Week of Dec 14, 2015

The weeks out here just get better and better. This past friday we were only allowed to work until our lunch meal (we get fed everyday around 2pm) then we had to go back to the casa. And we werent allowed to salir (forgot the engilish word), on sábado. because it was some national holiday here and isnt safe for white mormon people to be out walking around haha so we stayed in cleaned, studied, and watched church movies. I have 7 chapters left of Jesus the Christ, which has like 43 chapters or something like that. Its an AMAZING book! On friday we worked for like 4 hours and got three new Investigators! It was great! During one of our lessons, with our Investigator Noami, something really hit me. My first though was seriously, "Holy Fetch! What are we doing?" it hit me how serious of a work this is. We cant take sharing the gospel lightly. This is the salvation of Gods children we are talking about. I thought about back home and how amazingly privilaged we are. We have this amazing gospel, and it is our DUTY to GOD, to share this gospel, to save his children. I thought to myself why doesnt every member dedicate every ounce of strength they have to this great work? As children we always dream about super heros and how awesome it would be if they were real. We need to dedicate our lives to spreading the knowledge that there was a super hero who has walked this earth. One who will save us. Not from a falling building or an astroid, but from a death that is even more real. We need to spread this gospel to every person on this earth. I am so grateful for the oportuinity I have to dedicate every hour of my day and every ounce of my strength to spreading the knowledge of our redentor, our savior. 

Then sunday we had the oportunity to attend two sessions of the Dedication of the templo de Tijuana. It was an abosolutly amazing expirience! The amazing whitness the apostles have of christ is astounding. Just listening to their simple powerful testimony that Christ lives. And if we will only let him into our lives, we can find peace, joy, happiness, comfort, salvation. Just like in Alma 7:11-13 says" 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictionsand temptations of every kind; and this that the wordmight be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him thepains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loosethe bands of death which bind his people; and he will takeupon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filledwith mercy, according to the flesh, that he may knowaccording to the flesh how to succor his people accordingto their infirmities.

 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless theSon of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of hisdeliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me."

 I love that is says,that he WILL take upon him death and cuch in verrse 11&12, but it says MIGHT take upon him the sins of his people. We are guaranteed life after death, but it is up to us and our use of the atonement, that will alow us to return to God once more.

Today was great! We had a Mission christmas party, and it was a blast, futbol, talent shows, great food, and our president and his wife gave an amazingly funny skit! Im loving it out here! The spanish is coming along, slowly but surely! But its great! 

Oh and I got your package of the food today! Thanks so much! I really appreciate it! And my scripture is 3 Nephi 5:13

Hows everyting over there?! Tell Logan I say Happy Birthday! Oh and we will probably be skyping for christmas! But not sure what time and everything, but we will figure it all out and let you kouw! Oh and look up guerreo chimalli, (I think thats how it is spelled) but its this big red statue in my city, and aparently it has a story about the ancient inhabitants in my city about a man who came into the city a looonnnggg time ago and the people drove him out because they didnt like what he had to say, then he came back two years later, and the people sacrificed him to their gods by fire.... Then read the story of Abenadi.... Oddly familiar... haha So cool! 

So...I might have bought a guitar for $17

Mission Christmas Activity

Week of Dec 7, 2015

This past week was a bit eventful for Austin.  Last Friday we received a phone call from his mission president informing him that Austin had been admitted to the hospital with a "stomach infection".  Basically he ate something contaminated, which apparently is pretty common.  They had him in the hospital 3 days, releasing him on Monday, Dec 7.

Below are excerpts from various emails he sent to the family.

Hey Mom and Dad! 

Yeah the whole hospital thing was pretty interesting... But hey I'm back out in the field today so thats good! It was pretty miserable the night before I went. I had my first, what the Elders here call a, Double Dragon. Lets just say my insides wanted to be on my outside .. haha Yeah no fun. Must have been something I ate obviously! haha But yeah the Hospital was actually pretty nice, and the hospital food was just as terrible as any hospital food in the US. My comp didnt go with me because he knows no english and I know basically no spanish. So my DL, Elder Close, went with so he could translate. I dont feel 100% better my stomach still feels a little nasty, and I just want some good American food. I didnt think that would happen haha. 

When Prez said he was gonna call you guys I was like dang... theyre gonna worry way too much. Haha I wasnt feeling well since Tuesday. And it was an adventure to get to the hospital! I had to walk 10 minutes to the MexiBus, rode that for 30 minutes, got off, hopped on the subway for anouther 25 minutes, then walked like 7 minutes to the hospital. The public transport here is... Incredible. In alot of ways. haha

I love my mish Prez. He is such a stud! They are super nice and treat their missionaries like their children. He is super lax with things like skinny ties and music. He believes the more rules make us less responisble and wants us to be able to make the decision ourselves on what brings the spirit our not. He is great.

The language is coming along... Im starting lessons and contacting and stuff... sooo its getting there. But definitely needs work. At the hospital I was able to understand most of what the doctors would say, but relying is the hard part. 

Mom, food here is great, but weird. Do you realize they sell pre-toasted bread by the loaf? Like what? Why? Its seriously just like stale dry bread haha.

Love 

Elder Butler

Images below were sent to us today by his mission presidents wife and were from a zone meeting Austin was at today.

First Week In The Field!

Hey Guys!

First week in the field has been a blast! Although, I am lost 88% of the time! First day was rough with the language, but I can mostly understand what is being said during our lessons now! 

But this past week has been awesome. Invited 3 people to baptism, and baptised someone already! Augustin was his name. I had to do in spanish obviously and that was tough! 

My comp Elder Avila is from Veracruz Mexico, so he knows 0 english. That is a little tough but It´s fun! 

Our ward is great... sorta. Our bishop is lazy. Like alot. And forgot to do the confirmation of our newly baptised investigators on sunday during sacrament. Oh and Im typing on a spanish computer so it thinks everything I type is incorrect and my spelling is terrible now that i have two languages trying to come out. So sorry if i misspell stuff.

What else.... Oh yeah the food! We get fed everyday so thats awesome. Most days we start with a soup, then some type of carne and rice. And always always picante. Ive definitely gotten used to it though! Oh and every meal we have corn tortillas. And the coke here is magical. Its normally reffered to as Agua de Mexico because everyone drinks it all the time. MAinly because the water here has to be bottled to be safe to drink, so its just as cheap to buy a 3 liter of coke. Yes, a 3 liter. Insane! 

Hows everything over there?! Miss you guys! Ill definitely send pictures in a second!

Love,

Elder Butler

Dad's note - in an separate email he mentioned that the shower in his apartment is broken so they take a bucket shower.  To heat the water they drop an old iron in the water to heat it up.  He did say they unplug the iron and wait a few minutes to take it out.   

My DL Elder Cose, Rosy, Augustine, Me, My Comp Elder Avila

This soup was the color of a pink highlighter. And tasted like one too. Only thing you can do is just down it as fast as humanly possible!

our casa is on the roof of an apt building and this is the view from our back patio. City as far as the eye can see.

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First Day in the Field....Sort of

Hey! 

Just real quick, we are able to send a quick email out to let you know we drove the full hour to the mission home safely... haha But yeah, we are at the mission home and its great! We are staying here tonight then going out to our areas tomorrow! Ill be able to write alot more next Monday! 

Oh and you can send things to the mission home, here's the address:

Elder Butler

Mision Mexico Ciudad de Mexico Sureste

Av. Del Taller #540

Col. Jardin Balbuena

Delegacion Venustiano Carranza

Mexico DF CP 15900

MEXICO

Yeah, its kinda long... haha 

Well, Ill talk to you guys next week!!

Love,

Elder Butler

Week of Nov 16, 2015

Editorial Note - Austin's emails the last two weeks have been short.  This post combines the last two weeks of noteworthy comments

November 10

Everything here is going great like always, Its the same thing week after week but hey, only two more weeks from yesterday, and Ill be out in the field! I can give basic lessons without writing anything down now. And can hold a conversation in Spanish for awhile, I definitely feel like I'm learning and growing a lot, except most people in my district feel like they aren't, and are way tired of the CCM. But I honestly love it here because I mean, its a lot less of a big deal to mess up here than it is in the field. And I am going to use every moment i have here to improve. 

November 17

My week was good! Same old same old. Language study, gospel study, and teaching investigators. Nothing really new. But my Spanish is definitely coming along really well! This is my last week at the CCM, by next Monday Ill be in the field! So exciting! 

Last night was the first time I actually had to sit down and have a talk with an Elder as Zone Leader. He hasn't been applying himself at all. So I had to sit down and help him out and it made me think that that must have been what it was like whenever i wouldn't apply myself back home. I see so much potential in him and he doesn't apply it. Thank you for always helping me through tough times. 

As ZL me and my comp teach half of our priesthood meeting. In Spanish. It definitely is tough preparing all these lessons for investigators, talks for Sunday, and a half hour lesson in Priesthood. But hey, it helps with the Spanish anyways. 

At sacrament our branch president shared a poem called something like Two footprints in the Sand. It was basically about this lady who had a dream that she was walking with the savior on a beach, and in the sky flashed all the moments in her life. At the end of their walk, she looked back and realized that at some points there was only one set of footprints, and these were the hardest saddest times of her life. She asked the Lord, Why would you abandon me at my hardest times? And responded that the reason there was only one set of footprints was because during those times in her life, he carried her.

We need to remember to ALWAYS rely on the Lord. Always.

Love You All 

Elder Butler

We didnt do much this past week, so not very many pictures. Sorry!

My poor attempt at drawing the mountain out my window 

The soccer field behind my dorm every morning

Week of Nov 2, 2015

Hi!

Sorry we had our P-day changed to today to go finish up on our visas. 

Hows everything down there? I miss you guys and Maverick! 

Umm lets see, whats new... nothing really honestly we do the same thing over and over.  My Spanish is definitely getting better! I'm starting to have trouble spelling in English sometimes. And when I say my personal prayers at night i forget the English words for like Atonement and stuff. So far I've memorized the first vision in Spanish and Moroni 10:5. And yesterday during one of our investigators asked questions and we had to completely change what we were teaching and I had to recite the first vision and it was Awesome!  It was way cool! I'm ZL now too, which is honestly less stressful even though I'm in charge of our whole zone ha-ha

I got to meet my mission president last Tuesday! We have devotionals on Tuesday and last week a area 70 spoke to us and my mission president was the one showing him around mexico city so he came to the Devo. He is way cool! im so stoked to get to know him! a little less than three weeks left here at the CCM! Crazy!! Can´t wait to get out there!

How is it having just two kids left at home? Party time right?!

Miss you guys! 

Love

Elder Butler

Pictures of downtown Mexico City

Hey,

     Sorry i wasn't on earlier, we just got back from the temple. The Mexico City Temple is absolutely stunning! Its based on Mayan architecture inside and out and its awesome! Couple cool things about it though, its one of five temples in the whole world where Moroni is holding the golden plates! So cool! Also the whole temple is on an hydraulic foundation so if one part starts sinking it can even itself out because well all of Mexico city is sinking! 

     My comp is doing alright, still struggling a little bit, but working on it! He and i got called into the CCM Shrink because I on my papers i put that i have ADHD and he got called in because he used to have depression so they wanted to check up on us. While I was talking to Elder Packer (the shrink) he was like "you don't need to be here talking to me do you?" Then we just started talking about my district and being DL and stuff and at one point he said "Elder Butler you're a great man and i feel prompted by the spirit that you will be in leadership positions throughout your mission".

     My Spanish is coming along pretty well so far, getting better at testifying without reading anything. Its crazy how much the Spirit helps while in our lessons! The Holy Ghost really can bring things back to our remembrance! I know the gift of tongues is real because I am able to understand what our investigators are saying even when i haven't learned the words they are saying. I still cant wait till I'm fluent and can hold a conversation with a Latino! We had some Latino elders in our dorm with us and me and my comp started teaching them English but they left yesterday as well! But one of them gave me a tie so that's cool! Its also way crazy how much you begin to love those you teach and lead! 

    Hope Mom is doing better! You guys are in my prayers every night! Its funny to see how my prayers get longer and longer every night, my comp always laughs at me! ha-ha But Mexico is great and hasn't rained here yet, well we got a light sprinkle Sunday but that's about it! 

     Oh speaking of Sunday, Sundays are the best days here at the CCM! We watched a devotional from Elder Bednar, and well let me tell ya, Best talk I have EVER heard. took probably three pages of notes! He challenged us to get a paperback Book of Mormon and read it cover to cover with a certain question or principle in mind and mark it up with scriptures pertaining to the question! And keep doing that throughout your life. I'm going to start doing that and you guys should too!

Love You!

Elder Butler

Pic's from Week 1

Nastiest Soda ever, tastes like straight up vinegar.

Latino Elders and Me, selfie Style

Mexicans love two things, super spicy things, and super sweet marshmallows covered in everything. 

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1st P-Day

Hey Guys! Its P-Day!!

First off let me tell ya, its way more difficult typing on a spanish keyboard.

Anyways, first week went really well! Got here safely and with all my luggage! I was actually really surprised! In LAX I got on the plane with two Elders, Elder Mix and Elder Black. I slept through most of the flight though, and everyone spoke spanish so I did't get the chance to talk to anyone about where I was going and why. 

Customs was... Easy. Dad made it seem like it would be scary and tough. I waited in line, handed a lady my passport and a paper i had to fill out.She stamped it, then went to a booth, I had to hit a little red button and then doors opened up... Weirdest thing ever! 

Mexico city is so crowded!! Its insane! The bus ride over i felt like we were going to kill someone or get killed ourselves, traffic is absolutely insane! 

My companion is Elder E... and he is pretty cool, but struggles a little bit. He is way spiritual, just lacks some living away from home skills. Had to teach him how to study, iron, wash clothes... that kind of thing. 

Class has been great this past week, super spiritual devotionals and meetings! They get even better now that i understand most of whats being said in spanish! We have gospel and language study classes and they are both pretty easy and straightforward and i feel like by the end of the 6 weeks here at the CCM I will be able to speak pretty good spanish! 

Although class has been pretty easy these past few days have been slightly stressful because I've been called as District Leader and I feel so much responsibility for all the Elders and Hermanas in my district. Some guys are struggling (including my compañero) so I've been praying and studying the scriptures on how to help them. Any help is greatly appreciated!! 

The CCM is absolutely beautiful here though! So green!!

 The Joseph Smith or recepcíon building

This is an old tablet found inside old Aztec/Mayan ruins that depict Lehis vision of the Tree of Life. If you need proof of the validity of the Book of Mormon here it is! There is a big Mural of it in the Joseph Smith building and I'll send a picture of it next week.

We took a bunch of pictures as a district today but I forgot my camera in mi dorm, so I'm going to have one of the guys just send them to me and I'll send those next week.

Hows everything over there?? Did you have your surgery Mom? How did it go? Miss you guys tons!

Love,

Elder Butler

First Email Home - Oct 14

Hey,

Well I made it to the MTC here in Mexico City, well technically its called the CCM but ya know. Im just as surprised as you are that I actually made it on the right flights and everything! Although I did get lost in LAX for a good 20 minutes. Mexico City is so packed! Driving is absolutely insane! We are supposed to keep it brief for today, we still have other things we have to do apparently. But my P-Day is next tuesday so ill write you guys then!

Love You Guys!!

Elder Butler