El Libro de Mormón

¡Hola!

Well, I´m not really sure what to write about this week. Nothing crazy or unusual has happened. It was actually quite a busy week. Elder Plaskett and I had our best week of the companionship so far! The majority of the citas were with menos activos and recent converts and we are still having trouble maintaining steady, progressing investigators. However we are working hard on being better and more obedient missionaries. We even started to apply differing teaching techniques, which seem to be helping. The people of Spain are super prepared for the Restored Gospel. But are the misionaries? Elder Plaskett and I feel really inadequate with our teaching methods, etc. Thus we are working hard on improving and keeping busy. I feel that we are being greatly blessed for our effort.

We didn´t have interviews with President, which was a little disappointing. Somehow there wasn´t enough time for our district. I was really looking forward to that. Hopefully they can fit us in this week or next week.

During district meeting, we focused a lot on the Book of Mormon. I realized that for a book so wonderful and amazing, a book I have such a strong testimony of, that I don´t stress it´s importance enough to others. I don´t show my enthusiasm for it. What kind of missionary am I?! haha....The people here LOVE the Bible. So do I. There are many gospel truths that are in the Bible. The Bible gives more evidence of the truthfulness of the restored Gospel than people realize. Thus it is really easy to get caught up in showing people Bible references that support the Book of Mormon and the church. I find myself teaching from the Bible A LOT more than the Book of Mormon. Thus I also realized this week that the people here already have a testimony of the Bible; if I want them to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon too, I need to read more from the Book of Mormon and stress the importance of reading from it. How can you gain a testimony of something you haven´t read? Thus I´ve decided to rededicate myself to introducing the amazing, simplicity and truth that is the Book of Mormon!

After our cita with Dunca yesterday, Elder Plaskett said, "I´m pulling out the heavy artillery now!" He showed me a book and said that all we need to do is translate it to Spanish or Romanian for Dunca to read. I ended up reading all of the book last night before bed (i got to bed a bit late). It was a really amazing, interesting book. It was done in comic/cartoon form and presented the Book of Mormon as if it was the defendent in a court case. The book brought up MANY different arguments against the Book of Mormon and then refuted them with scriptures, witnesses, historical facts, and archaelogical finds, etc. It was a fascinating book. I actually learned a lot. But in reality, none of that stuff really matters. In the MTC they didn´t teach us of any of those things. This is because, the only witness that matters is the witness that comes from the Holy Ghost after reading from the Book of Mormon and praying to our Father in Heaven with a sincere heart. This is the only way we can know of the truth of this book. There is no other way. It doesn´t matter what historians, proffessors, or scientists say. The only thing that matters is what God says. That´s how I found out for myself that the Book of Mormon is true and that is how more than 14 million other people in the world today have found out. So, I figured in this email I would record my testimony of the Book of Mormon. It is a simple testimony. The Book of Mormon is true. There is no doubt in my mind that it is a true book from God. It was written through revelation and inspiration from God by ancient prophets. Joseph Smith translated it through the power and authority of God. This testimony of mine comes only from heartfelt reading, pondering, and praying. No person has the right to attack this book without first reading it with a real intent and sincerity, and then asking God if it is true. In fact EVERYONE has the RESPONSIBILITY to do this. No harm will come or ever did come from merely reading a book. But salvation and eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father can come by reading this Book. The Book of Mormon shows us the path to returning to our Heavenly Father. It answers every question of the soul. It teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ: faith, repentance, baptism. the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endurance. It teaches us of our purpose in life and the plan our Heavenly Father has for us. It supports and testifies of the Bible. And most importantly, it testifies that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. I testify to everyone of you who reads this email that the Book of Mormon is true and you can know this for yourself. In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Until next week! ¡Hasta Luego!

Love,
Elder Buchkovich