Liberian Flow

Yeah Hello!!

So the internet is super slow today and my companion is on the good computer so I am just sending something short because it will probably crash soon.

Basically we had another great week. My companion baptized a guy for the two other elders this week because he was so fat that they thought he would be the only one strong enough to do it. The baptismal shorts were too small so they had to wrap two white towels around his body. So yes, even in Liberia we have overweight fat people. Being called fat here though is like a compliment actually so that's kind of cool.

In other news, we had 13 investigators, or people that we are teaching come to church this week. Yeah, only 13 so not that great ;) We have not had a baptism for a little while but I promise that very soon the waters will be flowing fast fast. There is even a guy that we think has stopped smoking and drinking because we have taught him about the Word of Wisdom. The work is moving fast fast because of these wonderful people and the hand of the Lord. We're really doing our best to teach as many lessons and people as we can. I swear people just come up to us and say they want to become member of the church. Although that doesn't always turn into something, at least sometimes it does.

Tomorrow is their independence day and I've heard it's just nuts. We're not really sure what we're going to do because everyone says people will just be insane and bad things can happen. Hopefully we can teach more Word of Wisdom and Chastity!

Again, on another subject, I saw a guy wearing a shirt that said Folsom Bulldogs here so I guess they're pretty famous. I can't wait to see a Bella Vista shirt one day.

Shout out to my beautiful sister Lauren on getting married this weekend! Make sure you send her love!

Keep loving and enjoying, July is almost over and before you know it I'll have already been out 6 months... Crazy!

Bye-bye-o!

Elder Bush

Blessings on Blessings

Hello!

What a week! Wow. Serve your mission in Liberia and time will fly I tell you.

So basically the work is moving and it is moving fast. Let me just tell you a little something about the week and missionary work in Liberia.

So I know it doesn't matter, but I really just wanted to share some numbers from this incredible week. We had 12 lessons where a member was present which was a pretty good week, but we also had 15 people given to us to teach this week which was nuts but so great! Then, the craziest thing, we had EIGHTEEN people come to church. Count 'em. You need 4 hands to count that high. We really want them to be prepared before they are baptized, but trust me baptisms will come soon.

This week there was a man that came to the church one day and said that he wanted to come to the church and know about it. Since it was during the middle of the week, we were not there but another woman who is always there took his name and number and gave it to me. I called him, but since he lives far away and we had already gone to that place this week so we said that we wouldn't be going there again and just invited him to church and said we would meet with him next week. Come to find out, him and his friend show up to church on Sunday and are super interested. Really seems like he wants to know more about the church and he said he's come again next week. They are both from Ghana and seem really nice (I love Ghanian people). I can't wait to teach them on Tuesday.

We really saw some progression for some other people that we are preparing for baptism on the 6th of August. There is a younger boy who used to always say hi to us that we started teaching and is really progressing now. He's probably like.. 17 years old? I love teaching people here because even the young adults are humble enough to desire to have religion in their life. Talking to them when they are with their friends is not embarrassing... It's just normal because everyone has such a firm belief in the Bible and in God.

I love these people so much. I don't know if there has ever been a missionary that cares for those he encounters and comes in contact with as much as I do. My heart truly aches to see the condition that some of them are living in. As we were walking down the road the other day I saw a small boy sleeping on the dirt floor next to some other small children. It caused me to recall the scene in The Blind Side where Big Mike, or Michael Oher, is given a room and bed to himself by the family that took him in. I remember that when she showed him the room he said, "I've never had one before." She asked, "A room to yourself?" He responded essentially by saying that he had never had a bed. I often wonder how many children and even adults here could say the same thing. Sometimes I wonder why Heavenly Father blessed me so much in my life. I feel as if I hold some responsibility in His eyes to help them in some way or provide something to them. I don't know what it is, but I know that I will never look at life the same way as I did before my mission. How truly blessed I am to serve in this country.

The worth of every soul is great in the sight of God.

Remember to be grateful for everything that you have been blessed with, because some have been blessed with nothing and are grateful for everything.

Hope you all have the best week! Sorry if I got a little depressing there, but it is just so important that we are thankful for everything that we have!

Love you all!

Elder Bush

Photos!!

This week Elder Bush did not send a letter because he spent all his time trying to upload photos! Here they are...

 Finally, LOTS of rain...

 His current companion from Oregon...

 The other Elders he came out with in February....

This is me at the with my companion at the baptism of Hawa, Theresa, and Tony!

Supah Week

So, this week was by far the best week of my mission so far. Let me tell you about the many blessings from this week. 

Okay so first! This week the Branch Mission leader (basically just someone who helps us with our work) had time so he was able to go out with us so we had more lessons with a member of the church there to assist us. Additionally, there was another returned missionary who went with us twice this week so we had plenty lessons with a member present and it was great, it really helps us in our work and is important in having another witness to what we are saying. 

We had two lessons this week that really stuck out to me. They were both on the same day, back to back. The first was with a guy named brother Mark. He has been to church several times because his sister is part of the church, but we have not been able to meet with him because he can be very busy. So finally this week we were able to meet with him because he finished the work that he was doing and it was so nice. We were mostly just answering his questions about the church, but he kept on telling us how much he loves the church and everything, but he just needs to know the doctrine before he can be baptized. We were very happy to help with that. We had his sister sit in the lesson with us and share her conversion story which was really powerful. After that my companion bore his testimony about how much the Savior loves him and how he will see the blessings if he continues in the church. My companion had seemed to be struggling a little bit so it was really nice to see him be able to say that. The next day, didn't see his sister at church but he came and I was so happy. 

We had a lesson right after that which was really powerful. There are two people, a woman named Sharon and a guy named Joshua, who we are teaching and we were hoping to have them come to church. We also knew that a man they stay with is an inactive man and was baptized in Ghana. When we got there the inactive member told us that the other two would come to the church tomorrow but he would not. We asked him why and then requested that he would sit down with us inside and tell us what had happened. He agreed and we went inside to talk with him. He told us a story about how a long time ago his sister was given money by the bishop in a time of crisis to travel out of Ghana, unfortunately his sister used all the money and I'm assuming left him stranded. He said because of this he left the church. It seems stupid, but a lot of people leave the church for grudges that they hold over other people. Anyways, I testified to him that Heavenly Father truly loved him and that he really wanted him to come back to the church. The spirit was really strong and right after I finished speaking and we finished the lesson and discussion he said "thank you, I'll be calling my sister to let her know that I am back in the church". I remember thinking to myself, well that was easy... But I think that sometimes all these less active people need is an invitation back to the church and they will return. He said that the following week he would come because this week he was going somewhere. But I was just really happy that I got to talk with him because the spirit was so strong.

Okay the last thing was that Sunday was a great way to end the week. Possibly due to the time change of the church to 12:30, we had 14 new people come to church this week. I was so happy and I can't wait to continue the work. The time is really going fast and I love it.

Okay, super long letter but I love you all!
 

Elder Bush