Elder Zac Bushman: June 2013

I have a new comp! His name is Elder Lantz and he is AWESOME!!!

I have been enjoying my time here in the Selma 1st Ward! We met a young woman named Jessica my first day here while doing Harvesting Blessings and she told us that she is agnostic but she wouldn't mind listening to what we have to say! We went by last night and she had had a really rough day, and she didn't seem too excited to see us. But we talked a little and got to know her and found out that the reason she doesn't really believe in God is because her Grandfather passed away and she didn't think it was very fair. There were a few other reasons too, but this is the one that caught our attention. We taught and testified of the Plan of Salvation and she admitted to us that "deep down inside, I think I might believe in God..." It was a super awesome lesson and she committed to reading Alma 40 AND baptism (if God answers her prayer)! The Spirit was definitely there!

It's pretty rough being in a bike area covering 6 towns... (editors note...His ward area is 45 miles by 25 miles:/) Especially when I sprained my ankle pretty good playing basketball for Preparation Day yesterday. And guess what!! WE ONLY COVER HALF OF THE WARD!!! Try and look up the boundaries for the Selma 1st ward on LDS.org under maps. It's ridiculous! Selma is pretty nice... more like a glorified truck stop. Haha The ward seems to be pretty nice though! They just don't really like to come out with us. We'll fix that problem.

I'm sorry the snail mail thing isn't working out too well...

In my studies, I've really been focusing on the Book of Mormon! If I can read 13 pages every day, I'll finish it in a single transfer!! I'm excited! Haha Tell Aunt Kristen I'm sorry I haven't written her back yet! I wrote like, four letters yesterday and she was going to be #5! I just ran out of time... :( I hope everything is going well at home! It's super weird to be getting graduation announcements from all my friends! Haha

Our district consists of three companionships, 1 English and 2 Spanish. English is obviously me and Elder Lantz. And then we have Elder Aiken (District Leader) and Elder Arredondo (waiting to go to Brazil) and Elder Varela and Elder Morrow. I love all of these Elders so much! One of them needs to be humbled though. He's a 285lb wrestler though so I might have to humble him on an intellectual level. ;)

I hope you got all the pictures!

One last thing, My last Monday in Modesto (I really love and miss that place by the way...), Bishop White approached me in front of Candice's house and saw that I was sitting on a shiny new bike. He asked where I got it and then said that Brother Putney (in the ward) had approached Bishop at church and told him to tell me to go pick out a bike and he (Br. Putney) will pay for it... Wow. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn't know what to say. But at the same time, I knew that he would be blessed for his actions. I told Bishop I would pray about it and let him know by morning. He called me the next morning and said, "Elder Bushman! I totally spaced out! The Ward has a missionary fund! That being said, it doesn't seem right for either of you to pay for that bike! Seems how you have done so much good for the ward, make a copy of the receipt and slide it under the door to my office and I'll take care of it."

If that is not a direct blessing from God, I don't know what is. I love this Gospel and I love the things that the Lord will do to keep his work progressing! I love you all and I promise you that as you are striving to progress His work and build His church, everything will work out!

Con Amor,

Elder Zachary Evan Bushman

P.S. I have an addiction.... I have eaten about 65 otter pops since I've been in Selma...