I am grateful for the opportunity to share a few thoughts with you today.  This is the season of Thanksgiving; perhaps my favorite holiday.  I love the focus on faith, family, fun and of course food.  I like Thanksgiving because it is not commercialized but filled with the spirit of good will and gratitude.  Most of all I cherish the opportunity to pause and ponder my blessings and give thanks for all I've been given.

As I was preparing my talk, I looked up the word "thanksgiving" in the Topical Guide.  The first several scriptures listed mention sacrifice in conjunction with thanksgiving.  "Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving".  Amos 4:5

I had not thought about Thanksgiving in that light.  The word for Thanksgiving in Spanish is "Accion de Gracias" or Action of Thanks - Interesting.  To celebrate Thanksgiving there must be an action.  We show our love and thanks to our Heavenly Father when we willingly sacrifice and serve Him.

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.    

 Bishop Richards had previously called Dave and me into his office and asked us to serve a mission.  He said, "The Lord expects more from you."  At the time, our son David was serving a mission and we wanted to be here to welcome him home and enjoy the rest of his college years.  Our daughter Annie was living at home and we felt she still needed our influence and guidance. I was not ready to leave my mothering days behind, my task not yet complete.   I thought, "why me?  I'm too young, I'm not ready."  Also Dave is still working full-time, managing a family business.  

Bishop Richards called us in a few months later and told us about the need for English teaching missionaries in the Salt Lake City Utah Mission.  We felt the spirit whisper this was our privilege and blessing. 

We decided to accept the call and served in the Cannon 6th Spanish Branch in Glendale for 2 1/2 years.  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 our students 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 became 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 visited me:
I was in prison and ye came to me.
          Matthew 25:34-36

One of my favorite women we taught was Carmen de Luz.  Luz means "light" and Carmen was filled with light.  She was a sweet, tiny little lady.  She was one of our first students and she received a strong witness and testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.  she wanted to be baptized but her boyfriend, Florentino, would not marry her.  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.That New Year, Florentio decided to make a change.  He had experienced a change of heart.  He called the missionaries and said he was ready to marry Carmen.  He mentioned that Carmen wanted "the sister missionary" to attend the wedding.  The Elders were confused because sister missionaries never 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.  Fortunately, she was baptized by her second choice, Elder Burbidge.  The Lord answered my 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.  

We were richly blessed in the 2 1/2 years we served.  We learned to love the people, their culture and food.  We worked hard to learn their language.  I have read the Book of Mormon in Spanish several times and have studied it with new eyes.  Surely the words of King Lamoni's father describe the sacrifice we all make to embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ:, "I will give away all my sins to know thee.

We saw many wonderful, humble people make great sacrifices to repent and come unto Christ.  So many felt the spirit and entered the waters of baptism.  For many others the "traditions of their fathers" were hard to break.

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 of Ammon describing his mission experience:

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

We 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.  

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." 

When I think about our mission experience these words ring true, "Because I Have Been Given Much I Too Must Give".  

Many times as we drove home I again asked myself the question "why me"?  Why have I been so blessed when I see so many problems, so  much poverty, sin, and suffering? I've thought a lot about this question and the only answer I find is that I know the Lord has a plan, and I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ can heal and bless and perform miracles in the lives of those who will come to Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit; submitting their will to His. 

The crowning joy of our mission came last December as we attended the temple 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 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 embraced the gospel and were baptized.    We saw their countenances change.  We saw miracles occur in their lives.  Our Branch President promised Maricela that if she would quit her job which required Sunday shifts, the Lord would provide and called her to be the Primary President.  Carlos was unemployed and they had very little money but the Lord always keeps His promises. Carlos was blessed to find a good job and provides well for his family.   The Lord has magnified them and they are the heart of the Cannon 6th Branch. 

The Lord brought another New Year blessing.  I was visiting with Rosita and Karen and commented on their beautiful new coats and boots.  They smiled and said "Los Reyes Magos" brought them.  I am working hard on my Spanish but thought Reyes Magos was a person.  Their father, Carlos, quietly explained to me that in Mexico, Los Reyes Magos, bring gifts to the children in remembrance of the gifts the wisemen brought the Christ Child.  I was so touched.  Members from our Parley's Ward had quietly given to our Branch.  Many of you were the Reyes  Magos, the wisemen who brought gifts to the needy children.  We are grateful for the love and support of you good people and all you did to help our beloved hermanas and hermanos and their children.  The Van Wagoners Green Jeep can be seen all around Glendale, driven by our faithful Branch President as he serves so faithfully.  

Our small sacrifice to serve was in reality no sacrifce at all.  I give thanks for the opportunity and the difference we made was in our own hearts.  

Last year, the Salgado Family visited us on Christmas Eve.  They brought gifts.  I cherish this beautiful heart necklace, I know 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:  Ezekial 36:26:

A new heart will I give you,
And a new spirit will I put within you;
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.

This Thanksgiving I want to give my Heavenly Father a willing heart and a sacrifice to show him how very grateful I am for my blessings.  Because I Have Been Given Much, I too must give.

This past week I was in New York City visiting for my granddaughter Mary's 6th birthday.  As you have probably seen in the news, New York City and nearby surrounding areas of lower Manhattan, Staten Island and the Rockaways were devastated by the storm.  The stakes in their area asked  members to dedicate their weekend to help in the relief effort.  Families are to serve all day this Saturday and the singles wards will serve on Sunday in lieu of their meetings.  Our daughter Holly and her husband Matt, felt this would be a great opportunity for their boys, age 10 and 8 to go with their Dad and participate in this day of service. One slight problem - Saturday is the championship playoffs for their baseball teams.  They love baseball.  At tryouts they were chosen for the elite teams, but had to decline  because of Sunday play.  

When Holly and Matt asked the boys if they would be willing to sacrifice baseball playoffs to serve on Saturday, little George put his face in his hands and cried.  After a few minutes Matthew and George both said they would give up baseball to help the hurricane victims.

This was a big sacrifice for these little boys and I know the Lord recognizes their willing hearts. 

As a side note:  When their Dad called to sign them up for service - he was told the helpers had to be at least 16 years old.  The playoffs are on.

I know our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and love us.  I know Jesus Christ willingly laid down His life to atone for our sins and that through His sacrifice we too will live again. I know we can be forgiven, I know we can be healed. I know our connections are eternal.   I give thanks for His atonement - the greatest of gifts.  

I pray this will be a wonderful season for each of you, filled with the Lord's choicest blessings and that we may all in our own way, "offer a sacrifice of Thanksgiving".

6 years old on the 6th
GOLDEN BIRTHDAY
COOKIE AND CRAFT DAY