Note from Sandra:
Elder Buck arrived home last night...Thursday, March 17th. His flight was suppose to arrive at Sky Harbor at 7 pm. Various family members and friends were all driving to the airport to be there when he came off the plane. However, we had just exited the freeway into the airport area when Stu got a phone call on his cell from a number he did not recognize.
Phone conversation:
Hello this is Stu.
Hello this is Elder Buck.
Where are you calling from? (thinking McCoy was using the expensive phones on the plane)
I'm in the airport..where is everyone? (McCoy's flight was 45 minutes EARLY...a first for American Airlines I think!)
We are just pulling into the airport terminal and still need to find a garage to park!
I will go down to the luggage carousel and get my luggage...so I will meet you there.
Tanner and his family got to the luggage area first and met up with McCoy.
Stu, Sandra, Carly and several friends plus the Tryon's arrived a few minutes later and found the lonely Elder.
Carver, Amanda and kids were on the upper level so we had to find them and bring them down to McCoy.
The family went to a nearby In and Out Burger to grab a bite to eat then we took McCoy to meet with President Weathersby and be released as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We got McCoy home...visited for a while...then got to bed about midnight.
So no big video of him coming out of the terminal area and the family to great him with signs and smiles. Stu did video all of us together when we finally found him. I'll post the video later.
Friday, March 18, 2011
March 7th Letter Home
Hello Family!
Just so you all know I have 10 DAYS LEFT...not 9.
Wow Jake Armstrong is serving a mission… that’s AWESOME!!
I am feeling better, my stomach doesn’t hurt as bad and I don’t have diarrhea much. It’s for sure not our food I watch her cook and we drink nothing but purified water but I will be okay.
I am for sure going to be keeping the habits and all that I need to when I get back. I will for sure be going to institute, school, singles branch (if necessary) and work and all things necessary. That’s so weird that Carly is an adult and will be doing those things too...
I had an awesome week!
Monday after writing you guys not too much of anything exciting happened that day.
Tuesday My companion and I were focused on baptizing a family for this last week so first we visited them to see how they were doing and they were expressing some doubts and difficulties that they were having concerning baptism that Saturday and wanted us to visit them later that night. Then before going to the next visit we contacted these people that were out side and found 5 new investigators, and then we talked with another family that we have that our progressing named Bilma and Francisco to make sure they were going to church this week and they informed me that they were. Then later that night we went back to Familia Padilla the family that is preparing to be baptized that week and we were able convince them enough to have a baptismal interview.
Wednesday We had a really bad day that day we walked and walked and walked SO FAR.....and nothing...nothing....NOTHING!! No news no contacts no NADA!
Thursday we had the baptismal interview with the family Padilla just the husband got interviewed but we found out that he was cheating on his wife and selling drugs to make ends meet..........I did not see that one coming. Later we went to the family that we contacted 2 days before and taught them the gospel and they accepted a baptismal date but it wasn’t too positive they live with a whole bunch of other people who didn’t let us in to their house to teach them.
Later I went and did the interviews for Villa Flor we were there for EVER and I interviewed to people to be baptized last Saturday.
Friday just a bunch of visits to encourage people to go to church... no one accepted to be baptized but we did have 1 more new investigator.
Saturday was the activity for the baptisms but we didn’t have any baptisms.
Sunday we had in church 5 investigators 2 families. The prophet sent out a commandment from a revelation that he received that we should focus more on the institute and seminary age students and get them in these classes. So on Sunday our ward obeyed and we did 80 visits to members of the ward active and less active to invite and encourage.
My companion and I received a special assignment to go visit this woman who is the only member of her family and is inactive. Well my companion and I went and it was super far to walk. But when we got to her house we met her husband but at the time didn’t know that, that was her husband. But as we sat down and visited her to get to know who she is we found out that she used to be a seminary teacher and was a really active member of the church. We found out that she had a husband and when I asked if he was home he was just leaving the house and so I called him and asked him if he would like to join us. He was reluctant and said yes. So as we taught him, he was incredible he only been to church once but he knew everything. He never met with missionaries before but he said he was really interested in the message we taught. As we got to the part of the book of Mormon and we taught him about Moroni´s promise he said he was anxious to know, then as we set the baptismal date I had the strongest impression that for this Saturday he should be baptized with out any hesitation he said "YES!!" I love the GOSPEL AND MISSIONARY WORK!! THIS IS TOTALLY WORTH IT! I can only recall the joy that I felt but I was seriously happy and loved this person. His name is Lenin.
But that’s all I have for time right now.
I love you all and will talk with you next week!
Elder Buck
Just so you all know I have 10 DAYS LEFT...not 9.
Wow Jake Armstrong is serving a mission… that’s AWESOME!!
I am feeling better, my stomach doesn’t hurt as bad and I don’t have diarrhea much. It’s for sure not our food I watch her cook and we drink nothing but purified water but I will be okay.
I am for sure going to be keeping the habits and all that I need to when I get back. I will for sure be going to institute, school, singles branch (if necessary) and work and all things necessary. That’s so weird that Carly is an adult and will be doing those things too...
I had an awesome week!
Monday after writing you guys not too much of anything exciting happened that day.
Tuesday My companion and I were focused on baptizing a family for this last week so first we visited them to see how they were doing and they were expressing some doubts and difficulties that they were having concerning baptism that Saturday and wanted us to visit them later that night. Then before going to the next visit we contacted these people that were out side and found 5 new investigators, and then we talked with another family that we have that our progressing named Bilma and Francisco to make sure they were going to church this week and they informed me that they were. Then later that night we went back to Familia Padilla the family that is preparing to be baptized that week and we were able convince them enough to have a baptismal interview.
Wednesday We had a really bad day that day we walked and walked and walked SO FAR.....and nothing...nothing....NOTHING!! No news no contacts no NADA!
Thursday we had the baptismal interview with the family Padilla just the husband got interviewed but we found out that he was cheating on his wife and selling drugs to make ends meet..........I did not see that one coming. Later we went to the family that we contacted 2 days before and taught them the gospel and they accepted a baptismal date but it wasn’t too positive they live with a whole bunch of other people who didn’t let us in to their house to teach them.
Later I went and did the interviews for Villa Flor we were there for EVER and I interviewed to people to be baptized last Saturday.
Friday just a bunch of visits to encourage people to go to church... no one accepted to be baptized but we did have 1 more new investigator.
Saturday was the activity for the baptisms but we didn’t have any baptisms.
Sunday we had in church 5 investigators 2 families. The prophet sent out a commandment from a revelation that he received that we should focus more on the institute and seminary age students and get them in these classes. So on Sunday our ward obeyed and we did 80 visits to members of the ward active and less active to invite and encourage.
My companion and I received a special assignment to go visit this woman who is the only member of her family and is inactive. Well my companion and I went and it was super far to walk. But when we got to her house we met her husband but at the time didn’t know that, that was her husband. But as we sat down and visited her to get to know who she is we found out that she used to be a seminary teacher and was a really active member of the church. We found out that she had a husband and when I asked if he was home he was just leaving the house and so I called him and asked him if he would like to join us. He was reluctant and said yes. So as we taught him, he was incredible he only been to church once but he knew everything. He never met with missionaries before but he said he was really interested in the message we taught. As we got to the part of the book of Mormon and we taught him about Moroni´s promise he said he was anxious to know, then as we set the baptismal date I had the strongest impression that for this Saturday he should be baptized with out any hesitation he said "YES!!" I love the GOSPEL AND MISSIONARY WORK!! THIS IS TOTALLY WORTH IT! I can only recall the joy that I felt but I was seriously happy and loved this person. His name is Lenin.
But that’s all I have for time right now.
I love you all and will talk with you next week!
Elder Buck
Monday, March 7, 2011
Feb 28th Letter
Hello Family!
Well as far as my health I am doing a little bit better...I have diarrhea here and there. I drank over 25 Gatorade's this past week so I'm doing a lot better as far as keeping hydrated. Im not going to lie though...I AM SO TIRED....my body is dead. I can’t even wake up in the mornings and the moment my head hits the pillow I am out. It’s really really tough to be keeping strong when my body is physically giving up on me.
Thanks for the videos that are really neat seeing snow... I'm actually not to excited to go back to cold weather.
I will work with Dad the best I can so you can be blessed....but I will be back and ready to help the best I can!
ha ha to be honest I'm looking forward to a visit to Doctor Hancock... I WANT TO BE NORMAL AGAIN!?
Ahh..I'm sorry Carly that you didn't get accepted to BYU but wherever you go you will do well THAT'S FOR SURE!
I am so ready to work once I get back that will be the first thing that I need to do! I got to keep all my working habits like the time that I get up, go to bed (actually I would love going to bed a little bit earlier) and most important my personal study and prayer. I need to get registered up to institute and just have a good environment and influence and I know I will be able to stay strong and do what I need to in life, if I keep those same habits. But I'm ready to all that I can to help for so much that you guys have helped me with including my mission.
It scares me to think of where I would be in life if I didn't serve this mission. I figure this I would be a bum, almost literally and definitely wouldn't have a purpose in life. These two years have been so dang hard but I have grown so much spiritually and if it weren’t for these trials there would be no other way possible that I can learn and grown as much as I have here.
This is a response to mom’s letter:
No they don’t have the missionaries see the doctor but I tried. Um you might want to double check the information they gave you I was told I would be leaving on March 17th in the morning. I DONT WANT TO BE RELEASED THAT SAME NIGHT I WANT TO BE A MISSIONARY FOREVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!! Im really not looking forward to being released, its going to be sad missionary work is my life......
Im glad you enjoyed Myriams story this week was pretty good, difficult but good.
Monday We did family home evening with one of our part member families and it was alright.
Tuesday We did District meeting and all that Jazz, then after wards we ate lunch. After lunch were we eat there is only one person who lives there and is not a member. His name is Javier and he is Luz Marina´s brother. He is Evangelico and has always been confused about the fact that we talk so much about Joseph Smith so we had to explain it simply but he understood then we explained the book of Mormon then he understood! Then we left the invitation read, pray and ask God if it is true and he said he will! Then we check up on our family that we were going to be baptized last week but we found a couple problems and moved it back to this Saturday.
Wednesday I went for my poop exam in the morning and I didn’t have any parasites so only God knows what I have. Cuz shortly afterwards I called the mission to tell them that I didn’t have any parasites then she like (the nurse) oh that’s good yeah but the bad news is I STILL HAVE DIARREA! Nothing was done....im on my own to suffer that’s alright I don’t care anymore.
Thursday We went to Fam: Padilla and checked up on them are doing a little bit better with trials and what not. but that’s about it for that day.
Friday we found an incredible lady named Pilar, she is amazing. Okay this is her story:
She is a single mother of 2 children and her oldest daughter left her with her son who is 15 months and she is very very poor. So when we met her she was very positive and she called us over and she first asked us who we were. and she was like "oh I have heard about you from other people but they are very positive about you so I don’t listen to what they say" so I told her who and what we actually are. Then she was like I want to be baptized and we were shocked. Then she was like if I join your church I can’t tell my pastor or he will say bad things and make me feel bad about joining. But sadly this week we couldn’t get her to church she left at 5 in the morning to go work on Sunday she is so poor she wants to get baptized but hasn’t developed faith enough to make sacrifices to receive blessings.
Well that’s all I can type...I am out of time.
I love you all
Elder Buck
Well as far as my health I am doing a little bit better...I have diarrhea here and there. I drank over 25 Gatorade's this past week so I'm doing a lot better as far as keeping hydrated. Im not going to lie though...I AM SO TIRED....my body is dead. I can’t even wake up in the mornings and the moment my head hits the pillow I am out. It’s really really tough to be keeping strong when my body is physically giving up on me.
Thanks for the videos that are really neat seeing snow... I'm actually not to excited to go back to cold weather.
I will work with Dad the best I can so you can be blessed....but I will be back and ready to help the best I can!
ha ha to be honest I'm looking forward to a visit to Doctor Hancock... I WANT TO BE NORMAL AGAIN!?
Ahh..I'm sorry Carly that you didn't get accepted to BYU but wherever you go you will do well THAT'S FOR SURE!
I am so ready to work once I get back that will be the first thing that I need to do! I got to keep all my working habits like the time that I get up, go to bed (actually I would love going to bed a little bit earlier) and most important my personal study and prayer. I need to get registered up to institute and just have a good environment and influence and I know I will be able to stay strong and do what I need to in life, if I keep those same habits. But I'm ready to all that I can to help for so much that you guys have helped me with including my mission.
It scares me to think of where I would be in life if I didn't serve this mission. I figure this I would be a bum, almost literally and definitely wouldn't have a purpose in life. These two years have been so dang hard but I have grown so much spiritually and if it weren’t for these trials there would be no other way possible that I can learn and grown as much as I have here.
This is a response to mom’s letter:
No they don’t have the missionaries see the doctor but I tried. Um you might want to double check the information they gave you I was told I would be leaving on March 17th in the morning. I DONT WANT TO BE RELEASED THAT SAME NIGHT I WANT TO BE A MISSIONARY FOREVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!! Im really not looking forward to being released, its going to be sad missionary work is my life......
Im glad you enjoyed Myriams story this week was pretty good, difficult but good.
Monday We did family home evening with one of our part member families and it was alright.
Tuesday We did District meeting and all that Jazz, then after wards we ate lunch. After lunch were we eat there is only one person who lives there and is not a member. His name is Javier and he is Luz Marina´s brother. He is Evangelico and has always been confused about the fact that we talk so much about Joseph Smith so we had to explain it simply but he understood then we explained the book of Mormon then he understood! Then we left the invitation read, pray and ask God if it is true and he said he will! Then we check up on our family that we were going to be baptized last week but we found a couple problems and moved it back to this Saturday.
Wednesday I went for my poop exam in the morning and I didn’t have any parasites so only God knows what I have. Cuz shortly afterwards I called the mission to tell them that I didn’t have any parasites then she like (the nurse) oh that’s good yeah but the bad news is I STILL HAVE DIARREA! Nothing was done....im on my own to suffer that’s alright I don’t care anymore.
Thursday We went to Fam: Padilla and checked up on them are doing a little bit better with trials and what not. but that’s about it for that day.
Friday we found an incredible lady named Pilar, she is amazing. Okay this is her story:
She is a single mother of 2 children and her oldest daughter left her with her son who is 15 months and she is very very poor. So when we met her she was very positive and she called us over and she first asked us who we were. and she was like "oh I have heard about you from other people but they are very positive about you so I don’t listen to what they say" so I told her who and what we actually are. Then she was like I want to be baptized and we were shocked. Then she was like if I join your church I can’t tell my pastor or he will say bad things and make me feel bad about joining. But sadly this week we couldn’t get her to church she left at 5 in the morning to go work on Sunday she is so poor she wants to get baptized but hasn’t developed faith enough to make sacrifices to receive blessings.
Well that’s all I can type...I am out of time.
I love you all
Elder Buck
Monday, Feb 21st Letter
Hello Family!
Things this week have gone pretty well. I still have not been to a Doctor or to the hospital but I am still sick im going on my 4th week of having diarrhea WOO-HOO!!
My companion says he is feeling a lot better but sometimes he will say that his stomach hurts, but we’re hanging in there...
It is very hard to get things done when I feel weak and not well for sure, I HATE IT!!! I want to be normal....
Yes my companion is from Tonga, HE IS SO COOL! He speaks English well because he was raised in Tonga but lived in the states. He is doing good with Spanish he write Spanish it’s just the speaking part he struggles on, but he is doing awesome. He says he likes Nicaragua. Well in his family he is an only child but his whole family are members. Its awesome he always tells me about the Tongan culture (usually cause im always asking) and what they do and Tonga it’s really cool. They are really close people especially like family relationships.
Ha-ha so Rulon´s is getting chubby huh that’s alright he’s a baby that’s good to hear that they are doing well though.
Well I have a super cool story to tell you guys about this week.
Well this week we had a baptism and her name is Myriam and we just barely met her last Wednesday. Well anyway the Saturday before last Saturday my ward secretary told us that he was gong to bring a friend to church. And when we met her we set up a visit for Wednesday to teach her.
Well Victor has known her for about 2 years because they have been studying together in medicine. But in her family her parents are divorced and her mom is a pastor of an evangelical church and her dad is a priest of a Catholic church. And she is just confused and doesn’t know what to do or where to go. So when we met up with her she wasn’t very positive but positive enough to meet up with us.
When we came and I asked her "what she wanted to learn from us" she just said "she wanted to know more". so then I was like "okay well what do you know??" so then she told us all that she knew. Ya she knew everything! So then I asked her "have you prayed and asked what you knew about the church if it is true". and she said "no". and I asked "why?" and she said "she didn’t have courage". so I asked her "what does she need to have courage?" and she said "she didn’t know". so I read in the scripture guide what courage is and it says "courage is not fear, not fearing to do what is correct." so I asked her do you know what "faith" is?? and she didn’t really know so we read Alma 32 and at the end she was like "wow" and so at this point I knew she felt the spirit so I was like "will you pray to know if this is true" and she said "yes" and I was like "Myriam will follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who has the authority of God this Saturday" and she was like "yes" and I was like "wow".....its incredible how the spirit works.
Well that is about it, this computer I am using is horrible so that’s all im able to write today.
I love you All
Elder Buck
Things this week have gone pretty well. I still have not been to a Doctor or to the hospital but I am still sick im going on my 4th week of having diarrhea WOO-HOO!!
My companion says he is feeling a lot better but sometimes he will say that his stomach hurts, but we’re hanging in there...
It is very hard to get things done when I feel weak and not well for sure, I HATE IT!!! I want to be normal....
Yes my companion is from Tonga, HE IS SO COOL! He speaks English well because he was raised in Tonga but lived in the states. He is doing good with Spanish he write Spanish it’s just the speaking part he struggles on, but he is doing awesome. He says he likes Nicaragua. Well in his family he is an only child but his whole family are members. Its awesome he always tells me about the Tongan culture (usually cause im always asking) and what they do and Tonga it’s really cool. They are really close people especially like family relationships.
Ha-ha so Rulon´s is getting chubby huh that’s alright he’s a baby that’s good to hear that they are doing well though.
Well I have a super cool story to tell you guys about this week.
Well this week we had a baptism and her name is Myriam and we just barely met her last Wednesday. Well anyway the Saturday before last Saturday my ward secretary told us that he was gong to bring a friend to church. And when we met her we set up a visit for Wednesday to teach her.
Well Victor has known her for about 2 years because they have been studying together in medicine. But in her family her parents are divorced and her mom is a pastor of an evangelical church and her dad is a priest of a Catholic church. And she is just confused and doesn’t know what to do or where to go. So when we met up with her she wasn’t very positive but positive enough to meet up with us.
When we came and I asked her "what she wanted to learn from us" she just said "she wanted to know more". so then I was like "okay well what do you know??" so then she told us all that she knew. Ya she knew everything! So then I asked her "have you prayed and asked what you knew about the church if it is true". and she said "no". and I asked "why?" and she said "she didn’t have courage". so I asked her "what does she need to have courage?" and she said "she didn’t know". so I read in the scripture guide what courage is and it says "courage is not fear, not fearing to do what is correct." so I asked her do you know what "faith" is?? and she didn’t really know so we read Alma 32 and at the end she was like "wow" and so at this point I knew she felt the spirit so I was like "will you pray to know if this is true" and she said "yes" and I was like "Myriam will follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who has the authority of God this Saturday" and she was like "yes" and I was like "wow".....its incredible how the spirit works.
Well that is about it, this computer I am using is horrible so that’s all im able to write today.
I love you All
Elder Buck
Monday, February 21, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day
Hello Family!
Happy Valentines Day...I love you too!
Oh please don’t countdown the days until I return ha-ha...that’s horrible. IM NOT COUNTING!! But im glad you love me and are getting excited for my return.
I am sorry for my short letter I sent last week, it was very short and I didn’t have very much time. I have been kinda sick lately im just waiting for permission to go to the hospital to do a final check up before heading back to the states. I called the nurse here and it’s still the same mess trying to get missionaries to the hospital. Where she sends an email to the states then the mission doctor there looks at the problem and symptoms and mails back saying if the missionary can go or not and I still haven’t got permission. I have diarrhea again, I have had for about 3 weeks now and I have no MORE ENERGY!!?? I drink 3 Gatorades a day to keep me hydrated and im taking medicine but its not doing much. My whole zone practically is sick and my companion has the same thing I have and he is starting his 2nd week with diarrhea. poor guy......but im alive.....some how.
The pictures of the new baby are of the family where we eat each day. That family is the Chacon Family with Luz Marina, Lesley, María, Rosario, and Marcela. I will title the photos later....But it is a very cute baby. I miss my NIECES AND NEPHEWS ha-ha.....
My new companions name is Elder Taufa he is from Tonga. Born and raised in Tonga but move to California. He is SO COOL! He is so humble too! I Love that guy....We are getting along great. Im not his trainer but he is starting his 3rd month in the mission. I died sterile.....:( (In the mission we refer to train-ees as "kids" but I didn’t have any that I trained in two years, therefore I died sterile.)
What helped me out a lot is what Nephi said in 2 Nephi 33:1-2 It’s talking about that "there are many that harden their hearts, therefore the spirit does not dwell in them...so they reject and do not consider the word of God as nothing..." and its true i was also reading in Doctrine and Covenants today...(by the way I LOVE STUDYING!) and I read the vision of Joseph F. Smith in section 138 and he talks about those also that rejected Jesus Christ even though they saw his great works and miracles. He talks about it in verses 25-26 and then at the same time it makes me think of Laman and Lemuel. They saw angels and miracles they felt the power of God and were even shocked, but they still fell into apostasy. crazy.......
Something my mission president gave me after he quoted something I thought was remarkable and gave me the reference, this is my own words. He said (referring to the spirit) " The manifestation of Christ or God the Father himself would surely be an impact to both mind and spirit, but the spiritual impact could eventually dwindle if they don't keep the spirit with them always. Meanwhile when one has the guidance and companionship of the spirit at all times, it is hard to ever deny personal manifestations or seen miracles".
I haven’t had any great experiences this week to be honest.....But I will tell you of what happened this week.
Monday: don’t remember anything to be honest ha-ha.
Tuesday: in the morning I had a District Leader meeting that I had to go to, it was really awesome. It was in the Waspan building in Bello Horizante. When I got there, there were other District leaders and Trainers. Pres. Arredondo training us on how to train others and it was really cool, I took a lot of notes. HE IS SUCH AN AWESOME MISSION PRESIDENT AND SO IS HIS WIFE! But we talked about how to teach with the spirit.and more then anything how to use the spirit in this missionary work.
Wednesday: I went back to the same place and we had some more training then they gave us District leaders time to teach others how to train. It was voluntary so of course I did it. It was really awesome because I taught a group of missionaries of about 30 including my mission president and his wife and AP´s. It was really cool... I nervous at first but I was confident that the spirit would help me know what to do and say. After I was done teaching we also did an evaluation to see how well I did and here are some of the comments that they made.
• I expressed my feelings as I taught
• I explained everything really well
• I asked for other peoples experiences
• I had great teaching methods
• I taught from preach my gospel
• I helped others apply what I taught in there work
• I used myself as an example of what I taught
• I used personal experiences
• (this is the presidents wife comment) She could tell I was listening to the spirit and she said she also felt the spirit really strongly
• ( presidents comment) I taught like a humble teacher
So that was pretty cool...I taught in this training meeting how to TEACH PEOPLE, NOT LESSONS. I really enjoyed it.
Thursday: my companion and I did our weekly planning session in the Church and then I had district meeting with my district. My district now is only made up of 3 companionships.
La Fuente-My companion and I
La 14- Hna. Velazquez (Guatemala) and Hna. Carranza (El Salvador)
Villa Flor II- Elder Bonilla and Elder Oliva
Everyone in my district had changes these last week, IM THE LAST OF US to stay in this area until I come home... ha-ha...
It was interesting this first week with the Hermanas (sister missionaries) they have both been here for a while in the mission but are both new in there area. I call my district every night to see how everyone is doing and also to see how they did during the day. When I called the Hermanas one night the one that answered the phone was Hna. Velazquez and she was crying and I was thinking "oh crap". So then I asked "what happened", and she’s like "nothing im fine."
It was like that 3 more times that week when I called her she is really moody or crying and so I was like "what the heck is going on??" I called my zone leaders and told them and they said "Alright thanks for letting us know we will talk with them".....
So a couple days pass by and I was talking to my zone leaders asking what the heck is up with the sisters?? My zone leader is Elder Grey (Utah) he’s like "uh don’t worry about it’s actually a personal problem" and I was like "oh shoot is there something happening with her family back at home" and he’s like "uh....no its something that happens monthly with women". I said, "OH CRAP, ITS SHARK WEEK??!!" HAHA and he just busted out laughing. We were both talking about how weird it was working with sister missionaries; it’s a first for the both of us. Ha-ha
But something I also wanted to ask is if it’s possible if you guys could run down to Milano’s Music before I get back and buy me some violin strings...the ones I have are not that great.......and that’s it. Ha-ha
I love you all
Elder Buck
Happy Valentines Day...I love you too!
Oh please don’t countdown the days until I return ha-ha...that’s horrible. IM NOT COUNTING!! But im glad you love me and are getting excited for my return.
I am sorry for my short letter I sent last week, it was very short and I didn’t have very much time. I have been kinda sick lately im just waiting for permission to go to the hospital to do a final check up before heading back to the states. I called the nurse here and it’s still the same mess trying to get missionaries to the hospital. Where she sends an email to the states then the mission doctor there looks at the problem and symptoms and mails back saying if the missionary can go or not and I still haven’t got permission. I have diarrhea again, I have had for about 3 weeks now and I have no MORE ENERGY!!?? I drink 3 Gatorades a day to keep me hydrated and im taking medicine but its not doing much. My whole zone practically is sick and my companion has the same thing I have and he is starting his 2nd week with diarrhea. poor guy......but im alive.....some how.
The pictures of the new baby are of the family where we eat each day. That family is the Chacon Family with Luz Marina, Lesley, María, Rosario, and Marcela. I will title the photos later....But it is a very cute baby. I miss my NIECES AND NEPHEWS ha-ha.....
My new companions name is Elder Taufa he is from Tonga. Born and raised in Tonga but move to California. He is SO COOL! He is so humble too! I Love that guy....We are getting along great. Im not his trainer but he is starting his 3rd month in the mission. I died sterile.....:( (In the mission we refer to train-ees as "kids" but I didn’t have any that I trained in two years, therefore I died sterile.)
What helped me out a lot is what Nephi said in 2 Nephi 33:1-2 It’s talking about that "there are many that harden their hearts, therefore the spirit does not dwell in them...so they reject and do not consider the word of God as nothing..." and its true i was also reading in Doctrine and Covenants today...(by the way I LOVE STUDYING!) and I read the vision of Joseph F. Smith in section 138 and he talks about those also that rejected Jesus Christ even though they saw his great works and miracles. He talks about it in verses 25-26 and then at the same time it makes me think of Laman and Lemuel. They saw angels and miracles they felt the power of God and were even shocked, but they still fell into apostasy. crazy.......
Something my mission president gave me after he quoted something I thought was remarkable and gave me the reference, this is my own words. He said (referring to the spirit) " The manifestation of Christ or God the Father himself would surely be an impact to both mind and spirit, but the spiritual impact could eventually dwindle if they don't keep the spirit with them always. Meanwhile when one has the guidance and companionship of the spirit at all times, it is hard to ever deny personal manifestations or seen miracles".
I haven’t had any great experiences this week to be honest.....But I will tell you of what happened this week.
Monday: don’t remember anything to be honest ha-ha.
Tuesday: in the morning I had a District Leader meeting that I had to go to, it was really awesome. It was in the Waspan building in Bello Horizante. When I got there, there were other District leaders and Trainers. Pres. Arredondo training us on how to train others and it was really cool, I took a lot of notes. HE IS SUCH AN AWESOME MISSION PRESIDENT AND SO IS HIS WIFE! But we talked about how to teach with the spirit.and more then anything how to use the spirit in this missionary work.
Wednesday: I went back to the same place and we had some more training then they gave us District leaders time to teach others how to train. It was voluntary so of course I did it. It was really awesome because I taught a group of missionaries of about 30 including my mission president and his wife and AP´s. It was really cool... I nervous at first but I was confident that the spirit would help me know what to do and say. After I was done teaching we also did an evaluation to see how well I did and here are some of the comments that they made.
• I expressed my feelings as I taught
• I explained everything really well
• I asked for other peoples experiences
• I had great teaching methods
• I taught from preach my gospel
• I helped others apply what I taught in there work
• I used myself as an example of what I taught
• I used personal experiences
• (this is the presidents wife comment) She could tell I was listening to the spirit and she said she also felt the spirit really strongly
• ( presidents comment) I taught like a humble teacher
So that was pretty cool...I taught in this training meeting how to TEACH PEOPLE, NOT LESSONS. I really enjoyed it.
Thursday: my companion and I did our weekly planning session in the Church and then I had district meeting with my district. My district now is only made up of 3 companionships.
La Fuente-My companion and I
La 14- Hna. Velazquez (Guatemala) and Hna. Carranza (El Salvador)
Villa Flor II- Elder Bonilla and Elder Oliva
Everyone in my district had changes these last week, IM THE LAST OF US to stay in this area until I come home... ha-ha...
It was interesting this first week with the Hermanas (sister missionaries) they have both been here for a while in the mission but are both new in there area. I call my district every night to see how everyone is doing and also to see how they did during the day. When I called the Hermanas one night the one that answered the phone was Hna. Velazquez and she was crying and I was thinking "oh crap". So then I asked "what happened", and she’s like "nothing im fine."
It was like that 3 more times that week when I called her she is really moody or crying and so I was like "what the heck is going on??" I called my zone leaders and told them and they said "Alright thanks for letting us know we will talk with them".....
So a couple days pass by and I was talking to my zone leaders asking what the heck is up with the sisters?? My zone leader is Elder Grey (Utah) he’s like "uh don’t worry about it’s actually a personal problem" and I was like "oh shoot is there something happening with her family back at home" and he’s like "uh....no its something that happens monthly with women". I said, "OH CRAP, ITS SHARK WEEK??!!" HAHA and he just busted out laughing. We were both talking about how weird it was working with sister missionaries; it’s a first for the both of us. Ha-ha
But something I also wanted to ask is if it’s possible if you guys could run down to Milano’s Music before I get back and buy me some violin strings...the ones I have are not that great.......and that’s it. Ha-ha
I love you all
Elder Buck
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Monday, Jan 31
Hello Family!
It’s good to hear that everyone is doing well!
This week was SLOW!!!....ha-ha but good in the end.
But here goes my week...
MONDAY after writing you, my companion and I did a family home evening with one of our newest recent converts Flor and she liked it a lot.
TUESDAY I did my super-cool-awesome-District Meeting. Then after my companion and I found this guy who was a reference I gave to this same area I am in, but when I was Reparto Shick. His name is Miguel, I don’t want to be mean but if you want to know what he looks like, he looks like the guy on Men In Black II that gets his head shot off (by will Smith) and it grows back ha-ha. He is pretty cool, he is an English teacher so he wants to do the discussions in English, and he has a baptismal date for the 12th of February. Then we taught Flor´s sister whose name is Lupe but she is way different then her sister she doesn’t know anything about Jesus Christ. Then that same day we lost 3 family investigators.....
WEDNESDAY not much happened that day. Both our zone leaders were changed and the new ones are E. Grey and E. Peña they are cool...
THURSDAY was rough, just getting our two baptisms ready for the week.
FRIDAY Interviews: I had only one interview that day but the Elder Grey who is new to the zone came to my area to do the two interviews that we had but only one passed. His name is Jose a 9 year old kid that wasn’t baptized by his Mormon family at the age of 8 because they wanted him to be a "converted member". I had to remind them that at his age an 8 year old is capable of understanding and choosing to be baptized and the parents understood. Then I went to Villa Flor and did an interview for a kid named Alexander who is 19 years old.
SATURDAY we did the two baptisms together and I lead the ceremony.
SUNDAY I GOT TO TAKE THE SACRAMENT THAT WAS AWESOME!!! I feel so much better now.....not that I was doing anything wrong but that was my most spiritual experience for the week and it’s kind of relaxing.
Now I would like to take the time to thank you Mom and Dad for all that you have done for me for all of your support and love....I love you both very much and the rest of my family as well. CARVER, TANNER AND THERE FAMILIES WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BE AN ETERNAL FAMILY BEING HERE IN THE MISSION THERE IS ONE THING THAT I LEARNED, AND THATS.....HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A GOOD FAMILY. There aren’t too many good families here......
Love
Elder Buck
It’s good to hear that everyone is doing well!
This week was SLOW!!!....ha-ha but good in the end.
But here goes my week...
MONDAY after writing you, my companion and I did a family home evening with one of our newest recent converts Flor and she liked it a lot.
TUESDAY I did my super-cool-awesome-District Meeting. Then after my companion and I found this guy who was a reference I gave to this same area I am in, but when I was Reparto Shick. His name is Miguel, I don’t want to be mean but if you want to know what he looks like, he looks like the guy on Men In Black II that gets his head shot off (by will Smith) and it grows back ha-ha. He is pretty cool, he is an English teacher so he wants to do the discussions in English, and he has a baptismal date for the 12th of February. Then we taught Flor´s sister whose name is Lupe but she is way different then her sister she doesn’t know anything about Jesus Christ. Then that same day we lost 3 family investigators.....
WEDNESDAY not much happened that day. Both our zone leaders were changed and the new ones are E. Grey and E. Peña they are cool...
THURSDAY was rough, just getting our two baptisms ready for the week.
FRIDAY Interviews: I had only one interview that day but the Elder Grey who is new to the zone came to my area to do the two interviews that we had but only one passed. His name is Jose a 9 year old kid that wasn’t baptized by his Mormon family at the age of 8 because they wanted him to be a "converted member". I had to remind them that at his age an 8 year old is capable of understanding and choosing to be baptized and the parents understood. Then I went to Villa Flor and did an interview for a kid named Alexander who is 19 years old.
SATURDAY we did the two baptisms together and I lead the ceremony.
SUNDAY I GOT TO TAKE THE SACRAMENT THAT WAS AWESOME!!! I feel so much better now.....not that I was doing anything wrong but that was my most spiritual experience for the week and it’s kind of relaxing.
Now I would like to take the time to thank you Mom and Dad for all that you have done for me for all of your support and love....I love you both very much and the rest of my family as well. CARVER, TANNER AND THERE FAMILIES WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BE AN ETERNAL FAMILY BEING HERE IN THE MISSION THERE IS ONE THING THAT I LEARNED, AND THATS.....HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A GOOD FAMILY. There aren’t too many good families here......
Love
Elder Buck
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Letter from Monday, Jan 24th
Click link to see all the pictures of my life in La Fluente...my zone, district, baptisms, food, gifts, etc.
La Fluente
Hello Family!
I LOVE YOU ALL TOO!!!
Thank you for remembering to email me this time...;P Even though you had to wake up at 2 am, What can I say? Not too many people can sleep with out thinking about me. Were you able to see the pictures of the families that we baptized??
I will be staying in the same area until I am released, I will miss my companion though HE IS SO COOL! I will be training this next companion change - for my FIRST TIME. I was afraid for a second, I thought I was sterile (here in the mission we call the new trainees our kids and until now I have never had any kids).
My final release date is the 16th of March I thought I told you that already?? Im surprised you haven’t got any info from the mission either that’s interesting....That is the last thing that I need is someone planning my life for me. I think that’s how my life was before my mission; I was being babied too much. Ha-ha you know its true......
Well if Carly doesn’t get accepted at BYU Provo there is always BYU Idaho, a lot more are accepted at that school. That’s actually were I’m planning to go. But what exactly does she want to do or study or major in??
Am I getting trunky??.............no. Really im not, you can be surprised, I have been told that I am one of the least trunky missionaries, I haven’t said anything about me going home, unless someone asks. Yeah this last week I had a really good and spiritual district meeting so our district kicked butt this last week. The Sisters finally had a Baptism! YEAH!
It will be very sad to leave Nicaragua especially this area and the people I have grown to love here. My ward loves me, they think im funny or goofy, I don’t know which one of the two. Im actually excited about coming home to school, I have learned how to finally discipline myself to be able to focus and get the job done. Mom, that’s my favorite part, actually my personal goal to get married at 24-25 years old.
Well I have much to talk about this week I will start with
MONDAY well after writing we went back to the house and prayed that we could find a new family that we could help know the Gospel. So with the visits we had they all fell through and so we went to a member’s house to ask for references but know was home. They rent rooms to people in there house so we met Reynaldo and Karen who were there alone. They are a family and we read to them the proclamation of the family and they accepted baptismal dates to be baptized this Saturday.
Tuesday That day I taught an awesome district meeting, I stayed up till 11:30pm the night before to pray and plan to help my district have success and not just me and my companion. Then after district meeting, I felt there was something wrong with one of the companionships in my district. I talked to the Elders and they told me what’s been going on. I know this kid and know that he has done a lot of crap especially with being worthy to receive a temple recommend. I first told him, the two of you wouldn’t be mad at each other if you were obedient, but because you are doing things that you are not supposed to do, you do not have a great companionship. I gave him suggestions of what he needed to do. About companionship prayer morning and night and praying for the other companion like you told me mom and reading a chapter from the BOM together before going to bed.
Then after I finished talking to him he was like, is it okay if I go on divisions with another elder and I was like ha-ha.....no. I told him it’s not healthy for his companionship if he is going on divisions to distance himself from his companion. I found out that later he did.....so he got in trouble for that because I did not authorize it so he got an emergency transfer.
That day was a good day with investigators with baptismal dates. Wilson will be the first of his family to be baptized with complete support from his parents. They also want to be baptized but they don’t have Sundays free that is very hard to tell them to have faith and quit their job, Especially in a third world country. I actually feel so sorry for them, this communist government is so screwed up, they have no controls of their work hours and if they miss their shift their fired.
Flor who we actually had planned to baptized this week we were able to baptize and confirm her last Saturday.
Later that night, we found a new family of 5 to teach: Somarriba family who are huge liberals and supporters of the Sandinistas, so that was interesting to see how a political family accepted the Gospel even though they are opposed to religions.
Wednesday During companionship study (which was awesome) we were going through the Christ attribute test in preach my gospel and my companion had a challenge with Hope. So we reviewed what he needed help on and while I was talking to him I made a my own quote "Do the best you can NOW, to learn from your mistakes to prepare for the future." and then another quote I wrote I told him "DO what God has destined you to do, BE what God has given you the potential to BE". It helped him and me and it was actually really cool. We also found 2 other investigators, EDA and Bryan and set a baptismal date with them for the 5th of Feb.
Thursday not much happened we found a new family of 2 and contacted a lot of people.
Friday Apostle D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON CAME TO THE MISSION AND I GOT TO SHAKE HIS HAND AND HEAR HIM SPEAK AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH HIM!!!!!! That’s it..........ha-ha jk That day was so awesome though!!! I wrote down everything he said… I LOVE BEING MORMON!
Saturday We found a family of 10 and invited them to church, we baptized Flor… I LOVE HER!! She is so cool!! We also set a baptismal date with a lady that lives in front of our house for this Saturday.
Sunday Elder JAY E JENSEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE SEVENTY CAME AND SPOKE IN OUR STAKE BUILDING THAT WAS ALSO SO COOL!!!
And that’s about it with my week
I love you ALL
Elder BUCK
La Fluente
Hello Family!
I LOVE YOU ALL TOO!!!
Thank you for remembering to email me this time...;P Even though you had to wake up at 2 am, What can I say? Not too many people can sleep with out thinking about me. Were you able to see the pictures of the families that we baptized??
I will be staying in the same area until I am released, I will miss my companion though HE IS SO COOL! I will be training this next companion change - for my FIRST TIME. I was afraid for a second, I thought I was sterile (here in the mission we call the new trainees our kids and until now I have never had any kids).
My final release date is the 16th of March I thought I told you that already?? Im surprised you haven’t got any info from the mission either that’s interesting....That is the last thing that I need is someone planning my life for me. I think that’s how my life was before my mission; I was being babied too much. Ha-ha you know its true......
Well if Carly doesn’t get accepted at BYU Provo there is always BYU Idaho, a lot more are accepted at that school. That’s actually were I’m planning to go. But what exactly does she want to do or study or major in??
Am I getting trunky??.............no. Really im not, you can be surprised, I have been told that I am one of the least trunky missionaries, I haven’t said anything about me going home, unless someone asks. Yeah this last week I had a really good and spiritual district meeting so our district kicked butt this last week. The Sisters finally had a Baptism! YEAH!
It will be very sad to leave Nicaragua especially this area and the people I have grown to love here. My ward loves me, they think im funny or goofy, I don’t know which one of the two. Im actually excited about coming home to school, I have learned how to finally discipline myself to be able to focus and get the job done. Mom, that’s my favorite part, actually my personal goal to get married at 24-25 years old.
Well I have much to talk about this week I will start with
MONDAY well after writing we went back to the house and prayed that we could find a new family that we could help know the Gospel. So with the visits we had they all fell through and so we went to a member’s house to ask for references but know was home. They rent rooms to people in there house so we met Reynaldo and Karen who were there alone. They are a family and we read to them the proclamation of the family and they accepted baptismal dates to be baptized this Saturday.
Tuesday That day I taught an awesome district meeting, I stayed up till 11:30pm the night before to pray and plan to help my district have success and not just me and my companion. Then after district meeting, I felt there was something wrong with one of the companionships in my district. I talked to the Elders and they told me what’s been going on. I know this kid and know that he has done a lot of crap especially with being worthy to receive a temple recommend. I first told him, the two of you wouldn’t be mad at each other if you were obedient, but because you are doing things that you are not supposed to do, you do not have a great companionship. I gave him suggestions of what he needed to do. About companionship prayer morning and night and praying for the other companion like you told me mom and reading a chapter from the BOM together before going to bed.
Then after I finished talking to him he was like, is it okay if I go on divisions with another elder and I was like ha-ha.....no. I told him it’s not healthy for his companionship if he is going on divisions to distance himself from his companion. I found out that later he did.....so he got in trouble for that because I did not authorize it so he got an emergency transfer.
That day was a good day with investigators with baptismal dates. Wilson will be the first of his family to be baptized with complete support from his parents. They also want to be baptized but they don’t have Sundays free that is very hard to tell them to have faith and quit their job, Especially in a third world country. I actually feel so sorry for them, this communist government is so screwed up, they have no controls of their work hours and if they miss their shift their fired.
Flor who we actually had planned to baptized this week we were able to baptize and confirm her last Saturday.
Later that night, we found a new family of 5 to teach: Somarriba family who are huge liberals and supporters of the Sandinistas, so that was interesting to see how a political family accepted the Gospel even though they are opposed to religions.
Wednesday During companionship study (which was awesome) we were going through the Christ attribute test in preach my gospel and my companion had a challenge with Hope. So we reviewed what he needed help on and while I was talking to him I made a my own quote "Do the best you can NOW, to learn from your mistakes to prepare for the future." and then another quote I wrote I told him "DO what God has destined you to do, BE what God has given you the potential to BE". It helped him and me and it was actually really cool. We also found 2 other investigators, EDA and Bryan and set a baptismal date with them for the 5th of Feb.
Thursday not much happened we found a new family of 2 and contacted a lot of people.
Friday Apostle D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON CAME TO THE MISSION AND I GOT TO SHAKE HIS HAND AND HEAR HIM SPEAK AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH HIM!!!!!! That’s it..........ha-ha jk That day was so awesome though!!! I wrote down everything he said… I LOVE BEING MORMON!
Saturday We found a family of 10 and invited them to church, we baptized Flor… I LOVE HER!! She is so cool!! We also set a baptismal date with a lady that lives in front of our house for this Saturday.
Sunday Elder JAY E JENSEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE SEVENTY CAME AND SPOKE IN OUR STAKE BUILDING THAT WAS ALSO SO COOL!!!
And that’s about it with my week
I love you ALL
Elder BUCK
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