sick

Dear family and other readers,

I hope my email finds you all happy and well this week. I feel, for some reason, more positive and pleasant than normal, and it is great. If you are lucky, some of my good attitude will wear off into this email and you will also feel in a better disposition to handle life.

At the beginning of October, Elder Snyder and I both rejoiced when the weather cooled down. We were so relieved to open our windows and let a cool breeze run through our house while listening to the gentle music of the ice cream truck that perpetually haunts the streets of San Luis. Our joy was full, however brief, for as quickly as the cool air swept in, the heat tromped back. We grieved at the outlook of possible eternal suffering. Our fears fled a few days ago when the familiar cool air returned and the windows flew open yet again. Amidst our happiness came the warning of flu season from the mission nurse, Sister Lepetich. Elder Snyder and I laughed it off, knowing we were invincible to the effects of such an insignificant virus. After all, "cool weather" in Arizona at this time of year means lows of 70 degrees. Never having been susceptible to the flu before, I never thought it possible that I would contract it here, of all places. As though to humble me in my immune-system pride, I woke up two nights ago in the middle of the night with wrenching pains in my stomach. Details here would be inappropriate, it will suffice it to say that I didn't sleep much for the rest of the night and for the first day of my mission, Elder Snyder and I had a sick day.

Perhaps I feel so positive today because I feel so rested. I slept for a long time, and Elder Snyder (who also was sick) and I read and talked for a long time. With the help of the Priesthood and a bit of NuQuil, I feel great today, as though nothing had happened at all. Just in time for P-Day (close call).

We also had a weird Halloween, and I'm mostly just glad I never have to have a missionary Halloween again. I will include pictures of our awesome costumes, just look closely. My time's up for the day, but I really do hope you can all feel positive today.

No matter what stress, or what problem faces us, our Savior has walked through it already. We can put our trust and faith in Him, that He will provide us with comfort and peace. The gospel is, very literally, good news to the world. Let us all put more faith in the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace. I know He lives and that He will not forsake us. As often as we cry unto Him, He will heed us. He desires the best for us, and as Christians, we desire the best for others. Let's reach out this week to serve someone we wouldn't have thought to before. Let's remember to forgive as we pray for forgiveness. And that's all the preaching I'll do today.

-Elder Sam Bostwick

[click on photos for the full-size view - Jay]

hace mucho

Well, I'm afraid it has been too long since I emailed home. The last few P-Days' email time has been dedicated to college application. I have been working to try and get myself applied for and get accepted to BYU. That is my excuse for not writing, but I still apologize in any case.

What hasn't helped the situation is that it feels as though new things aren't happening. In fact, we have had a few very difficult weeks all leading up to last week, which was the hardest of all. I have been more tired than I can remember being, and very stressed. All our efforts have been unsuccessful so far, and Elder Snyder and I just continue to work our hardest, waiting for the blessings to come from our faith and diligence.

It is a hard lesson to learn that the Lord has His own timing in all things. Our zone leader, when things go well for his area, says, "Well, blessings for obedience and diligence!" If only it were so easy. The hard truth is that, though blessings come every time we do the will of the Lord, they hardly ever come immediately. We have done what we are supposed to and have almost no evidence of blessings for our work. Though we are worthy to be blessed, blessings will still only come as the Lord wills them to. I am so grateful for the numerous blessings and lessons I have received. I am infinitely blessed to have a family, and friends who all support me in my decision to be here. Even more, I was born with the gospel, and have grown with its teachings. Though things are difficult for a few weeks, I still marvel at my enormous blessings that I don't deserve.

I know this is the Lord's work. We can only do what is asked of us, and trust that everything that comes is for our own good. Sometimes it feels like we've been given a lot to chew, but we can come out stronger, and we will as long as we rely in the strength of God. I am sad when I see people who are not obedient to God's commandments, especially those who have already received His Gospel. I struggle to understand how a person who claims to have faith can be so faithless in their actions. I wish I could do more to change lives and help others gain the necessary faith to always always do our Father's will. I trust He is strengthening me to do more than I could do alone. He has sent me a good, strong, and worthy companion to do it, and I know He has put us here, at this time, for a reason. We have been blessed, and as I think back on the testimonies I have received in the past, the confirmations of faith, the blessings, my testimony is fortified and strengthened. We cannot fail. We cannot do less than what has been asked of us. I fear some of us will find themselves ashamed at the last day when all petty excuses have been cleared away. I am so blessed to know of the truths of the gospel, so I can do all in my power to repent and serve with all my heart.

I am sorry that all seems very scattered. I have had many thoughts in the last few weeks. The gospel becomes more real to me every day and I am so grateful for the mercy I have been given from a loving Father in Heaven. I hope you all feel of my love for you at home. Keep doing what is right. Don't lose hope. I was very moved by President Uchtdorf's talk on hope, but I won't get even more scattered than I already have been.

With much love,

-Elder Sam Bostwick

another transfer

Well, the improbable has happened. Usually, a companionship will only serve together for two transfers, or three months. This week we got transfer calls, and we had been debating and guessing for days leading up to the calls. Who would go? Who would stay? The speculation was rampant, as Dad would say. And so we anxiously awaited transfer calls on Monday night. Elder Nauman called, laughing over the phone, because Elder Snyder and I, the invincible team, is indeed invincible and we are staying together for another six weeks.

We are excited because our time together has been marked with intense spiritual experiences, which have built our faith and testimonies in the reality of God and His care for us. We look forward to many more strong experiences as we both work together to become better missionaries and men. I know that God has a special work for us together, and we have seen blessings already that only our companionship could have brought about.

One of these blessings is the betterment of the members of the San Luis Branch. I admit, I have had moments where I have been so frustrated at the lack of support from the Branch that I just wanted to leave and go to a new area. But after much prayer, faith, and patience, all the sudden miracles have happened and we are seeing intensely rapid improvement in the attitude of the auxiliary presidencies, primarily in the Branch Presidency. I am so grateful to be serving here at this time. I know that the Lord is building me in large amounts more than I could be building up anybody else. I feel humbled at my calling, especially as I realize more and more the blessings and mercies of God in my life.

I loved Conference, and I'm out of time, so maybe I'll write about it later.

-Elder Sam

P.S. I hope you all liked the voice recordings last week. [Jay: These will be posted soon.]

don't worry

So I imagine that Mom has spread news that we were robbed this week. I would just like to put your questioning at ease. We were emailing and shopping last Wednesday and thieves entered our house and took our electronic devices. I fortunately had my camera with me, though Elder Snyder was not so lucky and he lost all his pictures from his mission. I also had my MTC backpack stolen, which was empty except for my study journal, a tragedy all in itself to lose. But in any case, it is not like other missionaries don't suffer more than that, and though inconvenient, we will survive.

As for other news this week, well there isn't much news this week. We have had some really great lessons, and some really good times, including an exchange where I went to an English area for a day and accidentally started speaking Spanish once. We also had interviews this week, which made me think that I should write a bit about our mission president.

President Robert Craig is a unique unique man. As a convert to the Church he never served a mission on his own. He grew up in northern California on a ranch that his father owned and when he grew up eventually established himself with a large and very successful construction company in the same vicinity of California. His wife also converted to the Church, both before they were married. After becoming very successful in his own business, the Church came to President Craig and asked him to work for them. He took an enormous pay cut, sold all his equipment, dissolved his company and began working for the construction department of the Church. His work on temples and chapels took him to live around the world, literally. They lived in Russia, some place in Asia (maybe the Phillippines?), Central and South America, and Utah. Both President and Sister Craig talk about their life abroad with a lot of gratitude and appreciation for the wonderful experiences they shared there. After being reassigned to Utah for a while, he received the call to serve as a mission president, though the plan was to send him to a newly opening Russian mission, as he speaks near fluent Russian. But at the last possible timing, the assignment was changed by President Monson himself and he was sent to Arizona. President Craig's spiritual sensitivity is at times astounding. He has a way of driving things home that we wouldn't normally take very seriously. But at the same time he has a humor that can be almost silly with just the right goofy face to match the current joke. I am so grateful to be called to serve under his direction, and look to him for example and guidance. I think only those who have been missionaries would fully understand the relationship between a missionary and their mission president, but take that description of him for who he is.

I love you all and miss you.  Don't worry about me, if anything really bad happens, the Mission Office will call and tell you.  It has been very nice to hear from a few of you, and I would just remind you all, that receiving mail can save a whole week for a missionary.  Thanks for all you do.

-Elder Sam Bostwick

deep cleaning

In our mission we started a bi-annual deep cleaning tradition. Our final cleaning checks normally take place the P-Day before General Conference, and we must have every item on a detailed and lengthy list checked off before we are permitted to leave for normal P-Day activities. Last Friday we received a call from the Mission Housing Coordinators that said our inspection was coming a bit early, in fact the following Thursday, or tomorrow. Our poor San Luis house was not cleaned 6 months ago for the first General Conference deep clean and therefore there was a significant amount of grime that had been building for, I would guess, the entire ten years that missionaries have lived in our house. Being the nitpicker that I am, I have invested a great deal of time to scrubbing, sweeping, pushing, mopping, and washing. Moral of the story: keep your houses clean. The Spirit will not dwell where it is not comfortable. Cleanliness in ourselves and in our homes are prerequisites to having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is so disappointing to me to see the laziness of past elders, but also it is so gratifying to feel the Spirit enter more fully as we put in the effort to make our house a house of God.

Other than that, we have had a good week. Elder Snyder and I both wish that we could be enjoying a beautiful fall somewhere else in the world, simply for the weather and wonder of the season. I remember feeling the same way during the winter months of last year. Arizona's lack of variety makes appreciation for God's marvelous creations in other places so much grander. A blessing upon returning home after two years of missionary service will be to come back home to the wonderful feeling of the four seasons, in time for the end of a mild summer to welcome fall, and delight in a white winter.

I feel very grateful to be a missionary this week. Just like cleaning a house of all of the old grime and sludge, cleaning and purifying ourselves takes time. What a blessing it is to take a concentrated amount of time to scrub, mop, wash, and polish as I pray, study and repent. I can't thank my Father in Heaven enough for the immense gift He gave me, even though I didn't want it before (you might even say I thought of it disdainfully), to serve him for these two years.

I pray you are all well and happy and are enjoying or will enjoy a wonderful autumn. Stay positive and happy. I love you all.

-Elder Sam Bostwick

a year

I don't know if anybody else noticed, but I hit my one year mark this week. I have to say, I did notice, and with many mixed emotions. I always have been of the opinion that a year is a long time, and even now there are days, even weeks where a year seems an eternity. There is no doubt that a lot can happen in a year, but as time is, we don't notice it passing until we look back. I now can say that my first year went fast from my current perspective. I feel an urgency now that I only have a year left. There is and should be an urgency in life. We are working towards a goal, and it requires constant work. Little efforts and small sacrifices made constantly and carefully and faithfully are the things that make the difference. How often do we see somebody jumping great big jumps to get to a destination on foot? Rather a pattern of step by step progress is developed to help us achieve goals and work toward our divine potential. With the feeling of urgency we hurry the progress and improve more quickly. Though missionary life is almost like a moving-sidewalk in the airports, where progress is automatic, there is still so much more I could and should be doing. One year, on your mark, get set, Go!

Our trip to Tempe was wonderful. I cannot explain what a welcome change from the norm it was. It always is a valuable experience to see past companions and friends from the mission, and it was a great blessing to know that I still do have friends outside of Yuma. I look forward to moving back to the valley someday and having more contact with more missionaries, as it is a source of powerful motivation. Our Zone Conference was truly inspirational. Each of the messages and trainings was what I needed. I felt the Spirit as we were taught by our leaders. Our mission president, President Craig, is a spiritual man. I hope to become more like him with time. And Elder Lee, the Area Seventy had a great message for us. Although time didn't end up fitting our temple trip, we did not leave spiritually unfilled.

We have had a great week since, with a wonderful baptism, some great lessons, and a few new people to teach. It has been so easy to see the blessings we have been given in the last little while and I just pray that we can work hard enough to try and deserve them. It is great to be here.

I hope you are all doing well and that you too can recognize the blessings the Lord is bestowing on you. Even in trials, we receive blessings, plus the promise that after faithfully enduring hardships we will receive an increase of faith in God. I know this is the true Church. The life of every person would improve upon committing themselves more fully to living the principles of the gospel and obeying God's commandments. I feel so blessed to already know of the gospel, let's remember those who are still waiting to hear it.

-Elder Sam Bostwick

excited

Today I am excited. The Yuma Zone is going on a road trip!

Tomorrow we have a meeting in Tempe, and we have to make the journey to the valley this evening. That means that instead of going back to regular work at 6:00, like we always do on P-Days, the ten of us will split up between one of our cars and the Zone Leaders' minivan (classy, right?) and head to Tempe. Now don't get me wrong, I love missionary work. I love teaching lessons and contacting people, and I even like tracting believe it or not, but it is going to be so refreshing to have a change to the norm. We'll drive up together, have a good time (all the good friends "called" our spots in the minivan so we can ride together) and then spend the night with some missionaries I probably haven't met yet, and then to the meeting. The Area Seventy is going to have a Zone Conference with us missionaries tomorrow. Elder Lee has been recently assigned to cover our mission, and so this is his first interaction with us, and I'm excited to see what he has for us. Another reason to be excited is to be refreshed of the "homeland." Three months in San Luis, and I've practically forgotten what it's like to be around large groups of missionaries. Yuma in general has a different feel from the rest of our mission and it will be fun to go back, and just remember a little bit. I am excited for after the meeting when the Yuma Zone has an appointment in the temple. And then we'll jump in the cars and come back, ready and recharged to do the Lord's work.

There are of course other reasons to be excited. Every time something good happens with an investigator, it feels so wonderful. We invest so much into helping these people come closer to God, but the one who needs to act is them. When they decide they want to do something, it fills us with joy. We had a baptism last week for a man we tracted into. It has been so rewarding to witness his transformation. Even more of an excitement came last night when the wife of a recent convert told us that she at last wanted to get baptized, this weekend if possible. I felt like jumping up and down, shouting out loud and weeping all at the same time. What a blessing! What a miracle! And what a change. "Susana, for you we'll do a baptism any day of the year." I think of the blessings that their family will receive in a year in the temple, when they are sealed for time and all eternity. They can't even comprehend the blessings, nor can I.

We've had a third missionary in our companionship this week. He goes home next Wednesday in the middle of the transfer, and has been sent to visit some of his former areas. He started his mission in San Luis and it is amazing to think of the people he taught while he was here and look at where they are now. Many are baptized, even some surprises, and most are strong members of our branch. I hope to continually get news of people I taught and, in the end, see all of my friends after this life and rejoice together in the works of our Father.

It is always good to hear from you. I hope you are all well. I am well and happy, and continually working to improve my faults. I wish I were perfect and can only see my imperfections more clearly here in the mission field. But God is with us, and He will guide us to our righteous desires, if we are honestly and truly willing to do His will. Sometimes, His will doesn't sound as fun as my will, but it must be that way. This is the restored Church of Jesus Christ in the world, and we have the authority of priesthood power that nobody else has. I have seen powerful evidence of that personally, and cannot deny it.

-Elder Sam Bostwick