Bee Lines: Mindful of Every People

The New Year, January 2010: I decided to make just one resolution and really try to focus on achieving my goal. I thought a long time about what I needed to accomplish and the thought kept coming to my mind - "make a difference". Not really knowing how, what, when or where, I made it a matter of prayer and asked the Lord to help me make a difference - to someone, somewhere, somehow.

Bishop Richards had previously called us to his office and asked that we consider serving a mission. He said, "The Lord expects more from you." Annie was not married and we felt she still needed our influence and guidance. David was serving his mission and we wanted to welcome him home and enjoy the rest of his college years. I was not ready to leave my mothering days behind, my task not yet complete. Dave was also in the midst of managing a family business.

Five months later our bishop told us about the need for English teaching missionaries in the Salt Lake City, Utah Mission. We decided to accept the call and began serving in the Cannon 6th Spanish Branch, May 2010.

We taught English lessons to investigators and new members of the Church. We were actually part-time missionaries, called to find and teach - bringing people unto our Savior Jesus Christ. Each week, we visited in their homes, beginning and ending each lesson with a prayer. We shared our testimonies, sometimes sang a hymn, and invited them to come to church and offered rides. We helped with weddings and baptisms, "wedtisms", celebrated birthdays, welcomed new babies, taught piano lessons and visited some in jail.

This scripture has become real to us:

For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat:

I was thirsty and ye gave me drink:

I was a stranger and ye took me in:

Naked and ye clothed me:

I was sick and ye visted me:

I was in prison and ye came to me.

Matthew 25:34-36

We were blessed to be taught by President and Sister Winn and attended Zone Conferences and senior missionary training. Two sets of young elders were assigned to our branch and we worked with them and shared a common goal - to bring people unto Jesus Christ.

One of our favorite activities was to take investigators to Temple Square. The Spirit is so strong there and the people can really feel it. In 2010, 66 people were baptized in our little branch. In 2011 there were 73 baptisms. The Branch is experiencing great success in 2012 and many more have entered the waters of baptism. The Salt Lake City Utah Mission is one of the most successful in the Church in regard to baptisms. The Lord has prepared people to come here to learn and accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The full-time missionaries called to serve in this mission are truly choice young men and women and we have cherished our association with them. They remind us of our wonderful missionary son, Elder David Eugene Burbidge and much of our service coincided with his.

Elder Burbidge and I have been richly blessed in the almost two and one-half years we served. We learned to love the people, their culture, their language and food. We worked hard to learn Spanish and even though not fluent - we've made great progress. I have read the Book of Mormon in Spanish several times and have studied it with new eyes. The Lord loves our Lamanite brothers and sisters. They truly are of the House of Israel and the Lord has a plan for them.

I love these verses from Alma 26 We can truly liken these scriptures unto ourselves:

Go amongst thy brethren the Lamanites and I will give you success.

We have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of God. And we have entered into their houses and taught them.

Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many.

Yea, blessed is the name of God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land.

Blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.

Now we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea He numbereth his people, and His bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving.

2011 brought a priceless New Year's blessing. We taught Carmen during our first summer and she received a strong witness and testimony that the gospel is true. She wanted to be baptized but her boyfriend, Florentino, would not marry her. In August, she gave birth to a baby boy and took a break from gospel and English lessons. We kept in touch; dropping by a baby gift and remembering her at Christmas and in our prayers.

The New Year is a wonderful time to change, chart a new course, make a difference.

That New Year, Florentino decided to make a change. He had experienced a change of heart. He called the missionaries and said he as ready to marry Carmen and be baptized. He mentioned that Carmen wanted "the sister missionary" to attend the wedding. The Elders were confused because sister missionaries do not serve in our area. They figured it out - it was me, Hermana Burbidge, Carmen wanted to attend her marriage! A few weeks later in her baptismal interview she said she wanted Hermana Burbidge to perform her baptism. Amazing! Fortunately, she got her second choice; Elder Burbidge baptized her on January 15, 2011. The Lord answered prayers; he allowed me to be a part of Carmen and her little family "coming unto Christ." I know the gospel changes hearts and blesses families.

The crowning joy of our mission came in December 2011. We were able to attend the sealing of Carlos and Maricela Sanchez and their daughters, Rosita and Karen. It was a long journey. they literally walked much of the way from Mexico City, crossed the border and somehow found their way to Salt Lake City. They were hungry and heard the Mormon missionaries could help them. They received the "bread of life" and have embraced the gospel. We have seen their countenances change. Our Branch President promised Maricela if she would quit her job, which required her to work on Sunday, the Lord would provide and called her to be the Primary President. The Lord always keeps His promises. He has magnified them and they are the heart of the Cannon 6th Branch."

New Year 2012 - The Lord brought another New Year Blessing. I was chatting with Rosita and Karen and commented on their beautiful new coats and boots. They smiled and said, "Los Reyes Magos" brought them. I'm working hard on my Spanish and thought Reyes Magos was a person. Their father, Carlos, quietly explained that in Mexico, Los Reyes Magos bring gifts to the little children in remembrance of the gifts the wise men had brought the Christ Child. I was so touched. Members from our Parley's Ward had quietly given to our Branch. They were the Reyes Magos, wise men who brought gifts to the needy children. We are so grateful for the love and support of good friends and neighbors for helping our beloved hermanas and hermanos and their children.

We are grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve. Our contributions were small and the difference we have made has been in our own hearts.

Last Christmas, the Salgados visited us on Christmas Eve. They brought gifts. I cherish my beautiful gold heart necklace and know it was bought with great sacrifice. It is a symbol to me of my love for the people - and I know they love us. Our hearts have been changed.

I love this scripture:

A new heart also will I give you,
And a new spirit will I put within you;
And I will take away the stony heart.
I will put my spirit within you,
And cause you to walk in my statutes
And ye shall keep my commandments and do them.
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers;
And ye shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Ezekial 36:26

These are "our people" and we wish we could have stayed forever. We take comfort knowing that we are forever connected to our beloved hermanos and hermanas in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yo se que Jesucristo vive! Yo se que Jose Smith restauro el evanjelio de Cristo sobre la tierra. Yo se que las escrituras son verdaderas. Yo se que Thomas S. Monson es un profeta de dios. Se que somos hijos de nuestro Padre Celestial y que El nos ama.
En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

A Sampling of our Many Memories