Letter from 10-23-2013

10-23-2013

Hey everybody! Elder Buckley here still alive and preaching that Spanish here in Stamford, CO. It's been an interesting first cycle here in this place haha. We had a car for like a week and then we had to loan it temporarily to another companionship in Danberry because he was recovering from an injury. But, I pulled my back a bit and it makes the bike riding hard, so I asked for either our car back or another one if they have it as my back hurts, it's cold and the work is tough up here for us Spanish elders. We'll find out today if we can get one, I'm praying that we do. 

We actually had our bike tires slashed the other Sunday while we were at an appointment by some black dude, it was messed up! The members weren't too happy that we were back on bikes, they never are. It was weird though, I thought biking in Yonkers where it's way worse we would get slashed, but we never did. I guess if we have to keep the bikes, we won't park them in that area anymore haha. 

But, I'm having a great time here. I love the members and the area, it's all so great, and it's the hard that makes it great. You really see the progression in yourself as you are put through hard situations. But, the gospel is a great comfort, so it balances itself all out and works out in the end. 

Well, as far as current investigators.... we have 3. One is Cecilia and she's cool. She's older and lives in a pretty nice place with her son. She wants to be baptized but past doubts with her husband and the church are holding her back. Her ex-husband was taking the missionary lessons and reading the Book of Mormon but stopped suddenly and kind of went off the deep end. We'll help her out though she's too nice for us not too. 

We also have Ulysses and he's the one we need help with!!! PLEASE REPLY WITH OPINIONS/RESPONSES: He loves all the things we teach him. He thinks we're nice guys. But, he doesn't believe that he has to choose a denomination or a specific religion to be saved. I see where he's at, but I can't figure out how to go about explaining the differences in our church and beliefs without offending him and... it's just tricky haha. So, if anyone could offer suggestions that'd be great. 

Well, I love all you guys. I miss home and everyone, but the mission is a cool place, one that is necessary for young men to go on to develop the characteristics and other attributes they need to be successful and good people. Please know I love you all, you're in my prayers, and thanks for all the support you've given me! 

Love,
Elder Buckley

Pictures of Funny Sign & Night View of Stamford Park

Letter from 10-16-2013

10-16-2013

Hey there everybody, I'm in Stamford, Connecticut! This is one of the best Spanish areas as well, I will have had two out of the three best Spanish areas for my first 2 areas in my mission, I feel great about that. 

So, what is up with me and my current situation as a missionary right now is that we are on bikes here, Elder Diaz from Cali and I, and the weather is nice now, a little bit cold some days haha but still nicer than biking in the heat. My first week here we had 5 lessons for the entire week. That. IS. NOTHING. We were getting between 15 and 20 a week in Yonkers, so that first week in Stamford was my lowest so far, and I don't ever want to get under that. It was hard. And the bikes are still bad cause other elders messed them up, but we are getting the good bikes that were never used from Yonkers. Good thing I served there so I knew where to get them from haha. (They had to give up the car for a while because an Elder on a bike route broke his leg)

We had an amazing week serving here its really a lot better being out of the car that way its easier to contact people and everyone can see you. We got a lot of referrals, helped out the English elders who are struggling as well, and yeah! It was cool as well the mission president called us in for interviews and he made some personalized comments to me that i thought were cool. He could tell that I did really well in Yonkers. When I first arrived in Yonkers, numbers were bad and nothing too great was happening. I tried everything, map work, calling the whole ward directory, updating the area book, tracting, street contacting, putting together organized binders and anything else I could think of because I just saw the massive potential that area had, and I wanted to leave it better than I found it.

For those of you who know Brother Wagner and scouting, I thought of the Wagner walk haha, to leave the campsite better looking than we found it. 

And so he complemented and thanked me for the service that I had done there, and he said he felt impressed to put me here, because if I could do that in Yonkers, I could work it here. And he liked my idea I came up with, going "mobbing". Sounds hood I know, But it's the membership. organizational. binder. is what it stands for and its just a binder style compilation of the area so when you are in a certain area and something falls through you have a ton of places to go try after to keep busy. 

So, it's been harder, but the projection this week is to have 10+ lessons and work as hard as we can to spread the gospel. I love you all so much, please know that I think of you all often, and that prayers are said for you. Thanks to everyone as well who have either sent me things or sent me letters and emails it means so much to me. 

Love, Elder Buckley

Pictures of New Companion & of Stamford Apartment

Letter from 10-2-2013

10-2-2013

Hey everybody, I'm finally out of Yonkers! In fact, I'm out of the state! My new area is Stamford, Connecticut and man is it gorgeous! We have a beautiful church building, we live in an amazing townhouse, and I'm still the designated driver of a Toyota haha. My new companion is Elder Diaz, and  he's native but he grew up in Cali so he's better with English than with Spanish. 

-Elder Buckley

Pictures from Yonkers 9-11-2013

Letter from 9-11-2013

9-11-2013

So, the mission has been going awesomely! I've seen so many miracles, had so many interesting experiences, and completely lost track of time! Everything goes so fast here, it's crazy! We have, wait for it.... 3 baptismal dates for this month of September!! One is Edwin, a white Ecuadorian man who is about 35 for the 22nd of September, and then Mileyka who is 16, from the Dominican Republic, for the 29th of September, and then one we just acquired, Gary for the 29th of September. We have the baptisms after the meetings for like a 4th hour and its a big celebration with lots of food. Hey, can't complain! Unless it's "cui" which is guinea pig. Then, some complaining might be in order.

Other than that, still training Elder H here in Yonkers. He's from a town as big as my high school, some place called Blanding in Utah. With a name like that, it's gotta be good. (;  And things have been going well, nothing but improvements from the current elders living here in Yonkers. Our apt is much cleaner, our cars as well, and we have been more obedient. Obedience leads to blessings, no doubt, but there comes a point to where its almost annoying. Something I've been trying to figure out as I study and commit myself to obeying more and more. (He gets that attitude from his Mother - Sorry)

So, the biggest announcement: The NYNYN mission will be receiving the ability to proselyte online and every missionary will be receiving his or her own iPad mini, this October! It's a really exciting advancement in missionary work, and I'm SUPER interested in finding out how it will all be carried out.

Things are going well! If you wanna write me and you're expecting an answer, probably through email, but I'm getting better with letters!

Love you all!

-Elder Buckley

Pictures - Zone Conference & My New Companion

8-14-2013 Letter

8-14-2013

Hey all! 

I know it's been a while, but Elder Buckley is here, still in Yonkers! For those of you who don't know, I am currently training, just over 6 months in the field, and now am working 2 areas! Pretty crazy being the only Spanish missionaries in Yonkers right now. We take on a lot, but coming back to our ghetto apartment each night, tired as all get out, is a good feeling.

Gotta make a quick shout-out to Saul Marquez, giving thanks for visiting me in Yonkers while he was in New York. It was a good time, pretty cool to say the least. I'll always appreciate it.

So, as far as the work goes right now, it's going decently well now, especially for the summer time. We are getting some cool new investigators and some cool results from the awesome activities that we hold, like English class and noche de amistad. Fun stuff. Also, the weather here is cooling down and getting a lot nicer. It's a beautiful day today, and there not a lot of humidity. Thankfully, it was hard with the humidity, so nasty. Especially not having a car for that time.

Elder H and I are doing quite well, getting along great and working the areas well. Members are great, things are going smoothly but a little slower, which I can't complain about. The life of a missionary.

So, I'll probably only be in Yonkers for 1 more transfer cycle which is weird to think about. Most Spanish training is done with 2 cycles then they take over the area, although I was trained for 3. We'll see!! (: Any guesses as to where I'm going next?? City or far upstate? E-mail me and we'll see who guesses it! Hahaha.

Well, I hope everyone is doing well and that everything is going good back home. I miss it, but I know I am doing the right thing by being out here and there's no other place I'd rather be right now. Love you all, have a great week. I'll send some pics a little later this week.

Love,

Elder Buckley 

8-7-2013 Excerpts from personal letters to my family!

8-7-2013

...We're doing well over here in Yonkers, same old, same old, except for that the weather is a ton nicer right now. I'm still living with Elder R, love that kid, but now it's my comp Elder H, and Elder O. I love both of those guys, everybody is great. And yes, I'm slowly getting the new area down and integrated, it's just so hard. All those members are used to sisters, and are weird around the elders, but its fine (:

 ...Heavenly Father never has and never will give us more than we can handle, I can testify to that.

...We had an awesome week, let me write to you what I wrote to President: "This week has been pretty decent, and I hope yours has been as well. Elder H and I are doing quite well, and really I only wish to relate one experience to you that we had this past Tuesday evening. We had one of our members, Hermana T, set up something really cool for us missionaries to participate in. We have this park next to an old police station here in Yonkers, and there was an event in the which the police, other officials and specifically the mayor, gathered together and walked around all these tables with different events, free things, and other offers. She got us a table and we set up a great table with a lot of materials, and we got to talk to so many people. We taught a lot of lessons and shared with many people, gained new investigators, and even saw some really less-active members and got to reconnect with them. It was a great experience that us and the English elders got to enjoy, and it really gave me a stronger assurance of how strong and helpful, as well as essential, the members are. I hope you have a great week President, and that the family is happy and safe."

...Our members really are awesome and they help so much.

...One of the things I've loved to study about lately is faith and hope and how they intertwine. Romans 8: 24-25 and then Moroni 7: 40-43 are really good with this. One of my favorites of the week.

7-17-2013 Letter

7-17-2013

Hello everybody!! (: Elder Buckley here, and its been a while since I've written a group letter I'm sorry about that. Its just been so hectic, its been hard.

As an update, I'm currently training here in Yonkers, and just took over a 2nd area, because the sisters were taken out of it for a while. So, Elder Hall and I are the only ones here speaking Spanish, its super crazy! But I know that the Lord can't and won't give me anything I cant handle so its all good!

So, before, we had 2 baptismal dates. Well, we don't anymore. The 2 people we were teaching told us they don't wanna hear it anymore, but that's alright. Everything in the Lord's way, the Lord's time. But, we are having things pick up here in Yonkers, we're working hard. I had some ideas about how to make things progress a little quicker, and so far they're working! Super happy about that, and super happy to just be out here, preaching the gospel!

So, funny story. We were in Manhattan today for P-Day, and I spotted the Book of Mormon play. So, we had the idea to walk past everyone waiting in line to see what would happen. Everyone stopped talking and just stared hardcore at us the whole time we walked past. Pretty funny.

Well, we don't have a lot of time, so that's about as much as I'll be able to write today. Everyone that I haven't gotten back to, I promise to this week. I love you all thanks for the prayers and thoughts, they're felt all the time.

Love, that Mesa Elder,

Elder Buckley

6-5-2013 Letter

6-5-2013

Hello everybody back home! (: Can you believe I've been gone as long as I have?! I can't either, I will hit my 5 moth mark (almost 1/4 of the way on my mission) on the 23rd of this month. SOOO crazy!! Time just flies, I don't even understand how or why it does like it does, but it just... does I guess haha.

Just want to say first, thanks to everyone who wrote me this past week, it really means a lot. When I open my email once a week and see names of those I know and love, it just brings a huge happiness and a knowledge that I have people that are looking out for me, which is awesome.

So I hope everyone had a good week! My week has been good, so so so crazy and is continually getting crazier, but it's awesome. We had our only white ward member, and 1 of 2 in our ward to serve a mission, Hermano Jon T. leave the Yonkers Spanish ward for Colorado. It was a sad day, in the which we ate A LOT of food. And, speaking of food, Elder P. and I tried this place on South Broadway called, "La Pupusa Loca" which is Salvadorean food, and it was amazing. I decided to go out on a limb and try the buffet. Smartest decision ever. For $7 I get unlimited food and drink for 2 hours, and it's all delicious. Whenever we don't have a dinner appointment we are for sure headed there haha! And last comment about food. This past memorial day, we went to Hermana Ruth's house to have a lesson, and on the way over there we just started seeing a ton of people outside just having BBQ's, on every street corner. Lo and behold, Hermana Ruth was having one as well, and we just ate a ton and just chatted and didn't really even have a lesson. It was a nice treat for memorial day.

So, now for the craziest part of the week. Either today, or tomorrow we have to take the car in to Scarsdale to get it fixed and they say it'll be in the shop for like a week and a half. HOLY FLIP. We're all just going to be walking to our appointments in Yonkers just sweating real good. I don't even know how we're goiong to walk to everything, we have so many packed days, it's nutty.

Speaking of having a lot of stuff going on, we really do. We've got a guy named Edwin Magdalena who came to us saying that he knows the church is true and that he wants to  be baptized and he is actually the nephew of one of the sisters in the ward. It's pretty awesome I'm excited, we're going to start working with him to reach that goal really soon. Also, we have a Mario G., who's been inactive for forever saying he wants to return to the church. We're working with him really hard as well and clearing up anything he needs to. And we have a martin and an Andy that are reaching that point where we will ask them to be baptized. And we also have a lot of past investigator work that we're doing , it's all just great stuff and I'm really excited.

Now even amongst all that I had the amazing privilege to go to a Yankee's game this past P-Day and lemme tell ya, it was awesome. I never thought I'd be in NY on the mission, let alone going to a Yankee's game it's sweet.

Well, that's all for now. The church is true, like, all the way, and I want to let you all know I'm doing just fine in ghetto Yonkers.

With love and highest regards,

Elder Mitchell Buckley

Picture of the newly remodeled Toyota

5-22-2013 Letter

5-22-2013

Wow, how the time flies!! As of this thursday (tomorrow) I will have been out on the mission exactly 4 months! What the?! Where the flip did the time go? Haha, it's crazy how fast the time passes on the mission and I think it goes even faster in New York. I hope everyone is having a good time, that things are going well. I know that life has it's moments, but like Gordon B. Hinckley said, we're here to be tested but we're here to have joy too. Lately, I've found this to be especially true. Right now, the summer is starting and the humidity is rolling in. People are leaving but a ton more are coming, people are getting pressured to do bad things and the heat is nasty. We come home drenched, especially on the days we don't have the car. But all at the same time, through all the sweat and nastiness it still hasn't lost it's charm for me. We love seeing everyone we know on the streets, having the sweet hookups that we have, having good members that take care of us on the regular, and teaching people that are so ready for the gospel.

We do a lot of less-active work, and also teach a lot of investigators. We have 350 some odd number of members that are on the records but only 145 come regularly. Kind of regular I know, but it's interesting to see those numbers from a missionary's perspective; I just want to get everybody back to church and then gain some new members haha! (: Sadly, it doesn't work that way all the time, but hey, I can dream and pray (: As of right now, we are teaching and trying to reactivate some cool people. Martin is one of them, an english class student. He comes every time there's english class, and always is wanting to learn more about the gospel. He's so far had fun/learned a lot from everything we've done/taught him, now it's teaching exactly to his needs and seeing where he's at with his progression. Next lesson we're inviting him to church and we're goiong to try to get him to set his own date to be baptized i think that'll be cool. And we have the Cruz family, annie cruz is the mother. They like speaking english so we just speak english with them and right now she has a lot of problems. Trying to decide whether or not to stay in the spanish ward, or move to english, and there's just some family problems that are going on right now. I found a cool ensign article that I will try and relate to her and her needs tonight as we teach her and im going to invite her to come back to church and talk with the bishop about her problems. Those two people are the ones that are closest to coming either back, or to the gospel.

Also just the other day i was on a split with an Elder who is nearly done with the mission, elder noguiera from Brazil, and so I didn't speak a lick of english when i was with him. general conversation and lessons, everything in spanish. It was a crazy time, and I learned a lot of things, including piano, spanish of course cause he doesnt like talking in english, and cool stories and scriptures. It was nice.

Aside from the work, life has been great. Elder Pickard will probably be transferred out and I will get a new companion andI'll start driving and taking over the area, which will be cool and I'll pick up spanish a lot faster, but I will miss him. I love the guy, he never really annoyed me, and he was my "Dad" haha he raised me. Freakin' mission lingo haha it's so awkward. Elder Rydalch and I are pretty good buds now, and he'll probably stay for at least another cycle so that's cool too. (Elder Rydalch is kind of like a Connor Flake hahahaha, real tall and fun/funny).

And the highlight crazy story of the week, which will include pictures: the english elders that we live with and share the car with got hit pretty darn good in the toyota. The pictures say it all, but the story goes that the crazy intersection that we live by is where they got hit. They were turnning left and had to stop in the middle of the interseccion to wait for a pedestrain to cross. A big moving truck was coming fast coming the other way, in-line to t-bone them, but elder aagard floored it to try and miss getting hit, but the truck slammed them in the back left side, busting up everything and tearing the bumper clean off. They skidded and then hit some scaffolding with the front of the car. Needless to say, drving in Yonkers is ridiculous, but quite necessary cause its so hilly. everything, and I mean everything including lights, trunk and the gas flap are fully functional and the car is still drivable and not unaligned, so the mission will let it go and get it fixed fairly soon.

Well, I love you all. Know i am well, trying not to lose anymore weight, and I am loving the gospel, spanish, the whole work. Everyone keep safe, pray for those lives lost in that recent tornado, and God bless.

Love,

Elder Mitchell James Buckley

Letter from 5-8-2013

5-8-2013

Hola everybody! I'm still kicking it here in Yonkers, preaching the gospel and doing service! There's been so many crazy times, and so many fun times as well. I don't have a lot of time for this group letter, so let me just tell you the good stuff about the work. Juan Lopez is an investigator. He is the boyfriend of a recently returned from being less active member Alma Vasquez, who has not yet been divorced from a previous marriage. She needs to get divorced and married to him so that Juan can be baptized, because he has a deep desire to. He broke down and started crying in priesthood meeting saying how much he wants to be baptized, but since he is illegal there is only one place in Connecticut where they could go and work everything out for the good, but it costs a lot of money. I've committed him to a baptismal date but he's unsure if he could do it then because he still has to save up money.

Well, that's my quick story for today. This individual is the next person to get baptized from our investigators (: Let's hope it can happen soon! (:

Love Elder Buckley

4-24-2013 Letter

4-24-2013

Hello everyone!

Elder Buckley is now in his second cycle here in Yonkers, and he's loving it still!! (: I can't believe I've been in the field for as long as I have been now it's super crazy but cool. And to hear that Ryan Garrison and Saul Marquez are back just blows my mind, didn't they just leave a little while ago?!?! Haha, oh man... But I'm loving it teaching the gospel here in Yonkers. As some of you may know, I recently had a baptism with Elder Pickard, my companion, and it went super well. Her name is Lily, about 35 years old, a girlfriend of one of the members Willie Quezada (He's the one from the last pic I sent, the one that baptized her). Her countenance is literally changed, it's such a crazy thing. We just went over the other day and taught a lesson about how to be a disciple and what that means, and she received it well and she wants a bible now to complement her Book Of Mormon reading, so we'll get that for her (: I'm really happy about that. And as far as those of you that are wondering, we should be having another baptism and a few more less-active reactivations come up soon, I'm hoping and praying that it works out. Something that still amazes me is that we teach 60% in Spanish and 40% in English, sometimes it even seems half and half, but I'm still learning that Spanish, it's coming along slowly but surely.

Something that I wish to do for everyone back home that reads my letters is compile a list of current investigators, what we're working with and dealing with, giving more info about them, and other crazy and cool experiences that I've been having as a person, missionary and in Yonkers and other places in total. I will do this starting tonight and have it all written out for everyone next Wednesday. Also what I want to do is compile a list of my new favorite scriptures and how I incorporate them in lessons, and just different stuff like that (:

I love everyone one of you back home, and I want you to know that I know that the gospel's true. If I can touch people's hearts through the Holy Spirit and bring the light of Christ into people's homes in the treacherous city of Yonkers, NY where the people are nasty and vile and unaccepted, the Gospel HAS to be true. To see the change that it brings in these people's lives is AMAZING and strengthens my testimony tenfold.

Be ready for a sweet cool e-mail the next week! I love you all, thank to everyone who has written!

Love, Elder Buckley 

4-17-2013 Letter & Picture

4-17-2013

How's it going everybody?! Man, Elder Buckley made it through his first whole cycle (6 weeks) who would have thought? (; I am still with Elder Pickard and everybody in the apartment is still the same as well which makes me happy. I had my first baptism!!! Her name is Lily and she is in her mid 30's and the missionaries have been teaching her for two years now and she's finally baptized. It's so cool. A lot of members and other people are starting to warm up to me now and a lot of the kids like me haha. The Spanish is still coming along well and we're teaching a lot. I know it's not about the numbers, but Elder Pickard and I had the highest ones overall this past transfer, we've been working really hard. I have been very tired lately and we haven't been eating a super ton, but we've been doing better this past little bit. It's hard to be a missionary a lot of the times, but I love it so much. I don't really know what to write this week since besides the baptism there really hasn't been anything so new or crazy, but I will include two journal entries. I love you all so much and hope that you are all doing well. I know that this gospel is true and that our Heavenly Father loves us. I know that when we need to, like Enos, we can pray when our soul needs nourishment. I know that families are sooo important, and even though a lot of people struggle with maintaining a happy family, especially out here, when we try our best to unify our family and involve the gospel when we do so, families can be happier and stronger. I love you all, keep going strong and keep the faith. Here's the two journal entries:

4/12/13 - Holy crap, I'm a terrible journalist. Well, today. It started off with a bunch of errands, taking fruit to the freaking Sisters, going to Target in White Plains @ Westchester mall, coming back in some of the most horrid traffic I've seen in the pouring rain, walking to the church to language study and making the baptismal program. Then we did less-active look-ups, and went back home. It was so hard man, a ton of walking and in the rain as well. Then we got picked up by Steven and driven over in his ghetto Crown Victoria to the house of Yadira. I was laughing with her and joking around a ton already, and only on the first visit, we were loving it. She made the day go from terrible to fantastic for me.

4/14/13 Holy freak today was crazy! Had PEC with the bishop, then church, and then a baptism for Michelle Denise for the sisters. It was Sister Richey's last day in Yonkers as she is getting transferred after a year of serving here, crazy. After the baptism, Elder Pickard and I went to the Saint Joseph's hospital to give a blessing but they wouldn't let us in, haha, oh man. We then walked to our dinner appt. at the Munoz family's house. I ate so much, and freaking everybody was there, it was so cool. Afterwards, we tracted into "Mongoo" (Jose Jimenez) and set up a time to visit him, then we tracted into Billy who hasn't been seen in 6 months and set up a time with him. It was great, a fantastic day and night. 

Pixs from week 5!!!

4-10-2013 5th week in the field!

4-10-2013

Hello there everybody! It has been a crazy fantastic week here in Yonkers, NY, I've been loving almost every second of it! (: The Spanish is coming along well, we've taught a TON, and being with the four elders I'm with is just such a blast, I am so blessed to be with an apartment of dudes that get along well with each other. Transfers are coming up soon, and I, no matter what happens, I get to drive next cycle I'm so stoked. I've driven twice so far, it's exhilarating driving in such a busy place, I love it. I hope though that none of the elders get transferred, although it will probably happen. I was in the biggest transfer so far, but they are still coming in!! 28 new ones this cycle, it's going to be crazy and I have no idea how  it'll all work but I have faith. Heck, I may even train! Which is a weird thought haha, I've only been in the field a month! :0 But I just can't wait to see what happens.

I have to start off with my blast of a P-Day that I had and will atttach pics for. We went to Harlem my comp's first area, and it was great! So busy and so fun, and I got a lot of good deals on sweet stuff. We had fantastic dollar slice pizza, I got 4 ties for 20 bucks from the tie guy, and they're gorgeous quality ties, beautiful paislies and polka dots. I also got a sweet NY hat for like 5 bucks and it's a quality genuine snapback. Anyone wanting to get good deals on things needs to come here they got everything! Haha,but it was also of course super rough and walking those streets is dangerous. But we had a great fun time, and saw and did cool things.

So how did everyone like conference? I loved it, Uchtdorf and Bednar rocked it, and Packers poem was awesome. And who knew President Monson was a pyro? The week of General Conference we didn't teach a ton because people travelled and were with a lot of family and such, it just didn't happen. However, we're starting the new week off strong. Monday we taught like 8 lessons. 8 OF THEM. Elder Pickard and I went so hard, tracted for a while, and it was just awesome. Later that night, with the hermanas, we had a dinner appt with a recent convert member, la familia Paolo (I am starting to transfer spanish things to english, I just don't even remember some things in english haha) It's dominic and his wife and they're a wonderful young married with kids couple who know both languages fluently and prefer to speak in english. It was an awesome dinner and dominic thinks I'm cool, we both shared in our love for Dr. Pepper, and now we're tight. A technique of impressing members and investigators and building relationships off of mutual agreeances is super important to have in what we do and who we talk with to get them to like you. Thankfully, I'm in, haha!

Tuesday we went to Judy's and had krispy kremes and cookies and we talked about her utah trip and she talked to us about all of our moms that she called haha. We then had our noche de amistad and went home.

Today, we've been sleeping and transferring music to ourr ipods and doing laundry and sprucing up. Now I'm emailing, haha, and tonight we'll teach about 3 lessons. I'm just loving it, it's growing on me hardcore here, but I miss everyone and home as well. By the way, tell Kylee and Bradford congrats! (: (Kylee is Mitch's cousin that got married last week)

I love you all, keep staying strong and relying on the Lord.

Elder Buckley

4-3-2013 Partial group shot of the Zone!!! Can you find me?

4-3-2013 Post

4-3-2013

What's happening everybody, Elder Buckley with a "holla atcha boy" from Yonkers! (: Life has been pretty fantastic! We have two baptismal dates for the month of April and I know for a fact one of them will go through. Pretty exciting stuff! I hope everyone, family and friends, is doing well and I feel the thoughts and prayers all the time, thank you. Life has, really though, been pretty tough as well. Living on not a lot of food, and pretty darn ghetto living conditions gets to me sometimes, but since we have a great quattro in the pad, it's been pretty fine. I'm also, and I know this might sound weird, but I'm starting to think white people are weird and I'm kind of upset when I see them!! Haha, I think this but I don't all at the same time, it's so strange. The Spanish culture is just so much more accepting of us as missionaries and people and they will invite you in if they're not busy. It's pretty nice. Whenever we tract during an APF for the English, I get sad because it's just a lot of door slams and yelling. True, a lot of the Spanish and blacks do that to us as well, but nothing nearly as bad as what the English elders and sisters go through. Anyhoo, I hope everyone is good, I love you all.

P.S. Ignore typos i have to go fast(:

3/27/13 Wednesday o glorious p-day! Well, mostly... we woke up, did laundry and Elder Rydalch and I had a pretty fun time in the morning in the streets going to stores. We then napped ate and began to clean LIKE NO OTHER. We took out tons of trash, and Elder Rydalch and I cleaned that nasty bathroom. The thing hadn't been properly cleaned out in transfers man, could have been a year. I wiped off like an inch of green/black mold off the window sill thing and about died. But now our bathroom and apartment is more or less clean! (: So then we got dressed, emailed for like 2 hours, and had another lesson with Olivia and the English elders and Hermano Polanco sat in as the member present and we translated his spanish as he talked to her about the Plan of Salvation it was pretty neat. Then we had the priesthood meeting at Hermano Quezadas house when we ate los tres culpes, salami, yucca, and fried queso. DELICIOUS.

3/29/13 Friday

Well today was a pretty alright day. But first I have to write about the split that Elder Cox and I had that was absolutely awesome. Elder Cox came over and split with me and thursday night for Friday. We all had a blast talking with him and staying up late having fun before beginning a long day tomorrow. In the morning it was great, we talked about how to set goals and involving the Spirit in those it was great, and we shared the quikry things about each others companions and it was just fantastic. I was the driver that day too, driving the flipping Corolla felt great. So, first thing was lunch and I tried to take him to the Yonkers deli slice but it was closed. SHUT DOWN. The best dollar slice in our area, gone. Sadness overwhelmed me, I had to take a moment for recomposure. We sucked it up and ate Lil Greasers right next to our church and then printed out english class flyers to go down elm st. Elm st is the most ghetto and dangerous street in our area, pictures of it will come next week. It was successful and fun and nobody died. Then we went and did an APF for the english sisters in Tarrytown and it was successful for Spanish only. Elder Cox and I rushed back and had a powerful lesson to Juan Lopez about la palabra de sabiduria y tambien la ley de castidad. Lo fue bien, y el elder cox fue bien con la idioma. Then, we went home and blasted gospel music with the windows down and sang at the top of our lungs. I hope I train fairly soon haha.

4/2/13

Tuesday

Best day ever man, but soooo long. Started off with some sleeping in because I still felt terrible from sunday and then we were off to another flippin fantastic breakfast appt con la familia Carrpio. This family is my favorite family so far, I need pictures of them soon. We reactivated them and now they love us. We went over and just had cool convos about all sorts of stuff. I played with their two littlest girls and they love me. We had a tradtional American breakfast, french toast, eggs, bacon and milk. Hermana Carrpio says I'm good with kids and that I will have a lot and have a great wife. She said Elder Pickard will have a couple of kids and have kind of a crazy wife. I don't know, time will tell! Hahaha. Then we left did english class flyers on the rest of elm st., had an amazing lesson with Lily who accepted a baptismal invitation for April 14th, then we had a surprise lesson with two investigators gabriel and martin, both english class students. Then we had a funny english class where I came up with the topic to teach about personal care and hygiene and it was a funnny class where we learned a lot as well.

These were the highlight-days for sure, and there was so many other things but I only have so much time. I love you all so very much and I hope you think about me as much as I do about you.Pray for me, and keep trying to do your best in everything. I have a testimony of this gospel and most assuredly of missionary work, and I hope you all can share it as much as you can.

Love,

Elder Buckley

3-27-2013 letter

3-27-2013

How's it going?! I'm still alive and kicking here in the great city of Yonkers, NY, and man is it a blast! Hard, weird, crazy, but oh so spiritual and uplifting all at the same time! Just to start this letter off with a bang, Elder Pickard and I have two (hopefully solid) baptism dates for April 7th and one a couple weeks after that! :D It's pretty sweet I think, and I'm super excited. Thank you for all of you who wrote me. You're all the best and I'm glad you're all well. I'll get on with sharing my past week and all the crazy, cool things that have happened.

3/20/13 I think this is where I left off...

But yes, today was good. Beautiful P-DAY and after our day of doing a lot of sleeping, we visited Hermana Ruth and had a lesson with her and her crazy kids, then we went to the Gonzalez to celebrate Hermana Ritchey's year mark with totally bomb food. It was a ton of walking since we didn't have the car that day, but we did it, and we even did both with the same member present and actually a recent convert, Stephen. He is nearly 16 been a member for a month and he just absolutely loves missionary work and so we love to just take him everywhere. He helps with the Spanish a lot of the time, and he helps to bring a huge powerful Spirit to all the lessons we take him on, he's truly fantastic.

3/21/13

All we did today was plan a lot, and we taught a new investigator, Gabriel, who is actually also an Englsih class student. He just wanted to learn what we were all about, but sadly he's a die-hard Catolico, and he says he was born in it, and he will die in it. There's a lot of those.

3/22/13

HOLY COW, today was  busy day! We did a lot of study, errands, and taught 3 wonderful lessons. The first was with Anna Maria for her 8 year old son Braylin about baptism because was getting baptized this Sunday (3/24). It was a great lesson and we shared a cool object lesson with the dish soap, italian seasoning, and a bowl of water and when you have the seasoning in the bowl of water and the soap on your finger and you touch that finger in the water, the seasoning flies to the sides symbolizing the cleansing power of baptism. We then taught Hermana Gari who bought us Subway (it was sooo good, and so well received by us haha) about the blessings and revelation we get from general conference which is coming up. Then we had a call from Stephen who said he was bringing by two friends for us to teach, so stay at the church. We taught Wassif who is Muslim, and Olivia who claims to be agnostic. WOW, what an interesting lesson. They both enjoyed the first lesson and Olivia even came to church and had a Spanish translator as she speaks English. We are actually having both the Spanish (us) and the English elders teach tonight and we are passing Olivia to them. She is so confused but so ready to do what is right. I can feel it and I'm excited.

3/23/13

Today was disappointing. It was rainy, and miserable and we had the weirdest experience. This black guy on the street came up, had us kiss his cherries and he kissed us on the forehead and was muttering stuff. Hmm, haha, I have no idea. Let's just pretend this day didn't happen.

3/24/13

Sunday!! Today was so good, but crappy too. We had two baptisms today after church and then, we had a solid dinner appt. cancel on us after we walked like 4 miles. BLeggghhhh.... I'm trying to stay at 180 lbs, but it's hard.

3/25/13

Monday was fantastic. We taight a ton, and had FHE with Judy Rodak and her daughter Sasha. We made shakes and had good tacos, it was nice and we shared messages in Spanish and English cause the English elders came.

Alright, I'm running out of time, I love you all and expect a ton of pics and whatnot next weekkk!!

Elder Buckley

P.S. I love Spanish. 

Pictures of the apartment and the Temple 3-20-2013

Yonkers, NY 3-20-2013

3-20-2013

Hola, todas las personas que estan leyendo esta carta! Como les van? This week has been hard,with a lot of surprises, but so spiritual as well. I'm going to write the email using my journal and my other journal, the daily planner, haha, and then write the personals. So basically, Elder Picard and I have been on fire in Yonkers. This week was great, but not so great all at the same time, but I love working hard with him, and he's always saying that he's been glad to work with me. We work real well with each other.

So, Thursday, 3/14. Thursdays are our planning days. If we didn't have this day and the many hours it takes to do all the planning for the upcoming week we would die. It was something like 3 of 4 hours of calling and writing in the early afternoon until we had our night appts. You have to, especially in New York, plan things earlier for alter because everyone's always doing something here, and at a million miles an hour. But, after that, we went and got some food from Delfia, then we went and put up English flyers. Putting up English flyers is one of my favorite things to do because the people love it. The store owners, well the SPANISH ones, say that we;re the best for doing what we do, and to put up the flyer wherever we want because they know a ton of people who could use it. And then other people ask us about it all while we're doing it and we hand out the little flyers and get to talking to other people, and it's just freaking great. I'm already picking up the slang it's fantastic. Que transista por tus veinas? (What flows through your veins, or kinda like what's happening) Sangre, haha, (blood)! Or Cogelo suave, which literally means to suck it smoothly, but if you say it to a Puerto Rican, it means take it easy haha. Anyways, after we did the flyers, we went to the church and taught Sister Rodak's nephew who's a less active named Ernesto. We taught him all in English and we taught about the sacrament. It was a beautiful lesson, and he loved talking with me man. We talked after, just him and I, for like 45 mins to an hour about life and the gospel. We're going to try hard to get him back to church especially for Judy. Mom, you'll be happy to know that Judy, so far my favorite member who prefers talking in English although we do both, jokes around with us and talks with us so similarly to how we talk and joke around. It's definitely not entirely the same, but it makes me happy on FHE when we see her, and when we see her all the time at other places and I get that reminder of you (:

Friday, 3/15, was a hard day. 2 of our 3 appts fell through, and we had to do an APF for the English elders (we had to go and get them investigators because they don't have many, basically). We did it in their area in Scarsdale and New Rochelle, and I feel bad for them man. The English elders get so much more rejection, whereas the Spanish culture is just so much more accepting. Elder Cox and I went around and were yelled at, threatened, slammed on, laughed at, and all by the rich, white people. The Carrpios though, at the end of Elder Picard's and my day saved it. Heidi and Elvis are the parents and then they have four kids. This family has just been reactivated by us, just cause Elder Picard and I are cool (; , and they're awesome. Elvis is hilarious, always cracking us up and working hard, always willing to do service. Heidi works real hard doing other jobs and taking care of their four kids who I love. They all speak English real well, and we shared a message about families and the gospel of Jesus Christ. We teach quite a bit in English actually, which is nice but frustrating as well. They all love us and we love them.

Saturday, 3/16, another hard cold day. We were on bikes that day, and everyone cancelled except for a new investigator, Socrates. This guy is a boss, was baptized Catholic but is looking for something more. Huh! I think we can probably do something for him! (: He made the day a million times better.

Sunday, 3/17, my first Sunday! I didn't go to my first one because I was still real sick. Sundays are nuts though!!!!! The first thing Bishop did on the stand was tell me to come up, introduce myself, and bear my testimony. Little nerve wracking but it went well, ha. Then the other 4 hours that we were at church just flew by. The classes went quick and were good, and we stayed after and chatted and taught a lesson to a boy named Andy. He is 14, was referred by his friend Giovanni who is a member there and who was also recently baptized. The lesson was fantastic, and he accepted a bap date of April 7th! Woo-hoo! I can't wait, I hope he keeps it!

The rest of the week was alright, but Monday we had a huge snowstorm, Tuesday I got to go to the temple for a training meeting, so travelling to Manhattan was awesome!

I love you all, thank you for all the prayers and thoughts, I've definitely felt them.

Elder Buckley

Pictures from 1st letter in Yonkers!!!

1st letter from the field!!

3-14-2013

HOLY SMOKES, I'm so sorry for not writing the other day, I feel so bad. We had no time though. Ok, I will preface this email saying that it shall be quite disorganized as it's my first one but that I will be better, I just want to get everything in. Yes, I am serving in Yonkers and I'm loving it!! It's quite ghetto, but nicer than Bronx and Harlem. Haha, this opportunity to serve is  gonna bless my life so much. I am living with Elder Picard (duh, he's my awesome comp) and we live with English elders as well. Elder Aagard and Elder Rydalch, we all get along pretty great. We are in a car share, so we get the Toyota every other day and we bike every other day. SOOO nice too, not having to pay for the bikes, they're nice Trek ones. Where we live is pretty ghetto, like DARN ghetto. I will be sending out all the pics I can today of everything I have taken pics of. Man, what to even talk about there's so much!! K, so Elder Picard. He's a fantastic guy, and we get along pretty well. He's from the BYU area in Utah, and he went to school there. He speaks well and he's been out for like 9 months. I will, and already am, picking up Spanish quick. People are from all over, the DR, Mexico, Nicaragua, just tons of places. The Domincanos are the hardest to understand. They don't pronounce the 's', and they talk super fast. But they're great. The food is good too, I don't mind it at all. Yucca, platanos, tortas, you name it I've had it now, and it's all good. So no worries there. And I finally got some antibiotics, and it's been helping a lot, it's only been like four days but they're working.

Tracting, street contacting, lessons, noche de amistad (family night), and the tables, and flyers, I've got a lot of experience under the belt so far. Rejection, acceptance, it's all good. The Spirit and the love I've already developed for our investigators and members and people in general is quite strong. I've also met a lot of the ward (yes, we have a ward!(: ) and they're all great. I forgot to take a pic of the entrance to the church but it's pretty crazy. It's just a regular church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints sign and then two double doors that are small, and it's between a Lil Caesars and s Mexican shop. Hood, man. Imma come back with a lotta street skills, haha. Not too ghetto though, I promise. I've already talked to guys that go by Scar, Candyman, the Runner.... yeah. But I feel safe here, so don't worry.

I wish so badly that I could tell you absolutely everything in order, but I can't and I probably can't remember everything so I'll just keep going. Some of the lessons we've taught are in English to kids that prefer English, or even adults that prefer English. Pretty interesting actually. But beautiful. I taught the plan of salvation to a 14 year old boy investigator with his best buddy in English and the Spirit was so strong. It's fantastic. Also, there are great deals in NY. Great hats for 10 bucks that would normally go for 80, and great deals on shirts. Great pizza, dollar a slice. I don't have any pics yet of those, but I will the next time. Also, I lost more weight. I'm at like 182. It feels weird haha, I've gone in two holes on the belt, and my pants fall off just buttoned without a belt. And my rings fit now. Beautiful thing. Anyhoo, so yeah, it's been hard but I'm eating it up.

I love President Morgan and Sister Morgan, and they like me too. (: Actually today I had my first interview with President and he expressed a lot of love and appreciation for me already (Watch, I'll have to train after the first cycle haha) He's actually adopted, maybe a convert I don't remember, and yeah, some more stuff too. So Dad, you could be one! Never know!

Alright, last but not least, my first P-day. Picard spoiled me and took me to the city!!!!!! (((: Manhattan, the subways, oh man! Freaking great! We went to Times Square, the best pizza joint, I bought an I heart NY shirt, we went to the BIG EAST TOURNAMENT in Madison Square Garden, walked around and saw everything, where the Letterman show is done, oh man, just so much stuff!! I got pics don't worry.

Know that my love for you all is grand, and I want you to know that I'm out here for the right reasons and that I hope I can make you proud.

P.S. We might have 2 bap dates, so stoked!! And email me whether or not you liked the personals that I would do, and if you want me to keep doing them, or if this format is better. Alright, bye! I'm gonna start sending the pictures.

Elder Buckley

(Or Elder Blackberry as one hermana calls me cause she cant pronounce Buckley, hahaha! )

I love you all so much. 

I'm Here!!! 3-5-2013

Hello friends & family!! (:

How's it going?? I'm in New York haha, it's been great so far! The mission president and his wife are awesome! We all went to a church building and had a dinner and a small orientation and then we went to a hotel next to the Trump towers and stayed the night. Then, we all had our meetings and whatnot in the morning and it took quite a long while. Here's the basics: I'm in Yonkers to start with, and my companion is Elder Pickard. It's 5:30 pm right now and already I'm gonna be teaching and sharing and whatnot in 2 appointments that we have tonight, it's so scary but I think I'll be alright. On the flight over to New York I actually got my first job offer for a company called Arriva haha! Should look it up and tell me what it is! (; My package got there alright as well and I haven't opened it yet, but I think it'll be good(: I love you all so much, I think my sickness is going away, and I'm going to try and make it through to live to the next P-day haha so I can tell you all how I'm doing. Much love,

Elder Buckley

2-27-2013   Pictures

 2-27-2013

Hey there everybody! I'm in my last week here at the MTC, and I'm so excited to get out, I'm soooo tired of being here. My companions are not like me at all, so we get on each others nerves all the time, so its teaching us patience, but at the same time I'm just done haha. I've also for the last few days been really sick, and I had to stay at the residence for a whole day because I threw up like 10 times. But today I'm feeling a lot better, so I think it was just a quick stomach flu. And, for our last devotional, guess who we had?! An apostle!!! We had Elder M. Russell Ballard! It was way cool, and I learned so many things from his talk, about how to be a good missionary and about how to come closer to Christ. It was way sweet, and he blessed us apostolicly at the end, and we all stood up and waved, haha. My Spanish is still coming along fine, and I got to test myself a  little bit at the temple today. After we had our last temple breakfast there, we were asked to help in the laundry room. The lady and the man who were instructing us noticed that we had on our SPANISH missionary tags, so they started talking to us real fast. I understood most of what they were saying and was able to talk back without too many errors, so it was cool.

I want everyone to know that I know that this gospel is true, and that I know Joseph Smith restored the gospel on the earth, and that the Book of Mormon is true. Also, I want everyone to know that, even in the MTC probably even more so, Satan tempts you like no other. It's been hard here, and it's been so challenging, but I have loved for the most part my experience here. I know that I'm as ready as I'll be for the field, and I know that the field is ready for me (:

Sorry that this letter is short, but really, there isn't too much to say. I fly out on Tuesday, March 5th. I report to the travel office at 4 am, and then start the flying at 7 am. I fly to Detroit first, then I fly to Westchester NY. I land in New York at 4 pm. It will be a long day, haha, but supposedly the mission home is quite fantastic. I just want a regular nights sleep haha, most don't sleep well here.

I love everybody, thank you for those who have written me and sent me things it helps a lot and lets me know that I have family and friends who care about me (:

Love,

Elder Mitchell Buckley

Week 4 - 2-20-2013

Hey there everybody! (: Alive and kicking in the MTC! It's been a crazy 4 weeks, been learning so much about the gospel and about Spanish. Thank you to all those who have been reading my letters and my emails, it means a lot! (: I have two more full weeks to go as of today, it's a crazy feeling. I'm ready to get the heck outta dodge, and embrace New York, but at the same time its a little bit of a nerve wracking feeling. My Spanish is coming along decently well, I'm starting to get the hang of talking normally-ish in Spanish, and I get all the concepts on paper, but applying them while you're talking is super difficult. The investigators I have been teaching are all over the board as well. Dxxx (name withheld) has like, a ton of problems that you normally wouldn't think of, like getting in a spat with the bishop of the nearby ward and just having a lot of anger issues and some addiction problems as well, it's hard to teach and resolve things like that. But I haven't been getting discouraged at all, it's all been a wonderful experience. I think the thing I'm most ready for is regular food, the food here is quite unhealthy and gross haha! Also, I'm ready for the real world again. Being in here for a long time with the same people all the time makes you SPAZ OUT. Like, for example the other day, My two companions (I'm in a tri-companionship because the one Elder switched his mission to English-speaking) walked into the room with me all at the same time and randomly we just laughed for about 5 minutes straight, as hard as we could, and then we just stopped and didn't even say anything, ha ha ha, ohh man. But everything is still pretty great, choir is fantastic, the speakers from the seventy have all been good, and even better, Connor Ervin comes in today and then Landon Boren does as well. I'll get to see them (most likely) before I go and that is going to make me so happy. I've seen Tyrel Flake a lot as well, like a lot, that's been a comfort too.

I have still been losing weight, haha, I'm up to like 12 pounds lost or something like that. Feels pretty good! And I got a haircut, but they wouldn't let me cut it how I normally would. So I left the top a little long, and might even try to style it. It'd be a new thing, but hey, why not right? And getting along with the companions is still a little bit of a challenge, but we are growing closer together, so that's good. And as far as the new set of beds in our room, we didn't get Elders in them, so it's just been three, but today in the afternoon we shall see if we get them. If not, I'll be sad haha, I'd rather them fill the beds than leave them set up in our room empty, but it's whatever. (: I'm never down in here, always happy. I know that's better, it's been helping out a lot to have a good attitude.

I already love the people in my mission, and I desire so bad to go out and serve them, and to bring them this amazing restored gospel. I myself have already changed so much, and if I can change my life and devote it solely to the Lord and His work, and be happy, I know I can successfully teach the gospel in Spanish. I know that this church is true, and the Joseph Smith knelt in the grove and prayed and sought to know the truth, and that he received it and brought it back to the earth as an instrument in the Lord's hands.

Have a fantastic day!

Elder Buckley, your son, Mitch Man <3

New Pictures - 2-20-2013

Half way through the MTC

Holy smokes, I can't even believe I'm halfway through my 6 week MTC experience, it's freaking unbelievable! I'm loving my district, loving the Spanish language, and loving life because, well, how couldn't I? I've been realizing more and more each day that I have been given so much throughout my life, now it's my turn to give, to the already wonderful people  of New York(: So, it's so hard to write a cohesive letter because there has been so much going on, and 30 minutes to do it is INSANE, but I'll try my best(: One of the Elders in my district and in my room is Elder Sprunt. He's been struggling with the language and with homesickness, and we love him and wish for him to stay. For those of you who read this who want to, please pray for him for strength and a clear mind to make the best decision for himself. Also, Hermana Peterson in our zone is having to go home because of illness and will have to be reassigned ): Made me think pretty hard about some of my feelings, and it made me even more greatful that I'm here, with health and happiness. I'm doing and progressing so much more than I have been and it's making me pretty happy. I've got the purpose, baptismal invitation and the first vision memorized in spanish, and soon to have Doctrine and Covenants 4 memorized. It's really been helpful that I'm decent at memorizing, and I'm very fast at conjugations and conversation in Spanish as well. The last few lessons with investigators have been great, I taught and conversed with an investigator a few days ago about the first vision and about gaining a testimony of it and the Book of Mormon, and she's now going to church and is probably going to commit to a baptismal date the next time we meet. Probably my best lesson yet! It was super cool because I wasn't even thinking about doing the restoration  or talking about the Book of Mormon I was going to teach about the Plan of Salvation, but I something (HG) told me not to. Freaked my companion out, because all he had practiced was the Plan haha! Also, for those of you who don't know or who haven't heard of TRC, it's what our district does on Monday mornings. We all go downstairs and there is a lesson topic for us and we just hop right in and teach a member investigator, super scary, but super fun and helpful. Elder Ficklin and I talked to a girl who used to leave in the Bronx (funny enough), and who moved out here to Utah like, 3 years ago or something like that. She talked so fast, and she asked a hard question (How come in English you say 'thee', thy' and 'thou', but in Spanish you don't?) But I explained to her that there really isn't a Spanish translation for those words and that we use "tu" instead of the formal "usted" to make it more intimate that way, and then we just talked. She loved it, my companion and I loved it, and talking conversationally was fantastic. I really didn't think I could do it, but it kinda just came. I don't know how to explain it. But it was TIGHT. Haha. Anyways, life here has been going pretty well. Choir is still one of my favorite things. We sing the most beautiful songs and the director explains the song and the spiritual aspects and he's got my sense of humor. AWESOME. And I am still losing weight. Haha, I'm up to 11 pounds lost, sitting here at 199. Feels good(: Also, we haven't had anyone from the Quorum of the Twelve or the Presidency come and talk to us yet (hopefully before I go), but we had Elder Schwitzer from the 70 address us, and it was amazing. Everyone thought his talk was pretty boring, but I got a lot out of it. "A missionary that teaches, but does not commit, is only a sharer of facts". HIT me HARD. It's been such a glorious time here so far, with a lot of ups, a humongous amount of downs, but the Spirit resides here like nowhere else. If you're reading this and are thinking about going on a mission, or have any questions, please write me or email me or whatever and I'd be glad to answer them! (: Oh! And I'm way super excited for Connor Ervin and Landon Boren to get here, I'm going to hug the both of them so hard (': Double oh! Since the MTC is expecting 1200 new missionaries today, our room got an extra bunk set, now we will have 6 in our room. Crazy crowded. The room barely holds 4 without bumping into each other, but I know that it'll al be alright(:

I love you all and miss you all so much, please write me if you can, I'd love to hear from you!

Elder Buckley

Pictures from the 1st week at the MTC