Friday, September 30, 2016

Week 4 at MTC

The time is just flying by in the MTC. Its crazy that we are starting our 4th full week here! We leave in 2 weeks from Monday! I still haven't heard about my visa. My district should be getting our flight plans this up coming week so I think ill find out then. Elder Graf and I have been teaching about 2 lessons everyday now! Its getting a little chaotic but the practice is always great. It does get difficult at times but I still enjoy it. Last Sunday Elder Graf and I got called as the new zone leaders. I really wasn't expecting that but I enjoy the assignment. Its nice to hear from every district and to help the branch presidency out. Also our zone is losing a ton of Elders and Sisters on Tuesday. 21 in total I think. Most of them are heading out to Benin. Its going to be hard to say goodbye. The devotionals this week were great as always! On Sunday Brother Allen gave a great talk on working hard and staying exactly obedient. He got a ton of missionaries involved to share thoughts and scriptures up at the pulpit which was cool. Also its crazy that you have to talk with church leaders!!! I wish I could go to stake conference! Let me know which general authority it is haha. I picked up the package on Monday! Thanks for getting me those things! Also, it was nice to see those pictures from the beach! I can't wait to take some pictures of the beaches in New Cal! 

Avec amour,
-Elder Burbank



Got some pretty cool pictures from the temple grounds! It snowed a bit on Mt. Timp and the Sun lined right up with the Angel Moroni! 







Friday, September 23, 2016

More MTC Experiences and Pictures

The time here is just flying by! Everyday feels sooo long but when I look back I feels like I just got here! My halfway mark is on Monday I think. Our departure date actually got moved to Oct. 17th. I am super excited to get out to the field. My district and I found a picture of missionaries in New Caledonia which was really cool. This last Tuesday we had a great devotional with the MTC District president. He basically said this Gospel is 100% true or its 100% false and that there is no gray area in the church. He said we can know for certain of its truthfulness in the Book of Mormon. I am so greatful to be here right now. Sometimes it can be really difficult with the long days and the not so healthy food but its totally worth it. Elder Graf and I teach a lesson just about everyday now which is tough but it really helps to understand how to teach. This week was also the first week we got to do TRC which was a cool experience. We got to teach a really nice old lady, Sœur Graham. She served in Paris many years ago. She had a lot of cool stories to tell. That's about it for this week! 

So about general conference though. I didn't get into the missionary choir unfortunately but they are singing at the priesthood session. Also the Visa stuff is all cleared up. I don't think it has come in yet though. 

Avec amour,
-Elder Burbank

 Grass Hut in New Caledonia taken in 2004 - mounted on MTC wall

Friday, September 16, 2016

First week at the MTC

This first week at the MTC has been crazy! The first few days were some of the slowest of my life but it's been getting better as time goes on. Everyone says just make it to Sunday and it will get better and its sooo true! Sunday night I got to go to choir which was awesome and we had a devotional with Elder Ballard which was amazing! It was crazy how directly he was talking to us as missionaries. No where else can you get such specific counsel from General Authority's than in the MTC. Right after the devotional we went to a church film and my district and I watched Elder Bednar's "Character of Christ" talk which was hands down one of the best talks I have ever heard. I have never heard an apostle speak so profoundly in my life. If there is a way to listen or watch that talk somehow I HIGHLY recommend it. There was also another devotional on Tuesday night with Elder Cook and his wife which was also super great. Elder Cook gave a powerful personal testimony that he knew the Savior's voice and face. The Spirit was so strong at that devotional especially because we performed our first choir number Nearer My God to Thee. There is something special about singing with 1000+ other Elders and Sisters. I am pretty sure there will be an MTC choir singing at general conference but only about 300 of the 1200 people get to go so I don't know if I will be going yet. I really really want to sing at General Conference though. I think that would be an awesome experience.
 Yesterday Elder Graf and I just finished teaching our first "investigator" which was quite a humbling and slightly discouraging experience. Teaching in French when you barely know French is quite the task but I know the language will come eventually. It's lunch time right now so I will send another Email with some pictures a little bit later. Also, I was wondering if you started a blog for my mission or not?

Also I had an awesome session at the temple today! Its so nice to get to do a session once a week. Also our zone gets to do a little extra temple work by helping with all the temple laundry every week which is always fun. Here are some of the pictures.


-Elder Burbank





Friday, September 9, 2016

First MTC pictures


My MTC district

Name Tag


First P-day at MTC and Mailing Address

First off here is my mailing address:
Elder Connor Wade Burbank
OCT20  VAN-PV
2005 N 900 E Unit 115
Provo UT 84602

The first few days of the MTC have been great! It has been really chaotic but pretty much what I expected. Perks of having older siblings who have already served to tell you stuff! The food here really isnt too great haha but today we got to go do a temple session this morning and we had breakfast in the temple cafeteria which had muuch better food. My French class has been pretty solid so far. I was suprised at how many things I remembered from High School. I think I'll get French down in due time. Tonight I have to teach my first lesson in French! I have no idea how to really say anything but I'm sure my companion Elder Graf and I will be able to figure something out. After all we do have the spirit on our side. The spirit here at the MTC is amazing. It is really cool to see so many Elders and Sisters all unified towards a common goal to invite the spirit into other peoples lives. Everyone in my zone is so dedicated to the work and they have all been really helpful. However sadly a huge majority of our zone is heading out to the field on Monday and Tuesday. I really wish I had more time to meet them but being moved to report a week early kinda messed up the schedule. As for my district we all came in together on Wednesday. There are only 4 of us: Elder Graf, Walton, Kennedy and myself and we are all going to New Caledonia French speaking! It is really cool to have a whole district dedicated to one language and mission. Also I really like my French teacher, Brother Kellette. He served in Paris 4 years ago and hes a really fun guy to be around. Today we finally have our first gym time which I've been dying for. My French zone leaders have this tradition where the whole zone has a soccer (football) game on P-days and I'm really looking forward to that especially because one of my zone leaders, Elder Stanton, is British and played professional soccer. I never really had much of a chance to take many pictures so Ill be sure to send a bunch next week! Also I got to talk with Kane for a little bit! Turns out he has to stay for nine weeks because there was some course confusion. I will be heading out to the field before he does haha. Talk to you next week! 

-Elder Burbank

Thursday, September 8, 2016

First Day in MTC and First email from Elder Burbank

We get to write a quick email while doing some online orientation stuff. Everything is going well. I don't understand anything my French teacher says haha. I thought I had a chance at understanding something. Not sure when my P day is yet but ill email you then!


My zone leaders just gave us a tour of the MTC and now they are explaining some computer stuff so we get to send another Email super quick. My P day will be on Friday. Today we got to have a group lesson where a bunch of missionaries taught a single investigator. It was a great learning opportunity for the first day! I'll email on Friday!

-Elder Burbank 

Wednesday, September 7, 2016