Week 43: Do the Best You Can

Hello! I hope all is well :)

 

This week has been pretty fun-ish! I have had lots of doctor's appointments. The amazing thing about that is that you don't stop being a missionary the whole time! I still get to be a representative of Jesus Christ even there. I have loved talking to nurses and doctors about what I believe. They always have so many questions about our Church. They wouldn't let me put my name tag on my hospital gown but hey - they still recognized me as a missionary and a member of Jesus Christ's church. :) haha  We had a lesson with Carlos and a scripture we read in Mosiah reminds me of this: "Stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in." I am grateful that I can be a witness of Him everyday.

 

This week the phrase "just do the best you can" from President Hall has been helping me through. I think it goes for everyone no matter where you are on the path that leads to Heavenly Father. Just do the best you can, and He will help with the rest. But do something. I read something this week in one of the Ensigns that said something along the lines of: sometimes we need to take a few steps in the dark with faith that God will put solid ground underneath our feet. I love that!

 

This weekend we had Stake Conference and Elder Heiman of the seventy came to speak. He was such a wonderful speaker! And he had pretty good Spanish! This is how he said we could come closer to the Lord:

1) Keep the Commandments

2) Trust Him

3) Serve others

 

We also found a part member family that we started teaching this week! We are super excited to keep teaching the Rodriguez family. :)

 

Yo se que esta iglesia es verdadera. No hay ninguna cosa mas preciosa que dedicar tiempo en el servicio del Senor. Estoy tan agradecida por todas las bendiciones que he visto en mi mision, y por el gran cambio que la expiacion nos da. Amo a mi Salvador, y estoy agradecida por su sacrificio expiatorio. Yo se que las familias pueden ser eternas por el divino plan de Dios. Estoy agradecida que tengo una familia eterna. :)

 

I love you!

 

Con amor,

 

Hermanita Buxton

We did a service project where we cleaned up the trash around the LA river.

New district picture. (my district leader is Elder McKinney-he is wearing the polkadot tie)

A letter from Elder Pachner sent 10 months ago to the Mexico City MTC. It finally caught up with me.

 Crazy cactus!

Week 42: Happy in Any Circumstance

Dear familia,

Well here is the view from the bottom of our mission! The ocean! Yup that is as close as we can get but it is still super pretty. We went to what is known in the mission as "The Rock." Just this big rock on the side of the mountain that over looks the ocean. It was super cool.

 The Rock!

District pic.. without the district leader or his companion.. I'm not sure why they weren't in it.

 Zone picture...minus our zone leader who took the picture.

Last Monday something crazy happened! We were turning left and a car decided to run the red light and they almost hit us on Hermana Moir's side. I have no idea how our car went from being right in collision's way to watching the other car zoom beside us but I know it has nothing to do with my car maneuvering skills. Angels moved our car out of the way. It all happened super fast and the car ended up just barely hitting the car behind us (after screeching to a stop). It was so scary and Hermana Moir and I are so grateful that we were protected and watched over.

We got a new investigator this week! Jasmine. She moved from the elder's area so she has been taught a little before. She struggles with drugs and alcohol and before she came to us the elders did an intervention with her and the hermano who teachs the ARP class (addiction recovery program). She hadn't gone but we were able to get her to go this week! She loved it and the class is centered on repentance and receiving help from our Heavenly Father. Jasmine is so nice and she is really wanting to change her life around and get her kids back. She said she will do anything to have happiness in her life again. It reminded me of the scripture in Alma 22:18 "if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee." It is amazing to me to see the Spirit work in others to move them on the path to repentance and change. I truly do know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, change is possible.

This week has been really hard for me. But I have really felt all of your prayers carrying me through the week. We had dinner with a member yesterday and she was talking about her trials that she had a few years ago. She told us that she had no idea why she was given those and at the time felt like God didn't love her. But now she understands why. Now she is stronger and she can see the blessings that came from her trial. She didn't know about my health problems but it really touched me. It made me think that through life we need to always have an eternal perspective. It is the only way to truly be happy in any circumstance. It made me think of a quote by president Uchtdorf, "When we are grateful in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation. ...It is a gratitude that heals the heart and expands the mind. ... It requires that we trust God and hope for things which are not seen, which are true." My trust and faith in God is growing. I'm grateful for the hard times, because they bring us to our knees and we come to know our Father in Heaven more.

One more thing I want to share. In zone conference President Hall shared a story that I loved. It was about a less active member who began to come back to church. After some time, he went to the Temple. As he sat in the Celestial Room, an overwhelming peace and joy came to him. He shared his feelings with one of his ward members that had fellow shipped him and said, "I am so grateful that I came back." His friend said, "Brother, we are all coming back."

I know that we are all on our way back to our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for my mission. I feel like it has helped me on my journey to "come back" to our heavenly home and help others make the steps to come back as well. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through His teachings and His atonement, the way back will be illuminated. We will not be surrounded by darkness. He has shown us the way. And God has given us the tools to stay on the strait and narrow path that leads home. Don't forget to pray, study the scriptures, and keep trying everyday to "walk in the light of His love."

I love you! and I know that God loves you, too!

Con mucho amor y carino,

Hermana Buxton

 Danny loves Bambi!

Bambi wanted me to hold her in my lap when we were eating but I wouldn't so she went and sat on my purse instead. haha

 The cutest little girl, Jareth (we ate with them yesterday)

Tacos de Guatemala con la familia Monzon

 Saying goodbye to hermana McGlothin before she went home.

 A Karate Kid mural.
 

At the library just now.

Week 41: A Visit to the Temple and an Esophagogastroduoenoscopy

Querida Familia Mia,

How are you this week? I hope you are doing well and that you are enjoying a little bit of spring here and there. The cherry blossoms look so pretty!

We served at operation gratitude this week and met some non member friends. It is really interesting because after a while of working with non members they usually bring up the church in some way. Usually it starts out with "I have a Mormon friend." I love this! As members we are missionaries all the time! We may never see the influence we have on others, but people truly notice our light. And it opens the doors for missionaries to talk to them about the gospel.

This week we were also able to do family history with Carlos! I love helping him learn to do his family tree and index names! I am learning a ton a long with him! The family history consultant had Hermana Moir and I log in to our accounts to show him and I was so happy to see so many pictures of my family members online! That was so incredible to see, those weren't there when I logged in last time. I was even more excited when I saw that Aubrey had put some up. *proud sister moment* I also saw people that I didn't know who had added stories and pictures. I read a story this week in the Ensign about how as we link our ancestors together, we are also linking our current family together. I truly believe that.

We found a new investigator this week! His name is Jose. Turns out that he knows Carlos! They work together and Carlos has been talking to him about the gospel. And a year ago he had another co worker invite him to church. That member has moved away since then. Then we show up! It just shows that the Lord is in charge. He prepares people in his way and in his timing. I am so grateful for Carlos and his other friend that have been helping him be prepared for when we came to his house! He is really awesome and already loves the Book of Mormon!

We got to take Elena to the Temple Visitor's Center yesterday! She loved it! She was able to convince her boyfriend to come as well! Who, up until this point, has not been interested at all. Turns out his sister is a member of the Church! He really opened up to us and loved the temple. He took so many pictures of it. The Morgan family also came with us. They are recent converts of almost a year. Hermana Morgan is so excited to go to the temple in a few months! I love the temple. The spirit there is so strong!

This week I had my doctor's appointment on Tuesday and was then scheduled for Friday for an "esophagogastroduoenoscopy ... good luck pronouncing that ;) I was super excited when I saw that and found that my semester of anatomy helped me understand exactly what that means! It went well. And there is a miracle along with it! While the nurse was prepping me to have the procedure done she asked about my pain and how long I have had to wait to get this done. I told her about two days and her jaw dropped! She told me that most patients wait months and months to get an appointment for an endoscopy. I felt so blessed and watched over from our Heavenly Father. Hermana Moir said that in the waiting room the receptionist was scheduling patients and the earliest they had for them was the end of May or the beginning of June. Someone must have canceled right as I was scheduling to have mine done. That is a huge blessing in my life. I have no doubt that the Lord's hand is working miracles in my life! {Rachel meets with the doctor again next week to go over the results. She is learning a lot about dealing with doctor's offices, insurance companies and pharmacies. We are so thankful for Sister Anderson, her mission nurse, who is taking wonderful care of Rachel and keeps us informed about what is going on.}

Well I love you so much! I know this church is true. I know that trials are blessings. I know that Jesus Christ knows us perfectly. I know that His atonement is perfect. And through it we can be made perfect.

Love,

Hermanita Buxton 

I know we are late with the whole egg dying thing, but we finally had time when we had to stay home after my endoscopy. Happy easter! Thanks for the egg dying kit. we had a blast dying eggs while watching our favorite thing, The District! haha ;)

Speaking of The District, it is so fun to watch it and say "I know those people!" This week I saw Sister Roth, and the Mellings on one of the episodes. And Brother Greenwood got a shot on one of the Elder's planners. :) {Part of The District was filmed in our ward in San Antonio, Texas.}

Week 40: Easter

Happy Easter! I hope that you had a lot of fun together and that you were able to watch conference! It was so amazing. I am so grateful for our Savior. He lives!

I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to sustain our living prophet, Thomas S. Monson and the 12 Apostles. I am so grateful that we are led by revelation! Conference seemed to be a lot about the family. Talk about making every missionary trunky! haha

Some favorite things from Conference:

-We can always find spiritual light

-The things that matter most can last through time and eternity

-Don't take the gospel for granted

-Defend the freedom to believe. We have the freedom to live our beliefs, do we?

-Don't forget to pray

-Read the Book of Mormon everyday, everyday, everyday

-God listens to and answers prayers

-He really is at the head of this work and will build His kingdom

-Jesus Christ lifts us to safety

Pupusas at our favorite pupusaria between sessions of conference on Saturday.

I took Hna Moir to get fruit from the fruit stand guy this week. His name was Rogelio and was so surprised when we started speaking Spanish to him. He told us that he was thinking he would be able to practice his English and instead we were speaking Spanish to him! He was adorable and we gave him a #GraciasaqueElVive card. He loved it and we are going to follow up with him this week to see if he watched the video. (And get more fruit :)

Fruit stand and our new friend Rogelio!

I think I really am becoming latina. I realized that most of the pictures I take involve food... But that is their way of showing their love! Food for them makes friendships stronger and makes family time better. So sorry if you get tired of looking at what I eat every week. haha :) But the la familia Flores fed us this really yummy curry-like meal with casamiento {rice and beans} this week. It was so good. Mom I think you'd actually like this one. :) They are a super funny family. They tell us traditions and sayings from Spanish culture but they are from different countries so they always bicker and say "no that is not how you say that" and "stop teaching the hermanas the wrong way" haha :)

Yummy food from el Salvador!

We had to go up to Santa Clarita this week to get an ultrasound done of my abdomen. (Still no word on that). And so while we were up there we went to lunch at Café Rio which is both me and Hna Moir's favorite place. And como siempre, we found members to chat with there. I love when members come up and introduce themselves to us! It is so fun.

We had dinner and a lesson with Hermana Reyes. Her husband and sons are less active and she isn't a member. She explained to us how hard it is to try to go to church without the support of her husband. She is so strong and I am so proud of her for coming with her sons each week. I can tell how hard it must be for her to do this alone and it made me never ever want to do it alone! It is so much easier to raise a family in the gospel when both the parents are helping teach the children and progressing together. It is so important!

Tacos duros!

Our lesson with Elena this week was so good. We watched the He Lives video and read with her from the Book of Mormon when Christ came to the Americas after his resurrection. She loved it! We asked her what she could do in her life to show Jesus Christ her appreciation for what he did for her. She told us that she wants to follow him more faithfully but doesn't know how. We promised her that she will be closer to Him as she follows his example and is baptized. She promised to pray about it and we will also be praying for her to receive and answer.

We had Zone Training Meeting this week as well. It was really good and inspiring! But the crazy thing is that our Zone Leader Elder Smith passed out in the middle of his training! It was so scary! It happened so fast and he was standing and all the sudden was on the ground face first. He woke up quickly afterwards and some of the elders took him to urgent care. He is fine! Just has a few rug burns on his face. They just told him not to lock his knees while standing. Poor guy!

We went to get gas and found a Cristo card! It was from our awesome zone leaders.

We were teaching Daniel and he shyly said, "Umm hermanas can I ask you something?" Yes of course! "Is Jesus' favorite animal sheep or something because I see him with them all the time!" haha.

Last night we had a cool miracle! We were contacting in a neighborhood and no one was outside. Then we saw a young couple having a conversation outside of their car. We approached them and at first I was timid to say something because they looked like they were having a deep conversation, but then I remembered in conference about the story President Monson shared and I knew that we needed to talk to them right then. So we introduced ourselves and the woman said "We were just talking about how we needed to go to church as a family but we didn't know which one to go to. I think this is more than a sign from God." We were able to testify that the restored gospel would bless them and their children. They are an English family so we won't be teaching them, but we were so grateful to be exactly where the Lord needed us to be. The crazy thing is they don't even live in the neighborhood we were at! They were just driving through on their way to bring their kids to chuck-e-cheese and decided to pull over to talk about church. The Lord's hand is in all of our lives!

I love you all so much! Keep smiling and looking for the light of the gospel truth in your life!

Yo se que Jesucristo vive y El esta aqui con nosotros cada momento de nuestras vidas si lo buscamos.

Con amor y muchos besos,

Hermana Buxton

 BBQ with the ward for Obispo's birthday. 

Look how big bambi got!!