The work is progressing in the area!!!

Hola,
it has been a great week here in Mexico.  I am really enjoying my new area.  It has been quite the experience.  My companion Elder Escobedo is from Piedras Negras Cuahila, 30minutes away from where my first compnion was.  He has 20 months in the mission so we are both veterans now.  I like how direct he is,.  We have been very clear with all the memebers that we dont want the area to close again.  The members are so stoked to have missionaries in the ward again. This week we recieved 12 referrals, so I hope we can see some progress from that.  The church we go to is the second oldest church in Mexico, so there are a lot of members in the ward who have been members for three or four generations.  The work is progressing really well with the members.
The lord has really been testing me this week, we walked so much the first two days that the cuts on my feet opened up just like when I was in Ixtla.  I am more sunburnt than when I was in Mirasoles.   I have a cold like when I was in Constitution, and we havent had much to eat like when I was in Ixtla, but now it is all at the same time ha ha.  but it is all good!!!  We just got to keep moving forward and I know that we will have success.  We had two investigators at church that just showed up, that was a huge miracle.    We are going to teach them on Thursday.  We have also found a lot of really prepared people just by circumstance and through the members.  There are many part member families in the ward.
We did a three ward training session with the other people who meet in our church.  I had to teach them about how to invite someone to a family home evening.  It went super well.  Elder Poston, my companion in the MTC was there.  We have hardly seen each other the whole mission but now we are in the same church.  He told me that I have changed a ton durring the mission.  I hadnt really relized it but I am much more comfortable getting up and talking in front of people than I was when I gave the district meetings in the MTC.
I got your package yesterday!!!!  Thanks a ton,  I love you all.  Dall and Dave, I am glad to hear that all is going well in track.  Everything is super great here.  I feel like I am going to continue in the pre med course so you can get me all rergestered up for the classes that my adviser says.  Love you all a ton.
Con muchísimo amor,
Elder Joe Fuell                                               

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Last Transfer!!!

Hola,
It has been a great and crazy week here in Mexico.  I have transfers!  I have never predicted my transfers before but this time I did,  I will be opening up the area Nativitas which is one of the richest areas in the mission, but it is really small.  We meet in the church of Emrita which is one of the oldest  LDS churches here in Mexico.  I saw some pictures with George Albert Smith their more than 50 years ago.   This is going to be super crazy.  I will also be helping out the new District Leader, Elder Escobedo.  President says that he has never been a district leader before and he wants me to teach him how to be one of the best.  I am pretty stoked.  Because the area is closed I have had all the keys and stuff, so I am going to move in all my stuff at 1:00 in the afternoon.
I am a little bummed that I wont be here for all the baptisms that we have coming up.  We are going to have 3 this week, but its all good.  It was an amazing experience just to be here and teach them and see them progress to this point.  I am really going to miss Iztacalco (or as I always called it, BautIztacalco, ja ja- Mexican joke).  I have made a lot of friends here and I will miss them. 

We went with Julio in the morning and he started crying which made me cry, but it will be cool because I will still get to see him and all my other converts at stake conference and general conference.

One of the things I was most grateful for in Iztacalco was the opportunity to work with Elder Carver.  He was one of my most difficult companions but he has changed so much,  and so have I.  We used to argue over stupid stuff almost everyday and we had a really hard time working together, but this last week was great and we worked together really well.  I think I have learned more about how to work with others with him than any other companion.  I really think that we learn more when life is more difficult.  I will miss him and the area but I am looking forward to lighting up Natavitas.  I love you all so much, thanks for your letter and I will write you all next week.
Con Amor,
Elder Joe Fuell

I got my flight plans. I didn't read them but I sent them to you

Hola,
It has been an another amazing week here in Mexico!!  Sounds like it has been pretty good for you too.  March is the best month in Mexico, the weather is perfect and all the trees have a bunch of blossoms, it looks cool.  That is pretty cool that you got a new truck, I am pretty stoked to see that. 

I got my flight plans.  I didn't read them yet but I sent them to you.  Happy Birthday Dave!!  You are getting so old, I hope you got my letter!   We have had a lot of success working with the ward these last couple of weeks, and we have seen a change in a lot of the members.  Sister Rivera, who owns the apartment where we live, and is the Relief Society President, would never ever ever give us referrals.   We would ask her and then she would say, "I don't think that is my job.  She would then say, "you can find the people and then we will befriend them at church."  But we had a ward activity the other day where we taught how to invite friends to a family home evening.  She, sister Rivera, decided to do it and because of that now we are teaching another family of 8 and they came to church this week.  It strengthened the testimony of sister Rivera so much.  She brought dinner to our house the other night and she just started crying about how good she feels that this family is now listening to the missionaries.  She feels that they will probably get baptized here soon.  We feel the same way.  The family they gave us is super awesome, we sang a hymn with them (something we don't usually do because we are not the best singers) but the spirit came really strong, and they all recognized it.  They even told us when we left, "there is something different about you guys, we just feel this peace in our home that we haven't felt before."

Sunday morning the bishop asked me if I could give a talk and I prepared something quickly.  It went well but as I got up to talk I realized that a bunch of investigators had come in, a ton!!!!  Probably more than I have ever had at church.  The thought was to make sure we were able to talk to all of them before they left and see if there were any questions we could answer.   Originally Elder Carver and I had planned that he would go talk to one family and I would go talk to the other and our ward mission leader would take the others to class but there came like three more families!!  So we were thinking what can we do?  And so at the end of the closing prayer  I bolted for one door and Elder Carver bolted for the other to see if we could get their information to visit them again and see if there were any questions they had.  All the investigators and less actives that we brought to church made up about half of the congregation.

Everything else is great.  We are working hard and we have the baptism of Julie and Alejandro coming up here soon.  I am super stoked.  I love you all a ton.

Con Muchísimo Amor,

Elder Joe Fuell

By small and simple things, great things can come to pass!!

It has been an another amazing week here in Mexico!!  At the start of the week it was super hot and we got really burnt and so everyone started calling us camarones (shrimp), but then it got super cold and it is still pretty cold so I guess now we are frozen shrimp ha ha. 

The big and exciting news is that Jessica got baptized, I have been working with her for more than three months and she was so happy.  We decided that Elder Carver should baptize her.  It was his first baptism, and it was an amazing experience.

Elders Carver and Fuell at the baptism of Jessica

We went with her and her husband as they got married in the state of Mexico.  We went there because we have a friend there who doesn't charge that much for the ceremony.  Elder Carver was really scared to go there because I told him a lot of  wild stories.  It was pretty funny.  We passed by Ixtla, I could see it from the train so that was pretty cool.

We had a couple of meetings where we trained the members to be member missionaries.  We were with the whole stake and we also went to the wards of Del Valle and Narvarte, both of which are in my district.  President Valadez was going to come and  give the first training rotation but he had to go to a meeting with the area 70 and so Elder Carver and I were assigned to give the first training rotation.  It would have been fine, but they told us during the opening hymn and we weren't prepared.  My companion was flipping out, but I just said a prayer really quick and advised him to do the same and we went and did it.  It turned out super well and it was super fun.  Its always crazy to see the things you can do with the wards help.

This week we where walking to our house at night on a busy road and someone calls out to us "FWELL . . . FULL . . . . FOOOL . . ."  I didn't hear it but my companion did and he said, "hey, I think that guy knows you"  I looked back and it was Raul.  I don't know if you all remember Raul, but he was the first person I put a baptismal date with in Quetzal (my first area) and the first person that I brought to church.  Then he moved and we weren't able to find him after that.  Turns out that he now lives here in Iztacalco!  He is married now and he wants us to come teach him and his wife!  It was a super crazy experience but super cool.  Still haven't taught him yet, but we have an appointment tomorrow and we are excited for that.

The Elders from Quetzal called me the other day to inform me that some people I found almost two years ago, Jose Carlos and Adriana now will be getting baptized in two weeks,  I thought that was amazing too.  I might not have been the ones to baptize them but I helped plant a seed.  It is amazing how by small and simple things great things can come to pass.  It has been a great week.  I am glad to hear that you have all had a great week too.  Love you all a ton.

Jessica's family with Elder Carver (L) and Elder Fuell

Con Muchísimo Amor,
Elder Joe Fuell

Crazy week!!

Hola,

Joe Bowling with his District

It has been a joke between me and Elder Carver, every time something crazy happens, we say that is just another thing we have to write home about.  And this week there is a ton of stuff so I hope I have time to write everything because it was a very eventful week.  First off they made the announcement that our mission is going to be divided into three missions in July.  It wont effect me but it is just crazy to see the work moving forward.  In July they will be creating 8 new missions here in Mexico City.  When President Valadez was a missionary here 30 years ago there where only 8 missions in all of Mexico!  It is just crazy!!!  They needed to do it for all the new missionaries that are coming.  In fact, this next change we will be receiving 30 new missionaries!  The Lord is really accelerating his work.

 

We were walking in the street the other day and we heard a voice behind us that said "Y'all talk English".  It was Julie our new investigator from Maryland.  She has been living down here for 4 years since her husband got deported (she didn't even know he was illegal) and almost doesn't speak any Spanish. She said that she wanted to get closer to God but didn't know how.  She is Baptist, or at least that is what her mom told her.  I didn't think it would be so hard to teach in English but it has been quite a challenge. She has two kids, Joseph (4 years) and Kaylan (2 years) and they are very rambunctious!  They speak a little bit of English and a little bit of Spanish but really not that much of either.

 

We invited her to come to church and she came.  She was scared to comes because she thought she was going to burst into flames when she walked into the church but she came anyway.  My companion and I were really glad they came.  I was worried that the kids wouldn't like to sit very long, cause when we have went to teach her they kept running out in front of cars or falling down 3 flights of stairs, but it was amazing how they just sat there reverently through the whole sacrament.

 

While we were all sitting there in the sacrament meeting Julie just started bawling.  We didn't really understand why because she didn't even really understand anything anyone was saying but she said that she had a feeling really good in her whole body and just started to cry and didn't even know why.  Her kids went to primary and she loved that.  She said she will definitely be coming back next week.  She also wants to be baptized, and we will be having the baptism the last week of March.

 

We also had an amazing experience with a family we found.  The dad is Pedro and the Mom is Raquel.  They where a referral from another Investigator that we had.  They are just great people.  They work super hard, but they re-arranged their whole schedule just so they could have time to listen to us.  They said that they have never accepted someone in their home to talk about God before.  They usually just turn them all away and say "we are catholic" even though they never go to church.

 

We felt the spirit strongly as we entered their humble home and we felt their sincere desire to follow Christ.  They have had a lot of problems in their life, especially Pedro with Alcoholism, but he has had 2 months without drinking right now.  Which is quite the accomplishment.  We were kind of hesitant to put a baptismal date with them for one reason or another but we did and they accepted.  They couldn't come to church this week but really want to come and will be coming the next week!  The coolest part of the whole lesson was the closing prayer.  We taught them how to pray and we invited Pedro to say the prayer with us all kneeling.  It was amazing!!!!  His prayer was simple and sincere like a child and we were all just crying.  It was just amazing.  I am super grateful the Lord allowed us to go there and teach them this message.

 

We also had a crazy incident with my companion Saturday night.  We were teaching one of our investigators, Jesus, in the street because he is this old guy who sits outside his home and sells candies.  But while we were teaching Elder Carver got all dizzy and fell to the ground.  While he was on the ground  his face was super pail and he said that his arms were  falling asleep like when you sleep on your arm,  I made him put his feet up so the blood would run to his head and Jesus gave him some gum, but that was about the only thing he did to help because he was just panicking.  I called Hermana Valadez because she was a nurse and she said take him to the nearest pharmacy.  So I picked him up and took him there.  Thankfully it was just around the corner, and there was a doctor there who attended us.  He had a stomach infection and very low blood pressure.  So I bought some medications and took him to the house.  She said that we didn't need to take him to the hospital and that he would be fine with the medication.  We walked home but I had to keep him from falling the whole time.

 

When we got home he still had a bunch of pain in his stomach and he said he felt like he needed to throw up.  I told him to just throw up then, but he didn't want too and fought it for about half an hour until it just came up.  He made it half way to the bathroom before it projected from his mouth.  He put his hand over his mouth to stop it, but it came out with such force that it just sprayed everything, the ceiling and the floor and everything in between.  It was the worse day to throw up to because at every lesson we had been too, they gave us food to eat, so it was a ton.  And it was disgusting!!!! So we cleaned it all up. Now he is a lot better, taking his medications.  So it was quite the week!!  We also gave a blessing almost every day. I am so grateful that I have the priesthood to bless the live of others and the spirit that can help us know what to do when situations get crazy.  I am glad to hear that you are all doing well  and I love you all a ton.

 

Con Muchísimo Amor,

Elder Joe Fuell

I am officially an American-Mexican immigrant!

Hola, 

It has been a great week here in Mexico, My fingers are a little cold and so I hope it wont take me too long to type this letter, my hands are moving really slow. Ja Ja (Ha ha in spanish)

First off . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!  That is so cool that you were born just a few years ago on this coming Friday,  I hope you have a great Birthday, I sent you a card I hope you receive it soon.

A lot happened this week,  number one, I am no longer an illegal immigrant to Mexico,  I don't think you guys knew, but there where a lot of problems with the visas of the people who came down to Mexico with me.  We really had to keep it on the down low so that we wouldn't get deported ja ja.  But now I am officially an American-Mexican immigrant!  We had to go downtown almost all day signing papers.  It was pretty boring but really cool, because all of my buddies from the MTC were there and we got to talk about all our experiences.  It was pretty cool.

I also got super sick this week, I don't think I have ever been so sick in my life,  I couldn't even stand up, and every time I did I was running to the bathroom to throw up,  I have never been sick in Mexico.  We don't really know what it was because my companion and I ate all the same things,  but I think it were some hot dogs that a sister in the ward gave us. . .  that was kind of bummy.  But the members of the ward really took care of me, they brought me chicken noodle soup, and that was good.   And then some other Elders heard I was sick, so they brought me a pizza, and it was good too but really didn't help out to much ja ja.  I even tried working hard that day, because we had a lot of appointments, but I threw up 4 times in my personal study and so we called the President and he said it was better to stay home.  I am feeling a lot better now and working super hard.

The Pope´s resignation has really affected the work.  A lot of people were disillusioned by that and are listing to us.  Sergio who was a catholic missionary was really affected by that and since then he has been reading the Book of Mormon every day.  We will have to see where that takes him.  He's a great guy no matter what he decides.

We had camibios (companion changes) but me and Elder Carver didn't change.  This  next cambio is only going to be for 4 weeks.

That's cool that you are painting the house.  That is always fun.  I have done that a ton here.  We are going to do it in two weeks in our new apartment which is right above our old apartment. and the other Elderes are going to live in our old apartment so that should be fun.

That would be awesome if the Jeppsons were at the airport too.  You know they're family to me.  Glad to hear that you are all doing well and having an awesome time.  Love you all a ton.

Con Muchísimo Amor,

Elder Joe Fuell

We were in the right place at the right time!!

Hola,

It has been a great week here and there has been a lot of work.  A LOT!!  So much that every night I have to stay up until 11:30 just doing all of our paper work in the area book.  But there are worse things ja ja! Better a lot of work than nothing. I am taking advantage of my preparation day to catch up on sleep, because I don't function very well on little sleep.

 

This week we were in the right place at the right time.  It seemed like every appointment we went to the investigator had just been confronted by family for listening to us or had a fight with their spouse or things like that.  One family of menos activos(less actives) just had their roof fall in on them.  They had already moved everything out but, they still needed the emotional support.  That picture is of Elder Carver and I in their house where the ceiling fell through.

 

Huge miracle!! We found a way for Jessica and her husband to get married so we will probably be taking them to get married this week, so that is going to be super awesome.  I am excited for that.

 

We found a lot of new investigators this week, one is Alfonso. He paints motor cycles and he is super good at it.  He paints them and then sends them all over the world to China and Daytona and all of that.  We had a great  lesson with him in which the spirit was really strong, we challenged him to pray and ask if the Church was true.  His wife has been a member for 18 years. and he has listened to lots of missionaries, but never prayed to know if what we are teaching is the truth.  Sunday his wife came up to us and told us that he prayed right after we left and had a very strong impression that the church is true and that he should be baptized.  That is pretty cool.  I am so glad that God answers prayers.

 

We are also teaching some Messianic Jews right now.  It is kind of interesting because they are Jews who believe that Jesus was the Christ, but they are really interested in the book of Mormon,  That is cool too.

 

Not much more going on here, other than work, work work.  Lots of work to do and not a lot of time to get it done.  But we will do our best and the Lord will help us. Glad to hear that you are all doing well.  Dad stop playing ball with dumb people who come under you.  You are all in my prayers.

 

Con Muchísimo Amor,

Elder Joe Fuell

 



Eating breakfast with Elder Carver




Zone Meeting