New Area, New American Companion

Dear Family,

As I wrote in my last letter...while I was sick and not able to leave the apartment for a couple of days, my companion would leave our house and go off with other members and supposedly work during the day.  He came back around 7-8 p.m. each night and would then chill with whatever members were in the house. They would buy pizza and start to play poker.  When I was feeling better we were suppose to start working again but my companion did not want to work with me...he still wanted to do splits with the members. When I would come home at 9-10 pm each night with my member companion, he would already be back at the house eating pizza and playing poker.   When I asked about his teaching for the day he always had lots of visits and people he taught and he always completed the mission goals for the day.

I knew he was not being truthful and had not been working all day so it made me kind of irritated with him. I can't get him to plan, pray, study, contact or do any work with me on a daily basis.

While I was on splits with a member we were able to teach a family and set a date for baptisms. I was really excited because this area has not had a baptism for 6 months. The family is currently living with some members that my companion does not like. So on one day when my real companion had to work with me...he refuse to go to the members house to teach the investigators!  He said, I DO NOT LIKE THAT MEMBER AND I'M NOT GOING! I told him he had to forget about himself and his feelings (pride) so we can teach this family. He still refused to go so we went back to our place.  I was mad because I don't know what to do with this guy?  In the morning when we got up...there was no water for showers...and this made me more frustrated...

To make a long story short...I contacted the mission home and they made some quick changes. I was transferred to Matagalpa about 3-4 hours from Leon.  I have been given a new greenie to train...my second American companion in 18 months. He is from North Carolina. This new area is really pretty...it is in a mountain area, higher elevation so it is not so hot but still humid with all the rain and vegetation.  The town is built on the side of a hill so it seems like we are always walking up hill.

We have been teaching a man named Engel that has been interested in what we have to say....we taught him a discussion and knelt for a prayer with him. We asked him to pray and ask if the things we have taught him are true.  He prayed and after the pray he said he felt beautiful.  I asked him how he was feeling...he said joy, happiness.  I told him those are feelings of the Holy Ghost and the things we have told him are true and this is the true church of Jesus Christ.  He said NO, I have felt those same feelings at the Catholic church.  Anyway, we will keep working with him.

Before you send off another package I will make a list of things I need...

Love you all,

Elder Buck