March 14, 2011

Dear Family,  So this last week has been pretty Crazy, I've learned so much about myself and How I can become a better missionary and have been put in a lot of situations where I didn't have my companions. So first of all Monday went really good I really can't remember too much about it because I still had Elder Pelo and Elder Wadsworth with me. But on Tuesday Elder Pelo and Elder Wadsworth had to go to a training meeting in Jacksonville so I was left behind to be with some other elders. We tracted a lot, which was good for me because it helped me out a ton on how to do door approaches. But we tracted into this preacher and we introduced ourselves as Elder so and so and he said yeah and I'm elder so and so too. So we already knew this one was going to be bad. He asked us where our bible was, and we said back in the car, and he told us that all we need to know comes out of the bible. It went on and he told us that technically he wasn't even supposed to wish us God Speed because he said we were preaching a different gospel which is ridiculous. He told us how we were confused and then he told us that Joseph Smith was in Hell, I totally laughed out loud ha-ha it was great. We left, but I so badly just wanted to rebuke him and tell him he was wrong, cause I did just try bearing my testimony and leave but he interrupted me which kind of pissed me off, but oh well. People here are just so stubborn, Everybody has a church they go to and they all believe in Christ for the most part, and they are Southern which adds on to the pridefulness ha-ha But that night I got to teach our way awesome family, the H's, and I taught them the plan of salvation and they absolutely loved it! The spirit was so strong and they are understanding everything its awesome. I’ll talk more about them in a little bit. Oh but I need to tell ya'll about the nats, they are terrible! They just seem to hover toward you with there tiny bites of death, I hate them! Do you remember how in the other side of heaven how he freaked out over the bugs, yeah that’s what I feel like doing sometimes ha ha but anyway I just thought I’d share that.

On Wednesday I got to go to Waycross, Georgia on a trade off and I was companions with Elder Neville who I actually went to Junior high with ha ha its a small world. It was way fun and we got to do service for this old couple. It felt so good to get out and do some yard work. We were moving some wood though and there were these huge nasty black spiders, I'm not going to lie I freaked out once because I thought there was one on me ha ha But they fed us after and it was great. We then got fed again that night, it was the first time that I’ve been fed so I was stuffed.

On Thursday I was reunited with my companions at zone conference. I learned so much at zone conference. We were asked to read our patriarchal blessings and write down everything it tells us we need to do or that we are going to be. It hit me so hard that God expects much of me and I realized that I can't be my regular self, the one that just kind of follows along. I need to be a leader.  I can't let laziness get a hold of me anymore, there is no room for that. There is no room for mediocracy when it comes to missionary work, we have been called of God through a modern prophet to serve his people. It is a sacred calling and it’s not something to take for granted. I need to put my whole heart, might, mind, and strength to the Lord. But I also learned I need to be patient.  all I’ve wanted  since I’ve gotten here is to know everything right now and it gets me thinking that I wish I had been out here longer so I know as much as like Elder Pelo or Elder Wadsworth, but that’s not the point. I need to live in the moment and take every opportunity I can to learn and grow, I can't fast-forward things, that’s not how God works. So at length I just knelt down and prayed to my Heavenly Father and said basically that I give up, I give myself to thee, I’ll do whatever needs to be done, I won’t try to rush, and I'll be patient, but I do need help with it. So that really helped a lot, The work has become so much more enjoyable and rewarding, not that it was bad before, but now it just seems so much better. I have so much more thoughts about this but I don’t have a lot of time so I won’t be able to write them down so sorry but I guess the huge thing that I've learned so far is that God loves me and he expects much, but he also expects me to be patient and long suffering and humble, then will I be blessed to know the things that I need to know. Me and Elder Pelo are a lot alike.   In fact, he told me he had all the same thoughts when he first got here too and so we had a really good talk about these things and it helped out a lot.

So anyway skipping to Saturday. Saturday we had an awesome lesson with the H. family, we watched the restoration video and it was so great. They loved it and were just so happy to know that God once again has called a Prophet. The mother's name is Sunshine and she's from Australia, she hadn't seen or heard us talk about Joseph Smith yet, but she had been in Illinois when the Nauvoo temple was built and had, had a friend who took her to Carthage jail so she knew quite a bit. But afterwords she just kept saying thank God, Thank God, that I have been led to the right church. She has leukemia so she is knows God has a purpose for her to still be alive, she said she should have died like 30 years ago but God has kept her alive. She had to work on Sunday but the daughter, Brandy, got to come and she felt so welcome, everyone came and talked to her and welcomed her it was great. And her kids have already made friends at church when they came to bible study on Wednesday. So they are so solid and will all be getting baptized on April 3rd, Can't wait!

Anyway that’s all that’s been going on here in Georgia.  Hunter, That’s awesome that you hit well and got to pitch! Keep working hard and just love it, if you love it that means you're having fun so always make sure you're having fun or you won’t love it. That’s something I kind of regret is I don’t think I tried to have as much fun as I should have I was too hard on myself, which isn't a bad thing, but don’t let it control you. Set goals for yourself on what you want to accomplish then write down how you will accomplish them, out here it’s all about setting goals and doing everything you can to achieve them. So I promise you that as you set goals and you set out to achieve them, the lord will bless you in your effort to become a better player. It’s crazy because even God had goals and plans, his goal was to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, and of course his plan is the Plan of Salvation. Captain Moroni set about goals for maintaining the liberty of his people and he put up defenses for all the cities, and the Lord blessed him. So always strive to set goals and make plans, you'll be the even more prepared for life and God will Bless you. Anyway I hope all is going well back at home, I'm loving the mission and working hard everyday. Hope y'all have a great day!  Love, Elder Bushman