Take good care of the Light you're given

Soaking in Ferraran Rain

Wow, thank you for sharing that wonderful learning experience, Mom.  You are a great teacher with a contagious love and respect for Heavenly Father, and Gentry is wise beyond her years.  I miss Family Home Evening!  There is an American family here in Ferrara, stationed for the Air Force, that we visited a few Mondays ago.  Their Family Home Evening (complete with a spiritual thought, activity, and chocolate chip cookies!!) brought back so many wonderful memories of doing the same with my family, every Monday night for nearly twenty years.

Nearly twenty years... whew.  Let's save that terrifying thought for next week, eh?

I don't feel that I have a whole lot to say this week.  Ferrara is hard, but beautiful, and though we don't see a ton of success in Finding Work and lots of our appointments fall through, Anziano Marin and I are studying up on books like "Our Search for Happiness" and "Jesus the Christ"--as well as canon scripture--to strengthen our own testimonies.  An unlit candle cannot ignite another wick.

The Holy Ghost has been pouring droves of personal revelation into my thoughts and heart, too.  My last few journal entries are up to four pages long as I try to record all the beautiful, spiritual, applicable things I'm learning for myself.  I encourage all of you to write your own personal revelations you receive as well, which may come as simple, uplifting thoughts or moments of breathtaking enlightment.  If you take good care of the Light you're given, it will be added upon forever.  That's a promise from God Himself.

On a bench in Padova

I've been studying wisdom and discernment lately.  Really profound topics.  I'm getting a lot of out of it.  Pondering and meditating are such centering practices.  Even life's most frustrating and difficult moments can be counterbalanced by a good pondering session, as far as I'm concerned.  I love to think, and God has given us so much to think about.

I love you all.  Pray for your own experiences of personal revelation.  They are as thrilling as they are tranquil.  Be good, and glow brighter.

Anziano Burton

I love getting emails from my friends on missions--Tyler and Clayton both emailed me this week.  I'm so uplifted by their good examples.  I'm so happy you helped me choose to make good friends.  Encourage Jed to do the same.  As long as he keeps really good friends, he'll be okay in the end.  Tell him I love him and can't wait for him to serve a mission.

Bring it on