Week 5 is Here Already!

Sent: Monday, May 5, 2014 6:49 PM
Subject: Week 5 is Here Already!

Hello Everyone!!

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves and have had a great week! We had a good week out here in Corona. Some good and bad. Sounds like you had a blast over the weekend. You've been using the 4wheelers a lot lately. That's good. I hope they are still around when I get back. Congrats Chanler on scoring a cool goal! That's awesome! And just so you know, Elder Albright is doing much better and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong.

Monday was good. We had a great lesson with C that night at the church and put him on date for the 18th of May! He is a super solid kid. I'm so glad we have him to teach and get to know. Sadly it's the end of the year and his schedule has been getting crazy so we weren't able to meet with him anymore last week, but this week we should be able to. Tuesday was nothing special. No District meeting since we had a Zone Meeting on Friday. Wednesday was a pretty good day. I was in my area on exchanges with Elder Reed. The morning was pretty slow as most usually are but around 4 things started picking up a lot. We picked up two potential investigators from trying to see Part Member Families on our ward list which is exciting. Both seem to have some good interest. That night we went on splits with the elder's quorum and I went with Bishop to a lesson with A which went well. And I got to introduce Bishop to B that night which was  good. So all this week Elder Albright has been trying to decide when he should get surgery for his torn meniscus in both his knees and what that means for him and his mission. This week we found out that he is either going to have to stick it out and push through the pain for the last 3 months that he has left on his mission, or go home early so that he can get the surgery back home. The pain is pretty bad, but the last thing that he wants is to go home, so after an interview with President Smart, Albright came home and Thursday morning after morning prayers, he told me that he somehow had the distinct impression and overwhelming peace that he needed to go home early. I wish he didn't have to but I know that it will be better for him in the long run. Friday was our Zone Meeting during which we basically role played the entire time for all our investigators. I really don't like role plays but it was super effective and we all learned a lot and had inspiration for our future lessons with those that we are teaching. Oh so Thursday and Friday night we took W out with us to OYM in the Walmart parking lot. The first night W was following me around to see what it is like and we got into two bashes. The first was a normal bash and didn't turn into anything productive. The second bash though made me feel like Alma and Ammon when they say that they mourn for those that are in unbelief and wish they could soften their hearts. W and I left that lady with a painful sorrow. This lady apparently lives next to an LDS family in the stake. She told us that any time that her kids are sick or hurt she takes them next door and asks this family to give her kids a blessing because she "knows it will always heal them" Also she told us she believes that the Book of Mormon contains the word of God and that she knows Joseph Smith was a prophet. She loves the church's organization and focus on the family. I asked her why she wasn't a member and she told me that "It really just doesn't matter what church we go to" I couldn't believe that with her experiences and apparent beliefs that she didn't think it mattered at all. Then she prayed for us and we left. I went home truly having the desire to help every soul out here come to know the truth of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't want to ever forget the feeling that woman gave me. I felt sorry for her and sorry that she (as my sister) didn't want to know the truth. It killed me. I'm waging a war with Satan and I know that I am on the winning team. The Lord's. "Nothing will stop the work from progressing."
 

I'm running out of time so I'm make the rest of the week short.Saturday morning we helped a member move a 500 lb avacado tree into his backyard, and then Albright met with a bishop from around here that went through a similar experience. Sunday was good. We had three investigators at church. Including B  and A. Sunday night Albright got to call and talk to his parents about everything and now has two choices of when to go home. The end of this transfer or the end of next. I'll update you next week what his decision is.
 

So there you go. It was a pretty good week. And I am looking forward to this week especially because on Tuesday we get to go to the temple again and Sunday is Mother's Day and you know what that means! I can't wait to see and talk to you again! I hope you guys have a great week and stay safe. I love you all.

 

Love,

Elder Bushman

Where did April go?

Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 7:05 PM
Subject: Where did April go?

Hello Everyone!!!

No I can not believe April is already almost over. It blows my mind how fast time has flown by. It sounds like Youth Conference was great and I'm glad that the concert went well. There is always something to fix. That's why she does the concert so they know what to fix. They will do great. I know they will. Congrats Logan on walk on water! That's awesome. Your shoes look great! I can see why you won.I bet you had a blast. Those wands you made mom sound pretty cool. You'll have to send me a picture. Sounds like you, Chan, and Kenzie had a fun night together. I like their new fireman hats! Haha The new Suburban looks great! I bet you are loving it. What happened to my car? Let me know if Javier gets his call. That's awesome! It's weird how everyone is starting to leave. I'm glad that Taylor is doing good. Thank you for his email address. I will definetly keep Logan and dad in my prayers. Yes I still really want to try out for Vocal Point and we talked a little about tryouts and when they are and McKay would look for my name when I come around.

So this week was a pretty good week. Some interesting things happened and I would say it was successful. I did have to go to the ER. Had a little to do with waking up at 3:30 in the morning puking blood and severe stomach pain, but no worries. From what I've heard those are only symptoms of severe problems but I guess it was just my time to make my first trip to the ER. The ultrasound said it could possibly be appendicitis and I've heard it might have something to do with kidney's but not sure yet. Don't worry too much. I'm pretty sure nothing is wrong with me.

Our week started off with a pretty good PDay and that Monday night we washed the car and Elder Reed gave Elder Albright a haircut. Tuesday was our district meeting which had some great training on conquering your fears and doubts and knowing that we just have to try our best in every situation. "Doubt your doubts, not your faith" I don't know if I mentioned Bob O's name before. I think I did but if not, he is not a member but married to a member and has been coming to church forever. He just wont be baptized. His son just got married in the temple and he has invited us to start coming over every Tuesday and Thursday. It's a big step and I think he is really starting to come around. Nothing too interesting yet but I think within the next week or so we will see a lot of progress from him. We had to run to Riverside that day too, to drop something off at the mission office. That night we had dinner at D and C's to celebrate her birthday! It was a blast and super good food. Wednesday started off super slow. We began the day passing out flyers for a Mormon Helping Hands project and didn't have much else happen until dinner. It was super good steak and baked potatoes! After dinner Albright went with D with a lesson for A and I stayed with Brother Allen to have our first lesson with C. My lesson went amazing and he said he would be baptized! He is a really great and passionate kid. I'm stoked to meet with him again tonight. So Thursday began all the fun.

I woke up at 3:30 in the morning to the sound of Albright throwing up in the bathroom. No mom, it wasn't me that got sick. Thank goodness. I'm totally okay. After he finished heaving he came in to wake me up and asked if it was good that there was blood in his puke. I told him I'm pretty sure that's a bad sign. So about 4:30 we went to the other elders place to get a blessing. They thought we had just come over super early to work out. Haha They weren't too happy until they realized that wasn't the reason we had come. Finally after another round of heaving his guts out we went home and thankfully got a two hour nap until he woke me up and said the other guys were coming to take us to the ER since the mission nurse had told us that's what we should do. So needless to say we sat in the ER waiting room from 9 am until 3 pm and were told to come back the next day for final tests and results. It was a long day and other than dinner and getting our OYMs, we stayed in to rest and make sure Albright didn't hurt himself in any other way. Thankfully he stopped puking and Friday he was feeling a lot better. After a church tour with N, which went super well, we went to the ER and were told that it was probably just food poisoning, but if the pain gets worse then it could be his appendix. Kind of scary, but I think he is okay now. It's gotten a lot better. That night we had dinner with the Stewarts who gave us Salmon from Alaska. It was super good! AS soon as we left though Elder Thurman made us rush home cuz he had to poop so bad. I've never laughed so much in a car ride before. He was screaming, squeezing, squirming, biting on a water bottle, and anything else he could do to keep from making a mess in his pants!! HAHAHA It was SO funny! Saturday we cleaned a neighborhood for the Mormon Helping Hands Project. That night was C's baptism during which Albright and I gave the five minute Restoration lesson again, D got to baptized her, and I sang the Vocal Point accapella version of Savior, Redeemer of my Soul. It was a great baptism. Sunday was great! J, A, and A came to church! I was so excited!

Overall it was a good week. I hope you all enjoy yourselves this week and stay safe. I loved the pictures! Thanks for your prayers. I know that they play a role in our investigators conversions. I love you all and can't wait to see you on Mother's Day!

Love, Elder Bushman

 

That's the mower I used to mow our back yard last week. Here is my injury from the Helping Hands project. I was running away  from Elder Reed cuz I stuck an upside down, full, open, water bottle in the back of his shirt and booked it to our car. As I tried to turn around the corner of the car (in my mind I saw myself sliding over the hood of the car) I ended up slipping and cutting my leg on the license plate of the car in front of me which let him catch up and we wrestled in the wet dirt until we came at a stand still cuz we were both worn out from the run. Haha It was definetly worth it! Don't worry, he wasn't mad at me. We had been doing it to each other the entire time. It was a blast!