October 2015

OCTOBER 5TH 

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well! As you can all see this past week was super eventful! I was able to go on exchanges Monday night to Tuesday night and it was a blast! The exchanges were in San Jose and I've never been there before so it was quite the experience. We had a super difficult lesson and it was literally the hardest lesson we've both had our entire missions. The family was just really torn apart and the people in the family who are members weren't being a good example to the nonmembers. Luckily though I heard that they still want to learn and will just be taking the lessons a little bit slower.

Other crazy things that happened this week was that we got to go on an Emergency 2hr exchange. I was able to talk to a sister and help her to feel confident in her area and in the mission. I felt super sad but yet happy that I could try to help her! That day we also had President Mella come to our lesson. AHH!! It was so scary but we tried to prepare well beforehand! We taught the priesthood and the lesson was for Joel. THe lesson went super well though! The only bad thing that happened was when I spilled gatorade on the investigators floor haha. They weren't upset about it at all though so I was thankful and very embarrassed hahaha.

To add to the excitement of the week we had MLC again (Mission Leadership Council) This month our focus is on "Apply what we learn" The application part was teaching! ha So there was about 6 companionships who got up and taught a lesson in front of everyone. I luckily didn't have to go up! ha. It was great though because the point of it was to learn good teaching habits and apply it to ourselves!

But of course we all know that the end of the week was the BEST!! I loved conference so much! I really can't choose just one specifically.. However something that stood out to me is the theme of the Holy Ghost. I really feel like I understand it's purpose a lot better now! I loved how they related it to being a travel companion and that it works with us at our own speed. I think that was something that I really needed to hear! Conference was yet another witness to me that this is Christ's true church! The prophet is called of God and he receives revelation that is necessary for our age and TIME :) God only asks of us that we do our best and that we enjoy this beautiful life he has given us.

I'm very excited for this final week of the transfer and for our companionship. I sure have learned a lot these past 7 weeks and I'm thrilled for the opportunity that I'll have this Wednesday to go do a session in the temple! I'm so grateful for my calling as an STIL as it continues to strengthen my testimony and desire to serve everyone! Not just investigators or members, but other missionaries too!! I love Livermore and I can't wait for the miracles to come these last 3 transfers of my mission :)

Love you ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Buys


OCTOBER 12TH

Oh my goodness!! This past week was the perfect way to end the transfer and to finish my time with my comp. Sister Gilvarry!! The miracles began to flood in on Monday when we received a call from the Elders. They've been teaching someone who is best friends with our investigator. Their investigator decided that she wanted to be baptized the following week. Well she told our investigator (Lupe) about it and Lupe told her that she wanted to be baptized as well!!! When the Elders told us this we didn't believe them because Lupe is very stuck in her ways. Also because we set a date with her for January 1st. Well, the next day we called her and she sounded really busy. She told us that she didn't want to be baptized the coming Saturday. After that conversation we weren't too discouraged because it was what we thought would happen...However! Exactly ten minutes later she called us back and told us that she really did want to be Baptized and that she was serious about it!! After that we went over to her house and went over the questions and she knew everything. She had her real interview two days later and she passed it! Lupe was baptized yesterday at 4pm just an hour before we had to leave for my companions outgoing fireside :)

I feel so blessed to have been a part of this amazing miracle and I know that there are SO many miracles to come!! It was a testimony to me, once again, of the power of inspired goals!! When I came to this area we set a goal of 5 baptisms and we've been able to see all 5 of them!!! :) Among this huge miracle we were also able to see many little miracles everyday! Since we've been working super hard to find people last week we saw the fruits of our labors! We were able to find 5 more people to teach and they are people that came to us and asked us to teach them :)

And of course the temple was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just really tried my best to enjoy the session and not try too hard to memorize things. AND...it worked!! haha. I learned so much from the temple and I could tell that even just not going for 6 months it was a little bit rough to remember things. That's why we need to go to the temple as frecuently as we can :) ha Of course I can't right now, but in the future for sure :) Some great things I learned in the temple was more about who our Heavenly Father is and why obedience to the commandments is crucial for our spiritual and temporal survival :)

My most exciting and nerve wracking news for the week is that since my companion goes home tomorrow I will be TRAINING a new missionary!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited and when I received the phone call I was so much at peace. I know that right now is the time that God wanted me to do this and that I'm going to learn so much from it!! Everything just seems to be where it should be right now. I love it!! I was also released as an STL which is kind of sad, but I'm happy because I really enjoyed it and it will be a lot better that I can just focus on the new missionary coming in!! I will pick her up at the mission office on Thursday so I will send pictures of us next week haha :) I'll be with an English sister for 2 days since we both dont have companions and are training at the same time!!!

Also!! I was able to go to SIs. Gilvarry's last area and see a baptism and my old comp. SIster Villanueva was there!! It was so amazing to see her and I've never been happier in my life :) I just felt like we were companions again and it was the best thing ever!!! When we went to the outgoing fireside I was able to see all of my companions except for my trainer. It was such a blessing to see them all!! I also saw Maria and Jose(my old investigators from redwood city) and I saw the chavez family who were my first baptism in my first area!! Even though it was my companions outgoing I really felt like it was mine. I was able to so many people that I love! There literally is no greater feeling than seeing the people that you've taught and to know that they're strong in the gospel! When I walked up to the Chavez family we all just kept hugging each other and smiling non-stop. After experiencing this I realized that all of the things we go through as missionaries are totally worth it! Just to be able to experience so much joy and have so much love for these people. It's just something you can't even describe! It really rejuvenated me and helped me recognize that I can do this hard work! Every sacrifice and tear and hardship, it is all worth it!! I love this work!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for all of your love and support! I wish you all the best week ever!!

Con mucho amor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Buys


OCTOBER 19TH

Wow it's been quite a week! It's crazy to think that I had three
companions throughout the week ha. As always it's hard to say goodbye
to a companion :( Luckily though we all live so close to one another
and so it's a lot easier to stay in contact. Well for the two days
while I was waiting for my new companion to come it was really crazy.
We had to cover two areas and try to go to all of our appointments as
well. It was amazing to me the difference of teaching by myself verses
with a companion. The reason I had to teach alone is because I was the
only one that spoke Spanish ha. During this time I realized the
importance of having two witnesses. Because I can try and do my best
but when that other witness isn't there it's just not the same and the
spirit doesn't feel the same. Anywho, this week I was also able to get
to know the investigators better since I was gone a lot last transfer.
I'm starting to connect to them better and understand their
perspective. What my companion and I really want to focus on is
knowing their needs and focusing on that. Make sure to make everything
personal to them and not just teach it.

Well I received my new companion on Thursday!!!!! Her name is Hermana
Guevara!!!!!! She is from Hyrum, Utah and is Guatemalan :) It's super
cool! It was insane because when we went to the transfer meeting I had
to lead the music. I looked down and saw her smile and  i just knew at
that moment she would be my companion! Her first language is Spanish
and she has known English since she was twelve! It's super interesting
because ever since she came here things have just been so different. I
feel like a big chunk of what I thought was missionary work has
changed. It's been good though! We go to bed at night just super
exhausted haha. We are trying to use our time even more wisely so that
we can fit all of the activities in also ha. She is a really great
sister and is super prepared. She seems as though she has been on her
mission for quite a while when it comes to a lot of things. I even
sometimes forget that I'm training her haha. I think it's a good
experience for both of us and it's helping me to be open to different
ideas :) I think my favorite element of our companionship though is
that we are always laughing :) Our whole apartment actually is just
full of laughter :) The other crazy thing too is that I'm the
designated driver and so I drive all day everyday ha. I think it's
just preparing me for the rest of my life hahaha.

Well two great miracles I saw this week were 1st, we met with our
investigator Rosa and she had a really bad headache. She let us in
anyway and we taught her about the plan of salvation. At the end of
the lesson she told me that her headache was gone, and she felt so
much better and at peace. I reminded her that it was the Holy Ghost
and she said that she knew it was. She said hat she feels it every
single time that we come. Wow! It was such a testimony to me that the
Holy Ghost truly is there in the lessons. He's doing all the work and
teaching her. He's healing her sicknesses and helping her realize that
this is something she needs! The other miracle is that we went and saw
a 9yr old girl Paloma! We taught her the restoration and invited her
to church. When we went to remind her of church Sunday morning she was
up and ready to go to church. We were going to have her get a ride
with a member but her dad just decided to drop her off at the church.
She stayed there the whole time and then at the end she said hat she
loved it! She'll hopefully be coming to activity days and Tuesday and
back to church on Sunday! It was such a beautiful thing to see a kid
as young as her so excited for church and wanting to learn more about
God.

Well I just leave with all of you my testimony that this is Gods work!
He is the one that qualifies us to do it and without him we are
absolutely nothing. He gives us the strength and the bravery and
knowledge to make it happen. I know that as we put our faith in him we
will be able to see miracles and he can help us to change.

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Buys :D

 OCTOBER 26TH

Hello family and friends!!! This past week was another one that was full of many adventures and running around like crazy. I actually started the week off feeling quite sick and then Tuesday it got pretty bad. I was coughing really hard and I had to stay home that day. I felt really bad because it's just the start of my comps mission, but there wasn't really much else to do. The only time I went outside of the house was with my interview with President Mella and that was it. He even told me that we could reschedule the interview but I told him that we were already at the church and to just do it. It was a really great interview and he talked to me about some of the changes he's seen in me during the mission and to see where I am now. I was pretty surprised about all of that but thought he was being nice ha ha. I also received a blessing and it was wonderful! It talked about how because of my faith in the Priesthood I would wake up the next morning and be healed completely. And I literally woke up the next morning and was completely fine!! I even went to zumba and exercised!! This was probably the biggest miracle I saw last week. I know that it doesn't have anything to do with investigators but this was something that really touched me!

I was also impressed by the blessing because it also talked about how I need to remember my purpose as a missionary. The next day we had District Meeting and we talked about our purpose and having the desire to baptize. After this day my companion and I asked 3 people to be baptized and it took a lot of faith on our part. We haven't received their answers yet but we know that the more we invite the more we are fulfilling our purpose. That we will be better instruments in the Lords hands. It's so amazing to see that the blessing I received really just completely shaped the whole rest of the week.

Another sweet moment we had was when we were walking back to our car on Thursday I felt impressed to talk to this women who was getting out of her car. We walked up and introduced ourselves and she told us that she is from another city further away. We were a little bummed because we couldn't teach her. We gave her a card and as soon as we were about to leave she stopped us and asked if we said prayers. We said,"Of course!" And asked if we could offer one with her right there. She said no and then stood there for a minute and began crying. After giving her hugs and waiting a few minutes she agreed to  have us pray. She told us how her son is in jail and she's so sad about it. That she tries to remain strong in front of her kids but when she's alone she's completely miserable. We talked a bit with her and after the prayer she seemed to calm down a little bit. We had to say our goodbyes and we were off. It was such a sad and great experience to recognize that God answers every prayer. We were just in that area at that time to bring some hope back into her life. God doesn't just send angels but he sends people in our path to come and rescue us.

I hope that as all of you are going about with your regular activities this week that you'll take the time to recognize those who are in need of your help. They are all around us! All we have to do is pay attention to the whispering and guidance of the spirit.

Les AMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Buys