September 3, 2012

hola familia
So this week was a pretty crazy week. So it was sweet that this week we actually gave quite a few blessings which was cool. Cecilia got sick at the beginning of the week and we were worried she wouldnt heal in time to be confirmed yesterday but we gave her a blessing and she was back to normal a few days after which was sweet. I love having the priesthood its so sick! so cecilia and ana and ulises got confirmed yesterday which was good. We are way way good friends with them now and they are with ayelen too (20 year girl in the ward that helps us out a lot, that I mentioned last time). It was really stressful with lots of stuff and cause ulises is really just a little nut haha. But it all worked out okay. We had zone conference thursday which was really good too! So I finally got your package and thank you so much!! :) I love all the treats and the book and all of it! and thank you kirsten too! :) and no I really cant wear the bracelet but thats okay cause I'm excited to wear it when I get home so thank you!! after the conference I got to talk to president for a little bit about some stuff that was going on that he helped me with and it really helped me alot and I am very grateful for him and his love for us. I love that I'm starting to see him and his wife more as my mission parents instead of my leaders. So basically our zone broke the baptisms record for most baptisms in a month. It hasnt been broken in 2 and a half years which was sweet! So earlier today our stake president took our whole zone of missionaries out to mccdonalds which was sick and freakin expensive but hes just way chetto I guess. After that we actually played basketball which felt really good cause that doesnt happen very often here. and trust me you dont want to see an argentinian try to play basketball.. haha. oh okay so also we have an investigator named mabel whos about 26 or something years old and she just showed up in church like 2 weeks ago with her boyfriend whos a member and then they went to the temple and the day after that we had our first lesson with her and she told us about how she cried in the temple and felt it way strong. We have had like 3 lessons with her in total so far and she already has made the decision to get baptised cause we put a date with her and she has been thinking about it and studying a lot. So thats awesome! We should baptise her next week cause she still needs one more time in church and there isnt services this sunday with the rededication. oh yeah okay so we found out about this weekend for the most part. So on friday this week we are all going as a mission to some place and having a meeting with President Eyring and Christoffersen and Ballard!! And then on saturday with the cultural event in the soccer stadium we found out that we arent just going but that we are actually participating in it. We dont know how but we will find out. Thats going to be sweet! And then sunday we attend the temple dedication I think just with our wards in the stake centers since they will be made extentions to the temple so more people can participate. so yeah it should be a really really sweet week!! Earlier this week I found a sentence in preach my gospel that I really love, it says "as your understanding of the atonement of Jesus Christ grows, your desire to share the gospel will increase." I loved that because I have been learning that a lot. Here I have really been learning and still am learning how to repent. The one aspect of me learning to really repent, not including anything else, already makes all of this worth it. I know that there is nowhere else I would have learned how to really plead for forgiveness from my savior other than out here serving Him. I honestly truely stand all amazed at the love jesus offers me. I am very confused at the grace he so fully profers me. and I really tremble to know that for me he was crusified, bled, and died. I know that no matter how far we have gone or what we have done that the lord loves us and he will forgive us. We may have to do something that we dont want to do to recieve that forgiveness but He will always forgive us as we conform to His will. Also last week we had to print out a talk and read and it was way good and I know you guys and I have read it before but its great. Its "what matter of men and women ought ye to be?" by Lynn g robbins of the seventy. great talk!

haha yeah familia gonzalez have told me a little bit about what you guys have said. and also luz (the 10 year old daughter (cassidess new best friend)) wants cassidee to accept the invitations from hermana gonzalez too haha I love luz. Shes my amigasa! we sing justin bieber together sometimes ;) hahaha. I am so glad your doing a lot better mom! and I'm grateful to hear that I can help my family in some way even when I'm far away from them. Just keep trusting in the lord and do His will. "when we are on the lords errand, we are entitled to his help" - presidente gulbrandsen. I know heavenly father is watching over you guys and helping you every step of the way. I'm glad I know that so that I dont have to worry. wow thats really really stupid about UVU and really sad. I hope austins doin alright. This doesnt really have to do with much but the thing you sent me like a month ago about what austin put on his instagram with the picture of me on me birthday and stuff ya know? yeah so I wasnt really going to say this but I still have it right on my desk. And any time I read that Ilike almost cry. It motivates me to do things when I dont want to. a few times, I wont go into detail, I didnt have the motivation to do a certain thing that I knew I should do and so I would read that and I think to myself that if I wont do it for myself then I'll do it for my brother. That little tiny paragraph you sent me that he posted on his instagram means a lot to me. I honestly before I left thought austin would be a lot happier with me gone that way he could have my stuff and I wouldnt be there to bug him. but yeah anyway. so its starting to get hot here. Its almost summer! finally!! :) but its like as hot as it gets in utah some days here and everyone tells me that thats nothing.. its going to get really hot and extremely humid. but the good thing is that when I come home I'll be leaving summer so ill be tan at least :) haha. dont worry cassidee will do great. I know she will! I always pray for her. I guess thats it for this week. les amo mucho!

Elder Buxton




(This is what Austin posted on his instagram on Cody's birthday, for those of you who don't have instagram and didn't see it:"Happy Birthday to my best friend in this whole world. Words cannot explain how much I miss this kid and how much he means to me. Love you Cody!")