Nathan: I'm Finally My Own Hero!

Hey everybody. How are you all doing?? If your wondering how I am doing, well I am starting to get really tired of this place, haha. The food in the cafeteria is starting to repeat itself, nine hours of Russian a day is not healthy for my brain, silly rules to follow, only able to wash your clothing one a week and I don't have a lot of clothing in the first place, and I can barely talk to any sisters without getting yelled "page 33 elder!!" (That's the page in the missionary handbook about the opposite sex) So yeah, it’s a blast!!

If any of you would like to send me a letter throughout the week but don’t want to write one or wait for me to read it on my p-day then go to dearelder.com you can send an email to me and the MTC will print it out and hand it to me that day. And its free. (Unit 71 JAN20 UKR-DNE) I would actually prefer that because it gives me a chance to read them more. Thanks.

My Brother who is serving a mission in Tuxla Gutierrez Mexico is turning 20 in two days!!! Happy birthday Elder VanBuskirk! Love you and you are such a great example to me!!! Miss you!

 Thanksgiving in the MTC was different then usual. No football in the morning, no cornucopias, no Thanksgiving dinner, no thanksgiving parade and no family. However we did a service project which consisted in making 351,845 meals for hungry school children across Utah, so that was a great experience!! Even though we didn't have a "Thanksgiving dinner" we had a Thanksgiving lunch so I still got my cranberry sauce, turkey and gravy so that makes up for the sack dinner which consisted of milk and a PB and J sandwich. That night however Elder Oaks from the quorum of the twelve apostles came to talk to us about giving thanks for every thing we have! We should say thanks for our blessings, friends, family, trials and hardships; so basically anything you could think of! He really brought the Holy Ghost into the room I felt it the moment he entered the room! Afterwards as a present from the MTC we got to watch 17 Miracles. If any of you haven't seen it I highly recommend it! It’s about the hardships the Mormon Pioneers went through while traveling to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. That movie makes me cry every time, especially now because I realize what it means that they gave there all to the Lord.

 My companion, Elder King, is driving me a little nuts half of the time. He is a great elder, nice, funny, smart, but he likes to control me and likes to be better than what the rules require and it’s sorta hectic. So I try my best to love him and not let that bug me. But he is pretty hilarious. 

It’s crazy being a District Leader.  A district leaders means that your in charge for not only physical but spiritual needs of about ten elders. It is extremely difficult due to the fact that every single elder in my district is completely different from each other. But I know that if I do my best then the Lord will do the rest and help he to accomplish my task. All the other elders in my Zone who got extremely close to are headed off this Monday to their missions in Russia and Ukraine. And when they leave there will only be me and my district of eight elders left, when we started off with 50 elders. 

I feel the Holy Ghost here constantly! And that's no shock to me because I’m surrounded my missionaries constantly praying and who dedicated two years of there life to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Russian is going slow due to the fact I can’t pronounce a darn thing! haha But I’m constantly trying and trying. However, I know the Lord will bless me with the Gift of Tongues which I continue to practice and pray for help. 

Well everyone, thanks for all the love and prayers. I really do need them haha. Well I have 7 weeks left here in Utah so I’m counting down the days till I’m headed to Ukraine. 

LOVE ELDER NATHAN VANBUSKIRK

Mom, that’s great you got to talk to Francisco. That made me happy. Thanks for the pictures. I'll have so much more for you next week and tell grandma so much for the cinnamon rolls and that I love her and for Sister Doria and Sister Whitlock for their letters.

hahahaha The diet is going horrible haha, but I restarted it and I’m doing good now. Haha.

Got to go. Tell me everything please! I’ll write you next week. Love ya

I’m soooooo happy! I really do love it here, and being a missionary is a dream come true! I’m finally my own hero! Well got to go. Love you soooooo much <3 Bye. Love you!

XOXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXXXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOXXXXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXO MISS YOU