Serenity

Hey,

For those of you who usually check my blog earlier on Mondays, I apologize for my tardiness.

This week has been truly wonderful.  I made some new friends, enjoyed myself out and about, and started my second job working with the kids.  It always fascinates me, which things affect us in ways we’d never anticipate; how a seemingly meaningless moment is the key to everything that comes afterwards.  I sometimes wonder at the love and care that our Lord has for each of us.  How He, while still allowing others their agency, puts just the right moment in our path to give power to us in our desperate moments of need.

At work there are a couple of the kids who do not speak any English, only Spanish.  The girl I work with is fluent in Spanish and I could leave it up to her to communicate with them and give them instructions, but that is not in my nature.  While I was in Brazil it was very obvious that often children are drawn to me and so one of the jokes that I shared with people is “I may not speak Portuguese, but I can speak child.”  That would set members and investigators at ease knowing that this really big guy who didn’t talk much had a soft spot for their children and would take the time to use hand gestures and broken Portuguese to make their kids laugh.  Anyway, at work I use my Portuguese when talking to these kids and they speak to me in Spanish.  I don’t understand everything they say and they definitely don’t get everything I say, but they understand enough.  He sees my efforts and appreciates them.  About half of the kids speak Spanish so they are all working together to help me improve.  It is an absolutely beautiful thing.

For the quote of the week I have a friend who is having a really rough week and so I shared with her “The Serenity Prayer” by Reinhold Niebuhr.  He was inspired to say

 “God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.”

I know that this is an inspired message.  This has provided me with peace and a sense of love in my life.  I thank the Lord every day for my many blessings.

Peace be the journey,

Drew

Happiness

Hey readers,

It has come to my attention that some people think that I am fighting depression or having other emotional problems.  I would like you all to know that is not the case.  I am truly glad that some of you out there who experience those challenges have been able to connect to my words and find inspiration and strength.  I will explain how I created my sense of well-being, and hope that others can find happiness through this pattern as well.  I understand that what I will say sounds a lot easier than it is. I am not brushing off legitimate health conditions, but know that I have been through this process, fought my demons, and come out victorious.

When I was 14 I was taught that each day is a new day.  It doesn't matter what happened yesterday, happens today, or will happen tomorrow, because today can be its own.  There are many people in the world who believe that "other people" are happy because they have money, or that doing things or going places that makes “those people” happy.  It is really true that the greatest joys are found in the family, but that doesn't mean those joys come without work.  Believe it or not, true and consistent happiness is hard; it's one of the hardest things in life to find and I believe it is every person's goal.  I suppose that in the end, that is exactly what makes it so wonderful when you achieve a state of real happiness.

From the time I was 14 until I was about 16 I woke up every morning and decided to be happy.  I didn't decide that something or someone was going to make me happy today, but that I would be happy no matter what.  With a smile on my face and a willing heart I faked through it every day.  Eventually I realized that I wasn't faking it and the smile was real.  I was happy.  After years of hurting every day, and then several months of feeling nothing, I was now actually happy.  A lot of the time.  I worked on this until I was 16.  I built friendships that are still meaningful today with a great group of people, and friends I had during middle school continued to become better friends.  My life was great.

One day I realized that I was so happy that I was being selfish; I wasn't sharing my inner joy with people as effectively as I should.  I would share it with my attitude, and when I talked to people one-on-one I could describe it to them, but that wasn't enough.  I needed to dig deeper and try harder to make the people around me understand.  I began developing habits of waving to strangers, smiling at people who looked sad, and finding specific kind things to say to people on a personal level.  I served people more and became so much happier than I'd ever been.  I was always filled with a manic energy and I could not contain myself.

While growing up I have had several difficult experiences and things that have shaken my foundation.  I am now so much quieter than I was before that some people have mistaken my calmness for unhappiness, but that is not the case.  You can be silent and contemplative, but still feel a deep burning joy.  The keys to being happy all of the time, even during very difficult experiences, is to 1) choose to be happy, 2) share your joy with others, and 3) work at it.  The best things in life don't come free or easy, but they do come.

I love you all and am so grateful that you take the time to read my blog.  It means the world to me that I can share something with you that is so dear to my heart.

The quote of the day is from an unknown source of wisdom: "When I was in grade school, they told me to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I wrote down happy.  They told me I didn't understand the assignment; I told them they didn't understand life."  Happiness is a goal, a difficult, wondrous, and extremely powerful thing, but a goal nonetheless.  Seek after it and work at it, and you can be truly happy in everything you do.

Peace, joy, and love,

Drew

Peace

Dear Friends,

Life is so great right now.  Difficult, long, but every moment is worth it.  I have not had a lot of life experience, but enough to know that every step of the journey is necessary and enriching.  Things happen in our lives for a purpose and in the direction of the Lord’s will.  We are often taught that in the moment that we turn our will to the Lord’s (the only gift we can truly give Him) then the blessings flow, the peace comes, and the growth accelerates.

My studies this week have been on peace.  I have discovered that regardless of the fact that we are busy, stressed, tired, or otherwise occupied in our time and our energy we can still have peace if we diligently seek after it.  In your divine nature as a child of God is the potential to have full confidence in all of your decisions – that they follow the will of God.  When this trust is formed between you and Him peace comes.  We will not always choose right or well, but as long as we have the Spirit with us it is okay to make mistakes because that sweet Spirit remains and leads us back to Him. 

On Sunday at church I was talking with a friend of mine about life. The conversation traveled quickly across the whole spectrum of topics. We settled for a while on the random things we know and the way they bless the lives of others. We talked about how sometimes in college we take random classes that have nothing to do with our major and we learn things like the cat’s ear has 32 muscles, or why sometimes the limit line at the stop light is curved backwards. We talked about how occasionally we are able to share these facts to make someone else happy, assist someone with a problem, or just amuse the crowd. My friend has been having knee problems for a long time and they have finally worked that out and now life is good again. I’ve had my fair share of knee surgeries and injuries, so it was nice to be able to commiserate with my friend.

The quote of the day is a scripture from John 14:27.  It reads, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  When we can begin to understand our nature it becomes easier to find peace in life.  I love the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Their plan is perfect.  We are not perfect, but their plan for us is absolutely perfect.  If we follow that plan there is nothing we can’t do.  We may not accomplish it in this life, but we truly can have all that God has and become all that He is. 

Drew Bushman

Good to be Home

Welcome friends and readers,

It is so good to be home.  I knew that I was kind of a homebody before, but spending 4 months away really put it into perspective.  I find myself needing the social interaction of going out, but only really wanting to stay home.  It has become quite the predicament.  Maybe soon I will begin to feel compelled to venture from my house and explore the world of friends and society...but today is not that day.

Several miracles and wonderful experiences have occurred this week.  I went from not having a job to having three in just two days.  I will be working with my dad filing and scanning paperwork.  That should be enjoyable and tedious at the same time, but I look forward to it because I will be able to listen to uplifting music and words, the money is good, and I will have some time to spend with my dad.  This will be a wonderful opportunity to bond and learn from each other.  My other job was received while at the grocery store.  I saw my old employer and she ran over to give me a hug exclaiming that if she had known I was around she would have hired me for a job.  I told her I would be around for a while and she said that was something she could work with.  She called me a few minutes later telling me that she had two job opportunities and if I wanted that I could have both.  I worked my schedule at my dad's office and now I have several jobs.  I start all of my jobs this week.  I will be working many hours a week, but doing wonderful things and making good money.  I should have some interesting stories to share over the next few months.

I am still in wonder about the amount of love and support that is being poured out to me.  There is a woman in my ward who knows that I love her desserts and so she made me some as a welcome home gift.  I had another friend come down and spend the day with me to show that they were here.  I have even had several friends write me very touching letters of love and support.  I have had many great conversations and have been edified by my friends, my family, my ward members, and just acquaintances many times.  Thank you for that.

I continue to learn about the blessings that come from making righteous choices.  Coming home was the hardest decision I have ever made, but at the same time I know that it was the right one and I am at peace.  I am told that it will get harder, much harder, soon, so I am anticipating that.  I fear that I am not ready, but I am preparing in the Lord and so I know I will be.  The quote of the week comes from my mom.  I was on my way to take the ACT in anticipation of applying for colleges.  I was nervous and she was aware that I could not perform at my top capability if I was not calm and so she sent me a text message with just a few words.  She said, "Relax.  Take a breath.  Sing a song.  Smile at a stranger.  I love you."  Hearing her words as if I were hearing them from my Father in Heaven, a peace fell over me and I have repeated those words to myself many times when facing difficult decision.  I am happy.  I hope that you are too.

Love,

Tyler "Drew" Bushman

The 5 People You Meet in College

In the book “The 5 People You Meet in Heaven” the main character dies but before he goes to Heaven he travels to different times in his life to meet 5 people whose lives were immensely affected by his.  Today I want to write a post about the 5 people who have affected my life this semester at school.  Each of these people had changed me in more ways than one and I don’t think they’ll ever truly understand.  One semester is not enough time to get to know people this great and I am going to miss out on so many other lessons that I could learn from them.

First is Kelsey.  She is the best person I know and she is in the smallest package.  She has a zest for life that I have seen in very few other people and she is amazingly good at everything she does.  She taught me that greatness is not dependent on height, brains, skills, but that greatness is your state of mind and the will of your heart.

Ashley comes from a far off land in the middle of nowhere and yet she is still so cool.  She hosts amazing social events and always knows how to entertain the people around here.  She is a devoted friend.  She taught me that being a friend isn’t just being there when someone needs you, but that it’s also about helping to make meaningful and fun memories together.

Bree is one of the good ones.  She is beautiful, smart, funny, and a myriad of great qualities, even if she won’t tell you.  Bree makes me laugh so hard that I feel like I’m going to die, but then she understands the need for quiet times too.  Bree is so great.  She taught me that anything can be a joke if you can find the humor in it.  She can take wildly inappropriate or uncomfortable situations and break the awkwardness by bringing in humor.

Nicole is someone I have had much less interactions with than the other 4, but she has still had a profound effect on me.  She truly listens to me when I talk which, if you know me, you that most people don’t listen to me because mixed in with my wisdom is a lot frivolous stuff.  But when I talk to her she actually listens to every word and she tries to glean out the wisdom from the extra stuff.  She also has a quiet energy about her that makes me happy even when she isn’t talking.  She emanates joy.  She taught me that listening to people can be as great a joy as talking.  I’m going to listen more because I want to understand the world the way she does.

Ty is my best friend.  He is such a great man and is so conscientious about doing good things.  He tries not to do anything that he feels is a waste of time and he is very frugal.  He has a car and would drive me places that I needed to go and he would go to parties with me just because I wanted to go.  We made a movie together and did some pretty ridiculous stuff, but we also went to church and did service projects together.  We don’t hang out all the time like some friends, but we try to do something at least once a week.  Ty has shown me the kind of man I want to someday become.  I will never be as quiet or patient as he is, but I will try to be more forgiving and to waste less time.  Ty taught me the true nature of service and charity.  I want to help people more because I have known Ty.  He is a great man and a great friend.

Letters to God

I haven’t written anything in a while, but I need to write today.  I just finished watching a movie called Letters to God.  It’s based on the true story of a boy who has brain cancer and all through his treatment wrote letters to God everyday talking about the people in his life and how they needed help.  Occasionally he asked for strength for himself, but most of the time he just wrote about the needs of others.  He would then put the letter in an envelope with a stamp and the simple address – “To: God, From: Tyler”  The mailman who got their mail would read these letters and in the movie you see how Tyler’s influence changes this man’s life.  As the movie went along Tyler invited other people to write letters to God and we watch as the letter’s change them too.

At the end of the movie the mailman realizes that people need to know that Tyler was thinking about them through his whole ordeal and so he reads all of the letters and then takes them to the people who the letters were about.  As each person reads their letter they are touched by his thoughtful concern for them even though he had his own trials.  The last scene of the movie is Tyler on his deathbed.  His mom gives him permission to let go.  Then there is a series of clips of people writing letters to God about Tyler. 

As I watched these last few moments of the movie tears began to flow down my face and I sat on the couch in my living room and wept.  Not tears of sadness that Tyler died, but tears of joy at the lives he was able to make better in his 9 year life.

I try so hard to be who the Lord needs me to be and to change lives for the better.  I’m still learning and still growing, but I hope that someday I will be able to help people to be better like that little boy with cancer did.  I may never succeed, but I will also never stop trying.

Two Things I Need Help With

Dear anyone reading this,

Usually I have some wisdom to share with you all, but today I am struggling.  I need advice, help, or whatever comfort you feel you can provide.  There are two things that are on my mind today.  First, having my ideas and thoughts completely blown off and dismissed because I haven’t served a mission, and second feeling lonely.

In church I am the only guy who goes to priesthood who hasn’t served a mission.  There are other guys in my ward who haven’t served mission, but they never stay through priesthood.  Because I’m the only one who hasn’t been on a mission my raised hand in priesthood is often ignored.  I know they can see it, so I am purposely and personally being rejected.  And it hurts.  I know that I haven’t served a mission so there are some things that I can’t understand, but I have lived for 19 years and have some life experience that might contribute to what someone else needs to hear.  I was so frustrated today that I stopped listening for a while.  I’m sure it was a great lesson but my pride got in the way and I’m sorry for that.  There is one guy in my ward, Justin, who has even been remotely kind to me and I am so thankful for that.

This transitions into my next concern for the day.  I have felt so lonely lately and I hate it.  I know I shouldn’t feel lonely because I have gone to a friend’s apartment or had a friend over every single day.  I’m so grateful for all of you who have visited me.  But my roommates are never around so I don’t know them.  I feel like I don’t have a family, like my brothers are gone.  My one roommate who I really clicked with has a girlfriend who doesn’t like me and so vicariously he has a hard time convincing her to make me feel welcome in my own apartment when she is around.  I just feel like an intruder in my own living room.  I am having a great time with school and my friends, but at the end of the day when all the other distractions in life are gone I just feel so alone.  It’s almost physically painful.  I miss my brother Garrett more than I knew was possible.  I miss Channing.  I miss my parents.  I don’t know what to do.

Suggestions, advice, or comfort for either topic?  I could really use the help.

Tyler