Alex: What a Trial of Our Faith this Week!!!!!!!

Well first we were planning to have the baptism for our investigator, Karina, on Tuesday, but her x-husband who was so drunk came to the branch president y told him a lot of lies about Karina y he knows what hour she will get baptized y her new phone number y her new address y he wants to do something bad to her. So for safety reasons we changed it for Saturday. Y we only told a handful of people. Well she almost lost her job y her house where a person lets her stay for free because she has 2 kids, but that night we said a prayer with her, blessing her not to lose her work y house. Y guess what? With our faith she didn’t loose it. We were so happy! so on Saturday she got baptized y on Sunday got confirmed. So now she is very happy to have gotten baptized.

Then we visited Manuel y Rosa to see how they are doing in trying to get married. Rosa was very sad because when she was going to Tapachula she fell asleep y left her papers in the van y now she needs to pay whole bunch to get new ones. Y then yesterday we saw Rosa y her kids at church y we asked where is Manuel y they look at us y shook there heads y said he never came home last night because he was drunk again. They were so confused. He wants to get married y baptized, but every 2 to 3 weeks he drinks again. We were so, so sad to hear that.

Well we taught Sister Martha’s son named Carlons on the plan of happiness y he is soo good y smart. We gave him a Book of Mormon y he wants to study all he can about Jose Smith.

Well today is transfers y my comp is leaving. My new comp is named Elder Linez, y for my first time I am a district leader y the senior companion. I’m ready to work hard. Love you all y thanks for all the prayers.

 Love Elder VanBuskirk.

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

Hi mom.  Well, I told you I had big news and my big news was that we had a baptism! That was it. hahaha.  Love you. How was your week? Did you my something for my comp at Disneyland?

Just kidding.

THE BIG NEWS IS:

The news is Elder Luis is leaving tomorrow y I will be the leader of the district y the senior companion for my first time in my mission!

‪I don’t think I will get my package by Easter because they give us our packages when the zone leaders go to Tuxtla the first Tuesday of the month, but thanks for checking on my package. You are the best. When you get it, please just send the 2 Spanish ones y one red one. The other red one you can just leave there until I get home y don’t let the boys use it. Thanks. You are the best. Love you‬.

Well the parade is just kids are on cars or semis y they go through the town throwing candy.They do it 3 times a week.

I just wanted to wear Minnie ears.

The truck was at a member’s work. He is a mechanic.

The soda is from El Salvador flavor grape.

They were just weird pics this week, haha.

So how is dad y the family? How long does it take to send Nate a package?

Im sorry you can’t chat with him anymore. Every mission is different. You can only pray.  Sounds like everybody is doing great. Love you so.

This is my 5th area. But 2 were in the same city. With this transfer, I have four left, so I think I will be here for 2 more tranfers y then my last area for my last two. That is what I think.

But will you coming here interfere with the exchange student coming?

Well I can visit my two areas in Tuxtla the same day. My area right now from Tuxtla is about 7 hours away y Comitan 4 a 5 hours but a member there wants to take us to waterfalls y things there. I heard Palenque is awesome! A member will take us from Tuxtla a San Cristobal y then we will take a bus to Comitan from there. That will be fun. I can’t wait!

I don’t know anything about my comp. He has more time in the mission than me, but is more lazy so that is why I am senior companion. I will get him tomorrow y I’m over 2 elders y my companion.

Elder Luis leaves in November. I will give him all your love y he says he loves you. I will be able to give it to him. Don’t worry. Elder LuisJuan says hi y gives you his love. Bye. Love you.

Thanks. I got to go. Is there anything you want to tell me? 

Where can I read about his resurrection? Thanks Mom. I will do that. Have a wonderful Easter. Give everybody my love y wish them Happy Easter. Thanks Mom. You are the best. Love you.

Have a good week. Give all my love. Adiossss

‪love you bye‬

kisss xoxo

‬

In the Hot Heat of Mexico

Well, on Tuesday we walked an hour walking in the hot heat of Mexico. 

It is like walking in a oven, but we go there y visit some less actives because the church is too far for them y it is a lot of money for them. But we visit with 3 families y we sang y we talked. Then we taught an investigator named Karuna who will get baptized tomorrow. 

Her kids are members, she wanted to get baptized but was having a lot of problems with her husband but he finally left her y she is ready to take the step y get baptized. We are so happy for her.

But on the way back we heard of a path that goes right buy the train track that is a lot prettier y a lot faster. 


On the way we saw a train car left there back when there was the hurricane about 5 years ago. So being elders we went y took pics on it y on top of it. It was awesome.

Well we visited investigator Rosa y she said she will go to Guatamala to get her birth certificate y her husband Manuel stopped drinking y is working hard to get married.  Then they can  get baptized we are so happy for them. 

Well, on Friday I got sent to the doctor because I had bronchitis.  I was there for 3 days but I’m a lot better. I wasn’t there yesterday at church but my comp said we had 5 investigators. Y we have a lot of appointments with them. Well that was my week. Love you all y thanks for everything. ADIOSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder VanBuskirk

Hi mom. I’m looking at the pics. In the pic with Luke at Disney Dad looks so different, like he has a lot of stress. Yes, a lot of things happened this week.

I got sick for 3 days with bronchitis. I’m fine now. I took out 50 dollars for the medicine, but the church will give me the money back. So tell dad okay? At night I couldn’t go to sleep for a week. So on Friday I stayed in Tapachla y I stayed with the zone leader who is my old comp Elder Laural. 

I feel a lot better. It was weird for a week. I was coughing my head off y eating very little also, but the doctor gave me medicine.  Now I’m eating more y I can go to sleep. I feel a lot better.

My comp broke his bed because the doctor told me to tell him not to eat junk food because he was overweight, but I told him no y he bought some y then he sat down y his bed broke.

The train was used to hold bleach but there was a hurricane about 5 years ago, so they left it there.

Hey did Luke like his birthday video we sent him?

How is everybody?

I dont know when we change to daylight savings.  What time is it now there? It is 2 here.

Well about 3 to 4 times a week I have diarrhea, but it is part of the mission life. Love you.

Her named is Karina y she will get baptized tomorrow.  Her son is Antonio y her daughter is Andrea. The kids are members.

Hey I heard grandpa is doing a lot better with his knees.

Looks like you guys were getting packages ready for us right?

How are you? hey what happened about my package from the church?

Okay thanks. It is good that all is good there.

I don’t know what happened at church. I was not there, but the the guy over seminary came y got mad at the president because he was not doing seminary.  We had 5 investigators in church yesterday.

Hey, Mom, remember dad said he can help me pay for some of the money to get investigators married? Well I sent an email to dad y he didn’t say anything back. I know he has a lot of stress y things on his plate. To get married is 100 dollars, but they are asking if I can help with only 50. They are really working hard on it. So what do you think? No, it isn’t against the rules. You just can’t pay for all of it because they need to show that they want to get married. It is about their faith. They keep saying thank you for helping to pay. Manuel works out in the field everyday but we need the money as soon as possible. Thanks Mom for everything.  They are just so happy. They are great people‬.

‪That is a great idea to send it to Franky‬. Yes that is how you can be a missionary. Thanks mom, but you are the second best example of love. Christ first y then you. I really love you.

Please talk to dad about the money y send it as soon as you can.  I know God will give you a lot of blessings for what you are doing. Is there any thing else you want to tell me before I leave?

Hey can you send a text to Sister Ljunkle y say thanks for the Christmas card. Thanks.

I’ve got to go. Talk to dad about the money y look into my package. Say hi to everyone y give them my love y prayers. Thank you mom for everything. You are the best. Love you xoxoxo Thanks mom. The same to you. Love you. xoxo

‪Bye‬

Fixed it! 

Mangos!!!

Sunset

At the top of the heaven panel, from where a character with a headdress of bird wings on the head can be seen.  At the bottom there is a tree with fruit on a deity, which shows his head, right hand, arm, and left hand  on the sides you can see two characters "waiting" or "receiving"the defending deity.

 At the bottom is a ground panel on a water panel, the heaven panel atop two stylized jaws stylized masks of dieties limiting the scene on the sides.  A tree bearing fruit in center, dividing the image: the right side down, three people sitting, the middle one is an important character richly attired and above them, two anthropomorphic figures walking.  On the left side down, three people sitting and above them, standing three characters and two fish.

Doing Dishes

A Lot of Stress!

Well yesterday we had 8 investigators in church. We had sister Rosa y her to be husband Manuel y we had an active member bring her older son who is not a member y we had investigator Martha y her husband who we never meet before because he is in the army y then sister Norma who can’t get baptized because her papers are in Houndras y my girlfriend as everybody knows her here, the one who just goes to church because I’m white, Sister Dominga. Y we had a less active bring her stepbrother who named is Marlon. With almost all of them we have another appointment to visit them this week.

Well a lot of them told us they didn’t feel good yesterday in church y the members did also, because the president here got mad at me y then there were kids playing around y there was no reverence. Well, a lot of members don’t want to talk to the president or his wife until he gets released as president. We have about 25 teenagers here in the rama (ward) y only 4 go to church because they don’t have trust in the president y we are trying to do all we can to help, but we cant do it alone. There is no help here at all. Only some members want to help us but even then they get discouraged. We are planning an awesome activity for the rama with no money. Again he won’t give us or the Relief Society money for the activity, only for his wife’s actvities because she is in charge of the girls. It is just a big mess here but we are pressing forward with faith.

Well there was an activity last week where a sister brought 3 new investigators for us but they could not go yesterday. We taught Martha about faith because she has problems y it has been hard to teach her because she is far away y she is busy being a mom. Y we taught Rosa y Manuel about fasting y about the steps to get married here. It was awesome. They all together did a fast yesterday for the marriage y it was there fist time doing it y we did it also. But wow, it was an awesome fast. Y after the lesson my comp told me wow Elder Van, great job. I’m so happy I’m your comp. I learned a lot from you. That was awesome.

Well that was our week working hard y walking a lot in the sun for the work of God. Love you all y thanks for everything.

Love Elder VanBuskirk

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

Hola Mom. Wow, its raining? I want to be there. It is hot here.

I’m very stressed, but good. Y you? But it is part of the mission.

I’m good it is just hard here but all is good.

The president got mad because a kid who got baptized a few months ago asked if he can bare his testimony on what he read yesterday in the Book of Mormon y I said yes. But because he never did before he got up there y turned to me y said “How do I start?” He said a beautiful testimony, but I was sitting behind him with 3 other kids who wanted to share too,  but the president said the rule of the church is only kids above 12 can bare their testimony y I want to talk to you y your comp afterwards. So the kids felt sad y they went back down.

Hey I bought some things yesterday at the church website y I have a questions. Does it go to the shipping address or the billing address?

Okay that is a problem because I sent it to our other house, sorry. Two hymnals in Spanish y two in English for me y my comp. What should I do?

Hey after I finish my big letter can you send it in a text to grandma Van? Thanks. How is dad at work y the boys?

I saw the new church video the one that comes out next week for Easter.

 Love you mom y thanks for everything you do for me. Have a good week y give all my love.

Thanks I got to go we have things to do y get done but love you tonight from a member i will download a video for luke i dont have time thanks love you

thanks mom bye love you. You are the best. Tell Luke happy b day! xoxox y look on what you can do about the package bye love you.

Thanks. Give all my love y wish luke a happy birthday

Thanks mom.Bye love you adiossss xoxoxo Give everybody my love.

Hi mom the video is downloading in dropbox in he folder named  ´´happy B-day Luke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¨¨. Thanks mom love you say happy birthday to Luke y give everybody my love y prayers thanks mom. Love you so! xoxoxo

p.s. have fun in Disneyland tomorrow. ha ha

Y my comp sends a lot of love to all of you y says hi.

Love Alex

a school where there is a locked front gate but not fence around it, haha

the sunrise

Alex: Happy to be an Answer to Prayers

Well, what a week! On Friday we were at a member’s house y we were eating chicken, like always. Y then she told us to come in the backyard, so we went back there y she had two girl iguanas y she cut them open y cleaned them out.  

Between them there were 50 eggs. She asked if I wanted to eat some. I said yes, so she boiled them for me, y she gave me salt y lemon. I pinched it open y squeezed it in my mouth. It was good. I ate 3 of them.

 Well on Saturday we have a place were some members y investigators live but can’t go to church because it is too far away. We never went there before. So a member let us use her bikes y we went riding as elders on bikes. We had a great time. I miss riding my bike, ha ha. Well while we were there we visited a less active named Oliva y she said, “My prayers were answered. Someone finally came to visit me.” She can’t walk. She has a tumor on her leg. That made us so happy to visit her y be an answer to her prayers.

Well we taught Rosa and to see if she is ready to get baptized, y yes, she is. It is only that she y Manuel are not married because it is a lot of money, but we are helping them as hard as we can. We taught investigator Martha on plan of happiness y she is still waiting for her answer. We had Rosa, Manuel y Martha there at church yesterday y we had investigator Norma there. She can’t get baptized because she is having problems with her paperwork living here in Mexio because she is from Honduras. So they were all in church yesterday.

Well the stake president came to do a visit with us y the branch y he was pretty upset with our branch president. But we got a phone call saying they decided to not close the area, but have a new presidente instead, because the branch is not growing y the prsidente here is worrying more about his work y about how he can earn more money to pay off his debts.

Well on Saturday we and some members went with some teenagers to go to their house to bring them to church to watch a movie y eat popcorn.  I made no-bake cookies for them y we had horchata. But with no money to pay for it because the president said there is no money, so we did with our personal money y a member that has a lot of debts helped out with the money for the water. There were 25 teenagers there y it was a great activity y everyone enjoyed it, even though we had no help or money from the branch president or from his wife, the RS sister president. But it was great.

 That was my week. Love you all y thanks for the prayers y love. Love you all ADIOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi mom.  I’m on. Love you.

On 17 of march I will be out 18 months. I still have 18 days.  But I come home in 6 months. Did you send my card? Thanks mom.

How are you? How is everything going with the foreign exchange student? Y Dad y the family? how are they? That is good to hear all the boys are busy but how are you feeling with everything? President Morris emailed me y asked how I’m doing.

Watch the video. I’m eating iguana eggs! No, they are not raw. The member boiled them in salt water y then I ate them with sal y lemon. It was good. They taste good. Their eggs y turtle eggs are against the law, but people eat them anyway. There were 2 iguanas. One with 20 eggs y the other 30 eggs.

My companion put me down in the rocking chair. haha

Guess what?? they are not going to close the area but they are going to release the branch president. We are so happy!

No, those aren’t our bikes. A member let us use her bikes to visit members y people far away. It was so much fun. I know, we look like real missionaries. Haha. It was a rule not to but we got permission. Hey plan a trip where we can go riding together when I get back. That should be fun. A big ride in the fall sounds great!

What are they working on at the house with the tractors?

What are you planning to do with the space? When are you getting the grass y the fire ring? Little by little, like I always say on my mission. Haha. I know. I can’t wait to see the house.

You can have a special time with Luke when the boys are a General Conference. Mom, I only have 6 months left.  I don’t need anything. I’m fine y happy to be a missionary. A little more money wont be bad. But I’m fine. Love you. Is Luke’s birthday this week?  I’m fine, but my comp wants something small from Disneyland so if you take Luke there for his birthday can you find something? Thanks. I will write Luke a letter next, okay? ‪

Well one thing we drink here everyday is water of every fruit or vegetable you can think of. You first pick a fruit or vegetable y cut it up y fill the blender with it. Then add water y a little sugar y blend it.  That is what we have everyday here. But all we eat here is chicken.

I got to go. Bye love. Say hi to all y you are all in my prayers. Love you. Have a good week. Love all of you! xoxoxo‬

‬

Thanks Mom. You are the best.  I want you to know that. Tell Dad to check his email.  I sent him one. Love you. Say hi to all!

Y have faith in all you do! Love you, bye.

 Love, Alex xoxoxo