Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

Well, on Monday we did a family home evening with a member y her sister who is less active. We watched a video about the temple. They both loved it y they want to go to the temple.

Yesterday in church we had two investigators. They are family of a active member. They have 9 year old girl y 11 year old boy. The problem is that their parents let them go to church with their uncle, but cant get baptized. But we are planning on visiting them this week.

We have a great investigator named Visadora but she cant go to church until the mango season ends, because here in Tapana from March til July everybody works for the mangos y after that they say the town will just die y everybody will be home y not work hard until next year. Well she wants to change y go to church y feels good when we teach, but she said sorry, I cant now because it is mango season. Well we taught her about the word of wisdom y she said I didn’t know coffee was bad. She said she will try her best not to drink more. So please pray for her y her family.

 Well on Tuesday I had my district meeting y I was thinking very hard on what I can teach. So I had this great idea to teach the story of the 10 virgins, but do the 10 elders. We read the story y I talked about what we can do to fill our oil to be ready for the people who will be ready by God. When I finished everybody loved it y asked where I heard it before y I said no, I came up with it. So that is cool. I love being a district leader.

Well, we are working hard even if we don’t have anybody to teach y our numbers are very low. We gave Angel another chance last week so we taught him a game I got from my Easter package y loved it. But he didn’t go to church yesterday, so we are dropping him this week. After that we have no one to teach. But we are not giving up. We are going to work like the song “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel.”

Love you all y thanks for the prayers y love.

Love alex or elder vanbuskirk

ADIOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi mom. Love you.

Hey, I talked to my president of the mission y he said after I go to the airport to get you guys, I can just stay there at the hotel with you guys if you want y then on Wednesday after the temple, we can go y explore my areas. How about that? Okay, because president said Dad can be my comp if you want.

How was your hike? Sounds great. There is no school today? when does school start again?

Hawwaii again? Wow two years in a row. No wait, that was two years ago.

so how are you? I hope you are not getting sick. That is not good.

I’m good but the internet is not so good here, but I’m fine. I don’t have a lot of time left.

I’m sorry you feel sick. How is dad y the boys? How many weeks after you sent the Easter package did you send the other one? o Hey, did Dad like his shirt?  Hey can you send the pic of Luke with the shirt again?

 I took it in the river of Tapana.

Remember the flour game we did in the Lomas?

Well I’ve got to go. Love you so! Have a great week. I sure will. Give everyone my love too. Thanks mom. Love you xoxox

See you soon! Love you!

Gross and Bloody

Well, this week we are still working hard after not having investigators in church y progressing y our numbers are low. But we are not giving up hope. We are working our hardest y God knows that. While I write this there was about a 4 point earthquake, but we are all good. There are a lot here.

Well the good news is the rainy season is here. It rains a little during the day y it pours with lightning y very loud, house-shaking thunder sometimes. But the rain brings heat, not cold, so we are still pretty hot here.

Well we had a conference on Tuesday with President George where we talked about dropping investigators who are not going to church, so we can find new people to teach. Well, we visited investigator Adella.  She is very good and reads the Book of Mormon y prays, but won’t go to church. So my companion shared a scripture about enduring to the end y then I opened my mouth y the spirit filled it with words to say to drop her in a loving, kind way, y afterwards she said that is true y thanks for all the visits. By the end of the lesson we were all about to cry. The spirit was so strong. I love those types of missionary lessons. Now we are going to work hard y do a fast to find new people.

Well, I went with the leaders on splits y the leader with Canales made a date with Angel to get baptized y he said he will ask his mom for permission. But we went to his house before church y he never asked his mom y he says he is busy so we are dropping him y looking for more.  Well, Angel’s brother Antonio is very good. He reads the pamphlets we give to him y he feels good when we teach him, but his problem is that he works on Sunday, so please pray for him.

We are working with the leaders of the branch to visit less actives y our investigators this week. That will help a lot. 

Well, on Saturday we went to Zapata where we planned to put up a fence but when we got there they were in the middle of killing a cow so we helped y then after we ate the meat. It was so good.

Well that is our week working hard with the less actives y finding new people to teach. Thanks for all your prayers y love.

Love Alex o Elder VanBuskirk

ADIOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi mom.  I’m on.

Hey, can you send Dylan’s video again? I don’t have the link.

Okay, so did you look into my packages?

Wow, you will be here in Tuxtla on Sept. 5 at the hotel y I will be in the office, but very close.  You might be able to see me on Monday night before you go to the hotel because I can get permission to leave my area on Monday y be there at night to see you. I will get permission from the president because he loves me y maybe we can go out to eat. Yes it does pay to have the president love me.

So how is the family?  The posters look great. Hey so matthew is coming home tomorrow. His homecoming is Sunday.

My spanish is greengo Spanish, ha ha.

‪Tell Shabelly i say hi y welcome home. What restaurant are you at?‬ How is Shabelly doing?  How are you doing? Say hi to grandma y give her my love. Hey wait to look at my pics until after you eat because they are gross y bloody this week. We slaughtered a cow. Yes, we ate it. Carne asada. Que rico.

So what are you eating now?

‬

Have a good week. Love you. Okay thanks Mom, I will give everybody my love y prayers. Have a good week. Love you so!

Catching a ride in the back of a truck.
His dad did that ALL the time hitchhiking as a missionary in Mexico!
That is how they used to get everywhere.

El Templo

Well this week was awesome because I was able to finish my Skype with my family on Tuesday when they celebrate Mother’s day here in Mexico. It was my last Skype before I go home in 4 months. It was great to talk to them y see them. It made me feel love y peace that all is good with them when I’m so far away.

Well yesterday the president of the district came y he showed the branch the numbers of members who were there the years before y it was high, but now it is very low. So his plan is to work on the members doing family history y going to the templo more y they want our help. The branch is going to the templo on 11 of June y our goal is for every member who goes to bring a nombre. So we think the president is helping the members to take the next step.

Well, we had no investigators in church again we have been teaching them with members but they still won’t go the church we are going to work very hard with the members y get their trust to help us. 

Temple or bust!

On Saturday we left for the templo at 3am y got here before 7. I got my own 16 names for the templo. I baptized y confirmed 5 of them y I did 3 sealings y 5 sealings of kids to parents, so that was fun to do it for my own family. I felt so good afterwards.

We are trying to work hard for our investigators to go to church so please pray for that. Love you. Love all of you.

ADIOSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Hi mom.

Te amo también mama. Como esta usted hoy?

Muy bien. Esta muy bien porque martes yo veo usteds

Oh gracias como fue con dylan el gano?

Okay so he didn’t win but he tried his hardest.

So how is the family?

So are you ready for Saturday’s Corn Bust?  I won’t be at the corn bust so, save me some corn.

Wow, that is awesome that Franky called. I’m happy you talked to Franky y he is opening up to you. I bet you were so happy.

How is dad y the work? So what is new?

Y I’m glad Nate is doing better about loving his comp

Yes I’m glad all is good. Love you so.

I went to the temple. We left at 3 in the morning y then went there at 6.30 y then I did baptisms y a session y 7 sealing of names I found. It was fun.

It is 3 hours or away. You need to go when you come here. It is great. When you come to Mexico you can do it without the headphones. You should. It will be great. Just kidding. You can use the headphones in English.

I’ve got to go. Bye. Love you. Give all my love y prayers. Love you. Adios.

bye xoxo 

Getting creative with his camera

More creative editing

Working hard serving someone

Another cool underwater shot.

I don't know what he included this picture,
but I'm sure there was a story behind it! Yikes!

New Comp, New Area, New State and a Whole lot of Mangos!

Well this was my first week in Tapana, in the state of Oaxaca. It is hot, but dry hot like at home. I don’t sweat a lot like in cd. Hidalgo, but I do have this big thirst for water, always. I love it here. It is like at my house - a desert y hot y it dosen’t rain a lot. 

Well, my comp is named Elder Canales. He is from Durango. We both love each other so much. We have no problems y because he is new in the mission I’m helping know more about the mission, like contacting y teaching people. It is great. 

Well our house here is huge.  We just use the first floor to sleep y study. I use the upstairs bathroom. Well, we wash our clothes in the backyard by hand y let me tell you, it is a lot of work! I’m happy I can use a washer y dryer in 4 months.

Well the church is a house of prayer, only 20 to 30 go each week. I did the 2 prayers of the sacrament y taught the classes. There where only two teenagers yesterday. Well, our branch president is named Lopez y he is great. He is really helping us out a lot y I like him.  

Everybody else there are working harvesting mangos because right now is the time for them. So it is hard to visit people because they are always working. But wow, there is so many types of mangos here, like banana y pineapple y a lot more y they are all good. There is only one big store here y that is it. I’m glad I’m finishing here to be ready when I go home in 4 months.

 I was so happy to talk to my mom for a little bit yesterday. Mom love you so y Happy Mother’s Day. You are the best. Well, please pray for us. ADIOSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Alex or Elder VanBuskirk

Hi Mom. I’m on. Hey the town is called Tapanateepc, Oaxaca

They just say Tapana.

I love you, yes I’ll call tomorrow. So how are you?  Don’t be sad about Franky. You did talk to me.  Love you. So you got all my things in the package, but I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Thanks. I just love you guys y I wanted to send a surprise package.

Hey do you have the pic of Timothy’s wife?

 Wow how cool that Grandma and Grandpa are on vacation. When does grandma get back?

Okay so what is new?

We live in the outskirts.  That is why I’m happy I’m finishing here. Because it is like home.

My comp is awesome we work so good together y he always says thanks for the things that I teach him. We have no problems. All is fine.

Tell Nathan he should just love his comp y look for little service he can do for him.

So I don’t have a lot of time. Is there anything else you want to know? Well, I will pray for Dylan to do good this week. Okay. Love you. Say hi to the boys y give them my love y prayers. xoxox I will talk to you tomorrow at 6 your time okay?

Love you, bye xoxox

Moving on!

Elder Lainez gave me the tie y he bought it up there
in the mountains where the natives live.

Picked up by my new comp

Made it to my new home!

My new area - dry heat and unpaved roads

The balloons was a branch activity of a sister who is leaving
today on her mission to Mexico City.

Ready to Skype!