December 14. 2015

Hey everyone! 

I can't believe i'ts almost Christmas! My companions and I are so pumped! I really need to write out a plan before I write you guys because I forget everything that has happened in the week!

We are going to the temple tomorrow so that is AWESOME! I love the temple! Something else is that we had 4 people who we are preparing to be baptized this Sunday! Petrona, Olga, Ventura, and Sonia! All are like 50 year old women but I'll take it! I love them all soo much! They have changed their lives so much since I have come to know them and it feels so good to be able to see them taking the step of baptism! 

Our mission president, President Markham, came to our church this last Sunday and it was awesome! I teach the Gospel Principles class because our members are terrible with their callings and our Gospel Principles teacher told us one time that she doesn't like to do it so she won't do it... So I give the classes and I taught my mission president about faith in Jesus Christ. haha 

I absolutely love the gospel. I have experienced a real change in my heart while I have been here on the mission. I am so grateful to be here. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I love the mission. I love the Atonement that Christ suffered for all of us. It really is something personal. I have come to know of it, and have come to know my Savior while I have been here. I invite all of you to study to Atonement. It's really something that you can apply into your life. You will find more love for life and happiness when you come to understand and apply the Atonement. I invite you all to look and search for the happiness and peace that only our Savior can provide.  He suffered all of your sins, sicknesses, pains, and afflictions. HE ALREADY SUFFERED IT ALL. He is now ready to help. He is asking us to put our confidence in him, and he will carry us. He will support us. I know and testify that the Atonement was paid. It was paid that we may enjoy this life, because really we are meant to enjoy it. Pray, Repent, Study the Scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon), Go to Church and take the sacrament and think about what the sacrament really means, Choose the right, and share the light of the Gospel with all that will hear you or who can see you. You will see miracles in your life and be much happier. 

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! Thanks for all the help and support that you give me!

"Volcanoes are pretty awesome.  Earthquakes are awesome too."

Packer Wilkes!

December 8, 2015

 Hey!!

First off, I will be writing Monday this next week because we are going to the Temple Tuesday! So send emails Sunday night! 

This week has been solid! We baptized! Elda Vargas was baptized and nothing has ever felt soooo good! I got to baptize her and it was awesome.

Something that happened yesterday was that it was the day of the devil. It was really weird. Everyone bought big devil dolls and lit them on fire at 6 o'clock. I felt like I was walking through a military war zone at 6. Everyone was firing off fireworks and lighting everything on fire and were even shooting guns. They celebrate it to kill the inner devil but really it's just an excuse to destroy everything for nothing. ha

This week our ward actually did their home teaching. Normally our attendance is 70 but this week it was 178. Dang its crazy. In the mission I have seen so many go to church from just one visit. I honestly believe it's really hard to baptize in this area because God doesn't have trust that the ward will be able to keep these people who we are baptizing. We upped the attendance and we were able to baptize. I don't believe that was a coincidence.

Dang, teaching with a trio is soooo hard! Our mini-missionary is really shy to just come out and say something! It's okay though. We are doing good here in Palin.

With much love,

Elder Buhrley

December 1, 2015

Hey!

This week was another week in the mission! I'm learning so much here in the mission! I'M LOVIN' IT:)

So we got rejected this week again. To start this week I told my companion we were going to give everything this week. We gave everything that we had. I've never worked harder in my whole life. We sacrificed everything. To our dismay, we still got rejected. It's really easy to get down when you are getting rejected the way that we are getting rejected. At times I wanted to break. Thursday we woke up at 4, skipped lunch, ran to every house, and still couldn't find anyone,  And then that night, after getting rejected by the whole city of Palin, we showed up at a church meeting and the Relief Society President just started going off on us.  I've learned a lot about humility here on the mission. Getting criticized by an old lady who had no right or just cause to give us any criticism after my companion and I just pushed ourselves to the limit the whole week really made me notice that I have grown here. I love the mission.

God has been pushing my companion and me. We are being put through a fire. We studied suffering, affliction and patience in one of our studies. My companion and I have really been putting our minds on suffering with patience that we may see miracles. The sons of Mosiah baptized thousands because they suffered with patience, Alma 26. My companion and I are taking this time to purify ourselves. Its been so great. I feel the power of the atonement in my life. I am leaning on it right now. We are getting rejected but my companion and I are still dancing in the street. I love the mission.  

After getting rejected all week we had 9 investigators in the church this Sunday. It felt soo good!!

I don't want to sound sad because I'm not. I am loving the mission. Other stuff that's going on is that we received a mini-missionary! So not only am I teaching my companion a lot I am basically training a missionary! So... it's going to be fun! 

Elder Duran and I are trying to get skinny before Christmas! We are only buying good stuff. A papaya is only a dollar here. We bought all this fruit in the pic for like 8 dollars!

I love the food here. We ate armadillo the other day. (shelled animal, I don't know how to spell) and we ate rabbit too. It's sooooo good. A member is going to make iguana for us. The food is so crazy but so good.  

Well.. that was my email... 

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!

Elder Buhrley