Hello Family!
I had the most awewsomest week! We worked so dang hard this week!
Well I don’t remember much as far as day by day but we have a goal to baptize 27 people 7 families and 9 priesthood holders. They all accepted to be baptized we just got to help prepare them for the 11th of Dec that’s when we will be baptizing them.
So we have been working really hard. Everyday was a miracle we were able to have a member with us in almost every lesson and that is very hard to do. So right now my investigators all have friends in the church.
This Sunday or yesterday we had 10 people in church (not exactly 27) We had one family of 8 plus 2 other people that we are preparing. This is the name of some of the families that we are preparing for baptism and how many are in each family.
Family Flores (8)
Family Garcia (4)
Family Juan (2)
Family Miguel (2)
Family Cesar (2)
Family Obando (2)
Family Hyman (6)
We are working so hard to pass by them everyday so that we follow up to see how there doing and making sure that they aren’t discouraged or been told rumors by their neighbors. It's hard work but the Lord is blessing us so much.
This week we have one baptism, it is the bishop’s son’s girl-friend. We are also having discussions with her mom and brothers, they are pretty positive so the mom already gave us permission to baptize her daughter this week.
I love the mission! It’s full of so many experiences good and bad... ha-ha. But I love being able to help other people!
My district is doing pretty good, the sisters are struggling quite a bit I offered to go to their area to help them out, but they didn’t like that idea.
Danget I wished I brought my agenda today so I could write what happened this week day by day.
Ha-ha Kendall what a CUTIE, just chimning in and saying the Thanksgiving prayer by herself! It’s good to hear that everyone is doing so good including Carver and the family... CARVER WROTE ME!!! I WAS SO EXCITED!
I will try to share a spiritual experience that I had with the Flores Family.
They are such a cool family. But struggled to understand the gospel messages that we share, but now they are our most positive family.
On Tuesday we stopped by there house and it was just the dad that was home. So we started talking to him a little bit about what his questions and doubts are. Then we answered all them. But the coolest part was, is we left the book of Mormon with him so that he can read it and HE DID. Cause right afterwards he brought a huge new book of scriptures and things that he liked.
Then yesterday we had a lesson with the whole family. It is so hard to have them all together. When we got there it was Angelica and her neighbor outside and like always her neighbor was talking crap about our church. But we were cool about it then asked the neighbor what are her questions and doubts. She started asking me really weird stuff like "is it true that you offer up human sacrifices to the devil" I was thinking "ha-ha ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I almost wanted to say "YES SILLY LADY" but I wouldn’t know how to defend myself afterwards. So we talk about the Book of Mormon. Much easier subject.
After talking with that crazy lady we went in the house and started teaching the family about the Book of Mormon. First we watched a short video clip giving a brief explanation of the Book. Then most of the family wasn’t in the first discussion and several were asking "who is this Joseph Smith?" Then I was like ah....got to explain it all again so everyone in the family hears it this time.
Then we answered one of the questions that the crazy neighbor lady had. It was actually a good question "Where is it that we rest after death?" so we read Alma 40 and Alma 11. It was just so awesome to see all of them reading Moroni promise and all reading the Book of Mormon together.
Well I'm out of time and got to go.
Adios I love you all!
ELDER BUCK
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Hard, but Good Week
Hey Family!
I think I will keep the gifts till march. Idk...I’m still trying to figure that out. Thank you for sending me a Christmas package even when I told you not too! ha-ha. Yeah, as far as i know we get the packages before Christmas.
How is Carver and the family doing I still haven’t got a letter back or anything from them....
CARLY DONT WORRY YOU WILL DEFINATLEY BE ACCEPTED FOR BYU! Your too smart for them to reject you! Now you better buckle down and complete your last year with flying colors (dad quote).
Really SWEET I WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN ALASKA! I’m so excited to be able to travel IM AN ADULY NOW! i remember before i was just afraid of doing things alone. ha-ha School in 2011 - For sure i need to get started on a career. I’m just trying to think what i will be doing....Dentist, web page designer, graphic design, architecture....those are just a bunch of ideas i got for the moment.
Teaching this week....ha-ha Its been one good and very hard week...
We had Karina’s baptism...but this week no baptisms its stake conference on Saturday and Sunday. I will start with...
MONDAY after writing home we went and did Family Home Evening with some families we have, and i taught the lesson. I had my Gospel principles book and i wanted to do my lesson on the gift of the holy ghost and using the book as like a guide but it was really hard because the section was the "holy ghost" and i meant to do "the gift of the holy ghost" so that was fun. ha-ha.
TUESDAY: They chose our zone to take the new Elders that just arrived into Managua on their first day to experience Nicaragua. I was assigned with a really cool Elder named Elder Yates from St. George, Utah. That was a neat experience, took me back (memories) to my first day here in Nicaragua, but he said he had a really good experience. My poor full time companion, the Elder he was assigned to for the day was super nervous and wanted to pray all the time. Ha-ha
WEDNESDAY: It was a really good day, we worked hard by starting in the morning looking for new people to teach cause we pretty much baptized all the people we had been teaching. We were going to this new part of our area that we haven’t contacted before and we met Jorge, he seemed kind of interested. Then we went to this family named Family Rodriguez and we taught the restoration. They were so awesome and happy that they could know and feel that what we taught is true. They were just really positive.
Then we met up with all ward organization leaders, we are trying to work real close with the members cause we always seem to get more help that way. It is way different here as far as relationships between member to missionary. Its almost like they hate missionaries ha-ha.
Then we met Jaxon and his mom Emilina he is 24 and she is 48 and they were so cool and positive and both accepted to be baptized.
Then the worst part of the day....we found this awesome family the week before named Freddi and Maria José. They are a young couple but the parents live with them and they are 7th day Evangelists. When we were there teaching them they were all positive. When we went back and we talked with the mom, a sweet little old lady and she is like "I’m sorry our pastor said we shouldn’t be meeting with you, we have already sowed our seeds in the church".
We came back three days later and the dad just starts flipping out and saying how he didn’t want his kids to meet with us and just totally ticked off. Then their other brother comes and starts yelling at us... I was working to keep my cool. Then we hear, “GET OUT OF HERE STUPID LITTLE KIDS!?" and i was thinking "what the heck?!" Because the voice that told us we were stupid was that sweet little old lady. and i was like "hermana?? What happened to you, you were nice”?
After we left that family we found 8 new investigators and set two baptismal dates.
THURSDAY: Was an AWESOME DAY! All the investigators that we had just found and started teaching we started setting baptismal dates like crazy. We have the Family Rodriguez, which was a family of 4, and then a reference that we received named Gabriel who is the last member of his family to get baptized!
IT IM OUT OF TIME!!!
Well i got to make like a plunger and get the crap out of here...LOL jk
I LOVE YOU ALL
ELDER BUCK
I think I will keep the gifts till march. Idk...I’m still trying to figure that out. Thank you for sending me a Christmas package even when I told you not too! ha-ha. Yeah, as far as i know we get the packages before Christmas.
How is Carver and the family doing I still haven’t got a letter back or anything from them....
CARLY DONT WORRY YOU WILL DEFINATLEY BE ACCEPTED FOR BYU! Your too smart for them to reject you! Now you better buckle down and complete your last year with flying colors (dad quote).
Really SWEET I WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN ALASKA! I’m so excited to be able to travel IM AN ADULY NOW! i remember before i was just afraid of doing things alone. ha-ha School in 2011 - For sure i need to get started on a career. I’m just trying to think what i will be doing....Dentist, web page designer, graphic design, architecture....those are just a bunch of ideas i got for the moment.
Teaching this week....ha-ha Its been one good and very hard week...
We had Karina’s baptism...but this week no baptisms its stake conference on Saturday and Sunday. I will start with...
MONDAY after writing home we went and did Family Home Evening with some families we have, and i taught the lesson. I had my Gospel principles book and i wanted to do my lesson on the gift of the holy ghost and using the book as like a guide but it was really hard because the section was the "holy ghost" and i meant to do "the gift of the holy ghost" so that was fun. ha-ha.
TUESDAY: They chose our zone to take the new Elders that just arrived into Managua on their first day to experience Nicaragua. I was assigned with a really cool Elder named Elder Yates from St. George, Utah. That was a neat experience, took me back (memories) to my first day here in Nicaragua, but he said he had a really good experience. My poor full time companion, the Elder he was assigned to for the day was super nervous and wanted to pray all the time. Ha-ha
WEDNESDAY: It was a really good day, we worked hard by starting in the morning looking for new people to teach cause we pretty much baptized all the people we had been teaching. We were going to this new part of our area that we haven’t contacted before and we met Jorge, he seemed kind of interested. Then we went to this family named Family Rodriguez and we taught the restoration. They were so awesome and happy that they could know and feel that what we taught is true. They were just really positive.
Then we met up with all ward organization leaders, we are trying to work real close with the members cause we always seem to get more help that way. It is way different here as far as relationships between member to missionary. Its almost like they hate missionaries ha-ha.
Then we met Jaxon and his mom Emilina he is 24 and she is 48 and they were so cool and positive and both accepted to be baptized.
Then the worst part of the day....we found this awesome family the week before named Freddi and Maria José. They are a young couple but the parents live with them and they are 7th day Evangelists. When we were there teaching them they were all positive. When we went back and we talked with the mom, a sweet little old lady and she is like "I’m sorry our pastor said we shouldn’t be meeting with you, we have already sowed our seeds in the church".
We came back three days later and the dad just starts flipping out and saying how he didn’t want his kids to meet with us and just totally ticked off. Then their other brother comes and starts yelling at us... I was working to keep my cool. Then we hear, “GET OUT OF HERE STUPID LITTLE KIDS!?" and i was thinking "what the heck?!" Because the voice that told us we were stupid was that sweet little old lady. and i was like "hermana?? What happened to you, you were nice”?
After we left that family we found 8 new investigators and set two baptismal dates.
THURSDAY: Was an AWESOME DAY! All the investigators that we had just found and started teaching we started setting baptismal dates like crazy. We have the Family Rodriguez, which was a family of 4, and then a reference that we received named Gabriel who is the last member of his family to get baptized!
IT IM OUT OF TIME!!!
Well i got to make like a plunger and get the crap out of here...LOL jk
I LOVE YOU ALL
ELDER BUCK
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Visiting An Old Area and Converts
Hello Family!
RULON IS SO CUUUUUUUUUUUTE!! Thank you for writing up the birthdays! Now I know who has having whose birthday, sorry I have done a pretty bad job at not even sending anyone anything but I think I made up for it for the gifts that I bought for all of you I only have to buy something for Tanner and then I have everyone.
This week was awesome! This week has not exactly gone by quickly ha-ha but it has been a really good week! I love the mission!! And the new president. There is a totally new change and the most awesome part is Preach My Gospel has new doctrine that we are applying in the mission.
That’s awesome dad! GOOD LUCK! With the computer program. Do you want to know something really good, I have been able to discipline myself so well I might be able to help you out with computer programming. How was the dance Carly? You seem to be a little more adventurous then me.
On Tuesday we had a District meeting in the church in Reparto Shick and then after I had the opportunity to go and visit my converts when I was in that same area several months ago. Sadly....almost all of them are INACTIVE!?! WHAT THE HECK?!! First I visited the place were I ate my meals and they are happy and doing well.
Then I went to go visit my Convert Karla and her daughter and they went to church the week before but before they couldn’t because her mom was in the hospital almost dying.
Then I went to go visit another convert who were my first ones Alex, Marieth, and Flavia. Alex is active and faithful but Marieth is going to her grandma’s church and Flavia is studying on Sunda’s. But when I asked them if they still "believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God?" They felt the spirit and said that they feel badly that they always knew it was true but just didn’t have much support from ward members.
Then on Thursday my companion and I visited our ward secretary (Victor) at his house. He is the only member of his family who is a member of the church. We were a little lost and didn’t know how to get to his house, and the place that we were in, every time we contacted someone they told us that we shouldn’t be there that its a dangerous place, "you could get killed"...etc.
We kept looking for his house, we ran into our ward young men president and his family and they needed to drop stuff off to Victor so we followed then. When we got there Victor introduced us to his dad who was watching T.V. and left. We were like uh.....then the spirit took over and helped us out after saying a quick prayer.
The man was real nice his name is Javier (victor’s dad) and told us to sit down. We talked a little bit about his doubts that he had about the church but there was way too much distraction. When the young men president and his family were leaving and they were saying good bye and as the YM president shook hands with Javier he said pointing at the T.V: "turn that off and listen to the message these missionaries have to say". I thought Javier was going to be offended but he turned the T.V. off and sat down to listen to us. His son accompanied us and was at his father’s side the whole time.
We started with a prayer asking that Javier could feel the spirit. We started asking questions then I had the impression that his son should shares his experiences with his dad about how he became a convert and the only member of his family to join the Mormon Church. After Victor shared his experiences, the dad said that he felt a beautiful feeling and wanted us to come back and wanted to come to church on Sunday. Awesome!
I have more experiences to tell you but Im out of time!
I LOVE YOU ALL
ELDER BUCK
RULON IS SO CUUUUUUUUUUUTE!! Thank you for writing up the birthdays! Now I know who has having whose birthday, sorry I have done a pretty bad job at not even sending anyone anything but I think I made up for it for the gifts that I bought for all of you I only have to buy something for Tanner and then I have everyone.
This week was awesome! This week has not exactly gone by quickly ha-ha but it has been a really good week! I love the mission!! And the new president. There is a totally new change and the most awesome part is Preach My Gospel has new doctrine that we are applying in the mission.
That’s awesome dad! GOOD LUCK! With the computer program. Do you want to know something really good, I have been able to discipline myself so well I might be able to help you out with computer programming. How was the dance Carly? You seem to be a little more adventurous then me.
On Tuesday we had a District meeting in the church in Reparto Shick and then after I had the opportunity to go and visit my converts when I was in that same area several months ago. Sadly....almost all of them are INACTIVE!?! WHAT THE HECK?!! First I visited the place were I ate my meals and they are happy and doing well.
Then I went to go visit my Convert Karla and her daughter and they went to church the week before but before they couldn’t because her mom was in the hospital almost dying.
Then I went to go visit another convert who were my first ones Alex, Marieth, and Flavia. Alex is active and faithful but Marieth is going to her grandma’s church and Flavia is studying on Sunda’s. But when I asked them if they still "believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God?" They felt the spirit and said that they feel badly that they always knew it was true but just didn’t have much support from ward members.
Then on Thursday my companion and I visited our ward secretary (Victor) at his house. He is the only member of his family who is a member of the church. We were a little lost and didn’t know how to get to his house, and the place that we were in, every time we contacted someone they told us that we shouldn’t be there that its a dangerous place, "you could get killed"...etc.
We kept looking for his house, we ran into our ward young men president and his family and they needed to drop stuff off to Victor so we followed then. When we got there Victor introduced us to his dad who was watching T.V. and left. We were like uh.....then the spirit took over and helped us out after saying a quick prayer.
The man was real nice his name is Javier (victor’s dad) and told us to sit down. We talked a little bit about his doubts that he had about the church but there was way too much distraction. When the young men president and his family were leaving and they were saying good bye and as the YM president shook hands with Javier he said pointing at the T.V: "turn that off and listen to the message these missionaries have to say". I thought Javier was going to be offended but he turned the T.V. off and sat down to listen to us. His son accompanied us and was at his father’s side the whole time.
We started with a prayer asking that Javier could feel the spirit. We started asking questions then I had the impression that his son should shares his experiences with his dad about how he became a convert and the only member of his family to join the Mormon Church. After Victor shared his experiences, the dad said that he felt a beautiful feeling and wanted us to come back and wanted to come to church on Sunday. Awesome!
I have more experiences to tell you but Im out of time!
I LOVE YOU ALL
ELDER BUCK
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Only Four More Months
Happy November! I will be coming home in March!
I really do not need anything for Christmas...you could put a little more money in my account so I can pick up some souvenir's to bring home. I was able to get my shoes patched so they should last me until I get back.
I picked up some cute little Nica dresses for the nieces but I still need a new list of everyones birthdays.
We had two more baptisms this week. I love my new mission President...he is awesome and I love being a DL. It is great when everyone in my district is on the same page and want to achieve the same goals and we work hard together. My companion Elder Smith and I get along great too...he is great.
I don't have much news this week but everything is good here and I am healthy and happy.
I love all of you and send my love to everyone. Send me some more pictures!
Bye,
Elder Buck
I really do not need anything for Christmas...you could put a little more money in my account so I can pick up some souvenir's to bring home. I was able to get my shoes patched so they should last me until I get back.
I picked up some cute little Nica dresses for the nieces but I still need a new list of everyones birthdays.
We had two more baptisms this week. I love my new mission President...he is awesome and I love being a DL. It is great when everyone in my district is on the same page and want to achieve the same goals and we work hard together. My companion Elder Smith and I get along great too...he is great.
I don't have much news this week but everything is good here and I am healthy and happy.
I love all of you and send my love to everyone. Send me some more pictures!
Bye,
Elder Buck
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
One Baptism This Week
Hey Family!
I decided to come home in....March and yes 3 weeks does seem like a lot when you are longing to have hot showers and eat normal food and be healthy again. haha.
My toe is fine I’m always cleaning and putting new bandages on it daily so everything is all good.
That’s so awesome a new baby and nephew! He will still be kind of new when i get back! SEND ME PICTURES!!
That’s cool the trunk or treat wow I can’t believe its almost Halloween and Christmas. Halloween is not celebrated here the people think it is of the Devil. haha.
Yeah I got my package probably like 2-3 weeks after it had been in the mission office. Yes everything was in it. 4 shirts, 2 candies, 4 ties and thank you those ties are SICK! I will start thinking of a list of things I will need to finish my mission and you can send them before Christmas. I will try and have it list ready by next week.
This week was a good week. We had 1 baptism this week his name is Fernando, he is the last person in his family to be baptized a member. He is 16 years old.
This past Sunday we had a really cool experience where all of the missionaries first met up in the stake center then we all left to go contact passengers on buses. (5 buses to contact for each missionary) I was a little nervous at first but being the leader of my district I had to show an example so I went first. There were 5 of us in the group so we contacted 20 buses, it was a really neat experience. Its funny cuz when the bus comes by you just say to the bus driver “Can We Preach the Word of God?” and then they let you on without paying. Then you just stand at the front of the bus and preach to the people.
We are teaching with a new technique. There is a new program that the church is releasing for the missionaries called the Doctrine of Christ where it introduces new teaching methods. One focuses on the spirit a lot, its awesome, because we ask the investigators inspiring questions, and then listen to the response and just keep asking them more and more questions so they do most of the talking and practically teach themselves. I really like it. It helps me to focus more with the spirit.
I got to go I’m almost out of time.
I love you all!
Elder Buck
I decided to come home in....March and yes 3 weeks does seem like a lot when you are longing to have hot showers and eat normal food and be healthy again. haha.
My toe is fine I’m always cleaning and putting new bandages on it daily so everything is all good.
That’s so awesome a new baby and nephew! He will still be kind of new when i get back! SEND ME PICTURES!!
That’s cool the trunk or treat wow I can’t believe its almost Halloween and Christmas. Halloween is not celebrated here the people think it is of the Devil. haha.
Yeah I got my package probably like 2-3 weeks after it had been in the mission office. Yes everything was in it. 4 shirts, 2 candies, 4 ties and thank you those ties are SICK! I will start thinking of a list of things I will need to finish my mission and you can send them before Christmas. I will try and have it list ready by next week.
This week was a good week. We had 1 baptism this week his name is Fernando, he is the last person in his family to be baptized a member. He is 16 years old.
This past Sunday we had a really cool experience where all of the missionaries first met up in the stake center then we all left to go contact passengers on buses. (5 buses to contact for each missionary) I was a little nervous at first but being the leader of my district I had to show an example so I went first. There were 5 of us in the group so we contacted 20 buses, it was a really neat experience. Its funny cuz when the bus comes by you just say to the bus driver “Can We Preach the Word of God?” and then they let you on without paying. Then you just stand at the front of the bus and preach to the people.
We are teaching with a new technique. There is a new program that the church is releasing for the missionaries called the Doctrine of Christ where it introduces new teaching methods. One focuses on the spirit a lot, its awesome, because we ask the investigators inspiring questions, and then listen to the response and just keep asking them more and more questions so they do most of the talking and practically teach themselves. I really like it. It helps me to focus more with the spirit.
I got to go I’m almost out of time.
I love you all!
Elder Buck
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Two Letters to Post
Hello Family! (October4)
It was a good conference, I am glad to hear it was awesome! I wasn’t able to see some parts of it...dang Im going to download conference though on my iPod so I can listen to it. I love conference, most the time I was listening to it in Spanish and also seeing how many investigators and recent converts were present and watching it. There was a huge storm going through on Saturday and through the night and it kept on cutting in and out with the satellite feed...so I missed a lot of the speakers.
My favorite talk that I can remember and understood was the one by D. Todd Kristofferson talking about the steps on how to have a consecrated life I really liked that one. But yes in parts I did fall asleep too....LIKE ALWAYS!! What can I say? Im a hard worker and I get sleepy.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! I hope you had an awesome b-day! It sounds like you did!
Sweet, Im glad Carver and everyone got my letters! Im glad the kids liked them too!
I did get transferred this past week and here is the story:
Tuesday it was a rather difficult day for my companion and I, we were both trying to work but were also anxious to who would be changing...we went back to the house after we were done eating dinner for the night and waited in the house and planned until our DL came back from working and tell us of who was leaving.
We waited and when he came back he told us that none of us have changes. I was happy to be able to stay, but discouraged that I would be with someone for six more weeks who absolutely does not like me or have any interests in what I do..Well so I thought SWEET you know what this is going to be an even better change.
However, the next morning I woke up to my companion slapping my feet saying "move your feet they are in my way". He was trying to get to his suitcase but my feet were hanging over the bed so it blocked his suitcase flap to open up his suitcase. In that exact moment I was thinking in my head "well I can either tell him to shut up and ask nicely or I can tell him sorry and move my feet". It was hard but I chose option B. Later that morning he was talking crap to me but I just ignored him and it helped me.
We finally went out and started working and our discussions we had set up were falling through. So I said lets go back to the house were we eat and teach Rosa’s daughter who still isn’t baptized. We went back and when we found out she wasn’t there we were leaving the house then my district leader runs up all out of breath and said " we were looking all over for you guys you both have changes!" and I was like "what?!" " I'm sorry they just told me, but you guys got to get your stuff packed and go at 2:00pm". I had a bad feeling in my stomach while packing like I was leaving a part of me behind or my family.
We got to the bus station at 1pm. Our district leader told us that my companion would be going to Chinadega and I go back to my old zone to Villa Flor, La fuente, outside of Managua. I was getting on the bus and my leader told me "Hey your new companion will be a white boy that you will be training" and I was like "NOOOOOOOoooo!" and he said "You are also the District Leader" idk why but when he told me that I felt AWESOME! Finally!! RESPONSIBILITY! LEADERSHIP! and it is awesome!
The bus ride back to Managua was about 2 hours long and the whole way back there was a TV right in front of my face playing Prince of Persia and I feel ashamed to say but I watched like 10 minutes in total for the whole way back. When I got to the bus station in Managua no one was there to pick me up so I waited 2 1/2 hours and still no one picked me up so I called my zone leaders and they said to just take a taxi to the church. I did and when I got there I met my companion ELDER SMITH!!! HE IS SO COOL! I am so happy. He is from Wyoming and is a newbie he has 1 month in Nicaragua so I am a trainer again and a District Leader.
My district is a district of 4 for now, my companion and I and the hermanas. I have sister missionaries in my district and they are hard workers so we are doing AWESOME! Im real excited for this change. This Wednesday I will be doing my first baptismal interview as District Leader and am excited about that. I heard from others be a district leader is way better then any other thing so I am happy for this opportunity.
I have been in my new area for 5 days now and we are doing awesome. My area is dangerous like Reparto Shick but it is awesome! The people are so much more receptive here then the people in Matagalpa.
We have 1 baptism planned for this week and 1 for next week and 3 for the next week after that. The one that will be baptized this weeks name is Karen she is 9 years old and she will be baptized by us because her parents are members but inactive and didnt get her baptized at the age of 8. We are activating her parents too.
One of our investigators name is Nelson. The missionaries have been visiting him for about 8 months and he has read the BofM 10 times, been to church 11 times and has read the principles of the gospel, but will not commit to baptism. When I went yesterday and met him for the first time, I talked with him about the baptismal challenge and he did not accept. I asked him what was holding him back and he told me it was because he was afraid of failing after his baptism. We talked about failing, atonement and forgiveness and he seems to have a greater desire to be baptised now.
Im out of time but love you all!
Elder Buck
Hello Family! (October 11)
Thank you for the congrats...I was transferred to a new area. I am back in Managua in an area called La Fuente. It is close by my old area Reparto Shick.
This week has been one crazy week, Im loving it though..
On Monday I don’t remember if I wrote you this but someone called me on my phone while we were in the house and asked my companion and I to go to the nearest hospital and give this sister a blessing. The guy that called me was the Branch President to the Diriamba branch in Jinotepe and he said he would come by and picked us up and take us to the hospital. On the way he explained the details about the sister.
The sister was a mom of a returned missionary sister. She has some type of infection in her body I don’t remember what he called it...but she was dying. The hospital was packed like usual and we had to wait for the returned sister missionary to come find us so we could get entrance because it was the part of the hospital that is for females only. It was gross, cuz when we got access we were passing by rooms where woman were having babies and I about threw up.
When we got to the room the lady was sitting up in her bed with her eyes closed but still conscious and with a hole cute in her throat and a tube going into it so she could breathe. She was in really bad shape and the daughter and whole family was there crying and I didn’t really know what to do. We waiting till a doctor came in and gave us permission to put our hands on her head to give her a blessing.
When we got permission my companion did the anointing and I sealed the blessing. I don’t remember at all what I said but I felt the power of the spirit very strongly. It was a unique moment. After the blessing the family still had tears in their eyes but where a lot calmer. Then the family thanked us and we left.
Later that night we received a call again to give her a blessing and I told them "she already received one, it’s not necessary that she receives another". Then they told me that it was a blessing of comfort, so I agreed and went to the hospital again, it was pretty late like 8:45pm. When we got to the hospital the guard at the door had a bad experience with Mormon's so he wouldn't let us in no matter what. While we were waiting another man came up and it was the 2nd counselor of the South Mission here in Nicaragua. He was also informed to come. We finally got permission to go in but we went another direction to the sister who had been moved to intensive care.
When we got to the room of intensive care, I did not like that at all. I felt sick looking at all the people in bed with thousands of tubes in their bodies to help them survive. They were mostly old people that were there. The doctor was mad that there was more then one person there to give the blessing and would only permit one of us to go in the room to give the blessing. The 2nd counselor went in and gave the blessing. We waited out side with the other family members. You could tell this poor family had gone through a lot that day... all worn out, with bags another there eyes, unkempt hair and tears. My companion and I said a prayer with them as we waited. When the counselor came out he said he gave the blessing and we silently said goodbye to everyone with a smile and drove back home. That was my first spiritual experience of something like that and not one that I will forget...
Tuesday was my first time to direct my own district meeting. They wanted us to come half an hour early to tell us what goals we have as a district and how to be better leaders. Then I taught my district the Doctrines of Christ which is a new really cool missionary program.
Wednesday I went and did my first baptismal interviews for my zone leaders. That was a really neat experience, I interviewed two sisters that were in there late 20s. The first I could feel the spirit with in the first 2-3 minutes of the interview telling me she is ready. But the other one I didn’t feel the same because she had quite a serious problem with the Law of Chastity. I told her not to tell me the details but she continued to talk in great detail...thank goodness it was in Spanish cuz there were a lot of words she used that I didn’t know and I didn't understand what she was telling me. Later that night I did another interview with another investigator for the sister missionaries in my district. That was also really cool!
Thursday: I wasn’t able to do much....I have had an ingrown toe nail on my big toe for a while and the pain is getting unbearable. During the morning we met up with an investigator named Raul who is from Miami. We met him a day earlier, he is probably like 23 years old, and was positive the day before. We gave him the lesson 1 pamphlet and told him we would come back today. The first thing he says to us in English is "Im not feeling it". I asked, " Not feeling what?" He said, I don't feel the message of the restoration is true." I told him he was not going to feel it unless he prayed and ask God if it’s true". He said other stuff, so we tried teaching him the importance of the preisthood authority and why it’s necessary that it was and is on the earth today. Then he told us what other religions say about priesthood authority and that anyone can get this authority if they have faith in God. I told him about the laying on of hands by those with the authority, but he shut down and didn’t listen, so we left him with the invitation to pray or "you’re never going to feel it" (the truth).
Friday was a good day, we worked hard trying to get to know our area better by trying to find the 28 out of 33 recent converts we don’t know. We dedicated the whole afternoon to finding where these recent converts live, well we didn’t find any recent converts but we did find 6 new investigators so that was really cool.
Saturday was the first baptism I had in this new area. The name of the girl is Karen who is 9 but her parents didn’t baptize her cuz they are INACTIVE. The baptism was horrible though...I really do not like the baptisms here in Nicaragua. I was leading the baptism and her cousin was the one that was going to baptize her. The cousin forgot his baptismal shirt so we had to delay the baptism and wait for his dad to go and buy a new one. All the people we invited on Friday didn’t come to the baptism, neither did the bishop or any of the counselors. When the cousin did the baptism itself, the cousin wasn’t too experienced and almost drowned her so Karen came up bawling. Then after the baptism was done...nobody congratulated her besides my companion and I. WOW
Later that day I got my ingrown toenail pulled out. The specialist put anesthesia (shot) in my toe which hurt like heck. He said there will be a slight tingling and Im afraid it was a little more then that. I tried to stuff my fat wrapped toe in my shoe so after that I didn’t work much the rest of the day.
Sunday we spent all morning walking and trying to get our investigators to church from 6am - 9am and had 2 investigators there. I couldn’t walk very well and I my toe is still hurting like crazy! I got chewed out by my zone leaders for not working cuz of my toe but it was a good week.
Still haven’t got my package yet, the zone leaders are going to go pick it up from the mission office tomorrow.
Glad everyone had fun in Utah. I need a favor if you could send me the dates of everyone’s birthdays!
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THOSE THAT HAVE BIRTHDAYS IN OCTOBER. I HOPE I REMEBER ALL OF THEM. MOM, KADE, CARLY, AND EMILY! THAT’S WHY I NEED A LIST OF BIRTHDAY DATES!
Love Elder Buck
It was a good conference, I am glad to hear it was awesome! I wasn’t able to see some parts of it...dang Im going to download conference though on my iPod so I can listen to it. I love conference, most the time I was listening to it in Spanish and also seeing how many investigators and recent converts were present and watching it. There was a huge storm going through on Saturday and through the night and it kept on cutting in and out with the satellite feed...so I missed a lot of the speakers.
My favorite talk that I can remember and understood was the one by D. Todd Kristofferson talking about the steps on how to have a consecrated life I really liked that one. But yes in parts I did fall asleep too....LIKE ALWAYS!! What can I say? Im a hard worker and I get sleepy.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! I hope you had an awesome b-day! It sounds like you did!
Sweet, Im glad Carver and everyone got my letters! Im glad the kids liked them too!
I did get transferred this past week and here is the story:
Tuesday it was a rather difficult day for my companion and I, we were both trying to work but were also anxious to who would be changing...we went back to the house after we were done eating dinner for the night and waited in the house and planned until our DL came back from working and tell us of who was leaving.
We waited and when he came back he told us that none of us have changes. I was happy to be able to stay, but discouraged that I would be with someone for six more weeks who absolutely does not like me or have any interests in what I do..Well so I thought SWEET you know what this is going to be an even better change.
However, the next morning I woke up to my companion slapping my feet saying "move your feet they are in my way". He was trying to get to his suitcase but my feet were hanging over the bed so it blocked his suitcase flap to open up his suitcase. In that exact moment I was thinking in my head "well I can either tell him to shut up and ask nicely or I can tell him sorry and move my feet". It was hard but I chose option B. Later that morning he was talking crap to me but I just ignored him and it helped me.
We finally went out and started working and our discussions we had set up were falling through. So I said lets go back to the house were we eat and teach Rosa’s daughter who still isn’t baptized. We went back and when we found out she wasn’t there we were leaving the house then my district leader runs up all out of breath and said " we were looking all over for you guys you both have changes!" and I was like "what?!" " I'm sorry they just told me, but you guys got to get your stuff packed and go at 2:00pm". I had a bad feeling in my stomach while packing like I was leaving a part of me behind or my family.
We got to the bus station at 1pm. Our district leader told us that my companion would be going to Chinadega and I go back to my old zone to Villa Flor, La fuente, outside of Managua. I was getting on the bus and my leader told me "Hey your new companion will be a white boy that you will be training" and I was like "NOOOOOOOoooo!" and he said "You are also the District Leader" idk why but when he told me that I felt AWESOME! Finally!! RESPONSIBILITY! LEADERSHIP! and it is awesome!
The bus ride back to Managua was about 2 hours long and the whole way back there was a TV right in front of my face playing Prince of Persia and I feel ashamed to say but I watched like 10 minutes in total for the whole way back. When I got to the bus station in Managua no one was there to pick me up so I waited 2 1/2 hours and still no one picked me up so I called my zone leaders and they said to just take a taxi to the church. I did and when I got there I met my companion ELDER SMITH!!! HE IS SO COOL! I am so happy. He is from Wyoming and is a newbie he has 1 month in Nicaragua so I am a trainer again and a District Leader.
My district is a district of 4 for now, my companion and I and the hermanas. I have sister missionaries in my district and they are hard workers so we are doing AWESOME! Im real excited for this change. This Wednesday I will be doing my first baptismal interview as District Leader and am excited about that. I heard from others be a district leader is way better then any other thing so I am happy for this opportunity.
I have been in my new area for 5 days now and we are doing awesome. My area is dangerous like Reparto Shick but it is awesome! The people are so much more receptive here then the people in Matagalpa.
We have 1 baptism planned for this week and 1 for next week and 3 for the next week after that. The one that will be baptized this weeks name is Karen she is 9 years old and she will be baptized by us because her parents are members but inactive and didnt get her baptized at the age of 8. We are activating her parents too.
One of our investigators name is Nelson. The missionaries have been visiting him for about 8 months and he has read the BofM 10 times, been to church 11 times and has read the principles of the gospel, but will not commit to baptism. When I went yesterday and met him for the first time, I talked with him about the baptismal challenge and he did not accept. I asked him what was holding him back and he told me it was because he was afraid of failing after his baptism. We talked about failing, atonement and forgiveness and he seems to have a greater desire to be baptised now.
Im out of time but love you all!
Elder Buck
Hello Family! (October 11)
Thank you for the congrats...I was transferred to a new area. I am back in Managua in an area called La Fuente. It is close by my old area Reparto Shick.
This week has been one crazy week, Im loving it though..
On Monday I don’t remember if I wrote you this but someone called me on my phone while we were in the house and asked my companion and I to go to the nearest hospital and give this sister a blessing. The guy that called me was the Branch President to the Diriamba branch in Jinotepe and he said he would come by and picked us up and take us to the hospital. On the way he explained the details about the sister.
The sister was a mom of a returned missionary sister. She has some type of infection in her body I don’t remember what he called it...but she was dying. The hospital was packed like usual and we had to wait for the returned sister missionary to come find us so we could get entrance because it was the part of the hospital that is for females only. It was gross, cuz when we got access we were passing by rooms where woman were having babies and I about threw up.
When we got to the room the lady was sitting up in her bed with her eyes closed but still conscious and with a hole cute in her throat and a tube going into it so she could breathe. She was in really bad shape and the daughter and whole family was there crying and I didn’t really know what to do. We waiting till a doctor came in and gave us permission to put our hands on her head to give her a blessing.
When we got permission my companion did the anointing and I sealed the blessing. I don’t remember at all what I said but I felt the power of the spirit very strongly. It was a unique moment. After the blessing the family still had tears in their eyes but where a lot calmer. Then the family thanked us and we left.
Later that night we received a call again to give her a blessing and I told them "she already received one, it’s not necessary that she receives another". Then they told me that it was a blessing of comfort, so I agreed and went to the hospital again, it was pretty late like 8:45pm. When we got to the hospital the guard at the door had a bad experience with Mormon's so he wouldn't let us in no matter what. While we were waiting another man came up and it was the 2nd counselor of the South Mission here in Nicaragua. He was also informed to come. We finally got permission to go in but we went another direction to the sister who had been moved to intensive care.
When we got to the room of intensive care, I did not like that at all. I felt sick looking at all the people in bed with thousands of tubes in their bodies to help them survive. They were mostly old people that were there. The doctor was mad that there was more then one person there to give the blessing and would only permit one of us to go in the room to give the blessing. The 2nd counselor went in and gave the blessing. We waited out side with the other family members. You could tell this poor family had gone through a lot that day... all worn out, with bags another there eyes, unkempt hair and tears. My companion and I said a prayer with them as we waited. When the counselor came out he said he gave the blessing and we silently said goodbye to everyone with a smile and drove back home. That was my first spiritual experience of something like that and not one that I will forget...
Tuesday was my first time to direct my own district meeting. They wanted us to come half an hour early to tell us what goals we have as a district and how to be better leaders. Then I taught my district the Doctrines of Christ which is a new really cool missionary program.
Wednesday I went and did my first baptismal interviews for my zone leaders. That was a really neat experience, I interviewed two sisters that were in there late 20s. The first I could feel the spirit with in the first 2-3 minutes of the interview telling me she is ready. But the other one I didn’t feel the same because she had quite a serious problem with the Law of Chastity. I told her not to tell me the details but she continued to talk in great detail...thank goodness it was in Spanish cuz there were a lot of words she used that I didn’t know and I didn't understand what she was telling me. Later that night I did another interview with another investigator for the sister missionaries in my district. That was also really cool!
Thursday: I wasn’t able to do much....I have had an ingrown toe nail on my big toe for a while and the pain is getting unbearable. During the morning we met up with an investigator named Raul who is from Miami. We met him a day earlier, he is probably like 23 years old, and was positive the day before. We gave him the lesson 1 pamphlet and told him we would come back today. The first thing he says to us in English is "Im not feeling it". I asked, " Not feeling what?" He said, I don't feel the message of the restoration is true." I told him he was not going to feel it unless he prayed and ask God if it’s true". He said other stuff, so we tried teaching him the importance of the preisthood authority and why it’s necessary that it was and is on the earth today. Then he told us what other religions say about priesthood authority and that anyone can get this authority if they have faith in God. I told him about the laying on of hands by those with the authority, but he shut down and didn’t listen, so we left him with the invitation to pray or "you’re never going to feel it" (the truth).
Friday was a good day, we worked hard trying to get to know our area better by trying to find the 28 out of 33 recent converts we don’t know. We dedicated the whole afternoon to finding where these recent converts live, well we didn’t find any recent converts but we did find 6 new investigators so that was really cool.
Saturday was the first baptism I had in this new area. The name of the girl is Karen who is 9 but her parents didn’t baptize her cuz they are INACTIVE. The baptism was horrible though...I really do not like the baptisms here in Nicaragua. I was leading the baptism and her cousin was the one that was going to baptize her. The cousin forgot his baptismal shirt so we had to delay the baptism and wait for his dad to go and buy a new one. All the people we invited on Friday didn’t come to the baptism, neither did the bishop or any of the counselors. When the cousin did the baptism itself, the cousin wasn’t too experienced and almost drowned her so Karen came up bawling. Then after the baptism was done...nobody congratulated her besides my companion and I. WOW
Later that day I got my ingrown toenail pulled out. The specialist put anesthesia (shot) in my toe which hurt like heck. He said there will be a slight tingling and Im afraid it was a little more then that. I tried to stuff my fat wrapped toe in my shoe so after that I didn’t work much the rest of the day.
Sunday we spent all morning walking and trying to get our investigators to church from 6am - 9am and had 2 investigators there. I couldn’t walk very well and I my toe is still hurting like crazy! I got chewed out by my zone leaders for not working cuz of my toe but it was a good week.
Still haven’t got my package yet, the zone leaders are going to go pick it up from the mission office tomorrow.
Glad everyone had fun in Utah. I need a favor if you could send me the dates of everyone’s birthdays!
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THOSE THAT HAVE BIRTHDAYS IN OCTOBER. I HOPE I REMEBER ALL OF THEM. MOM, KADE, CARLY, AND EMILY! THAT’S WHY I NEED A LIST OF BIRTHDAY DATES!
Love Elder Buck
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