New area, new companion, new transportation.... Life is Good!

Dear Family,

I don't have a lot of time today because I'm at a library.  So I'll try to make it as good and as detailed as my other ones, but it will be a little harder.  So anyway, so much stuff is going on back home that is so crazy. Everyone is getting married! I guess President Monson's talk really had an effect on people. hahaha  And dad way to go going down Eagles Nest that is sweet, and you almost died which makes it even cooler! Man that is so crazy how much snow ya'll are getting. Out here its 80 to 90 degrees everyday. And mom you never answered some of my questions I had in last week's email, but I'll let you go back and look and answer.

So this week has been really crazy, I got transferred to Jacksonville. I am in a place called Atlantic in the Jacksonville East zone. My companion is Elder Z, he has been out for 22 months so I'll be finishing him off. He has had kind of a rough mission from what it sounds like, he told me that I had more baptisms my last transfer then he has had in a whole year.  So when I first met him he was kind of down. He is such a good missionary though, he is just really smart. But when I came here, we had no progressing investigators and only like two all together. So we have a lot of work to do. So I've been really fired up and excited because I just want this last transfer of his to be the best one he has ever had. We actually ran into a sweet guy on the first day I was here. We were riding out bikes and he was riding his and we kind of like pulled him over and started talking to him. We did our little spiel and he wanted us to come back, so sweet!!! I was pumped! So we went over to his house Wednesday night and the first question he asked us was, "How do I know when I'm saved or how is it possible?" We about wet our pants, this question was perfect! So we had a really sweet discussion with him about Jesus Christ and his atonement and how we can be forgiven for all our sins. It was such a sweet experience. So things are going well with him and he was way excited to come to church this Sunday, but he didn't show up. We had someone go pick him up and he wasn't there. So we have been praying for him and hopefully we can contact him today.

This is a picture of Elder Z. (middle Elder) and Elder R. (who came out with Garrett) - in front of Garrett's new apartment.

You know every time I go to church I love it more and more! For one thing the ward here is awesome, they feed us so much! I'm glad I'm on bike because if I wasn't, I would definitely be getting fat.  I still am a little bit, but I'm working hard to keep it off.  I'm back up to 200 pounds. Ha ha Anyway, so as I was saying church was amazing this week. Elder Z. and I went a little early and we just sat in the chapel for a little bit. It was so quite and peaceful and you know you could just tell it was a place that the spirit could dwell. I also got to pass the sacrament this week, the first time in a long time. I forgot how amazing it was. It just felt so good to be holding something and to be giving out the thing that helps us remember our Savior. I got a whole new perspective on it this week and its importance. So Hunter don't ever take for granted passing the sacrament.

We also had an awesome lesson in Elder's Quorum about charity. We were asked to teach part of it, and we were given the topic on how charity can help us have love towards others even though people have so many faults. This thought totally brought me back to thinking about Jesus Christ. The ultimate form of charity that he did was that he gave his life for everyone. The Atonement is the greatest act of charity. In John 15:13 it says something like "no man hath greater love than this than that he give his life for a friend." And you know, it got me thinking if we understand what Jesus Christ did for us and truly understand his atonement, then we will have that love for our fellow man. We are all sons and daughters of God and if we understand that, then we will love him and we will love Christ and what he did for us.  And if we understand what Christ did for us and we love him, then we will love everyone else because he also did that same thing for everyone else. It's kind of confusing but it made so much sense to me. But yeah that's what I learned in church this week.

Well family, I'm still working hard, harder than I ever have actually. I am so exhausted every day but I love it so much! I love you all so much and I am so grateful for all your prayers. I know they strengthen me every day. I hope you all have a wonderful week.  Love,  Elder Bushman