September 24

Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: Heading Home to Midland!

Hey everyone!!

I'd say welcome back home but I'm not there either! Haha I'm glad you are back safe. It sounds like you and Dad had a total blast! I'm glad that you were able to do that and have such a great time together. I really loved your pictures that you sent. It looks beautiful. Dad you are a stud. You're the only one in the picture kayaking without gloves in the lake! Haha ;) I'm glad that the kids did well while they were home alone. 

Well this week was super slow. I was hard to find things to do and everyone seemed to reschedule their appointments with us for this next week. And on top of that it was Elder Carbonneau's last week on his mission. It was super hard to see him leave Monday morning. He is already home and texting on his new phone! Haha We had a blast together during the 7 and a half months that we served and lived with each other! He was a great trainer and I'm gonna miss him a lot. There isn't really a whole lot to report for this week so I'll try to share some of the high points. Monday night we had dinner with the Z__ family who moved from the ward this last week. For some reason their little 3 year old boy, C__, just really liked me and he would always come sit by me during Elder's quorum as his dad would teach the class. And after dinner C__ (who absolutely loves baseball and wants to be a catcher and me be his umpire) got one of his many baseballs and "signed" it for me and then the rest of the kids did as well. He is such a cute kid and I'm gonna miss them. The ward will too. They are a great family. Tuesday was the last District Meeting for 3 out of the 6 missionaries in my district and we actually ended up combining with another district for the meeting which meant that somehow I was able to get out of training! It was so nice to get to sit back and listen to someone else talk and train again. I'm going to start having my district members train for me during our DDMs. 

Wednesday we did a ton of unexpected service. That morning we helped a member from one of the sisters ward move and then went to the community food cupboard and helped move some stuff around for them. When we got home Carbonneau and Plotkin were asked if they could help a member of their ward take off the shingles of his roof so we tagged along and had a great time! It was a lot of fun and I felt great after we got home. Especially after I got a nice cold shower after being in the 100 degree sun all day long. Thursday night and Friday morning we deep cleaned the apartment for apartment inspections from the mission housing coordinators Friday morning and we passed! And you know who had to clean the toilet belonging four teenage boys? Yup it was me. It was the most disgusting thing ever! Mom I promise my toilet never ever was that bad! Haha I'm praying it will stay clean for a while but we will see how that goes. 

Saturday was a lot of fun. It was transfer day and so we were talking to all of our buddies around the mission seeing who got leadership calls and where everyone would be transferred to. That night I gave my fourth baptismal interview for a man who my sisters were teaching. I have never seen someone who wanted so bad, was so excited for, and had been so prepared to enter the waters of baptism! It was such a great experience interviewing him and hearing of his conversion and story. He inspired me to be so much more than I am now. It was wonderful! It was a little weird that there was a stake youth dance at the building at the same time so showing up to a dance with the sisters behind us looked a little funny Haha. And as soon as we finished we booked it over to Elder Felix and Vang's trailer for our traditional transfer Saturday Bonfire! It was a blast and yet a little solemn knowing that 3 of the elders there were going to be going home. We finally got the calls and I will be staying here to finish Elder Hoyt's training and Elder Folau is coming back to be Elder Plotkin's comp and will be living with me!!! I am SO excited! I love Elder Folau! We are going to have such a fun transfer! I'm so stoked!

Well that was my week. Sorry it wasn't the longest or most detailed email but that's kind of how I felt about the week so it's whatevs.  I hope you all have a great week. I'm looking forward to mine! Can't wait to hear from you again! 

Love,

Elder Bushman

Here is my mission family picture! 

Elder Hoyt-my boy/son and Carbonneau's grandson

Me-Carbonneau's boy and Hoyt's dad

Elder Tui'one- Hoyt's mom