11 Weeks to GO!!

What a week! The Longest week of my life!!! Really, the days were long and the week was short.

SO, this week was just full of problems...

First problem...
At midnight the CO detector goes off. My companion just rolls over. I freak out. All I was thinking was that we could die! I opened all the doors and windows but it was still going off. I asked my companion what we should do, she had no idea. So I called our Mission President. He told me to turn off the gas, then to put a towel on it. It still was going off. Which means it was broken. So I wrapped it in a few towels and put it in the washing machine. Then I could not sleep for a good hour still scared I was going to die. Finally exhausted I fell asleep.

Problem number two...
Saturday, after a long day of teaching we came home to find out our key would not turn in our door to get into our house... We called a ton of people, no one had answers. Finally a senior couple called a repair man. It was about 11pm so he was going to fix it the next morning. So we went and slept at another sisters house. We slept on the couches. They were not the nicest things to sleep on but hey they worked. The next morning hoping to get some clean clothes and take nice shower before stake conference, with a 70 (Elder Boom), we learned that the store was closed on Sundays so we had to stay at the sisters house until Monday (today)... UGH!! Dirty clothes.. Went to the conference in my Chacos!!! Felt so silly. Same clothes for a few days, why not? Finally got into our house today...

Spiritual thought from Elder Boom. It is a privilege to go to church. Christ gave his life for us. God can take away our life in a instant. It is a privilege to be here. Make every second count. Live by example, have fun, work hard! Does not matter if you have the nicest house or a lot of money. All that matters is if you are spiritually rich. I know that true happiness only comes from the gospel. Life is to short to be sad make the most of the time we got.

I hope this week goes better and problem free! Other then the problems I worked hard and had fun! Saw some great missionaries leave the mission field and welcomed in 3 new sisters. Time goes by so fast!!

Love you all!!
Sister Burke

THE LAST 12 WEEKS!!!

What is this?! The last 12 weeks!! Who would have thought time would go so fast!?!?! Transfers!! I am staying and getting a new/old companion! I am getting Sister Cardoso again! We served for two transfers in Assomada together. Now we will be the Sister Training Leaders in Praia together.

This past week was CRAZY!! It became MAY! What is this?! So, I had a leadership meeting were I saw lots of great friends.

Then Sister Kohlert and I gave the best Zone meeting training ever!! The mission president’s wife sat in our weekly planning session to get ideas of how to better help the missionaries.

Then we got to Skype our families!!

It was a long but fast week. Feels like I was just here so really nothing crazy to say. Thanks for all the support!!

Love,

Sister Burke

FIRST LOCK DOWN!!

First off STAY CALM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT Tuesday night, about 4 pm, we were with an investigator and she received a call from her brother (Who is in the military and is okay). He said there was a shooting that killed 11 people. For Cabo Verde that is huge! Our investigator then told us to go home. Well we thought nah it is okay. So we kept working. As more facts came out found out it was a military base between Praia and Assomada. Still did not have any fear kept working. Then at 8 pm we receive a call from our district leader saying go home!! Just to be safe. My companion and I looked at each other and freaked out in a good way!! Our first lock down!! So we went home and called all the sisters to make sure they are all okay. Really it was nothing but still fun to say I had a lock down, funniest part about my week. I hope everyone is doing well. I love you all.

Sister Burke

P.S. Less than 100days until i come home. Shoot! Time is going by way to fast!!!

100ish days left...

WOW!! Time is flying by!!! This week I will only have 100 days left! Woah! Where has time gone?

This week I saw a huge change in me. I realized I am a different person. How I see the world and the people around me has changed. I did not realize that for a long time but this past week I saw a glimpse of my old self and who have become today. All I can say is wow! This gospel truly makes us better people. If we want to change behavior we just need to live by Christ’s example and standards and he will change us for the better.

The past 4 weeks, I have been going on divisions with a bunch of sisters. It has been so much fun getting to know more of the other sisters that are serving here with me. I have learned a ton; we are not only that we teach in their areas but learning a lot from them and with them. This week after divisions I was walking home and an investigator recognized me, just from the division. WOW! You do not realize the impact one day, 45 minutes makes on one person. It warmed my heart to see her call me out and see how I was. I love these people!

Thank you for all the support. I love you all!!
Sister Burke

Welcome to summer!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me start out by saying it is HOT!!!!!!!!! Let summer begin... I swear it was not this hot last year. but who knows.

Miracle of the week. We decided to go a different way home on a very busy road. We walked past a lady and her son and not even two steps after that we heard a man running as fast as he could into the shadows. The lady was then in panic mode. He stole her phone. We helped calmed her down. After we left we started talking about what just happened. He stole her phone or as we call it here cash or body. We were so surprised that happened on the main road. That was the first up close cash or body I have seen. I know God is watching over us and I know I am safe but I was so surprised that happened on the main road.

I hope everyone had a great week. Not a lot of time this week but thank you for all your prayers and support.

Love,

Sister Burke

A year Later

Since I have been called as a STL, I get to go on divisions with the other sisters in my zone. This week I got to go back to, Achada Santo Antonio, MY FIRST AREA!!!!

While there I visited with my favorite members and only one of my recent converts. However, as I walked the streets there people stopped me, I had no idea they would remember me. I felt so loved and did not realize how much of an impacted I made there until one year later going bank and seeing all these people again. As I was visiting my recent convert I asked if she remembered me her response was so cute, “OF COURSE!! WHY would I not forget you!?” It warmed my heart. I love her! I love that area. While walking I saw some many changes in the environment and people. Everyone grew up. It was so crazy!

This week I ate mashed squash with flour in milk. Here that is called Papa De Aobora. Which papa of anything is super popular, it was actually really good. Then the classic Catchupa!! Praia always get fed here but you turn down so many people.

We went to teach a lesson. We walked in and saw alcohol on the floor and the smell of cigarettes. So, I asked what is that drink on the floor. As they move it behind the couch they tell us it is just juice. That was so funny. “It is just juice sisters do not worry.” We then could smell they were so drunk. We shared a scripture and left. That is life here in Tira Chapeu, always drunk men.

Love,

Sister Burke

Week 1 in Tira Chapeu

Whelp, this week was crazy!!!!!!!!!!! Being a Sister Trainer leader (STL) in Praia means you have to wake up when all the new missionaries come and when the old missionaries leave. Let’s just say it is either midnight or 4 am, for 3 days... So tired!!! But it was fun.

Tuesday we had a leadership council meeting. It was amazing! We received training that blew my mind. Funny thing too, all the STL are pretty much the entire group of sister’s I came with, so it was super fun seeing old faces. Then, Thursday I gave my first training! It went really well! Messed up a ton in Portuguese at first but really it was fine in the end.

Funny thing, so this is my first American comp in a long time. We were cooking together and she told me to make the rice. WELL, I started making the rice like I was taught from my African comps. I start cutting onion; she then asks what it is for. Apparently when Americans make rice it is JUST water and rice... BORING!! Africans make great tasting rice!! It was funny because I live in the same house as one of my old comps Sister Zhuwaki, I called her over and we started debating which rice flavors taste better. It was so funny! It was really fun to see the difference in cultures. My American comp told me I cook like an African. It was the funniest thing ever.

Saturday was conference. WOW!!! My last one on the mission!! I felt like there was a theme of families and service. Also I totally understood everything that was said in conference. Wow, a year ago nothing, now everything! I loved a lot of the talks that were given. It is hard to choose a favorite!

Today, I hit 14 months! Only have 4 months left and then I return home. I am getting old on the mission. Never thought that day was going to come. I really do not feel like I am going home so soon; Denial.

Hope everyone has a great week.
Love,
Sister Burke