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 30: I'm Being Converted

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, what a week we had. It was a great week! We had lots of highlight lessons and experiences! I love my companion, guys :) Haha, he's such a great guy and we work really well together. Anyways, on to the highlights:

We are visiting an incomplete family. C., the dad, isn't a member and neither are his kids but Y. is a member. She has been inactive for a very long time but we started visiting her a few months back. Not much happened because C. wasn't very interested and neither were their kids and Y. was just having a difficult time trying to do things herself with no support. So update, Y. is currently in the hospital until her baby comes, C. is MR. MOM and is having a tough time, their daughter B. is having a tough time without her mom, and their youngest son M. is missing Y. SO, the father has really started to get involved. He's praying, meeting with us, reading the scriptures in lessons, and he said that this week he's going to try and round up everyone to go to church :) We had a great lesson with him last night with President S., first counselor in the stake presidency. We talked about what's best for our families, especially in times of crisis, and how we must have faith and repent in order to receive joy and eternal life :) SWEET LESSON :) C. is opening up every single time we visit him. When I first met him, he didn't even want to see us and even tried to fight with us a little about the existence of God (he "didn't believe" in God before). Big turn around. Also, the presidents of the relief society and the primary went to visit Y. in the hospital! This family is sweet!!

Next, we had a really cool experience in church this week. We are visiting a mom and her daughter (O., the mom, and M., the daughter). The Mom has been to church a few times with P. and R. and everybody but the daughter never really wanted to participate. She's 16 and never really was into the whole "church/religion" thing. But then, P. and J. started getting on her saying she should go to church and hang out with some of the YW there. She finally decided to go and so two weeks ago we had F. (the girl who can't get baptized because her parents wouldn't let her) go with her to the classes. Then this week, J. went and picked up M. for church. It was sweet because right after sacrament meeting, F. looked over right before going to class and went right over to say hi to M. and to take her to class. They are good friends!!! F. is practically a member :) Right after church we looked out into the hall and there was M., F. and other YW all laughing and having fun! It was really, really cool :D We are going to invite her and her mom to be baptized for a specific date :)

We also visited with a family, the G. family. They received missionaries like two years ago but we decided to revisit them and see what's up. We had a lesson in which we talked about the Plan of Salvation. It was a little rough at the start because they were like, "We are believers, we are Catholic. We don't feel like it's necessary to go to church or to do anything like that. Plus we were baptized already, why would we be baptized again?" Anyways, it was pretty rough and I was starting to feel like this family wouldn't progress. Then, we started just asking them questions and it started changing the whole spirit and direction of the lesson. We finally ended by expressing that if we don't fulfill one commandment, we are in trouble and unless we are cleansed we are sunk. The wife, whom has ALWAYS turned down the invitation to go to church, said, "Well, I'm going to go to church next week." The dad and the daughter also committed. It was interesting how everything changed. Questions are powerful and they help with the conversion. Hopefully this family will really progress now :D

Well, that's all folks! I love you all, I'm working hard, I'm being obedient, I'm being converted, and I'm torn about leaving Chile in a few months. I'm excited, but I'm also sad. I suppose that goes with the territory of change!

Love,

Elder Adam Bushman

My comp - Elder Laurentino

Yr 2 - Week 6: My Joy Was Full

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was a pretty good one; we struggled with lessons during the week, but I was really content when we had 11 people in the church!!! We had three investigators, two little kids, two less actives who just came back after 19 years, and four less actives that are still in the process of getting back to church :) It was really awesome! I looked around at everybody we had brought. I saw how joyful everybody was and it just made me so happy and so grateful to be a missionary. As President Monson put it, "My joy was full." ;) Haha, but it was really great! We are planning to take the G. family to the temple this week for a tour and we are going to be visiting our investigator D. tonight with the bishop. We're going to be reading Mosiah 18 and trying to invite her to be baptized...we'll see how it goes :)

I'm excited to talk to you guys this Sunday!...5:00 :) PM! Your time!!!! I'll see you then, okay!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Elder Bushman

 

"I am convinced that there are many, many thousands who, with warmth and welcome, can be led to the eternal truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. They are looking for something better than they have. They must be friendshipped. They must be fellowshipped. They must be made to feel comfortable and at home, so they can observe in the lives of the members of the Church those virtues they wish for themselves." - Gordon B. Hinckley