Week Three

Dear loved ones,

This has been quite a week! Lots of teaching and learning, loss of sleep, and food beyond belief. I'm so excited everyday! We've continued teaching our two investigators. It's such a blast of reality when they tell of all their trials. Yesterday as we were coaching one of them through prayer, she had such a desire for God to help her feel peace and happiness. As she was praying, she specifically told Heavenly Father that it was her speaking to Him and she hopes He can hear her. I just about lost it with tears. I thought back to the primary song that asks "Heavenly Father, are you really there?" and could see that she has this real hope and desire to know if He is listening.

Shortly after, we had a workshop on teaching investigators the importance of prayer. During a role play (we do a lot of those here) I was an investigator and the missionaries helped me through the process of prayer. As I said a simple prayer like an investigator, I really felt that desire to know that He is there. I mean, I'm acting as an investigator and I'm just on my knees praying for Him to watch over my family. How simple (yet so powerful) can that be? I absolutely love the things I'm learning here so that I can teach others how they can feel that way for themselves. The one hard thing about it is that we role play in english. Translating that into chinese during a lesson is pretty difficult, BUT possible. I have this keychain of words that I work on. It's quite a big keychain. Kinda like mom's old key ring that could fit around your wrist. I'm up to almost 300 words, plus the words I've already learned in school. So I'm on a roll! My goal is to add around 100 each week. I know, that sounds hard. But I haven't failed yet!

So for the past few gym times, Elder Terry (one of my roomates) and I do pilates with a few of the sisters. I had no idea how painful it was! They're instructing us to rotate our legs like this and balence our bodies like this and I'm just sitting there thinking a guys body can't do that! But we enjoy it so much! We're actually going as a district after this email to become the healthiest district! So Aunt Cat, you have a partner to go with when I get back and you're in Utah.

I don't know if any of you saw me, but I sang in General Conference! Oh wow that was such a blast! Having to wake up an hour earlier each day was rough, but so worth it. Walking up onto the stand where they sing was so cool. I can see why the General Authorities enjoy looking over the congregation so much. And it sounds so amazing up there. That organ can bust a tune. And it was just so nice to leave the MTC gates! Also, you might have seen Elder David Archuleta singing up there as well. Yes he is here. I feel so bad for the guy. He was stormed on the first day and people don't leave him alone. When he found out he was zoomed in on, he was so embarrassed. I've talked to him. He's a really nice guy and a great missionary.

One thing I love doing here is going on the temple walk on Sundays. We get to walk around the temple for an hour and take pictures with each other. It's so relaxing and fun. Because of choir practice, my companion and I haven't been able to on the temple walk, but we were able to this last time. And I'm so glad! Today all the older generation chinese missionaries left. I'm going to miss them so much. Even though I'll see a lot of them in 7 weeks. They're all going to be great missionaries.

Since they're all gone, they left behind a bunch of stuff that they didn't need to talk with them. One of them, Elder Long, left his analog clock with the two bell thingys that are insanely loud for an alarm. I took it... :) This morning we had to wake up at 5:00 to go to the temple. My regular alarm didn't wake any of my roommates up, so once I was ready to go take a shower, I turned the loud bell alarm and ran out of the room! So funny!

I'm so excited for this next week. I can't wait for this Easter Sunday! I heard something special is going to happen. We're having a combined Sacrament meeting with the entire MTC. Surprises! Anyway, send me a letter and let me know what you've been doing, as well as your favorite conference talk. Happy Easter! Remember the Lord loves each and every one of us!

 

Love, Elder Buckwalter

 

ps. For Bishop Pugmire, Elder Quentin L. Cook looks just like you from behind! I thought that was cool.