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)

Week 33: Josh Gets Lost Being Transferred and Is Not Ready to Get Married

1. Who is your new companion and your tell us about your area? Are there a lot of people to teach? I was transferred. My area its the poorest area in Taiwan.  Elder X is my new companion. He doesn't speak English. We are white washing.... again.... so apparently president trusts me  and no, there are a lot of investigators here.

2.  Is it still hot and humid there? You have no idea.... 

3. What do you want for your birthday that you can buy there and I will put the money in your account. I would say basketball ball shoes.... but I'm in the middle of no where idk.... is there money in my account to survive ....transferring was rough. I spent a lot of money traveling and getting resettled.

4. How's your mission president? Cool. He pulled me in to say that he trusts me and that's why I'm white washing again. I told him "ah man I hate it."  But then he said, "I know but after a while you will love me for moving you here."

Ni hao wode jaiting he wode dixiongmen he jeimie men!

Whats up !!! So I spent basically the last week with Elder C. and his trainee and man was it a party.  To be honest, it was so much fun. I had a blast.  Me and Elder Christianson (he is from Provo)  had the time of our lives to be honest. We totally bonded and everything.

 Anyways my new area is Ming Jun. It's the the biggest and poorest area in Taiwan as well as the most farmiest area so I'm just lucky ... My comp is Elder X. He doesn't speak English.  Our room mates are really strict and religious so if anything y'all pray for me. To put it in perspective,  I said "y'all ready?" and was told me not to use slang. Anyways I love the mish. I saw Elder S today and Elder E is back. It turns out he didn't have to get surgery!!

So i missed my train transferring to this area so I was alone and didn't have a phone so I just took a random train and ended up in my area....

Jacob you need to heal up man. I will pray for you!!! Cassie that's so awesome that you have all those friends and you are tearing it up in volley ball!! Jared, dude you know I'm always proud of you and Caity you are in my prayers for sure..... I hope dancing is ok... i think i spent half the night telling stories about me and Jacob or Jared or dad or something dumb with Elder C. I laughed my head off about Jacob's talk.

I get to think a lot and man the Lord has truly blessed me with a family and friends and coaches that have shaped me in ways I can't even imagine. I sent a package home it cost me 30 bucks but ya I am so lucky. We all have trials and ya some suck. I know this for a fact but that d and c scripture about your adversity is super helpful for sure. I truly love all y'all  i can't wait to come home and have Jacob speak at mine.

 So ya the mission I swear is obsessed with marriage its super weird...I haven't even thought of it... my train of thought is..... Jesus, Moutain Dew, family, football, video games, football Sister Frixione's and Sister Sisk's cheese dip, Troy's basement. Ya, its super weird.   

Getting married is the last thing on my mind I can barely take care of my self.... anyways love you all. Elder Buhler

WEEK 32: Elder Buhler Foils a Prostitution Deal.....

1. Where did you get transferred to? Who is your companion? What is your area like? I'm still in my area. I get moved this next week.

2. Are you happy? yep

 

Hello everyone, 

What's up !!! Nothing new has really happened!!! I'm pretty peeved.... we had 2 baptisms this week set up before I left and they both all of a sudden said they lied about everything and  just didn't want me to be sad. So ya none of them are getting baptized.

I got to give the sisters and some college kids some blessings so that was pretty cool. I went on exchanges with Elder Christensen, and oh man, it was a powerful experience. We were up super late just talking about everything and it was my favorite exchange so far to be exact.!!! 

Nothing new besides that we have a ton of golden investigators but I'm being transferred  so i don't know what's gonna happen. Elder Edwards is coming back on the island so I'm pretty excited and hoping we can work together. 

I was so happy to get the packages mom. I loved loved everyone's letters. I honestly started tearing up because I realized how much I loved every single one of you from the bottom of my heart. I can't even explain it. I loved everything.  The ties are great mom!!!  I loved the pull up bar and all the food.  Elder Yang  and I stayed up late eating it. 

Funny story, yesterday I stopped a prostitution deal from going down,  well, because I didn't realize it was going down. Short story,  when I finally realized what the girl and guy were meaning,  I pulled out the handy dandy "law of chastity plan."  ahahhaah Super funny to be exact. Anyways, I love you all.  My the camera you wanted me to buy cost me an arm and a leg to be exact.

I'm working super hard everyone.  I hope you know that. Go devils and go Cougs.  I am so happy for the devils because they honestly deserve to this.  I'm remember going from the top of the state to being the bottom and man it was not fun so good for them.  I hope they go all the way. Shout out to Edgar Garcia and Megan for their calls! That's so awesome! I'm looking so forward for them to have this awesome experience of a mish!!!

Next week, because of transfers I won't be emailing at the same time so ya

 

love you all!!

Week 31: Oh the Joy of Typhoon Season!!!

 1. How are your investigators doing? Well, we had 2 baptisms set for the end of this week but it didn't work out. 

2. Do you understand everything people say to you now in Chinese? Almost everything.  I just put the pieces together.
3. Can you say everything you want to say in Chinese yet? How do you improve your vocabulary? I talk to everyone. I listen. I do flash cards. I talk to my companion.
4. Have you given a talk in church yet? I will next week.
5. What exciting thing happened this past week? Nothing really. We have had a typhoon for the last 2 weeks so everyone has been canceling.
6. Are you sleeping better? No, not at all.

Hey everyone!!!! So for starters I'm glad my family got the package!!! I hear that Alexis is getting married! So honestly, I really mean it when I say I'm happy for her. I wish I could have a shot but I am honestly so happy for her and I think that it is so awesome that she found a worthy guy and what Jen has told me he is a stud . Jen is right about 85 percent of the time every time. Well, we've had a typhoon for about 2 weeks now. It finally stopped raining today so praise be!

We had 2 baptisms scheduled: K  and L.D and well they didn't work out. they both love drinking too much socially. It's sad. I told them that that stuff tastes bad and you feel awful after. It's so sad seeing how these people could change their lives but they choose not too. 

We had a Chinese BBQ and no one was starting the fire so I tried and the whole time people were like "do you even know how to start a fire?" I was like "xiao hiazi" which is small child, please, I was starting fires before you were born!

So Elder McKenzie called me to tell me that apparently me and him are cousins..

This investigator gave me a solid gold watch.... he's actually a member... and, ah man, I have no idea why but he says it's because he loves me and says I'm the son he never had. Ah man water works .... it was so sad....

But ya, working hard. I'm probably transferring because Elder Yang will be training.I miss y'all. I'm glad everyone liked my stuff. Anyways, love you all, and congrats to the 'ville for football!

Elder Buhler

P.S. Oh by the way, like Matt Sumsion did, I coached a kid's futsal team. There is a language barrier but is all good, and i play at the futsal place.