And then there was smoke......

Dear Family,                                                              

So yes mom there have been fires going out here like crazy! I guess Jacksonville is surrounded by them and the last couple weeks the smoke has been terrible. We have been riding our bikes and there will be ash falling from the sky, but this weekend hasn't been too bad we've been having a lot of rain so the Lord has been watching out from us. But its funny because every time we go over to the M___'s when we are on our bikes, Sister M____ asks me how many packs of cigarettes I've smoked that day because of the smoke and I always say like two haha But yeah On Wednesday the smoke was so bad that we could only see like 50 feet in front of us, its been crazy!  Well this week has been really good and kind of a bummer as well and I'll explain more about that.

So on Tuesday I get a call from Elder P. telling me that Sister H. is really struggling. I was shocked! I gave her a call up and started talking to her and I guess everything is just seeming to fall apart for her. She's been struggling with why we need the word of wisdom, she went online and looked it up and read a lot about it. She thinks that it was just guidelines. I guess someone saw her drinking one night and they told the missionaries and so she got way mad about that because they didn't tell her to her face. Also she found out that she can't be sealed to her kids because she isn't married, and just a whole bunch of other stuff. I felt so sick because she was just so confused and so angry, I tried to reason with her and tell her why things were the way they were and what not but I realized in the end I just had to tell her I loved and cared about her and let her figure it out. So that was really stressful at the beginning of my week but I’ve been praying really hard for her all week and I feel everything will be ok.

On Thursday we had a way awesome day because we got to go eat at the M's! It was awesome because Sister M___'s mom came in from Hawaii and they made us Kalua pork and all this other wonderful food oh I loved it!!!!!! Then sister M____ and I had a way intense ping pong game, she is so competitive, its so much fun! Every time we play we just go at it and have a blast. She won the first game, she absolutely destroyed me haha but then I beat her the second game, its always going back and forth. The kids are awesome too, they are always wrestling with me and stuff and it just reminds me of Hunter and I always wrestling around and having pillow fights and what not, its so much fun. They really do feel like family to me. We also watched the Testaments with them that night and Sister M had a non-member friend over who watched it with us and I guess she got pretty emotional through it but she left right after the movie and we didn't have a chance to bear testimony about it. However, Sister M's mom is a non-member so it was sweet being able to bear testimony to her and she already loves us its awesome.

L. is also doing very well. We watched the Testaments with him over at the W. on Tuesday and he was glued to that TV the whole time and he got teary eyed too. But he is so stubborn he won’t admit he felt the spirit for anything, it’s so funny. We try so hard but he just won’t do it, but he's been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy! He's already into second Nephi and he remembers everything he reads because he reads over it twice. We have just figured that he will come to us when he decides to get baptized because every time we ask him he just says he has more reading to do haha but he knows its true, I can tell because he loves coming to church and he loves reading and he loves meeting with us, so its just a matter of time.

We haven't been able to get a hold of L. this whole week, but we do have an appointment with him tomorrow so hopefully he is there and doesn't bail on us again.

We also got two new investigators that moved in from a different area. The missionaries called us and told us they were moving in, so we went and helped them move in, and it’s this elderly couple, L. and T. They have been investigating the church for a while and are considering getting baptized so that was kind of sweet miracle. Then on the way back from that we saw T. and L. walking on the Sidewalk!  We pulled over and started talking to them and set up an appointment but when we went back they left us a note saying they had to go somewhere, so we are going to try and contact them today. But that was just a way sweet miracle because I had thought they had moved or something.

That’s basically all that went on this week. But I just want to let you all know how proud I am of you for reading the book of Mormon. I myself am in 3rd Nephi right now and am planning on finishing the book of Mormon this week. Transfer meeting is next Tuesday and I made a goal to finish it before then and I'm just about to get into some of the best parts of the book of Mormon where Christ comes and visits the people. As I read those chapters I always just think to myself how wonderful it would have been to be there, to have seen him and felt the wounds in his hands, feet, and side. I would have loved to have heard his sermons and to have seen him heal people.  There are so many things that they saw that aren't written and I just can't wait for the day when I will get to see him, when I'll get to wash his feet with my tears. (even though I don't like feet but I think his will be alright haha) but I just pray every day that I will be ready for that day, and I am so grateful that I have been given the path to get there and that I have been give all the instruments I need to be successful. The book of Mormon is true, Christ really did appear to them and its awesome being able to tell people that, and I hope you all feel the same.

Well I wish everyone a wonderful week and thank you for everything, Love ya!  Love, Elder Garrett Bushman

Ft. Caroline District Meeting

Elders Durfee, Allred, Bushman, Frizzell, Clements and Crawford.

And all these things shall give thee strength.......

Dear Family,   

It's good to hear all is going well back home and that everyone of you are still being awesome people haha but this week was pretty good, it wasn't the best week but I learned a lot from it and am trying to learn what the Lord is trying to teach me.

So on Monday we went and played ultimate Frisbee at the stake center, and we played for three hours, my legs hurt for like the next three days, but it was a ton of fun.

On Tuesday we went out to Golden Corral for lunch with some members, and I just want to let you guys know that I've regained my vigor for eating, I eat so much food, it’s ridiculous. It's a really good thing that I'm on bike and that I exercise. After Golden Corral we got a call from M. and she told us that she needed to talk to us about something in our appointment on Wednesday and that she hoped we would understand. I had a really sick feeling after that and Elder A. made preparations for what we could say to her. The Lord knows our situations though and right after that as we went to see some less actives we went up a wrong flight of stairs and we decided to knock a few doors while we were there and the second door we knocked on a guy named L.  He let us in and offered us some water. He was really cool, he was asking us questions and we taught him and he said he wanted to read the Book of Mormon. Everything seemed to make a lot of sense to him, he was just a way humble and open guy and he was just amazed that we were out doing what we are doing at nineteen. So that experience made me feel a lot better.

So on Wednesday we went to see M. and we talked and she told us about this dream that she had and it was really similar to Lehi's dream. The spirit was there as she talked about it, so we read 1 Nephi 8 with her and pretty much interpreted her dream with the scriptures. But then she began to tell us how God had told her that what her mother had done for her as a child, her baptism, was sufficient and that she needed to go back to her old church and teach her family what we had been teaching her. The spirit left right then, and Elder A. and I did everything we could to bring her back, but nothing worked.  She even knows the Book of Mormon is true and I asked her if any other churches use it and she said no. But she still wouldn't budge. It was probably one of the saddest experiences I have ever had in my life, it is so hard when you come to love someone and come to know that this is the only way to eternal life, and they've had a spiritual witness, and they still reject it.  But I know the Lord will provide a way and I just hope and pray that she will accept it sometime down the road.

We also found out that I___'s dad won’t let him get baptized and it has been really hard on the M. family, which is really sad to see because they are some of the most amazing people in the world.  Mom Sister M. reminds me a lot of you, she is just so warm and loving and one of the most unselfish people I have ever met.  I just feel so bad for all the stuff she has to go through, and yet she has such a strong faith and such a strong testimony it’s amazing.

On Saturday I got to go on a trade-off with Elder C., another Elder in our district. We went and did service for this guy named A, who isn't a member. It was a lot of fun we did yard work for 3 hours and then he made us some of the most amazing food in the world, it really brightened up the week. It just really feels good to get out and do some yard work sometimes. Elder C. and I get a long really well too, he is hilarious and we just talked about all sorts of stuff all day, we have a lot of the same interests.

On Sunday none of our investigators showed up to church which was kind of a bummer. However Sister M. showed up and that was awesome! Also yesterday as we were tracting in this apartment complex we saw a bunch of poly's out in the courtyard having a bbq and they told us to come over and join them. It was awesome! One of them was a member and we just talked and had a good time and ate some really good food. So you know even though it was a rough week, the Lord was looking out for us and lifting our spirits by giving us little acts of kindness through people.

I am so grateful for this gospel and for charity, I love it when people do good thing for others, it makes the world a better place and it helps brighten people’s day. This last month I’ve really come to know how important this gospel is, it's not just another church, but it is the Church of Jesus Christ. It is the only true church and the only way of getting back to live with our Heavenly Father again. I hope I don't ever take another day where I miss an opportunity of sharing the gospel with someone, and I hope all of you do the same. I hope you all have a wonderful week and Dad Happy Father's day!!!!!!!   Love ya'll,  Elder Garrett Bushman

Yeah - Pictures!

Garrett finally sent some pictures home.  I've decided to include a few of my favorites from Brunswick to Jacksonville.....

Just another day in Paradise.... 

Service with a smile (or a game called Initiate the Greenie) 

 They conquered the tree but NOT the Gnats!

Elders Bushman, Wadsworth and Pelo pondering life........

A. and Y.'s baptisms

 Garrett's new "sweet" bike!

The District in Jacksonville - Elders Crawford, Tenny, Zabriskie, Bushman, Clements and Bass

Sending Elder Zabriskie home.....

A week of Miracles....

Dear Family,  It’s good to hear all is going well. Everything out here in Florida is going great.  Elder A. and I have been very blessed this past week. We had 3 investigators show up at church this week and they all loved it and I had some powerful experiences I would like to share with you.

I first want to start off with the story of Maria and how everything is going with her, and I'll start from the beginning. A week and a half ago on Wednesday we were riding our bikes down Monument Rd. and stopped at the bus stop and started talking to these two people, M. and F. As we talked to them Maria was getting really excited and said she could feel the spirit as she talked to us. We gave her a finding faith in Christ DVD and got her address and phone number and she said she would watch the movie. So we called her the next day and she said she loved the movie and that she wanted to meet with us. She said she would call us. Well she didn't call so we went over there and knocked on her door. She came out and she said she was busy but she wanted to show us something. She then came out with a Gospel Principles Book.  She said she had been reading it for 7 years every night along with her bible and that she absolutely loved it!  She however didn't understand the whole D&C scriptures in it and Book of Mormon. We told her we would explain when we came over next. Well we went over there on Wednesday and she began to tell us how she had prayed the night before we stopped her at the bus stop. She prayed that two people would come to her and talk to her about Jesus.  She said when she saw us that we looked like angels flying toward her.  We testified that it was no coincidence and she knew it wasn't. She was crying the whole time. She also watched the restoration DVD and she said she believed it. She talked about how she was baptized once and how she didn't feel any difference. I testified to her about priesthood authority and then committed her to be baptized and she said yes! She was one of the people that came to church yesterday and she absolutely loved it.

The next experience I would like to talk about is about a guy named Justin. So Saturday evening we decided to go see J. J is an Eternal investigator that hasn't progressed in a long time and doesn't understand why he needs to be baptized into our church. He had just gotten home from being out to sea and we started talking about his experience. He said that while he was out to sea he started reading this book about Islam. He said how he was just so shocked at how similar they were with Christianity and he just wondered why we don't all just unite, why is there so much confusion?  He wondered why God would bring forth another book when it would just cause more confusion. We read some scriptures about how the Book of Mormon was here to clear up confusion, but he just wasn't grasping it. We debated about how all churches have truth but we have the fullness of it.  But he was just confused because he had seen miracles wrought by someone who didn't hold the priesthood. I then read to him about why authority was important; because without it you cannot have eternal life and live with God.  I read 2 Nephi 31:16-17, 20-21 and then 3 Nephi 11:24-25 and then said let’s pray right now and ask if this is true. So we knelt down and he prayed, he pleaded to know and the spirit was so strong, it was amazing! He was teary eyed afterwards and I asked him how he felt and he said he felt good.  We bore testimony that it was the spirit and he said that maybe he had known the answer the whole time and that he was just looking for a bigger answer.  He also came to church on Sunday!  We are going over there tonight to talk to him and commit him to baptism.

The third person that came to church is a guy named L. He is 63 years old and a retired marine who was in Vietnam.  He is a really cool guy and will probably get baptized as well.  But now I want to share with you all a spiritual thought.

So I was studying holiness this morning and I first looked in the Bible Dictionary. The basic definition is someone holding a sacred office or something that is set apart as holy. The word holy came to refer to moral character. I then asked myself “How can I increase my moral character or how can I fulfill my office and sacred calling?”  In D&C 20:69 its talking about how we must walk with a Godly walk and be worthy of our calling that our works will be agreeable to the scriptures walking in holiness before the Lord.  So how do we become more holy?  Well we live as Christ would live; we live the Doctrine of Christ.  When we are living the Doctrine of Christ and striving to achieve Christ-like attributes then we can walk with holiness before the Lord, then we can stand before Him at the last day without guilt knowing that we fulfilled our calling.  We need to become consecrated and be exactly obedient. But to dwell in the presence of the Lord we must go through trials and we must rely on God and never push Him away and through our pain we shall be sanctified in holiness before the Lord. (D&C 133: 35)  In Leviticus 20:7 it says "Sanctify yourselves therefore and be holy; for I am the Lord your God."  So how I take that is that we need to give ourselves to the Lord, give everything and when we do, then we can become holy.  In Ezekiel 20:41 it also says that the Lord will sanctify himself in us before the heathen.  So when we promise to give ourselves to the Lord the Lord also gives himself to us if we are holy.  So when we are sanctified we will be able to withstand our enemies and most importantly Satan and his temptations. So becoming Holy all together like I said before, is to become more Christ like and live the Doctrine of Christ.

Well I'm almost out of time but I hope you all have a wonderful week!  Love, Elder Bushman

For Elder Bass' mom......

And so it goes......

Dear Family,

So alright I have about twenty eight minutes to feel you all in on this crazy week of mine so I hope that I can get a good letter in this week.

So we actually had a really disappointing week this week. On Monday Elder A. and one of the zone leaders went to go see E. and K. I went on a trade off with the Assistants, but luckily it was just because they needed another elder because they had two lessons haha but Elder A. told me the lesson went well and that K. was going to talk to her husband about getting married. Well I got a call the next day from K. telling me that her husband won’t let E. get baptized anymore because he thinks that she was going to be getting baptized for the dead. I carefully explained to her that she was getting baptized for herself and not for the dead. She said she understood but that she didn't want to go against her husband’s wishes. They said they still wanted to keep learning but we've been trying to get a hold of them all week and haven’t been able to. So since the zone leaders are Spanish speaking we are going to turn them over to them. I know everything will work out because the spirit confirmed to me that it would, but I just don't know when it will happen, its all in the Lords time.

On Wednesday I went on a trade off with Elder F., another elder in our district.  Elder F. and I biked over 30 miles on Wednesday, it was crazy, and we only had a 30 minute break in the day to eat dinner, so we worked our tails off. We also ran into this lesbian couple that had actually been taught before, and let me tell you that was a real interesting conversation. They didn't understand why homo-sexuality was a sin when it wasn't part of the Ten Commandments. I explained to them about how god planned for his children to be able to come to this earth and that can only happen between a man and a woman, but they still didn't understand. She said she would read the Book of Mormon though and said that if she came to know it was true that she would change so yeah we are going back and teaching her haha But I told her basically that it will be hard to get a spiritual witness while she is living in sin, so we'll see how it all works out.

On Thursday we had zone conference and it was really good!  We talked about our culture as missionaries, and it's not being like the missionaries in the past or doing this or doing that, but that it is living the Doctrine of Christ. It was just way super powerful and spiritual and I loved it. Afterwards Elder M. came on a trade off with us, he's one of the zone leaders. We had a pretty good day, we talked with a lot of people and we were able to learn a lot from him. That night we were tracting and we knocked on this guys door who said he didn't want to talk with us, so we went on and knocked some more. Well after a little while he came out and he said that he wanted to talk with us and listen to our "pitch" So we went in and started talking, and he was asking us a lot of question about why we were out on a mission and what not and what we believed. We then asked why he wanted us to come back, which ended up being a very bad question. He then began to tell us that soon we will begin to question our faith and other things, and then starts bashing us saying how we are arrogant for believing that we are the only true church, and he through out a couple of f-bombs. As soon as he started that the spirit left the room immediately and I got very angry.  However we just sat there and listened and let him rant on about how organized religion is just ridiculous. We ended up leaving him with a Book of Mormon but I just left that place being ticked off. That night I had to pray really hard for forgiveness for getting so angry, and I felt a lot better afterwards.

Even though all this bad stuff happened this week we also had some awesome stuff happen!  We set a baptismal date with a kid named I, he is an unbaptized child and they just have an awesome family, I'll have to tell you all about them later. We also ran into this lady named M. on the street and she said we could come back. We went back and she came out with a gospel principles book and she said that she had been reading it every night for 7 years and that she loves it! What a miracle so we are hoping to see her again soon and get her baptized.

On Sunday our ward got split. Our ward was already small as it is, and now it just got a lot smaller, our area is still big but we don’t have a lot of active members, so we have a lot of reactivating to do and finding. We then had dinner at Mamma's house and she served us Ribs, coleslaw, baked beans, hot dogs, macaroni, and ice cream cake. I was in Heaven! We had just gotten done with a 24 hour fast too so I ate a ton!  Then later that night we had another meal, so I had to get up this morning and I jump roped for like 40 minutes with a sweat shirt on and sweat pants. haha

Well that was my week; I hope you all had a good week and thank you for all that you do. Wish Jake a happy birthday for me, even though I’ll be sending him a card. Well love you all and have a wonderful week. Love, Elder Garrett Bushman

New companion, a miracle, and hopefully a wedding......

Dear Family, All right so first of all I guess I will address the concern about why my letters haven't been as long. I only have 45 minutes at the library to write letters and I have to write to you, and president Barry, and I have to read all of the ones I get.  Today however I am at a member so hopefully I can get more in before we go play frisbee golf. And dad I know sometimes you would like more but sometimes my letters are like a good book, you want them to keep going but unfortunately they have to end sometime haha

So this week has been a really amazing week actually. My new companion is named Elder A, he is from Ogden, Utah. When he was called to be my companion I new immediately that we were going to work well with each other.   He is our new district leader since Elder B. got called to be a Zone Leader. Our first night teaching together we were teaching K. and E. the plan of salvation and in the middle of it while talking about the Holy Ghost, the spirit was super strong and we invited them to be baptized and they said yes. E. has come so far from barely believing in God to now wanting to get baptized. She is going to get baptized this Wednesday before the Youth temple trip so that she can go, so we are way excited for her. But of course there have been some complications which I will talk about in a minute.  But yeah Elder A. and I are just already working so well together and its nice having someone that has the same excitement as I do, he's been out for 7 months by the way. 

So now I will talk about K. and E. and their family. So after we committed them to baptism we set a time when we could come back and finish the lesson on the plan of salvation. That night we went over there with a member who spoke Spanish so he could help us out a little bit.  We invited the husband to come and sit in with us, his name is M. We taught the plan of salvation and it was going really well, Brother M. was answering questions in Spanish and it was just going really well. Afterwards brother manning told us to check and make sure if K. and M. were actually married. So next time we go back I asked her if she was married and she said that they planned on getting married in two years but that they have been together for 7 and they consider each other husband and wife. So yeah major set back! So we didn't know what to say because it was at the end of our lesson that night and we just decided to address it later once we figure out more. Because the main thing is that we didn't want to offend anyone and we wanted the husband to be on board.  So we talked to a lot of people and got a few ideas and decided that we were going to talk to them about it yesterday after we watched prophet of the restoration.  Before we went over there Elder A. and I both had mighty prayers, and then made our way over there.  The thing was though is that the husband wasn't going to be there because he had work so we were feeling wrong about it because we didn't want to go behind his back. but as soon as we knocked on the door the husband pulls up in his car, MIRACLE!!!  So we went in there and watched the movie with them. After the movie K. was crying and everyone else loved it and the spirit was so strong.  We then talked to M. about what he thought of it and he really liked it and said he knew it was true because of how he felt. I asked him what he thought those feeling meant and I told him it testifies of truth, and then I told him when we get those feelings that they cause us to act. I asked him to act upon his feelings and be baptized. I don’t think he totally understood what I meant but the prompting to ask him to be baptized was so strong and I knew it was the thing that needed to happen. He said he wanted to keep learning and thanked us for coming over. So now we have the husband on board and we are going over tonight with a Spanish missionary to talk with them about it. So please pray for us that everything goes well because this is going to be huge! But you know all I can say about that whole situation is that it was totally spirit led and one of the most spiritual moments I have ever had. We went in there not totally knowing what to do, but because of prayer and faith the Lord led us to do what we needed to do. So that was kind of a big summary of it all and sorry for the grammar but I'm typing really fast. As for other investigators, we haven't been able to get a hold of T. and L. the people we met on the street, but we keep going back and leaving notes and stuff. They actually left us a note the other day and told us not to forget them and to pray for them, so that was good. 

So that was the main stuff that was going on this week. I haven't been able to get the package that you sent yet because when I went to the post office on Saturday it was closed and it will be closed today so won’t be able to get it today. But thanks for whatever is in it haha. I hope everything is going well with the family, I'm doing great! I actually know my area a lot better than I though I did, so that’s kind of nice. Its crazy to hear how there is still so much snow getting dumped on the mountains, I wish it would snow here, its getting so hot! we biked over twenty miles last Wednesday and it was 95 degrees outside with a lot of humidity.....yeah I was really sweaty after that day. Our ward is actually getting split next week, so our area will be a little smaller here pretty soon. Hunter its awesome to here that everything is going well and that you are working hard in everything you do. I'm excited that you are going to be playing in the Symphonic band, that must be really cool. I really hope you all will be able to understand my letter this week, because it really is just a bunch of rambling and stuff sorry for the grammar haha I also hope I didn't disappoint this week and that my letter is sufficient haha Well I got to get going someone else needs the computer so you all have a wonderful week!
S

Love, Elder Garrett Bushman

JAX East Zone Conference

Dang he looks good!  I'm so grateful for the mission president's wife who does the blog - so we can see pictures of Garrett occasionally.......

What I've learned....

Dear Family,

I will first start off with addressing your questions, both mom and dad's. I have a lot to say and not a whole lot of time so sorry if the grammar and what not isn't the best.  So Mom, no I am not leaving my area and I'm staying in my same apartment. And I won’t find out who my new companion is until Tuesday so I can't tell you too much about him, but thank you so much for getting those things for me, I really appreciate it.

Dad, as for how my experiences in Iowa have helped me. I can't tell you how many times I have been able to talk to people about how they need to overcome adversity and that how they need to do it is by humbling themselves and coming unto Christ.  I share my Iowa experiences probably every week. The main thing I have realized, and I shared this with our new investigators that came to church the other day, is how I was humbled while I was in Iowa. I never realized how prideful I was before my mission until I actually got out here and saw all of it.  Before I went to Iowa, you remember, I thought I could do it all on my own, I told everyone how I would never get home sick and how I could handle it on my own, well I was sorely mistaken. The Lord had me go to Iowa so that I could be humbled and realize that I can't do things on my Own and neither can any of us. We need Jesus Christ and his atonement more then anything, and it’s not just for us to be able to repent of our sins, but it also for us to help us through hard times. He felt everything we have ever felt, and if by any means at all we think we can go through this life or any trial on our own, than we are rejecting the atonement of Jesus Christ. Every day we face a trial, and every day we should be looking to Christ as a source of strength and not be just relying on our own. I had to learn that the hard way in Iowa as I was continually brought down by my teammates, coaches, and performance. I realized that I myself was rejecting Christ's gift to me and I needed to change. So what I would say is just to always remember Jesus Christ and his atonement, to never rely wholly on ourselves, but use the atonement, don't just let it collect dust. I hope this answers your question dad.

So as for this week, it’s been really good. We had a zone conference on Tuesday and we talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon the whole time, it was wonderful. I've began to realize that the only reason that anyone would go inactive is because they didn't read the Book of Mormon or have stopped reading it and have not prayed about it. Anyone who gains a testimony of the Book of Mormon Will come to know Jesus is the Christ and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, so those that leave the church will leave crawling and dodging the book of Mormon as they leave. (As Elder Holland says). I have a firm testimony of the Book of Mormon, I know it’s true. I have been reading the Isaiah chapters this week in 2nd Nephi and they are so hard to understand but in chapter 25 it talks about how in the last days that we will be able to understand them, so I'm excited for that.

I am glad that all of you have been reading, it’s so cool to hear of what you have been reading and what you have been learning. I know that every time you read it strengthens your testimony because it sure strengthens mine. Dad I love those chapters about Captain Moroni, he is such a stud! I read them the other week and I couldn't stop reading it, it had me hooked. I can't imagine having to put up with all that stuff he had to put up with, and Pahoran must have had to be a humble man because I know if I had received a letter like that I would have been pretty upset. But I love he scripture, I think its in Alma 46 which says "if all men were like Captain Moroni the very gates of hell would be shaken forever and the devil would have now power over the children of men:" something like that. So continue to read, it’s awesome, and I would encourage strongly all that are reading this letter to read the Book of Mormon, I think I addressed clearly enough about why earlier in my letter.

Well I will find out who my new companion is on Tuesday, I am a little nervous because now I'll be introducing the area and trying to figure everything out, and it has just made me realize how little I really know. But I put my trust in the Lord and continue to Learn, because I know he is my strength. And dad I just can't help to keep feeling overjoyed about my friends that are deciding to go on missions, I knew that all these kids that I have grown up to love and be friends with would make amazing things happen. I have been truly blessed to have grown up among such amazing people.

Well I hope you all have a wonderful week, but I have like two minutes left to finish this letter, so I love you all and have a good one!  Love, Elder Bushman

May 16, 2011

Dear Family,  Dad I can't tell you how overjoyed I was when you told me about all those kids wanting to go on missions. Wow especially Michael, he used to be one of my best friends and I love him and all those other guys so much, I am just so happy right now! Now we just need to work with Tyler.

Well my week has been really good. We got in and taught a lot of people this week and got 6 new investigators! The only problem is that none of them are keeping commitments. We had one sweet miracle where we were riding our bikes back on Wednesday night and we stopped off and started talking to this black couple walking along. We were just laughing and talking but then we stopped and bore strong testimony about the Book of Mormon and taught them a little bit. They were really touched and L., the woman, said that she felt really good inside and that she wanted us to come back to their apartment the next day and teach them, and then she gave us a hug. Haha  So we went back the next day and sat down and they just went off, they said they had read the whole restoration pamphlet, which we gave them, and they basically taught us. We were so happy.  So then we went in and taught them more and went more in depth, it was a powerful lesson and at the end I invited them to be baptized on May 29th, and they said yes!  She also asked us for a Book of Mormon, and asked us if we could have daily contact, it was perfect! Well they said they would come to church and we went over there four times on Saturday to try and see them and remind them when church was, but they never answered and never were home so they weren't able to come to church, it was a real bummer.

However, while we were at church two women that we had never seen before showed up.  We went and talked to them and the mom said that she was just driving by and saw the church.  She said she wanted to get her daughter into church and to grow her faith in Jesus. She asked us if we could come over and teach, so of course we said YES!  So we have an appointment with them tonight, it's going to be sweet!  It just goes to show that the Lord works in mysterious ways and he's always looking for opportunities to lift us back up when we're down.

Speaking of which, all of Sunday I was having this weird feeling, just like I was sinking and I just felt like really in the dark and not good, Satan was working on me really hard. After church before we went to study, I just prayed for a long time for Heavenly Father to help me feel the spirit and to pull me out of this darkness I was feeling. I studied 2 Nephi Chapter 4 and it hit me so hard, and the spirit just poured out to me. It was about Nephi and how he himself was still harrowed up in the guilt of his sins, and then he just offered one of the most amazing testimony/prayers that I have ever seen. He just poured his soul out to God to help him conquer his enemies, to help him overcome sin, to have the gates of hell shut before him continually and to have righteousness poured out upon him continually.  It just made me realize that even people like Nephi have hard times and that they struggle, and that all we have to do is pray unto the Lord for strength and he will bless us.  I highly suggest reading that chapter it was awesome! Speaking of which how is everyone's book of Mormon Reading going? I want updates! haha Hunter was the only one to update me so as of right now he's passing, all of the rest of you are on the edge. hahaha

Well this is my last week with Elder Zabriskie too, which I'm kind of excited because it's hard being around someone that’s going home.  haha   I love the guy though, he's awesome. Oh something else, we had a crazy storm the other day, when it first hit the sky just turned dark, the wind picked, up and then it started to rain, it looked like a hurricane, it was so cool!  I wish you could have seen it. Well I got to go but you all have a wonderful week.  Love Elder Bushman

What's left to say???

Dear Family, 

Man, it was so great talking to all of you yesterday and kind of weird. So much is going on its crazy hopefully you all don’t get washed away in the flood. haha Shoot I really don’t know if I have much to say. But mom I'm so glad you had an awesome mother's day, and it's funny because I don't even remember getting you pillows and stuff when hunter was born, that seems so long ago, but at the same time I can think back and it feels like it was just yesterday. It's kind of fun as I look back over the years and all the things that we have done as a family that I just got to say, WE HAVE AN AWESOME FAMILY!!! And I am way super excited for Austin and Libby to get married because I know that Libby will be just another awesome person to be a part of this awesome family. Pardon me for my pride but I can't help but express the love and joy that I have for being able to grow up in this family. But you know, the reason why I have all this joy is because I know that all of you are living righteously, that’s what brings me the most happiness because I know that if we live righteously and endure to the end, we will all get to be with each other forever, and that is what is AWESOME!! so good job family, keep up the good work!!

Well this is all I really have to say, oh but next time we talk in seven months, I’m going to try and be more obedient and not talk for and hour and a half, just as a forewarning. haha but I love you guys and have a wonderful week!

Let us all press on.....

Dear Family,

Thank you all for your love and support, it’s very appreciated. Dad so far I haven't had anything that was as bad a trial as IWCC, my hardest trial is wanting to wake up in the morning and get going. haha I have to constantly remind myself what my purpose is, which is to invite other unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. When I remind myself of these things I remember that the worth of every soul is great in the sight of God and that everyone I see needs to here of this glorious message because it is there salvation we are talking about!

This week was actually pretty rough at first. Elder Z. was really getting on my nerves because he seems to just be mad about something all the time, which you know me - when someone else has a bad attitude - it just makes me angry, something I need to work on haha but on Friday we sat down and talked about it, and I told him what was on my mind and to my surprise he listened and after that we had the best weekend that we could have asked for. This weekend we got 3 new investigators, we actually got in and taught some people, it felt so good! It just showed me how unity and harmony in any relationship can make life a whole lot better and you get so much more blessed for it.

On Sunday we had Stake conference and it was so amazing! The first half of it was about the importance of teaching children good principles so they can grow up and be strong. It just made me realize how grateful I am to have had such amazing parents that taught me about true gospel principles and that loved and cared about me enough. I thought back on all the times that I didn't want to listen or I thought your rules were stupid and I realized, when I have a family I wouldn’t do it any other way, those rules were put there because you guys loved me and knew that they would best benefit me. I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude and love for both of you as I realized this, so I hope to let you know how much I love and appreciate both of you, even if sometimes I was a snot.  (haha) You know it made me excited for when I will have a family some day and I will get to teach them and watch them grow. The second half of conference was on missionary work, President Barry was there and he got to speak. I love President Barry, he is such an amazing man.  His desire to help us as missionaries fulfill our purpose and to help us grow is unbelievable. He talked about how each one of us are full time missionaries, that in fact the missionaries that are out for the two years are only part time. We are missionaries FOREVER. Then our stake president got up and he did something that I had never seen before. He said, "By the Keys that I hold, I call each one of you to be a full time missionary, all those that accept this calling raise your hands." It was so awesome! It blew me away, I was so excited. I have a feeling that missionary work is going to blow through the roof now.

Well that’s really all I have to say about what happened this week, I am excited to talk to you guys next week it will be fun. Oh by the way my apartment number is 4101 don’t send anymore stuff to 4104. haha And sorry dad if my email last week wasn't to your approval, I hope I made up for it with the letter I sent.  Oh and that’s hilarious about.....shoot I forgot her name.....umm.....well Austin’s old girlfriend whatever her name is, I really can't remember haha but that was funny. I feel bad for her a little bit, but sucks to be her. Oh and I don’t know when I'll be calling you next week yet, it will probably be around like 5 or 6 or maybe earlier hopefully I'll get to call you before hand and let you know, but I'm almost out of time and got to go, Love you all have a great week!

4-25-11

Dear Family, well since I didn’t have much time to write, or type what I usually tell you in my email, I’ll do that now.  First I’ll answer questions thought.

        This week has actually been really good and really hard.  It’s hard because I’m getting pretty frustrated with my companion’s lack of enthusiasm and excitement, so I’m really working hard on being patient but it’s tough.  Also he gets really made a little things, he’s way uptight.  He’s always apologizing to me at night thought for getting frustrated and stuff, so that helps out a lot.

         So the good stuff is that we found a ton of potentials this week. I’ve been praying a ton for this area, that the hearts of the people will soften, and it’s happening, so we are super blessed.  Now we just have to make them all investigators this week.  Funny story – so we rode by on our bikes, pas a bus stop and we stopped to talk to the people.  There were two women and a guy.  We started talking and one of the women all of a sudden said, “I’m a gay Catholic.”  Well we didn’t know what to say to that so we just said good day and left.  Ha ha  - it was hilarious.

         So anyway we also have this way sweet investigator that Elder Z. has been teaching for like 4 months.  She is finally starting to progress.  We had her watch Elder Holland’s talk about the Book of Mormon, “Safety for the Soul” and afterwards she said she knew the Book of Mormon was true and that every thing was starting to click.  Her husband is a member, but inactive.  He is now getting active again and going to get the Priesthood on Mothers day.  But the cool thing is, is that his wife after watching that said she wants to renew her vows in the temple!  So yeah – she is totally getting baptize and wants to get married in the temple.  So amazing!

         My week was topped off however when I got to go to M’s baptism.  He was just glowing – it was amazing.  Sis. H. was so excited to see me, she kept saying thank you to my ride – N, like every 2 minutes.  It was hilarious!  N is a stud – he is leaving on his mission to Salt Lake City in 14 days and he’s speaking Espanol.  Well I  better get going to bed so I’ll talk to you all later.  Have a wonderful week.  Love Elder Garrett Bushman

P.S. – thank you so much for the package and everything.  Oh and dad thanks for the poems and that conversation story, it’s actually something I was going to ask you for.  It’s so cool!  Well have a nice day!

Field trip to Brunswick, GA

M. W. was baptized on Easter Sunday.  Garrett got to go up to Brunswick for it - thanks to this nice young man pictured below that took him up.  This young man - Nathan Humphries - lives in Garrett's new ward - and is leaving on his mission to SLC in a couple of weeks.

Happy Easter everyone

Dear Family,  Ok so I don’t have a lot of time today, but I'm going to write you a letter with more detail about my week and answer all of your questions, but since Easter was yesterday I thought that I would share with you all my Testimony of the Savior.

I want to let ya'll know that, I know my Savior lives! I know that if it weren't for him and his atonement that I wouldn't be able to return to my Heavenly Father and live with him and my family forever. I have such a great love For Jesus Christ, while I've been out here I've come to a real appreciation for him and I've come to know how much he loves me. I know that if I were the last person on earth or the only person on earth that he still would have suffered for my sins, he still would have died on the cross, because that’s how much he loves me and how much he loves everyone. Sometimes I feel kind of insignificant, like what can I ever do to repay him, but you know what all he asks is that we love him and obey his commandments.  That love right there makes me feel like I'm the most important person in the world. I don’t say that out of pride or anything but that is truly how he feels about each one of us. I am a son of God, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, I know that only through him can I truly be saved from sin, and only through him can I rise again and be glorified with a perfect body just as he is. The atonement is real, I know it is, I have felt my saviors love, and I have used the atonement in my life.

As I said before, "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God, I have been called to preach his gospel among this people that they might have everlasting life." (3 Nephi 5:13) I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Well I got to go, but I'll be writing you today, love you all.  Love Elder Bushman

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

Sister H's and Sunshine's Baptism - April 3, 2011

Elder Bushman, Sister H.,  S. and Elder P.

Sister H. and Elder Bushman

Sis. H, Y. and Sis. H's mom.

And the three stooges....

Or um.... missionary superstuds...

And a picture completely out of order....

I received this picture today from Helam's mom - it's Garrett with Elder Helam Hemuli and Elder Connor Winters  in the MTC- all three played little league football together.  What great young men they turned out to be....

I just got settled and now I'm leaving....

Dear Family,

I'll just start off answering your questions so I don’t forget haha well umm...I don’t know where I’m going yet, I won't find our till tomorrow. So I will let you know next Monday where I’m at.

Man it’s been a crazy week, and I have learned a lot. You know I used to think that I was really humble but I've learned this transfer that actually I am really prideful. haha We had a cool companionship inventory where we wrote down all of the things that we thought the other was prideful at and wow I dominated. haha It hurt at first but then the more I thought about it the more I realized it was so true, so I am really grateful for that companionship inventory. I don’t know, my heart and my mind are just so full to the glory of this gospel right now, there are times when I'm sitting there looking at the clock wondering when nine o’clock is going to get here and then I have to remind myself what my purpose is and that is to bring souls unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. What a great calling that is and when ever I think about that I get so excited and so happy, I love it so much! I can't think of any greater thing to do in life than help people come unto Jesus Christ and be baptized into the true church, it means their salvation! It's so important!

The baptisms this week were amazing!  A. and Y. were so happy when they came out of the water, they were just glowing.  Elder P, W and I sang a child’s prayer for them, and I was so nervous!  I'm actually getting a lot better at singing though, like its not the best but I think its bearable haha. I also gave the talk on the Holy Ghost, I wasn't nervous doing this for some reason, the words just flowed out of my mouth, reminds me of D&C 84: 85 which says: "Neither take ye thought before hand what ye shall say, but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion which shall be meted unto every man." I really like that because as long as your studying and always pondering on what you are learning then the spirit will direct what you will say. Just like in D&C 11: 19 which says "Seek not to declare my word but first seek to obtain my word, then shall your tongue be loosed. Then if ye desire then shall ye have my spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men." Oh man I love scriptures!!!! 

So tonight I get the chance to go talk to and teach C, I can't wait!   Sister H. says he's excited to see us, so he's so totally going to get baptized this next week or the week after. Oh and then we had another miracle, M, the guy that is looking for a job, well he didn't get a job, but his ex-wife is moving out and paying for the lease, so now he can get baptized!! MIRACLE!!!! My companions and I have been so blessed, I can't even begin to describe how lucky I am, I have two great companions and also the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I just hope that wherever I'm going that I will always be able to qualify myself for the spirit so I can keep having such miracles.

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week. But I have to go, bye bye now.  Love, Elder Garrett Bushman