppose it.... there has always been and will ever be a an effort to deceive, derail, oppose, and frustrate the plan of life.
"Look for the biggest dust cloud billowing above the most dirt that is kicked at the One who was most opposed, challenged and rejected, beaten, abandoned and crucified, One who descended below all things, and there you will find the truth, the Son of God, the Savior of all mankind. Why did they not leave Him alone?
"Why? Because He is the truth, and the truth will always be opposed.
"And then look for the one who brought forth another testament of Jesus Christ and other scripture, look for one who was the instrument by which the fulness of the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ were restored to the earth, look for him and expect to find the dirt flying. Why not leave him alone?
"Why? Because he taught the truth, and the truth will always be opposed" ("The Prophet Joseph Smith" Apr Conference 2014;emphasis added).

So am I, Audrey Burton, saying that Joseph Smith is similar to Christ? YES.
Joseph Smith, though imperfect, was one of the most Christ-like men this world has ever seen.
Am I, Audrey Burton, saying that I believe that he knelt down in a grove of trees and actually saw GOD the Father and Jesus Christ? Yeah, I am.
And am I saying that I, Audrey Burton, believe that the Book of Mormon isn't made up, isn't a bunch of bologna, but is actually from the very God that gave us life and contains exactly what we need to hear and do to get back to live with Him again?

No. I'm not.

Because I don't just believe that. I know it.

God didn't give up on us in these last days. He's not dead. He didn't stop giving us guidance and revelation.
He loved us so He sent His Son, He loves us so He sends us prophets.

And with prophets, comes revelation.

After Joseph Smith was killed by those who opposed him, Brigham Young was called by God to be the next prophet, and so it has continued until this present day and there stands President Thomas S. Monson, prophet of God, leading the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Either the Book of Mormon is true, or it is false; either it came from God, or it was spawned in the infernal realms... it either came from heaven or from hell" (Elder Bruce R. McConkie).

I testify before all of you reading this post that the Book of Mormon is of God, and comes from on high, for it testifies of His love for all of His children, across all time. I invite all of you to go to mormon.org and order a free copy of your own, get one from your local Mormon missionaries next time they try to stop by, or ask one of your friends who is a member of the Church if you can have one! Don't be afraid. Then search it, read it, learn to love it, and pray in faith whether it is true, or whether it is false.

I have read every word, every page, over, and over and over again. I have prayed in faith. I know it's true, and I LOVE it.

I echo the words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Apostle and Witness of Jesus Christ, "I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true, that it came forth the way Joseph said it came forth, and was given to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of the latter-days"(emphasis added).

Learn for yourself: because God loves you, hasn't given up on you, and wants you to know.

I know it.

Receiving my Mission Call: The Best Day Ever

This post is about when I got my mission call, but before I begin I want to explain a little to people not of our faith what a mission call really is.
I have gone through a long process of paperwork and interviews to make sure that I was a worthy and willing member to represent my church. I will be paying out of my own pocket, along with the help of my parents, to go and serve the Lord for a period of 18 months. Before you receive and open your call, you have no idea where in the world you could be going. There are 405 missions, and the highest leaders in our Church receive the paperwork and recommendations from our local Church leaders at their headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then with those components rely on the Lord to help guide them to place the missionary exactly where they need to be. It is divine revelation from God. It is through God's power that these calls are made. And for me, it helped me have the best day of my life.
Missionaries are called to serve all over the world to serve the people in their areas and bring them to the knowledge of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and His Gospel on the Earth today. They introduce non-members to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and are pleased and excited to share the gospel truths. But this is not all. They also strengthen the wards (or groups of church members that are in the area) and they serve and grow to love the people around them. I am so excited to leave everything behind and go aid the Lord is hastening the work of spreading the Gospel. As my friend T says, "The Church is true and we've got to do something about it."

On the night of March 11th, I got off the phone with my little brother. I was surprised to see a text from my Bishop, considering he had already contacted me to let me know my call was not assigned that weekend (meaning I would have to wait another WEEK to get my call). Considering I have been waiting my whole life for this moment, you can imagine my surprise as I read, "Audrey, something strange happened with the website again. Your application changed to "assignment made" today, but it says that the assignment was made on March 7th, FYI."

I ran jumping and screaming into my friend, K's room. "It's here! Well it's not here! But it will be here!" I could barely believe it. That night was a crazy one for me. I could hardly sleep, it was like Christmas. I was so excited to hear where the Lord would need me 100% of the time for the next one and a half years. I banked on it coming Thursday, but I still slept with an anxious and excited heart.

To say I couldn't concentrate on anything else would be an understatement. It was all I could think about, all I could talk about, all I cared about. Classes seemed longer than usual, but before I knew it, it was 4 o'clock. I think I almost passed out when I got the voice-mail, "Audrey, your call is here! You can come pick it up in the Cannon Center!". I dragged my friend, J, down the hill after our last class, my stomach churning and my mind whizzing. It was right on top of the pile and my hands shook as I pulled out my ID, and as soon as I had it in my hands I fell in love. The very fact that I was holding my set apart future from the Lord, and that I was going to be a sister missionary no matter what, no matter where, brought such peace into my heart. My testimony (or knowledge of the truth) of this Church had been strengthened already since I received my call, and though I was nervous and excited to open it, I was also at rest.
It truly reminded me of the scripture, "Be still, and know that I am God."

We planned to open it 9:30 p.m. that night. Way more people showed up then I would have ever imagined, and I was nervous. Not because of the people but because these were my last moments ever of not knowing where I would go. We pulled my Mom up on Skype, my dad and stepsister and her boyfriend with there along with some of my other friends, and finally it was time to open my call.

I opened the call as nervous as can be. This was my moment. I had seen so many people do this before. I had heard so many people have this moment, and now, it was my turn. I read the first line, "You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." I moved the paper that had been previously covering the next line and my eyes immediately flew to "Mexico". My life was changed forever. Emotions ran through me and I stumbled through pronunciations. This was where the Lord wanted me! This is where the Lord needed me! and my secret desires of wanting to speak Spanish had come true. My little girl dream of sharing the Word of God was coming true.

I am so overjoyed to go serve the people in the area of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. I am excited to speak Spanish, to go strengthen people's faith in Jesus Christ, and to go share what I know to be true. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to look someone in the eye and tell them they have a Heavenly Father who loves them, that they have a Savior who died for them, and that the Church of Jesus Christ has the restored truth of the Christ's church while He was here on the earth and contains and provides all the ordinances necessary to return to live with our Father in Heaven again.

If you are reading this, the message is the same to you. God lives, and He loves you. Pray to Him, for He longs to hear from you. He cares about you infinitely more than you realize. He is watching over you. If you feel lonely, sad, or discouraged, seek Him, and He will comfort you and guide you.

I know this Church is true, and I'm excited to go tell Mexico about it.

Con amor,
Hermana Burton

>

I'm a Mormon, and I believe in the Bible.

I don't seem to realize how much I care about this church until someone attacks it. Someone tries to tell me what I do or don't believe.
It saddens my heart, more than angers it really. So many lies and beliefs are being spread around about the church that no matter how hard I try to live it, love it, and share it, there are always going to be those that refuse to hear the message. Refuse to hear the truth. There will be people even, after reading this post, that are still convinced that the Mormons are wrong. They are evil. They are followers of the devil and worshipers of Joseph Smith. But they will still be wrong.
I am a Mormon. I worship the True and Living God. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in the Bible AND the Book of Mormon.
I guess this all started when I saw a Facebook post where a man, a great man I'm sure, was so convinced the Mormons didn't believe in the Bible he started an argument about it. I'll direct my post to him, though he will probably never read this. Hopefully though, someone does read this, and comes to understand a little bit more about what I believe.

First off, I want to address a couple things.
1) I am an active member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is the correct name for our church. We are commonly known as "Mormons" because we believe in the Book of Mormon. From here on out in this post, I will refer to myself as a Latter-day Saint rather than a Mormon.
2) Yes. I was born and raised in this church. Quite frankly, however, my dad is not active and I have had the choice my whole young adult life to leave or stay. And I choose to stay.
3) We have statements that sum up what some of our main beliefs are in this church. There are thirteen of these statements, called "Articles of Faith". I will refer to these throughout the post as well.

Dear Sir,
My heart was sad last night to see the mean things you typed about my church. I took offense, because you were insulting things that I believe. That I love. And that I live. I just want you to know that you were wrong in most of the things you said. And most of all, I do believe in the Bible.

I've been taught from the Bible and the Book of Mormon since I was a child. I grew up loving the stories of valiant Esther, and courageous Daniel in the Lion's den. Most importantly, from the womb I've been taught about the loving nature of Jesus Christ and the beautiful scripture stories surrounding his life and teachings found in the four gospels. In fact, one of my most favorite passages of scripture is found in St Matthew 5:14-16. Or maybe Galatians 2:20. Or maybe the entire ninth chapter of John. One of my favorite things in the entire world, is to sit down and read the words of Paul to the Corinthians. I feel like he is speaking right to me at times.

I read the entire New Testament my senior year. You know who told me to do that? My LDS seminary teacher. She encouraged me to read the words and gain a stronger testimony, (or internal knowledge) of Jesus Christ. And you know what else? I did. My knowledge of my Savior, His life, and His LOVE, is more real to me than ever before. I am a better person because I read the entire New Testament.
In fact, I love reading the Bible so much I wake up EVERY MORNING, pull it off my dresser and read it. I believe in the Holy Bible. And I try to live by the principles taught in it.

The Eighth Article of Faith states: We believe the Bible to be the Word of God, as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

I am not ashamed to say that I don't believe in many translations of the Bible. If you read them all, I am sure there are disagreements you would have with them too. Many people have taken what they want to hear, and interpreted the Bible that way. Many people, including the RLDS church, have taken the Book of Mormon and changed what it says according to their beliefs. It doesn't mean that the original book is false. It means the incorrect translations can cause major confusion when trying to seek the true word of God. I believe the King James Version of the Bible to be the most correct translation of the Holy Bible. Will I read other translations? OF COURSE. But will I base my beliefs off of them? No. The most ancient text that I have access to is the one I choose to fully trust and believe.

The correct name of the Book of Mormon is actually
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

What would be the first testament? You got it, the Bible.

The Sixth Article of Faith states: We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth. Where can you find this "organization" of the ancient church? Right again. The Bible. And we live by and love the principles, and even the organization found in it in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

You're probably still doubting. You're probably still convinced that what you have been taught about my church is correct.
With all due respect, I'd just like to remind you that I have been living 18 1/2 years of it. And I think I have a pretty good idea about what my Church stands for, and believes.

I believe in Our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love Him. I love reading His words in the New Testament, I love reading about the sacrifices that the ancient saints made for what they believed to be true, I love feeling the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) testify to me that the Bible is true, every morning. Every morning I find something from the Bible that makes me a better person. That brings me closer to Christ.

I wonder if you have read the Book of Mormon. Or even realize what it is. It's simply prophets of old, just like the prophets in the Bible, testifying of Jesus Christ. It contains fascinating stories, just like the Bible, and also beautiful and humble teachings from the prophets and from Christ. The main difference between the two books is simply the prophets' locations. The Book of Mormon is the Word of God, sir, and so is the Bible.

One of the Book of Mormon prophets, Nephi, tells about a vision that he has (just like visions the prophets of the Bible have): "And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren" (1 Nephi 13:38; Book of Mormon)

The book of the Lamb of God is the Bible. The Jew is John the Beloved.
As Latter-Day Saints, we believe in the Bible, sir. We believe in the Bible.

I also admit to being just 18 years old in this Church. I don't know everything, nor can I explain everything perfectly, but hopefully this article can help you better understand as well. https://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/10/the-book-of-mormon-a-witness-with-the-bible?lang=eng

I pray that you may have an open heart. That you can come to understand. That as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we do our best to follow Him. Are there imperfect members? Of course. We are all imperfect people. But the Church is perfect. And though my knowledge isn't perfect, what I believe is.

I know the Bible and the Book of Mormon are true.
I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, just like the prophets of old, found in the Bible.
I believe that he did God's will by translating the Book of Mormon.

When it all comes down to it though sir,
please just know,
I believe in Christ.