2.20.12

Hey Mommy!!

This week went super duper fast...possibly the funniest thing...i learned that it is not a good idea to put a hard boiled egg in the microwave. Tuesday morning i go out to eat breakfast and grab a hard boiled egg...well i was super sick of eating cold ones so i just threw it in a bowl and in the microwave..i didn´t have it in for very long and when i went to take a bite out of it...it exploded and i got like a 2nd degree burn on my top lip..it hurt super bad but my first thought was "oh man no one saw that happen" then i thought "that was my last hardboiled egg" then i realized my lip was swelling and getting crazy blisters and kinda tasted like burnt skin...it was super awesome but by Friday it looked normal. It was super funny though...i laughed about it for a really long time.

This week at church we had 3 people...we had 2 new people who probably aren´t going to progress very fast because they have lots of issues but maybe we will see then we also have a "dry member" who is the husband of one of the most active members but he just doesn´t feel like he needs to be baptised...one day he will get it figured out but for now he will be friends with us but doesn´t want to talk about baptism.

that is super crazy that there has not been any real snow this year...probably just saving up for next year when i am there...just my luck. wow that is super awesome that Emily Clayton is going to serve a mission. if you guys are going around painting it sounds like you are feeling well enough to do just about anything.

ugh i don´t really want to worry about school yet...it starts in august yeah? That seems like it is going to be tomorrow at the rate time is going right now. I think that sounds fine taking the Portuguese 3050...sounds scary...what if i don´t actually speak at that level...i guess we will find out right. also i can take those classes again if i need to but maybe it would be better if i looked into what i want to be when i grow up...everyday it is different. Some days i still want to go into some sort of law but also i have been thinking about graphic design but what job opportunities do i have with that...i love running computers and making cool designs and logos and stuff but i don´t know if there is a big need for that right now.

What am i going to do for work when i get back? Am i going to go back to the office as secretary? Also i need you to update my facebook...Filipe Bernarndo added me as a friend.

I love you tons!!

Elder Bushnell  

Daddio!!

We found Filipe knocking doors. He is super awesome and super humble he has gone crazy with the church and studies a lot on his super computer...the other day we went over and he was like "i need your help on the website...i can´t find anything that helps out new people to the church i only see leadership stuff...and i haven´t been called to a position YET so what am i supposed to read for now?" we found the gospel principles book online for him and he has started studying it a lot. He reads at least 20 minutes in the BoM per day. he also studies the teachings of the prophet George Albert Smith. Also i don´t know if i told you but i think i did....Carlos the guy i baptized in setubal baptized his neighbor and got the melq. priesthood! :)

Everything is going really well here. we are getting things figured out and the work is getting better! It will be a good transfer!

Love you tons!!!

Elder Bushnell

1.13.12

Hey Mommy!!

Well this week was a lot better than the last one!! Filipe was baptized! I will try to send a picture from the chapel today cause it doesn´t work here in the library. We had one other guy that is the husband of a super strong member and he just doesn´t really want to be baptized...hasn´t really ever felt it. Transfers are today and i will be staying one more here with Elder Searle. It might be a little rough to start off here in the beginning...we are close to getting things clicking but it has always been just a little bit off. It is super crazy how after this one i only have 2 more transfers...or basically the next 6 weeks..then 12....then i am home...that is super scary!!

Haha yeah it is the same way here i think...basically when Portuguese people talk to each other they sound like they are arguing but it is done with lots of respect and kinda formal it is weird. I am worried i will come home a be a goober for the first few days as well.

oh man i am sorry for Tyler...i am glad that we have a pretty big mission here....lots of elders and lots of areas really far apart. haha that is funny about the Woolleys not being able to do his laundry and stuff...were you guys that bad? haha You still aren´t used to me being gone yet? I thought you had it all under control. Ya know this transfer is when i need to decided if i am going to extend or not....i believe i could get a double extension..12 more weeks! ;) jk...i know you couldn´t handle me being gone longer.

wow that is crazy about Sarah Hansen...i thought she had already gone into the MTC and everything...that is super nuts....is Ian Harward playing BYU basketball still? I know he signed before his mission to play...that is a pretty epic couple cause they are both super tall and good ball players. haha thanks for letting me know that i still have some time before getting married....i want to go like a year of being home before even thinking about getting engaged.  i already have learned that girls are the root of all evil...they go and get married! haha It is all good though!!

So on March 6th is the surgery that means you will be kinda in that super fun recovery stage for when you come get me...sounds like a blast for you but hey if you are up for it at least i won´t be the only goober that can´t do all the fun stuff! haha I would say you would be considered a recreational athlete. I don´t know for sure if it is June 19-20 but i am fairly sure because that is when transfers are. I want to say we all go to presidents house on the 19th to sleep then on the 20th they take the elders to get on the planes so i would just wait in the office for you guys to come pick me up or something like that.

yeah i was actually kinda thinking it would be kinda weird if she picked amber and Jordan...it will all work out for the best. Are they closet to finishing the family services stuff?

Thanks for everything mommy!! I love you tons!

Elder Bushnell

Hey daddio!!

This week was better! Filipe was BAPTIZED!!! It was super awesome with a lot of members cause we planned it right inbetween the worldwide leadership training and a relief society party and so tons of people just stayed and it went super well!! I will try to send a photo later! we had another guy in church who is an eternal investigator that just needs to be baptized but doesn´t feel the need for it. Our branch is getting a lot better about fellowshipping and they....oh man i don´t think i told you guys...maybe i did but they divided our branch...Elder Searle and I will continue to be a part of the branch of santarém...but group of São Domingos. Basically we staggered the meetings and flipped them so we have priesthood while the real branch has sacrament then we meet together for gospel principles then we go to sacrament...it is kinda wierd and now we only have like 20 people every sunday but it is cool i guess...cause we just didn´t all fit in the chapel together.

How long does it take to get a real estate license? It is like lots of hours yeah?

How many bear points does a person need? i am super excited to go hunting and golfing again.

As for transfers...Elder Searle and I are going to stay together for another one here. Hopefully it goes a lot better than this last transfer has! This one has been too dry and not finding good people. This means that i probably will go at the end of this one and then be in my last area!

Thanks for everything daddio!! I love you tons!!

Elder Bushnell

2.6.12

Hey mommy!!

This week was sort of depressing...we didn´t have anyone in chuch and Filipe went to a different city for the weekend but he went to the church last night at like 8:00 and was interviewed...which he passed but it was already kinda late and he decided to go against what he felt from God and to move the baptism back until next Saturday...so this week we have our work cut out for us...we have to make sure Satan doesn´t try to pull a fast one and persuade him to not be baptized this week.

We did have some exciting news this week...our branch split the ours because we didn´t fit in the chapel...so now elder searle and i are the elders from the branch of Santarém area of São domingos. We basically just flipped it so that we start 20 minutes after the branch and we start with priesthood then go to gospel principles with the branch...then we go to sacrament meeting while they are in priesthood. With the division we had a lot of empty chairs which made our members realize they had a lot of work that they need to perform to fill the chairs and grow the branch.

That is super wierd that all my cousins are getting married. It would be fun to have all of us at uvu or byu. it will be super weird to have to go back to school...i am not to excited for that....luckly Brett and Chris and Tim will all be in the same boat and getting home at the same time! That is super awesome that Zach is going out earlier!!

Wow i am glad i am not there for that winter...no snow...i hate when it is cold without any snow...for example the past 2 days here have been SOO cold! it is crazy cold...the thermometer says that it is 40ish but it feels a lot colder.

Yeah amber and jordan are in a super crappy phase of not knowing what is going to happen...i hate those times. I will continue to pray for them! everything will work out for the best.  haha Carter sounds like a little goof ball...keep him training though...maybe we will have the next Jimmer. :)

well thanks for everything mommy!! I love you tons!!

Elder Bushnell

p.s. If you are not going to be in a cast i would like you guys to get to meet President Torgan and see some of the areas.