Week of Jan 11th

Hey y'all! Hope everyone had a great week!

  This week one of the members unfortunately had to put their horse down. They called us in the middle of our morning studies and asked if we could come help dig a hole to bury their horse. My companion and I, the Elders and this cute little family all went up to help! We dug a 5 ft hole, with 5 shovels..and it took us 3 hours! It was quite an experience but we were all so happy to help! 

  We also met this lady named Elizabeth, she is very sweet and lonely and has a really fat cat! She first told us all of the misconceptions and were kind of bashing on us, but is now super interested and believes the Book of Mormon is true! The funniest thing was when we were leaving she was looking at our name tags and said "y'all must be mormons because i havent ever heard of someone named haynie" sister haynie explained that they were just our last names, she looked at me and said, " oh good! I thought your momma done named you Bucket!" it was literally the best haha 

  I have definitely had some pretty unique experiences this week, and also some very trying times. And that is absolutely just life. Yeah I am in a totally different place, with new faces and living a way that i never have before, but we all face different challenges through out our life. I have felt and seen the power of Christ's love in my life everyday. I know that with him, we can truly overcome and endure through all things. I love this message that I am able to share with all those we meet. It's been such a blessing to see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families. and how that hope and light truly changes and helps people. Like its really as simple as that. I am here because I know the Book of Mormon is true and it has blessed me. I am here because I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and that has blessed me. I am here because I know the priesthood authority is on the earth today, and that has truly blessed me. These are not just things that I say, they are the things that I genuinely KNOW. I am here because this knowledge is too important for everyone to not know. And I am here because I know that my Father in Heaven and my Savoir Jesus Christ love me, and I so desire for all to feel and partake of that love and joy because it has been the greatest blessing in my life.   

I promise that as you turn to God He will help you, and He so desires for each of us to come unto Him. And it's so beautiful that no matter where we are or what we are doing, each day we can. I love you all and am truly so grateful for all your love and support, I could'nt do it with out y'all <3 

PS sorry about all the pictures you guys got, that wasnt supposed to happen haha but now you know what my house looks like! My comp and I also made a New Years resolution to take a picture a day, and I have taken 1 so far.. but luckily the family took some pics while we were digging!

LOVE SISTER BUCKEY

Week of Jan 4th

Happy new year! I hope everyone had a fun New Years Eve! We packed and cleaned all night, which was actually pretty good! We were supposed to have collared greens and hoppin johns for New Years day (tradition here) but it unfortunately feel through! The week was pretty slow but definitely still good! Time warp is real and the days just run together! PS bare with me as im figuring out this whole emailing thing! 

My ABSOLUTE favorite thing from this last week has been listening to children pray. We have had like 6 different kids want to pray when we visit their family's homes and its just so sweet and genuine. To them life and the gospel is simple. They dont understand everything, but they absolutely walk by Faith. It makes so much sense as to why our Father in Heaven wants us to be child like. Because the Gospel IS simple, beautiful and perfect. AND the little kids are so drawn to us everywhere we go, and it's because they know that we are messengers from God. It is so neat. I am loving and getting to know members and its start to feel like home! especially because we just moved this week! i absolutley love our new house! here are some pics! i love you all so much! 

LOVE SISTER BUCKEY

Week of Dec 28th

WEEK THREE 

I HOPE EVRYONE HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS! going to myrtle beach was amazing, so pretty! we also had chipolte, which was essential. Christmas was awesome as well! we got to study in our PJs and had cinnamon rolls for breakfast! we then went to several member homes and ate lots of food! We also got to make gingerbread houses which was super fun! not alot of time this week so il just send some pics! Im so grateful for all the people that the Lord has prepared for us to teach, I've met some pretty awesome people. The Gospel is real and such a blessing. Reading, Praying and Going to church are all so essential to growing our faith and staying on the path to return with our Father in Heaven. Life has it's ups and downs and i Love that Jesus Christ can be our anchor. 

Week of Dec 21st

HELLO FROM SOUTH CAROLINA!

So ill try to remember everything thats happened, but thats pretty unlikely haha 

We got to South Carolina Tuesday afternoon, My mission presdient and his wife(President and Sister Turner) picked us all up at the airport! It was pretty humid but also not really, they say it gets super fun in the summer.. but yes then Elder Daynes and Elder Hanson (AP'S) drove us to the mission home! the mission home is beautiful! we had this amazing dinner and then started on missionary stuff. they let us go to bed early since had been up since 2 am. The next day we headed to the Church building to get the things we needed and then to get our new companions and head to our areas! SO IM IN CONWAY AND MY COMPANION IS SISTER HAYNIE shes from Seattle Washinton, i adore her. Conway is right next to myrtle beach, so we are going to the beach today for my birthday( since we can't tomorrow) IM SO EXCITED TO SEE THE OCEAN, itll be neat. But yeah so we had a 3 hour drive to our area from columbia, once we got there we dropped my stuff off and started knocking. it was super weird at first, but tracting is one of my favs. like we dont know these people but they are all children of God and they need to know that the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth. We've just had some amazing experinces so far! At first the days seemed realy long and exhausting, which they still are, but I have fallen completely in love with the Lord's work. I wish i could tell you all my stories! Sister Haynie and I have struggled with food since we dopnt grocery shop until today so we've been trying to just eat things up, and have had some pretty interesting meals.. my fav has been our deer nachos, they were disgusting haha but i really do love her, we've grown so close in this last little week and im so grateful for her. we teach really well together! She's just really cute and classy and yes. UM ive invited 2 people to be baptized and its been one of the most powerful and amazing thing ive ever done. BOTH want to get baptized, and i adore them (SYLVIA AND PETER KELLY)! I also love the members here and their cute little southern accents and hospitality! my favs are BRother and Sister Darling so far! and they have two little pugs, which i kept saying they were darling and it was awesome. But yes i wish i had more time, everyday i have seen countless miracles, its so beautifully overwhelming, and im so excited for these next 18 months! 

Thanks for baring with me and my story telling, i truly love and appreciate you all! READ THE BOOK OF MORMON EVERY SINGLE DAY PLEASE, OKAY LOVE YOU GUYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

My cute little district in the MTC

Week of Dec 14th

Soooo being a missionary is super cool! I've learned so much more than I could've possibly ever imagined in like 13 days. The Spirit here is incredible. Like I can't believe this is my life, I'm SO SO lucky :) we have had the opportunity to teach "investigators" this past week, one of them was real haha but its has been such a humbling experience. I never knew just how truly blessed I am to have the knowledge of the fullness of the Gospel until I served a mission, and I've only been out for two weeks! So my companion is great, her name is Sister Smith and she is from Idaho! We head out to South Carolina early in the morning tomorrow. And by early I mean 3:35 am.. IM SO SO EXCITED there's literally nothing better that I could be doing right now and I am so blessed to be a hand in His work. 

So I dont have much time but ill try to tell some cool stories haha pretty much all Ive been doing is classes, studying, eating, sitting and sleeping! Playing volleyball has definitely been a highlight (Navy I'm actually so good now hah :)  and I've really loved spending time a getting to know my district (group of other missionaries) Ive literally learned way too much to even remember haha but the biggest thing is that God answers prayers. Like directly. I've seen so many miracles and Im just so excited for these next 18 months! thank you all so much for your constant support, it means the world to me! OH my teachers have absolutely been the biggest blessing, they rock so much! there names are Sister Bishop and Brother Hanson!! its really hard to remember everything haha  

LOVE YOU ALL 

LOVE SISTER BUCKEY

Week of Dec 8th

HELLO so I dont really have a bunch of time, we are ALWAYS super busy, and ill try to respond and remember all the things that have happened but it feels like ive been here for weeks. YES i get up at 6:30 (which is super easy cause doggie dude) and then we study for like an hour, eat breakfast, have 3 hours of class, eat lunch, another 3 hours of class, gym time for 45 mins, eat dinner, have TRC (we meet with our investigators) and then have another 2 hours of study time, shower and go to bed haha! its exhausting but so awesome. The Spirit here is like no other and im having the time of my life! well i mean it can be super hard sometimes, the hardest thing for me has been trying to focus when everyone else isnt, like im just really into the work and its such a blessing. also grammar wont be a thing because time haha umm ive definitely already grown a lot! so my companion is Sister Smith she from Idaho and shes really smart. We room with 2 other sisters Sister Maxfield and Sister Vorwaller! we are all going to South carolina next tuesday at 3:00 in the morning so ill call and if you dont answer ill leave a voicemail haha ummm i love my district and zone! OH YEAH so my companion and I are the Sister Training Leaders( we just look over our zone) and its really cool! ill tell you guys way more in my letter anddd also get a lot better at my writing haha maybe ill try to write stuff down and actually bring my journal when i get to email.. haha this might be the only time i can write for a while just because we leave on our P-Day which is a bummer, also ask Jake any questions about what im saying so he can explain :) 

PROMISE ILL GET BETTER AT WRITING ONCE I KNOW HOW TO MISSIONARY BETTER, and also send pics once i figure that out as well  

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING SO RAD AND SUPPORTIVE I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL

LOVE, SISTER BUCKEY <3