Throughout every day I get moments of discouragement, but I say a prayer and I am reminded of my purpose. My companions are great! We have troubles occasionally but for the most part everything is great! My first church meeting was incredible! It was a testimony meeting and a district was leaving the next day. The whole meeting was in Spanish but it didn't seem like it was. I had only been there for 4 days but I knew what they were talking about. Maybe not the words exactly but the Spirit was telling me what they were saying. The gift of discernment is real! I was then prompted to go and bear my testimony. I went up there and I am proud to say that I said it all in Spanish. I felt the Spirit in Spanish for the first time. It's incredible.
I haven't seen Elder Bevan yet. Hopefully I'll run into him one of these days. I did get the letter from the Bishop. DearElder is an incredible program. I'd encourage you guys to use it as well. I only have 30 minutes every P day to read and write emails (not very much time. ) If you guys use Dear Elder i can receive the letter the same day and then just use the 30 minutes to write my emails. So if you could use that, or just hand write, I'd really appreciate it!...
I'm glad that the ward is doing well! Thank you for your love and support! It gives me strength everyday to do hard things. There was a mission conference where a general authority came and spoke. His wife came and spoke and she said, "The atonement enables us to do hard things." A mission is very difficult and I know that I'm able to do it through the atonement. I won't be able to say everything in this letter so I will probably be sending a hand written one later today. I Love You so much Dad! I pray for all of you everyday and ask for the Lord's blessing to be upon all of you! Yo se que la iglaisia es verdadera y Jose Smith traducio el libro de mormon. I love you!
-Elder David Fullmer
3-11-2011(Handwritten letter that arrived in the mail)
I wrote you an email today letter but didn't have time to write everything I wanted. First of all, I got your package yesterday and it was fantastic... I love it. That's great to hear about Highland!
This week I have learned so much! I have learned more in one week than in any one week of my life. I thought I knew a lot about the gospel until I came here. I am learning constantly. My Branch President, President Shumway is an incredible man. We all went to the temple today and he was talking about what he picked up on and he taught me so many things.
I'm learning Spanish like crazy and I'm learning to love the language. We're teaching and investigator tonight about the first lesson. we are teaching in a place called the TRC or Teaching Resource Center. We are going to teach an actor who is pretending to be an investigator. It is a great way to practice meeting people and talking to them. I'm a little nervous but I know the Lord will be with me through it.
So, in my district there are 3 missionaries going to Argentina and 3 (other than myself) going to Ft. Lauderdale. My two companions/ roommates are both going to Florida. One of the elders gets emails form our Mission President. He said they are raising the baptism quota to 2 baptisms per month per companionship. Also, they are adding the Cayman Islands to our mission in a few months. They will also be sending missionaries back to the Bahamas, so it is a good thing I got my passport.
I am so excited to go to Florida. The MTC is nice and everything but it will be incredible to go and teach people. I have a lot to learn though. The language is coming along alright. It seems the people in my District are learning it faster than me but my teacher reassured me. He said, "Look at what you have learned in one week!" It's true It's hard to realize how much I'm learning when everyone is learning by the spirit. I think I've learned more Spanish in one week than the 2 years of French that I took...wait... I took 3! Learning by the spirit is so incredible! I am so excited to be able to teach people by the Spirit.
This past week I had the opportunity to attend a fireside where Brother Kent Richards from the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy spoke to us. He talked to us about teaching by the spirit. He said, "If you speak true words without the spirit, it isn't truth". That just shows how much we need the spirit with us while we teach. another thing he said that meant a lot to me was "You have a short time to live it and eternity to think about it. I need to give it all for the short time that I am here.
My first couple of days were very long so I'm not sure when we had the mission conference but during it the Mission Presidency spoke to us. Sister McIff (The wife of the 1st counselor) talked about the atonement. She asked "How can we apply the atonement in everyday life?" I had no idea. She said that there are two ways to apply the atonement. First, the redeeming power which allows us to do hard things. We are strengthened to endure because of the atonement. It's so incredible to learn all these things here.
If I came home today I would look at life differently solely on what I have learned in one week. (Don't worry, I am not coming home today) I have 103 more weeks to learn so much more! This gospel is incredible and I know it's the only true gospel on the earth. It blesses us in so many ways. I love all of you and please pray for me. It hard, but it's so worth it! You give me strength everyday that I am here. It's an incredible work! Good luck with everything and keep me posted on what's going on.
With love,
David
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