Hola Family!
My attitude was a lot better this week ha-ha thanks for asking! Wednesday was the day that we have changes but I didn’t move, I’m still in the same area in Las Mercedes and I’m way happy because I love it here! We had two confirmations this last Sunday because our zone leaders baptized two people that were in our area and that is NOT ALLOWED. They know it but they were trying to get the numbers for baptisms, so when they went to try and confirm them the church wouldn’t let them because the couple does not live in the ward boundaries where they were baptized.
I am doing well, our companionship is also doing a lot better. I won’t lie I was actually pretty depressed when I found out that (my companion) would be staying in the same area for another change with me but…I just totally changed my attitude and the way I look at him (not judge) and it works!! As long as I don’t ask him why he doesn’t work (because most the time he doesn’t ) he doesn’t get mad at me and we usually end up still happy at the end of the day.
As far as health…I haven’t been feeling well again, I eat very little or if nothing at all, I think I might have a parasite so I will go get tested for that this week. So that will be fun!
Well I don’t have photos for this week to upload but when I get some I will upload them. I pretty much have been doing it every week and you guys need to upload to the blogspot.
Yeah those pictures of the weeds ha-ha I forgot how big they get that is crazy!! Hope everyone gets over their allergies soon.
As far as me I I’m actually doing well, I just wish I would stop getting sick. I’m most likely to die when I’m of the age of 30 years old. Jk Ha-ha thanks for giving me that mission count down!! Ha-ha
Well not much has happened here either this week but I sure am looking forward to general conference this week its going to be awesome!!!
Elder Buck
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Have Written For a While
My health is at 100% right now. I had food poisoning the past week, we think from meat that I ate, it was some pretty nasty, really chewy meat. It tasted like turtle. Now I’m able to eat and am feeling a whole lot better.
My attitude had gotten down one day till my friend Maria Jose told me to buckle down and get to work. My attitude was mainly with my companion, we have really been struggling, so after I talked with her at lunch I went back home and I knelt down to pray to be able to have a change of heart. Then after I prayed I talked to my companion and said sorry for things that I might have done. He said I forgive you but he didn’t mention anything else. I told him what’s been bothering me, and it was about the things that he does that bothered me. So I named a few things he does like hocking luggies in public every 3 minutes, not eating what’s on your plate at meals and making smart aleck remark to everything I say. Then he just goes off and is yelling about what I need to do better, then he left. I felt bad so I said another prayer and then I just said to him “LETS GO WORK”. We left our house and I actually felt really good and didn’t have the spirit of contention or anything. We did really well the rest of that day.
My work habits are also really good. There are some of those days were I just don’t want to do anything, but I still work. I am learning a lot on how to endure my trials, yes it is hard, but I really feel so much better after I have overcame what it is I was faced with. Despite the trials that we were receiving there also are a lot of blessings. This last week we baptized 7 people. I will talk about the different people we baptized.
1st baptism was a Family of SIX!! I love that family we found them one day while we were teaching another family. This man came (Luis) selling tortillas to the home where we were teaching. I made contact with him and gave him a pamphlet and told him about the free English classes we teach every Saturday. He was especially pleased about the English classes cause he is very poor and has two sons that want to learn English but can’t afford other classes.
Then the next day we went over to their house and there was
Luis (the dad)
Jared (son) 16yrs
Elmer (son) 14yrs
Jeremy (son) 12yrs
Berman (son) 10yrs
Oliver (son) 8yrs old
Ernesto (son) 2yrs
The first visit with them I knew they were ready to be baptized so they all accepted to be baptized. They have quite a sad story, his wife left him with 6 children and he barely makes enough money to make ends meet but they live very humbly in their two room house, he supports them by making and selling tortillas. He has the responsibility of all these kids plus he has to work to support the family. You can just see the stress and tiredness in this poor guy’s eyes, but he does it “because he loves his family most”.
We have been to their house on numerous occasions so I have gotten to know this family really well. They are AWESOME!! Every one of them, I love spending time with them and they were all baptized on March 19th a day after my year and one month mark in the mission.
2nd baptism was a man named Eliezer. He is 25 years old and a reference/friend of Flavio our other baptism. He is a way cool guy, he is married but temporarily separated due to drinking problems and lack of work. She works and he has gotten his life in order and was baptized on the March 20th. H e and his wife are now back together and happy.
Sorry mom to hear about your allergies, ironically/amazingly enough I have not had any allergies at all and there is so much dust and crap in the air here it is truly amazing. (I just have everything else health wise wrong with me)
Ooh good luck Carly in that essay contest that would be really cool if you won!!
Yep Tanner got a gun…what’s new. Ha-ha jk That’s cool and that’s cool that my brothers are hanging out!
I am definitely looking forward to General Conference, that will be really cool. I just downloaded like 64 general conference talks on my iPod and am always listening to them. HECK YES I REMEMBER GOING TO THE CONFERENCE CENTER!!! That was such a neat experience!
That’s pretty much it as far is this past week, it’s been a really good week! It might be my last transfer here in Las Mercedes. If I get changed I will be so sad for me, but I will go wherever you want me to go dear Lord.
Ok so as far as putting photos up on Picasa I have put a lot up recently you guys also need to too. I want to see what all my nieces and nephews look like now so give me photos of them. I have been checking out my blog spot and you’re not putting up photos so at least add my baptisms.
Well I love you and thank you for all your love and support.
Elder Buck
Monday, March 8, 2010
Preaching on the Bus
Hey Family,
Before anything I just want to apologize for the letter that you received last week…this week was a lot better, but I will use the letter you sent to me to help me if it happens again in the future.
SWEET!!! Ammon’s leaving on his mish!! That is so cool, now all that’s left is Walker and then all my buddies are doing what they are suppose too.
That’s cool that you guys got some rain…I haven’t seen rain for almost 3 months now and it’s hot and humid like always ha-ha. That’s awesome that you guys are still blessed with work COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!! Whenever I do get discouraged I just think about how you guys are struggling there in the states and then I buckle down and work harder to bless you guys. That’s cool that Carly’s doing softball again that will be fun.
Thank you for all the advice that you gave me for overcoming trials and doing the things that I’m suppose to do. I will do better and try not to get so discouraged.
Monday: I was still feeling weird and didn’t want to do much as far as work then that night I said a long prayer, praying for forgiveness and help. My mind gets so out of focus when I pray though….it makes it so hard to get an answer. Then to try to focus my thoughts on only things to be able to receive an answer also something that is very hard to do, especially this environment of where I’m at. I would love just to go to a quiet place, alone away from all the noise and try to talk with God, but here it’s impossible. Both our neighbors play their rap music so loud it makes it so hard to study, but you learn to deal from it.
Tuesday: Was a really awesome experience we had the chance again to listen to a general authority named Elder Martino, and that was really cool. That helped me to feel good and to feel the spirit. He talked from 9am-4pm, it was really good though. And while we were riding home on the bus I remembered a story that he was telling us about, one of his companions could not speak a lick of Spanish but that every time he was on the bus he would stand up and contact everyone.
At this point I was sitting next to my buddy who is also my Zone Leader Elder Baker. And I was like “have you contacted on a bus before?” and he’s like “no, have you?” I told him I haven’t but that I was. So I stood up and walked to the front of the bus and practically taught the restoration to everyone on the bus! Ha-ha there was one lady close to me listening and every time I said a sentence she was like “hallelujah” ha-ha it was funny but then afterwards I asked if there was anyone that would like us to pass by their house and share more of this message with them. No one wanted us too so I was like “dangit” and went and sat back down. But after I got off the bus my older Zone leader told me that the lady he was sitting next to was asleep-but when I got up in front of the bus and started preaching the gospel she woke up and was listening what I was saying. Then he told me that she was really interested and said that she wanted the missionaries to come by.
Then this week I found out that the missionaries have been going to her house and that she will be baptized this Saturday. I think that is so AWESOME!!! There were 43 people (souls) on that bus and that one lady that is going to be baptized has a family of 5 and her husband wants to be baptized too. I feel really good knowing that because I over came the fear of standing in front of 43 people and that I not only help bring one soul to Christ but her whole family.
Wednesday: Was a good day just working hard and visited Flabio and Juan Manuel that we had planned to be baptized that Saturday.
Thursday: We worked our butts off and had a lot of success…we worked really hard as a companionship and found 2 people who accepted to be baptized on the 30th.
Friday: I went on divisions so that my companion and my zone leader can work in my area and interview Flabio and Juan to get baptized the following day. When I got back later that day I went to a mans house named Luis that we contacted a day earlier and turns out he has 6 kids and 5 are above the age of 8 and all accepted to be baptized. His story is that his wife left him for another man and also her 6 children so he has been the mom and the dad and tries to support them and keep a business of making and selling tortillas.
Saturday: In the morning we had English class I taught with my Zone Leader Elder Baker and it went really good. It was really fun. Then after ate lunch and started my fast, and then went to go get our investigators ready for their baptism. Well the baptism was scheduled for 2 pm and we got to their house at 1:25pm to bring them to the church and the one Hermano (Flabio) didn’t want to get baptized but the other one (Juan) did. So we got him baptized and later talked to Flabio and he said that he will get baptized next Saturday.
Sunday: I wasn’t feeling good at all when I woke up Sunday morning…I felt super weak from all the walking the day before and not drinking or eating. I had to go on divisions with a member to a neighborhood called Recargo where Luis and his 6 sons live. And it is super far (about a mile and a half) and I was not feeling good, so when we got to their house no one was ready and where all dirty and not bathed. The dad said that he had to work but maybe his sons would like to go. So the oldest (Jared) went and the second youngest (Berman) and they said they had a good time. Also Hno. Flabio went to church and said that he really liked it and Juan got confirmed a member and then later that day went to a member’s house where we are teaching his brother who isn’t a member. He accepted baptism for the next week on the 13th so this week we will be having 2 baptisms I’m pretty excited!
I thought I would try something new. In each letter I write home I will put something funny like a joke or some custom they do here in Nicaragua.
FUNNY OF THE WEEK: When I went on divisions Friday one of the investigators was a lady (a really big lady) was wearing a shirt with faded letters that I couldn’t read very good at first. But during the lesson I looked at her shirt and I was able to see what it said. The shirt said “MY BALLS ITCH”. HAHA I felt so bad because I couldn’t help from laughing and the Elder and the lady thought I was crazy because they didn’t know what it meant. Here’s your sign.
Love,
Elder Buck
Before anything I just want to apologize for the letter that you received last week…this week was a lot better, but I will use the letter you sent to me to help me if it happens again in the future.
SWEET!!! Ammon’s leaving on his mish!! That is so cool, now all that’s left is Walker and then all my buddies are doing what they are suppose too.
That’s cool that you guys got some rain…I haven’t seen rain for almost 3 months now and it’s hot and humid like always ha-ha. That’s awesome that you guys are still blessed with work COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!! Whenever I do get discouraged I just think about how you guys are struggling there in the states and then I buckle down and work harder to bless you guys. That’s cool that Carly’s doing softball again that will be fun.
Thank you for all the advice that you gave me for overcoming trials and doing the things that I’m suppose to do. I will do better and try not to get so discouraged.
Monday: I was still feeling weird and didn’t want to do much as far as work then that night I said a long prayer, praying for forgiveness and help. My mind gets so out of focus when I pray though….it makes it so hard to get an answer. Then to try to focus my thoughts on only things to be able to receive an answer also something that is very hard to do, especially this environment of where I’m at. I would love just to go to a quiet place, alone away from all the noise and try to talk with God, but here it’s impossible. Both our neighbors play their rap music so loud it makes it so hard to study, but you learn to deal from it.
Tuesday: Was a really awesome experience we had the chance again to listen to a general authority named Elder Martino, and that was really cool. That helped me to feel good and to feel the spirit. He talked from 9am-4pm, it was really good though. And while we were riding home on the bus I remembered a story that he was telling us about, one of his companions could not speak a lick of Spanish but that every time he was on the bus he would stand up and contact everyone.
At this point I was sitting next to my buddy who is also my Zone Leader Elder Baker. And I was like “have you contacted on a bus before?” and he’s like “no, have you?” I told him I haven’t but that I was. So I stood up and walked to the front of the bus and practically taught the restoration to everyone on the bus! Ha-ha there was one lady close to me listening and every time I said a sentence she was like “hallelujah” ha-ha it was funny but then afterwards I asked if there was anyone that would like us to pass by their house and share more of this message with them. No one wanted us too so I was like “dangit” and went and sat back down. But after I got off the bus my older Zone leader told me that the lady he was sitting next to was asleep-but when I got up in front of the bus and started preaching the gospel she woke up and was listening what I was saying. Then he told me that she was really interested and said that she wanted the missionaries to come by.
Then this week I found out that the missionaries have been going to her house and that she will be baptized this Saturday. I think that is so AWESOME!!! There were 43 people (souls) on that bus and that one lady that is going to be baptized has a family of 5 and her husband wants to be baptized too. I feel really good knowing that because I over came the fear of standing in front of 43 people and that I not only help bring one soul to Christ but her whole family.
Wednesday: Was a good day just working hard and visited Flabio and Juan Manuel that we had planned to be baptized that Saturday.
Thursday: We worked our butts off and had a lot of success…we worked really hard as a companionship and found 2 people who accepted to be baptized on the 30th.
Friday: I went on divisions so that my companion and my zone leader can work in my area and interview Flabio and Juan to get baptized the following day. When I got back later that day I went to a mans house named Luis that we contacted a day earlier and turns out he has 6 kids and 5 are above the age of 8 and all accepted to be baptized. His story is that his wife left him for another man and also her 6 children so he has been the mom and the dad and tries to support them and keep a business of making and selling tortillas.
Saturday: In the morning we had English class I taught with my Zone Leader Elder Baker and it went really good. It was really fun. Then after ate lunch and started my fast, and then went to go get our investigators ready for their baptism. Well the baptism was scheduled for 2 pm and we got to their house at 1:25pm to bring them to the church and the one Hermano (Flabio) didn’t want to get baptized but the other one (Juan) did. So we got him baptized and later talked to Flabio and he said that he will get baptized next Saturday.
Sunday: I wasn’t feeling good at all when I woke up Sunday morning…I felt super weak from all the walking the day before and not drinking or eating. I had to go on divisions with a member to a neighborhood called Recargo where Luis and his 6 sons live. And it is super far (about a mile and a half) and I was not feeling good, so when we got to their house no one was ready and where all dirty and not bathed. The dad said that he had to work but maybe his sons would like to go. So the oldest (Jared) went and the second youngest (Berman) and they said they had a good time. Also Hno. Flabio went to church and said that he really liked it and Juan got confirmed a member and then later that day went to a member’s house where we are teaching his brother who isn’t a member. He accepted baptism for the next week on the 13th so this week we will be having 2 baptisms I’m pretty excited!
I thought I would try something new. In each letter I write home I will put something funny like a joke or some custom they do here in Nicaragua.
FUNNY OF THE WEEK: When I went on divisions Friday one of the investigators was a lady (a really big lady) was wearing a shirt with faded letters that I couldn’t read very good at first. But during the lesson I looked at her shirt and I was able to see what it said. The shirt said “MY BALLS ITCH”. HAHA I felt so bad because I couldn’t help from laughing and the Elder and the lady thought I was crazy because they didn’t know what it meant. Here’s your sign.
Love,
Elder Buck
Monday, February 22, 2010
Good Experience and No So Good Experience
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
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
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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