Week 55 - July 27, 2015

Elder Buck didn't have time to write a big email this week, but he did send some pictures. Enjoy!

Mission Conference!

with Elder Shakespaere

with current and two former companions

Enjoying the one-year celebratory box of treats and new clothes from home!

Me in my new clothes

Joinville!

Week 54, July 20, 2015

Drawn by an Elder in my last district...haha

Cool Thing: I have a new companion and he’s pretty sweet! He’s Brazilian and works super hard and has a lot of energy. It’s been a good change!

My new companion: Elder Coelho

Interesting Character: Roberto. Elder Coelho and I were waiting at the bus stop and a random guy pulled up to give us a ride to the bus terminal (this was probably not the smartest thing but he was old and alone so....) we accepted and hopped in. We talked with this guy and he was a super gospel preacher guy and he was pretty hilarious. And he dropped us off and everything turned out fine. HaHa

Funny Thing: Elder Coelho and I were going to get the Book of Mormon from one of the Haitians we have been teaching, because he wasn’t really progressing (we cant "give" people books we let them "borrow" the books). It turns out he actually started reading the Book of Mormon and has been reading about Nephi and everything. It’s awesome! So he still has the book.

Weekly Triumph: We have received a bunch of referrals lately, which is super not normal so that was cool!

Weekly Difficulty: The referrals happen to live on the other side of the universe.

Spiritual Experience: We were talking to this guy (Luis) in front of his house this week and he was telling us how he doesn’t really believe in God and stuff and Elder Coelho bore one of the most powerful testimonies about the reality of the Savior and his ministry and how He actually lives and guides His church today though the living prophets. I got the chills so bad it was awesome!

Welp that’s all for now but hope you all have a great week! Tchau!

Elder Buck

Week 53 - July 13, 2015

The District...

Cool Thing: It is transfer week so looks like I’m getting a new companion tomorrow!!

Interesting Character: NICOLAS...Nicolas is the 3 year old son of one of the less actives in this ward and he has a really bad allergy to mayonnaise, but he LOVES mayonnaise! He like eats it plain, and when he is finished, his mouth gets all red and stuff. But I asked myself, "Why do his parents let him eat it?" I found out real soon when they tried taking it away and he threw THE BIGGEST FIT. It was funny. He also likes the skin of roasted chicken. Hahah He’s crazy!

Funny Thing: I made like 3 pizza cookies this week and they were delicious and now everyone wants me to make one for FHE and stuff! Thanks Skylar!

Pazookie!!

Weekly Triumph: We found a long lost member this week and we invited him to come to church and he CAME. He’s been going to other churches for the past few years and just hasn’t felt anything for a long time. We invited him to church again and he said it felt good to be singing normal hymns and to feel welcome somewhere! That was cool!  I will also be getting a new companion from Bahia. I think it will be a good change for me cause this Elder is really calm. Hahaha It will be a dramatic change. I am still in a district with 6 Brazilians and 1 American (me) so that’s fun!

Weekly Difficulty: Finding people to teach. This week was super slow because of transfers and doctor appointments and Elder dos Anjos saying goodbye to the members, but we did return to a lot of contact’s houses. It turns out that only one family really wants to hear what we have to say.

Saying goodbye to Elder dos Anjos...

Spiritual Experience: This week I had another confirmation that Joseph Smith really was a prophet called of God. When we were giving the first lesson for one of our investigators, I don’t know what our investigator felt, but what I do know is how I felt when giving my testimony. The church is true!

Scripture: Omni 1:26 my new favorite scripture!

Everyone have a great week! Tchau!

Elder Buck

Week 52 - July 6, 2015

***ONE YEAR TODAY!***

Thank you all for your love and support!

Hellooo friends and family!

Cool Thing: Elder dos Anjos and I had the opportunity to participate in the CTR class this Sunday and bear our testimonies and draw pictures and stuff this week! Those little children are so cool! And one of their names is Néfi! 

Funny Thing: We taught an older lady this week from a different church and she was super pumped when it came to saying prayers! We offered the first prayer and asked her if she would like to say the closing prayer. Before she started, she told us to throw our hands in the air to praise God and stuff and she said a super colorful prayer....hahaha

Weekly Triumph: one of our other investigators, Anitta, read the Book of Mormon and thought it was cool! She is golden!

Weekly Difficulty: I nearly freeze to death every night because it is so flipping cold. (The cold and I don’t do well together...) 

Interesting Characters: IRLAN & RITA... So Elder dos Anjos and I were waiting for our bus at the terminal to go home and there was a guy there who started a "conversation" with us (he had been drinking). Later on in the discussion we found out that he was actually baptized in our church 3 years ago. The bus arrived and we hopped on and I continued talking with him. Elder dos Anjos sat down next to this lady and she was not anyone dos Anjos or I knew.... She started talking with dos Anjos while I was talking to Irlan and later we came to find out that she was actually baptized in our church and was inactive too. It was kind of weird situation, but looks like we have 2 more people to visit!

Spiritual Experience: When dos Anjos and I got to participate with the little ones in the CTR class, I felt such a peace and sweet spirit radiating form those little kids. The teacher asked them if they would want to serve a missions like us and they all said yes with so much enthusiasm and I seriously wanted to cry. It was so awesome to see that they all had testimonies at such a young age! That made my whole week!

Scripture: Psalms 118: 24

That’s all for now! ‘till next week! Tchau!

Elder Buck