¡Hola!
Sorry I don´t have much time. The work here is really taking off! I don´t have much time to write because I spent most of my hour of email time updating President Hinckley in our weekly report letter.
The greenie, Elder Salmon, is really great. Elder Allphin is doing a great job training him. He´s from Alabama, so it´s nice not to have another Utahrd. haha. He´s really nice. Took Spanish in high school so he knows a good bit for an new elder. although we still have to help him out a ton. it makes me appreciate how much i´ve improved in my spanish. i have to be quick to set a good example.
We are going to have a baptism this Saturday! Her name is Yessi. She is 18 years old. We met her when she came to stake conference with a member friend, Margareth. Yessi is super prepared! I can´t wait for her baptism!!!
Well I am sorry it is so short!
¡Hasta luego!
Love,
Elder Buchkovich
Monday, May 23, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
A Death and a Birth(missionary jargon)
¡Hola!
It was really sad to see Elder Hansen leave. He was such a great missionary! We worked really hard as a companionship. We had the trust of the members and we had a lot of success. I hope I can keep it all going. He was also the best district leader I have had so far. I learned so much from him! Well I am going to stop talking about him before I get too sad. It was really weird seeing a missionary "die" (go home). Usually at transfers you know there is a good chance of seeing your old companion again at zone meetings, in the mission office, etc. But with Elder Hansen, I won´t see him anymore during the mission. It´s super sad.
Yesterday, Elder Allphin left with Elder Hansen to Barcelona. Elder Hansen was obviously going to Barç because he is going home. Elder Allphin went with him because early this morning he had a meeting on how to train new elders. Yep, Elder Allphin is going to train this transfer. And his companion, Elder Greep, is now my companion! We are very excited! Elder Greep and I came in together! This means no more being junior companion! (we are listed as "special assignment). So as a recap...the changes in Tarragona are as follows: Elder Hansen´s new area is South Jordan, UT, and his new companion....well he´s going to start looking for her this week ; ]. Elder Allphin is staying in Tarragona B with a new elder. (we still don´t know anything about the new elder). And Elder Greep and I are working in Tarragona A (my area before). Elder Greep and I have a lot work ahead of us, but we plan on continuing Elder Hansen´s success here!
This week we finally set a fecha bautismal con Yessi. She is really excited to get baptized, but is worried about how her family feels about it. When she told them, they were not too pleased at all. Since she is 18, she can get baptized without her parents´ approval, but we still want them to be okay with it. We told her to keep praying. To pray about the truth of our message, to pray for strength and courage in talking to her family, and to pray for her family to accept her baptism. The next day we got a text from Yessi. She was super excited because she had gained the approval of her mom to get baptized. The Lord answers our prayers! I know that slowly the Lord with soften the hearts of the rest of Yessi´s family.
Well I took forever writing President Hinckley this week, so I don´t have much time. That is all I will write for today.
¡Hasta luego!
Love,
Elder Buchkovich
It was really sad to see Elder Hansen leave. He was such a great missionary! We worked really hard as a companionship. We had the trust of the members and we had a lot of success. I hope I can keep it all going. He was also the best district leader I have had so far. I learned so much from him! Well I am going to stop talking about him before I get too sad. It was really weird seeing a missionary "die" (go home). Usually at transfers you know there is a good chance of seeing your old companion again at zone meetings, in the mission office, etc. But with Elder Hansen, I won´t see him anymore during the mission. It´s super sad.
Yesterday, Elder Allphin left with Elder Hansen to Barcelona. Elder Hansen was obviously going to Barç because he is going home. Elder Allphin went with him because early this morning he had a meeting on how to train new elders. Yep, Elder Allphin is going to train this transfer. And his companion, Elder Greep, is now my companion! We are very excited! Elder Greep and I came in together! This means no more being junior companion! (we are listed as "special assignment). So as a recap...the changes in Tarragona are as follows: Elder Hansen´s new area is South Jordan, UT, and his new companion....well he´s going to start looking for her this week ; ]. Elder Allphin is staying in Tarragona B with a new elder. (we still don´t know anything about the new elder). And Elder Greep and I are working in Tarragona A (my area before). Elder Greep and I have a lot work ahead of us, but we plan on continuing Elder Hansen´s success here!
This week we finally set a fecha bautismal con Yessi. She is really excited to get baptized, but is worried about how her family feels about it. When she told them, they were not too pleased at all. Since she is 18, she can get baptized without her parents´ approval, but we still want them to be okay with it. We told her to keep praying. To pray about the truth of our message, to pray for strength and courage in talking to her family, and to pray for her family to accept her baptism. The next day we got a text from Yessi. She was super excited because she had gained the approval of her mom to get baptized. The Lord answers our prayers! I know that slowly the Lord with soften the hearts of the rest of Yessi´s family.
Well I took forever writing President Hinckley this week, so I don´t have much time. That is all I will write for today.
¡Hasta luego!
Love,
Elder Buchkovich
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Conferencia de la Estaca de Hospitalet
¡Hola!
This week was stake conference. The stake center is in Hospitalet, which is the last metro stop south in Barç. The ward filled up two buses to make the 1 or so long trip up to barc. This was a miracle in itself. The Bishop was so pleased that they had to get a second bus. We got to ride up with the ward in one of the buses. it was really good because we got to talk to members and build up our relationship with them. I realized on the way there that no matter where you are in the world, members are exactly the same! You have the same stereotypes of different groups of members. And everyone always ends up singing hymns to pass time! haha. The bus ride was beautiful! Many times the coast was in view from the highway. You looked out one direction at sea and the other direction at mountains covered in trees. Absolutely beautiful. Right outside of Barç there is this really cool cemetary. The cemetaries here are buildings. And this particular one covered and entire hillside!
Conference was amazing! The speakers were all really good. First the stake president gave a moving talk about Joseph Smith. Then three returned Spanish sister missionaries shared their testimonies. Israel from Lleida who is about to serve in San Francisco also bore his testimony. After the intermediate hymn, two general authorities from the Area Presidency spoke. I don´t remember the name of one of them. Elder Caussé (or something like that) spoke last. He is French. He spoke in English, pausing after every other sentence for someone to translate into Spanish. I actually found myself listening more the Spanish than the English. The choir sang really beautfully too.
I got to see a lot of members from Lleida! It was really fun. They were all excited to see me. It made me feel loved! I hadn´t had a chance to get a picture with Mario, the ward mission leader, before leaving. I was finally able to take a picture with him.
The conference was not held in our stake center. It was held in the new Barcelona stake center. The new stake center opened just recently in January. It is the most expensive stake center in Europe! ¡Es super guay! You walk in and your jaw just drops! There are three floors. And a hardwood basketball court! It´s hard to explain. I didn´t take many pictures because I was too distracted talking to people. But some of the other elders did. I will get the pictures from them. Apparently the elders in Barç get quite a few new references each week from people stopping by to see what that beautiful building is.
Well that´s all exciting that really happened this week. We are really excited for the near future in Tarragona. Everyone we are teaching is a member reference. Thus, there is a lot of potential! This is the way missionary work is supposed to happen- member references!
¡Hasta luego!
Love,
Elder Buchkovich
This week was stake conference. The stake center is in Hospitalet, which is the last metro stop south in Barç. The ward filled up two buses to make the 1 or so long trip up to barc. This was a miracle in itself. The Bishop was so pleased that they had to get a second bus. We got to ride up with the ward in one of the buses. it was really good because we got to talk to members and build up our relationship with them. I realized on the way there that no matter where you are in the world, members are exactly the same! You have the same stereotypes of different groups of members. And everyone always ends up singing hymns to pass time! haha. The bus ride was beautiful! Many times the coast was in view from the highway. You looked out one direction at sea and the other direction at mountains covered in trees. Absolutely beautiful. Right outside of Barç there is this really cool cemetary. The cemetaries here are buildings. And this particular one covered and entire hillside!
Conference was amazing! The speakers were all really good. First the stake president gave a moving talk about Joseph Smith. Then three returned Spanish sister missionaries shared their testimonies. Israel from Lleida who is about to serve in San Francisco also bore his testimony. After the intermediate hymn, two general authorities from the Area Presidency spoke. I don´t remember the name of one of them. Elder Caussé (or something like that) spoke last. He is French. He spoke in English, pausing after every other sentence for someone to translate into Spanish. I actually found myself listening more the Spanish than the English. The choir sang really beautfully too.
I got to see a lot of members from Lleida! It was really fun. They were all excited to see me. It made me feel loved! I hadn´t had a chance to get a picture with Mario, the ward mission leader, before leaving. I was finally able to take a picture with him.
The conference was not held in our stake center. It was held in the new Barcelona stake center. The new stake center opened just recently in January. It is the most expensive stake center in Europe! ¡Es super guay! You walk in and your jaw just drops! There are three floors. And a hardwood basketball court! It´s hard to explain. I didn´t take many pictures because I was too distracted talking to people. But some of the other elders did. I will get the pictures from them. Apparently the elders in Barç get quite a few new references each week from people stopping by to see what that beautiful building is.
Well that´s all exciting that really happened this week. We are really excited for the near future in Tarragona. Everyone we are teaching is a member reference. Thus, there is a lot of potential! This is the way missionary work is supposed to happen- member references!
¡Hasta luego!
Love,
Elder Buchkovich
Sunday, May 1, 2011
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