The Guys!

The Guys!
Leaving for the MTC

Monday, November 26, 2012

November 26, 2012

Hola familia,
So this week was a pretty good week. So last Tuesday we stayed in the pention all day. It was okay cause elder lemo and elder o handley came and slept over Monday night and stayed all day Tuesday and Tuesday night. We lounged around, wrote letters and played risk haha it was pretty fun. We have like a roof top thing so we chilled up there for a bit too so yeah it was nice to rest. I heard also that that was an Argentina wide thing but yeah I dunno. Then on hTursday we did divisions again and I was in my area with elder mower again which went pretty good also. And the bishop actually called us that night too and wanted to visit someone with us the next day and asked me and my comp to give talks on Sunday. So that was great cause it shows that the bishop is trusting us more and stuff. So Sunday we gave our talks which went really good. Mine was on Mosiah 5 which I love. It talks about how we all need to really experience a change of heart and have the name of Christ written in our hearts. Great chapter! I encourage you guys to read it again. And then I taught gospel principles which went really good too. And then me and my comp had to talk to the primary and bear our testimonies and stuff. So it was just a teaching packed Sunday haha. And then we had 2 really good lessons. One with a girl named jazmin who is friends with a member and she came to church yesterday. Shes 9 years old and so we passed by her house and taught her and her family. Her parents aren't married but we set a baptism date with her on the 9th. Shes really excited. And then we had a family night with a family I didn't know that much so it was great to get to know them a little more. And also Diego came to church again. We had a lesson with him the other day and he was way excited the days before until that day so we asked what was up and he said he talked to his step dad and he told Diego that if he gets baptized he wont be able to worship the saints. (if you don't know what that is or means you'll have to look it up). But yeah so we are working with him to receive his answer that this is the true church so he can be baptized next Sunday, the 2nd. So yeah we will see how that goes this week. Also on Friday night when went to a recent converts house (the girlfriend of jared who I told you about last week) and she made us tacos :) as you can see in pics. Shes the only member in her family but we are way tight with the whole family. So yeah. Also something that elder lemo and them told me that I didn't know about our president. It was a story that he had a son that was in high school that committed suicide. I never knew that.. but here comes the amazing part. He committed suicide because of something his football coach had said to him. And so the prinicipal of the school I think called president and the only thing president said to him about the coach was "that coach shouldn't have said that." And president said (this was in a zone conference or something I wasn't in) to his wife that in that moment when he said that he felt the spirit leave him. He knew he couldn't bear the pain of losing his son without the spirit so his wife told him to call the principal back and say he was sorry. So he did. And then when they had the funeral the football coach was there. And as soon as sister gulbrandsen saw him she went up to him and gave him a hug and told him she was glad that he came. When I heard that I was so amazed... our president and his wife are seriously so amazing. They really are true disciples of Christ and I feel really lucky to have one of the best mission presidents!


In this mission we really work through the members. Street contacts and knocking doors aren't too effective here but they still can work. Even with like helping people in the street with groceries and stuff. People wont accept help because so much robbing goes on here in Argentina that nobody can trust anyone. Its actually kinda sad. Windows don't really get broken from soccer balls cause there are metal bars on every window and you wouldn't believe how long it takes to lock like your store when you close for the day. They have to lock it way good cause people literally live all over the streets here and will do anything to get things. But yeah just a little background of how the country kinda is. Here in buenos aires anyway. Wow austin and jacobs papers are in?? Don't forget to film them both and send them to me! I cant wait to find out where they are going. Elder o handleys brother last week got called to cordoba argentina. Kinda weird! but yeah where ever they get called with be exactly where the lord wants them. I have no doubt about it. I got one picture of christmas me and austin is all haha. but sounds like christmas decorating will be fun. It will be a struggle kinda being here during Christmas but I'm sure I'll be fine. And hopefully too busy to care all that much haha. Send me a pic of the tree with all you guys by it! And also I'm sending you an envelope with about 5 letters I need to you to give to the right people. It will be way way cheaper to send one big one than 5 little ones. So thank you! What did you guys do for thanksgiving? okay well I think that's it for this week. espero que tengan una muy buena semana! les amo muchisimo! chow!


Love Elder Buxton





Tuesday, November 20, 2012

November 19, 2012

hola familia,
Okay so this week is going to be really weird. So today we are basically skipping p day. We have a few hours to email and buy our food for the week and then we work the whole day like its a normal day. Then tomorrow apparently there are going to be a bunch of like strikes and a bunch of political junk so we have to stay in the pention the whole day.. we cant leave for anything. The government here is really messed up cause of the president. Its a girl named christina and she has been president for like 10 years or something like that I dont remember. But there are always dumb little things like all the kids in a certain school dont have school one day cause all the teachers arent getting paid good so they go and strike and dont show up. Weird stuff like that. So yeah tomorrow will be interesting. We are going to have lunch with versalles (elder lemo and elder ohandley) today so thatll be good. And then I think they are actually coming to sleep over tonight and spend the day with us in the pention or else its going to be a really boring day.. its starting to get really hot today so tomorrow will probably be way killer with humidity and we just might die haha k not really but our pention is really like a sauna. But I guess we will see haha so yeah. Last week was a pretty good week. We actually talked to a friend of a 13 year old recent convert who came to church yesterday and is like way excited and everything. We have talked to his parents a little bit and they are excited too. So we are going to really start teaching him (diego) and his mom. We have an appointment with them tonight and we are going to for sure put a baptismal date with diego so thatll be good. Other than that we are really looking for investigators right now. We kinda dropped the few we had before so we are finding more right now. Last wednesday we did divisions with the zone leaders and elder mower from idaho came and was with me in tonelero. It was rough at first cause I dont know the area that well but it turned out pretty good. And thats actually the day we met diego. We had a good long like get to know you talk with the bishop so that was really good too and helped strengthen our relationship with him. Also this last week we have been doing quite a bit of just little things for members as service which is really good. One thing is that all the kids here in argentina have an english class in their school and so its great helping a lot of them with their homework and stuff. On saturday and sunday I met a family for the first time here and they are way cool. They fed us lunch and everything and I helped the 17 year old daughter whos finishing high school with her english homework and she was very greatful for that so I'm glad I could help. Something I really thought about and liked this week was a quote thats on a mormon message thats from shakespeare that says "those who do not show their love, do not love." I liked that a lot cause its really true in like relationships and with family members and also with our heavenly father. We can say we love him or them all we want but if we dont give them our time or make sacrifices for them then we probabaly dont love them as much as we say we do. Thats really important in the mission here. If we really love our heavenly father and the people then we are going to make sacrifices for them and give them all of our time. Thats critical as a missionary. So besides that yesterday I got kissed on the cheek by a drunk guy yesterday which is always fun haha and also I realized I lost my mp3 player... I havent ever taken it out here in tonelero and I went to do that the other day and its not there and its no where.. so yeah kinda stinks. And also grandma naylor HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I love you!!! have an awesome day!! and also to everyone HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! :) 

yeah I'm hoping we can all really reflect on what we are greatful for this week. Its always a great opportunity to do that. Wow sounds like thanksgiving should be pretty fun then. When are they coming up and when is ashlee and matt leaving? haha yes mom I agree you do your job in the young womens just too well! :) haha you are called there for a reason. And yeah thats the right jordan. kinda cool I guess. And yes brinnly told me about trennons call. Hes going to washington and leaves in february. I just dont know what date. Wow I'm way glad austin is really progressing with his papers and his interviews. I'm excited to see where he gets called! I dont know if I  asked last week but can you send me a new soccer ball? Not in my christmas package unless there is room but yeah that'd be great! wow are you serious?? mitch is in jail? Thats so crazy and sad... yeah I don't know why he would do that but yeah wow... I'm kinda shocked. mitch is a way cool kid on campouts and everything. But just wow. Lots and lots of mission calls haha pretty nuts. I actually looked at a map yesterday and Landon and Georgia aren't going to be that far away from each other haha. Well I guess that's it for this week. Les amo mucho y siempre estoy orando mucho por todos ustedes entonces no se preocupen. todo va a estar bien :)

Love Elder Buxton

ps the pictures are with our friend jared. he lives in the area of elder whitsit but he and his family work in our area all the time and so we are way tight with him. And also his girlfriend is one of our recent converts so yeah. He reminds me so much of me haha




Monday, November 12, 2012

November 12, 2012

hola familia,
So this week was a pretty good week. So it was extremely hot all week. Way way humid and just killer. And then all of the sudden on Friday it just downpoured with rain and its been kinda colder ever since then. Cloudy and less humid so its felt kinda nice but it'll probably get hot again soon. So last week we had our capacitation on Tuesday with all the trainers and new missionaries and district leaders and zone leaders. It was really good like always. We also had our zone conference on thursday which was really good too. But in both president has been focusing a lot on the why of the things in the gospel instead of the what. The what informs, the why transforms. We have been doing a lot of practices where we basically have to figure out the investigators needs and help them by asking inspired questions. And those questions cant be answered by yes or no. If it can then its a lazy non inspired questions. For example: instead of did you read the book of mormon yesterday? We ask what touched your heart yesterday as you read the book of mormon? Its really sweet and helps a ton. Some other stuff I thought was interesting that president said was that he has never given a talk that he has prepared. He like prepares a talk and what to say and then doesn't use it. Every zone conference and stuff we have he basically just stands up and teaches by the spirit. That's pretty awesome. He has so much faith. The zone conference was way way spiritual. Something I liked that president said was that in the greatest sacrifice in the history of the world, made by Jesus Christ, the thing that came to his mind that gave him the strength and motivation to continue in so much pain and not give up was you (us). It was way way spiritual and then we all kneeled and president offered a way sweet and spirit filled prayer. It was sweet. He also said that the whole church is changing how we teach. missionaries, teachers, etc. changing from teaching by trying to put everything in the learners head that we want them to know but rather inviting the spirit and the spirit teaches the learner exactly what they need to know. Its a rather simple, complex idea and can be kinda hard sometimes. The difference it makes is awesome though. It was also great to hang out with elder walker and elder whitzit for like the whole day. And me and elder whitzit talked to a black guy from south africa and stuff. So its sweet becoming better friends with him. A couple times last week we didnt have power or water so that's always fun haha. We did divisions on Friday too and I went with elder o´handley in his area which was good. He just barely finished a year in the mission and is from vegas. He really struggles with spanish but its always good being with a greengo after a while haha. Also in the capacitacion on tuesday I met a kid that went to timp that was actually friends with ali my senior year. We knew who each other were but that's all. Its jordan khutel (dont know how to spell the last name). Austin knows who he is I think but yeah kinda funny hes here in my mission. And the other day I read the letters from the Terrys hahaha and realized they were written like 8 months ago haha good work mom ;) but it was great hearing from them.. A long time ago haha. Also it was funny and cool yesterday we had a lady come up to us in church and tell us that she always sees us on the street walking and just thinks "oh my there goes my angels" haha it was way nice of her to complement us so but its funny she was just telling us for like 10 minutes that we are the lords angels. So we are working on getting new investigators right now since we don't have too many progressing but we have one girl named alma who's 9 who we are trying to get the permission from the mom to baptize her so we will see how that goes.

Teaching Sunday school went good. I taught about the temple and stuff so it was really good. I love the temple! Today we went into capital and bought some stuff haha I bought a boca jersey and haha you have to tell Austin this one. I bought a derrick rose bulls jersey for about $10 haha its pretty sweet. Yes it would be great if you could send me 2 pairs of pants. Have Austin try them on first though. Don't forget to wrap some stuff in my Christmas package too :) thanks mom your the best! wow crazy about all the mission calls. I don't have dates for Steve, Trennon, and Kyle. For Jacobs and Austins calls can you do a video? That would be way cool. but yeah I heard landons last week. Way way cool. I sent something to Austin to tell him. oh don't worry I definitely have cavities.. Its not fun. But I don't want you to have to pay for me to go to the dentist here. I heard its expensive. And no we don't have bikes here. And yes my toe was better a couple weeks ago so that's good. Wow sounds like you are and are going to be booked with schooling stuff for the next bit but winter break should be nice. Its weird to think you guys are in winter. I feel like your summer went so fast cause I'm just getting to summer and so I feel like its summer there too. Its a weird feeling since we pretty much skipped a summer coming from Utah to Argentina. You sold my transformer?????? really??? dangit ill miss him... :( haha but if thats whats best then thats okay. I hope cassidee is alright though. But I'm glad you saved my sub. haha I will definitely still need that. I'm glad Austin is done with his stuff for his eagle too that's way awesome. Hopefully you can have the court of honor soon. Yeah I heard about obama.... really dumb but oh well I guess. Its what the lord wanted for us right now so we will be fine. But yeah so I guess that's it for this week. les amo mucho! la iglesia es verdadera!

Love, Elder Buxton





Monday, November 5, 2012

November 5, 2012

hola familia,
Wow okay so pretty much last week was so nuts. Sorry I couldn't write much. It was a way hectic day but that's alright cause everything's good now. So yeah I already told you about transfers. Me and my comp are already pretty good friends so we don't have problems so that's good. We have a pretty nice apartment so that's good too. But anyway so yeah my companion finishes his mission this transfer and he told me that on your last p day of your mission you can get permision from president to go anywhere in the mission so we are going to do that and we are going to go to the boca stadium and lots of other sick places. I'm stoked!! :) and basically it is freakin hot here!!!! It is officially spring here.. we are already dying. We sleep with 3 fans in our little room and still die of heat at night. Like us utahns really have no idea what hot is haha. Its only spring and its in the high 80s and 90s with like 90% humidity. The humidity is killer....! So yeah when it becomes summer it will always be over 100 pretty much. So basically I'm gonna die haha. Its kinda a gross feeling being wet with sweat literally all day haha but I guess I'll get used to it. So yeah also since my companion leaves it means I for sure will stay here and we all think I'l get made senior companion so I guess we will see. But that means that I will be here in this area for halloween, thanksgiving, my one year mark, christmas, and new years. haha thats weird. I'ts a really small ward with about 50 actually active members. Way way small. Okay I guess some other facts. So we had a zone meeting last week and they told us that right now we have about 190 missionaries in our mish and in a few months or something we will have about 250. Its gonna be nuts! This transfer was kinda funny too that elder mcnab and I left together and he is here close in my zone with elder schoefer(elder jorqueras trainer). We always stay close haha and we heard that elder brown and elder harrison (elder harrison in the south) got made senior comps this last transfer so that's cool for them. and yeah elder walker is here in my zone too with elder whitsitt haha so thats kinda cool. So yeah our ward is pretty cool I guess haha we have a huge like 10 block radius full of stores and cheap food all over the streets and just everywhere. I'ts way way cool. The other day we had the elders quorum president visit some people with us his name is hermano toƱanez. He is way cool and we learned a lot from him as we were knocking doors with him and talking to everyone in the street which we don't do too much in this mission. but I hope to continue to learn from him he's way cool. Also tomorrow I guess we have a capacitation meeting again with the zone leaders and district leaders and trainers and then on thursday we have zone conference already. And then on Sunday I get to teach the gospel principles class. Sounds like fun no? :) hey be sure to be sending me georgias emails. And tims if you can too. oh oh and also! Messi is a dad now!! :) haha he had a son the other day which I thought was cool. Little thiago messi! Soccer prodigy! haha.

So yeah it really was way hard to leave Luz last week and I'm going to really miss her and her whole family. I hope I will one day see them again. Yeah its way weird to think its November already but I'm glad you guys are getting things done and Austin did good with his wisdom teeth. Did he swell up like I didn't? thanksgiving should be fun for you guys hopefully! I don't think we do anything here. They don't have it here. Hey let me know the exact missions and the exact dates their leaving if you can. That's way cool though! These are some random pics from the past few weeks. zoo, cemetery, and with familia gonzalez and stuff. I guess that;s it for this week. I will go read all your emails now haha. les amo mucho! esta iglesia es la verdad!

Love Elder Buxton

ps nevermind about most the pictures. I'ts too big and I don't have time to put them all on again...


hey also tell kirst that I freaked out when I saw the pictures she sent me!!! And that me and her are going together when I get back!


(The missionary on the right is Elder Whitsitt. I work for his foster dad, Dr. Young, at my clinic so it was fun for him and I to see this picture today and know that our sons are in the same zone together now)