Sunday, November 24, 2013

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

Sunday, November 17, 2013

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

Thursday, November 14, 2013

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

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

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