1/15/08: HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family -

Hey! How are you guys doing? How are things back at home? Is it snowing? How is the cabin, Dad?

Things are good here! I made it to my first p-day!! We have been doing wash and trying to get all this stuff done today! We are supposed to go bowling at 12 but who knows! Kinda lame! My trainer is pretty cool! Kinda weird and quiet but a good kid! He is Tongan and is from Utah.

We have been riding our bike SO, SO, SO MUCH!! My butt hurts so bad! Seriously, it kills me! I have ridden over 85 miles since Wednesday! CRAZY!!! I have lost a lot of weight but getting back in shape. We don’t have a car which stinks because it would be nice to drive but OH WELL!! Just my luck! Whatever it takes to humble me then so be it!

We have been teaching a good amount! I have run in to some crazy, SUCH rude people but it’s good! I just like talking to people! I actually have my first Baptism next Saturday!!!!!!!!!!! WAY COOL! Took my 5 days, President Gee said that is the fastest he has ever seen anyone get a baptism that fast, so it’s cool! He had all ready had the 1st and 2nd lesson. Then we taught him the 3rd and 4th lesson. His name is Steve Toney age 50, male and black! SUCH A TIGHT GUY!! We were teaching him yesterday and trying to get his date set and what not. He had a big thing of coffee that he got from his food stamps and he said, "Well I gotta drink my coffee because it was 13 dollars so I’ll get baptized after I finish it!"

I said, “How much was it?”

He said, “13 dollars, why?”

I said, “I’ll pay you 13 dollars to go dump it out and to set your date for you baptism.”

He started laughing and said, “No, you won’t!” I pulled it out of my wallet and put 13 bucks on the table! He started laughing and said, “OKAY!!!”

He had not had it in 15 days but it was free with his stamps! So he did it! He dumped it out and got him to pick his date for next Saturday!!!!!!!!! SO COOL! He came back in and gave me a huge hug and started crying. He said "I never knew that someone would care about me that much to pay me to throw food away!"

Such a cool thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The best 13 dollars I have spent or Dad has, so thanks Dad!! That one is on you!

We are teaching four other people who will probably get baptized! The average person only gets two to four baptisms in the mission for two years. My companion only has one! So we will see! I am working so hard to do the work! It is hard but I know the Lord will bless me!

So we were knocking on doors in an apartment complex and we came to this one door. I knocked on the door and this OLD Lady answers with no teeth. CRAZY?!?!? I said "Hi, I am from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

And she said, "OHHH NO! GET OUTTA HERE!” She slammed the door in our faces so HARD!! I got shot down by a lady with no TEETH!! Haha, it was funny. My companion and I just started laughing.

I am kinda down in the ghetto, like for real! It’s pretty crazy. We are not allowed to be in parts of the city at night because it is so bad! But it is tight! I have gotten flipped off, yelled at, honked at and called some bad names in only 6 days! But it is tight!

I was pretty home sick at first or I guess I should say, Brittany Sick! But it is getting better. I am trying to lose myself and GIVE MYSELF (James Sukhan). Ha ha! SO it is good! We OYM (Open Your Mouth) to 24 people yesterday and didn’t get out until 1:30! So in 6 1/2 hours, which is pretty good.

Sukhan - I LOVE YOU MAN!! Thank you so much for everything! We sat down with this guy the other day that just went off about all the stuff we talked about - the questions about blacks, the temple and what not. When we left, my companion said I handled it really well. I GIVE IT ALL TO YOU. I told him my half brother, James Sukhan, told me all about it! I love you man! Thanks for everything! We are chillin when i get back everyday! You, me, Britt and hopefully your wife but probably not though, JK! I miss you and love ya!

Whit, Paul, Tru and Luke - That is so cute about Luke and the song! I Love you so much!!! I miss you guys but know the lord will bless everyone!

Dad - YOU ARE TIGHT, DAWG!! I am almost done with the Book of Mormon, which is cool, first time ever! I miss you! Send that stuff out for me ASAP! Miss you and love you, tell Barb hi!

Ash - Oh dear Ash!! I love you! Miss you so much! I hope all is well! That sounds tight when I get home! I think I am going to go to OSU (Ohio State) So you, me, JT and my Princess (aka Brittany) can all live together!

Justin - I love you man! Miss you! Thanks for all you have done!!

Brittany - I love you so much, you are amazing! I am sending you a tape today and some other stuff! I hope you got my other email.

JP - I sent you a letter the other day so I hope you get it soon! I LOVE YOU!! You are so tight man. I miss you and am thinking about you! You are so tight!

I know the church is true with everything in my body! I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and that he has made it possible for me to return to live with Him one day! I am so thankful for families and all they stand for! I can not wait to start my own with Brittany and have the church in my life! I am so thankful for Brittany, for always standing by my side, for being an amazing girlfriend, and for being my Partner In Crime (PIC), a new nickname, ha ha! I love all you guys and know the Lord will bless me for doing His work! Everyone read the Ensign - the article that Monson wrote! AMAZING! And read Alma 20! AMAZING! Brings such comfort knowing that Mom is happy and she is watching over me! I have felt her very close and helping everyday! I LOVE YOU GUYS! Do what’s right! BRITTANY, I love you. I know you are in my life for a reason and I thank God every night for you. I love you!

LOVE YOU ALL. Love you LO (aka Britt)

Elder Burnett!