Yr. 2, Week 29: My Companion Came!

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm very, very grateful for having been giving trials and challenges and difficulties in the mission. It is making me grow and it is making me stretch and learn. I'm becoming a better person thanks to these experiences! 

This week I have felt a little stressed...my eye has been twitching, strangely enough! Anyways, I've been sick with a cold and a sore throat, I've technically been a lone ZL since E' Pirir isn't my companion, I have a sector to manage, a zone to help, new investigators to find, responsibilities to fulfill, and I need to help the people we are visiting right now to progress and to be converted and to be baptized! ... Anyways, I've felt a little stressed and worried but I think that made me grow and thanks to Christ, I held the fort down until Elder Laurentino could come! :D 

So, anyways, my companion came! Elder Eri Laurentino...21 years old, from Fortaleza, Brazil (the Northeast end of the country). He speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and speaks English very well...but he wants to get better. I speak English, Spanish (although I need to improve), and he said he would teach my Portuguese! :D Hopefully I can speak decently come Christmas and I meet his family over Skype :) Anyways, he is a great guy, he's been out in the mission one year and is ready to work. I really feel like he can help me out A TON with all the responsibilities. There are some people who leave you with a heavy load but I really believe that he can help me out a ton.

I'm a lot better feeling. I don't have a sore throat, I still have a bit of a stuffy nose, but I feel 100%! I am also very glad that it wasn't too bad during the week and I was still able to work 100% and I didn't have to sleep any more or stay in the house, just kept trucking... Just like one of my favorite country songs says, "Soaking in the rain, baking in the sun...Don't quit 'til the job GETS DONE!" 

We've found a few new investigators this week! S. and L., a few friends of some members and F., a contact! Hopefully they will really work out and they'll be good investigators for us! :D

Anyways, I'm going to start recording some experiences with my voice recorder again...Sorry I've been so lazy about that! :)

Take care everybody, I love you all!

Elder Bushman

 

Reunited with Elder Muzante

FHE with the G. Family

Elder Pirir - my companion for one week

 “Divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience.” - Elder Christofferson

Yr. 2, Week 28: Here's the Catch...He's Not With me Right Now

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, Elder Thomas is getting into his grave and Elder Frost is adjusting the top on his coffin. I cannot believe that it's over for them. I'm happy that they finished the mission 100% and that they are starting another stage. But I'm going to miss them! :S

So I know you all are probably DYING to know about my new companion...well, that's actually quite a story. Now get comfortable, this is gonna take half your evening ;) Haha! So my new companion is named Elder Laurentino... He is from Fortaleza, Brazil! :) He was in the same zone as me in La Florida and was also in my district for one change! We did divisions and he is great. I love that guy! HOWEVER, here's the catch...He's not with me right now. Two days ago, Elder Laurentino contracted the Chicken Pox and is now just dying (because he's super sick, not really dying). The problem is Elder Nelson, one of our pension roommates, has never had the chicken pox. So, in order to avoid getting Elder Nelson also sick, they are leaving Elder Laurentino is his sector for two weeks until he is fully recovered and I am going to be with the missionary that is replacing Elder Laurentino for two weeks. So, a little about the replacement elder and in two weeks I'll tell ya'll more about Elder Laurentino: Elder Pirir. From Eagle Mountain, Utah. He has a few more months in the mission than me but he is a good guy, a little quiet, but funny and very pleasant. These two weeks are going to go by real quick with him!!! :D Anyways, I'm happy about this change. Elder Laurentino is probably going to be my last companion in the mission...I'm happy about that! :D Haha!

Responses to Dad's questions:

     The leadership positions in the mission are senior companion, trainer, district leader, zone leader, and assistant to the president. I have been a senior companion for most of the mission, I was a trainer for two changes when Elder Kern was my companion, I was a district leader for seven changes, and I am going on my third change as a zone leader. 

     I did get to watch conference, LIVE and IN ENGLISH! It was sweet, I really liked it. Like you dad, one of my favorite talks was "Which Way do you Face?" because it talked a lot about things that people say EVERY DAY here in Chile and he also came down here and we had a conference with Elder Robbins. I also LOVED Elder Holland's talk. It showed me that I can ALWAYS be doing something to lift the spirits of the poor and lighten their burden. I need to put them in Christ's shoes because Christ spent the majority of his life...homeless. There's a song I like called homeless and one of the verses says, "He came down to earth to lead us, I know He'll never leave us, Homeless, Homeless, For in His love there is a home."

Responses to Mom's questions:

     1. How many miles do I walk per day? ... Hmmm, in Gabriela, we probably walk 3-4 miles but in La Florida 3 we walked probably close to 6-7.

     2. I think my Spanish is doing pretty good. I'm almost finished with the practices in the book you sent me and there is another grammar book that I found burried in the pension and I decided to do the practices in that one as well. I speak well, I write well, I read well, but I don't translate very well. My goal is to be able to speak good, write good, read good, and translate good in Spanish. I have six months (kinda) to do it. I'm going to have a latin companion for the rest of the time so I'm going to try and get the most out of it as possible. I want to be able to get maybe a minor in Spanish at BYU and pair that up with whatever I'm going to be studying. I'm also going to try and get a headstart on Portugese with Elder Laurentino! 

     3. F. is still going strong in her testimony but N. is kinda having a tough time. F. says that her mom is getting better and in the near future will probably let her get baptized. Also, Elder Thomas and his parents are going to have dinner with their family Wednesday night so that also might help some things out :)

     4. It is starting to get warmer down here. Today was very hot but it's good. The winter wasn't too mild but I already knew what was coming so I guess that's why I didn't make a big deal about it :) Haha! This summer is going to be SUPER HOT though, I'm probably going to get home with a missionary tan :S

     5. I'm not sure if the vitamins made a difference... I couldn't really tell so for that reason I would say not to send another box. Maybe my body is beyond repair, maybe you need more than 30 days to see a difference, IDK... I feel bad that you sent me those and I didn't even notice the difference... Sorry :S

     6. I was thinking about Christmas and I think I would like it if you didn't send me anything. Use the money that you would've used on the package and the supplies you would've sent down and give it to someone less fortunate. Maybe you could put the money in the fast offerings, or ask the bishop about a struggling family, or buy things with it to give to people, IDK. However, I want to answer to someone's pleas just as Christ answers mine (Elder Holland). Then, give me a report for Christmas of what you guys did :) And, if you all send me sweet letters I would be stoked :D

Well, there's not much to report about. Things are going good, investigators are progressing SLOWLY, the converts are great, and I loved conference! Next one will be at home :S

LOVE YOU ALL!

Elder Bushman

Elder Frost Heading Home

Big V at Changes

Reunited with Elder McGary

This is Elder Frost's posterity: Elder Frost...Elder Bushman...Elder Kern...Elder Prens...Elder Brown                                                                                                             ...Elder Hulet

This is the four people that were in Consistorial/Violeta Cousiño and the Farias family from that sector :D

Yr. 2 - Week 27: The Future of the Church is in the Youth

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was a really good one. I had a lot of fun! It went by pretty quick because we had so many divisions. I went with the assistants up to their sector in a part of Santiago called Lo Barnechea. I'll share an experience from there in a second. Then I went on divisions with Elder Jara (Elder Rice's companion). It was also pretty fun with him, I'll share some funny experiences as well!

So bad news... J.A. is NO MORE. Elder Thomas and one of the assistants went by his home and they found out that he wanted to take a break from our visits for like a month because he and his wife were having some problems. Elder Thomas just asked him, "Are we the problem here or what?" He said we were... Really lame but one day missionaries are gonna help him get baptized! 

On the bright side though, we've had some good experiences with some new investigators. Last night we visited with a young couple, G. and P. Just three months ago their little new born son died in the hospital. It's been a trial for them but we've been visiting them recently and last night we had a SWEET lesson. We went by with a new member to our ward, C. He helped us out so much in the lesson, even asking them to be baptized and inviting them to General Conference this weekend. They accepted both invitations and I think they are going to start progressing even more. C. and his wife are the new principles of the gospel teachers! I'm looking forward to that.

A LONG TIME AGO Elder Thomas and his last companion started teaching J. and C's neighbors but since they work so much, they can't really meet with us much. About two weeks ago I went with one of the missionaries in our zone, Elder Hokanson. We visited with O. (the wife) and we talked about the sacrifices we make in our lives in order to follow the gospel and therefore receive blessings! This week Elder Thomas and I visited with their family. O. told me that she read the chapter and she summarized the whole thing. She told me her favorite part and I thought that she can probably start progressing real well now. She and her daughter (M., 15) went to church. They loved it and hopefully they'll start making time for church every week! :D

Elder Aguirre (the assistant) and I had a cool experience teaching up in his sector. We taught a group of like 5 youth and one of their moms. It was so sweet because they all had such a desire to learn, especially this one kid and his cousin. They had great questions, they made comments, and it wasn't just teaching a lesson...we were teaching youth. It really taught me that, the future of the church is in the youth! These youth are going to take the church to unimaginable places! 

Elder Jara is from Uruguay...in Uruguay, they are obsessed with drinking Mate (that drink that is made from herbs, hot water, and is drunken from a metal straw). Literally, they walk everywhere with a thermos full of hot water and they drink all day. Haha, during our studies, we drank almost two liters of mate! It was SOOOOO good :D Haha! I had to use the bathroom all day though, but mate is really good for you, even helps you lose weight ;) 

This Sunday, I, J and C all received temple recommends so hopefully we'll be able to go to the temple pretty soon. Also, J. was able to bless the sacrament and C. prepared and passed it today! Super cool! :) Experiences like these and responsibilities like these are going to help these converts stay active for forever :D I'm way stoked for them!!!!!

Answers to my mom's questions:

Medical care in Santiago...from what I've heard, the hospitals and doctors here in Santiago are the best in South America. It's probably because Santiago is the most advanced economically, technologically, etc. Anyways, I've never had to go to the hospital but if I did need any medical assistance, I would first go to the mission doctor and he would send me to the hospital if it was necessary. 

Haha, there are some things I haven't told you mom...best if I tell you when I get back home ;)

Elder Frost and Elder Thomas... It's weird that they are leaving because they are the first companions that I've had in the mission that are going home. I talked to Elder Frost the other day and we just couldn't believe that it was over now and how it seemed like he had picked me up just the other day. It's going to be weird getting a new companion. I don't really want to get a new companion who is older than me in the mission...mostly because I don't like having to kill (or end the mission with) a companion. Elder Thomas' parents are coming down to Chile and are going to be visiting people and sight seeing for about a week. Elder Frost is going home right off! Yeah, I'm just going to stay here and get a new companion!

Anyways, so that's it for the weeek :D Haha, thanks for everything guys! I love you all, talk to ya'll next Monday!!! :D

Elder Bushman

Elder Jara from Uruguay..Fun Guy - This is us on divisions

These guys are so dead (meaning done with their missions)

"The Boys are BACK"

 Zone BBQ:

88,000 Missionaries Faithfully Serving the Lord. And One of them Belongs to ME!!!!!

Yr. 2, Week 24: THEY ALL GOT BAPTIZED!!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

We are so happy for how the baptism turned out. :) THEY ALL GOT BAPTIZED!!!! It was really a miracle and we were able to see many others all week long as we were preparing them. I. bore her testimony in sacrament meeting. She talked about her change of heart, her desire to endure to the end, and how happy she was to be a new person and receive blessings for her and her family. A. (the older man who was baptized) had a rough life in the past but has made a 180° turn and was really touched by her testimony. He feels the exact same way and desires even more changes in his life. M. and P. have been wanting to be baptized for a long time and they were really happy to finally be baptized and start a life in the church. All in all, great baptisms! We had a lot of participation from the ward and the presence of some stake leaders in the baptism :) President and Hermana Wright went too. It was a very emotional Sunday!

Another thing that happened this week had to do with two other investigators of ours, F. (17) and N. (14). They have been wanting to be baptized for a LONG TIME but their parents won't let them. This week during a meeting, I felt the impression to have a fast for them. I talked to Elder Thomas about it after and we decided to ask them. We asked F. and N. and they agreed. We four started a fast for the hearts of their parents to be softened so they could get baptized on Sunday! They asked...and their parents said that they couldn't ... YET. In a way it was an answer to our fast. Their hearts seem to be softening and I believe that God wants to continue to test the faith of F. and N. as well as ours! :D Anyways, I know they will be baptized soon!!!

We went out to teach lessons with President Wright this week. At first I was nervous but it was really cool. If somebody asked me, I think this is my favorite thing about being a ZL...being close to president! We had a lot of fun! He's really funny, a good sense of humor. He told us a lot of stories and it was nice because we learned a lot about him and his life!!! We went and taught I. about the temple and family history work. It was really neat because her aunt was also there and she is Evangelical, just like I. She had lots of questions and was really interested. Having president there was perfect because when someone more mature teaches and testifies with experiences, it makes it so much more powerful! :D

Anyways, thanks for everything everyone! Til next week!

Elder Bushman

This is our line of white on Sunday...I feel slightly awkward sitting there in normal clothes next to these next to celestial beings!

This is Elder Nelson finally trying Mate...he HATED it, hahahahaha!!!!

"Gather the Saints, but do not flatter; invite, but do not urge, and by no means compel any one." - Brigham Young

Yr. 2, Week 20: We Were Able to Accompany him to the Temple

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, what a week... 

We had the great opportunity to go to the temple with a recently returned-to-the-church member named L! We had been working on his Family History work this week and he went down to the city hall here in Puente Alto and got all the certificates of death, birth, and marriage for some of his family members. We were also able to accompany him to the temple and he did baptisms and confirmations for his dad and his grandpa. :) He also gave two names to the temple so they could do his mom and his grandma :D It was amazing! The spirit was strong there but more importantly he is starting to become converted as he does this work for his ancestors. 

So we have a lot of investigators but they switch off progressing. One investigator will progress for like a week, then it's another investigator family's turn, then someone else, etc. HOWEVER, our investigators C and J are doing really well. We were able to have a few lessons with them this week and though they aren't retaining all of the information, they have the desire, they are repenting, and they enjoy it. They recognize the importance of the church and the gospel in what they are doing. J has had a problem with drinking tea and coffee but when we visited them the other day it was really neat because he said that he's stopped drinking them. He also said that the other day he was with some friends and they offered him tea but he said, "No thank you, my religion doesn't allow me to drink tea." 'What religion are you from?' "I'm from the mormon church and I can't drink tea or coffee." 'Why not?' "I don't know... One day I'll know but for now, I can't!" :D HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! AWESOME!

We visited the G. family the other day, an investigator family. The daughter, C, is the most interested but the dad is as well. The mom and the oldest son are just kinda there when we go by. However, when we went by this week we asked them what we shared last week... The dad and C didn't know... Then finally the mom told us almost word for word what we had taught. She always is doing things when we teach but we finally realized she's been paying a lot of attention the whole time! We helped them understand the RESTORATION better. We invited them to church but didn't end up going :S ERRR.... Oh well, at least C and J and their family went! 

Our other investigator I is doing fairly well. She really wants a testimony and said that she'll be baptized right off the bat when she feels more sure of her answer. She has had some experiences that are helping her and we invited her to read 2 Nephi 31 and to study it with her new desire. 

Answers to questions:

1. I enjoy teaching about repentance and the atonement the most I think

2. Our goals are to have 5 investigators with a baptismal date, 8 invest. in the chapel, have 8 lessons with invest. with members present, and have 2 new invest. (those are our basic goals)! 

3. Elder Thomas is hard working, CRAZY, really hyper, very loving, way fun, super funny, a great teacher. His first name is Markus but he goes by his middle name, Connor. He plays Lacrosse for Utah State Univ. He is a big music fan!}

4. We take the numbers every week, give the DLs the announcements, teach a zone class every month, do divisions with the DLs and those that are being trained

5. There are 12 zones in our mission!

6. I´M DEFINITELY COMING BACK TO CHILE ONE DAY....I think I may live here long term actually, a few years...NAH just kidding ;) 

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

Elder Bushman

LUNCH...

MEXICAN...

San Cristobal...

  Family History, Temple Work, Investigators...

"Is it not time that we sent out a great army, not of uniformed men, but an army of missionaries to preach repentance to a world that is dying?" - Spencer W. Kimball

Yr 2, Week 18: Man, I Like it Here

Dear Family and Friends,

Man, I like it here. I'm getting a lot more comfortable, I love our pension, my companion is awesome, we have lots of investigators, we're getting some good exercise in, everything is great :) Obviously there are some challenges with investigators and sometimes we cannot find new people to teach but we are having a lot of success regardless. 

So we are teaching this guy named A. He is great! He's an older guy who is buck skinny and has a bit of a swearing problem :) Haha, he's a really funny guy and  he's really starting to get spiritual. A few months ago he had an accident and he fell into a coma for like 2 1/2 months. They all thought he was going to die but every week Elder Thomas and his old companion went to give him a blessing at the hospital. Finally he woke up and recovered and since then he's been getting a lot closer to Christ. We had a really good lesson in the chapel with him this week in which we showed him a video of baptism, talked about repentance and the Holy Ghost and then we showed him the font. We committed him to baptism for the 24th of August. We invited him to read the Restoration pamphlet and he read it and we had a great followup lesson with him on it. He's good at understanding and he's patient. When we had the lesson in the chapel he promised to get better about swearing and as we were walking out of the chapel he started telling us about his sore ankle and he started swearing and Elder Thomas and I couldn't stop laughing :) 

This week we went out with a priest in our ward named B. He's great! I called him and asked him if he could go out with us and he said let me check my schedule... He then said yeah I can, I'll go with you guys for the day. So he was with us from 5 until 10 :) Haha, it was so fun. He's really nice and really awesome. He's pretty good at English and so it's really fun talking with him and all! We had some good lessons with him. We visited one lady and had a really good lesson with her about the Holy Ghost and everything. She committed to going to church...but she didn't go. Oh well, maybe next time :) We also visited a less-active and taught her about family history work and vicarious work. It really helped her understand why we are helping her out with FAMILY SEARCH and why she needs to get a temple recommend soon :D

We are visiting a part member family. P (less active), R. (investigator), C. (investigator), and M. (5 yrs.) have been going to church and getting back in the swing of stuff. They went to the city hall today to ask for a wedding date so that they can get married and baptized. I think their date is going to be in October so hopefully everything works out well. They are a great family, the ward needs them, and they need the church :)

This week Elder Thomas and I have been getting a little more serious with our exercise. We bought a ton of eggs and have been going a lot more hard core on our exercises. I sent photos of one night were we drank three raw eggs each...they actually weren't that bad! I'd do it again in a heartbeat ;)

Well folks, that's all for the week! Take care, love you, congrats to Nicole and Eden :D I'm super proud of you guys!

Elder Bushman

 

Last Time at White Box:

 

 

 

Saying Goodbye to my old Pension, District and Companion:

 

 

 

Photos of the new Pension:

 

 

 Raw Eggs:

"We grow by sharing the gospel. Let a man remember that there are others that are in darkness and that have not advanced so far in knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence, and let him impart that knowledge, intelligence, and power unto his friends and brethren, inasmuch as he is farther advanced than they are, and by so doing he will soon discover that his mind will expand, and that light and knowledge which he had gained would increase and multiply more rapidly." - Lorenzo Snow