Week 39: Holamana!

The first night of the #BecauseHeLives initiative. No one was on the streets because it was too cold and windy. (Californians...)

Buenos dias! Que tal?

La Familia Arce invited us and Carlos over last Monday for dinner and family home evening. It was so fun to be with a family Monday night. I miss having family home evening with my own family so it was really nice to be with them. We talked about keeping the 10 commandments and played pictionary with all the commandments. The kids thought it was super fun so success! The best quote from the night from their little boy, "umm does honor thy father and mother have to be a commandment all the time?" haha

We found a new investigator this week named Angel. He is 13 years old and so was really interested that God and Jesus Christ would appear to a boy his age. He loved the story of Joseph Smith's first vision and told us that he believes it really happened. We are excited to teach him more this week and he promised to bring his cousins to the next lesson! :) He told us that he is looking for happiness in his life. We told him the Joseph smith was also searching for happiness and that is what brought him to ask God which church was true. And promised him that he could pray and ask God as well. 

I went on an exchange this week with Hermana McGlothin! It was so fun to be with her again. She is a great friend to me! I can't believe she is going home in 3 weeks. time flies! And speaking of time flying this week I'll have nine months in the mission. Now that is weird!

On exchanges with Hermana McGlothin!

Elena came to the general women's session of conference. She absolutely loved it! I love the spirit that is felt when you listen to the servants of the Lord speak to you. Some favorite things I learned: 

1) We often find answers to prayers in quiet moments.

2) We need to be defenders of and teach eternal truths of the family.

3) The atonement brings hope, no matter how hard the way!

After conference Hermana Reyes had us over to eat tamales de Guatemala. They were so delicious! I love their family so much. Especially their little son Danny. He doesn't know a lot of words but he always sees me and says "hola hermana!" only it sounds like "holamana!" He is so cute. And it makes me happy! He will say it throughout dinner, throughout sacrament meeting, and wherever he sees me. Hna Reyes is beginning to think he has a crush on me. Oh those little 3 year olds. :) haha

My other favorite little boy Daniel bore his testimony yesterday! It was so cute. He said, "This gospel has changed my life!" He is nine. ;) But I love seeing his enthusiasm for the gospel. And what he said is very true. Having a testimony of the gospel will change the course of our lives.

And last but not least, we found 2 new investigators last night, Salomon y Maria. We showed them the Because He lives video and they loved it! And they are planning on coming to General Conference on sunday. They are really interested in hearing what our living prophet Thomas S. Monson has to say about the life of Jesus Christ. We are so excited! :)

I love you so much! I hope you have a Happy Easter. The greatest miracle is that He lives today! I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I am forever grateful for his atoning sacrifice. It brings us hope, no matter how hard the way! 

Con amor siempre,

Hermana Buxton

 Thanks for the Easter package!

We were contacting one windy night and a huge palm leaf almost hit us as we were walking. It was scary because it was dark and flew from above us. haha

 Bambi begging for food.

My planner for April. Thanks for the paper and pictures mom :)"

Week 38: #GraciasAQueElVive

This week has been pretty good! We started out the week contacting a really cool lady with her daughter. We taught them the mini version of the Restoration and Hermana Moir said the first vision all in Spanish! I was so proud of her. :)

 

We had a lesson with Irene and it was a little weird. She told us she didn't want us coming anymore because she saw at church how we didn't have pictures of the Saints or the Virgin Mary and she didn't like that. She also tried to give us the Book of Mormon back, but we told her it was a gift and she reluctantly kept it. We are sad she doesn't want to keep learning but it is what she wants. The thing that confused us most is that she told us that she still believes that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Maybe later on in life she will understand that the truth is found here in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

We took Tarzan and Lucky on a really long walk this week. We thought they were going to pass out toward the end. We misjudged how old and out of shape they were. The poor dogs!

 

Guess what! Brandi (Hermana Francis) came to visit the mission! And she showed up at the church where we were doing family history with Carlos. It was so good to see her! I miss her lots! :)

This week I also had the great adventure of going to the doctor's office for some stomach pain. I had to do a lot of tests but hopefully we will find some answers this week. :) I love being able to be a part of God's plan! I had 2 gospel conversations at the doctor's office. One person had been looking for a church to go to and was really interested in our church. He had even visited Utah! The other was the nurse who took my blood test. He told me that every time he looks for God in his life a Mormon missionary shows up. haha He said "Maybe it's time I listen." He was really cool and I'm grateful to have been able to share the light of the gospel with both of them!

 

We got to go to new missionary orientation this week. We received training from President and Sister Hall. It was so wonderful! The thing I took away from it most was that we are called to be Christ's disciples forever. Even after we take the missionary name tags off! He has asked us to feed His sheep now and for the rest of our lives! As a missionary, I have come to realize how easy sharing the gospel really is. It isn't scary at all! I know the missionary tag gives me so much more confidence, but I feel like I have learned that I can share the gospel with everyone. I am so grateful for this! And that I have learned how to share and teach the gospel simply and powerfully in English and Spanish. That has been a huge cherished blessing in my life.

For our new missionary orientation the Young Women made us lunches. They wrote messages in our lunch boxes! So cute.

Last night we taught Carlos about prayer. In the last conference, Elder Richard G. Scott said, "Our Father in Heaven has given us tools to help us come unto Christ and exercise faith in his atonement. When these tools become fundamental habits, they provide the easiest way to find peace in the challenges of mortality." He promised that prayer will bring, "peace that will focus an eternal light on your struggles." I love this! I know that prayer is real and that Heavenly Father truly hears our prayers. Prayer is the way we can grow a strong relationship with our Heavenly Father.

 

Guess what else?? It is time to start a new initiative! Because He lives! I hope you were able to see the article about it in the March Ensign. It is going to be so cool! I am so grateful to be a missionary during this time. We are going to see miracles this Easter and for the months after that as well! I am pretty sure they will be releasing the video this Saturday online at helives.mormon.org Share it with your friends! And invite others to watch conference on Easter and hear the testimonies of living prophets and apostles testify of the living Christ. Such a simple way to share the gospel.

 

These are the questions that we were asked as missionaries to think about in preparation for the #BecauseHeLives (#GraciasAQueElVive) initiative.

 

What can you do to come more fully unto Christ?

 

How can you become more like him?

 

Yo se que Cristo vive! Gracias a que El vive, podemos volver a vivir con nuestro Padre Celestial. Estoy agradecida por mi Salvador. Gracias a que El vive, podemos saber paz en esta vida. El sabe nuestros dificultades y debilidades. El nos va a ayudar a superar y mejorar. Estoy agradecida por la Semana Santa y por el conocimiento que El verdaderamente vive. Yo se que su evangelio es verdadero. Podemos encotrar verdadera felicidad por medio de sus ensenanzas! :)

 

Les amo demasiado :)

 

With love,

 

Hermana Buxton

Thinking of Heidi. It was cold enough to wear the scarf that Heidi gave me for my birthday to church yesterday. :) I also wore one of the flowers that you sent in my hair! :)

 Flowers from my family :) Thank you!

 St. Patrick's day! We found this tree all decorated.

We were both craving McFlurries from McDonalds. 

 With Hermana Moir.

 We found a peace sign while we were out and about.

This is the cat that always comes to sit on me when we eat dinner. I thought if I put my bag on my lap he wouldn't, but looks like he still wants to be my friend regardless. haha

Week 37: Deeper Desire and More Earnest Purpose

Buenos dias! :)

My new companion is Hermana Moir! She is from Utah and is just about the sweetest girl ever. I love her so much. Training has been really fun so far! We are already great friends and her Spanish abilities grow everyday! She has been inactive until about a year ago when she started to come back to church with a friend. Now her family is active in the church again and she is so strong in the gospel! Her testimony amazes me. 

 First picture at transfer meeting of me and Hermana Moir! mi hija!

Hermana Moir's first pupusas!

This week we had all three of our investigators come to church! It was the greatest feeling ever! We are teaching Hermana Reyes and her family (Her husband and kids are less active members but she isn't baptized), Irene, and Elena.

We taught Hermana Reyes and her kids about the restoration of the gospel. When we talked about the restoration of the priesthood, we focused on the boy's responsibilities as priesthood holders and that they needed to come to church to help with the sacrament. And then they came yesterday! All three of her boys were dressed in white shirts and ties. It was the cutest thing! Her youngest boy Daniel is 4 and he is just learning how to talk. But he recognizes me and calls me "Hermana." When I played the piano for sacrament meeting, Daniel got super excited and pointed to me and yelled "Hermana!" It was the cutest thing. Then he kept saying it throughout the whole meeting. :)

Irene is progressing slowly but surely, she has a hard time understanding. But this week we focused a lot on prayer and she finally prayed this week the right way! We were so excited. She told us that she was communicating with God. Exactly ;) I am so grateful for prayer and that we have the knowledge that God hears and answers our prayers.

Elena had a lot of questions this week about Joseph Smith. Her big concern was why God would allow others to kill his prophet, especially since he died at such a young age. We went home and studied some scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants (we told her we wanted to tell her what the Lord says about it) and came back the next time to read them with her. It made her feel a lot more peaceful. Her favorite that we read was D&C 101:15-16, 36 "And all they who have given their lives for my sake shall be crowned. Therefore, let your heart be comforted, for all flesh is in my hands; be still and know that I am God. Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full."

This week we got to eat dinner with the bishop and his family. They asked me if I could play hymns for them on the piano that they could sing to because they never get to sing with music! So we sang hymns with them for a while. It was such a cool experience. Hymns truly bring the spirit into the home. Don't forget to sing or listen to hymns! :) And don't forget to pray for the bishop and his family. :)

Hermano Romo (our ward mission leader) asked Hermana Moir to share a spiritual thought before our meeting this week. In her cute broken Spanish she bore a powerful testimony about the importance of having faith as we teach our investigators. I was so proud of her!

We also got to teach recent convert, Daniel (the 9 year old), about the importance of church and taking the sacrament. We asked him if he remembered his baptismal covenants (since we renew our covenants when we take the sacrament.) He replied with a confident, "Of course!" I loved his enthusiasm as he told us that he promised to take Christ's name upon him, follow Him, and keep His commandments. And then told us that when he does his part, God promises to give us his Spirit and to forgive our sins. I had a huge smile on my face! We can learn so much from children. It made me wonder, do we remember our baptismal covenants every Sunday and try to be better as a we take the sacrament? I was reading a talk in the last General Conference called "The Sacrament and the Atonement" by Elder James J. Hamula. He said, "The most important event in time and all eternity is the atonement of Jesus Christ. He who accomplished the Atonement has given us the ordinance of the Sacrament to help us not only remember but also claim the blessings of this supreme act of grace. Regular and earnest participation in this sacred ordinance helps us to continue to embrace and live the doctrine of Christ [and] faithfully endure to the end. May we receive the sacrament with deeper desire and more earnest purpose." I have been reflecting on this and trying to take the sacrament more earnestly so that I can claim the blessings he has promised, embrace and live His doctrine, and faithfully endure.

Something else I have been thinking a lot about this week is obedience. We taught it yesterday to Carlos with Hermana Alvarado (our abuelita). Blessings truly come from following the Lord's commandments and being obedient. Something Hermana Moir said this week was "I learned as I came back to church a year ago that the commandments don't tie you down, they free you." I loved that! I know that is true. And when we are exactly obedient as missionaries, we are blessed! And the Lord trusts us to put those people in our path who are being prepared to receive the restored gospel. We had so many experiences this week where, because we were obedient and out serving the Lord, we were able to see miracles and our testimonies were able to bless lives of those whom we met on the street. I love being a missionary and sharing my testimony with everyone!

Me, Hermana Moir, Hermana Alvarado and Carlos

I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers :) I love this gospel and I know that it truly blesses us when we live it. 

Have a wonderful week! Don't forget to take the sacrament with deeper desire and more earnest purpose. I know that we will have the enabling power of the atonement as we do so. :)

Love,

Hermana Buxton

PS I have what is known as "la gripe" They say that to describe any sort of cold or flu symptoms. haha. Everyone hears my voice right now and they say "pobrecita.. la gripe"

PSS Oh, something else huge happened! I dreamed all night long in Spanish for the past few nights. It was super awesome!

 Beautiful California Sunset!

 The big pond we run around in the morning in the park across from our apartment.

We found poppies growing while we were out contacting and it remind me of going to see all the poppies at Monet's Garden in France!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! The Young Single Adult ward was decorating for a dance. They must all be short!  

 I've have learned to parallel park really well from driving in this crazy city.

Food! 

 Me with Bambi (the puppy)

Saying goodbye to Hermana Morse.

Week 36: Trust the Lord

Dearest Family,

Hola de California! I am sending your way love and warm thoughts. It looks absolutely cold there! Hopefully you got the Mexican Hot Chocolate I sent. Hopefully it turned out delicious! :)

This week has been crazy busy. Not only was it the last week of the transfer, (I know.. where does the time go), but we also had Missionary Leadership Counsel and Zone training meeting. It was really fun to learn and be trained by President Hall for 8 hours and then go and share it with everyone else! Here are some of the things I learned this week:

1-We receive so many blessings from paying fast offerings.

2- We cannot accomplish our big dreams and goals (like being married in the temple) without doing the little things (reading the scriptures, going to church.. etc.)

3- Jesus Christ truly lives! And we need to share it with everyone! HeLives.mormon.org

4- Live the Doctrine of Christ. Be a little better everyday.

5- The Lord is in charge. He know His missionaries and will help us in every way as we rely on him and become consecrated missionaries.

Now for some Milagros..

1- Last Monday we had a few setbacks and ended up at the lavandaria to wash our clothes a lot later than we normally are. We were hurrying inside trying to wash our clothes before our next appointment when a young teenage boy said, "Hey, you are the missionaries right? They used to come by my house a few years ago but my parents didn't want to be taught anymore. But I would still like missionaries to come." It was such an incredible experience and really humbling. We wouldn't have normally been there at that time but because of all the things we thought were going wrong according to our plans, they were actually going right according to the Lord's plans. So, trust the Lord! Even when you are crazy behind schedule. He is in charge and "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

2- We were driving down a street when I saw a young man sitting in his drive way. We drove past him but I had a strong impression that we needed to turn around and talk to him. So we parked the car and came back to find him. It was a really cool contact. He said he was pondering about whether or not God loved him. We bore to him our testimony that He does. And that he knows him by name. He wasn't interested in us coming by again, but he took a Restoration pamphlet and said that he would read it. I hope the spirit touched his heart! One day:)

3- We taught a women named Marta in her driveway. The spirit was so strong and we are sooo excited to go back this week and teach her some more. :)

4- Elena came to church! And we helped her download the Gospel Library app to her phone. She is super excited to listen to the hymns at her work. :)

5- Mari (the girl from the Senior living place we volunteer at) came to church because it was Hermana Morse's last Sunday here in Reseda. We were super excited for her to be there!

 6- I am going to be a trainer! Tomorrow I'll meet my new companion. I am super excited...and nervous. But it is going to be so much fun and this area will be fun to train in! :) When president asked me to be a trainer I asked him why he thought I would be a good trainer. He said "Because I prayed and it felt good." haha. I'm glad we have an inspired mission President!

I got the packages!!!! They arrived a long time ago. So, what happened is we got a new post person. The old one put a slip in our mail box to pick up a package from the rental office...only the new one doesn't. So, we went to the office (to fix our fire alarm) and the packages were there! The lady said she was about to call us! haha and she told us she is going to talk to the mail person because lots of people hadn't come to get packages!  I LOVE MY CUDDLE PILLOW> thank you thank you thank you!!!! 

Picture with the "cuddle pillow" from my wonderful mom :) And the race packet from Paige. Thank you sooo much! :)

I love you all so much! Yo se que esta iglesia es verdadera con todo mi Corazon.

besos!!

Hermana Buxton

Sister Morse's awesome new convert, Carlos.  He is going to be an amazing missionary!

We had a district brunch at IHOP. We are all going to miss each other. We had such an incredible district!

Ramen...a new favorite lunch place!

 This is Bambi.  He is soooo adorable!

 Awkward district photo...

The new hermanas we got to take contacting for their first time! Herman Williams, Hermana Morse, me, and Hermana Bedell ( I took Hermana Bedell)

I got a letter from my BFF in Ecuador! 

Someone stole the pass along card off our apartment door.  We figure if they were going to steal anything, that was the best thing they could steal.  We quickly replaced it, so all is well.