Hello Family
Well this has been an interesting week. After I wrote you Monday, that night I had a pain that kept me from sleeping; it felt like my tailbone I must have injured it or something. The following day, Tuesday, it was really hard to walk because it was hurting so bad. We went back to the house so I can use the bathroom, and there was blood. (That freaked me out a little) I checked it out and it appeared to be bleeding where my tail bone was hurting. I put some Neosporin on it and took ibuprofen to keep it from hurting. Then that night I couldn’t sleep because it was hurting so bad, but I checked it again and it was forming hard tissue. The next day (Wednesday) I tried to toughing it out until lunch time so I could use the zone leaders phone to call, Hna. Lee, the mission nurse but the zone leaders never showed up for lunch.
I asked the Family Chavez (where we eat) if I could use their phone and they said “yes” so then I tried to call Hna. Lee but their was no answer and I called three times. I tried to call Hna. Fraatz (mission presidents wife) and she didn’t pick up either after calling her three times too. I did what I could as far as missionary work. We went by all the recent convert homes and told them of the activity with Elder Clayton, President of the Seventy, for the following day. I tried to work more but the pain just didn’t let me.
I got back to our house, tried resting and eventually fell asleep. Then at 6-7 pm, we went back to Family Chavez house to eat dinner. I tried calling Hna. Lee from there home again but still no answer nor from Hna. Fraatz, so then I called up the president himself but no answer. After eating I tried one more call to Hna. Lee and she answered. She had just gotten home but left her phone in the house and was gone all day. I told her what it was that I had and she said not to worry it was just an ingrown hair or a cut that got infected and that I should take pills to take away the infection and buy some stuff that is like Neosporin, which I did, but it the pain got worse.
Thursday there was still pain but I had to wake up at 5:00am, get ready, take a shower and be at the stake center in Altagracia at 7:30am. Elder Clayton came with his wife and also with Elder Martino and his wife. I got to shake hands with each one of them starting with Elder Clayton and his wife then Elder Martino and his wife so that was really cool.
Then I sat down (which was really, really hard to do) for about 3 hours listening to these awesome talks. Elder Clayton had me stand up in front of everyone and used me as an example of how a missionary should be (I felt really good inside about that.) That was a really neat experience!
After that we got on the bus to ride home and that had to be the worst pain, bumping down the road, I was almost crying on the way back. I was sitting next to my zone leader on the way back so I explained what it was that I had and he told me that he would call Hna. Fraatz, not to worry that he would get permission so I could go to the hospital.
When we got back to our area, we were to leave again to go to another conference but this time with the recent converts and Elder Romero (zone leader) told me just to stay home, so I went on divisions and was there being watched by the family Chaves. That was the longest 4 hours waiting for my companion to get back because I was in so much pain. Well when he and the zone leaders got back to the house they ate dinner and I asked the Elder Romero what Hna. Fraatz said and he told that he still hadn’t gotten a response back.
Later we went back to our house and I tried to take the pain away by taking more ibuprofen. Well that night at around 2:45 am I woke up suffering, it hurt so bad I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t have a phone or any idea really what it was I had. I woke my comp up at 3:30 am and told him I was in a lot of pain and that I needed help. Then I said “I need to go to the hospital”. So we left the house at like 4:15am and as we were walking outside passing the zone leaders house I felt that I should tell them that we were going to the hospital and we would need to leave the area. Where they live there is a gate that you first have to enter to get in the house and there is a pit-bull that guards the house so if I were to yell to call the zone leader the dog would start barking and would wake everyone up. So I didn’t tell them.
We found a taxi and driver said that he would take us to hospital for 400 cordabas which is 10 dollars for each person (over charge). On the way we stopped to fill up on gas. When we pulled up to the hospital, my intention was not to pay the full 20.00 but to pay $15.00 but where we drove up there was no security guard on duty. If this driver was to flip out and pull out a weapon (which people here do when they don’t get their way) there would be no one to stop him. Since I was in a crap load of pain and needed help, I gave him the money.
Well long story short I got everything taken care of ( it appears I have an abscess). But later the mission calls me and tells me that I need to pay for the hospital bill or that you guys do. And I was like what?! Why?! And they told me because I didn’t ask permission first to go the hospital and I told them that I did call several times to ask permission but never got a response back. So I am trying to work that out… I just hope you don’t get a 500 dollar bill for medical. I HOPE NOT!!!
I was told the missions all the world are really tight with letting missionaries go to the hospital because so many missionaries are taking advantage the medical to get braces or unnecessary things. Next time I get sick I am going to have to wait for 3-4 days until I can even get a response back from the area doctor who lives in the States! I am kind of scared for that because I don’t want you guys to have to pay the bill… that is super unfair. Please talk with the mission and tell them what I told you, how I was trying everything I could to get permission and hopefully they don’t send you the hospital bill.
I love you all,
Elder Buck
Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Monday, February 15th This is my HUMP week!
Hey Family!
Ha-ha really I forgot that it was Valentine’s Day! (I never celebrated it much before anyway ha-ha) BUT I LOVE YOU ALL!!! This is my hump week…meaning I have been on my mission for one year now!
This week was one heck of a roller coaster. Monday and Tuesday, I was on divisions working in other areas with other Elders and we got a lot done in their areas, but in our area were my companion was, we hardly got anything done, so when I got back Tuesday night in my area (the night before changes) I tried going out and teaching as many people as I could, but we didn’t have much success. My companion wanted to go to a missionary’s farewell that’s in our ward and I told him “no” not till after we are done working.
He didn’t work because he wanted to be at the party more. At 9:35 that night we stopped working and went to report our numbers. When we got there the zone leaders told my companion that he has changes and needs to be ready to leave at 8 in the morning the next day. (He looked like he was going to cry) After they told us my companion he had to say goodbye to everyone, so we were out till 10:15 at night which is a BIG NO NO.
We finally we got back in the house and he was complaining while he was packing, so I couldn’t sleep. Then I sat down and I talked serious with him. I told him that he needs to do a better job then what he’s doing, that he needs to try harder and stop being so lazy and whiney. Then I told him that I love him and say what I say to help him. For once he understood and didn’t complain about what I said. Then I told him from all of my companions I learned at least one Christ like attribute from all of them but I told him I didn’t learn anything from him and that I don’t want that to happen anymore, because he can be an example. Then he told me “Thanks, actually you were a great example and then he told me the Christ-like attribute that I have is “Charity”. I was taken back a little bit, but I hope the best for him.
So now my new companion is (drum roll……………….) ELDER GOMEZ and he has 4 and a half months in the mission. He is from El Salvador, quiet kid but awesome companion. We haven’t had any problems and he just a good missionary that’s learning how to serve. I hope I am a good companion too, like the story that dad told me. When he practically found a perfect match and they set records in Scotland. I hope the same too for this companionship.
Yeah this week was so hard we had one baptism planned, Martha. So here is her story….
Martha is a mom of 4, and she had a husband, but the men here in Nicaragua are messed up. When the wife gets sick or too old and ugly then they kick them out of the house and marry another lady. That happened with her, she has those spider vein things on her legs and it ruptured…..gross….they didn’t have a way to fix it at the moment so he just kicked her out. Now she lives in this one room house that’s probably the size of the shed in front of your house and for work she irons and washes clothes. She stands up all day on this bad leg. Well I gave her a blessing and she said it got a little bit better, but also we had her planned for her baptism this Saturday. Because I had been on divisions earlier that week I didn’t know how she was doing so when I got back to my area and asked my companion how she was doing, if he passed by her house, he didn’t want to talk to me.
I was like “okay”….and that was the same day he had changes so he transferred from the area without telling me anything about her. My new companion (who also has an ingrown toe nail and can hardly walk for the moment) went with me to her house but she wasn’t home and she lives far away (she almost lives on the boundary of our area). She lives like 3 miles outside of where we normally work. We went to her house 6 times and finally we found her at 7 pm just getting back from a members house. She was mad and so when I asked her what happened she told me she had been waiting for us 3 hours at a member’s house. I asked, Did my companion make an appointment with you?? And she said “yes on Tuesday afternoon” I was like “oh my gosh”, cuz my companion didn’t tell me anything or about the appointment. She had to walk a great distance to the member house to wait for us to come! I apologized and we then talked about her baptism and she told me that it was tomorrow but that she doesn’t want to get baptized. I said “Okay its fine, just rest tomorrow and we will pass by in the afternoon.”
The next day we passed by and we talked with her again and she agreed to be baptized. She then talked to my zone leader and he told her that we would do the baptism Sunday morning before church starts. So Sunday morning I woke up at 5 am and got everything ready, went with a member in a car to picked her up and she got baptized right before sacrament meeting started. She then thanked me a ton and said, “At first she didn’t feel ready but that I helped her to feel ready. “
Well other then that I am having my normal struggles. I don’t know why but right now I have the hardest time wanting to obey my district and zone leaders. I have that “you can’t tell me what to do attitude” but at the same time I feel like I don’t want to listen to them. They tell us not to do something then they turn around and do it. What the heck kind of leader is that??
Now we have a new rule that when we are late to a meeting we have to pay one dollar. And when we talk English we have to pay $20 and they say I owe $80 right now. I don’t care….ha-ha, I know it’s bad but that’s my attitude right now because sometimes they are late and talk in English too… I don’t have any respect for them ; o
But I love you all,
Elder Buck
Ha-ha really I forgot that it was Valentine’s Day! (I never celebrated it much before anyway ha-ha) BUT I LOVE YOU ALL!!! This is my hump week…meaning I have been on my mission for one year now!
This week was one heck of a roller coaster. Monday and Tuesday, I was on divisions working in other areas with other Elders and we got a lot done in their areas, but in our area were my companion was, we hardly got anything done, so when I got back Tuesday night in my area (the night before changes) I tried going out and teaching as many people as I could, but we didn’t have much success. My companion wanted to go to a missionary’s farewell that’s in our ward and I told him “no” not till after we are done working.
He didn’t work because he wanted to be at the party more. At 9:35 that night we stopped working and went to report our numbers. When we got there the zone leaders told my companion that he has changes and needs to be ready to leave at 8 in the morning the next day. (He looked like he was going to cry) After they told us my companion he had to say goodbye to everyone, so we were out till 10:15 at night which is a BIG NO NO.
We finally we got back in the house and he was complaining while he was packing, so I couldn’t sleep. Then I sat down and I talked serious with him. I told him that he needs to do a better job then what he’s doing, that he needs to try harder and stop being so lazy and whiney. Then I told him that I love him and say what I say to help him. For once he understood and didn’t complain about what I said. Then I told him from all of my companions I learned at least one Christ like attribute from all of them but I told him I didn’t learn anything from him and that I don’t want that to happen anymore, because he can be an example. Then he told me “Thanks, actually you were a great example and then he told me the Christ-like attribute that I have is “Charity”. I was taken back a little bit, but I hope the best for him.
So now my new companion is (drum roll……………….) ELDER GOMEZ and he has 4 and a half months in the mission. He is from El Salvador, quiet kid but awesome companion. We haven’t had any problems and he just a good missionary that’s learning how to serve. I hope I am a good companion too, like the story that dad told me. When he practically found a perfect match and they set records in Scotland. I hope the same too for this companionship.
Yeah this week was so hard we had one baptism planned, Martha. So here is her story….
Martha is a mom of 4, and she had a husband, but the men here in Nicaragua are messed up. When the wife gets sick or too old and ugly then they kick them out of the house and marry another lady. That happened with her, she has those spider vein things on her legs and it ruptured…..gross….they didn’t have a way to fix it at the moment so he just kicked her out. Now she lives in this one room house that’s probably the size of the shed in front of your house and for work she irons and washes clothes. She stands up all day on this bad leg. Well I gave her a blessing and she said it got a little bit better, but also we had her planned for her baptism this Saturday. Because I had been on divisions earlier that week I didn’t know how she was doing so when I got back to my area and asked my companion how she was doing, if he passed by her house, he didn’t want to talk to me.
I was like “okay”….and that was the same day he had changes so he transferred from the area without telling me anything about her. My new companion (who also has an ingrown toe nail and can hardly walk for the moment) went with me to her house but she wasn’t home and she lives far away (she almost lives on the boundary of our area). She lives like 3 miles outside of where we normally work. We went to her house 6 times and finally we found her at 7 pm just getting back from a members house. She was mad and so when I asked her what happened she told me she had been waiting for us 3 hours at a member’s house. I asked, Did my companion make an appointment with you?? And she said “yes on Tuesday afternoon” I was like “oh my gosh”, cuz my companion didn’t tell me anything or about the appointment. She had to walk a great distance to the member house to wait for us to come! I apologized and we then talked about her baptism and she told me that it was tomorrow but that she doesn’t want to get baptized. I said “Okay its fine, just rest tomorrow and we will pass by in the afternoon.”
The next day we passed by and we talked with her again and she agreed to be baptized. She then talked to my zone leader and he told her that we would do the baptism Sunday morning before church starts. So Sunday morning I woke up at 5 am and got everything ready, went with a member in a car to picked her up and she got baptized right before sacrament meeting started. She then thanked me a ton and said, “At first she didn’t feel ready but that I helped her to feel ready. “
Well other then that I am having my normal struggles. I don’t know why but right now I have the hardest time wanting to obey my district and zone leaders. I have that “you can’t tell me what to do attitude” but at the same time I feel like I don’t want to listen to them. They tell us not to do something then they turn around and do it. What the heck kind of leader is that??
Now we have a new rule that when we are late to a meeting we have to pay one dollar. And when we talk English we have to pay $20 and they say I owe $80 right now. I don’t care….ha-ha, I know it’s bad but that’s my attitude right now because sometimes they are late and talk in English too… I don’t have any respect for them ; o
But I love you all,
Elder Buck
Monday, February 8th
Hey Family!
This week, I got to admit, was hard but it always is, but the weekends make up all the difference. I LOVE THE MISSION!!! It is tough but it is good for me. I just admire those missionaries that give all they got and never give up and always smile (like Monson) that kid seems like he is having the time of his life, Oh man I can just imagine us both as companions WE WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD!!! HAHAHA I want to be just like that but sometimes I get so overwhelmed that it makes it hard to be happy. I am really improving (I think).
Things happen that I can’t control and really it’s something that I’m learning here in the mission because a lot of stuff does happen. The mission is the hardest when you try to do everything on your own because I AM NOTHING WITHOUT THE HELP OF GOD. It is true that when I try to work my butt off and do everything I can, it’s still is not enough, it never is enough. It’s not even enough when my companion and I are both working hard because the people are still going to reject us, they are going to make fun of us, and then we get discouraged. This week I learned how to ask for Gods help, and he helped me. We still didn’t complete all of our companionship goals, because my companion doesn’t want to work, (at one point he wanted to go home) but I completed all of my personal goals. I just wish things were quieter and I can find a reverent place to communicate better with Him, but He knows I’m trying and I know I’m trying so that’s what makes it enough.
Well I just want to recount of one of the many awesome experiences this week.
Last night, we just taught a in-active family that haven’t been going to church for about 7 years and I talked with them for 3 hours and we pretty much resolved everything, they thanked me and told me that they will see me at church.
After we left we still had a ton of contacting to get done and my companion didn’t feel like doing anything. So I start contacting people and I had a really good feeling this whole day, and I have to say, it was God’s love that I was feeling inside.
Well, we were passing by some houses and there was a group of women sitting outside so I start talking with them, they didn’t want to listen, they said they were busy talking, and so I said "Okay, well do you have any questions that you would like answered before we leave?" One lady was sitting in the chair with this group of ladies and the whole time never said anything until I asked if they have questions, she looked up at me and asked "Who is this Joseph Smith?"
I told her, he was a prophet called of God sent to restore the church of Jesus Christ to the earth and we represent this church. Then she said, “I’m a pastor of my Christian church and there is no where in the Bible that says "Joseph Smith" .
"Yes I know, its like in the Old Testament it doesn’t say Jesus Christ, only in the New Testament.
She sat there for a bit, and they I started "Hermana, we believe in Jesus Christ that He is the Son of God and that he originally formed his church while he was upon the earth and that after his death of Christ and His apostles, His church was taken from the earth".
"Today we have prophets, men who are special witnesses of Christ, who testify of Christ, that He lives, that He loves us, and that He speaks to us through his prophets."
She then wanted to know how we have prophets and they let me sit down in the chair with them.
So I taught her from the beginning of how Jesus Christ organized his church, that there was a great apostasy, and how it was restored. I then started to tell her by the "fruits of the prophets you will know" (ha-ha I don’t really remember what that verse is in English but in Spanish it is "por los frutos conocereis"
I taught her of the Book of Mormon, that the angel Moroni revealed the location of where the plates where hidden to the prophet Joseph Smith.
As soon as I said "angel and reveal" she started to look for something in the bible flipping through the pages and I was thinking "oh man what she doing now?" (She seemed to have a scripture to contradict me and tell me I’m wrong but I had some too, but more I had that I had the help of the Holy Ghost). She then read me the scripture that says something like "and if a man or any angel FROM HEAVEN reveals a different gospel then what we have been taught, let him be accursed."
I knew this was one of the scriptures that had changed its meaning during the great apostasy, so I told her "Hermana, do you thing God would send down one of his angels to tell a lie?! " "This boy, Joseph Smith, saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ… I know that...it is no lie, do you really think I would leave my country, my family, and come to Nicaragua to tell a lie?" I looked her straight in the eye and I told her "I know this church is true and that Joseph Smith was called of God to restore the gospel, and you can know for your self by reading the Book of Mormon…the fruit that testifies of Christ.
She looked like she was going to cry then she put on an angry face and told me "THE BIBLE IS THE TRUTH" then I said "Im sorry.....and Im sorry to all the rest of you sisters if I offended anyone, but without a prophet of God, who talks with God, to tell you what the bible really says... you will never know the truth.
I then shook everyone’s hand and left.
I felt really weak after and sad…I know that they felt the spirit cause my companion did ( he was whining the whole day and after the lesson, he kept quiet for the rest of the night)
Well I’m almost out of time. I love you all and thank you for all your prayers, love and support.
Elder Buck
This week, I got to admit, was hard but it always is, but the weekends make up all the difference. I LOVE THE MISSION!!! It is tough but it is good for me. I just admire those missionaries that give all they got and never give up and always smile (like Monson) that kid seems like he is having the time of his life, Oh man I can just imagine us both as companions WE WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD!!! HAHAHA I want to be just like that but sometimes I get so overwhelmed that it makes it hard to be happy. I am really improving (I think).
Things happen that I can’t control and really it’s something that I’m learning here in the mission because a lot of stuff does happen. The mission is the hardest when you try to do everything on your own because I AM NOTHING WITHOUT THE HELP OF GOD. It is true that when I try to work my butt off and do everything I can, it’s still is not enough, it never is enough. It’s not even enough when my companion and I are both working hard because the people are still going to reject us, they are going to make fun of us, and then we get discouraged. This week I learned how to ask for Gods help, and he helped me. We still didn’t complete all of our companionship goals, because my companion doesn’t want to work, (at one point he wanted to go home) but I completed all of my personal goals. I just wish things were quieter and I can find a reverent place to communicate better with Him, but He knows I’m trying and I know I’m trying so that’s what makes it enough.
Well I just want to recount of one of the many awesome experiences this week.
Last night, we just taught a in-active family that haven’t been going to church for about 7 years and I talked with them for 3 hours and we pretty much resolved everything, they thanked me and told me that they will see me at church.
After we left we still had a ton of contacting to get done and my companion didn’t feel like doing anything. So I start contacting people and I had a really good feeling this whole day, and I have to say, it was God’s love that I was feeling inside.
Well, we were passing by some houses and there was a group of women sitting outside so I start talking with them, they didn’t want to listen, they said they were busy talking, and so I said "Okay, well do you have any questions that you would like answered before we leave?" One lady was sitting in the chair with this group of ladies and the whole time never said anything until I asked if they have questions, she looked up at me and asked "Who is this Joseph Smith?"
I told her, he was a prophet called of God sent to restore the church of Jesus Christ to the earth and we represent this church. Then she said, “I’m a pastor of my Christian church and there is no where in the Bible that says "Joseph Smith" .
"Yes I know, its like in the Old Testament it doesn’t say Jesus Christ, only in the New Testament.
She sat there for a bit, and they I started "Hermana, we believe in Jesus Christ that He is the Son of God and that he originally formed his church while he was upon the earth and that after his death of Christ and His apostles, His church was taken from the earth".
"Today we have prophets, men who are special witnesses of Christ, who testify of Christ, that He lives, that He loves us, and that He speaks to us through his prophets."
She then wanted to know how we have prophets and they let me sit down in the chair with them.
So I taught her from the beginning of how Jesus Christ organized his church, that there was a great apostasy, and how it was restored. I then started to tell her by the "fruits of the prophets you will know" (ha-ha I don’t really remember what that verse is in English but in Spanish it is "por los frutos conocereis"
I taught her of the Book of Mormon, that the angel Moroni revealed the location of where the plates where hidden to the prophet Joseph Smith.
As soon as I said "angel and reveal" she started to look for something in the bible flipping through the pages and I was thinking "oh man what she doing now?" (She seemed to have a scripture to contradict me and tell me I’m wrong but I had some too, but more I had that I had the help of the Holy Ghost). She then read me the scripture that says something like "and if a man or any angel FROM HEAVEN reveals a different gospel then what we have been taught, let him be accursed."
I knew this was one of the scriptures that had changed its meaning during the great apostasy, so I told her "Hermana, do you thing God would send down one of his angels to tell a lie?! " "This boy, Joseph Smith, saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ… I know that...it is no lie, do you really think I would leave my country, my family, and come to Nicaragua to tell a lie?" I looked her straight in the eye and I told her "I know this church is true and that Joseph Smith was called of God to restore the gospel, and you can know for your self by reading the Book of Mormon…the fruit that testifies of Christ.
She looked like she was going to cry then she put on an angry face and told me "THE BIBLE IS THE TRUTH" then I said "Im sorry.....and Im sorry to all the rest of you sisters if I offended anyone, but without a prophet of God, who talks with God, to tell you what the bible really says... you will never know the truth.
I then shook everyone’s hand and left.
I felt really weak after and sad…I know that they felt the spirit cause my companion did ( he was whining the whole day and after the lesson, he kept quiet for the rest of the night)
Well I’m almost out of time. I love you all and thank you for all your prayers, love and support.
Elder Buck
Monday, February 1, 2010
Good Experience This Week
Hello Family,
I’m glad that you enjoyed my stories from last week! Haha. No we haven’t seen Antonio since he ran away from us. We didn’t have any baptisms this week, just a confirmation for Antonio (Sr.) who wasn’t confirmed because he was sick. With my companion, we had some problems but I just need to make the change and just forget what happened and help him and if he doesn’t want to change I just need to set a better example.
Oh sweet, thank you I will be looking forward to the package! Ha ha that is awesome that Tanner sang a song to win tickets to the Monster Truck Jam! Did you get video of him doing it I would love to see it. Where was it at?
Yeah I too have made new goals of things that I need to do for this year that I want to improve. I am glad the family it is doing that too. Ha-ha I never knew that I had a unique way of writing letters??
I almost have my Patriarchal Blessing memorized only have 2 or 3 paragraphs left. Yeah I pretty much have all of my lessons down in Preach my Gospel. To be honest, really I have never thought of home or what I need to do when I get back. I guess I should start doing that right about now.
Okay I’m sorry I don’t have much time to write anymore. We get one hour but we also have a letter that were suppose to type up and mail to our mission president too. This week has been different….I’m always experimenting new things and different ways to improve. But now I understand better what I can do, where before was really confused about what was really important.
President Fraatz came to our area and gave the speech of how crappy we are doing and what we can do to do better. I felt good because he wasn’t only speaking to me but my entire zone and we do need to do better. But then after wards we had interviews. Everyone was all nervous but I’m always able to keep myself calm because “if you’re prepared you need not fear”. But I got to tell you, after that interview I felt like crap…I was the very last one to go out of 20 missionaries. When I went in, he was already mad at the rest of the missionaries. So he really he didn’t help me any…I’m trying to love and respect him, but after that interview it was hard.
There is going to be big changes in the mission this year. They’re going to separate Nicaragua into two missions in July and President Fraatz will be going home in May (he ends his 3 years then) so that will be different.
Other then that I had some pretty good experiences this week. While we were out contacting in the street one night, a young man named Gustavo came up to me, and just wanted to know who we are and what we do. So we set up an appointment to go to his house and teach and share what it is we do. I left him a pamphlet to read and told him to read it before we come and we will explain whatever questions he has.
When we got to his house (in a richer community) His sister was out side watering the lawn and we talked with her and invited her and the mom to join us in the lesson. Then we taught them all of the restoration lesson but they didn’t seem to interested or didn’t listen very well. Then a friend of the family came, named Maria and she has received all the lessons and everything with the missionaries about 5 years before. But something happened with the missionaries and she never saw them again. She helped us out a lot to explain what everything meant and we set up a visit to return another day.
Well two days later we came back and supposedly everyone forgot we had a visit with them so only Gustavo and his sister Yaudi were home. We asked them if they read the chapter in the Book of Mormon that we left with them and they didn’t. We read it together (3 Nephi 11). Then after I told them that to know if this book is true that they needed to pray and hen I felt that I should pray with them. So I asked them “do you really want to know if this book is true”?? and they said yes. I said okay and I told them to kneel down and told them they we will pray to know if it’s true. They told me that I should pray for them and so I did. I asked Heavenly Father to bless them with the answer to know if the Book of Mormon is true and the rest I don’t remember what I said but I prayed for about a minute.
After I asked them if they felt anything and nd they both said that they felt something in their hearts and couldn’t explain. So I told them that it was the spirit testifying to them of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. That was the awesomest experience that I have had so far here in las Mercedes. I don’t think I will forget about that experience.
I thank you for everything always.
Love,
Elder Buck
I’m glad that you enjoyed my stories from last week! Haha. No we haven’t seen Antonio since he ran away from us. We didn’t have any baptisms this week, just a confirmation for Antonio (Sr.) who wasn’t confirmed because he was sick. With my companion, we had some problems but I just need to make the change and just forget what happened and help him and if he doesn’t want to change I just need to set a better example.
Oh sweet, thank you I will be looking forward to the package! Ha ha that is awesome that Tanner sang a song to win tickets to the Monster Truck Jam! Did you get video of him doing it I would love to see it. Where was it at?
Yeah I too have made new goals of things that I need to do for this year that I want to improve. I am glad the family it is doing that too. Ha-ha I never knew that I had a unique way of writing letters??
I almost have my Patriarchal Blessing memorized only have 2 or 3 paragraphs left. Yeah I pretty much have all of my lessons down in Preach my Gospel. To be honest, really I have never thought of home or what I need to do when I get back. I guess I should start doing that right about now.
Okay I’m sorry I don’t have much time to write anymore. We get one hour but we also have a letter that were suppose to type up and mail to our mission president too. This week has been different….I’m always experimenting new things and different ways to improve. But now I understand better what I can do, where before was really confused about what was really important.
President Fraatz came to our area and gave the speech of how crappy we are doing and what we can do to do better. I felt good because he wasn’t only speaking to me but my entire zone and we do need to do better. But then after wards we had interviews. Everyone was all nervous but I’m always able to keep myself calm because “if you’re prepared you need not fear”. But I got to tell you, after that interview I felt like crap…I was the very last one to go out of 20 missionaries. When I went in, he was already mad at the rest of the missionaries. So he really he didn’t help me any…I’m trying to love and respect him, but after that interview it was hard.
There is going to be big changes in the mission this year. They’re going to separate Nicaragua into two missions in July and President Fraatz will be going home in May (he ends his 3 years then) so that will be different.
Other then that I had some pretty good experiences this week. While we were out contacting in the street one night, a young man named Gustavo came up to me, and just wanted to know who we are and what we do. So we set up an appointment to go to his house and teach and share what it is we do. I left him a pamphlet to read and told him to read it before we come and we will explain whatever questions he has.
When we got to his house (in a richer community) His sister was out side watering the lawn and we talked with her and invited her and the mom to join us in the lesson. Then we taught them all of the restoration lesson but they didn’t seem to interested or didn’t listen very well. Then a friend of the family came, named Maria and she has received all the lessons and everything with the missionaries about 5 years before. But something happened with the missionaries and she never saw them again. She helped us out a lot to explain what everything meant and we set up a visit to return another day.
Well two days later we came back and supposedly everyone forgot we had a visit with them so only Gustavo and his sister Yaudi were home. We asked them if they read the chapter in the Book of Mormon that we left with them and they didn’t. We read it together (3 Nephi 11). Then after I told them that to know if this book is true that they needed to pray and hen I felt that I should pray with them. So I asked them “do you really want to know if this book is true”?? and they said yes. I said okay and I told them to kneel down and told them they we will pray to know if it’s true. They told me that I should pray for them and so I did. I asked Heavenly Father to bless them with the answer to know if the Book of Mormon is true and the rest I don’t remember what I said but I prayed for about a minute.
After I asked them if they felt anything and nd they both said that they felt something in their hearts and couldn’t explain. So I told them that it was the spirit testifying to them of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. That was the awesomest experience that I have had so far here in las Mercedes. I don’t think I will forget about that experience.
I thank you for everything always.
Love,
Elder Buck
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