Having Too Much Fun Working in God's Work!

Well the thing that was awesome was yesterday we had 40 in church y we had 7 investigators. We had Monse, who will get baptized on the 23 of July y we had Maria del Carmen who will get baptized on 16 of July, if her husband can change his mind to marry her, so please pray for that, y less active Santiago brought a friend who went to church before y wants to get baptized on 23 of July. His name is Pedro y we had other kids there where we will visit them. Well Maria del Carmen is awesome. Yesterday she went to church by herself y brought 3 of her cousins. Well we taught her about the word of wisdom y the law of chastity y she understands it y she wants so bad to get baptized, but her husband doesn’t want to. Then we visited an investigator named Joslen, who is 9, with her aunt named Lupita y taught about lesson 1. They want to get baptized on the 30^th. We are so happy.  Well we are seeing a lot of miracles here after doing the Book of Mormon challenge. My president of the mission challenged us y also by doing the 21 lessons with members. We can see a big change here y we are so happy. Well yesterday we had a lot of less actives come so we are so happy. Not a lot to talk about this week just we are working y having too much fun working in gods work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all thanks for all the prayers y love. ADIOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder VanBuskirk or Alex

Hi mom, it is fine. So what are your big plans today? Love you.

Wow is dad sleeping still? How are you? Happy anniversary!

Thanks mom. I’m just working in the best work: the work of God.  Is there anything else you want to tell me?

Have a good day. Say hi to Dad y give him my love. Hey, I’m taking out 30 dollars because I have no money for food y everything is very expensive here in this town, okay?

I know because it is a mom love, that I don’t understand, but one day things will change, in God’s time.  Just be pacient. Love you y now go y get relaxed in your 24 year anniversay with dad. Have a good special day love you a ton Bye. love you. xoxo Give Dad my love too.

 Love Alex xoxox

We did service by taking out weeds y raking it up
in a area in my district called Zapata

 We needed to wear the shirts as a district
y they say zone of Chawitas.

My comp broke it with his head at a less active’s house
because he is so tall.

A Heart-shaped cloud.  God is pleased with their work, apparently.

Mad Banana Bread Baking Skills

Well Elder Canales left to Tapachula on Tuesday y I got elder Thomson as my new comp on Tuesday. I love him y he is great. He will go home in 6 weeks so he is working super hard.

Well yesterday we saw a lot of miracles in church. First, Santiago’s mom  brought 4 kids to church y Santiago y his mom is less active. Y Maria del Carmen came to church by her self. Y we had 38 people in church the biggest I’ve seen since I’ve been here.

 We taught investigator Raul with President Lopez about how to help them with there marriage problems y yesterday we taught him that he needs to pray y read the Book of Mormon to know if it true. That is what he was missing to get baptized. So please pray for him that he can pray y get his answer. Well we taught Maria the first lesson y she wants to get married but when she ask her husband he said no but she wants to y get baptized so we are fasting with her this week.

Well the president of our mission put a goal for us to read all the Book of Mormon before September 5. So I’m in first Nephi 16. Well he also wants us to do 21 lessons with a member present when we are teaching an investigator.

Well on Saturday we did an activity of banana bread. I taught the branch how to do it y it turned out great. There were like 15 people, the most that I ever saw in an activity. Yesterday I said a talk about baptism for the dead.

Well that was our week. Love you all y thanks for your love y prayers.

Love Elder VanBuskirk o Alex.

ADIOSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi mom. Im on. Love you.

What time is it there? 7  It is 12 here already. 

Hey so why did you break your foot?

How is it there? What are your plans today?

Why are they all stillsleeping?

Hey, Nate sent me a voice recording.

It is going great with my new comp. I feel like he is the leader but he is just doing it to help me be better.  He is direct with the people y at the same time has a lot of love for them.

That is what I’m doing too.

How cool  that the dads wore leis to church on Father’s Day!

Hey what is my souvenier? A t-shirt or something else.

Hey if you find a cool tie, buy me one okay? Love you.

Thanks mom. I’ve got to go soon. Is there anything you want to tell me?

No  mom.  I knew it was your birthday HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! LOVE YOU LIKE ALWAYS!

Love you. Hey, as a family can you fast with us on Saturday to Sunday for Maria’s husband to change y want to get married? Thanks

Adios

Well hi Mom. 

I didn’t forget it was your birthday. Well happy birthday. I’m glad you were born so you can be my mom. That is why you were born, to be a mom to a missionary y to have six boys. Because God knew you had a purpose here in life y that is why it is your special day. I’m a bit sad I wasn’t there to celebrate with you but I sure was thinking of you y praying for you. Mom, thanks for being my mom, my friend, y someone I can trust. Well love you. See you in almost 2 months. I sure do miss you but I love you a lot more now than I ever did before when I’m here, far away. Love you y happy birthday to the best mom in the world. Love your son Alex -your missionary son.

LOVE YOU FOREVER MOM XOXOXO

I Love Seeing Miracles Here in Tapana

Elder Hernandez. I was in divisions with him.

Well on Tuesday I stayed here with Elder Hernandez, an elder from my district, y my companion went to Zapata with Elder Vera. It was great. I really learned a lot from Elder Hernandez y he really is happy I’m his district leader. We saw a huge snake on the street y Elder Hernandez almost stepped on it.

 Yes, it is a snake, but it didn’t have a rattle

Well on Tuesday from 8 in the morning until 7 at night, the Relief Society was making mango applesauce y candy of mango. Well we got there at 7 y helped them stir the big pots to cool it down y then we took a lot home. It is so good.

Mango applesauce y mango candy. It was an acitvity of the rama because the mango season finished. It was a way to celebrate.

Well we taught Maria about the Plan of Happiness y the gospel of Chirst y she is so good she read the pamplets y prays. We are so happy for her progress. Guess what she went to church on Sunday, so now she just needs to go to church 4 more times y can get baptized on 17 of July.

Well we taught investigator Raul y his less active wife, y taught lesson 1. The problem with them they have problems as couple so we are trying to help them out. Well we as well the Relief Society of our branch, visited brother Abraham because he is the only member, so they taught his wife about family y then later on we taught about the day of rest, y guess what? She was there yesterday at church. I love seeing the miracles here in Tapana y the mission.

Well some sad news, Elder Canales is leaving to Tapachula tomorrow, his second area in the mission. My new comp will finish in this tranfer y his name is Elder Thomson from Utah. But I’m still leader of district y older companion. Because he will be finishing his mission this transfer, he will work really hard, so we can see a lot of good things here in Tapana.

Well on Saturday we went to the temple y our branch president went in for his first time y afterwards y says he feels like a new person. We are so happy for him. It will help the branch grow a lot. Well love you all thanks for all the love y prayers.

Love Alex or Elder VanBuskirk. ADIOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi mom. I’m on. Love you.

What? Why are you at the airport?  I thought you were leaving on Saturday? Why were you late? Next time eat more early!

How is the family? Tell them I said hi y I love all of them.

That is great the boys are happy to be done with school.

I bet they were having fun at their party.

Hey Elder Canales is leaving tomorrow to Tapachula.

My comp is named Elder Thomson. He is from Utah y he finishes his mission this tranfer. Elder Canales has been out 4 months y Elder Thompson 22 months.

Guess who is the senior comp? Yes, me. Y leader of district.

So I will have one more companion. Elder Canales is sad he is leaving it is his first time being transferred. I love Thompson. Yes he is a hard worker. It will help here a lot.

Thanks, I need to go. Have a good flight. Be safe. Give all my love y I’m sending the big letter now.

Don’t be late this time!

That’s is what I do, make you laugh.

Bye. Love you. Love you xoxoxo

A Powerful Missionary

Well this week was awesome. We were able to work very hard y I’m sure we will see the blessings of it. Well, an active member named Abraham is the only member in his family, so we went to visit his sister y her son named Luis Angel wants to change his life y he wants us to visit him today at six. Y we visited his brother who is less active. So we visited him y a family member who lives there with him name Maria of Carmen who is 16 y has a 1 year old son. Well she was about to go to church but she woke up with her son having the cold because it was raining, so we visited her in the afternoon y she was sick too, but we were able to teach her about the Plan of Happiness. Y we invited her to get baptized on 23 of July y she said yes! We are so happy for her.

Well, because we don’t have a lot of people top teach we were contacting a lot y some were very good were they wanted us to visit. Well we got 11 new people this last week but 2  of them said we can’t go again because they are strong Catholics.  

‪with Elder Garcia, my first companion, again

So on Wednesday I went to a part of the elders area in Zanate y I did exchanges with Elder Garcia, my first companion. He leaves in 6 weeks. It was awesome. He said I was a powerful missionary y he said I changed a lot from the beginning of the mission.

So that was my week. Love you all y thanks for everything y thanks for the prayers. Well ADIOSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love Alex or Elder VanBuskirk

Hi mom, how are you? Are you ready for Hawaii?

That is great you are a great missionary helping people. It will all get done in a week.

How is dad? so how are the boys?

You need to more strict with them, haha. But they are boys.

 Hey so how are the problems with dad’s work?

Hey, so what areas do you want to visit first or what order?

Is there anything you want to know? Hey, what are my flight plans?

‪Okay. Hey I don’t have a lot of time. Sorry but love you y thanks for everything. Have a fun time in Hawaii y give all my love y wish Derek y Dylan y Dad y you a happy birthday.

Thanks mom. You too. Thanks for everything. You are the best!

Bye. Love you xoxox‬

Love your son,

Alex

xoxoxo

the fruit of tamarindo, the fruit that is in the candy Lucas

‪yes, it is rainy season