Living in Paradise

Dear Family,

How are all of you doing? Well just to let you know, I'm doing fantastic! As we went to transfer meeting I had a feeling that I was going to be called down to Key West. As they began to announce the areas they started from the north and went south. I wasn't in Stuart, Palm Springs, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah... so I thought I'm either going to Miami Zone or the Homestead Zone. Miami... NOPE! By then I was almost positive I was going to be called to Key West... And sure enough. "Elder Fullmer and ELder ****, serving in Key West!" I was super excited!! At the end of transfer meeting Sister Anderson came up to me and said, "Elder Fullmer, I have never seen you so happy before!" Let's just say I'm not too disappointed that I get to finish my mission in the Florida Keys.

The drive from Plantation down to Key marathon was about a 3 hour drive. We've been staying in Key Marathon for the past week because in Key West there's a little festival called, "Fantasy Fest." Don't think too much about it but there's a reason why we're not in Key West right now. Apparantly it ended yesterday but President doesn't want us to go back till at least Thursday. I'm fine with that because not only am I living in Paradise right now, I'm living with Elder and Sister *********... AKA Mission Grandma and Grandpa! It has been very different but very nice staying with them. I have never, NEVER in my mission while weekly planning have a knock on the door with homemade peanut butter cookies fresh from the oven and a class of milk. I've also never come home from a long day of work to homemade ribs with chocolate cake, and on Sunday night have an amazingly cooked Pot Roast with Potatoes. I might never leave this place! They are are so wonderful and I wish there was something we could give them to thank them for letting us stay with them. Don't worry, I've never been better taken of in any other time during my mission! :) My Companion right now is from a small town in Oregon. He's amazing!! He's been out just under a year on his mission and he's a fireball! Not flaming but he's on fire!! You're never too sure down in the keys... He's got such a strong testimony and it's a joy and a blessing to have him as a companion.

 

This past week we've been working hard trying to help the tiny branch in Marathon. Yesterday there were 11 people there (that's including us 4 missionaries...) I gave a talk and also did a special musical number. I sang "one voice" while Sister McCormick accompanied me. It was a very nice service but tiny! We've found some amazing people that are just ready for this gospel! Both my companion and I carry copies of the Book of Mormon while we harvest (knock doors) and at almost every blessing we give them a copy of the Book of Mormon. We harvested into *********** and he was very receptive to let us in. We walked in his house, his wife, who was on the phone at the time, looked at us and then yelled at him and told him to kick us out. We went outside with him and he apologized for her saying her father had just past away last night. We explained that death is not the end and how families can be together forever. As we were teaching of the Plan of Salvation, the door slowly opened and his wife came out. She didn't say a word but as we testified to her that she would live with her father again, you could see her heart melt and peace envelope her. We left them with a blessing and she was smiling. We invited them to be baptized for the 11th of November and they both accepted. We left a Book of Mormon with them and committed them to read Alma 40 as a family. This really helped me remember how real the Plan of Salvation is. We haven't been able to see them since but hope to soon.

We also have an amazing investigator named ********. He's half Cuban but he's been in the states for most of his life. I have never taught someone who wants to be baptized so badly. However it's really hard for him to be where he says he's going to be for his lessons... He's really busy! He lives in a trailer park and he's been fixing up a trailer for his family to move into. So this past week we scheduled an appointment with him and he wasn't there. He doesn't have a phone either so it makes it very difficult to contact him. As we were about to leave we both felt the impression to just wait for him to show up. We sat down on the stairs and about 15 minutes later he showed up! He was sorry he was late but then we taught him the Restoration! He felt the spirit so strong!! He knew it was true by how he felt! He talked about how he had studied with many other churches and he had never felt like that before. We then taught him the Word of Wisdom right then, which he accepted... even though he's had coffee for almost every day of his 39 year old life, but he gave it up! Then we taught the Law of Chastity right after that. He accepted to live it. He's not married to his "wife" but he said he's going to live in a separate trailer until they can get married. Which he has been doing for the past 4 days. His desires are so high that no matter what the Lord asks him to do he's going to do it! He wasn't able to make it to church yesterday but he'll be coming next week and then get baptized the following Sunday. Pretty Amazing!

Finally Yesterday as we went Harvesting we were having a hard time. No one seemed to be wanting to listen to us nor allow us in. It was about 7:00 last night and as we were knocking one side of the street, there was one apartment that stood out to me. I didn't say anything for a little while but after every door I felt like we need to knock that door. Right before I was going to tell my companion, he said, "Elder Fullmer, I feel like we need to knock that door." I responded, "I was just going to say the exact same thing!" We went over and knocked the door and this amazing woman named ****** came to the door. She's probably in her mid 20's from Cuba and she loved the blessing!! She felt the Spirit super strong. She explained how her parents are Jehovah Witnesses but knows that's not for her! We gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and she accepted to be baptized! It's so incredible how the Spirit works by small means to lead us to who He knows is ready to receive us.

Sorry that this letter is so long but there's so much going on! I love all of you so much and I'm happier than I've been in a long time! I know that this is where I'm supposed to be and that the Lord is answering my prayers. I pray for all of you daily and I know that the Lord is blessing you. Have a great week and happy Halloween!!

-Elder David B. Fullmer

P.S. The Pictures are on the drive home, the picture of the back yard of the place we are staying and then of a crazy storm we got (we got the outskirts of the Hurricane... LOTS OF WIND AND RAIN!!) Enjoy!

Angel Moroni is placed on the South Florida Temple