Weekly update May 29, 2012. It's Hurricane Season!

Dear Fullmer Family,

Right now I'm sitting in the library in Miami while it is POURING rain outside. I wish you could see this. It's never rained like this in Utah before. There's a ton of lightning and thunder as well. It's actually been like this off and on for the past couple days which I love! Throughout the summer the weather is like this.

Well it's been a good week this week. We still don't have many people to teach but we're still positive. My backpack was also found which is another silver lining. Thank you for all of your letters and love! Thanks for the postcard Whitney and Marc, I hope your trip to Moab was fun.

I was looking at the calendar this morning and was kind of blown off of m exercise ball because it's almost the end of May. This month has probably been the fastest one. I don't like how every month goes by faster and faster but that's just how it goes. Almost 15 months have gone by... crazy...

Well this week we were able to have zone conferences in our mission. The topic of the conference was Hurricanes! The first of June begins the joyful hurricane season. They were saying how we need not fear! However they kept saying how there hasn't been one here in 6 years so we're prime for one but not to be afraid. I'm not worried but I hope there isn't one.

We visited one of our neighbors and the topic was brought up and he feels like we're going to get one. Who knows but I'm praying that we don't get one, and I'm sure you are too! Ha ha. The rest of the zone conference was on the Book of Mormon and the importance of using it in teaching as also on Mormon.org. He said that Mormon.org can be used as a 3rd companion that works while we sleep. He said that right now the world is having a "Mormon Moment" meaning that the Mormons are being exposed more than they ever have been. That's why Mormon.org is such an important tool. We are encouraged to tell everyone that we know about it and to become familiar with it so we can help others learn from the source. Also we are encouraged to make a profile, which I have, along with encouraging other members to create a profile... So you should all do it! it's a great tool and so many good things can be found there.

Also in the conference he was telling of an experience he had when he did the "escape from alcatraz" challenge. This challenge is when you swim from Alcatraz to the shores of San Francisco. He compared it to the mission and it was great! I learned a lot and became more excited to work. Also this week we found a cool family. The wife's name is ********* and the husband... we're not sure his name. We blessed their home and went back the next day to teach them. They are familiar with the church and have actually been looking for a church to go to. They weren't able to make it on Sunday but they're planning on next week. They're from the Dominican Republic and are very nice people.


On Saturday we were able to participate in an eagle scout project where we re painted the parking lines in the ward parking lot. It was a great project and at the end it looked really nice! It was fun getting to know some of the members that I didn't know and serving at the same time. Also, I didn't get sunburned, well not too bad anyways.

I've been studying Jesus the Christ lately and today while reading, I came across an interesting point. It was on the announcing of the births of John the Baptist as well as Jesus Christ. Three months prior to the announcement of Christ was John's to his father Zacharias. He was in the temple when this happened and after Gabriel declared what would happen, Zacharias asked "how will I know what you're saying is true?". He was struck dumb as a sign. In contrast, when Mary received the angel Gabriel she asked a similar question but with a different motive. She asked, "How is it done?" She knew it was true but she wanted to know how. She had faith the whole time where Zacharias had doubts. It's amazing what happens when we receive our situations, bad or good, with faith rather than fear.

I love you all so very much and I know that this is the Lord's work! We're on the Lord's errand. As we defy our doubts and face our fears, we leave the path of revelation free from obstacles that would limit our potential to become who the Lord wants us to become. I love you all so very much! Have a great week.

-Elder David B. Fullmer

Weekly Update (May 21st)

Dear Fullmer Family,

Thank you for telling me all about your weeks! It's always great to hear from you. This week has been more or less a week of trials but we're seeing miracles coming. For this new transfer we are "white washing" our area or in other words restarting. All of the investigators that we had weren't progressing so we're just going to re start and be "new" missionaries in the area, even though we've both been here for a while. As we've been doing that we've found some pretty cool people and great new places to Harvest. We know that this will be a great transfer.

With having a new transfer we have a new "Zone Challenge." Last transfer it was where we focused on an attribute from D&C 4 everyday and worked to become perfected in our weaknesses. This transfer the title is, "Doubt not, fear not." So what this includes is every morning we think of a fear and a doubt we have for that day and work with our companions to overcome those fears and doubts. It's only been in effect for a few days but we've heard really cool stories already and we're excited for what will come the rest of the transfer. Every Friday as a zone we will be having something called "Fear not Friday" when we have a conference call and share a story of someone who showed forth courage instead of fear. We shared the story of Ammon this past week but this week we want to use something not from the scriptures so if you have any stories that you can think of please mail them to me! I'd really appreciate it!

At transfer meeting this past week I left my back pack there and apparently no one can find it... It's kind of strange because it was in the chapel in Plantation but no one can seem to find it. I'm sure it'll turn up soon, well I hope so because my scriptures and camera are in it. Lot's of memories there.

Yesterday at church it seemed like people were just coming up to us asking us to do things. In Sunday school we sang a song, "in our day" from the Book of Mormon sound track and in Elders Quorum we taught part of the lesson. It's great when the members trust you and ask you to do things for them. Hopefully soon they'll start giving us their friends to teach. One member in particular, who's home we blessed a couple weeks ago, told us about one of his neighbors he want us to see. Yesterday before church they talked to her and she's really interested in having her home blessed. The member was so excited! He was saying how he feels she and her family could be baptized soon that's how receptive they are. It's really cool seeing members have the spirit of missionary work.

That was really cool to see the solar eclipse. I didn't even know it was happening. It was probably raining here so no one could even see it. Haha. Well that's about all I've got to say for this week. Please keep us in your prayers! I love you lots and hope you all have a great week!

-Elder David B. Fullmer

Weekly Update, May 15th

Dear Fullmer Family,

How great it was to skype with all of you on Sunday! It was so great to be able to see each one of you and see how happy you all are! I love  you all so much. Well it's transfer week... We got the call last night and neither my companion or I will be leaving the area. We're both really happy to hear that and look forward to the next transfer together. The longest I've ever been with a companion has been 2 transfers, and it actually was Elder ***** (My current companion's companion in the MTC) so it'll be fun to break that record! One of the sister's is leaving out of the ward,  the one with the dark hair. It'll be sad to see her go since we all got along really well and the Bishop loved all of us together, but the other sister, will be training a new sister missionary. It'll be exciting to be working around a new missionary, it'll give us old folks some energy!

Actually in the zone there will be three new missionaries straight from the MTC so it'll be really exciting. We're really excited for this new transfer.

There isn't much to be said that I haven't talked with you about on Sunday but yesterday we were able to have our zone activity. Everyone in the zone baptized this past transfer so it was very celebratious? You know what I mean. We were planning to have a testimony meeting as always but apparantly the missionaries who have had three zone testimony meetings wanted a change, so my companion and I put our heads together to think of something fun, yet spiritual and whallah! The "Ask and ye shall receive box!" So what this consists of is you choose a question like, "what was the most spiritual experience this past transfer... or what investigator means the most to you and why... or what Christ-like attribute do you desire most?" and then after you pick the question slip you choose out of another box a name of someone in the zone and then they have to go up and answer the question. It was a lot of fun!

For the zone, a sister in the zone drew a group shot of all of us and we made copies and laminated it for each one of them. It looks so cool! Then we took a picture in the poses that we were drawn. Super awesome! 

Well that's all I've got for this week~ I know that the Lord loves each one of us. Ohh in sacrament meeting someone spoke about mothers and said the following, 'The Priesthood was given to men to help them become more like women." Then he read the rights of the priesthood and said all of the qualities that are stated with the Priesthood are what women are already blessed with. It was very interesting but I enjoyed it a lot. In personal study I've been reading a lot out of Jesus the Christ and it's incredible! I'm learning so much and there is so much that I don't understand but I hope to someday. I love you all and I know that the Lord does as well! Talk to you soon!

-Elder David B. Fullmer

Weekly Update (May 7, 2012)

Elders of Excellence- ZL Council

Dear Fullmer Family,

This week has been a great one! So much has been going on but it's all been really good, well for the most part. First off, thank you so much for sending me the package. I love the shoes, they're perfect! Thank you so much! I'm actually wearing them right now.

So now I have the joy to be able to tell you about what happened this past week. So yesterday I was able to confer the Aaronic Priesthood to our most recent convert yesterday. It was the first time that I've ever done that and it was really special for me. Things have been pretty tough for him lately. Last Friday, His wife left him. He was so sad. He said that it's for a lot of different reasons but it's not because of the church. We went over to see him after church and we just talked with him. He is an incredible man. He said, "most men would get mad and try to make her life miserable... I don't want that for her. I love her with all my heart and if I can't make her happy I hope she can find someone who can." He has the biggest heart in the world. As we were talking with him we were laughing, crying and he was teaching us some Cuban slang.

Haha. I have a long way to go to be like him. He's taught me so many things in such a short amount of time. Not only did his wife leave him but all of his family is against him for joining the church, however it's not slowing him down one bit. He wasn't able to make it to church last week and he told us yesterday, "I am never going to miss a day of church. I missed it last week for $60 however the way I felt today I will never miss it again." He's the strongest member that I know and he got baptized within 2 weeks of knowing about the church. I am continually amazed. Also, dad, could you send me my line of authority, you know showing the authority all the way back to Jesus Christ? I wanted to give it to him.

He loves the Miami Dolpin Stadium

So this week I was able to go on exchanges with our District Leaders. We're expected to do so once a month and when I was with the one in Downtown Miami it was one of the best days of my life. When I asked him what he wanted to focus on that day he said, "I want to be more bold." So we both said we'll invite everyone we bless to be baptized. So we went out and did it. Door after door people were accepting to be baptized on specific dates. Towards the end of the night, the other Elders in the same ward were having a baptism for two of their investigators. Since we were focusing on being bold I asked the District Leader, "Do you have anyone that could possibly be baptized tonight?" He thought about it and said, "There is one." We biked over to this person's house and she wasn't there... We called her but she didn't answer... As we were sitting there thinking of what to do, we both turned and saw her walking up the street. She got a huge smile on her face and said, "It's so good to see you! What are you doing here?" The district leader said, "Well we just wanted to share something with you... Umm... We were wondering if you... Well, How can I say this?" He looked to me for some help and I looked over to her and said, "We're having a baptism tonight... Will you get baptized?"

She thought about it and said, "Yes! I want to get baptized!" We said, "Alright, meet us at the chapel in 30 minutes." She got there and I interviewed her, found out she needed a second interview, set up an interview for the next morning and she was baptized the next day. Talk about bold right? It was a great day! I learned so much from that day and it made me want to be better!

Well I can't wait for Mother's Day on Sunday! We asked a member in our ward if we could Skype at his house and he said yes and said anytime that's good for us is good for him. I was thinking about 6:30 our time so that would be 4:30 your time. That gives you some time to get home from church. Would that work? I'm looking forward to it :)

I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for all of my many blessings. I've realized this week that there is so much I need to improve on but my perspective has changed from discouragement to excitement because I know that this improvement doesn't have to be done alone but with Jesus Christ. I love this work and I love being able to help others come closer to Christ! Have a great week and I'll talk to you soon!

-Elder David B. Fullmer