Paisley Ties are Dangerous!

Hi everyone.

Well this week was alright. First, I ate pizza at a member’s house y at 1am I threw it all up. Then I had a fever y had to go a lot in the bathroom. The worst part was that day I had to go to a nearby city for a conference, so it was two hours in a convoy. But before I left I took medicine y they gave me a blessing. That day y part of the next I had a fever, then for two days my stomach was hurting. But now I’m fine. Well the conference was our zone, Comitan, y 2 more. The president of the mission talked to us about Sunday being the day of rest.  Then other missionaries talked about how to be a better missionary.  It was so good, even though I was sick.

Then I got my package from my family y dear elders. Thanks family for my Easter package. Everybody loves my tie. These ties are like gold for us so thanks, especially paisley.‬ If you find paisley ties on sale buy them because everybody loves them like crazy! My mission leader here really wants the tie you sent me. He wants to buy it. These ties are dangerous here‬! I better be careful!  Haha.

Well we taught Fabiloua about the Restoration or the first lesson y we invited her to be baptized. She said yes, but she told us she is not married because it is hard to get married here when you are from a different country.  Y she has a boy y a baby girl.  Well we taught Tonita again about visiting church with her mom y dad who are members, but it is hard for her. She is expecting the baby any week or day now. Well, this Wed. we are planning to go with the bishop to visit our investigators far away. So that is good.

On Sat. y Sunday we had stake conference. It was the worst ever because we couldn’t understand anything because the camera was not the right one.  It was for taking pictures not video.  Y people started to leave because the sound was bad. But I heard somewhat about the Sunday being a day of rest.

We are also teaching a man named Ricardo. His wife y his family are members but he is not, so we have been teaching him.  But it is hard because he has brain problems. But we are teaching him.

Well on Thursday we were planning for next week y my companion and both had the same thought. It is so weird. We think the same when we are companions.

This is what 7 months walking on unpaved roads does to shoes because there are a lot of them in Chaipas. The problem is the streets are the worst streets in Mexico because Chaipas has no money, so a lot of roads are not paved.  But I’m proud. The scriptures say how beautiful are the feet of them who publish peace, and I think they look beautiful to me!

So that was my week love you all thanks for total.

Love Elder VanBuskirk

ADIOS!!!!!

I didn’t tell but you good job on the rope, Mom.

I got to go. Thanks for everything mom. I love you a ton. I always think of you y I love you. Say hi to Franky y the boys y tell them to continue working hard y i love them. Talk to you later. Have a good week y be safe. I pray for each one of you everyday. Love you y miss you‬.

Adios Mom!

I know how loved I am. Do you?

adios

 donkeys in the street 

This is Pashton, an area here.

Unpaved roads

 the brown drink was pozol

The Life of a Full-Time Missionary

Elder VanBuskirk has his own mini-me!  He even has the thumbs up right and everything!

This week was great because in the mornings it was so hot but in the afternoon or the night it rains for one or two hours. Guess what?  It evens hails here! It is crazy. The rain season starts in May y ends in the early October.

The rainy season is starting

Hail!

Well we had 3 baptism dates for our investigators this week for 23 of May, but they didn’t come to church yesterday, so their date got cancelled. We are so bummed. We worked so hard with them this week but they didn’t come to church. That is the life of a full time missionary. They were Estaban y Mada y Antonio y  Faboulo but when we visit her she was crying because her family wants her back to Hounduras, but we hope not.

 Well Andres came with us on Saturday to find a contact but we looked y looked y asked people but nothing after 2 hours in the sun y no water. So we went to his house y watched Mormon Messages. Then it was time to go to lunch, but I said “after this video.” So we watched it.  Then I asked if we can say a prayer so we did. I didn’t know why, but the spirit told me to say to finish the video y to say a prayer. But the next day he gave a talk in church y said “yesterday I went with the elders to look for a contact y we didn’t find her so we went to my house y watch Mormon Messages, but it was time for lunch. But one elder” (me of course) “said to stay y finish this video so we did. Then the elder asked if we can say a prayer. Well, before we were watching the videos I wasn’t excited to go with them after lunch because of the morning we had just had y I was tired. But the video was my answer to my prayer” y he thanked me for relying on the spirit. So that was cool.

Well we got 2 new investigators. One is Virgina who is 77 years old y her cousin who is 11. Virgin’s son got baptized in Cancun but moved back to his mom y he brought them to church for the last 2 Sundays. We cant visit them because they live 2 hours away but every Sunday after Sacrament we teach them, so that is good.

I’m so happy we got two new investigators y I’m happy being a full-time missionary. Love you all y thanks for the love y support.

Amor always

Elder VanBuskirk

ADIOS!!!!!!!!!

We don’t know if we are going to Skype on Sat. or Sunday y we are two hours from you.

I’m having problems lately with my camera. Like I turn it on y it buzzes y the screen is a blurry so then I turn it off then on, then the same but the third time it is fine.  Or I just hit a few times

y when I look at my photos some of them say question mark read error for some photos.

In my package I will like a new camera case because the one it came with didn’t last long y it was cheap.  If you can ask the Stevens to make their amazing nuts I would be so happy if i get some!  y a USA pin like the Mexico pin I have.

Hey mom, I’ve got to go. Love you a ton. Make sure you say hi to everyone y I love them y miss them.  Make sure frank is reading y praying to know if the Book of Mormon y the church is true everyday.  Love you a ton. Sorry for not writing back y forth but I want to tell you I love you a ton. Thanks for everything.

Love you all. Adios!

Gringos tacos with catsup

Look who wants to be a missionary when he grow s a foot or two?
 Alex' Mexican mini-me.

Even the baby got to wear the tag, and the sleeping dad.
I wonder if he has any idea this picture was taken?

Hard Work is Paying Off!

I’m great, like always, for being a missionary!

Well first off, there is a kid here who got his call to some small islands off the coast of Africa y he asked me for weeks where do you think I will go?  I said Africa y he said that is too far.  But I was right the whole time. 

Well we got two new Investigators this week.  One is named Antonio. He works at his daughter’s laundry mat, the one we take our clothes to. He told us he is sharing what we are teaching him to his daughters, but  because of the holidays he didn’t come to church this Sunday because he was working at the laundry mat, but we have a appointment today at 6 with him. We are so happy. Then there is Estavan who visited the church before y accepted baptism on may 23. We are so happy.  Both of them are doing great! Then we gave a goal to Tonita for baptism, but she is having a baby so she wants to wait for 3 to 4 months. But a less active name Dafnie y her family are visiting church again because every Wednesday we ate with them y do a lesson. One less active family started to come back. It is Celico, our investigator family, but they are visiting another church y drinking so we cant visit them we are sad about that.

Me y Garcia together again.

Well on Wednesday, me y Elder Garcia, my papa dad on my mission (my first companion), did splits together! I talked in every lesson y contacts y then Garcia asked them if they understand me y they said yes. I was so happy that people are understanding my no good Spanish. It seems like all the hard work is paying off! It was great to do splits with Garcia. We work so good together

Well today y tomorrow we are going to fast as companions for our area y the members y less actives y are investigators y to find new ones. Well today was cambios (transfers) but we are both staying here so these next 6 weeks we are going to fulfill our goals y make this area the best it can before Elder Mena leaves on May 25, because he been here since the end of December y the leaders told him  he will leave but we are not toosure. Love you all y thanks for the love y support y prays. Love always, Elder VanBuskirk ADIOSS!!!!!!!

How is Nate doing with his papers?  Did Nate find a school?  How is Franky y Nate doing about Shaun? Tell Nate and Fran to have fun at LDS Prom! Wow, and tell all the brothers good job on getting 4.0 honor roll!  Sounds like you have a lot of work to do still unpacking both big garages. I bet if I was there it will all be done.

I love reading the book Jesus the Christ!  I can’t stop reading it. I’m in chapter 13.  Tell Nate to read it too.

I don’t need anything. I’m happy. I’m still waiting for package from the the ward y yours y the garments.  But no more games. It is a new rule our president said.   We are missionaries, not kids.  But don’t worry. Candy is still Ok. Some more music will be nice. It is great to listen to for studying y exercise.  I’ve got to go now. I love you a ton. Thanks for everything. We are trying to obey all the rules so my hour is up. Love you y say hi to all.

The food with the pineapple is greengas, with pineapple y vegetables y two big tortillas

Downtown Comitan

Me with my district

We Have a Good Religion

This week wasn’t so good with lessons y investigators. Because they had a holiday last week y this week so the kids are off for two weeks y the parents were off the other week so no one was home or in the streets. But we visited Hna Linda y we tried 5 times to invite her to baptism but she won’t except. She said she was baptized 45 years ago in her church. But this next week we are going to try so very hard to look for new investigators. We are going to look for service y do a lot of contacting y pray y fast a lot because our investigators are not progressing. So please pray for us. Thank you.

Well General Conference was so great!  I didn’t understand a lot because the person translating went super fast, but with most talks I got some understanding. The good thing next month we will get the LIAHONA with the talks so I can read them in English y take better notes. Y the good thing in every talk the spirit told me what they were saying is true. I just want to say I’m glad our church doesn’t have any weird traditions like other churches in Mexico. I see a lot of it here I am just happy we have a good religion that stays firm with Christ y his teachings y God. Love you all thanks for everything. Adiossss!!!!!!!

I didn’t get any packages yet. The mail is very slow. But I know they are coming.

Did Franky like General Conference?

I’m so, so sorry about Shaun. He was a good friend. Give everyone my love. That is so sad. How is Nate y Franky doing?

‪Okay bye. Love you. Say hi to Mindy and family. Love you a ton. Thanks for the prayers y support. Prayers always work with faith. I pray for all of you always. Adiosss‬!

See what Elder Laurel sent me. It is Jose’s baptism!

A park here