Good Week with More Rain

Hey Family!


I got your letter! Ha-ha no worries. I hope everything goes well with Kali and her baby, that’s crazy everyone is pregnant right now ha-ha. That’s good to hear the Thomsons stopped by… how is Walker doing??

I am also looking forward to the general conference this week. I LOVE HEARING THE PROPHETS TALK! I have almost all of the general conference talks on my iPod and listen to them every time I get the chance. That is a really good talk about judging others, I will apply it.

I, pretty much judge myself and sometimes my confidence could be a lot better. But its alright...This week was a good week. It seemed really long this time. But that’s alright.

I tried putting a lot of the things that Elder Clark talked about in practice but, the members here still don’t want too work with us or my companion. Ha-ha He is a very stubborn person but I love him and we work hard. Teaching went good I have no problem teaching anymore I have learned a lot of scriptures. My favorite thing to do though is teaching Gospel Principles class. I taught in Sacrament and I also taught the Elders Quorum I talked about how the Church of Jesus Christ was when Jesus Christ was on the earth. There is a lot more participation from the members as far as the classes.

We weren’t affected by the hurricane itself this past week but there is a lot of rain, it just rains and rains and rains. And then when there is a bunch of rain there are also a lot of mosquitos. Puerto Cabezas (where I was about a year ago) got hit hard but no serious damage was done.

I took your advice dad about totally just changing my attitude and filling with my mind with good thoughts.

I have always carried around a notebook and usually use it to study more Spanish words but haven’t been using it lately and just had it in my pocket because by habit it’s what I take with me everyday. But here are some thoughts and experiences I wrote down.

September 21, 2010
"Today at 3:15pm we were leaving a lesson with Tatiana and Dariam which went really awesome today. I’m on divisions with my zone leader and we passed by this drunk guy we always see and he says "Hey hermanito tiene un poca de comida alli??" (hey brother do you have a little food you can give me) but 2-3 days before I gave him a pamphlet for the word of wisdom and asked if he "read the pamphlet" and he said "oooooooh, SI GRACIAS POR LA PAGINA!, y Dios le bendiga" (ooooh, yes thank you for the page and let God bless you) lol I thought it was funny because he is a really crazy drunk guy.

My newest convert Juan Pablo is going to be conferred the Aaronic Priesthood this next week and ordained as our WARD MISSION LEADER!! He is so excited and so am I! He will also be teaching the gospel principles class next week.

4:00 pm We just had an awesome member lesson with Manuel and Rosa. THEY ARE SO COOL! We just set a baptismal date with Fransisca (good friend of Rosa) Fransisca is born and raised catholic but we are going to try and baptize her with the help of Manuel and Rosa WE WILL DO IT!"

September 22, 2010

We were coming back from noche de hermanamiento from the church, and my companion wanted to hitch-hike back so he goes over to a truck that’s waiting to turn on to the main street. The driver rolls down his window and my companion asks him if he could give us a ride. I told my companion we are not going to the house yet, so my companion told him never mind and waved him off. As we kept walking the same truck pulls over and the guy driving asks in English (because he was an American) "Where are you guys headed??" and I was the closest to the truck so I responded "over there no more, no more then there" and I couldn’t talk in English! I couldn’t make a full sentence in English that made any sense ha-ha, so I said, “ Sorry we are fine IM JUST FORGETTING ENGLISH!" and then he laughed and said "okay" and drove off."

September 24, 2010

"We taught an awesome lesson on the plan of salvation to an investigator Wilfredo and he took no interest, I don’t understand that? I just found a scripture that can help me Alma 17:11.....

And that was about it as far as what I wrote in my note book this week.

I did work hard in studying my patriartical blessing but only got the first 4 paragraphs memorized I get distracted so easily. I am in good health and I need to buy new shoes… the ones I have have holes in them so my feet are always cold and wet.

I went and did some shopping and bought a lot of cool stuff from Nicaragua. Im sorry mom that I wont be able to mail you a package with your birthday present. There have been a lot of robbing from packages that missionaries send back to the states (supposedly).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still haven’t gotten the package you sent and im not sure if I have changes this week or not.
I love you all

Elder Buck

Missed a Post Home

Click here to see:  Baptisms In Matagalpa
Click here to see: New Pictures in Matagalpa

Hey Family!

I did not write last week because we had meetings with Elder Clark. They were so awesome!! He is so funny, I thought he was going to be super strict (cause that’s what they say). It was really cool though, he talked about a lot of mission stuff most I don’t remember but I have it written down. The main thing I learned the most was how to use the ward members more effectively. Which is awesome… but my branch right now has just simply given up. We did have a good attendance at church with 81 people, so it’s starting to improve here in Totolate.

It is still raining, it rains every day of the week so that is pretty cool (NOT!!!) Chech out my YouTube video. I haven’t received my package yet or I won’t get it until changes which are next week. We have 3 months now between interviews or multi-zone events…so idk when I will get my package.

My companion is doing well. We set some goals but so far no good. It’s alright as long as he likes to work I’m happy because he actually does work hard…But I love him.

The teaching is always good we are always finding people but they drop like flies because the members here don’t fellowship and don’t give us references.

Tanner and Emily are going to have another baby?! WOW.....that’s cool cuz at least I will be there before the baby is born. If he starts working in the air force does that mean he would be living on or near the base?? or how does that work??

Im looking forward to general conference too that will be really cool to watch and listen too. Im going to try and mail of a package it’s kind of cheap and hope it gets to the states before moms birthday.

That’s awesome that Grandma is doing all that genealogy work… it sounds interesting. I have been doing a lot of studying with the gospel principles book and it talks a lot about that. Thank you grandma for your letters!

I really thank you guys for your letter this week. That’s actually something that can help me out is telling you what my weekly goals are. My personal goals for this week are first not to become discouraged when everything drops and we lose investigators. I could do more service for my companion and work at completing more of my daily goals. Not complaining (I have kind of developed a Laman and Lemuel attitude since I have been here). Talk more and help members, especially the organization leaders. My goals for my companion and I are try and get along better. Um....get on his good side (which is by not talking to him). Um loving him more.

I want to be a better MISSIONARY! But there are some days im not going to lie, where I just don’t have anymore fight in me. It is trying to help people understand when they have doubts and once we clear the doubts they will listen. But idk....I haven’t lowered my standards or anything like that but I have been discouraged a lot more lately. Another challenge to help me grow? But I love the mission im sad that it’s coming to a close. I will never be able to do what im doing again.

This week was a pretty good week though. Our area here is getting pretty dangerous, one night we were coming out of our food visit. And a couple houses down they were having a party so there were a whole bunch of drunks outside. One comes up to my companion and has two huge rocks in his hands (cause they fight with rocks here) and he is talking to my companion like he knows him then when my companion wasn’t looking he tried reaching into his pocket to steal his money but my companion caught him.

The drunk left and went down the road to another house and then out of no where a police truck drives up with some bad guys already in the back they picked up for fighting. They got out of the truck and found the guy with the two rocks and he starts fighting the cops and so one of the cops picks him up and throws him in the back of the truck. The drunk guy stands up and is like "you guys got the wrong guy, your wrong"! Then the cops get in the back of the truck and just start beating him and then they drove off. After that my companion and I had to wait for another half an hour because right after the police left two gangs show up and start fighting each other. It was pretty crazy, but Im safe.

My health is good! What a MIRACLE! And Im having fun!

Love you all!

Elder Buck

P.S. Who ever read my letters I would like it if they could send me an letter or email or something I hardly ever get anything expect from my parents.

Rainy Days

Hello Family!

We had our first baptism here in Matagalpa, the converts name is Juan Pablo. He was so scared to get confirmed in sacrament meeting though.  We explained before what we were going to do but he was stilled scared to do it, but at least we had a baptism.

There were a lot of drunks down here this week too. Right now, as I'm typing, there is a weird religion guy from the states talking to me about theology... calling out, " The Mormon's go back to the dead sea scrolls and all that fun stuff that doesn't make any sense. "

Thank you for sending off that package. I will be waiting to receive that...

As far a money to live on monthly, we receive less in this mission than any other missions in Central America.  We do eat almost all meals at the house-fast food place every day, besides breakfast.   When we have a chance we can usually go into town and get some bread and other foods. Really, the living conditions here in Matagalpa are better than any place I have lived so far on my mission.

Right now my companion and I have colds, head ache, low fever, cough and a sore throat.  As long as my companion is not being a jerk i will be alright.  I think we caught cold from all this rain, my rain jacket doesn't work as good as i though it would so i will need to get a new one. It rains here every day so i am never dry and then when i need to go take a shower the water is freezing cold so that stinks...

At church yesterday, a brother from the branch said i needed to go rest that i don't look good.  Later that night i wasn't feeling good at all when we left the house to go eat. Then i asked my companion  if he was feeling better and he fakes it by saying, "Yeah I'm feeling great, i have the same thing you have"! We walk outside and I have my jacket on and its still raining.  He is walking outside with no jacket on, getting all wet and coughing up his lungs. (I swear this kid is so stubborn, he doesn't take pills cause he says his faith will heal him)  I couldn't help myself so I said,  "Wow, your kind of dumb did you not listen at all to Dallin H. Oaks talk about what Brigham Young said "FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD".  We still need to use cold medicines and take care of our health along with our faith."  He just called me a baby, I'm weak and all that....)

I decided I wasn't that hungry and said I was going back to the house and he yells "NO YOUR NOT" and keeps yelling crap at me.  When we get back to the house he walks up and holds his hands over the lock  and is like "your not getting in..." I said "whatever" and just sat down on the steps.  He then starts telling me that I will regret everything I do and that I'm not a missionary; that a real missionary would make sacrifices.  Then he starts doing little kicks at me and saying, "ELDER BUCK, ELDER BUCK GET UP!, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A BABY THEN WE WILL GO INSIDE!" I got up, went inside, got in bed and fell asleep. Today I am feeling about the same but i am happy to hear from you guys.

This area is the hardest area.  Our attendance in church this week was 55 people and the normal here is about 110,  so we are doing horrible at getting members and investigators to come to church.  None of the members here are even worthy for a temple recommend and we are doing the best we can to increase the attendance but nothing has worked so far.

We have no investigators progressing since last week but we did have the one baptism.  Out of 17 converts who have been baptised the past year only 5 are still coming to church.  None of the members are fellow shipping our investigators when we introduce them to the members, so all our new investigators are dropping like flies.

BUT....I CAN DO HARD THINGS!

I love you all and thank you for all your support
Elder Buck