Three more days!

Just three more days and Elder Burr will be home. What an amazing two years this has been. I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for protecting him. His feelings for the people in Paraguay are very tender. He will truely miss them. He wants to return one day. I hope he can. We have loved the tender mercies that have come into our lives because of his service. I will miss his weekly e-mails, but it is time for him to come home. Thanks to all of you that have written him and have been a huge part of his life. His maturity and testimony have grown so much as he has sacrificed everything to bring the gospel into the lives of these wonderful people. I too, like Elder Burr know that my Heavenly Father lives and the gospel has been restored in these latter days. I rejoice knowing that my Savior lived and died for me. I pray that I can do all that I can in serving him while I am here upon the earth. Thanks again for your support Love Sylvia Burr

The Greatest week of my Life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man I don't even know what to say, words I don't think would be able to describe what is going through my head right now! I have nothing but gratitude in my heart. This past week was the most incredible week of my life, I was able to first go through the temple on Thursday with Sully and her husband. I was able to see them be sealed for time and all eternity!! TALK ABOUT BEING TRUNKY, I WAS THE WITNESS HAHA! I got to go with elder Petersen, and we couldn't help but smile and cry. I have never felt so much joy in my life! Then on Saturday I was able to go with Primitiva and her kids to the temple for the first time!! Again i balled my eyes out like a school girl. IT WAS INCREDIBLE THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG!!! I am so grateful for them and for their sacrifices to be able to enter into the temple!! Today i also had my final interview to help me not be weird and to not be scared of girls so that was a little weird but it was an interview that i will never forget. Man I don't know what else to say I am just shocked that its all coming to an end, tonight mariela will be baptized and not only will she be baptized but she will be married to her old boyfriend Edgar who is a less active that we reactivated!!!!! WHAT A BLESSING! I have so much joy and love for these people here, and i cant believe that I'm going to have to say goodbye to it all. I will never forget the people of Paraguay and for all of their sacrifices that they have made to come into this church. I know that this is the only true church, the one that holds the keys to the priesthood of GOD, which makes it possible for families to be together FOREVER! Like Ty said, its time to hang up tie and come home,i just cant believe it went by so fast. i have no regrets, just gratitude for every person that i have met out here and come to love. Thanks to everyone for the support and love, for the packages and letters that you have all written through out my mission. especially Jared and his letters every week NOT haha. Before i close i want to share some of my favorite scriptures. 2 Timothy 4:6-9
6.For i am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand,
7. I have fought a good fight, i have finished my course, i have kept the faith.
8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the lord , the righteous judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 9. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me.
I love you all!!! SEE YOU ALL ON FRIDAY MORNING!! PS Have a cold Gatorade in the fridge for me haha also the time in Paraguay changed it is 2:16 right now and in AZ it is 11:16, i don't know what time you guys are all going to be at the airport but i hope to see you all there! For the last time yours truly
ELDER JACOB J.BURR(O)

Pres.

YA BOiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii PRESIDENT WADE GOT CALLED TO BE IN THE AREA SEVENTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another fantastic week!! we were able to baptize Tamarra this week!! The conference was excellent even though in the morning session on Sunday we didn't get to watch it because Paraguay couldn't pick up signal so we had to watch a replay of Saturday morning haha i don't think anyone even realized it haha. Also i got the word that primitiva and Sully both got their recommendations to go to the temple!! Sully is planned for going in with her husband on Wednesday and primitiva is planned for Saturday!! they just need one more interview with president madariaga and they are good to go!!!!!! Not much else going out here in cañada garay, the members are making me a little bummed because they keep talking about me leaving and how i will forget them. I have truly come to love the people out here and they have completely became a second family to me. I hope that one day I will be able to come back and see them. By the way mom way to go with Jim!!! When I get home i will personally invite them to my homecoming! Everything starts with an invitation DON'T STOP! Man i don't know what else to say this is my last full week in the mission. please be praying for Mariela and Angelica, they are two ladies we are working with who are so close to being baptize!!!!! Also I don't know if it was just me but I really felt pressure by some of these marriage talks in the conference haha President Monson in the priesthood talk put it pretty clear that we serve a full time mission and then we get married, not just hang out haha. I guess we will see what the future has for me. I hope all is well and that everyone is doing splendid! Enjoy your last full week away from me! Love Elder Burr PS Pray that everything will go well with the interviews and traveling for Sully and Primitiva. they have to travel very far! One more thing did the suns make it to the playoffs? CHAUU!

Well this week i had a blonde moment i guess you could say haha what happened this week is i bought some ramon noodle soup to eat. As i was getting re

>Well this week I had a blonde moment I guess you could say haha what happened this week is I bought some ramon noodle soup to eat. As I was getting ready to make It I realized we didn't have gas for our gas stove so I decided to put the medal pan in the microwave. While I was sitting there waiting for it to cook all of a sudden the microwave started to catch on fire so I opened the microwave and with out thinking grabbed the burning hot pan. I learned my lesson not to put metal things in the microwave because it left one big fat burn on my fingers haha any who enough about that. I cant believe how fast the time is flying, its a little bit scary. Sometimes I am ready to come home and then the next minute I would rather stay here, its like a second family to me. I truly love the people here, they are so amazing and humble and ready to serve the lord when called. The members are helping us some much and they have complete trust in us now. This week we should have two baptisms so if you guys could pray for Amalia (the one who rocks the Yankees hat) and also Tamarra. We had an absolute miracle this week, right when we got to church we were looking to see if Amalia had showed up to church but we didn't see anyone wearing a hat. Then all of a sudden I saw a lady sitting in the front with like a semi fro haha sure enough it was AMALIA!! We were able to teach her all of the lessons and now she is ready to get baptized this Thursday! wooooooooooo! I am really happy right now though, life is good and I am working my fanny off before I come home. Please be praying for Primitiva and Sulley as well they are two of my converts that I baptized. They are getting ready to go to the temple before i leave so we are trying to get everything set up before I go home. Here are a few versus that I really like from the book of mormon. Its in Nephi 13: 31-34- It talks about how we don't need to worry about money, food, or clothes because God already knows that we need those things but what we must first look for is the Kingdom of God and then he will bless us with what we need. I hope all is well back at home, stay positive and keep it real. Here is one last quote by Richard G Scott: God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather God will respond with what in his eternal plan is best for you. I love you all please pray for the people in Cañada Garay! love Elder Burr

The pill is called La Bomba!

Ya I think I will be fine from the pill and better yet if I get sick I wont have to give me talk haha. What is my talk on and how long does it have to be. I have no question mark key on this computer so this is kind of weird . Sounds like everything is same old same old , Here in Canada garay as mom calls it haha (cañada garay) we have been working like crazy trying to get everything that this area doesn't have. As of right now we have inv, we have a new home right in front of the church, We have lunch appointments and ya everything is just groovy I guess you could say. This week we really forgot ourselves and just decided to serve people in our ward and we also decided to get the members involved instead of them always having this weird tension against the missionaries. The members are really getting attached to us and we had a miracle of being able to have 4 inv at church yesterday in an area that has a lot of problems. We are now able to really stay focused with some of our investigators and have them progressing towards baptism. I know that the prayers you guys have been offering have been answered! It was super funny because we have an investigator named Amalia who for the life of her with not take off her Yankees hat haha. Yesterday at church she showed up and sure enough she was rocking her hat. Our branch pres started laughing and said if she doesn't want to take her hat off I guess we could get her a white one for when she gets baptized hahaha not much else going on I'm just living the dream and kicking it like a villain. Like I told Sarah I'm as giddy as a school girl to come home but I am as focused as Jordan in the 4th quarter. I know this church is true and that we are blessed as we are obedient to what the Lord asks of us. Just like in Nephi the Lord will never give us a task that we cant accomplish. Fight the fight and stay patient ya-ll. One last quote from Elder Burr before I bounce. LIFE IS LIKE A ROLLER COASTER, PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND SCREAM!. Love Elder Burr

Finally Free!

Yes its true I am finally out of the office haha, as of right now like I said I am in Cañada Garay which is a place that is just a little bit insane. Its been closed for a few months now for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons being that a missionary got in a fight with a member and because its super ghetto out here and the missionaries have been robbed a lot haha its pretty fun. President gave me the special assignment to open this area back up which doesn't have lunch appointments, a house, service for our phone, AIR, no one to wash clothes, or inv I guess you could say we are starting from scratch. Its been quite the adventure but I am loving every minute of the pain and suffering I am going through haha. Now a little bit about my companion, his name is Elder Soto and he is from Argentina. I also got the assignment to babysit again, he just barely got in trouble for doing some disobedient things but I love the kid he is great and I am helping him to work hard and not waste his time. I was hoping to have a junior comp that would be pushing me to work my last change but its all good I am working extremely hard and I am having to put in more effort to stay focused. The members out here are super happy to have us here but of course there are a few that still think missionaries are bad and what not but we are trying to do service and do visits with everyone so that they will like us haha. i truly love the people here and i can see it being one of my favorite areas. We had a miracle bringing someone to church because this whole week has been insane trying to find where the members live and having to look for inv. I am working the hardest I have ever worked and more and I know that the lord will bless my comp and I with success! I hope everyone is doing great! Oh yeah crazy news elder Lucas went home because his knee wasn't getting any better, Also the sleeping bag, and hammock will be getting sent home this week. I don't think it will get there for 2 months haha. I love you guys! Dad thanks for always making me trunky with the whole fast Sunday count down haha. Stay happy and tell Jim and Lil that ill be praying for them! don't be scared to open your mouth and talk to them about the gospel. Let them know that this might be a sign from god telling them that they need to listen to the missionaries. Don't be scared of what they say, if you don't ever talk to them about it the answer is already NO. Love Elder Burr

The Clock is Ticking!

Well the time is flying by and it still hasn't really hit me yet. I guess as the time goes on I will start feeling it more, However as of right now I still just feel like a newbie. This week was a week that I will never forget because it was INSANE! Saturday morning Elder Levos and I made our way out to a zone called Luque Sur. We were able to do a few divisions out there with a couple of elders and then we taught a little bit in the district meeting about how we need to start off our lessons using the 8 lessons. Its so crucial, the first visit when you find someone to teach because they need to know that you are a Representative of Jesus Christ. The first appearance is everything, when finding someone because it could be the last opportunity you have to talk with one of Gods children. Its extremely exciting to be able to get into a house and to listen to people ask you questions that only the gospel can answer. Later on in the week while I was on my division I got a call from my kid Elder Manu that he was going home. This whole change he has been having bad chest problems and the well trained amazing doctors of Paraguay couldn't figure out what was causing the pain. Any who the well trained amazing educated doctors of Paraguay decided to send him to the US. It was really depressing having to take Manu to the airport and watch him go home. I'm not sure for how long he will be out or if he will even come back out but i guess we will see with the time. Now comes the insane part of the week, Friday morning we get a call from President Madariaga informing us that Elder Arnold from the seventy/Area President was at the office and that he wanted to meet with him and the assistants! It was the most intense meeting i have ever been in haha we talked alot about the obedience in the mission and the problems that have been occurring. After our meeting we had Elder Arnold took each one of us in Presidents office and interviewed us! I felt like I was at the bar of the judgement seat haha it was the most spiritual moment that I have ever had!! It was the most amazing thing and i know i will never forget it. This Monday all of the Zone Leaders from just around Asuncion and the District Leaders will be having a mission Council with Elder Arnold so it should be pretty intense! Other than that not much else has been going on, we have changesthis Wednesday and it will be my last change! I'm not sure if i will stay Assistant or if President will drop me and just put me out in the Field, I'm down with whatever. I hope all is well and that everyone hasn't forgotten me yet! I had so many emails today I was scared I couldn't read them all! NOT haha yes I'm dropping the cane on everyone that didn't write. stay happy everyone and be happy for the trials that come into your lives, the Lord is giving you the opportunity to grow. Para Siempre Dios Esté Con Vos! Elder Burr

Saying good bye to Elder Manu.

Hey!

WHAT UP! ANOTHER CRRRRRRRRRRRAZY WEEK! You will never guess who I got to do a two day division with! My boy Elder Brown! It was sick, he is out in an area called Salto de Guaira its kind of like Pedro Juan the place next to Brazil. There is a huge river and then on the other side of it is Brazil. It was really fun though, I went with the other AP again Elder Levos because Lucas still cant work with his knee all messed up. It was alot of fun speaking in Portuguese all over again haha we left Asuncion Tuesday night and we took a bus out to Browns area for about 7 hours and then we stayed there until Thursday night. Then we got on another bus and we made our way on the worst bus in man kind making our way out to an area called Curuguaty which is about 4 hours from Saltos. The bus had no air and it was a small little sucker. We went out there to do a division with Elder Collura and Elder Argyle. After that we made our way back to Asuncion on a bus that was even worse than the other bus haha it was quite the adventure and that bus ride was 8 lovely hours long. So as you can tell its been a fun busy week with no sleep. Tonight after pday we are going to make our way over to a city called San Lorenzo to do divisions until wed, and then not this Monday but next the area president is coming. Elder Arnold so we have to get everything ship shape. I'm glad all is well in the hood and that everyone is happy! STAY THAT WAY! OK I'M OUT I LOVE YOU ALL HABLAMOS! ELDER BURR

What a GREAT Saturday!

Don't make Elder Burr to trunky! ha ha What am I speaking on? I think I'll just speak all in Spanish because this week we had our zone conferences and the old missionaries always have to give their last testimony and ya I could barely say my name in English, I gave my testimony in Spanglish. You can let brother Springer know that we are getting her daughters info all ready to go and that yes I will be picking her up with Elder Lucas or with one of the other two assistants. This week I got stuck doing office work and then late at night I would go out and work in downtown Asuncion helping out the office elders. This week was one of the most exhausting weeks of the mission though. We had 4 conferences that we had to plan and teach at. Elder Lucas and I taught on how to find and baptize more men so that there can be more priesthood in Paraguay. No priesthood no future for the church.

Any who we were waking up really early and going to bed super late. Then I had to take all of the elders that are in far areas to the terminal where they get on their buses and head back to their areas, yes I drove the shagon wagon and I am an official expert at driving stick ha ha. Not to much else going on. I got my flight plans that you guys sent me and then I saw my certificate that I get when I am released as a missionary ha ha HOLY TRUNKY!!! Man the office is a killer! I will send a few more pics with the ones from Fili. I hope all is well! Tell Aunt G she is in my prayers! love ya guys! DON'T GET TRUNKY! Elder Burr

I'm Shrinking!! :)

Elder Burr, Elder Decker, Elder Lisonbee, and Elder Brown!

Crazy Week!

Man where to begin, this week was insane haha last Saturday night I had the opportunity to go back to Zeballos and baptize Liliams little girl Monse. It was a great baptism. I was able to go back and visit a few members and converts so that was a big surprise for everyone. Then later that night President and hermana Madariaga invited everyone from the office over to their house to have cake for my birthday! It was awesome!! Then Monday night Elder Levos another one of the other three assistants that there is and my self went out to do a 5 day division in this crazy place out super far called Filadelfi. It was the craziest place I have ever been. It's like way far out in the desert where all of the Amish, German, Brazilian, and this other Indian tribe called the Nivacleg tribe! I cant even explain what it is like out there. It is like 20 times hotter than Asuncion, and like 20 times harder to learn the language Nivacleg than Guarani. I learned a couple of phrases haha. I guess I will just have to show you the pictures and explain it because its impossible to describe haha. Today we didn't do to much for pday, Elder Levos who is from Texas and I got back from Fili at 3 in the morning so we pretty much just slept all morning and then we went to a big Chinese resterant in Asuncion. Not to much else went down this week. We are just really busy here trying to get all of these conferences planned for the zones in the mission. The end of this month Elder Arnold from the seventy is going to come!! woo! He's the one who gave the talk about the cow who ate the wheat and died in the last general conference. Any who all is well and I am doing great!!! Thanks for all the support and love! I love you guys! LIVE THE DREAM! Elder Burr

GREATEST BIRTHDAY EVER!! oh man where to begin! this week was burning hot but super awesome!! i had the opportunity to do a few divisions out in one o

GREATEST BIRTHDAY EVER!! oh man where to begin! This week was burning hot but super awesome!! I had the opportunity to do a few divisions out in one of my old areas "Salado" I was able to see old converts and old members! It was a hot week, I guess I forgot how hot it really is with out air conditioning haha this coming week it looks like I will stay in the office and travel with President while he does interviews and while I check the good old area books. Life is good and I'm super happy. Today like I said was one of the funnest days ever for me because E Lucas and I got permission to go to Zeballos our old area, and eat lunch with a member family for my birthday! It was sick though because I got my fake drivers license haha I watched a short video on driving and then Lucas and I took the van tozeballos. Lucas drove in about 1st gear all the way to zeballos haha he said he knew how to drive but really he didn't haha. Then on the way home I drove the shaggon wagon. I was pretty impressed with myself because I only killed the car twice ha. It was crazy though I thought we were going to die, I felt like Tony Stewart flying down the road. After I get done writing I'm going to go back to Zeballos to do a division with my old comp E Manu and his comp. Liliams daughter the lady we baptized is getting baptized tonight and she wants me to baptize her so I'm way pumped!! Everything is going great and I'm trying not to get to trunky. We just got done watching this movie called UP? It was pretty funny, I think its a pixar movie or something. Any who I will send a few pictures. Courtney's baby is super cute, how many nieces and nephews does that make now? haha thank you for all the birthday wishes! Love Elder Burr!

Holy Cow!

WOW WOW WOW WOW. TOTALLY UNEXPECTED!! So you are probably wondering why I am writing on Saturday and not Monday. Well let me explain no I'm not being punished but yet I kind of feel like it. I got a delightful call Monday night from President Madariaga informing me that I will be the new assistant. I feel super weird being here because it is something I would have never imagined. Its crazy being in here. We travel a ton and ya its insane. We have alot of privileges though haha such as. I will be getting my Paraguayan license so that I can start driving the van and Presidents car haha however the van is stick drive and ya Ill have to learn on the streets of Paraguay haha it should feel alot like need for speed or grand theft auto I feel like. Also our house is a mansion, and in every room we have AC let me put that again AC!! Also we live all together in the same mansion so there are now 8 of us the assistants and the office elders. haha I feel so spoiled but however I'm not done yet.We also have our own washer and drier and also a lady that cleans our house and that cooks our lunch and I'm talking gecko grill kind of food!! The only bummer is that we don't work very much in our own area because we are always traveling, across Paraguay to check on missionary's and to help them out. Its cool though because president and his wife have alot of trust in me and ya that's comforting because I don't feel that I am capable of being here. As I've said before I was never even adeacons quorum secretary. All I know is that I am going to work hard and just try and keep up with what all is going on. All I know is that when I was a ZL I thought I was tired, now I am dead tired but hey what can you do. I was super bummed to leave Elder Manu though we had a great time and I was ableto leave there with a bang. we baptized Juan Carlos Tuesday night so that was great! Also another crazy thing! So my comp was supposed to be an Elder from Argentina named Elder Lombardo. I was with him for a day and then out of know where President tells him he will be leaving and that Elder Lucas my old comp will be with me haha its insane! Elder Lucas ended up hurting his knee so he had to stay in the office and do like paper work for a few weeks but now we will be comps as assistants haha not much else going on, yes mother dear I got your calender and I loved it haha also I got Rush and Carley's family picture hahaha it was hilarious! Also one more thing I really wanted to fly to Miami and Brazil when I came home so I suggested it and ya I think theyagreed but the flight agent lady said that I wouldn't be able to because the rest of my group goes to Argentina and then Texas. I'm not sure if you got those flight plans or not haha you will have to let me know. If its the flight plans to Brazil and Miami its not correct haha. I just wanted to go to Miami so that I could sing will smith " welcome to Miami" I hope all is well at home. I love you guys,and I'm praying for you! take it easy and be happy! LATER! ELDER BURR! MY PDAYS ARE NOW ON SATURDAYS SO DON'T FORGET TO WRITE BEFORE! PS Elder Roeller is a way cool missionary he was in my last zone. tell his mom she has a great son!

My early birthday party!

Birthday Cake!

Living the "office life!"

Don't get trunky!

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK! Elder Manu and I are tearing it up out here in zeballos! We were able to baptize Lili and it was terrific! The members were there with her supporting her all the way. Also Juan her ex bf showed up haha I swear the dude is a stalker its a little bit creepy but whatever. Please tell me you got my flight plans haha if you have them you should for sure mail them to me! I cant believe how fast the time is going! Tomorrow we should have another baptism and all the news that come into the mission will be at our baptism tomorrow with Pres Madariaga and his wife so that will be tight. Tomorrow we find out about the changes and then it will be official will only have two transfers left haha insane! I don't know what I am feeling about changes. I really want to finish my mission inPiribebuy where I started but I don't want a new comp. Elder Manu by far is my favorite comp. The secret to having success in the mission is being best friends with your comp. We are havinga blast! The Lord knows whats best for me and he knows where I should go so we will see what happens. I am doing great though! Not much else going on. Next week I will have more to write.I love you all! don't get to trunkey haha just kidding its all good WE ALL DO! PS Ask Rush what hes thinking about doing. Later everyone! 87 days elder burr

Happy New Year!

WHAT UP!! Well not to much going on here haha there has been alot of rain and ya new years was INSANE!! everyone and there grandma was drunk but hey that's the cool thing to do here get drunk with your grandma. I cant believe how 2010 just absolutely flew by and how I didn't even realize it, it seems like the days are going by and I am not noticing it. I cant believe how short the time really is out here and how I have to really take advantage of it before its all over. This year I was able to make a sweet new years resolution that consists of a 3 month work out plan to get in shape so I can kick Jared's trash in the Burr 10k haha I'M COMING! LIONE the "TSUNAMI" MANU is going to get me back in shape haha. I'm going to look like Toni perkis when i get home. Any who, not much else happened this week, we are working with an incredible lady named Lili who Elder Lucas and I worked with back in the day. This lady was absolutely golden along with her 5 kids but her boyfriend that lived with her was a huge drunk. We would visit her and then her boyfriend would come home threatening to kill us so we ended up dropping her after she was so close to being baptized. Last week my comp and I were walking and we found her boyfriend sober so we went and talked to him and asked how him and lili were doing. the dude had a huge black eye and a cut down his face. He told us that him and Lili got into a fight and that she moved away with all of the kids. As I sat there talking to him I was shouting in my head ITS ABOUT TIME SHE PUNCHED THIS DUDE haha. I asked him where she was living but he said he didn't know so that day I told my comp that somewhere in Paraguay there was a woman with her kids who would get baptized if the missionaries find her. We went back to the house and said a prayer to possibly find her, Within 15 min we found her and all of her kids! It was an absolute miracle!!! We were able to be reacquainted and we put the baptismal date for the 14 of this month. She excepted it in a heart beat. As of right now she is living with her brother and sister in law and she is doing terrific! Please keep praying for her so that she can be baptized. Not much else going on I'm glad everyone is doing great. I will talk with you all next week! Love Elder Burr!