Yr. 2, Week 51: I am Forever Indebted and Grateful

Dear Family and Friends,

First off, a couple things mom: no I won't be writing next week. We do our changes and we have some free time but we aren't doing much and then they take us to the airport, so this will be the last time I write, just FYI. Also, don't worry about a calling card, we've survived 2 years, we can wait 4 hours more :) Plus, it'll make the reunion that much AWESOMER! :D 

Second, here's a little update on the week we had. A few highlights! ...

1. Our investigator L. is making EXCELENT progress. He's been alcohol free for a week and a half and has been reading the BofM (he's in chapter 8), he's praying with his wife, and we had two great visits this week with members from the ward. J and H.S. came with us and they both supported him a lot and really just made him feel GREAT! Anyways, we are super stoked for him, he's got a baptismal date for the 5th of April. I'm really excited to see the photo of his baptism. 

2. This week we visited the B. family twice and they were GREAT visits. The first one we were able to teach a bit about church and baptism and the BofM. They are reading so great. C. is in like chapter 6 of 1 Nephi, G. is in chapter 5 of 1 Nephi, D. is almost done with 2 Nephi. IT'S so awesome. The youngest boy C., D., and G. have baptismal dates for the 12 of April. We invited C. to be baptized and he accepted but we weren't able to commit him 100% for the 12th, but that's a job for this week. We had a sick lesson with G. last night where we read the BofM and talked about it. She told us about the change she feels in her family, the incredible spirit she feels in her home, and how much she loves the BofM. Anyways, it was amazing. I love that family! They will be baptized, if not on the 12th, soon after it :D Elder Deal and his new companion (?) are going to do a great job.

3. So we were FINALLY able to visit with D. and her family. Last week they told us that they had some doubts and that this and that and the other! This week we talked a little bit about God's will, and his commandments, and asking and receiving. We read 1 Nephi 2 and it just hit her hard. She prayed at the end and it her prayer she asked God to help her resolve her doubts but that above all that he helped her to do his will. It was awesome!

Everyone, Friends and Family, everyone I know! THANK YOU for your support and for writing me and for praying for me while I have been on the mission! I have felt your influence and I want you all to know that the mission has changed me and I am forever indebted and grateful to my Heavenly Father for this opportunity! May God bless you through His Son Jesus Christ as He has me. See you soon!

Elder Bushman

Elder Deal: "Mate overdosed Bushman! In reality he just fell asleep on the floor after daily planning and we posed him like that"

I FINISHED ALL THE PRACTICES IN THIS BOOK :)

This is the best dessert alive...in Chile that is! Haha!
Melón con Helado (melon with ice cream, nothing special, just AWESOME!!!)

Elder Kern and I last P-day of mine

Elder Deal and I last P-day (we played soccer and it was AWESOME)

Yr. 2, Week 47: Some Really Amazing Studies This Week

Dear Family and Friends,

Everything is going really well. I would say this week was a bit of an up and down week in regards to investigator progress, however, it was a week of increased personal spiritual growth in addition to increased faith. Let me tell you about some of the experiences I had this week had increased my faith and also helped me to improve and grow as well.

First off I had some really amazing studies this week. The first one spawned from a scripture our bishop shared in Isaiah 43:2. I later read verses 1-3 and began to study the different names that appear there in regards to Jehovah. It was interesting as I began to study the phrases and words, “Thou art mine” “Holy One of Israel” “Thy Saviour”. That led me to study many different scriptures in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and D&C and Pearl of Great Price. I looked up scriptures in John 1:1-14, Hebrews 1:1-2, John 12:35-36, 46, John 14:6, 2 Nephi 9:10-11, 19, Mosiah 3:7, D&C 110:1-5, etc. I began to see a lot about how Christ really was all that Isaiah said He was in his writings and that He truly was the God of the Old Testament. But more importantly, I began to understand better Christ’s role in my life and His love for me. Anyways, I shared it all with Elder Deal. It was amazing, I loved it. Another amazing study from this week was a study in Alma 43:18-21. I linked these scriptures up with some in Ephesians 6:13-17 about the armour of God.  I linked in the different things about the armour and I saw that the “thick clothing” was something not mentioned by Paul in the New Testament. I thought of the temple and the physical protection we receive there. Therefore, I, throughout this study, was able to see how the armour of God really surprises the devil and how much it protects us compared to those who do not wear it. Pretty cool :D

We had a great experience while trying to exercise more faith to baptize. We taught L. 2 and the Sacrament to A. and her son J. It was a really good lesson and we were able to focus on how the atonement and the doctrine of the sacrament and baptism help us progress and therefore fulfill our purpose on earth. We then invited her and her sons to go to church and she accepted while adding, "I want to get baptized." We were stoked!!!! Haha, now she and her two sons went to church yesterday and we have an FHE set up for this Thursday with them and a family in the ward. One of the kids in the primary personally gave A. a Book of Mormon and she loved it. I think it touched her and I saw her looking up the scriptures related to the hymns that we were singing. She has a baptismal date for the second week of April and we are going to be extending the same date to her son who's 14. :D It was a sweet experience. I think they are going to progress real well.

We visited lots of other people but there wasn't a whole lot of progress with the W. family nor C.B's family. We visited D. and it was great but they didn't go to church or anything. Anyways, some people have paused in their progression, etc. However, with A. we are seeing some good things with others. This week we are going to go full force with D's family and C's and J. and P. etc.

Anyways, take care guys! Love you!

Elder Bushman 

Adios, Elder Nelson!

 APPLEBEES!!!!!

Yr. 2, Week 46: Studying the Scriptures with Temple Eyes

Dear Family and Friends,

Things have been really good and this week was awesome! We had some sweet miracles and we met some new people and we had some really awesome lessons. Here are some of the highlights:

This week Elder Deal and I went to the temple to do an endowment session. It was really, really cool, I loved it. We both went quite prepared. We had talked about some things and we both did some studies and thought of some questions when we went. The night before we went, I personally read Alma 33 and I loved that chapter. I began to understand that truly praying and worshiping God is in having a relationship with Him. V. 3-11 talk about how God hears our prayers and that he answers us through the scriptures. Even though the Zoramites were thrown out of their synagogues, they still could pray and read the scriptures. I loved verse 16 because God is so saddened when we don't want to understand Christ's sacrifice. It makes me glad that he wouldn't be mad at me because I am sincerely trying to understand it. Verse 22 was great as well because it talks about how sure Alma was when he said that Christ would come. :D Anyways, when I went to the temple, I just understood so much better everything. A few things I learned in the temple:

1. God loved Adam and Eve so much that it was a big act of love that they put the cheribums and flaming sword in front of the tree of live (that was explained even more to me this week as I read Alma 42. 

2. It truly isn't meet than man should be alone.

3. God's plan ALWAYS included the fall and the need for a Redeemer. 

Anyways, Elder Deal and I talked a lot about the things we had learned and we have more questions for next time. I am very excited to go again and I've been studying the scriptures with temple eyes so as to understand and see the hints and signs and hidden references to the temple and the ordinances therein. 

This week we found some new investigators super awesome. WE FOUND 8, which is probably the most I've found in one week in the mission. Here they are:

F: this is a less-active's daughter who, by invitation of him and us, went to church two weeks ago. So we visited with her and taught her a bit of lesson one. She's 15 and really has a great desire and she loved church. It was interesting to see how the spirit touched her heart and although she is pretty shy, she was able to be outgoing and make some good friends.

H, V, S & C: Last Monday we contacted V. and, although she said that she was catholic and that she wasn't going to change religions, she said that we could go by and see her son who was having some struggles. We went by on Friday and when we got there, H., S. and C. all tried to flee so V was like let's just sit outside...but we were like, can we at least meet them? Haha, so we went in and introduced ourselves and H. and V. started talking with us first. Then C. joined and after a second invitation, S. came and we had an AWESOME first lesson. We talked about coming unto Christ and repentance and how we do that through prayer. We said a prayer with them as a family and invited them to say one as a family once a day. When we left V. was like, "You guys were sent from the Heavens." Haha, she was really happy. :D 

M: This guy is a very learned Christian and has lots of really educated questions in regards to the Book of Mormon and our restored gospel. It has been interesting. He has read up until Alma in the BofM and he's been leaving us homework and certain stuff so that's fun, haha! :D He's a cool guy and really wants to keep meeting with us. We are just worried that he might be too focused on learning by study instead of by faith. :S But we'll see. 

J and P: These guys were cool. We talked to J one day when we were looking for a reference. He lied to us and said that his name was S. because he thought we were never going to come back. Well we did a few times and we finally saw them yesterday. We talked about getting to know God. P. is really religious and she is clearly sad that J. isn't very believing. However, she said that it was incredible that he was listening to us and at the end of the lesson he agreed to pray. It was a sweet lesson because she was like come over every day and J. really likes us! :D They are pretty darn humble and I think they could progress fast. 

We haven't met with C, G, etc. much this week because they are on vacation, and so is the story with many others... :)

Well that's everything folks! I'll keep you updated!

Elder Bushman

This is called "Lentejas con Chorizo"...this is a typical Chilean dish, and I made it all by my self the other day for lunch. It was pretty good :)

Elder Deal and I went to the temple for a session. IT WAS AWESOME!!!

This is Me, Elder Carvalho, and Elder Prens. My great-grandkid, and my grandkid :D

Yr. 2, Week 45: Do I Study it in the Moment?

Dear Family and Friends,

This week we had just an incredible lesson with C, G, D, and C. We were finally able to meet with the whole family and it was so INSPÎRING!!! Elder Deal and I made a sweet recording about it so hopefully you guys enjoy. I can't even give it near the justice it deserves over email so just listen to the recording, you'll love it. Suffice it to say they are a very prepared and incredible family. 

We didn't do a whole lot of teaching to our normal investigators or less actives or converts. Most everybody was gone on vacations which made things interesting. So we made use of finding new people to teach and looking for other less-actives that we've never taught before.

This week we met with C and Y and family. C has been pretty stubborn lately and has just been complaining about the Book of Mormon and how he doesn't understand it so we gave him a Bible. He's been reading it from the start and we were able to teach him about the Footnotes because he had like 10 questions from the opening chapter of Matthew so it was so cool that all the references were in either the Book of Mormon or the Topical Guide (in Spanish the topical guide is in the Book of Mormon part). It was super funny to see that even though we are helping him with the Bible, he's still gotta go through the Book of Mormon.... I LOVE IT! (Dad style voice ;)

We had the sweetest experience with D and F this week. We taught them about fasting and how it is a commandment with a promise. We invited them to fast with us this week and they accepted. D. had to work and F. was the only one who went to church this week but it was just so cool. They came to the Church Open House last night and they were offered food by the members and they were like, "Um, we're fasting." And we were like, "YEAH, that's what I'm talking about." After church we talked to F. and her mom at her mom's work and they were like, "Yeah, we are going to say a prayer and break our fast now so we can eat." :D It was super, super cool. They said that, although it wasn't enjoyable per se, they did feel a difference. It was sooooooo awesome! A. is pretty shy and so it's hard for her to learn and get involved at church. A. went on vacations so we aren't really sure how we are going to help him be ready for his baptism but we'll see. :)

In PMG, chapter 5, it talks about how the Book of Mormon answers the questions of our souls. So, while visiting a less-active yesterday, we took those questions out and asked him if he had ever asked himself some of them. He said that he had. So we read the corresponding scripture reference with him and talked about how it answered his question. We then left him as homework to read the reference to his other question. It was a really spiritual moment that we shared with him and I really think he was able to see the value of the BofM...

So I've been trying to finish reading the BofM in Spanish before I go home and it's pretty hard. I find myself studying and pondering the scriptures and sometimes I don't even get through a whole page of the BofM in our hour study. But when I just read I feel like I'm missing the hidden treasures that there are...anyways, that's the battle I'm in...do I finish before the end of the mission? Or do I study it in the moment?

 

Love you all -

 

Elder Bushman

This is the Capilla abierta (church open house) we had this week! A decent turnout, but overall fun!! :D

 This is our mate "bar" holder :) haha!

 This is my grandkid, Elder Hulet

Churrascos and Mote con Huesillo...it's been a good day :)

This is me and Elder Kern and Elder Hulet, I got a sweet visit from them for like 3 hours because they were going to stay over at our place until they could get their house back but the office decided to move them...again :( Oh well, it was fun seeing them!

Yr. 2, Week 43: We Found some Sweet new Investigators this Week

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, this is a new experience... I am typing right now on a tablet in the house of a member because the internet place where we usually write  is closed...ugh!!! Anyways, this week was amazing!!!! :) i really wish i was typing on a real computer so that i could tell you guys about everything. But here goes...

A few miracles:

We found some sweet new investigators this week. The first person was a lady named M. We had previously taught her son a little bit and talked a bit with her husband but we dropped by the other day and she was there, and we had an awesome visit. We taught her the restoration and she was very receptive and had a lot of faith. She is excited to go to church and to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Anyways, the next family we visited was an incomplete family. It is a young couple, the dad is a member and the mom isn't. T, the mom, said she was interested in reading the Book of Mormon even though S. said he wasn't interested  in reading, although it looks like his heart is softening. She agreed to read and pray, which was a big change from the way they received us in their home. The next family we found, though we were only able to teach the mom so far is A. She has two kids and a husband and he is awesome. I am sending an email in which there is a big recording about our visit and the miracle we saw with her. Suffice it to say she is very receptive and agreed to read the Book of Mormon, pray, and  will be going to church very soon :) The next family we found gwe taught on Sunday, the A family. We were only able to teach the mom and her daughter, G and D, but they are AWESOME!!! They were so very receptive to the gospel and they  loved hearing about the experience of Joseph Smith. In fact the asked us if they couId go to church and where they could get a Book of Mormon. We said that they could go for sure and that we were going to give them a Book of Mormon. They were thrilled. We didn't meet the younger brother and the dad was working. More details are in the recordings I'll be sending.

Next thing, there is a recent convert in our sector named L. She hasn't let the missionaries go to her house in months and hasn't been to church in over a year. Anyways, we visited her twice this week and helped get her excited to go back to church and have faith and hope so as to see the miralces in her son who is struggling. She went to church and when we were taking her to her class, we walked into the relief society and the sisters there were just so happy to see her again and really welcomed her back. Well, undoubtedly she felt loved and important.

D. and her family are doing well. I was on divisions but Elder Deal went by this week and we reset their baptismal date. They are a lot more excited and they are showing a lot more faith. My goal now is to use even more members than we have up until now. I think that is going to help them a lot in order to be ready for their baptism in February. The W. family is doing well too. Y. is awesome, this week we taught the meaning of the sacrament to her husband and I was just shocked at how well she understood the doctrine. 

Anyways, those were the main things that happened this week. Could I ask our family a favor? Could I assign you guys a few people that I am teaching and could you guys write them a letter? Could you introduce yourselves, tell a little bit about yourselves, and then bear your testimony and invite them to do certain things, such as read the bom, go to church, etc.? Mom, then you, with this letter, could attach a photo of each person and make a little word file and then send them to me. Ill then print them out, translate them, and give them to the investigators, okay? Ill get you guys the assignments for next week. If you have any questions, just hit me up.

I love you guys a ton, see ya!!!!!

Elder Bushman

Answers to questions:
1. The Chilean people believe in God and Christ and the Holy Ghost usually but in the last few years it's been pretty popular for the teens to not believe in God, or believe that he is like an energy or something...

2. The hardest doctrine for people to accept is between the law of chastity or word of wisdom...nobody likes to learn about those commandments

3. The doctrine that brings the most joy is probably temple and eternal families

4. Yes, we have those dates with D. and family... we reset them for February but everything is going great!!!
 
5. I'm staying focused by just thinking about those we are teaching and trying to find more people and help the recent converts
 
6. Goals: Finish the BOM in spanish, have a baptism in january, february, and march, find lots of people for elder deal and the new companion that he'll have and be obedient
 
7. Elder nelson will be leaving the sector this change but elder lee, my old mtc comp, is in the zone so ill die with him :)
 
8. I haven't gone to the temple since Elder Thomas but at the start of February I'll go and then the week I go home my whole group goes with president and his wife. The youth don't usually go unless the ward goes...

Love yall :)
Elder Bushman

Yr. 2, Week 35: God Loves Us

Dear Family and Friends,

Haha, what a week...there is honestly NOTHING to report... Honestly here's the gist:

This week has kinda been a tough one. My companion, Elder Laurentino, was sick this week so we honestly didn't do much... On Tuesday he came down with a massive fever and had it going strong until like Thursday evening. At one point he had a fever of 103.9. It was NUTS. Good thing we had my thermometer because that could've gotten messy! Anyways, during the weekend he had bad stomach issues and stuff so it was a super bumer week for him and me. I was really bored and just sick of staying inside. Sometimes it's cool to have a break but this was just TOO MUCH. :S Anyways, he's feeling a lot better now so we are stoked to make this week SICK :D

It was a pretty mellow week...full of lots of personal study. I'm not sure if you have been able to read the Ensign for the month of December but read it!! It is amazing. I loved the article about the Sacred Grove. I loved the principles this Seventy was able to learn from the nature that exists in the Sacred Grove!! Also, I read and studied Jacob 5 this week. I reflected on and I felt a strong impression that God loves us and that He desires to help us reach our potential just like the Lord of the vineyard wanted to help these trees reach their potential :) I love this chapter! 

Anyways, I'll send some photos! Here's some recordings too!!! Everything is great :) I'm having lots of fun with my companion and we are putting in lots of work! Take care everybody, love ya!

Elder Bushman

Future Elder G.

Any Guesses?? Boiling his Socks

Yr 2, Week 32: "I'm Mormon, What Up?"

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow, things are really going by at a fast pace. Maybe it's because of the great sector or such an awesome companion or sweet people we are teaching or all the responsibilities or all of the activities...IDK, but time is going by fast and we are having a blast... Forgive the unintentional rhyming! ;) 

We had a good week. We have really been progressing with M. and O. They are so great!!! This week O. was reading the BofM and she turned to the part in 3 Nephi 15 where Christ talked about going to other sheep the weren't the nephites or the jews and she likened that scripture to herself thinking that she and her family are like the sheep and through the missionaries and the church Christ is visiting them. She said that after she read that scripture and after having prayed and asked God about the BofM she knew it was true :D WHAT?!?!?! :D We were super stoked! M. is still in the process, we are going to be teaching the Plan of Salvation this week, which is one of the things she has a lot of doubts about. Also, her heart has been changed and softened a ton. The only thing stopping their overall progress is the challenge it is to teach them regularly and also the fact that because of a commitment that her son has with soccer, she has difficulty going to church!

My new phrase and theme is what J. always says, "Soy mormón, ¿Qué pasa?" Or in english, "I'm mormon, what up?" :D haha, it's awesome! Hahaha!

We had a cool experience with R. this week. She has been having some struggles with believeing that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet so last night we showed the family the video of Thomas S. Monson. Now all they want to do is get their hands on an Ensign so they can read some of his talks :) Anyways, Romanette is definitely going to be ready to be baptized in December. Also, during the video of Pres. Monson, they showed the Salt Lake Temple and talked about the sealing between Pres. Monson and his wife and in that moment P. asked R. if she would get sealed with him in that temple! They want to got to Utah to visit and get sealed one day :D THAT WOULD BE SO SICK!

Questions...and Answers:

1. I would say that Sister Wright's role is almost as big as President's... In interviews, she has a part; in zone conference, she teaches; she goes on splits with the sister missionaries; she does office work; she is majorly in charge of the missionary health; etc. 

2. We won't be getting devices down here for a LONG TIME. President says they wouldn't be coming down here until an iPad is worth just about as much as your typical nokia standard phone (translation, a LONG TIME).

3. Well, about ward council, we're still working on them actually having the meetings. It's actually kinda rare that we have meetings but we are trying to start it up as more of a regular thing with more participation and commitment... When there are meetings, we always go!

4. No, the chileans don't celebrate thanksgiving. So come the last thursday of November, it'll be just another day. We might try and do something special though...buy a pie at least :)

Well, that's pretty much it! Take care guys, love you!

Elder Bushman

 

Some of the views from our sector...

Our Subway Trip...

 

"Be friendly. You have to make a friend before you make a convert. Conversion follows friendship. The opportunity to teach follows friendship." - Gordon B. Hinckley

Yr. 2, Week 22: I've Been Drooling Over the Cap'n Crunch all Week!

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, what a week! It was filled with lots of stuff what with my birthday and everything and teaching investigators and fulfilling responsibilities. First, I want to thank my family for the wonderful package and presents that they sent me! Seriously I was very happy on my birthday!  I had a great birthday. It didn't even feel like I was turning 20 but I woke up on my birthday and was just thinking as I was getting myself some mate. Haha, my companion made me pancakes, we opened my presents! Elder Thomas and I are loving the mini basketball hoop...we've already done some 1 on 1 matches :) haha! I've been drooling over the cap'n crunch all week! I've eaten about half already and even the other gringo missionaries in the zone are jealous! :D Thanks so much for the photos, the other food and stuff, etc! :D I was very happy with it all thanks! We had district class that day so everybody celebrated a little bit! :) Elder Rice was so awesome and gave me a tie for my birthday! Haha, he's awesome, LOVE HIM! That day we didn't have lunch with anyone in the ward so Elder Thomas and I decided to go home and make the corn bread I had gotten. We cooked it and spread some melted butter on top and it was DIVINE. Seriously, we baked it to perfecction!!! Golden brown! We also ate the cookie dough...all raw! JUST HOW I LIKE IT ;) Hahah!  Later that night we taught some of our investigators (C and J) and my comp told them it was my birthday so we celebrated a little bit and had once :) It was really fun and I was really grateful!

So we decided to do zone jerseys. There were a lot of ideas but Elder Deal wanted to do a design like a shirt and tie. I was a little skeptical but to be a good sport I decided to support it and everything! THEY TURNED OUT AWESOME! We got the tag on the front, a tie, and the collar looks just like a dress shirt collar! :) Hahaha, they look awesome! 

Our investigators are doing well. We've been dropping some investigators who aren't progressing at all but those who are committed have really been stepping up. I and M are doing well. M has been wanting to be baptized for AGES! She believes the Book of Mormon is true, she loves going to church, and she loves learning. I has dropped tea and she is reading the Book of Mormon a lot! They didn't go to church on Sunday so that worries us a little bit. C and J went to church! C went in a shirt and tie so that was cool! Everything is going well well with them and I'm confident they are going to be baptized on the 7th as planned!!! :D 

Anyways, that's the update for this week! Take care everybody, love you!

Elder Bushman!!!! 

 

This was my desk that E' Thomas accidentally tiped over...haha!

These three photos are of our pension churrasco date! This is Elder Nelson with his Lomito!

Me with my Lomitos

My Birthday Cake courtesy of Hostess

Birthday Presents!

YAH!!!!!!!!

Corn Bread Models?

Our zone jerseys! :D

We played a little basketball last monday! Here's a photo of me!

Here's a photo that Elder Nelson took of me before district class on my birthday! Mom, you can use this as the photo in the front room! The tie is kinda like the colors you chose!

District class on my birthday! :D

"Who the Lord calls, the Lord will qualify. When you're on the Lord's errand, you're entitled to the Lord's blessings." - Thomas S. Monson