Year 2, Week 42: She Knows Everything

Hello! Yesterday was officially 2 months until the mission comes to an end. I'm not ready for that day to come! It's been an amazing experience and I have learned a lot from being out here. Let's see what happened this week??

We had our Zone Conference with Elder Randall K. Bennett and his wife. He is the area President and has come to our mission 3 times since September 2018. Our conversation ranged from Gifts of the Spirit to who is Elect to following all mission rules with exactness to any other missionary topic under the sun! It was really good and I was really excited to get out and work in the field!

In Cambridge, we have an interesting situation with some members. Before the Waltham Spanish Group was created all members attended Cambridge. When the group was created most members stayed in Cambridge and some broke off to Waltham. So the Waltham missionaries don't visit our members from Cambridge, and we never had permission to go to Waltham to visit members, so those members were never fellowship pedo by missionaries. There are several recent converts who went inactive when that happened and so Elder Skordas and I received permission so we could go out there. Is was really good! We met a lot of the people who aren't active and were able to set up some appointments to visit with them. We are also hoping to be able to teach a lot of there family who aren't members!

This week was great but we didn't have many lessons with the people we are teaching. E. and I. canceled 2 appointments but we will be seeing them tonight. They didn't make it to church again so we will have to spend some time helping resolve those concerns. We are hoping for that to work out. We will be talking with them about what's keeping them back and how we can help them. 

We did have a really good lesson with a lady named R. She was baptized in the Dominican Republic years ago and was even a temple worker in the Santa Domingo Temple. When she moved out here she got a job and wasn't able to go to church. The sisters met her and they we came in and have been working to help her come back to church. It's incredible how much information she has retained. Most people can't remember a whole lot about the church but she knows everything. A member with us offered to bring the Sacrament to her house but she said, "no. I need to be worthy and get to church. If I can't do that. I'm not worthy for it." She has a very deep understanding of how serious the Sacrament actually is and not a lot of Hispanics make that connection! It was awesome!

We did teach E.R. this week! Her son, A., was baptized back in November but then left for the Dominican Republic. He got back but never came to church. We have been working to get an appointment with him and we finally did. He was really excited to meet with us and told us all about him and his family. He said he wants us to teach his friend and he is going to be getting back to church which was really cool! E. said she would come to church but didn't. Again, we aren't sure what is keeping these people back from Church. That's the trouble we face out her. Nobody wants to go to church.

During my personal studies this week, I was reading in Preach My Gospel about learning to recognize the promptings of the Spirit. In this section, it lists scriptures and gives descriptions for all the things the Spirit does. I realized that I feel the Holy Ghost allllll the time but I rarely give the credit to the Spirit. For example, in Mosiah 5:2-5 it talks about the Spirit strengthening our desire to avoid evil and obey the commandments. This happens to me a lot! Through studies and instruction given to our mission from the mission President, I frequently feel this desire but I have never contributed it to the Spirit. I've always thought this was my own thoughts or desires. So one of the biggest things I've realized, is that I need to give more credit to God for the righteous things I experience. Through thoughts or feelings or desires, if they are good, it is God! It was a cool realization!

I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. He lives. I love being a missionary!! 

Love, 

Elder Bushman

Year 1, Week 47: We Look Freaky Fresh

So Elder Perkes and I just went and got our haircut. It was DOPE! First, they were playing the world cup, two, we look freaky fresh, and three, we even got a shampoo and conditioner wash for free! I feel like I sound like a girl but it was awesome! And only $18!

This week has been great! I learned that I will be getting transferred out of Waltham to a new area. Worcester, MA! It is pronounced, Wustah! Elder Curzon has been in that area for the last 8 months and I'm replacing him so, it's exciting! My new companion is named Elder Britt Warner. He is from American Fork, UT and we have a lot of mutual friends. Remember how Bishop Beeson told me to talk with an Elder but I already did over Instagram?? Yep, same guy! I'm pretty excited but a little bummed to be leaving so soon. We are close to Boston, have a great Spanish group, a truck, an AMAZING apartment, I even have my own Bathroom! But, I'm excited for change:) Elder Neeley, the Elder I trained is replacing me. Elder Perkes has been called as the new District Leader here in Waltham and I'll be going Zone Leader with Elder Warner.

Our investigator L is doing so good! He has been sober for about a month now which is so exciting! He says that he drinks pineapple juice whenever he has a craving because the acidity in the juice gives the same feel as alcohol! So he has found a replacement which is great:) he picked up a second job so he hasn't been able to come to church but we are working on that! He says he wants to build some trust before he asks for days off. He is still planning on getting baptized on July 15th, so I'll come back for that! 

We picked up some new investigators this week! The most promising is named L. He said he would listen to our message, pray about the Book of Mormon, read it, and meet with us again. We are meeting with him on Wednesday but I'll be gone so Elder Neeley and Elder Perkes will go. We are hoping that he continues to listen. 

So the Cambridge Chinese Elders had a baptism on Saturday, but forgot about the font so it flooded the church! They sucked out about 15 gallons of water with a water vacuum and had fans drying the room when we showed up for church. We still met with our Spanish group despite the water damage. During Sacrament meeting, a member of the High Council gave a talk but only spoke English. So I had to translate from English to Spanish. He was smart and printed out the scriptures and general conference quotes he was using so I could read them but anything he personally said I translated into Spanish. The members said I did a great job so hopefully it turned out alright. 

Elder Tebbs, my first Zone Leader in the mission, finished up and went home this last week. He chilled with us for about 3 hours before we took him to the mission home. I haven't had any companions go home yet and he is the closest friend I've had leave. It made me a little jealous that he was finishing up but, I'm all good to stay out. I haven't changed enough and can't go home until I do;) good thing I've got another 13 months to do it! 

We helped another family move this week! It was about 90 degrees outside and I was in my sweatshirt so I could work up a good sweat! Let's just say it happened... :)

Also, before district meeting I decided to make homemade cinnamon rolls! It was pretty sweet, one of the senior couples said, "I love cinnamon rolls and try to find the best ones wherever I go. These are one of the best I've eaten!" Liv would be proud of my baking skills! 

Anyway, not much more to tell! Love you all

Elder Bushman

Year 1, Week 46: I Really Enjoy Teaching in Spanish

This week has been really good! Some cool events happened. We got to go to a funeral for a members Sister. She was a member of the Episcopalian Church so it was at a different church. We had the opportunity to go on exchanges. I was in Waltham with Elder Kennard. He was in my Zone when I first came into the mission so its cool to be back with him. We also had Zone Conference with the Miller's where we were able to say goodbye and take pictures. 

On exchanges we picked up to investigators named C and C! We taught the Restoration and got their contact info. Elder Kennard doesn't speak any Spanish so I just talked. It went well! I really enjoy teaching in Spanish! 

We had a lesson with L and he told us he has now been 20 days without a drink! It was awesome! We talked to him about keeping the Sabbath day Holy and told us that he has taken a second job and has to start working on Sundays. We are working with him and trying to help him get days off! 

During Zone Conference, they talked a lot about sustaining our church leaders. They said to forget about them completely forget about them and that they no longer exist as leaders to us. It was a little sad. I love the Millers but the new President has my complete support with everything! I'm excited to learn from a different perspective.

We helped a member move to a different city. We through a bunch of stuff in the back of the truck and tied it down with ties. I've decided I'm definitely getting a truck when I come home because I want to be able to help people with things and a truck will come in handy! We are helping another member move on Thursday. 

Elder Hilbig is going home. We thought Elder Kennard was going to come to our companionship but he is going to the Portuguese Elder so he won't be with us.

All in all this week has been super good! Love you all! 

Elder Bushman

Year 1, Week 43: I was Able to Meet Danny Ainge

Hello Family, 

The last few days in Waterbury were pretty uneventful. We stopped by several members and had dinner with them. I have sent some pictures for mom and if the rest of you want to see then that's cool. 

Wednesday, Elder Smith and I were driving up to the Weston chapel. I met Elder Perkes and we left to go drop my stuff off at the apartment. We got right to work visiting some members, investigators, and potential investigators. 

Waltham is a super cool area. I really love MA and I would actually consider living here. I would only live here though if work or school brought me out. 

On Sunday I was able to meet Danny Ainge! I didn't want to take a picture with him because we were at church but, hopefully some time I'll snap a photo;)

Not a whole ton happened this week. Just knocking, finding, and trying to work hard. 

Elder Perkes is a cool guy. He is from Logan, UT. He loves LaCrosse and playing sports. It's been fun so far. 

This morning around 9 we were able to do an endowment session. It was cool being able to go to the temple. We usually won't be able to go but because it's the Boston Stake temple day, we were allowed to go. 

Love ya

Sorry this is lame and short.

Elder Bushman 

 

 

Year 1, Week 42: Finally Going to Massachusetts

Hello Family! This week has gone by ridiculously quickly!!

First off, transfer news. I am being transferred out of Waterbury and I'm finally going to go to Massachusetts. I'm serving in Waltham which is about an hour from Boston. My new companion is named Elder Perkes. I'm bummed to be leaving Elder Porritt but I'm excited for some change. It was fun serving in Waterbury with Elders Tirado, Neeley, and Porritt.  I've wanted to serve in Waltham my entire mission because that's the closest I can get to Boston until Spanish Elders are put back in. I'm still going to be the District Leader in Waltham but it is a District with me, my companion, Zone Leaders, and Sister Training Leaders. Elder Perkes came out with me but he went to the Mexico MTC. 

This week has been full of laughs with Elder Porritt and I. First off, Tuesday morning Elder Porritt walks over to me and says, "hey, just so you know, I stole some of your body cleanse powder and drank it." With a nervous look in my eye I asked, "how much did you take?" haha, he only took a scoop but it wrecked him pretty good! We were out knocking around 3:30 and he said he needed to go to the bathroom. We head to the church and then go back out to knock. When we get to the street we are planning on knocking, he says... "OK, we need to go home. You can do record inputs while I am in the bathroom." It reminded me of the good ole days of 1 scoop fiber, 1 scoop cleanse! 

We also made a crockpot roast! I made bróccoli while Elder Porritt had the potatoes and carrots that we cooked in the roast. It was mighty fine!! SOOO good! Best roast I've ever had!

We haven't had a whole lot of stuff happen this week. It's been a bummer. All our lessons have been getting canceled and people aren't there. 

We had Zone Conference which was awesome! President Miller gave a super cool talk on what we can do to be life long disciples. It was pretty great! I took a lot away from it!

Interviews were also super cool! President Miller is awesome! It'll be a bummer when he goes home. He is one of the wisest men I've ever met.

On exchanges with Elder Phillipsen on Saturday we had some cool things happen. We were trying to decide what we should do for dinner. All the sudden, I had this super random thought. BDUBS!!! So we went to Buffalo Wild Wings. While there, the waitress took our order and started asking all about us. We told her who we were and what we did as missionaries. She said she wanted to learn more about the church so we got her phone number. Idk if anything will come out of it, but it was still a cool experience. 

We also went to a lesson with an investigator named O. She was too busy to talk with us so we talked to her Brother. He asked us a ton of questions because he knew some about our church. He asked about polygamy, how to gain Salvation, hell and where God lives, the difference between the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and how if he will read it, ponder it, pray about it, and come to church, we will feel happiness and peace. He committed to reading 3 Nephi 12 and compare it with Matthew 5. Elder Phillipsen doesn't speak any Spanish so I was talking the entire time. Because of that lesson, I feel a lot more confident with my Spanish.

D. got baptized yesterday. She was the one that Elder Porritt and I found and then passed to the English Elders. It was a great baptismal service. I had the opportunity to interview her for her baptism. She was SOOO ready. She was practically living everything before we found her except for drinking coffee. She stopped when they asked her to and hasn't had any for the last 3-4 weeks! Super cool and I'm so happy for the English Elders.

Elder Smith is being transferred to Newport, CT. 

Anyway, I can't think of anything else to write. Love you all!! 

Elder Bushman