Week # 48

Hey nihao everyone!!! Well I just barely talked to my family so it was so good!! Loved you all. This week has been kinda slow, some of our investigators have been not progressing but we have been working on it. I had to go on exchanges with a ZL that turned out to be one of my favorites missionaries when I say he attacks the work he really does and his invite to me was to hail mary every day which I thought was so cool. Don't punt just go for it every day. Balls out - just go. I kinda likened it to Riley Nelson. Ya know he wasn't the best QB but gosh dang it he played with heart and effort and just went off and won with whatever he had. 

I loved the Christmas package the sweater and new shirt that I’m currently wearing the socks and everything. I loved everyone’s letters so much I feel kinda of embarrassed that I took my letter so seriously but I felt like I did alright. Ya know I love the church. I love the people because they are so nice and loving and know we all make mistakes. I miss you all so much nothing much has really happened .

Week 47: The Week Before Christmas

1. Did you get your Christmas package yet? Yes, I haven't opened it. I had Elder Shelton hide it,

2. How was your mission Christmas party? I ate 22 steaks

3. How are your investigators doing? They are all doing fantastic.

4. What are you doing on Christmas day? Eating cereal and the daily missionary grind.

Ni hao everyone!!! As I speak to you from across the world you are all sitting by warm fire places with sweaters and Dean Martin playing in the background. I can say to you know i am doing the exact opposite. this week has been very cool. So at the Christmas party it was a magical time for all. It was a lot of fun. I hung out with Elder Boden Christeanson and  Elder Corey Edwards at Sun Moon Lake which was aight. Then I pretended to be an old Jewish man with Elder Zanni who is from South America.  Then I ate 22 steaks.It was pretty cool because Elder Noll saved a spot for me. I didn't think I would be able to eat with anyone I knew but ya I did. 

There is this sister who told me her dad went to Ricks for football and I was like my dad could of known him. I asked where her dad was from she said Pocatello. I was like so was mine and she said Highland high school and i was like so was mine and she was like he was 55 and I'm like I think my dad is fifty five.... Her last name is Henderson, her dad's name is lan .... so her dad and mine may have been team mates I guess... so yep cool .

Love you all.

Elder Buhler

Week 46: Loving His Companionship! Ate 22 Steaks at the Mission Christmas Party All You Can Eat Steak House! Great New Area!

1. Tell us about your new area? Where is it located? Are there a lot of members in your ward? I'm in Wufeng  Taichung. 

2. How's your new companionship? Are you very busy? Oh, we are so busy it is unreal.

3. Do you know anything about calling on Christmas yet? We think we will call they day after Christmas so that's Christmas for you.

4. What was the best thing about your week? We met Lin.

5. Do you have any investigators in your new area? We have I think like 5 baptismal goals.

Ni hao everyone!!! This week I've been so happy to wake up and say  I'm on a mission. I would like to thank Elder Shelton for that. He is awesome! For me, it's like having one of my close friends from home! Well almost!! I love you all!

We ran into this guy who is the most golden guy ever. He has hair down to his stomach like Moses and he asked us what thoughts we thought Jesus had were and to explain to him about Jesus's love. He uses English like he was a knight in shining armour. He told us that we were doing a noble work which is very funny..It turns out folks that there are really people ready for the gospel.. You'd have to see it to believe it. So ya Elder Shelton and I have just been having a ball. Really. We get really inspired to work out when we listen to Ray Lewis talk about life on the mp3 player I have. Come to think of it we get inspired to work hard on the mish. I have worked freaking hard no joke. I am really trying to improve my Chinese and since I never did phase 1 Elder Shelton asked me to do it and since I love him I said ya I would . But ya I have been doing phase 1 2 and 3 all at the same time memorizing like 3 decks of cards a day.  It takes its toll.  I don't really see the results. We saw Boyd K. Packer's son.... so that was cool .We get up at like 6 to work out so we can be more healthy ,reclaim our bodies back from the mission. yep that's it for the week!

Shout out too Jessi Noll and Zach Hansen for all state! Love you all!

Elder Buhler

Week 45: Elder Buhler's First Baptism & He Made the Mission Basketball Team!

  

  

1. What exciting thing happened to you this week? I baptized.

2. Did you have transfers? What happened? Who is your new companion? Did you change areas? I'm with Elder Shelton and we are in Wufeng.

3. Did you get our packet? Were you good and did not open it???? Sister Darrington won't give it to me.

4. When are you calling us? Can we skype? Jared can't wait! I have no idea.

What's going on everyone!~!! I baptized which was so cool now. It was a wonderful experience. He came up to me afterward and told me he would remember this for the rest of his life and he talked about eternal families and stuff like that. I gave him my hymn book with my name on it because I never use it but ya it was cool. I really bonded with this family. 

So Santa does listen to letters and God answers prayers. I am comps with Elder Shelton which is almost as cool as being with Jalon, Troy, Pickles, Jake and all my boys. Its awesome.  We are in Wufeng now.  Sorry its so short I completely forget what I did this last week. The focus was getting ready for baptisms and ya it was super cool doing that. I love hearing about everyone and their various activities. Mom what on earth did you send me? They say its massive!! I said good bye to Elder Teng and Young and Jensen to day. It was kinda sad. I really loved those guys. Elder Edwards called me last night and informed me that I had made the all mission east basketball team. I was very honored ahhaah. Well love you all. 

Elder Buhler

Week 44:Baked A Turkey, Great Mission Conference and Hopefully a Baptism on Friday

1. How was Thanksgiving? What did you do? Who cooked? Who came? I will send some pics. I cooked and prepared (really). It was just for the Nanto stake. 

2. How is your investigator progressing? Is the baptism still on schedule? Well it's scheduled for this Friday. 

3. What exciting thing happened to you this past week? We had mission conference and it was really the first time I have born my testimony in a while.

Ni hao everyone!!! So my exciting news is L.D, is getting baptized this week.I can't wait.

We also had mission conference this week. It was cool Towards the end, people were bearing the testimonies. It started as a small feeling but then it was crazy. I started shaking and I tried to raise my hand to bear it and President didn't see me so Elder Teng was like just walk up there. But luckily Elder Edwards saw me. and called on me and I said " sir can I bear mine sir, please, sir"?  By this time was I was shaking even more. But ya I went up there talked about how I could promise them that the plan of salvation is true. I talked about Cody and about leaving dad and Cassie and how scary it was but how God comforted me. So ya by the end, literally everyone was in tears. and ya then Elder Edwards gave me a huge hug. 

Then honestly we cooked a turkey all day and as I was sitting in the middle of nowhere in Taiwan completely across the world from ya'll I couldn't help but be grateful for everyone . I also watched grown Asian men wondering how the heck they were gonna eat mashed potatoes with chop sticks.  It was super humbling. Anyways happy birthday Troy Grassley!

Loves to all. 

Elder Buhler

Week 43: Elder Buhler Is Hoping that L.D. Will Be Baptized

1. What fantastic thing happened to you this past week? We got an investigator to commit to baptism in like 2 weeks.... so I'm super happy about that.

2. How are your investigators? Are they making any progress? Some are, some aren't.

3. What's the weather like there? What exactly are you doing for Thanksgiving? Why are you over cooking the turkey? Because I'm American... I set a church on fire. I am clearly more qualified than anyone here. 

4. Are you living with American or Chinese roommates? Chinese

5. Where do you buy your food at? Is it an indoor or outdoor market? What things do you buy for groceries?  Sorry about withdrawing money for food. I bike honestly 50 km a day so I eat a lot.... but ya nothing new.

6. Tell me about  your primary. Do you have  very big primary there? You were always so great with kids. Do you talk to the kids a lot? Well last week five people came to church... 4 of us and some random dude from he stake.

7. How is your Chinese progressing? I am not gonna lie I study my butt off constantly all day but I feel like I still need to improve.

Ni hao everyone.... so mom that package will be hard not to open. Tell them not to give it to till after this next move call so I don't have to carry it... and well letters for today are short.

Well I have L.D.  committed to baptism which is awesome. I'm super happy about that. 

Um, no one came to church or English class so that was fun ahhahahah I did 356 push ups and 129 sit ups so ya I'm a big deal int the apartment.... but ya sorry for taking out so much money literally I'm out of money because I eat so much... it's a bad habit but I bike like 50 km a day... ya well nothing cool is happening. I found out I'm not trunky.  I'm just home sick. I miss and love home so much but its all good.

Anyways love you all.

Elder Buhler

Week 42: Gave a Blessing This Week

1. How was the temple? It was fine. I didn't get to see Elder N. so that was disappointing.

2. How are your investigators? hai hao

3. What is your ward doing for Thanksgiving? They are having me cook a turkey so please send a recipe.

Hey nihao everyone I'm just chilling in the jungle as we speak. Congrats to Kristen!!! I went on exchanges this week which was good . It  was with Elder R. He is pretty cool. He knew some guys from snow from Layton. so ya we had a blast.  It was crazy fun. The temple was good though I didn't get to see Elder N. I  haven't been sleeping alright lately so ya that's alright I guess . So story of the week one of our RCS had a seizure . I looked up from saying a prayer and she was leaning back like she was a asleep and then bam she was having a seizure so ya I remembered all my boy scout first aid  and Lisa Walker emergency preparedness stuff and knew what to do but the authorities had everything under control. 

Yesterday I had this weird feeling to go to a investigators house who honestly we were about to drop. So we did. He believes everything he just doesn't want to change I guess. Anyways so we went over there and Elder Xu was like you do the talking then bub. And ya I was like "hey man, I know your mom is sick can I give her a blessing?" He told me I could so I did. The. missionaries have been seeing this guy for over like 7 years and I'm the first one that he allows to give his mom a blessing so that was cool . 

Love, Elder Buhler

Week 41: Elder Buhler Needs Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes!

1. Did you get your package yet? Yes, I did and I loved it!!! Absolutely loved it!!!

2. Do transfers happen at the same time every month? When is the next transfers? Sometime in December like the 5th.

3. How was gong to the temple? Tell us about it? I go this week.

4. How are your investigators doing? They are doing well.

5. When do you get money every month? How much money do you get in US dollars? What do you spend it on? Travel and food.

Hola familia First off, I am still in Mingjian. Life is awesome. So cool stuff I found out that the elder we met in Brick Oven a year ago is Elder F. He is pretty cool.

On Friday, we biked to like the top of a mountain and man was it hard but man was it worth it. I was buying some Indian taco stuff and the guy is Islamic and he was like so you are Christians right?  Then he was like well I'm Christian too. He said we believe he was a prophet. I was like and we believe He was more, He was the Son of God.  Then we had this huge debate where I was defending Christianity. For a few moments I was the the defender of Christianity, ahahha. Then I gave him my personal Chinese Book of Mormon, which he said he would read. Then I told him to read Moroni 10:2-3, so ya. 

Then on Saturday we had a primary activity which didn't work out as well as I wished it would have. Then my companion and I were sitting on the train and running into this delightful couple from Australia and Canada; one was Catholic and the other atheist. We had an awesome conversation. She was like, "What is the difference between your church and my girlfriend's church?" and honestly I said we have the keys and the authority and then we started talking about how the Bible has been changed to many times by man and she said so the basis of your religion is not perfect .I said well the bible is not the basis of ours... she said then what is and I said the Book of Mormon. Then she said you want me to believe Joseph Smith wrote this 200 yrs ago and its true and I said he translated it, please ahahah and I placed a Book of Mormon with them so that was pretty cool I guess. Also so ya I was reading in my journal my early dates and man I'm embarrassed about how bone headed i was . For real. Oh and can you get recipes for turkey and gravy. I'm  helping cook it in our ward. Can you ask Grandma Buhler or Grandma Harris. Anyways love you all.  Elder Buhler

Week 40: Elder Buhler has an Astronaut Experience!

1. What cool thing happened to you this week? Well while I was teaching the Red Sox won the World Series and then right after an earthquake happened then President called me to tell me Jacob just committed to BYU so that was the best day. Also I destroyed some young ones in basketball. Jalon has taught me well. 

2. Did you meet any new people to teach this week? We met a single mom who is Mormon but will teach her mom.

3. Where do you bike 60km to? Our huge area! Its bigger than that too. 

4. What goals have you set on your mission related to your mission?To be able to be fluent and translate for people and strengthen my testimony.

5. Did you get the package I sent to you? Not yet.

Ni hao.... um well CONGRATULATIONS TO FREAKING JACOB!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY SMOKES you guys have no idea how happy I was or how happy I am. President called me and was like "I got good news." I was like "Bronco called and said he needed me on the team." He was like "Close. Your brother committed to play soccer at BYU." At that point, Elder Xu describes " it all went to heck." I was jumping with joy and flipped my chair, flipped a desk, etc so ya I was super happy! I was so proud.

I have been praying and fasting since I came on a mission for 6 things: my family to be ok,  Caitlin  to get better,  Jared make Rangers, Cassie to make Cottonwood, Jacob to make BYU and finally for me to be good at Chinese ... so while 5 out of the 6 are good. Anyways, ah man, i am so happy.

I read Jalon's  thing mom sent to me about what he wrote on Facebook and ah man you all have no idea what that meant to me. Like no one knows. I literally started tearing up. I never cry if i can help it. All right so congrats to Jacob. You deserve it dude. You have worked so hard. Elder Noll says congrats too. Elder Xu doesn't really understand but I'm sure he would say congrats too.  Ah man, so happy. 

Anyways.... well I'm doing good. I actually have been fasting a lot lately for Brother L because his family is golden and well his wife is my RC and I need to help this family. I can't even tell you all how much I love this guy. 

Hey so my ward is actually having a real Thanksgiving and so can you send me 2 gravy packets ... so ya that is exciting.

Nothing really new has happened. Next week I will have temple trip so I won't be able to email on Monday I don't think but  the good news is I will be able to see Elder Nelson and Edmunds (bet that makes you jealous Ashley).

So anyways my Chinese is not where I want it but people have been saying its improving. idk  I wish i could go to compton and speak jive now that I'm fluent in.

I finished the Book of Mormon at like 2 in the morning and I had some questions so I started to call president then decided that wasn't the best idea. I can't really sleep at night so I just read and study Chinese. 

So cool experience.... so there is this long tunnel and you all know that I want to be an astronaut and I have this huge imagination that never left me. So I was riding really really fast and well I timed it I closed my eyes in the tunnel and gave a count down like a I was in a rocket and as i hit one i flew out of the tunnel and Bam I opened my eyes and there were so many stars there are never stars. It was crazy!

Oh ya last Pday I threw with Sean and man the guy is 40 but he bombed the ball 60 yards easy. He said I had really good hands which made me blush but ya I got a signed ball for Elder Greer cause he is Mets fan. Oh mom, if you go on Taiwan Taichung blog spot there are some pics of me.

Anyways, I'm sorry to hear about Springville's football loss.  I know its hard to lose but those guys redeemed a program that I feel I screwed up so ya know they did something great. 

I love you all.

Elder Bear Cat

Week 39: Elder Buhler Never Wants to Ride Another Bike After His Mission

1. What exciting thing did you do this week?

 Well I biked 60 km so that was not that fun ahahahhaha.

2. Tell us about your investigators. What are their names? How old are they? What are they like?

L.D. He is a father and if I baptize him I get to do it in the river. So cool.

3. What is the weather there like now? Is it cold yet? 

It's chilly.  I am trying to aquire a sweater. My vest just aint cutting it.

 Ni hao everyone!!!  This week we biked 60 km and that was not very much fun!  Its getting really cold here now and I'm looking for a sweater since the vest is not cutting it anymore. Ah man so I found out me and Elder Xu are here  for another move call. Mom, I'm sorry about the withdrawing the funds but I had to go to Taichung to get my ear drained. It got infected while I was showering.  I got a blessing and ya but ya the medicine and honestly being in this area really really makes you spend money that is not reimbursable. I met a missionary couple,  the Darringtons are from Rupert. They know Kalani Sitake?

I have been really trying to write my journal everyday ever since I watched "Mountain of the Lord." 

I got one of the best compliments last night from Elder Alcoseor Seaone. He was like Elder Buhler is real. Elder Buhler no matter what will always be Elder Buhler, if he is helping you its because he really wants to if he didn't want to he wouldn't. His love is pure and his hate is clear ahahaha so ya I loved that. It really helped. um well I have taught some lessons. One of the people I teach is an ex navy commando who always says he is gonna break my face in but i think he is joking ahahah so thats awsome ahahah . I'm also working with the L family to baptized the dad . He prayed for eternal families  so that was cool. I find my self quoting all the church movies ahhahah. I love it . ah man its cool to hear about senior night for my boys... good way to go out. Anyways O love you all. By the way Elder Brown who lives in Washigton says that his neighbors know us? The Crumps? Brayden Crump? I rode 60 km so that was really not fun ahahaha. I have biked so much on my mish . I never want to see another bike after.  Anyways i love you all.

Elder Buhler

Week 38: Elder Buhler Loves to Wear His Bike Safety Vest!

1. Tell us about your companion:  He is from Taoyan.  He has been out about a year and a half. He is chill.

2. How do you find new investigators? All the house have been tracted before by previous missionaries so we work by referrals.

Hello everyone!!!! What's up!!! So this week has not been too exciting!!! I have been just working hard and trying to enjoy the mish which I think I love now!!! I love it in the sense that this is a once and a life time opportunity so I'm just trying to make the best of it. We had a special training meeting and that was pretty cool. I got to see Elder C and Elder S and Elder N, so all my buddies. We found out we have to wear safety vests when we ride our bikes so we look like hall monitors from the cartoon show Recess. I love it. I wear mine everywhere... when I say everywhere I mean everywhere.... even basketball so the opponent knows where I am! hahahaha. President Blickenstaff said he had some thing that would fix all my problems and I was thinking... "is it a full ride scholarship signed by Bronco Mendenhall to play for BYU?" No, it wasn't that. It was actually the book "Mere Christianity by CS Lewis and man did it hit me hard. Wow that man is a champ. He is an atheist turned Christian. Anyways it was an amazing read. I'm still trooping it out here. Anyways everyone read the Book of Mormon because it helps.... love you all.

Elder Buhler 

Week 37: Elder Buhler Understands About "83%" of What He is Listening To or Saying

1. What exciting thing did you do this week? I watched conference in a closet for 8 straight hours!!!

2. How many hours a day do you proselyte every day? We try to at least get 9 hours in. 

3. Are you still eating on the streets? What are your favorite meals to eat? i am trying to eat healthy. I love papaya milk. I have one everyday I think.

4. How many emails do you get a week from your friends?  Who writes you that is not a missionary? Spencer frix, Derek Parker, jalon sometimes, troy , Caleb McCray, Jonathan Hawes, Megan, not Amie, not Steven G who should, Alejandro, Mitch P., Mitch K .... notice there are not many females....

5. How is your language skills? Out of a 100 percent, what percent are you fluent in  understanding? What percent are you fluent in speaking? I under stand most likely 83 percent.

Hey everyone, what's up!!! What's good? How is everyone!!!! First off.... did I enjoy conference? Well, I inhaled conference!!! Ah man, it was amazing. No joke!!!! I loved it !!!!  It was so amazing. I can't tell you a favorite talk but I sure can tell you this was my favorite conference. Elder Brown and I were in a broom closet of a room watching it. it was awesome!!! loved it! 

I need to stop looking back at all my past sins and past successes in high school football and stuff like that.  I need to realize  that I need to move on.  I actually had a great talk with my mission pres and he was like you need to let go. The screw up josh you think you are is not there any more. Yes, you set the occasional house of the lord on fire or almost start a turf war with some white dude but you have changed. As for looking back, yes I realized I loved football and everything. I have ever done relatively well at but man I needed to quick looking back and to move forward to achieve greater things. A lot of you know that well I'm a dreamer (college D1 ball, astronaut, navy seal and executive of Stark Enterprises)  and the Lord is mindful and ya know maybe those things are out of my reach but deep down the Lord knows whats best for me so he will help me. I don't know if this makes sense to you but then again I can barely comprehend I'm on a mission. Sometimes I am like Josh look how far you have come. Then Edward's Dube's mother comes online and says "Josh, do not look back.  Look at what we still have to do." I have a mission to finish. Emma W. to marry, save the world and become the quarterback of the New York Jets like Flash Gordan so ya!!! 

Honestly I feel awesome right now. Yes, I am home sick but hey who isn't?  Me and my comp have really tried to push for me to learn Chinese better. So ya, I get on average 3 hours of sleep so I spend all that time trying to catch up from what I didn't know at first.

Funny story: I sent a letter to Abbey Erikson (Miss Springville) like 7 months ago... so it came back because it had been all over the country so i thought that was pretty funny.

Person of the week: I would say is Coach Jay for soccer. He was always and has always been a great coach too\ me and always pushed me but realized hey I am a dumb kid and capitalized on that and man can he cook dutch oven.

Tough loss for the ville but they will capitalize on that and win state. .

I love all my devil boys.

Good win for BYU and Utah though. 

Happy birthday to Mitch Paystrup and Bashaan Paystrup!

And NO I am not coming back. Someone said there was a rumor about me coming back for football.... that's not true.... at all. Good luck to my little brother Jacob in state cup. I hope BYU realizes what a talented SMART player you are

Kirk Out! 

Love you all .

Elder Bear Cat

Week 36: Josh's Branch Has 13 Members, On a Good Day

1. Did you get to listen to General Conference? I actually get to listen to it this Sunday .
2. What great things did you do this week? You will see.
3. How are you finding new investigators? We are focusing on reactivating.
4. Are you feeling any better? Should I call your mission president yet to come check on you? Oh no, he checks on me all the time. It's all good.
5. How many people are in your branch? 13 on a good day.
6. How is your Chinese progressing? Are you learning the language better and understanding it better now that you are with a native companion? Yes, actually I am throwing my self into Chinese and I always speak in Chinese with him. I actually call random missionaries and pretend to be President Blickenstaff and it works and some people say I sound like a native.

Ni hao everyone!!!  This week was good!!! 

I'm glad to hear conference was awesome and that everyone liked it!!! I am outrageously jealous that she and Jerber got to go see one of my favorite bands ever. I listened to them every night at home.

Dang it... I miss night games so tell Caitlin to live it up. 

That's so tight that Jacob got to freaking have his video shown on BYU TV. Dude that kid has talent more than I ever did!!! How's his soccer going!!!

 

I hear Jared is going home in soccer and has a game boy micro? What the heck is that?  Caitlin, glad to have you back in the full dance force!!!! I heard about Chuckie.  Tough loss for him. He is awesome!!! I hope he gets that medical redshirt. 

How was Brother Pickney's funeral.  I am trying to write Sister Pickney!!! I loved Dave.  Ilike to think of him as an honorary grandpa. He was always willing to talk to me about football and the military and always wanted to know if I was gonna play at BYU. If anyone deserves heaven, its that man.

I'd like to think I was raised by the old men of Spring Oaks Drive. Hooper, Head, Palefryeman, Tretheway and Pickney. Grassley too, but he's not an old man.

Anyways this week has been nice. I had a really fun exchange with the ZL, Elder Christensen.  He is from Salem Hills and was Jean Valjean for Les Mis!!! So ya he's boss.  We nerded out!!! I was doing pull ups and the pull up bar fell. I landed on my knees while the ZL was laughing his head off.

I ate some yucky mushrooms. I hate mushrooms still and squid.

We went to another area on Saturday and the place is known for their bananas and I got the biggest gorilla bananas ever. They were so good. I also had banana fried rice which is alright.

Main story I  met these 2 waigoren ( white guys) one is from Sweden, the other is from Florida!!! I was scared to meet em but I was straight up and said he looked like he played college ball and ya he did.  He played for the Mets!!! His name is Sean Bo from Florida. He was a pretty good high school quarterback back in the day and he had all the main schools like Ohio State recruit him and such but chose to go to FAU where Justin is currently at!!! 

But ya we just had this awesome talk and they told me I was not like other missionaries and I was like ya I get that a lot. I answered questions like why we wear garments and why we don't have more than one wife. They really were cool about it. I am actually going to throw routes with Sean today and the Swede named Sam is super cool!!!  Anyways they made me a free pizza because they said I was the coolest Mormon they had ever met.  The reason is because I admitted I had faults before the mish, that i was just a normal guy,  that i understood life better.

I feel like some missionaries forget that people make mistakes and do things because you know they are addicting or they really are fun for the moment... but ya it was a really humbling moment. They have this Taiwanese kid with them who told elder Xu that if that mean white dude ever brought 30 taike he would bring 100 taike... so its like a turf war down here.... but ya they are awesome... Sean also said he was the biggest Scott Mitchell fan ever hahaha. It was kinda funny he was naming off stats and everything. That's when I told him Scott used to be my coach. He lost it then ahhaha.

My comp has been teaching me magic card tricks and stuff. Whoever said guys can't get girls with magic is wrong. I have girls and they are 80 year old taiyou women!!!! hahaha!

But ya my area, Mingjian, is super beautiful!!! One of my investigators is a father and has 2 sons who are ranked in the top 100 of the world in tennis. They are super cool, but ya just working hard out here!!! I love getting emails from everyone. I love you all!!! Thanks Coach Bradley and Calvin for writing me. Thanks everyone who writes me. These emails really pick me up. It helps when I get homesick and when I feel down to hear from you all. 

I love you all so much.

Elder Buhler

Week 35: Josh Has the Craziest Week of His Mission!

1.  How are you feeling? Are you doing better? Did you get some medicine? Does your mission president know? I'm actually still pretty sick.MP knows and i get out as much as I can.They made me get some medicine but I showed it to president and he was like ya don't take it." 

2.   Did you do anything special for your birthday? I lost 5 pounds and threw up a bunch.

3. What was the best thing that happened to you this past week? I didn't die

What's up everyone!!! So this week like last week is full of losing body fluids ... ahahh. Anyways so its been crazy. On my birthday,I went to a ZTM and had an awesome talk with President Blikenstaff. We talked about how the mish is like football. Its a special time in your life that only happens once and like that, its over in a heartbeat. It really stuck with me. I can remember putting my helmet on at my first football freshman practice and thinking I got 4 years of this.... and then I can remember my last time taking my helmet off and thinking wow its over!  It happens fast and ya I am trying to make the most of my mish. I mean I don't particularly love it more than I love football or my family but its definitely a love. 

So I was with Elder Brown and I finally got out of the door and we were eating (trying). Then this white guy comes in so I try to talk to him and he walks away. Anyways, I accidentally walked into his store/house and he tells me to get the "f out dumb n word".... so ya... so I do.  Then I see him walking to the door and I tell elder brown to step back and he says "f you" and pulls me and my comp into an alley and starts just chewing me out. He said all this anti Mormon stuff that doesn't even make sense ( I swear some people hate Mormons for all the wrong reasons) then he said he was gonna come to our church with 30 taikes ( bikers ) and tear it apart and then he said he would come after my family. So at this point I was ready to kick the heck out of him but ya I didn't.  We walked away and Elder Brown is like what should we do?  Should we pray? I say ya but I need to get a baseball bat first... so I did.  I called President and told him. He was laughing and he told me he wanted me to turn the other cheek. So I told him my favorite flows when he visits me in the hospital and then right before he gave me permission to give this tool a whole can of ... aka go Ammon on them... 

So go figure this entire week.  I was was reading about Ammon, by the way I love reading the scriptures now. Anyways on Sunday this bro shows up with the taikes and I am just there with a bat just swinging it a lil then they leave.... so ya... good day ya? Anyways,  I named the bat, Jenny .... after Jen... not really. Ahahah but ya... so ya I've been sick. My birthday dinner was a bagel and bottle of water which I loved by the way!!!

I am super sorry to hear about Bro Pickney!!! I loved him!!! He took me to my first BYU game.He died a fan till the end That was super cool hearing about his life. I will give him a high five some day. Anyways love you all.

Elder Buhler

Week 34: Loved Getting the Birthday Emails, Really Sick But Enjoying Reading the Book of Mormon

Thanks to everyone for sending Josh birthday emails. He wrote back that he was surprised and it made him super happy. He thought it was cool that people he didn't even know wrote him!  Also, he has been sick but when I asked him how sick he said " oh ya, I'm good don't worry. They just want to run some tests on me. It's all good, don't worry." (So why am I still worried?"

1. What are you doing for your birthday?  Can you take your district out to eat?  There is nothing out here to be honest. I will most likely sleep and go to the hospital to have tests done. I have been sick for like a week  I haven't eaten solids in 4 days. 

2. So now that you have been in your new area a week how is it? The good, the bad, the uplifting? I've been sick.

3.. What was your best experience this week? Today getting out of the apartment.

Nihao everyone!!! 

Today's email will be short on the account that I have been sick the entire week and have not been out of the house. On the spiritual side,  I will admit that I have started to actually enjoy reading the Book of Mormon. I really enjoy it actually. But ya strait up been sleeping and throwing up.

God gave me challenges when he put Mc Donald's golden arches right outside my window. My comp is awesome. Super chill  and my Chinese is getting way better learning so much from. him. 

Literally i just am thinking how crazy it is that I'm on a mish. My entire life I never thought I would ever get on a mission. I always thought i was gonna play soccer or football or join the military or do something but the MISSION had NEVER been a thought in my head. Its crazy how a series of events can change everything and kinda push you towards a mish. For anyone thinking about it, you should try it.  It's the hardest thing ever but I feel down the road it will help a ton. Yes, I miss football everyday but I have football when I get back. The mish has really changed a lot of things . Its cool to hear Jacob is finally coming out of his bear cave and enjoying his senior year and also cool seeing his picture on the  SHS ceiling.... anyways I love you  all....

bear cat (Elder Buhler)