Monday, May 3rd

One more thing! I still weigh 183 lbs. I don’t know what that means other then I know that I look so much skinnier. but I haven’t been able to gain that weight back. But really as far as health I am doing a lot better,


On Mon, May 3, 2010 at 1:05 PM, McCoy Thomas Buck wrote:

Hello Family!

Ha-ha yeah they don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo here! Ha-ha

Speaking of Mexico/Arizona that new immigration law has got to screw things up big time for the moment. I didn’t even know that was happening until someone asked me "where I'm from" and I told them "Arizona" ha-ha. I hope that all can get worked out, that will create some problems.

This week has been a very hard week but sort of kind of good. Changes are this Wednesday and I'm ready for a new companion and new area! I was able to perform the baptism of the Chavez family's cousin...her name is Vanessa and she is 32 years old and a really fast learner. My Zone leader said "he hasn’t seen anyone so ready and prepared to be baptized" I told him "it wasn’t me...it was the AWESOME POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ME THAT CONVERTED HER!!" ha-ha jk.

This week and this change in general has been so hard I am so worn out and tired.....but ready to go for more!! Today is P-day so I was hoping of just sleeping but we will see if my companion lets me or not ha-ha. My mission goal is coming along and this next change I have made the goal to baptize 100 people in my entire mission, so far at the rate I'm going, I will be able to complete this goal.  I need to baptize 6 people every month for the next 10 months. That’s something I'm really going to work hard to try and do. I might be a trainer this next change I have been told. That will be cool!

My health is a lot a better I haven’t been sick at all... I have a few aches and pains but that’s just from working hard.

Wow next Sunday is when I call you guys for Mothers Day!  That happened fast..........and don’t worry I have been practicing my English grammar so you guys can be able to understand me better ha-ha.

Hmm...What do I want for my 21st birthday?   um.....

Well things I need for the moment: Um...I love ties so I guess you can send me some of those. I could use a new belt someone stole my extra one. Candy: Butterfinger, airhead, skittles, chips ahoy( soft), snickers, starbursts...I definitely don’t need anymore P-day clothes so don’t worry about sending that.

That’s cool to hear that you guys finally got started on the landscaping!

It is very warm/hot and super super humid and rainy... this is the worse month of the year for weather....But I'm still alive ha-ha.

Wow the Gila Valley Temple is almost ready?? That was fast...it seems like they just announced it was going to be built. That will be a neat experience to go to a dedication. Does the prophet or the apostles go to the dedications in Arizona?? When I was in the MTC the Oaker Mountain Temple (I think it was??) was dedicated and we (the missionaries) saw it via satellite.

So until this next change I am going to try to do all that I can to serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am so happy to be here... it is the best/hardest experience of my life.

I love you All

Elder Buck

Things Are Improving

Hello Family,


I am doing better as far as my health so you guys do not need to worry about any of that now. I’m back to work and doing the best I can. I went to the doctor but he told me I had to wait some more for the cyst to mature, but it’s pretty much gone now and I didn’t even get it cut out.

As far as the mission I’m really going to make a commitment to stay. Mom, Dad I really really don’t want to go home because of health reasons, so you will just have to trust the Lord that I will be alright here in Nicaragua. Now that I’m feeling better again I’m 100% ready to go work my butt off again. We just had a baptism last week (Rosa) and we have another week (Vanessa) these are both references from the members so they are doing super awesome!

We just passed by Vanessa’s house last night and asked why she didn’t go to church (food allergies) but then I asked if she read Alma 7 in the Book of Mormon we left her. She said SHE DID READ IT AND PRAYED ABOUT IT!!! AND KNOWS THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! I LOVE HEARING THOSE WORDS OF CONVERSION!!!

I am really loving the mission! Just when I have these trials (cysts, fungus, parasites) I have to learn to control my attitude. I tried a lot when I had that cyst and now it’s practically gone and I’m happier then I have ever been!!

As far as mission work goes. Our mission has a goal to have 4 people accept baptismal dates and to find 5 new investigators’ each day or we can’t enter the house. We have been doing that and we usually stop working at 10:30-10:45 p.m. (that’s when we should be sleeping) but its something that the president told us to do. It’s actually really helping me build better character and reach my potential because we are already tired as heck but we just got to keep on going, so that’s what we have been doing.

I have really developed a love for the people here, it is a blessing to be serving here and not in the states! We hardly ever get the door slammed on our face (only sometimes) but the people are actually really nice and invite us to come back some other day (even though they give us times when they are not going to be home ha-ha) But no...Really I love this work and I’m just going to try to give it my all, stop whining, and get lost in the work. I have 10 months left and I know I can do so much with this ten months.

I love you all and thank you for all you love and support. Sorry my letter is short we where in a meeting all day today and I got to go to work at 5pm.

LOVE

ELDER BUCK

Monday, April 19th

Note from Sandra: We had a lengthy letter from McCoy yesterday about his health issues that he has going on right now. As parents we are going through the proper church channels to see what more needs to be done for medical treatment, especially for the painful cyst or abscess that is back for the second time. He talked about a lot of things he is dealing with at this time that doesn’t need to be blogged about. Below are a couple of passages from McCoy to let you know how he is doing and what he thinks in McCoy fashion.



I have just received medicine this weekend to start treating the intestinal parasites and infection. My cyst on my tailbone area is back and I am in extreme pain. It is difficult to walk, sit or sleep for very long…so it is hard for me to walk distances for teaching or contacting people.

I have not been able to get much missionary work done this past week so I have been getting flack from leaders about not doing enough. We are supposed to be challenging 4 people a day to baptism or we aren’t supposed to go home at night. I had a talk with my zone leaders and they tried telling me that my spirit is more powerful than my body, so if I really had enough faith to work (like I’m suppose to) then I will be healed and won’t have my health problems. (that is a load of crap)

Monday, April 5th

Hello family!


This is Elder Buck! My email has been changed and so this is it for everyone to know mccoy.buck@myldsmail.net

I am also glad that I will be staying for another change because I love it here. Yeah we are doing a whole lot better and getting along really good!

Well as far as parasites, yes I do have them and three different types. They are (if I can translate what it is) Amoeba, Histolic, and cyst parasites. They are from the water and possibly the food. They gave me all sorts of medication but it did not work so I will have to go back for another test because it did not kill the parasites and it makes me really weak and tired at times.

Well my health as of right now right now....isn’t that good and I’m actually starting to get a little worried. Cause just about every week I will be sick and then the next week I will get better but then have some other kind of sickness. Right now I have Parasites, low blood pressure and that fungus that I had in Puerto Cabezas is back again. So I’m not feeling too good, and really I don’t care what the mission says! But they don’t care.

I don’t know if I’m losing weight but I’m looking a lot skinnier, I haven’t eaten a decent helping of food until today. We had Subway, but every time with like rice and beans or some traditional Nicaraguan food my body rejects or throws it up. I still have diarrhea and upset stomach always and tiredness. I am dehydrated but that is from the diarrhea but I have this bottle of pure electrolytes to keep my hydrated and drink more water then anything else.

They do sell juice and that’s all I have been eating for breakfast lunch and dinner with a little plate of food.

Yeah I have no strength at all and with the fungus that I got I cannot walk or sleep. But I’m trying to apply the conference talks to help me accept the Lords will and not murmur.

I loved the conference it was really good! I especially liked Elder Uchtodorf in the priesthood session and Elder Martino about facing adversity I got to shake his hand and talk with him two weeks ago when he came here.

Yeah they broadcast everything at the stake center where there is a huge projector screen.

That’s good I’m glad Carly had a good time in SLC. Easter here there really isn’t one here but they usually launch fireworks and go around carrying the Virgin Mary through the streets.

That sounds like you had a good Easter though! Im glad that you guys had fun!

I really didn’t have much to do this last week so don’t have much to say other then I was sick the whole time. But we did work though and have 4 baptisms planned for this week and hopefully we can get them baptized!

I love you all
Elder Buck

Staying in Las Mercedes

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

Have Written For a While

Click Here To See Recent Photo's

Hello Family!


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

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