Week 42 - April 27, 2015

Leaving Itajaí

Well folks it was that part of my mission again! I totally got transferred to Joinville and my new area is called Iririú. I am super stoked to be in a new area but super sad to leave Itajaí. That place was Zion.

Cool thing: I am now living in a home with 3 Brasilians and the amount of slang they use is outrageous. I’m learning their ways....and I look a lot like them so it’s pretty funny.

Funny thing: The elders in my last area and I did a short play for the Primary of when the Angel Moroni appeared to the boy Joseph and yeah… I’m pretty sure the kids had no idea what was even going on hahaha.

Weekly Triumph: I got Carlos a new bible that is approved by the church and "took away" his modern age bible that said some really whacky crap. hahaha I think he was happy!

Weekly Difficulty: Packing all of my stuff. I have a lot of things!

Spiritual Experience: Yesterday (Sunday) was my last day in Itajaí and the last time I would probably see any of those members for the rest of my life. Darlen walked up to me and shook my hand and just said, "Elder Buck, thank you so so much for everything you have done for me, my husband, and my kids. I wish you a very happy future and many blessings from God because you have helped bless the life of my family more than either you or I can fully comprehend. You helped us come to know of the true gospel of Jesus Christ." And for the first time I think in my entire life, I truly felt the happiness that this work brings all at once. The truthfulness of this Gospel and this church is so undeniable!

Scripture: D&C 18:15

I love you all and wish all of you a very good week! Tchau!
Elder Buck

Week 41 - April 20, 2015

Horsey!

Cool Thing: The family that just got baptized are doing so good! They still have a lot of questions and want to learn so much! Darlen already wants her patriarchal blessing and Carlos is preparing to receive the Priesthood. They are doing great. She told me a story about what happened to her at work this past week, which to me is proof that the Holy Ghost actually exists. She went to work and one of her coworkers mentioned that she looked different almost like she had a "light" around her. So that was cool to hear. Also, Carlos had an experience similar to hers! He said he has never been treated well by the people in charge at his work and is talked down to a lot; but after his baptism they were talking to him like he had worth and he could "feel" the difference the Holy Ghost has been making in his life. Also, the two men that we have baptized in the past couple of weeks (Carlos and Vilmar) bought white shirts to wear to church and it was awesome!

Funny Thing: My companion and I scared the Bishop’s wife to death on accident when we showed up at their house. I think she literally thought she was going to die.

Interesting Character: LIZZY from Luxinburg, Luxingburg, Luxenberg, Luxembourg, I don’t even know. She had a British accent and spoke English and I totally taught her in English for the first time in my entire life and it was so weird!! It was a lot simpler because I actually knew she understood exactly what I was saying. I talked to her with Elder Beecroft for like a whole hour this past P-day and it was sick! 

Weekly Triumph: My companion and I planned a family home evening with a less active family and it turned out pretty awesome! They made some killer food too!

Weekly Difficulty: Elder Cordeiro and I went to the hospital for like the whole day because he had an allergic reaction to something. So that was fun.

Spiritual Experience: We marked an appointment with a reference from our bishop (which we had met earlier this week and left a book of Mormon for her to read), and when we knocked at her door she came out with the Book in her hand and wanted to give it back. She said that it was super against everything she had learned in the other churches and she didn’t want to learn more about the book or our religion. So we stayed and discussed one of the concerns she had about dead people coming back (when Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith) among other things. We asked her afterward if she had read and prayed with real intent and an open heart and she said she did. We then responded by saying, “we know for a fact that you read, but NOT with real intent and an open heart because it is impossible not to receive an answer.'' It might have been a little strong but afterwards, she had admitted that she had not prayed with real intent and an open heart and we are planning on passing by her house later this week to see how things went. But the Spirit responded very quickly about what we should say in that very moment and it was super cool.

Scripture; I was reading D&C 138 and learned that each one of us can do what he did to receive personal revelation from God! Good stuff.

Love,

Elder Buck

Mini-Me: Daví

Week 40 - April 13, 2015

Cool thing: I was able to interview with president this week and that guy is super awesome and helps us a lot! Also, Cordeiro and I bought some yugioh cards this week for the two little boys of Darlen and Carlos and they were SO STOKED! That was so awesome.

Funny Thing: One of the young women in the ward put my first name in the Google translate in Portuguese and I guess according to Google, my name is "Big Spoon"....so…everyone has been calling me Colherão (Big Spoon) the past couple days...

Interesting Character: DANTE. Dante is a very cool guy. He’s a member of the church from Argentina and speaks English like as if he is American. He’s a super funny guy. And mom, I guess he knows who Taylor Tabile is because he served in the same mission or something. Small world. But yeah cool kid!

Weekly Triumph: We had 4 baptisms this week, which was flipping sweet! Carlos, Darlen, Poliane, and Davlin (daughters) all were baptized!

Weekly Difficulty: We had to go through about 10 different pages of paperwork trying to get the names and information right for the baptisms, but other than that, I have nothing to complain about! Also, one of the elders living with us picked up a mosquito transmitted sickness called "Dengue" this week so he’s been very sick.

Spiritual Experience: Seeing and feeling such a difference in the home of Carlos and Darlen after being baptized and confirmed. This Gospel is so perfect!

Scripture: I read D&C 11 this week and liked it!

That’s it. I love you all!

Elder Buck

Week 39 - April 6, 2015

Me and Lamb...

Not much really happened this week other than conference so.... If any one of you did not see conference this weekend, I would exhort you to do so! Every talk was inspired of God and God passes his will to the prophets directly to us! I absolutely loved conference! That’s really all I have for this week! 

AMO VOCÊS. TCHAU!
Elder Buck


Hey there Mom! I miss you guys so much! I’m glad you got to watch conference because there were some VERY powerful talks that were given. I don’t know why I neglected to watch all of the sessions of conference at home, because literally EVERY SINGLE ONE of those talks can be applied in any one of our lives if we just look for it. I was able to watch it in English this time and it was truly incredible. I’m looking forward to being able to read all of them when the next Liahona comes out! And mom I appreciate all you’ve been doing for me out here too. I know it’s hard to help someone who is so far away, but somehow through the emails, letters, and boxes haha you’ve helped me more than I could have ever imagined you would be able to. I love you so much and look forward to hearing from you soon!! te amo! ...Elder Buck

Hey dad it’s good hearing from you! But seriously wow conference was SO good! The priesthood session was absolutely amazing. I was thinking of you a lot Saturday during the priesthood session. I was thinking about how it’s already been a whole year since we went to the conference center together to watch the Priesthood session in Salt Lake. It’s so crazy what happened to the time. There was a talk by a 70 I think.... that talked about raising fathers or something, I kind of forgot cause I didn’t have my notebook, but I just want you to know that you have been raising a father from day 1. And there is not a moment where I didn’t appreciate how you treated me or taught me. There is still SO MUCH I have to learn but you helped put me on the right track. You have truly shown me what kind of man I need to become and I just wanted to thank you for that. Love you Dad! ...Elder Buck

The most beautiful thing I've seen...