Selma, CA, Here I Come! May 20, 2013

Family & Friends,

You asked if I got your letters...Sorry, but no letters so far... Probably because it's transfer week....

But I did get a new bike and I'm being tranferred to Selma 1st ward in the Hanford Zone! My companion and I are getting doubled out and we're both going to the same Zone! Crazy... My new companion will be Elder Lantz, who was, ironically enough, Elder Swenson's (my trainer) comp in the MTC.

It's really hard to leave all my friends here in Modesto (both missionaries and members). But I'm sure I'll see them again and there is someone in Selma for me to touch... :) I don't really know what to tell you about this week... Because we didn't do a whole lot. We were doing service and I lifted a 40 gallon water drum with my back and threw it out pretty bad so these last several days have been rough. A lot of laying around. :( But I've been saying goodbye to a lot of people and it's really sad...

I promise more info next week;)

Love you!

Elder Zachary Evan Bushman

We All Have a Part in This Work! May 13, 2013

Dear Family & Friends,

I remember talking to President Gelwix before leaving on my mission and him telling me that the weather would be a piece of cake since I was from Arizona. But I am here to say that it is HOT and not Arizona HOT, but a humid, sticky, feel wet all of the time HOT. After having 3 bikes stolen (the last of which was taken out of our apartment in the middle of the night while we were sleeping) they are moving us to a better location. But our neighbors and landlord in our old apartment are sad to see us go. The manager even called the mission home to try and talk them out of moving us:) They love us:D 

One of the interesting parts of going away from home to preach the gospel is realizing that not everywhere in the world is like Gilbert, AZ. I am currently serving in the Modesto 2nd ward. They have 38% activity in the ward…that changes everything about how their ward functions! For example, for Home Teaching there are no companionships and every willing priesthood holder has 15-20 families assigned to him. And he doesn't just show up once a month and share a message. He does his best to be an additional family member! A lot of times he is the only priesthood holder. He makes sure that the members of the families he watches over are moving towards their next ordinance, whatever it may be. He also is involved in their temporal welfare and making sure they are okay both temporally and spiritually. And on top of that, they watch over their own families and hold a couple of callings in the ward. What stalwart men! And we are working on adding more men to that list:)

We met a woman by the name of Sharon, 65 years old, who attended the baby blessing of a friend. After the blessing, she had a ton of questions for her friend. So he invited us over to help answer them. We have been teaching her for almost a month and she will be baptized this Saturday! She has had many friends try to talk her out of being baptized, saying that 'the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witness' just want your soul'. But her sweet little granddaughter told her just the other day that if Jesus is leading her to the Mormon church then that is where she should go! Out of the mouth of babes...

Oh wait, we had Specialized Training on friday (zone conference) and three of the missionaries in my zone and I sang I Love The Lord.... We sounded like angels:) I love these Elders!! Well, I miss you all! I hope you are all praying for God's help in finding those He has prepared to hear the gospel. Remember from conference, WE ALL HAVE A PART IN THIS WORK:)

Love, Elder Zachary Evan Bushman

Elder Bushman singing for his supper...
"If you could hie to Kolob..."

Elder Bushman, Lovest Thou Me More Than These? May 6, 2013

***Zac is reminding us this week that a picture is worth a thousand words...you fill in the story***

Dinner with the Howell's May 5, 2013

***We received this email Sunday evening from a family who fed Zac and his companion. We LOVE hearing from people who have actually seen and served our missionary:)

Hi Sisters Bushman and Whiteford,

Tonight we had your missionaries over for dinner. We had Doritos casserole, fudge stripe cookie fruit salad, green salad, chocolate chip cookies and tin roof sundae ice cream (of course everything was low fat and sugarless! wink, wink) I'm a missionary mom, too. My son is in Las Vegas Spanish speaking. Every once in a while, he will eat dinner at someone's house and will love an item so much, he'll ask the mom to please send me the recipe. Well, three of the recipes used for tonight's dinner were these types of recipes. The sister who sent the Doritos casserole recipe said my son liked it so much, he took pictures of it! Another sister said my son ate 11 of the cookies. Your sons seemed to really enjoy the recipes! Elder Bushman's comment when he tried the Doritos casserole was, "I love this place!" They both took home a few cookies. 

Both of your sons seem to be in good spirits and doing well. They shared a message from Mosiah, and Elder Whiteford pointed out that the address by King Benjamin was the first Conference talk. My husband pointed out that since the words were written down and passed around, it was also the first Ensign.

We appreciate all the service your sons are performing for the Modesto area, and their hard work to share the gospel. Thank you for raising such a fine son!

Happy night,

Heidi Howell and family

Elder Whiteford and Elder Bushman

I Love the Lord! April 29, 2013

Dear Family & Friends,

I just heard about all of the mission calls. Tell Josh and Diana I'm proud of them!!

 

I haven't gotten any actual letters in WEEKS! I think something is messed up with the mail system... :(

 

Shannon Wright - the man who showed up last week during church - has been a near impossible man to get a hold of. We haven't seen him since that sunday. :(

 

Sorry this email is super short... Haha

 

Oh wait, we had Specialized Training on friday (zone conference) and three of the missionaries in my zone and I sang I Love The Lord.... We sounded like angels. I love these Elders!! One of them is actually from Pocatello so Josh will have to look out for his family! Haha His name is Elder Lowman, and he's 26. Basically if he was a woman I'd marry him. He plays Ultimate Frisbee, was a music major and has perfect pitch... He's great. Haha

 

Also, when would be a good time of day for the Mother's Day phone call? IT'S COMING UP!!!

 

Love,

 

Elder Zachary Evan Bushman