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 26: It Made me Really Happy

Dear Family and Friends,

This week wasn't too full of sweet experiences or anything wild. I will just start listing a few of the events most pertinent:

I. and M. went on a big vacation throughout the weekend and we weren't able to contact them at all. I was a little worried they were going to have an excuse not to go to church but there they were, walking into church at 9:00 AM :) It made me really happy and excited for them. This week we are going to get I. her temple recommend and go with her and M. (her son) to the temple to do baptisms for the dead! Hopefully all goes well!

I went on divisions this week with Elder Mendez. We had a sweet experience while teaching a less-active woman and her husband. We taught about eternal families when he mentioned his desire to get remarried because he and his wife had a bad experience. We began to teach them about the sealing power and how it was restored by Joseph Smith and how temples had the special purpose of helping us make covenants through the priesthood. Anyways, we invited him to prepare for baptism and he accepted. Hopefully they can prepare and he can get baptized in a few months!

Haha, now that I think of it, not much happened. We cooked a lot this week, lots of really random stuff. I'll send some photos next week!! 

Anyways, it there's any questions, I'll respond to them next week!

Elder Bushman

 

"Prepare now to go on a mission. It will not be a burden. It will not be a waste of time. It will be a great opportunity and a great challenge. It will do something for you that nothing else will do for you. It will sharpen your skills. It will train you in leadership. It will bring testimony and conviction into your heart. You will bless the lives of others as you bless your own. It will bring you nearer to God and to His Divine Son as you bear witness and testimony of Him. Your knowledge of the gospel will strengthen and deepen. Your love for your fellowman will increase. Your fears will fade as you stand boldly in testimony of the truth." - Gordon B. Hinckley

Yr. 2 - Week 12: The Greatest University on Earth...the Mission

Dear Family and Friends,

This was a really busy week in terms of meetings but in terms of the work it was still pretty slow. We had a WHOLE BUNCH of meetings, first we had district class on Tuesday, then we had a meeting with Elder Robbins of the Seventy, and then on Friday we had zone conference. We've been trying to find new investigators since some of them have dropped us and others got baptized. Anyways, we have lots of future investigators, a lot of people who say they are interested but we haven't been able to contact hardly any of them. We have lots of names and phone numbers and addresses but not much is happening with them. Oh well.

Zone Conference was really cool! President talked a lot about the Restoration. He talked about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and several different events surrounding it. It was super cool. I learned a lot and I really have lots to work on as a missionary and a member!!! :) Elder Robbins talked a lot about the Holy Ghost. He taught a lot about how we can learn by the spirit. He also talked about the greatest university on earth...the mission. He talked about how we are put through different classes like clean up 100, personal hygene, 101, patience 505, diligence 325, etc. He gave me a bigger lift to continue working hard and to have more patience. 

There was a baptism in our ward yesterday for the other elders, Elder Vorwaller and Elder Capuñay. They baptized an older guy named J. He's a really great guy and he's really become converted over the last two months or so. :) Anyways, it was a super cool service and we had fun.

I went on divisions with Elder Skousen, my zone leader, the other day. He is from Lehi and lives just 5 minutes away from Jack and Frances. He is way cool and I had a really fun time with him. There are so many cool people that I want to chill with after the mission. He's also going to BYU so I'm stoked for that!!! 

Man, I'm so tired. I've been really tired of late but it's going to be nice just chilling here on p-day :D We're going to be playing Monopoly in the pension and eating and cooking!!! Anyways, thanks for everything, I love you all so much and I'm happy to be out here! :)

I love you all!

Elder Bushman

Yr. 2 - Week 7: We're Here to Stay

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, what a week.

This week we set up a day to take the G. family to the temple and learn a bit more about the Plan of Salvation! We all had a great time but we got there really quick so we bought some stuff at the distribution center while we waited for the sister missionaries to show up and give us the tour. We talked to the son, J., and he started asking us questions about the mission. We told him how awesome it is and he commented later that night about the studies he wanted to do AFTER the mission...WHAT??? :) He's also regularly going to seminary and the other young men from the ward pick him up every time!! YES!!! We went throughout the tour and when we were in the waiting area of the temple, I asked the father, Hermano J. how he felt "being back to the temple". He said, "Oh I'm not just coming back, I'm staying, I'm staying with my kids. 12 years out of the church was long enough, we're here to stay :D HAHA; it made me so stoked!!!! It turned out really, really well; the best part being when L. told everybody at the start of the tour that he wasn't a member but that we was meeting with the missionaries so he could get baptized soon :D Elder Muzante and I are really excited and we are going to have an FHE tonight with another family in the ward :)

BAD NEWS: D. didn't go to church yesterday, canceled our FHE tonight, and we got a call from her saying that she has been thinking it over and she thinks it will be better if we don't continue. Well folks, that's that. It's quite sad. I think she just wants time to think things over...but, we'll see.

A funny experience from this week was when Elder Wilson (ZL) and I went on divisions in my sector. I told him about a place called the white box (a completo shop that sells a 1 1/2 foot long completos) and he said he wanted to go. We had 15 min. to get home when we got there with Elder Vorwaller and Elder Capuñay so we decided to go for it. We ordered and with about 8 min. to spare, we ran home with HUGE completo's in our hands barely getting home in time to not have to call President...Hahaha!!!! There were so many people honking at us saying "YEAH MAN!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT" Stuff like that :) Haha, it was WAY fun :)

So right now there are a LOT of people in our ward that can play the piano so I'm not playing at all... I'm about the exact same on my weight, nothing is really changing so that's good :) Things are good down here, I'm buying a camera today so expect a lot of photos next week okay :) Take care!!! I love you all!!!

Elder Adam Bushman

 

 

"We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world. That is the cause that must unite us today."
. . . . . . . . ~ Ezra Taft Benson

Week 35: I Was Being Taught by the Spirit

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope everything has gone well for you all out there! Things are going well out here all though I am tuckered out from last week :) Ugh, I'm so tired. Anyways, this last week wasn't a very good week in terms of teaching or finding or making progress. It was kind of a frustrating week. During my whole time with Elder Kern we've been just doing GREAT...but this week we stumbled a little bit so that was pretty lame. But, we've set some goals and we're going to be doing things a lot better this week. So, I'm excited :) 

So, first off...a quick shoutout to my buddy Grayson Ercanbrack who will soon be joining me in Chile! :) Whoohoo, congrats boy!!!! Anyways, we are going to be doing a Christmas card, both Elder Kern and I, and we will be taking the photo, a card, and a candy cane over to all the people in the ward council and some other people in our sector. :) We are excited!!! 

So, a few other answers to some other questions: so that Peruvian family we found is being quite lazy and we've set up SEVERAL appointments but they are never there. I don't understand why people just keep playing this sort of game. Just tell us you don't want anything!!!  :) But oh well! So we've done a little bit of decorating but not much. I sent some photos of our tree, the tree Elder Kern got but that's about it :) It looks sweet!!! There are little tiny stores or businesses that people have all throughout my sector so you can walk down three or four houses and find basic cooking needs and ingredients and stuff. Also, there is a store called UniMarc that is just basically Kohlers but 1/4 of the size and there is a WalMart within a 10 minute walk of my pension. So my favorite food here is lentils with a big piece of sausage in the middle with a big link of homemade blood sausage with salad :) OH! It is amazing!!! You can buy American food but it's WAY expensive. Most of our investigators come from part member families and street contacting ... we don't get many member references. We hardly get any Mormon.org references. The ward council is pulling most of the weight and they are really working on the recent converts we have and doing activities to help out with our investigators. We write the mission president every week and it is included in our time of 90 minutes. He writes back if we ask him stuff. I'm not sure on the skype call. I know of several people who could hem and adjust my pants...I would just have to make some time to coordinate with the people. So about obedience! I am in charge of handing most things with the people in my district. If there is something I cannot do or if the things I'm doing are working or the situation is getting worse, I report to the Zone Leaders and directly to the president. Basically you just help them realize the blessings they can get for obedience, set goals, follow up, set new goals, follow up, and so forth. :) 

So not too much happened this week but when I went on divisions I had a great experience. We went to a family's house that is the mother, father, and their two daughters. The mother and father are not married so neither are members of the church. The two daughters are however. Anyways, we went there and I just loved it! The problem is the father needs to get a divorce from his old wife who is trying to hold out for lots of money he doesn't have. Anyways, it's a sad situation but the couple's outlook on the situation is just fantastic. Although they cannot get married and therefore cannot be baptized, they still go to church every week. They study the scriptures faithfully and they are so very strong. We had a very in depth gospel conversation at their home and it was amazing. I felt the spirit really strong as he bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon, Holy Ghost, Joseph Smith, Plan of Salvation, and his favorite topic, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He kept saying, "When we are able to be baptized..."  They are great people and they are so very strong where they are! :) They were a great testimony of being strong in the gospel, NO MATTER what your circumstance. There are lots of people who make excuses but it was nice to see that they remain doing the things they know are right when they have every excuse not to. :D I was very impressed with that appointment and lesson! 

(Elder Bushman has been recording some great insights on his digital recorder after lessons or while waiting for a bus, etc, etc. He emails the WMA files to us. It has been AWESOME! Here are a few this week that I really loved:)

Recording #1:
"We just got out of a really cool lesson with our investigator, J. She is having some problems with the university and she is just sick of it and about to leave - and she's asking herself why bad things happen to good people. So, we took the Prophet of the Restoration video and Ether 12:6, and tried to answer that question based on both those two things. When Elder Kern and I were bearing our testimonies at the end and teaching a little bit about the doctrine and the necessity of tests in our lives, it was so powerful...and we felt the spirit so strong. I honestly felt like I was being taught by the Spirit a whole lot during the lesson, while I was bearing my testimony - everything was making so much sense about the whole plan of salvation, why we're here on earth, why there's opposition in all things, why we have tests, how the great promise of if we are faithful to the end, all we have lost will be restored unto us and the promise that if we follow the doctrine of Christ and if we follow Jesus Christ and do all he has done and do the covenants necessary, we will become as our Father in Heaven and will receive all that he has. And so all those things, these different doctrinal principles, are making so much sense to me. It was really, really awesome and I felt the spirit so strong - and just watching the video from that perspective was just fantastic. Thinking about how Joseph Smith understood it all - and that's why he was willing to go through anything...and when he was in Liberty Jail and was about to give up, the promise that was given to him that if he endured it for just a small moment, he would be exalted on high. It really is just a small moment. It was so powerful...what I learned and how I was being taught by the spirit. J's mom was listening the whole time and I really think she needed to hear those two promises and the video we saw and comparing it to his life."

Recording #2:
"I'm doing divisions with Elder M right now...But me and Elder Kern had a good lesson with an investigator - J. and we had a lesson with him about the Book of Mormon and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and why it's important to enter into the path that leads to the Celestial Kingdom and why going through the door of baptism is so essential and how we can do that through knowing the Book of Mormon is true. I think that helped him realize that it's really important that he understands and knows that the Book of Mormon is true. Hopefully he'll be able to read and pray and things...I never realized how hard of a task it would be for people to remember to ask in their prayers if the Book of Mormon is true. I notice that lots of people are just like, "Bless me to know that it's true" or "I really want to know", instead of saying "Is the Book of Mormon true?". Because for us to gain a specific answer we  need to ask a specific question. So that's one of the things I've noticed out here - I'm trying to stress the fact that we need to ask specifically so we can receive a specific answer. And especially for people who are inexperienced with feeling the spirit, it's hard for them to realize complicated answers. And so to make it as simple as possible we need to ask a question to get a simple answer - a confirmation of if it's true or if it's not. Instead of asking "well I really want to know so help me know". So hopefully he can ask a specific question and work on that."

 

So that's all folks! Love you!

Elder Bushman

This is our little Thanksgiving feast from the Stake President: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and corn! OH! So good! :)

This is our little tree all lit up!

This is our tree in real life

Week 29: It was a Miracle

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, this week has just FLOWN by! I remember September 23rd when I got my companion and started to train. It feels like that was just yesterday but now we have one more week until the end of the change and to enter into November! It is just CRAZY! :D I'm having a blast out here and a lot has happened this week but before I get to that, here's some answers to some questions:

I got my package from my family and boy was it AMAZING. I loved all of the candy and the photos and the little presents from my family :) Haha! I was on splits with my Zone Leader, Elder Schwartz, when I got the package and boy was that fun! He asked me if he could have one of the Christmas cards you sent, mom, and I said, "Sure." But on opening the box, we found out that it contained the crayons that you sent, haha!! :) That was really really funny! I haven't gotten Aunt Susie's package yet so we are still waiting on that one.

Congrats to my friends Evan Peterson and Hannah Ashby on their mission farewells! They will both be going into the MTC soon so I wish them the best of luck from down here in Chile! :) "ÉXITO!"

So, my feet are hanging in there! They hurt from time to time but they are getting better I believe! :) I felt kinda sick last Monday when writing my family but I've been very healthy during the week! For Christmas, hmmm.... I would love some more music for my iPod, especially the soundtrack of 17 Miracles. Also, some music from like Vocal Point, Voice Male, some EFY stuff, anything really :) I think the best way to do it would be to throw it on a thumbdrive...ask dad if we could do that and if it would work to throw it on the iPod or not...

So some really awesome things happened this week! We boosted our investigator pool by like 4 people this week! :) We've gotten to teach lots of people and now have about 9 people we are teaching. We still need to find more but we're working on it. Our investigator F. hasn't been progressing as much as we would like him to due to his work. He's been having to look for a lot of work to pay off a debt he has. Anyways, we have been praying he'd find a job...well, he found one that will pay off all of his debt! He is so relieved and we asked him if he thought it was a miracle and he responded right away and said yes! :) We're so excited to work with him some more :) 

So we've met with B's girlfriend two times now and she is really excited to learn about the BofM and the church. We taught her some awesome things and she was very surprised that we don't believe that any other religion has all of the truths necessary for salvation. We told her she can know this through the BofM. I talked with her last night on the phone and we set up and appointment for Wednesday and she asked us if she could bring her cousin, who really wanted to listen! :) We're really excited for this lesson :)

So the funniest thing happened yesterday in Stake Conference. A guy from my old ward, Hermano B., was sitting behind me and as the choir began to sing some prelude, he began to sing too. He sang for about 10 seconds and we all started to look back at him and then he FINALLY realized that it was just the choir singing, his eyes got all wide and he quickly covered his mouth and said, "I thought we were supposed to sing." We all busted up laughing, me, and three other missionaries and his whole family! :) Haha, boy that was RICH! 

Well, that's about all for this week! Let me know if you want some more INFO :)

Love,

Elder Adam Bushman

 

"The Elders who are going abroad should deal out kindness to those they are sent to watch over, and your smiles will be far better than your cursings could be."  - Brigham Young

Week 16: It wasn't Ring Around the Rosies or Duck, Duck, Goose

Dear Family and Friends,

First off, a good hearty thanks to my wonderful mother! Thanks mom for sending me a little personal blurb! :) I'm going to look forward to that every week. Sorry you were worrying about me this whole week. Monday stunk but that day I started to take DigestZen and some water. Tuesday I began getting better and by Thursday I was 100 % :) My personal prayers, the prayers of everyone else, and the power of Essential Oils just got 'er done!!!! :D I'm drinking a lot more water now so have no fear. 

About the photos...I can't wait :D HAHAHA! I'm fairly giddy :) Can't wait for Spencer's letter too! As for the DVD, cannot wait! Could you include a paper that tells all of the numbers and everything and the names of the videos? Also, I'm not sure how easy it would be to make a screen selection to find the specific videos? Let me know on that, I'm just thinking about how easy it should be when showing them in lessons. I'm glad that you are changing prayers, that's awesome! That's one of the hardest things out here, it's like beating a dead horse that was killed 5 or 6 years ago. These people have heard the same shpeel over and over again and they just keep saying, "No, I don't really know anyone who is interested." Thanks for the prayers :) The Pig Head tasted good, but just had a horrible texture, ugh... Cannot wait for the package! Our district class got moved to Friday (just about typed Viernes, awkward :S) so maybe I will get them both :D Hahaha! Glad everything is great at home and that you all have a sense of humor :P

So real quick I just got to fill you all in on the craziest experience of my life. So we went to an investigators home, a family of 5 women, ha! We can't go in unless we bring a man, so we brought our good buddy Christian (a freakin' dope Peruvian kid) - [This means a really cool, awesome and sweet boy from Peru. I asked]. The mom said her daughter was sick so we couldn't go in but she did tell us to go and knock on her neighbors door to see if they were interested. So we did. We walked over there and we told Christian we would teach him how to contact...he wanted to wait on the corner :) HA! Funny kid. Elder Frost told me to "Strap Up!" That's pretty much our motto out here! So we bucked up, and knocked and this guy answered and said they were having a party. We tried to share a little bit about us and tell him about our church but he just kept saying, "Look guys, the thing is, we are having a party." So we left and started to walk away with Christian. He was sending a text on his cell phone when a different guy popped out of the same house and told us to come in and that he wanted to talk to us. So we did (what we didn't know is that Christian wasn't behind us and that he didn't know that the guy called us back. So he kept walking 'til he realized we weren't there, then he just waited...hahaha!). We went it to find that, yes, they really were having a "party." And it wasn't ring around the rosies or duck duck goose, this was a Wordly Party. There was beer and wine, men/women in their 30's, dancing, a pool, music, and weird crap!... I leaned over to Elder Frost and I said, "I don't feel good about this, we gotta get out of here." Everybody kept asking us to have fun, have some drinks, make ourselves at home, etc. It reeked, alcohol is so disgusting smelling :S I wanna throw up every time I get a whiff! Anyways, we talked to the guy who owned the house, placed a pass along card and said we'd come back later (when there is NO party). Anyways, wild ride! Glad we got out while we could, before anything NUTS happened :S

Anyways, we are working with some good members, things are going good! I'm almost out of my training period so that's sweet! Also, we did divisions with our Zone Leaders and I had a really, really great time with an Elder Clyde from Washington. He goes to BYU so we'll probably see each other and play ball when I get back :)

Thanks so much everyone; I'll fill ya in on more next week! Loves!

Elder Adam Bushman

From Mom: He asked me to send him the Bible Videos in Spanish - so that's what the DVD is. I downloaded them all...just need to get it copied onto a DVD. Our Bishop asked us to start praying that the members will find people for the missionaries to teach, not that the missionaries will find people to teach. So, that is how my missionary prayers have changed. I'm so glad he is feeling better...I was worried all week about him, but it sounds like he got over it pretty quickly. Now his feet are bothering him so I need to get some opinions from my doTerra friends. Freaky business about the crazy party....glad he and Elder Frost left right away. Obedience - so important! Hopefully he'll get his birthday package on Friday. It's in Chile - just need confirmation of delivery. Love Mondays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

"Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was." - Joseph Fielding Smith