Another Baptism

Hey Guys,

How's life. things are going great here. It was another good week in Rwanda. Not too much too say but it was good. It actually rained once. It has been about 3 months since it rained but finally it rained for about 15 minutes. It hasn't been as hot for most of the week which i'm definately not complaining about. Yesterday was the baptism for Janvier (January). 

He has been coming and learning for quite some time and he was so excited to be baptized. Freddy is the one in the purple shirt next to him. he is also learning and wants to be baptized. we are working on getting permission from his parents since he is under 18. Both of them are great guys and have become really good friends. I hope everything is going well at hope. Love you all and have a good week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

p.s. sorry for all the spelling errors. the internet language is set to french so it ays everything is misspelled.

A Hug From Across the World

Before I share a message from Mom I wanted to share a new picture of Elder Buyers. We asked him to send us a good picture of him in his suit and I couldn't have been happier with the picture we got.

I was one very proud big sister when I saw this. Not only does he have the city of Kigali Rwanda behind him but if you look close you'll notice he has a flag pin for his home country {USA} and the two countries that he has come to love over the last year {Uganda & Rwanda}.

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The Buyers family has once again been so blessed by our loving Heavenly Father.

Just after Easter this past April, we received a text of a picture of Elder Buyers with Bre, another “Rigbyite”.  She is in Rwanda working with the Peace Cor. 

Well, we were blessed to have Bre and her family over Monday night for dinner and talk about Rwanda and Elder Buyers.  Bre is home for a month and will be going back for one more year.  I was informed by Elder Buyers and Bre that she was bring me something from Elder Buyers.  After our hello’s when the Fitzgerald family got to our house, Bre asked me if I remembered that she was bringing me something from Elder Buyer, I replied “Yes”.  Then, she gave me a big, big hug.  She said that the hug was from Elder Buyers.  Not just his saying to give me a hug from him, it was literally a passed on hug.  After all the tears, I said “Wait, Eric isn’t supposed to be hugging girls.”  Bre laughed and said, “You are right”.  So, here is how she got my hug.  Bre is engaged to a Rwandan, so, Elder Buyers hugged Bre’s fiancé and he hugged Bre.  The hug was so big from Elder Buyers, that when Bre’s fiancé passed her the hug, his glasses broke.

That was the best gift a mom could ever get from her son thousands of miles away.  Eric knows how to put a smile on his moms face and warm my heart.

What a wonderful visit we had, learning about the area Elder Buyers is serving in and the people he has grown to love.

We asked Bre to tell us about the missionary Elder Buyers that she works with.  She told us what a wonderful sense of humor he has and with tears in her eyes, she said, “It’s amazing the amount of patience he has.  He has a great love of the people in Africa and loves to serve them.  He has a very strong testimony of the Gospel.  You can just feel it when he speaks.  Sometimes he doesn’t say much, but when he does, it is worth listening to.”

Bre filled our evening with all the joys and trials that she and the missionaries see and feel daily serving the Rwanda people.  This visit really helped us understand and feel a little closer to Elder Buyers and the work he is doing.

One trial that the missionaries have is communication.  Elder Buyers continues to learn the language and the Rwandans like to hear him and Bre speak English.  The missionaries also struggle with getting the member to church on time.  We tease here in the U.S. about the members running on “Mormon Standard Time” of 15 minutes late, well, try hours late.  On Sundays, the missionaries will be at the church waiting for hours for the members to show up.  But they are patient and just wait.  That’s not all, when the three hour block of church services are over and members are leaving, here come other members to church.  Wow, that defiantly would take patients.  Of course, the missionaries take the time to teach them.

Elder Buyers and the other missionaries usually will teach all three hours, because a lot of the leaders and teachers of the auxiliaries won’t show up for church.  He will give talks at the last minute in Sacrament and help with the sacrament itself, then step in to teach in Sunday school, Primary and Priesthood.  He has even taught in Relief Society.  He is not that shy little boy any more.

With the church being so new still in Rwanda, the members still have so much to learn.  I know in time, with the missionary’s diligence and example, the members in Rwanda will be great.

Because of Bre’s kindness, Elder Buyers will be receiving some long overdue shoes along with chili, spices for his food and shoe insoles.

What a great blessing Bre has been to us and Elder Buyers. The Lord does hear and answer prayers.

-JoAnn Buyers {Mom}

Of Bon Jovi and Burt Shirts

Hey Everybody,

In the great words of one who knows nothing of the subject, there is only on way to describe when you hit a year on mission...

WHOOAH, We're half way there

Livin' on a Prayer!

It truly is hard to think that it has been a year. It has been hard but rewarding, challenging but compelling.  I look back at what has happened over the last 12 months and am amazed. I'm amazed at the experiances that I have had, the people that I have met, the lives that I have touched and the people that have changed me forever. It has been a great ride and the thing is it's only half way over.  I kind of feel like Ammon on his journey mack to the land of Zarahemla when he says, "I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God."  Perhaps one of the greatest lessons I have learned is that all is done as the Lord wants it done. Sometimes he makes us feel like we did something right but in the end it was his plan and he made it happen as it did. 

One of the traditions of missionaries is to burn things at certain points of the mission. For one year it is a shirt, as you see. 

A year has come and gone in the blink of an eye. I'm excited to see what the next year has in store. The only thing that worries me is that I will be home before I even shut my eyes to blink again.  Love you all have a good week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Hey Goat!

Hey everyone,

I hope you enjoy the picture of this goat that I took this week. Goats are everywhere here. 

This week was really good. We worked hard and had some fun. Everyone is going nuts for soccer here now because of the World Cup. Well even more nuts that they already are. Sometimes we will stop for a few minutes when we find a kid playing soccer on the street and play with him. Everyone stops to watch for a few minutes when they see a White man playing soccer. it's pretty funny. Not much to talk about but things are going well. 

We got transfer news this morning and guess what?! I'm staying with Elder Melese. haha. That's three together now and 5 in this area. haha. yepp yepp. 

love you guys. have a good week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Happy Father's Day

Happy Fathers Day to Dad and both Grandpas. Hope everyone has a good week. Things are going well here. Not much to talk about. 

Here is a picture of Emmanuel who was baptized this last week. He is an awesome guy and was really prepared for the gospel. Diedonne is next to me and Daddy Paul is next to Elder Melese. 

Love ya guys.

Elder E.E. Buyers

He took the clippers and went to town.

Hey everyone,

How are thing going for y'all. This week was pretty good for us just like the many before and the many to come. President Chatfield was here this weekend and we had interviews today. They went well. 

For one of the highlights this week there has been a guy that we have been teaching for the past 5 months or longer. His name is Wilson. He is a great guy and has a great desire to follow the gospel and be baptized. The gospel has already changed his life. He is a solid guy. He was supposed to be baptized a long time ago but because of some issues he wasn't able to. Things finally got worked out this week and he will be more than ready for his baptism on the 29th of June. I am so excited. I hope that I will still be around to witness it but if I do get transferred at least I know that he made it. 

Things are going well here and I hope it is the same on the other side of the world. :) Love ya and have a good week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

P.S. I got a hair cut a couple weeks ago and that guy did not mess around. He took the clippers and went to town.

Christ lived and died and lived again for all of us

Hey,

How is everyone. Well, I don't have much to say about the week. it went really well. It had it's fair share of challenges but overall it was a good week. 

Grinding

Last night we were at the Palmer's(senior couples) house and they showed us the easter video that the church put out. Man, it is powerful. I hope all of you have seen it but if not the website is mormon.org/becauseofhim  

Baptisms a few weeks ago

Christ lived and died and lived again for all of us. He suffered all for us. Not just pain but sorrow, guilt, fear, all, so that he may know perfectly how to help all of us and each of us. He knows each of us. He loves each of us. He is there for each of us and as we reach for his merciful arm he will grab our hand. This I know and testify.

My tire treaded shoes

 Everything is going well. we walked a lot this week, we taught a lot this week and we learned a lot this week. Love you all. have a good week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Happy Mother's Day & Skyping

Hello,

Another week done. This past week was great. On Monday after we emailed the whole zone went to Juru Park. It is a park here and that is where Elder Holland dedicated Rwanda for the preaching of the gospel. It was a really cool experience. Some of the things he mentioned in his prayer are already taking place. It's amazing to think that the Church has only been here for about 6 years and there have only been missionaries here for less than 2 years.

On Saturday and Sunday we were finally able to watch conference. Man those people are inspired. If I didn't know better I might say they were called of God or something. After watching it on Sunday we had some baptisms. Lise, Vital, Chantal, Damascene, and Damascene were all baptized. We have been teaching all of them for about 2 months. It's amazing to see the change that happens as people learn and accept the gospel. I never seize to be surprised by the way the Lord works with and through people to teach his children. After all of that we ended the week and the transfer with a nice dinner and a call home to the family for Mother's Day. It was a good week and I know there are many more coming.

As for transfers, nothing is changing for Rwanda. Elder Rollins was called to be a Zone leader but that is it. Nobody moved. Time to start number 8. Love you all and I hope you have a great week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

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As Elder Buyers mentioned we were able to Skype with him for the first time since he left for his mission almost a year ago. Though we had some technical difficulties and kept loosing connecting it was still amazing to be able to see him and hear his voice at the same time. Speaking of hearing his voice.... he's got a little bit of an accent!! It caught us a little off guard but it's so cool to hear him. We even got to hear him speak in the main language {other than English} that they speak. I don't want to bog down this post with a bunch of video, but here are two where he talks quite a bit.

In this video he is telling us about an experience he had a few weeks ago. It might be kind of hard to hear him because in order for me to be in on the Skype we had to do a Skype of the Skype if that makes sense. 

This video is a little easier to hear because we had figured out that for whatever reason I had a better connect with him so he Skyped me and my parents were on the phone. He asked another Elder {I believe it is his companion but I'm not 100% sure} to tell us a story in their native language and then Elder Buyers translated for us {he says that he understands it better than he speaks it but he's getting better}.

Over all it was a pretty exciting day. He even got to see Avi, his dog :-)

-Kelly

It Almost Makes It Easy

Hey Y'all,

How is everyone this week. My week was pretty good. nbgiza chane. I don't really have too much to say so I just attached the letter I sent to president. it was a good, successful week though.

President Chatfield,

This was another really good week. Yesterday we had interviews for 4 of the people that are having baptisms on the 11th. There are still two others that are being interviewed on Tuesday. All 4 of them did great with their interviews yesterday and are really excited for baptism. I love to see the change that people go through as they come closer to Heavenly Father. It makes everything worth it. It reminds me of my family the past couple of years and what the gospel has done for us to get me and my family to where we are today. 

Yesterday we also met a really good family that shows some real interest in learning about the gospel.The District is doing well. Everyone is working hard and always looking for ways to improve and become the best they truly can be. Thanks.

Elder E.E. Buyers

The Lord is mindful of us all and loves us more than we know. Love you all and hope that you have a great week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

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Notes from Kelly - I did a Google search for "nbgiza chane." and found a blog done by someone who went to Rwanda and it says "Nbgiza. Nbgiza cyane (It’s good, very good)"

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To Build A Ship

Hey Everyone,

This week has been really good. Things are moving right along.

A few days ago I was reading in First Nephi 18. and I ready vs. 1-2 saying how when they were building the ship they were commanded to build they "did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did they build the ship after the manner of men, but after the manner which the Lord had shown unto them."  For some reason this verse really stuck out to me. As we go through life there are 2 ways that we can live (build our ships): after the manner of the world (men) or after the manner which the Lord will show unto us. We don't know what would have happened had Nephi and his brothers built the ship after the manner they had known as men. I can guess they never would have made it to the Promised Land.  They would have been destroyed by the waves that over took them on their journey. Either way we can choose to take the path the Lord reveals to us or we can take the path the world says is right. We all want to make it to the promised land (eternal life in God's kingdom as families) it is up to us if you will build a ship strong enough to withstand the waves that Satan will send our way as we journey there. Food for thought.

I got an email from Elder Morley (my comp from transfer 4) today. This was a little bit that he put in just to keep me informed. 

Ojok is a stud! Nice work with him man.  He is the Elders Quorum instructor and he is powerful! Bruno is also the 1st counselor in the Elders Quorum and the new night guard at the church ha.  You did wonderful things in the area and branch and I, the Lord, and the people here will forever be grateful.

The gospel WILL change people’s lives. They will be blessed with peace, love, joy, knowledge, opportunities to learn, anything and everything they can imagine. As it is learned the spirit comes into our lives and we will be led my God. (Mormon 5:17-18) As we follow him we are led by him. If not then we have no promise (D&C somewhere). "The study of true doctrine can change behavior (life) more than the study of behavior will change behavior." 

The Church is true, the Gospel is pure, and God lives and loves us. This I know.

Love you all, Have a good week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

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Something I forgot (told you) Happy birthday Miss. Emma Brown. Love you guys.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Happy Easter!

Hey Everyone,

This was a really good week. I don't really have much to say about it but it was just really good. For Easter we went to the senior couple's house for dinner. They take good care of us. the food was awesome. We also dyed eggs. It was kind of interesting dying brown eggs but we made do. We also watched more of conference. We were able to see most of priesthood session. WOW! that's all I'm going to say about it. It was really powerful. 

As for the pictures. One is of Kivagutu. basically it is rotten milk. the stage between milk and yogurt. It's not too bad but they love it here. There is an investigator that gives it to us every time we teach him. haha.

The other is of me cooking. I figured nobody would believe it. I actually amaze myself on how good of food I can make. haha. not really but it’s still edible. Love you all and I hope things are going well.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Elder Buyers, District Leader

Hello everyone.

It has been another good week. The whole mourning week thing that was going on didn't hurt us as bad as we thought that it might. At time it even gave us a better opportunity. Everyone was so focused on their lost loved ones and we were able to came and tell them how they can see them and even live with them again. 

Saturday we had a zone conference. I learned a lot and now we are just trying to put it to action. We talked about teaching a lesson in a minute. We were given a topic we had to introduce to someone and we only had a minute to introduce ourselves, introduce the topic, give a power statement, and extend a commitment. It was actually kind of hard. We also did this really interesting role play. We had four Elders that were teaching one person in a lesson. We could each only say one sentence at a time. It was really cool to see the unity that formed so fast and also how simple the doctrine was taught because we only had one sentence. It was cool.

Transfer news changed twice after emailing. I am still training but I was also called as district leader. 

Other than that not much happened. Just the usual work. Love you all and hope you have a great week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Week of Mourning

I'm out of time so this is quick. 

Wednesday we gave out glasses to hundreds of people. Thursday my son (new comp) came. Sunday we went to the Palmer's (the senior couple's) and had dinner and watched the saturday morning session of conference. This week is mourning week for Rwanda. Mourning the genocide from 1994. 

Thanks Have a good week everyone. Love ya.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Another One Bites the Dust

Hey everyone,

How is it going? Things are going just dandy here. There isn't much to talk about but that''s ok. It is starting to rain a little bit more but not too much yet. The rainy season is supposed to start but now it's mostly just hot.

Another transfer down. Time is just moving. It's not really going fast or slow, it is just going. We got transfer news this morning. I am staying. Elder Ndlovu is going to K1B (the other area in our district. Same house). I am training a new missionary. He will be here on Thursday probably. His name is Elder Mugwadisha from South Africa.  It should be interesting. 

Well I hope you all have a great week. Love ya.

Elder E.E. Buyers

"ACT and ye shall receive"

Hey, Hey.

This week went really well.  Things have really exploded this past couple weeks.  It's nice for them to start moving again.  We have been able to find some really cool people that are accepting the gospel with open arms.  For this week I'm not sure what happened.  We met ALL of our weekly goals which I don't think has happened my entire mission.  Not because they were low goals but just because it was a good week.  

On Sunday we had a Multi-branch Conference with all the branches in Rwanda.  President Chatfield was here.  It was a really good Conference and we had a good turnout.  All the missionaries got conned in to be part of the choir because there weren't many that showed I guess.  We sang "Guild Me, Oh Though Great Jehovah.”  There were some auxiliary training on Saturday that we here a part of. 

Don't try to take an African kid's tire away, haha.

I say that I'm not sure what happened to make the week so good but I know exactly why.  Fasting.  We have done a few fasts over here and from the sounds of it same for you guys.  Thank you.  As we show our faith and trust in The Lord by sacrificing, he will reward us openly.  "ACT and ye shall receive, SEEK and ye shall find, KNOCK and it shall be opened unto you.”  In order to get anything from the Lord it first requires us to act in faith.

Love you all, I hope you have a great week.

Oh I almost "forgot" I got my visa on Friday :)

Elder E.E. Buyers

Everything is Done on the Lords Time

Well how is it?

I'm not really sure what to talk about.  These last couple of weeks have been pretty difficult and this week was no different.  Things are going though.  I thought that I learned enough about patience my 2nd and 3rd transfers but I guess the Lord didn't think so.  Just a couple of things to share...  I've been reading the Book of Mormon again.  As I was reading the end of Alma and through 3 Nephi I noticed something.  God's best servants get rejected more that they get accepted.  Samual the Lamanite, Moronihah, even Nephi (author of 3rd Nephi).  Then after they are tried in their faith then receive their blessing (Ether 12:6).  Nephi preaches to the people fights with them, is thrown in prison, fights some more, then in the end is left alone with his own thoughts.  Then as he is going home he is told to return and is given the authority as what he says is done because it will never be contrary to the will of God.  I'm not saying that I am one of the best servants the Lord has.  Trust me I’m far from.

So when do the blessing come?  I'm also reading D&C.  One of the greatest things I picked out of Section 88 is that everything is done on the Lords time.  He truly knows what and when is best for everything and he will strengthen us and prepare us until that time comes.

Faith: To believe/trust that the Lord will bless us.

Humility: To submit to the Lord's will until those blessings come.

Patience: To accept the timing the Lord has to bring those blessing.

The Lord knows all and loves all.  He is there for us if we trust in him.  If we are standing on a cliff that is 1000 feet high, sometimes he tells us to step of that cliff and if we do he will catch us.  He doesn't say when or how he just expects us to take that step.  He might catch us after one foot, He might catch us after 999 feet, but he will catch us.  Love you all.  Have a good week.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Rwanda

Some of you might have noticed that there hasn't been a general email from Elder Buyers for a few weeks. Rather than leaving this blog in the dark we decided to pull some fun stuff that he's sent in some of our personal emails over the last few weeks. The stuff in italic is from one of us and the red is his response.

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Well you have passed 7 months in Africa.  When you live in a United State for a year you officially become a resident of that state.  So in 5 months you will be an African.  Of course I suspect that you are already in your heart.  I know you have come to love the people there.

I became African quite a while ago.  Sometimes when I look in the mirror I surprise myself and remember I'm white.  I guess that's a good thing though.  You really forget that there is a big difference like that.  Race isn't even noticed on my part anymore.

Are you working on learning a new language?  You mentioned there might be a need when you first got to Rwanda but we hadn't heard anything more.

Not too many people here speak English so every day in order to get things done we have to work with a member to translate for us.  They speak Kinyarwandan and some speak French.  I'm trying to learn it but it is a slow process.

So, tell us about the food in Rwanda.  Is it still beans and rice and beans and rice and beans and rice?  Ha Ha!  Rwanda seems to be a little more modern than the little town of Lira.  Does the electricity go out in as often as in Uganda?  Is the laundry situation a little less primitive?  Do you have a washer and drier in your house?  Or at least better service from the members. 

Food isn't rally rice and beans.  You get a plate of rice beans, noodles, matoke, greens, cabbage and a few other things.  There is am food but it's too spendy for a missionary.  Power is pretty stable.  We have a washer but the plug started having issues and now it doesn't work.  Back to hands.  I haven't seen a drier since I left the MTC. 

God gives me that one or two reasons to stay...

Once again not much is going on.  The week was good, though.  We have been working on incorporating into our teaching the things that we learned at zone conference last week.  It's been going pretty well.  We do the same exact thing every day.  Day after day.  haha.  It’s good though if you look for the good.  Every day Satan gives me thousands of reasons to go home but God is there to give me that one or two reasons to stay.  Generally, in the moment it isn't that great but when I look back I realize the blessings.

This week is transfers.  I can't believe this transfer is over already.  It feels like I just got to Rwanda Yesterday.  The time is flying by.  It really shows how short the time is that we have here and how much we need to accomplish. 

Elder Ndlovu and I

I’m still waiting for my religious visa.  There were a few more things that they wanted for it.  We turned them in last Thursday but still haven't heard anything.  They keep changing the requirements and stuff they want.  They said they wanted all my schooling (elementary and up) and my mission call.  I'm the third to apply and they have never asked for them before.

I hope everyone has a great week.  Love you.

Elder E.E. Buyers

 

The Power of the Priesthood

Unlike lately this week was full of stuff.  President Chatfield and the APs got in town on Friday.  The church was officially registered in October and they were having the celebrations and all this weekend.  Friday night there was a big dinner for all the head guys in government and religion for all of Kigali.  Only a few of the missionaries were invited and we weren't them (well we were invited then the night before we got uninvited) but we heard it was really good.  We got a bit of the food the next day though and it was good. 

On Saturday was the celebration at the church.  It was a big party and President gave really powerful opening remarks about being an example and member missionary stuff.  We had some fun.

Church was good on Sunday.  Today, Monday, We had Zone Conference.  I was chosen to give training on How to follow up.  I think it went pretty good.  The entire conference was great.  I learned so much I can't even describe it.  I also had a really good interview with President Chatfield.  He is a very powerful guy.  He has taught me so much these last few days.  We worked with Elder Reed, one of the APs, on Saturday and Sunday.  We learned some good things from him too.  All around it has been a good week.

(Mom asked “If an Elder doesn't have his Religious Visa there in Rwanda, can he baptize?  Have you had any baptisms yet?”)

The only thing that changes for missionaries that don't have visas is they can't tract or street contact.  Everything else is the same... teaching, baptizing, everything.  The only thing is that we can't talk to anyone unless they are a referral from someone else or unless they talk to us first.  We had one baptism at the beginning of the transfer but that's it.  We didn't really have teaching pool at the beginning of the transfer and there is a rule here that if they miss church once then their date gets pushed 2 weeks.  So week one you find someone week one give them a date for 4-5 weeks after.  If they miss church once then they are already in next transfer.  That’s what has happened.  Next transfer should be pretty good though.

We have this investigator named Didiear.  About a week ago he got typhoid.  He isn't too well off and wasn't able to afford but one of the 4 drugs the doctors told him to take.  The branch wasn't really able to help because of how things are so it didn't look to good for him.  A few days after he got sick we went to see him and ended up giving him a blessing.  Things still didn't look to good for the next week.  We went a couple days ago to see him and he was almost 100%.  The power of the Priesthood is real.  If the faith is there and it's God's will anything can be done with it.  It really strengthened my testimony about the priesthood.  It reminded me of the blessing that Dad gave to me the day before I left.  The comfort that came from that was great.  Thanks. 

Well I love you all.  Have a great week.  Rely on the Lord.

Elder E.E. Buyers

Still Waiting..

Hey Everyone, 

Once again, not much to talk about.  The week was pretty good though.  Nothing too interesting happens in Kigali that I can write about.  We just work like usually every day.  Try to get referrals from everyone.  My visa still hasn't gone through yet.  I turned in my application last Monday.  Usually they hear back in about 3 days whether it is good or they need more stuff or whatever.  We went and checked on Friday and it was still being processed.  I'm not sure what is going on but hopefully we find out soon. 

On Saturday we helped a family move.  They moved into this really nice house that sits way up on one of the hills.  They have a great view.  I wish I would have had my camera but I left it at home.  On a more depressing note, remember those camo flip flops I got when we were in Cali 6 yrs ago because my shoes got flooded.  Well, I wore those to help move and one of them broke.  Sad day, they were good to me for a long time.  Sorry there isn't really anything to write about.

Everything is going good.  I hope everyone is good on your side of the world.  Have a good week.  Love you all.

Elder E.E. Buyers