Never Doubt!

Dear Family,

First off, thank you so much for the package, I definitely got all of my favorite candies, so it was great. Also thank you for the gift card thing haha I was able to take 4 of us missionaries to Olive Garden and we got the Endless soup, salad, and breadsticks, and yes I killed myself basically haha I am really full right now. I must admit however that the news of Brother __________ really hit me hard, that was hard to swallow. It makes me really sad. Out here in the field I run into people like that all the time who have turned away because of Anti or whatever it is and its sad to see, but this was much different. I really loved Brother ________, he was a great example to me and i looked up to him a lot. I prayed really hard after getting that news that he would someday come back around. Anti is a deadly drug and poison, it really is, it turns people who were once loving and kind into people that are angry and hateful. There is a recent convert here in this area that got addicted to heroin because he wanted to prove to one of his friends that it would be easy to give up after trying it. Well obviously that didn't work out very well and he became addicted to it. Anti can do the same thing, even to those with the strongest testimonies. Elder Holland said "Even in the last days the very elect will be deceived." It's interesting that one of the things that I have faced the most out here on my mission is anti, it has shaken me a couple of times, but I always turn back to the Basics, is the Book of Mormon True? Do I feel the spirit when I read it? and the answer is always yes? I cannot deny the spirit and the power that I have felt from that book, and not just that but all the many witnesses that I have received throughout my youth growing up and throughout my mission especially! God Lives! I know he does. He is our father. Jesus Christ truly is our Savior, the Plan of Salvation is real and this is Jesus Christ's church. It has to be true, nothing else makes sense and there seems to be no other way. No matter what is thrown at me I will stand stubborn in that fact that this is Jesus Christ's church and that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, I know it and I know that God knows it and I cannot deny it. I just want to say that if anyone reading this has any doubts or has looked at anything that they have questions about, I invite you to read the Book of Mormon and then Kneel down and ask God the Eternal Father in the name of Christ if the Book is true and then you will know by the Power of the Holy Ghost that it is true. If you feel that you have already gained a witness, then do it again, never stop asking always seek out the truth. We need to be in the scriptures every single day and be praying every single day.  Holding steadfastly to the Iron rod which is the word of God is what is going to keep us strong through these tumultuous times. This is what Nephi says about it.

"And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.

 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things."

Well enough of me preaching but this is something I feel really strongly about. Anyway I had a really good week and a really good birthday. The people here are so good to us and its been a great blessing. Nothing really spectacular happened this week. The baptismal dates that we have for this coming weekend have to be pushed back because they didn't come to church. Umm...I saw dolphins yesterday as we were at a members house eating dinner. They live right a long the river and we were out on the dock and there were dolphins swimming 10 feet in front of us, so that was really neat. We had the great opportunity of blessing an amazing families home yesterday and the spirit was really strong. It's a family of 6 and they are a stable loving family and so we are hoping to be working with them soon. But other than that there isn't a whole lot to talk about. I am just ready to go out there to bring souls to Christ. I love this Gospel, I love this Church and I am grateful to be a servant of the Lord. I love all of you and always stand for what is right and stay strong, have a great week!  Love, Elder Bushman