December 17, 2012

Okay so this past week, , , no baptisms. It felt a little bit lazy in our part because my comapanion is the district leader for another area and we went and worked in that area for a day to help them with things. They were struggling with their goals for the week. And so we went and helped them out for a day, I and elder Casimiro received 3 baptismal dates this day. . . . i was very happy. and it was with this sweet family that is very poor!!!! we walked into the yard after a wooden barbed wire fence,, and it was nothing, they dont have a house, they had a couch in the very front where the husband was laying down sick, and they had a "house". . . . . . but it was like a tarp, and some wooden sticks, very sad, reminded me of africa. But the family is the husband and wife, and a daughter and two boys that looked almost the same age. They were very humilde, they had humility and were very humble, and the wife seems very strong in the church, she just doesnt go to church on sundays, she answered all our questions correctly, and her daughter is very smart. . . I was impressed with this family that has such many good qualities, but live in a ............. dump. Very sad, but they want their boys to be baptized and the husband wants to be baptized also!!!! so this is exciting. This was last week wednesday and now it is the 17th of december!!! Today was changes ( cambios) I received a new companion today, It turns out that it is elder Casimiro,!!! the one i was on changes with!, And we already know each other very well. He is a cool person, and he is 2 more months ahead of me. So we are pretty close!!! I amd excited for this change. My companion was elder Jiminez, and he went to choix, and we were both in Juan Jose Rios!! and Elder casimiro and Elder Arroyo were in ruiz cortinez, The mission closed ruiz cortinez, because of the members here, they are having issues, and it is also a little dangerous there. Everything is okay though. Now me and Elder casimiro have Juan Jose rios, and ruiz Cortinez, so no more Elders will be living in ruiz cortinez any longer. . . But this will be a fun change, I am happy i am still in the same area, because there is still a lot of work to be done. In our casa de horacion, Our (church) here we have about 15 people that regularly come. . . . . It is very small, I will try to send a picture. But also there is a lot of less actives here. . . . like a lot a lot!!! but we are working hard. . . . still working with beatriz. . . she gets sick a lot. . . : / ???? but all she needs to do is pay her tithing on sunday and then she can get baptized. . . . and now we have these new people in ruiz cortinez, with baptismal dates. So i have a feeling we will be travelling back and forth a little bit.!!!! It will be fun and there will be more of a difference! Pay attention this christmas the 25th i will be calling at 4:00pm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be calling from the phone in the church, in the presidents office. sooooooooo be waiting for my phone call at 4:00pm !!!!!! : ) I wish everyone a merry christmas if you dont receive my call. !!! Haha just kidding mom, Dont worry il call. !!!!!!!!!!! I love you all. Mom i hope everything is going well in india. I love you, I am healthy and doing well. We are still teaching the same people and we have found more people to teach. Some have baptismal dates, but we have to wait and see how the lessons with them turn out first. One is named fransisco and he is like 56? we tought him the restoration and he accepted to be baptized, If he receives an answer, So pray for him, And we are teaching a señora named rosario she accepted to be baptized also but we didnt give her a date. . . didnt feel right. We will challenge her the next time though. these are the new people!!!. Not very many stories to tell. I am happy i have a new companion. Elder casimirio, he can barely see ; ) jk joke for spanish speakers . I wish you luck on your speeches mom!!! and yes i remember when we slept all day that day haha!!!! We were wasted. I love you mom, your in my prayers, remember 4:00pm the 25th!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks dad for your letters!!! I love you. I bet you are happy finals are over. hah, , , How did melanie do in your class: / she told me she was struggling a little bit and statistics is hard for her haha, dont tell her i told you, ! This last change was a little bit more tranquilo, ( relaxed for me, i dont know why but our area is really struggling. Even though we worked really hard it felt like it was just a really quick six weeks. . . . . I know it is an oposition to say it was relaxed and we worked really hard! but it was just a little different. Especially with this companion. . . He was a little different, and didnt really have a good schedule. So it was hard for me to have my schedule and be trying to get him on his schedule the whole time. He was really bad at timing. . . especially in the morning. I dont know what it was, but it was his priorities, his priorities werent really straight. . . he would do other things when we were supposed to be doing another thing. and it was really hard for me to see because this elder is almost done with his mission. . . And it is sad to see when someone isnt growing in the right ways even when they are in the mission. . . I pray for him, and hope. But he was a little different!!. anyways love you dad. also dad can you explain to melanie about the temple!!! when she gets her endownments taken out!!!!!! i know that temples are important to know about and its one of the many important thing we explain to couples that they can be with each other forever!!! but also aboyt endownments!!! thank you love you. <3 Jackie wish you luck with the baby!!!!!!!! Hope everyone travels safely, !!! For the holidays, Love everyone!!! exito y adelante.

December 10, 2012

Okay sooo this week we worked really hard. And the numbers that turned out from it were really good. and so were the people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have two new investigators with dates for baptism, and this week was good. We tought really well also, The new investigators are rosaria and brianda, One is 19 and one is 27?? also teaching new women se llama tomi, She has a baptismal date also but not for a long time because she drinks coffeeeeeee. . . . . so we have to wait 30 days for her to not drink coffee. but we are trying, Okay Mel i am sooo happy and excited for you! Barcelona!!!! Spain, That is amazing,!!! who would have ever known, that is like a vacation, ; ) congratulations love, : ) I hope it was such a happy day for you, and a happy moment. Thank you for going mom and dad and joy and whoever else went!! It means a lot. Joy i couldnt watch the video, And no i cant get on you tube. . Its alright, I get to watch when i get back!!! Its more exciting that way anyway. The things to study is preach my gospel, and especially tying to relate the lessons in your own personel way, Dont try to memorize pmg. . . . like word for word, it is a waste of time, Read it and allow the lessons to sink in, LA restauracion, Plan de salvacion, Evangelio de Jesu Cristo, y los mandamientos, y leyes y ordenanzas. Try to figure out what you know the best out of each section and then pull that aside and then work on the things you dont know. Read in your scriptures, read the scriptures in pmg and relate them personally to share them perasonally with your investigators. The more personal it is the more the spirit is felt. I love you, Good luck in MAy!!!!!!!!!! i am sooo excited for you. Y tambien mel, la tiempo is bien como eso, Estoy agredicido por este tiempo : ) Es perfecto.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! especialmente cuando volvera.!!! estare esperando.: ) ily. My companion in his broken accent says why didnt i go to that mission, haha!!! His face was funny when i told him where you are going. he is happy for you, ily practice practice, also it might be weird, but give lessons to your family, and friends out of pmg, its called role playing, : ) and take it seriously, : ) It helps alot. Anyways!!!!!!!!!!! happy times and memories, Thanks dad for this christmas scripture,!!! Thank you for going and supporting melanie! Alex buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAke these times count when you are a priest!!!!!! It is the last of the fun stuff!!!! HAHA make it count, everything is still fun it just gets more mature, and a little boring at times. : ) but your growing into a man, and make the times fun right now while your still in scouts and everything, I am happy for you and your decisions, your a good example to me, and your little brothers, and cousins. I am proud of you. keep making good decisons and prepare yourself with melanie to be a missionary, you just got a year - Minused to your time to prepare :) so start now!!!! at 18 you can serve. Darrol Happy birthday man!!!!!!!!!!!! 40 year old man... : ) hah love you hope you had a good one, This morning we took a run, and i about died. . . . . . . I feel not fit anymore. . . . haha no I am just going to start working out now in the mornings because one thing i promised myself before i left was that i am not going to get fat on my mission, , ,, , and even though i am not fat because i weigh 176,.... I am just not that fit, and yeha i layed on the floor a long time after the run : ) : /// I feel fine and healthy though like in general, but i need to be better at watching my intake!!!!!!!! : ) last week i had polpo!!!!! Octopus: / for the very first time, very chewy and a weird texture, A first time for everything. And yesterday we had fried fish, not the fried fish thats in america, Its a little different and a little bit more real looking, : ) steve can explain i am sure, lets just say it still had its eyes! and my companion says its protein, but i still ate, but the hermana could tell i was not accustomed to it. : ) Thanks for the picture of your kids joy I love seeing them and everyone else!!! please post more, i want to see everyone and how they are doing! Mom i am excited for you as your trip is closer to India, Your in my prayers for traveling safely!!! and how things go with everyone you come in contact with, I love you, We are having a christmas party the 17 of this month depending if a get transfered or not we will still have a party. i am not sure with all the details but i am sure with this prty i will get your package or some of them, it depends. If i get put with another companion this next week then i need to work out with him when we will be making the christmas call!!! So i will tell you when i know!! We have transfers this next monday, and i am excited for these. Times are going by so quickly and It is so weird, in three days i will be done with my first 6 months in the mission. Then il only have a year and a half. . . . Wow Orale!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another thing for mel is to make every moment count when your in the mission, even when times are hard, push yourself, you never get the time in the past ever again, so make it a good time. : ) and usually the hard times are when God gives you the best oppurtunities, to show yourself who you trully are, Bueno suerte en todo, ily. I cant beleive It has already been 6 month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhh I will try to start printing pictures to( mel and family) and sending them in letters, those are easier and it might take longer to receive but atleast you will get them , that way my photos wont get erased. Anyways this letter might be a little shorter than others but other than this past week being good, i dont know what else to say. About the baptism with beatriz that we were supposed to have we have to shift up two more weeks, because she didnt pay her fast offering this past week,,,, so her baptism is now in two weeks, ahhh. . . . . I dislike shifting baptisms, It will be my first if i am still here. .We will see what happens, sure david can help you out with this word! (OJALA) Dad if you could help me out with some knowlegdge about testigos jehovas witnesses, and haha a guy asked me last night, well asked us last night if we are made in the image of god, then god has a belly button, and if god has a belly button then he was birthed. . . . haha it was kind of an interesting conversation. but love you dad thanks for your help!! Love you my family, always in my prayers!!!

November 26, 2012

Okay This past week was pretty normal again. But we did have two investigators come to church!!!! and one of them is going to be baptized this next coming week, We Pray and Hope!!!!!! Her name is beatriz! and she has two sons, She came to church this past sunday, and it was her last one she needed to be able to be baptized! I was sooo happy when i saw her walk in. Investigators need to come to church atleast three times before they can be baptized. Thats the rule. But she wants to be baptized and she has a desire to be baptized. So i am hoping for next week, Me and My companion. Time has flew!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are already starting on our fourth week, and then at the end of the 6th week we have changes again!!! Also because Juan Jose Rios is big we might receive new bikes next month, Happy Late christmas present. Ha Only if i am still here in Juan Jose Rios, I might get moved, but I really dont know about this time. I might stay here. I have a more likely chance of staying because now i have longer time in the mission. Quien Sabe, !! : ) But we are really hoping for this baptism to fall through and stick forever. She is a very nice friendly single mom with two children and she lives with her mom and takes care of her because she is getting old. Really awesome though and i know after she is baptized the gospel will just bless her life even more. !!! We are still teaching the same people that i mentioned last week. YESSS HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL. . . . I should have mentioned that early last week. . . But Literally I do not even keep track of days here, Only when we are planning for people i look at the schedule. My companion and another member that we eat with were the ones who asked me, isnt this the day of the turkey???? in your place,,, HAHA yeah, You know i dont pay attention when the mexicans have to remind me my holidays. Anyways i hope everyone had a blast, soccer games, st george, and denver and everything how funnn!!!!!!! For thanksgiving i had (Lunch) tuna with corn and vegetables. . and in the night for dinner a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and milk : ))))) haha It was a great thanksgiving, ! but i am glad everyone traveled very safely, and everyone had a good one. I am greatful for all of my family that support me, and i am greatful to have food on thanksgiving, and i am greatful for everything else that God has given me while i am on my mission. He has kept me very safe, and we are very blessed. Mom I really dont know when or what is going to be happening christmas day. . . just be expecting to reaceive a phone call, Dont worry about phone? Calling cards or whatever they are, Just know that the mission is a little different, and I will be calling. and if you dont answer i will call until you do. : ) Dont STRESS about it. you will get to talk to me, and i will be able to talk to you. and everyone else. I am sorry about the big box. . . . . . That is such a bummer. . : / well now we know. . . I am sorry mom, I hope you get refunded for that. . . I love you. Missy thank your very very much for supporting me. I love you and your family. ! thank you for the herbs also. I hope i get them soon. and okay. . . So the reason why i dont send pictures. . . . . . . . . . . Very much or very often. . . . Is because last week while i was sending you those pictures, which i am greatfull actually sent. I plugged my camera into the computer here, and after i unplugged it, It erased all of my pictures. All of my photos and pictures from Escuinapa are gone, except for the ones i have sent to you guys through email. So yeah.. . . . . . . I would much rather have you wait to be able to see all the pictures when i get home than lose them from using the computer otra vez. . . . The lame computers here probably all have viruses on them.. . . . and yeah my pictures are gone from Escuinapa and Teacapan. . . . I had about 40, and i sent about 25 to you through email. . . . so it wasnt that many, but their were still pictures i really liked and Its sad i know, but we learn from the mistakes and dont ever do it again,, AM i right???. . . . . Right. . . okay. Moving on : ))) I am doing well, Healthy working out in the mornings, we wake up at 5 now, I started waking up at five last week, , , , and it is a little harder. . . but its a better routine. and yeah. We go to bed right when we get home usually. We get a little something to eat before though, then go straight to bed. and then we get the same amount of sleep or a little more, I dont know hah. but it feels better that way. elise i am happy you guys had a good thanksgiving, and your kids are happy. Hope danny and amanda are travelling safely. Dad happy your healthy and playing Golf still. HAHa hope school is going well. The scriptures really help me alot. It really helps alot when you give me a scripture and give a title to it, like these last ones, about the holy ghost , It Really helps me organize my scriptures better, I have a way of organizing my scriptures and i will show you how i did it when i get back home, It helps me find scriptures faster, or if their is a specific phrase in the scripture that stands out to me i can find that phrase faster and share it with my investigators easier. So if you give a little title to what the scripture is about it saves me alot of time. Thank you I love you. Everyone that can please go to the opening of Melanies calling!!!It means alot, and she is like family, will be after the mission, ok : ) please video it also!!!! I am guessing she will go to Colombia!!!! where she was born!!!! : ) Or she will go to france, porque ella sabe la idioma casi!!! : ) Pretty much. Anyways How is Heidi?????????? How is Grandma!!!! Hay personas que no puedo leer o ver in mis cartas, y me gusto a ver que paso con esos personas, entonces por favor adrego : ) te amo mi familia. I love everyone very much!!!!!!!! and i hope all is well, I hope everyone is healthy and relaxing in these holidays. From now on i will try to pay more attention to the holidays. . . . hah I love everyone!!!!!!!!!

December 3, 2012 Dear, Family!!! : ) Okay sooo this past week Was pretty normal. . . Nothing new, no new investigators, Which is very sad. I felt really bummed this past week and a little frustrated. I dont feel like i am doing my part sometimes . But i know that when we work hard the progress is shown and the hard work pays off.. . so this next week i really want to push my self. I feel like i say this a lot also. I say okay this time do this , and this time do that, but something gets in the way and then the moment is lost and yeah. the devil . . . But me and my companion are trying to work harder, I have been a little bit more strict on things with my companion because well. . . . He isnt very good at having priorities. He doesnt have a routine, and he is everywhere in the morning. and It doesnt help us with our timing. And it is frustrating. So we had a little chat and we talked about priorities. this companion is very interesting this time. sometimes i just dont know what to do. and yeah. I feel like i am complaining a lot right now, but i just need to share. This past week we let go of some of the main people we were teaching because they are not progressing, and that is always sad to do . . . we did it in a very nice way though, and i think we are fine. One was a family that can never come to church by themselves, and the other is a women that has gone through everything, every lesson and her husband doesnt want her to get baptized, and wont let her. We are still trying to figure out why,.. but she is on the list of people we dont teach very much anymore. I am doing well, I am healthy, Last week we had divisions with the ranchito al lado de nosotros y fue bien. Enseñabamos un doctor, y i weighed myself and i weigh 176!!!!!!!!! : ///// surprising.... I am not sure how i feel about that because the last time i weighed myself was in the mtc and i weighed 189 / 190. But i am still alive, so no worries. Mom please forgive me for my spelling. This computer is horrible, and all the keys stick when i tpe, and yes. . . there is a lot of dirt inside these keyboards. anyways,, Beatriz is still on for her baptism, we had to shift it up another week because she couldnt come to church this last week, she was in the hospital because she felt sick. The last thing she needs to do is pay her tithes and fast offerings and then we can baptize her. I know she is going to be baptized!! It is just a matter of time. We have two more weeks until the changes and i hope we can get her baptized before then. I really think i will be staying her though when changes come. I am not sure, but i have a feeling that i will be here still. and my companion will be the one to leave. I am excited for the changes, I always am because its something new out of the 6 weeks we have with a person.Ha But these are the things that are going on with me right now. I am excited for christmas, We have one christmas decoration in our house and it is a litte reeth? i think thats how you spell it. but it has litte pictures of baby jesus and the sheperds seeing the star and the wise men, so thats nice. It is fun to see mexicans wearing scarfs and gloves and beanies in the middle of the dessert!!!! Wow, I am just happy it is a little bit cooler in the nights!! But the people seem to tell the difference, and its funny. It makes me crack up inside. Mom, I am so excited for you to be traveling to india, thats so cool, I wish i could go with you, !! And to speak to that many people i would probably faint if i was talking to that many people... I hope you have a really good trip and fly safe!!! I love you, no we dont have bikes yet, but we think we will get some for the next change if i am still here. I hope i get your package soon, Please dont call the mission Office and be mad with them. They dont have control over the mail : / but please dont worry. I know i will get your package soon enough. And also the other packages, Il probably get them the next zone conference more towards christmas!!! More information about the call on christmas I can call on christmas day !!!! at whatever time is best, please give me the time. . . Well. . . Im thinking hmmmm.... they said to figure out with your families when everyoine will be together, and then they said to call during that time so we as missionaries can talk to everyone. So All i need to know is the time when all the family is together and then i will call at that time!!!!! Mexico and Utah are the same time zone, so no worries with that, but I will call whenever you tell me to, So in the next email just give me a time, and before work it out with the whole family and mel, so everyone knows what time i will be calling! I have a two hour phone call, for the phone call i will be using a members phone, Or the president of our church. that doesnt matter but depending on the person i need to pay that person for the phone call, because it will cost money. and usually the members are very nice and say we dont have to pay. . But if the member does then that is fine, and then i will just pay them with the money through the credit card. Is that okay dad?? Dad thanks for the scriptures and the explanations, They really help. I am happy your golf is improving thats amazing 36 for nine. When i get back i want to play golf with you more dad. I am sorry i didnt have a strong desire to play with you before but i do now. : ) The same with mom, I have all these things stacked up in my head that i wish i would have taken more advantage of when i was home and i didnt.. . . I miss everyone. But i know what i am doing is the most important thing i should be doing. It is something that everyone in the world should be doing, only if they knew.! : ) My testimony grows each day. My attitude changes a little bit each day, and so does the language. Right now with the language i can teach a lesson and have the people understand me. I have learned to use my companion a lot. Especially when i dont know a word. He is there to help. We walk a lot during the day and have a lot of time to joke around and make funny noises to try to entertain ourselves. but also i have a lot of time to memorize words, and i really have taken advantage of that this change. Everyday while we are walking i always am trying to learn spanish. I have grown a lot in the language since i have been here. and i still feel like i am not learning enough . . . ha. But i know that by small and simple things great things are come to past. Name that scripture!!!!! Oh yeh good job, whoever answered it, . . . . . . .. . . . . . (dad) hah. My next letter i will type in pure spanish so everyone can see how well i am doing. . . : ) I am sooo excited to hear about Melanie s calling and i thought i would get the answer today when i got on the computer, but i guess now. This wednesday!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYY I had a really strong feeling For Peru???????????? I dont know why, but when i had this feeling i wrote it in my journal. I got your two letters Melanie, : ) thank you, Ily. I cant beleive your mom is getting married to this guy. Please send me a picture of her and him, please give your family my love, Jackie i hope that everything comes out well ; ) hah!!! I wish you all the luck i have with me, your in my prayers, Is david in Austin texas??? if so that why your naming him austin. : ) right .. if not his name should be houston. just know that i am thinking of you and your family. love you guys. Mom please give everyone else my love, I am greatful for everyone and all that you do for me. I love you!!

Pictures! - Nov. 19, 2012

Elder Fellingham:)

"Fransisco"

"Elder Jenkins y Elder Fellingham"

"Jesus Drawing"

"Escuinapa Sunset"

"amrojas"

November 19,2012

Muy bien,Muy bein!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay This past week was better than the last one.
Ha It should always be that way.! Anyways. We are trying to baptize two women. !!!!!!!! Well. . . . One is named beatriz, and she wants to get baptiuzed and the only thing that is holding her back is her mom!!!! Her mom is pretty sick, and last week she fell down, and she is kind of a little bit older, and her daughter beatriz is taking care of her. Beatriz also has two sons, divorced, and wants this religion in her life. She needs one more sunday to be able to be baptized, She prays, she knows everything, she just needs to come to church!!!!, This last sunday yesterday if she would have come she could have been baptized this coming week!!!!! But she didnt. . . but her mom is getting better, and i hope by next week she will be able to come then the following week after that she will be able to be baptized! after that their is nothing in the way.

 

This area is a lot of walking!!!!!! WJuan Jose Rios is big for only two missionaries. Me and Elder Jiminez are the unicos!!!! Aqui. but most of our time is spent walking to peoples houses during the day. It is cooler here and in the mornings its cool, and then it gets hot for about three or four hours and then it starts to cool down again. Its weird the way the temperature works. . but I dont sweat anymore. I am used to being here in the hot all day, and my body has changed to the climate. It is pretty dry here though. Lots of dust. The other morning i woke up and i thought i had stuff in my eyes or like my eyes were glazed over with something.  But i was looking out the window and it was like pure dust. . . .  There was just dust outside everywhere. I couldnt see past the end of our street. It wasnt a storm it was just dust floating in the air., . . . Ha weird. I know. It was like haze. There are lots of farms around us though because it is a ranchito, Lots of dust gets kicked up in the air. So it just decided to settle in Juan Jose Rios one morning. Then the sun came out and it all went away. I am Healthy, doing well. Forgot to brush my teeth this morning. . . . . : /  The other people we are teaching is the family Cota Felix. The dad is a member, he has a smoking problem, : / and his wife and daughter have baptismal dates, but they didnt come to church this past sunday either, so we need to change their date again-. . . It is sooo difficult to see when your people dont come come to the church , especially when it is soooooo easy. Alll they have to do is just come for the first hour, the sacrament. The daughter is ten years old, , ,  she argues with her parents a little bit, but she is nice,, and wants to be baptized with her mom, They have two other little girls that are funny brianna and Natalie, They are cute, one is 7 and one is 4 or 5. But they are at that age. . : ) and they are a really good nice family. I just wish they would come!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Other people that were teaching is an 18 year old girl named paola, and her 20 year old brother. We just got a baptismal date out of her brother last night. and paola doesnt have a date. . . . yet!! But we are trying to teach them. also Teaching a little bit of english with them. ha they want to learn. and they have homework from the university they go to.

 

This is pretty much all of our investigators right now. Hay un otra que se llaman la familia aboite. But its only the mom that is getting baptized, She wants to be baptized, and she can be baptized this week, All we need to teach her is ayuno. !!!!!!! Tithing!!!!!!!!!! And she can be baptized this week!!!!! I am excited for all these people, They are all investigatores and all capable of being baptized in the near future. They just need to do their part!!!!!!

 

Anyways. Mom I ams Sorry you are worried about the package. . . I really think it will come to me,They only bring mail when there is leader meetings. . . The mision office holds things for a long time sometimes. . . . they could have it and are just waiting for the next big meeting. Then the Zone leaders usually bring the mail to us. So dont worry, I am sure i will get it. !!!!!!! The address you have is correct, I have gotten your letters in the mail. so just put the same address that you put on your letter to me.

 

I am sooo happy gilbert is baptized that is awesome, he is growing up sooo fast!!  Thank you missy for the herbs yes i will take them cada dia. !!!!!! every day! and For christmas THIS IS important. For Christmas The president said we can skype with our families for one hour, Or We can call and talk for two hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So everyone decide what you want to do and then tell me, I think we will have time to get on the computer and check before christmas . So either One Hour Of skype!!!!! Or 2 hours of talking on the phone!  I dont know where we can skype because well the computers here dont have cameras!!!! but il try to find a place. if that is what people decide.

 

Thanks dad for getting that letter to John. He is a good man, I love all my family, and i am so happy we all get to be together forever!!!!!!! I miss everyone, Hope everything is alright with every family, Jackie is almost due right?? I hope your doing well Jackie, Hope your not too sick, : / Its a boy right?? and how is grandma??? Tell her i love her. Same with heidi!!! Tell danny to email me. . . please I need a laugh. Speaking of danny, well. When we are walking there is a lot of walking here and we get really bored sometimes, when we walk. . . . haha me and my companion, and sometimes the weirdest things keep us entertained. But yeah whenever i am bored i think of ya broh, ( to danny) : ) because i remember you always being bored, and you would always call me from camp williams when you were bored. Please give me an update on Melanie and the papers, tell her i love her!!<3 Anyways...

 

Love Everyone!!!!!!!!!! Elder Fellingham

November 12, 2012

Okay so yes i had changes!!!! I am in Los Mochis. It was like a 9 hour drive. I am in a small ranch outside of Los Mochis its called Juan Jose Rios. and i have grown to love it so much already. I love the food. It is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I have grown close to the people here already. The church is called a casa de horacion. House of prayer. . . Because it is sooo small. It is like the size of the living room of our house. It is very cute. . . Ha anyway. To catch everyone up, we had a really big Zone conference in Los Mochis with like three other cities. That was very good, and It always lifts my spirit and makes me want to work harder after. I am doing well. Really healthy!! The change from Bikes to Walking was hard, I got super big blisters on the backs of my heels. . . They were like lines of just. . . . yeah whatever that fluid is. . puss? Yo no se. But they were nasty. They are healed now though. . . they were bad for like three days, but they have died down now, They are like callases now from just having to keep walking.  :) I have thick heels now. . . . hah. no they are still normal. But stronger. Their is a ton of dust here, and dust and grass are not on my team. . . I need to find allergy medicine. . . Or else i am going to go crazy, I am happy dad is not my companion because if he was he would probably kill me with how many time i sniff in a minute. Just be grateful. : )

 

My new Companion is Elder Jiminez!!! He has a pretty square face, and he is a little different. Kinda a goober, Ask David the def of goober. But yeah. He is really cool, really chill. And funny. There have been no problems and i dont think their will be. : ) we have weird things in common. . . ha? anyways. He speaks spanish fluently, and he has been practicing English since he was en la primaria. 2nd grade, He still doesnt speak perfectly, but I can understand him. He is always trying to be better with his english. He makes a lot of noises too. . . ha just with his mouth. He will get bored and just start making weird noises haha. But he is funny. He is good too. Kind of like uncle reedy, but not that good. He can be late sometimes to studies. . . and we are trying to be better at that. The whole culture is a little late to things : ) but were working on it.I am sending Melanie a letter today if you could let her know. Let her know i love her and i miss her. : ) 

 

Angela i am happy that their is more reading in Preach My Gospel. It is very Important. And i am happy your family is doing better with reading it. Ahhhhh i miss katie. . . I want to listen to her speak. . hah. I miss hazel too.  I love you guys.

 

Mom I hope your traveling is going well, and everything is going smoothly with the win. I miss you and I love you. I am doing well, and healthy, I havent received your box yet, but i am sure i will soon. no worries!!! We are teaching people here, and the people here in Juan Jose Rios are sooo much more nicer than the people in Escuinapa. I dont know why, but they are just much more open. I love the people here, but i also miss the people in Escuinapa. You grow to love everybody on your mission. There is lots of trees with fruit on them here, and i usually can jump up and grab one and eat it if i get hungry, Their are orange trees, and a fruit called torongja they are big and look like a oversized lime. They are veryy bitter sweet. . . .hah, I usually try to go for the oranges. also mandarins. Yummy. They also have very good meat here!!!! because its a ranch!!!!! They also use tortillas de harina aqui. these are my favorite. . . . sooo yummy. In Escuinapa they had pure maiz tortillas and here they have pure tortillas de harina. and harina is my favorite!! more doughy?? with dough. Here we have everything close to our apartment its a bonus, and we also have a sams club 30 minutes away. Were going there today to buy things :)

I love you mom

 

Dad, I cried when i heard about John Pontiuous, please give him my letter that i sent to you. I miss you dad, I love you. we live on batequis blv. on calle 5. All of juan jose rios is a grid pretty much with numbers and names. If you follow on google maps from the freeway in to juan jose rios we live on calle 5 on the right, (Right side) like 4 houses in. Their is a two story house and it is white with a black door. we live on top. Also the church is on calle 5 also. it is at the end on the left corner. Im going to try to take a picture on google maps and maybe i can attach it to this file. That way it will be easier to find. It has been getting darker here also!!! It gets dark a lot earlier and we are walking in the dark more. the other day their was a little scorpion next to my foot, and i didnt see it and my companion pointed it out to me, I was very greatful!!!! Natives. . . . . Pshhh . : ) but no it couldnt have done anything to me, it was a baby, but he said the babies are more poisones. I squished and we kept walking. There are investigators here, and since i have been here we have found more people to teach. Last night we tought a señora and her two daughters, and they want to be baptized.  We only gave one a date because the mom walked out of the room to go do something. . . . . . but we have a baptismal date for her. The spirit was really felt last night. Then after we were walking home in the dark, and a guy that was a little drunk offered us a ride. . . . .hah my companion said yes before i could say no, and so we got a ride back near our house. It was him and he had two little boys in the front of his truck and we were in the back, , , ,haha,. He wasnt too drunk. But i could smell it on his breath when he spoke. Hay muchas personas aqui que son borrachos. . . . . : /// there is a lot of people here that are drunks. .. but lots of really neat people also. I hope your golf is going well. I love you and mom!!! Hope golf is well, Hasnt snowed yet right?? Give the rest of the family my love. I love everyone I am well, and it is almost christmas!!!!!!!! Its weird living in a desert and having christmas posters up. . . haha. Love you mi familia. !!!!!!!!! Lots of love from Mexico, Oh one other thing!!!!!!!! The president changed the times when people leave, I dont know if this will change again before i come home, but he said that we either go home three weeks early, or stay for three weeks longer, depending on the school schedules. !!! Just so you know. We will just keep in touch when it comes time when i come home. about school and everything. Love everyone. mudu ; )

                                  Elder Fellingham

November 5, 2012

Okay this is going to be short. I traveled all day today. : ) yes i received my change. I went from Escuinapa, all the way up to Los Mochis. . . . Zaz, It was such long bus rides, I just barely arrived here in Los Mochis. I left at eight this morning. Drove from Escuinapa to Mazatlan, Then Mazatlan to Culiacan, Then Culiacan to Los Mochis. Then from Los Mochis we are in a little town outside of los Mochis called juan jose rios. Exhousting day of traveling!!!! Wow. . . . My New companion is native. He is Mexican. : ) I am excited, he speaks Pretty good english though. I hope he talks to me in spanish. . . . Elder Jimenez is his name. I am excited to be somewhere new, and get to know all the people here. We have about thirty people in our branch he said. I am sad i left Escuinapa. I know that someday the people their will find the church though . I love you my family. This message is going to be short. . . I dont know why. I might get to come write tomorrow though. I love you all sooo much. Thanks dad for those scriptures. I miss you guys and love you. If we cant write tomorrow just know that i am okay, i am fine. A little hungry havent eaten all day. I had breakfast though. But if i cant write tomorrow then i will write next Monday. Love everyone. Elder Fellingham

October 29,2012

Okay entonces, For this week.!!!! : ) I am happy i get to email everyone first of all! It feels like it has been a really long time since the last time i have written even though it was last week. I dont know why. Last week was just a long week for some reason. But we got through it and now i am on my last week. This is week twelve!!!! I am sooo happy I am almost done with this packet thing that i work on every morning. Today me and my companion guessed where and what will be happening for the changes and I am excited they are coming up. The older missionaries said that i will probably be changed because thats what usually happens. So i am excited,!! but I know that If i stay then it is of God, and i know that wherever i go and whoever i get put with as my companion it is of God. : )  Everything is of God. : ) hah. . But no, i am very pleased with whatever happens, and as soon as i know whats happening i will let you all know. I guessed that i will being going to Costa Rica, la cuidad todavia en Sinaloa, And i also guessed that my new companions name, ( if i get a new companion) his name will start with an O. entonces, we will see este proximo semana. ! Animo.  : ) I miss everyone and i hope everyone is well, You are all in my prayers, especially Missy, Jackie, and David. Two babies on the way, and David with his schooling. I really hope Danny will be able to find him something to do. I hope that this storm doesnt do too much damage, and i hope Angela and Missy will be okay. Hope Angela Travels home safely when the time comes.  That is really a good idea Joy, to have a garage sale!!! I wish more people found out about it. If soo i am sure they would have come. That makes me way happy to hear that Melanies family came. Ha wow i was about to say the family of melanie. . . . . .  Yeh that shows you that the spanish is getting to me.  : )  Everything is the (object) of this, or the object of that. : ) hah. . . . . Anyways. There are many phrases in spanish that are different in English. . But i am loving the spanish when it is spoken, and I am still blossoming with the language. Always. I dont think their will be a day in my life where i wont stop learning this language. : ) It is fun. And i really do love it. Something i wanted to share with my nephew maybe you can do this in a family home evening one night when everyone comes, but with all my nephews that are coming to the age of a mission. . . .The truth is that they really do need to start preparing. . . This experience only comes once in a lifetime. To be able to serve your God for (only) two years of your life, when it should be our whole lives. The truth is that i am changing, and it is only through god that i have been able to change. and This oppurtunity is amazing, and The truth is, is that if i could go back and re do those high school years, i would change the things that i did. I would have focused more on the Gospel, and more in seminary. Soooo!!!! Alex, Johnathan, Kenneth. you three need to listen to me. I know that i have given you desafios.. ( challenges) And have you done them??????? My guess is maybe, but i dont know if you really have. But i am going to guess no. Hah!! I really want to challenge you three now to start preparing to serve a mission when you are 18 years old. I know that if you start preparing now you wont have the regret oh i wish i would have listened to my Uncle when he told me to do these simple things. . . It is easy to read a chapter of your scriptures every night, It is easy to read a page of preach my gospel every night. These things are easy, but you will find out that when you get into the mission field that, , ,  you dont have time to do as much as you would like to. So this is why you have me right now telling you guys to prepare now. I can beg all i want, and i can remind you three in every email. But i know that blessings come If we do the simple things, and i know that you three will be great missionaries. And i promise you you will be even greater missionaries if you start being a missionary right now. by studying and learning the things that i wish i would have done. I am happy that you are my nephews, and i love all of my nieces and nephews. Sooo very much! I never got the chance to have little brothers or sisters, so when i think if i had that oppurtunity i look to you guys,Alex and Johnathan and Kenneth, you are like my little brothers. : ) and I am just trying to look out for you guys in the long run. . . I dont want you guys to be looking back on things in the past when you can do things right, Right now!! and then when you are in the future you wont be looking back. You will be solely having a straight path forward looking on bigger and better things. 

I want the best for all of you, and if you listen and act and start now you will be sooooooo much more prepared. : ) I am not saying i wasnt prepared, but i know that i could have been sooo much more prepared, and i could have been that much better.  So i challenge you again, please start now. Things are starting to change. . . The prophets are changing things the age is not 19 anymore, you are able to start at 18! and that is so awesome. I am sooo excited for you guys. And i am sooo excited for Melanie also. She doesnt need anymore preparing, she is always prepared. . . . pfff. Smarty pants. : ) jk there is always room for improvement. But i Know that she is a good example to us all about always being on top of things. and she will be a great missionary. I am sooo excited about Missionary work. It trully is the only things to help this world to come to a knowledge that our savior lives. And he works through what and who he has on this earth for those people that havent heard of his Gospel. It is True, and i know it in my Heart. It is amazing to see how much God can turn your life upside down if you do those things that are only in his lines. His boundaries. It is his Game, : ) and he has a plan for all of us. Just know that Gods plan for you Alex , Johnathan, and Kenneth is to start preparing now. Act upon it now! and you three will be really great Missionaries. 

This is something that i have thought a lot about, and I have always been a little  worried on this thought about how we can better prepare ourselves for God. I realize that we can look back on the things that we have not done so well in the past and those are the examples that help us look back and say, - Hey- i dont want that to happen again, so we change the things we do in the future. This is something that we can always try to be better at, We hear it a thousand times. But if this is something that we can change in our lives. We will never be looking back on bad things. We need to learn how to make the best decision in the moment, and follow through with that decision and always continue doing that. I feel like the three oldest nephews are old enough to understand these words, they might be a little big, overwhelming. I dont know, But the point is to prepare yourselves now. alot of it has to do with their sarroundings i dont know how to say that word. But the people that are around them, parents : ) grandparents, mom dad, ha: ) please encourage them to do these things. every night. It is very important. very very important. crack the whip on em ; ) no, just kidding. But help them understand how it iss soooooooooooooooo important. please. Dont let them wait until they are already about to leave on their missions.  Anyways. This is important to me. If you guys dont crack the whip on em, then i will when i get home. : ) I love you so much my family. You are such a blessing to me in my life. and i am soo special to have all of you as a family to be with forever in heaven.  

Mom thank you for your box, I am excited to receive it this coming transfer. I am doing very well. Elder Jenkins is doing well. : ) ha, I am healthy, canned vegetables in the nights. yes, and bowls of cereal. : ) ramen noodles. yes the life. : ) This past week with investigators we are still trying really hard with fransico, It all depends on his ley de castidad, and drinking. If he hast done anything or do anything in this next week he can be baptized. We have a new investigator named felipe. He is about 67 70 years old. He is really awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! Evangelist, and he came to church with us last week, I gave him a date to be baptized this past week, and he said yes if he comes to know what God wants for him. He knows the Bible really well, and he is really funny. He likes to talk a lot!!!!! and sometimes we have to interrupt him in lessons because he likes to get off topic haha. He cant walk really well, and he has arthritis in his knee s i think. He was really. . .  well. He takes baby steps haha. but he can get going at a pretty good pace.  : ) He likes to take walks even though he cant walk that fast. He used to drink, smoke, and hmm other things. but not anymore. He said the Bible has really changed his life. We are trying to change his thoughts about the virgin guadalupe..... Dad, If you could send me information on catholicism, or catholics, and about the virgen guadalupe  and how it became a beleif that would be great. I know a little bit about both. They are just really strong traditions. . . . and yeah. But if there is anything i could know more then please share.! Also if you have anymore scriptures in the Bible, those really help. We use the Bible alot. So these are two investigators that we are hoping for before the change. If not hopefully after. : ) Tell Grandma Noble i love her, and miss seeing her. Everything is good here in Escuinapa, It is sad that i am most likely leaving my firsat area. . . these people you come to love and are a part of their lives. but times are always changing, and new people are always prepared to hear the Gospel. Thank you for everything that you have done for me, Love you danny, and Amanda, And Angela and Darrol, and Joy and Steve, I miss you guys. I miss jackie David and Heidi! Elise and Les, Missy and Darin. and Everyone.!!! Please give all of them my love. Mom and Dad I love you both, and i am excited for you two to serve your mission together. !!!!!!!!!!! There is a Beautiful place in Teacapan HAHA right on the ocean if you look into Mexico. I love you both, you are wonderful parents to me. I will write all the details next week about the changes. I love you Elder Fellingham

October 22, 2012

Okay!!! I have to remember everything that i read. . . HA it is really hard to remember everything that everyone says, so if i leave something out please still love me. : ) ALright about this week. . . . Ugh it was exhousting the truth. Our two investigators fell through again. . . . . . Marin and Fransisco. . . They both had their dates for this 27th, Marin is a boy that has been through four sets of missionaries and he has no problems, goes to church every sunday and participates in everything he is 20 years old. . . and He wants to wait until the new year to be baptized because he wants to start the year fresh. . . . .And we are trying to get him to change his mind. . . .but he just wont. . . He wont have an erlier baptism. . . . I dont know what else to do for him besides pray to have his mind see something that we teach is important to change the time. . . I dont know. Anyways his date is at the new year i guess. We are tryign to figure him out. Then fransisco is a really awesome guy. He gives us rides everywhere, we have been teaching him for about four weeks now, and he had a date for the 27th also. And he fell through because he drinks sometimes, and he has a problem with la ley de castidad. law of chastity. for those none spanish speakers. He now knows the importance and meaning of it though. We tought it twice to him before he actually understood, and yeah. . . . So he didnt really lie to us, he just didnt know what we ment . Atleast i think. Because at first he said he didnt have a problem with it, and then we found out later. . . that he did. But now he knows and he is trying really hard to be his best, he has come to church four times now and he is really awesome. Progressing. . . I dont think i will be here to be able to see his baptism though. . . I am almost done with my first twelve weeks. . . and i am just getting deeper and deeper into my mission. . . It is crazy. Tell Melanie one thing she needs to do is really study preach my gospel. . . . . Like really study and know it for herself. One thing that i always though Preach my gospel was for . . well. I thought preach my Gospel was something you memorized and you shared with other people. But what preach my gospel is, is to help you (the person) The missionary to have personal meaning and knowledge in our gospel. It is not just something to read and memorize. . . Their are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many different things that i have learned, and i wish i could share them all. But too many things happen during the day. Ha i am still trying to catch up with them and apply them all. And one thing for Alex and Melanie, The two that are closest to their missions hah. . . .is to really take the MTC seriously. . . You only get that time to practice wherever you get called too once. So take it seriously and have fun. }But really take the time to listen and study the things you are given. It is soooo important, and i am afraid to say that i could have taken it a lot more seriously and i could have applied things sooo much better. Because once you get into the real deal. . . The real outside world , living by yourself with a companion. . . . It hits you hard if you havent prepared yourself enough. And you can definitly feel the difference. Soooo I challenge you both to start preparing now. I heard that they changed the age to be able to serve a mission is now 18, ?? Is this correct??? If sooo Alex buddy start studying to be a Missionary. Anyways. Thats what i have to say about that. No new investigators this week. . . Sadly. . . : / trying our hardest though to teach and find those people that are trully searching. It makes me sad to see people just blow off the oppurtunity. but they do. . . and yes its sad. but thats why were here. Dad I love you and happy your doing the things you love to do. Also Mom, I am sooo happy you have a job that you love to do. You make an impact on sooo many different womens lives, and i am proud of you both mom and dad!!!! Your such both great examples to me and i love you guys. I am doing well, Healthy as ever, skinnier yes,... but thats okay hah. Thank you for sending me a package mom, I love you. I love receiving things in the mail. Hand written proof that my family is still okay. : ) I love them. Tell elise i received her letters. . hah, and Missy is having a Girl, Aleluyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Finally!!!!! She can been named esperanzaa!!!!!!!!! : ) But that is sooooo exciting i am sooo happy for you missy. I love you guys. Daniel and caitlyn i am sure performed amazingly. and more about this buck that les shot tell me more!!!!! Thank you for all your love. I love all of you my family. Hope everyone is travelling safely, and tell all my nieces and nephew i love them. Please tell Melanie once she is a missionary we are allowed to email each other, and keep updating me about her progress with being a missionary. Give me dates and when she gets her call tell me where she is going, Exciting!!!!!: ) I really wish i had more expereinces to share about this week, but nothing stands out in my mind. . . . We had an activity in the church and we invited like everyone to come to it, and only like 20 people came, and they were all women. . . hah, , , We watched a movie about the atonement and bore our testimonies after, it was very spiritual, and one thing is if the members arent strong then we need to strengthen the members in order to have real investigators. . . and yeah. The members here are not that strong. Their are the regulars, but the majority need consant reminders. . . . It is difficult, but we are doing it. I love riding my bike around visiting and talking to people in spanish. I am starting to speak a lot more, and things are clicking faster and faster, It is starting to change temparature here in escuinapa, its cooler and their is more of a breeze, but still hot. ; ) anyways, This is my update for this week. I love you guys with an eternal love. Miss you, exito Elder Fellingham

October 15, 2011

Mom i am doing sooo well!!!! Today i was travelling from Culiacan back to Escuinapa. I left yesterday i had to take care of my papers. . . I was still illegal. HAHA Yes Illegal in Mexico. Your son. : ) hah anyways. Its not even that big a deal, People here could care less. Im doing great, Hey if you could get me a shammy towel in my package that would be great!!!! And a tongue brush, and more garments please, size 34 weist, cotton.. Those are the only two things that i can think of. I am doing well, this week was pretty normal. Still teaching the same people and trying to baptize them. The mission only had seven baptisms the whole mission. . . So thew president told us to repent. . . . I was very suprised at this. I felt bad. . . It makes me want to be better though. I amd doing well. Cought up on my sleep from travelling. I love riding buses. . . haha. Mom I am sooo happy you won that for your website. The WIN is Blessed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally!!!!! Its about time. Your always in my prayers, and the rest of the family. Especiallt david right now with his job. I am happy to hear everything is going well. I dont have a lot of time to write . I got back around 5 ish. . . So i missed my whole p day travelling pretty much. But i just needed to send this so you knew i was okay and everything is alright. And WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Melanie is deciding to go on a mission!!!!! HAHA Omg, I didnt know this. That is sooo awesome though. Babe you have my permission!!! : ) The mission is sooo great! It is difficult at times, but it is soooo worth it. Love you. I received your letters just soo you know. I got your letter mom, and Melanies letter. and All of elises!!! haha So the address is correct. I am sooo Happy to be serving the lord, and I am soo happy to have all of this support behind me, my loving family, and Melanie of course. : ) I love all of you!!!!!!!!! Well this message is going to be short, but i am fine.!!!!!!!!!! Sorry it could be longer,,, but i hope all is well. Please give me details next monday about the family, and melanie, and what she is deciding to do.!!!!!!!!! I hope everyone is finishing up their sicknesses. . . I hope heidi is okay. Your all in my prayers, and i will update better next week with details. I love you guys. miss you. Elder Fellingham

October 8,2012

My Familia!!!!

Okay, so here i go about this week.!! Yesss General Conference! In spanish. . . . . haha. This last week was very good: ) I am learning lots more things daily. Okay so the main story for this week is last thursday me and Elder Jenkins had run out of plan A,s to go to. . .  so we were contacting and We contacted and contacted forever.... and we were getting sick of it, because usually were not supposed to just contact unless we really need to, or if we run out of plan A s.  So yeh we ran out and we were contacting for a pretty long time and then we were about to stop and I decided to contact one last house, Jenkings didnt know though and he finally realized that i had stopped and was going up to a house so he hurried and came back, and I yelled out Buenos Tardes and and a 19 year old came out and he was like whats up, and we started to talk to him, and i asked if his mom was at his house and he said yeah and walked intot he other room and got her. and then we talked to her, and we tought her the lesson. The restauracion  and we talked a super long time and her son got bored and left. . . but she still listened patiently, and at the end i asked her if she would get baptized in spanish, and she said yes!!! that was the first time i have ever done that, or given that commitment to someone and she said yes.!!!!   I cant remeber if i already told you guys this story. but this is just the last story i remember, the last main even . . .  that has happened to me. Ha. Pero la fecha es de la 13 de octubre. Y estoy animado!!!! The bad news is that her daughter talked to her after we left and she kind of got to her a little bit, but the next time we went and talked to her we told her it was really her decision, she is about in her thirties, and her name is Guadalupe. She wants to be baptized and she is our latest progressing investigatore. We are still trying to figure out Fransisco!!!! He is still progressing and he came with us to general Conference. We had General conference in the church with other branches that are here, Rosario, Teacapan, and Escuinapa. The general Conference was in spanish and it was hard for me to understand, Really enjoyed Hollands talk though, the Feed my sheep one. Thats one of his famous talks for missionaries. Lots of missionaries like that one. I hope you all had a wonderful General Conference I miss having conference at home already. . . .haha even though its only my first one. Its all good though il only miss four. . . 

 This week something me and Elder Jenkins are working on is our planamiento semenal. Weekly Planning!!! and We had the Zone leaders come and teach us a few things because we felt like we were getting over loaded with things. Elder Jenkins never really had good companions either, he is still fairly new. . .  but he really tries to be his best in everything. He is a good companion. He is only in like 9 months, and i am his first trainee. I have been hearing that after this change i might be training someone new. . . .  sooooooo : / I am trying to be my best and learn as much as i can before i get someone put under me. . . . !!!!! It gets tough sometimes but we just push through it. There is a lady next to me right now that is looking at things i am not allowed to see and. . . .  and yeah im trying to really like i am 2 inches away from my screen so i dont see these things. . . haha. I am trying to be the best i can be. It is like a bunch of women with tattoos ,, anyways,,, We have dfinitly noticed that satan tries to do everything he can, . . . Thank you satan. . . . , But when we are teaching usually people keep their doors open and cars go by that are blasting their music, or their are announcers that are blaring out what they are trying to sell from their cars, and just things like that that can disrupt our sweet message that we have for these people. . . People get distracted here very easily. . . .  but yes, Satan shouldnt be allowed anywhere,,,,,,  We do everything we can for people to feel the spirit when we are around them. : ) I am getting really uhm,,, skinny. I feel like i went from 185 down to 170. . .  I really need to find a scale to weigh myself. : / But i fdo feel a lot skinnier ,,,, FLaco Flaco... I try to eat a lot though and it just seems to not do enough . . .  I know il be okay though.! : ) Its not that bad, I will probably come back skinnier though so dont be suprised when you see me. Spanish is picking up, It kind of becomes like just a habit, i try to study in the mornings but even without it i still learn a ton of new things in the day. I try to show God that i am willing and open to learn the best i can though, and it is not for me . . i only learn for the people that we teach. If it for me, i wont learn anything. . . Everything we do is for the people we teach here. !!! everything, and i am happy, i love serving. 

I got your letter MOM!!!!!!! It came in the mail, and i was happy to get it. !!! I also received Melanies tambien so if you could tell her i got it ; Well she will read this letter anyway, <3  So the address is correct The way you put it on your letters!!!! and  I am happy that Elder Jenkins mom contacted you, i thought that would help so thanks to her!!! Uhm Dad the street we live on is called severiano moreno and fransisco perez, its behind the ley market. The LEY has big red letters, and its titled LEY But we live in apartments behind that, and the door to our place is a white big gate. yup that our door, and our boundaries of our area are  from fransisco Perez onward. Everything is named by colonies, Col. Centro is the main city colony and then their are more around it,  but our area has the arroyo de escuinapa in it, so if you find the Ley then you will be able to see all of my area that i work in.! I love you guys, your awesome, I miss you all. I have some favors, this favor is for Alex, Buddy I need you to be writing me all the good songs that come out while im gone, and all of the movies that are good that come out also. HAha put up a sheet next to the thing melanie made and you have to write down the songs and the movies that come out, thanks buddy!!!! and can you guys make a list of like all the good new tv shows that come out that you guys watch???  also there was some stuff in the back of my car that i want still, There is a black akedemiks jacket that is furry, and then also my black furry blanket those were in the back of my trunk, they both smell like smoke. . . . And need to be dry cleaned ; /. . .  but those two things mean a lot to me, and if someone could put them with my buckets then i would appreciate it, thank you!!!! then there were cloths also in plastic bags, and those are just for D.I .  . . .  or throw them away. . . .  they were devins when i helped her move. . . .old news. but yeh just the blanket and jacket!!! Thank you. Heidi!!!! I hope you get better i am sooo sorry i hope everyone is okay. . . I dont even know what whooping cough is, well i know its a bad cough,,, but yeah I have never had it. I am sorry for those that are getting it, and i hope you get better!!!  Thank you for hosting a small party for Melanie!!!! HA Melanie Happy Birthday, I hope you had such a good day, I cant beleive you are 20 years old. . . That is ohh soooo crazy to think that. I miss you love you, I hope you had a good happy special day.

ALso please tell Grandma Noble Happy Birthday. I love you Grandma sooo Much I cant beleive your 90!!! and im sure you cant either. Ha I love you so much. MY G MA that keeps on going!!!!!!!! Im sad i missed what danny had to say about this. . . . But i love You and i wish you a happy Birthday!!!! I love you. Thank you for always encouraging me with my mission.!!! and I will see you when you are 92!!!!!!!!!! In 2014.!!!! So dont stop giving up Grandma. Your amazing, and a great example of us all. One of the things we learn is to endure to the end and you have always been the best example!!! I love you with all my heart and you have always ment a lot to me grandma. I can still remember when we would take walks by the canal and throw rocks in it! We have great memories.!!! Happy Happy Birthday. 

Things in my package you could send me. . . Are,, Candy that doesnt melt!! lol. . .  skittles i think are okay, life savers, I feel like i need more supplies than goodies, ha. . .  skotch tape is always helpful and i was wondering if you could send me some colorful sharpies. Also!!!! Baptismal clothes, not all the areas here have white baptismal clothes and if i just had my own that would be easier. . . you can find my weist size from my temple clothes. My temple bag is in my room by those tubs!!! in my closet.! thanks, Also a couple more pairs of garments could be useful. . . i have the cotton ones. . . idk what kind they are. Just whatever you send will be fine, Il wear! if you want you can send me more updated pictures of the family!!! i like pictures! and you can write messages on the back of them explaining them. 

Mom i hope your thing in LA goes well!!! at the westin hotel those are nice hotels!!! Thank you for that quote it almost made me cry!!! almost. . .  Casi casi. haha. I enjoy reading them. and dads scriptures also. I hope everyone is doing well. And i love all of you. Until next week. }

Elder Fellingham!!!

October 1, 2012 Hey mom i am doing fine. My week was good. My first companion is very different than my last one, but i am grateful for it because this whole week i have seen things that can definitly . . . well they are just better than my last companion. I have already learned a lot from him. His name is Elder Jenkins and he is from Weber. He is very nice and he tries to do everything perfectly. . HAh, sometimes it is a little hard to keep up with him, but it is good for me, and i know i need it. It is building me and strengthening me be the best i can be. I can see the change it is starting to make in my life. . . and I want to be better, I want to be the best missionary i can be. This past week we got a contact on the street, in the night time a man named francisco came up to us and he was like is there any times that you have had God in your life. Or something like that, and he said i would love to hear more about this, and i handed him my address book and he wrote down his street and all the information we needed to find him. We have tought him three times now, and he is a bit confusing, we are still trying to figure him out. He is a little crazy at times. . . like says he has pains in his head and we dont know. . but we are trying to help him and we asked if he would be baptized the 13 of october and he said yes. So we are excited about that, now he just needs to come to church three times. Unfortunately he didnt come to church this last week so we had to shift his baptism up a week. So this is the main person that we are trying to teach. He is a cool guy. We really hope he has the desire to change his life around and want to come to church. Another person we are teaching is a lady named eve she is about 65 years old. I dont know around there, but we teach her and her niece, and they are both progressing a little bit. The only thing with eve is that she is super Catholic and she doesnt beleive she needs to get baptized again. I dont get how she cant understand, but we are trying to figure out a way. If God wants her to be baptized he will show us the way and we will do it. I love being a missionary. We work soooooo hard during the week and looking back on things knowing that at times you did your best and others maybe not so good, but everything is always worth it and we can always work on those things that didnt go so well. I love it here, and my vision is changing towards things. . . I have realized i need to not focus and worry about the future and I just need to worry about right now. Both times with my companions i have asked ( If there is one thing you could go back and change what would it be? and they both said I wouldnt think about things in the future. They both told me to just focus on what i have and what i am doing right now. So i have decided that is what i am going to do. I am trying to change my mind set to just think about in the moment and in the mission. . . I am getting soo deep into it, and i know i will just get deeper and deeper. . . ha I love the work, love the study and I am learning so many new things. Our planning at times is hard because the elders before us did not do a good job at planning and writing things in the big blue book that your supposed to write everyones information in. . . so we are trying to figure that out. Once we do it will be easier. At first i was frustrated when i found out that Elder Anderson did not teach me the things i need to be tought. . . Because there are so many things that i was supposed to be doing but i just didnt know, and he didnt tell me or do them with me. But now This new Elder is helping me with things. He is so much better!!! Anyways it doesn't matter, but things are going much smoother now, and things feel better than they were. I am healthy, Happy!!! Working!! I gave my first talk in church yesterday in the mission, and last week wednesday i gave my first blessings on my mission, I gave two that day to an old women who looks like she is about 70, and then she took us into a back room where her mom was, and i was like woooowwww your moms still alive, and she looked about 102. So that was kind of crazy but the spirit was definitly there, and two old ladies were the people i first gave blessings to on my mission. Then later on in the week i also gave a blessing to fransisco, to help him with the pains in his head. They were pretty great feelings after. Maybe sometime if it would be okay you can take a picture of my plaque and send it to me, I want to see it haha. . . I love everyone, and I hope everyone is doing well, I pray for everyone every night. !! If you can give me updates on everybody next email I would love it. My companion says he will send you the information to be able to send mail to me. . . He will email you. The one I gave you should be correct though, we are supposed to get mail this next monday so i should get your letter then If the address was right. So we will know next week. Something that my companion is sad and im not allowed to email friends in this mission. . . Thats what he said, so from now on i cant type to melanie. . or other friends anymore. : ( I need to obey the rules of the mission president. But its fine i will just try to start writing hand written letter to her. Melanie is allowed to keep writing me though to the email, but im not allowed to write back in email. So will you please tell her this : / it made me sad at first but i got over it fast also, I know that the work is more important and I know that i can still talk to her and hear the things that are still happenning in her life, Please dont lose her mom! Please keep inviting her to family things, and update me on your perspectives of her : ) I love her, and i love my Family and everything that you and dad do for me. I am so gratefull for all of the support and everything you give me. I love you mom and dad, I love you very much. Dad thank you for your scriptures i use them lots. and mark them in my scriptures. Tell dad i will try to look up my address, so he can find it on google maps. ITs on the street fransisco madero, find the Ley market and you take a left or right on that street depending where you come from. I dont know il for sure find the exact direction for next week. Everythings is going well. Im well. I love you mom thanks for your quotes, i like them. and i can share them with people in spanish in lessons. : ) I love you my family!!! Love elder Fellingham

Monday September 24, 2012 Okay, entonces de ahora en adelante envio un grande mensaje a mi mama, y despues ella envia mi mensaje a otros miembros de mi familia. Alright so from now on im only going to send one big letter to mom!!!! and then she is going to send it to everyone else after she receives it. This way it will give me more time and i wont have to write cada persona un mensaje specifico. ( every person one specific message) I love you all and i am sooo happy we are family members! I love the gospel and i love these moments i am having in my life, as you can see spanish is clicking, i promise i didnt use my companion haha!!! to help me with my spanish. I love this language. It is so fun once you start getting to know it and use it. I learn something new every day, well many things new every day. I love the spanish language and it is awesome. I will start with mom and dad!!!!! Mom I love hearing about your travels and everything that is happening. I hope everything went well in california, and then Las Vegas. I hope the WIN is doing great!!! I am happy to hear you know how to use power point now hah!!! Master texter to power point maker!!!! YESS. : ) I am doing well mom and i miss you and love you also with all mi corozon. gracias por su español a mi. : ) My feet have healed up pretty good, i never used the lamasil stuf i got, i have just been washing them every night when i shower, and they have been healing. I think they are kinda used to everything now, it was just a little change for them in the beginning. My shoes are good. i hope they last all my mission, cant wait to see how they wear in. : ) My health is good, and yes i have been eating more fruit and vegetables are sometimes hard to find, but i eat what i get. Usually we dont have a lot of vegetables in our meals. Only a few. Lots of our meals are usually just meat and like a broth. . . hah yummy!!! yeh. . But we have good lunches. I hope everyone who is travelling right now is safe and well. Danny and amanda im glad you guys got back safely, ha dint even know you left. anyways hope amanda s sister had a great wedding. I pray for david each night and his family, i keep in touch with him and his short messages to me. I hope he is doing well in texas. I hope jaxon feels more comfortable and i hope jackie is doing well. I cant wait to see the chart thing melanie made. ha 764 smiley faces?? something around their. anyways i already messaged angela and her family but from now on i will just be putting everything on one message to mom and that way she can just send it out to everyone and then everyone can see it. Haha seems like this African women is pretty interesting i hope she helps. And what happened with joy and her??? haha what the heck, Im sorry Joy. you guys kinda bumped heads?? : { Love you mom, im careful on my bike: )))) Dad love you i hope everything went well at your convention in boston?? i think thats where it was. but im happy to hear it went well. I love you and im grateful for you. I use you as an example in my teachings for investigators, and i tell them that you were a convert!!! I think it really helps sometimes. I love you and i am grateful for your decision to join this great church! I love evryone else and i am running out of time to type. . . I received a new companion and i am sooo happy. He is way cool and i can already tell we have a lot more in common than Elder Anderson. My new companions name is Elder Jenkins, and he is way chill. Way nice. He seems like he will be a good teacher, and i am excited to learn from him and be his companion. I will tell more about him next week.!!! All day today we have been doing changes, I have been on splits with elder baltich and were just waiting for his new companion now because he comes later in the night. It has been a good day today though and my writing will be cut a little short because we changed to and everything is a little messed up. I will write more next monday though. I love mi familia. Miss you guys. love you.

Ben's District

 The Elder standing next to the Mission President's wife is his companion I believe, Elder Anderson.

... the group with all of us, that is my district. and then my house is in there also where we stay, and then their is me laying in my bed taking a picture of our blue room haha

Letter to Joy dated 9/17/2012 Hey joy love you guys. Here is a story about one of our investigators. There names are juan jesus, and cindy. Juan is 24 and cindy is 15 haha. . . . they are together. They just had a baby together. Their family members have been baptized in the church but they havent and we asked them if they wanted too and they said they did. The only problem is that they need their papers to show us that they are legally married and cindy s papers are in a different state in mexico. . . so thats a bummer, we always try to avoid the people that have had a divorce or are married legally but dont have their papers because they take forever in mexico to receive. . . every thing is so flojo here. . . lazy. But they want to get baptized and they said they would try to get here papers as fast as she could. then we can baptize them. I have a feeling it might be a while though. But their is a story you can share with everyone. and no i dont need a new pair of slacks. ha its just a little hole. not too bad, and i know a guy who can sew here. so bonus!! Love you and your family tell kenneth school is really important!!! keep up the good work tell your kids i love them. love you guys.

Letter home dated 9/17/2012 Hey mom I love you i am doing well. Starting my 6th week in the mission field. It seems as if time just flies by so quickly. I think im going to be getting a new companion soon, maybe this next week or so. My companion right now elder anderson is the oldest one here that has been in escuinapa so i think he is going to leave soon. We have gotten a lot closer and we are pretty cool with each other now. This week there hasnt really been anything new, we have been teaching the same people. The women fransiska said we couldnt come back because she said her husband doesnt want us too. . . its too bad so we have been trying to contact him and get him to want the gospel also. The work is hard and good. We are teaching a lot of Jehova s witnesses. . . which is crazy because we never do. . . and we have one couple that is progressing and we have no idea how they are. . . because the testigo s de jehova are crazy here. . . we had a lady named maria we went and explained her the book of mormon and she was soooo hapy to hear our message and she is a testigo and then the next day we went she tried to give us the BOM back and she wouldnt even talk to us . . once the testigos hear that we have contacted one of their members they go and like brain wash them or something. . . but we have two that are progressing and we are suprised. they came to a baptism the other night of another companionship and they watched the baptism and then the day after the husband came to church. Their names are cali, and ellene, they are fun to be around and we are trying to teach them. they are doing alright. still progressing, we hope and pray for them day by day. I woke up this morning at 4:30 and felt very crappy. . . . i woke up with dirhea. . and just felt horrible had the biggest head ache and sinus pressure in my ears. . . and my muscles all ached. . . i slept in, good thing it is our p day today. so i got some rest, i took a couple ibuprofen and then at the store later il buy some other medicine, i feel fine now though, i got everything out of me this morning and then after it was just the head ache. . But im fine no worries, just had a little bug. I am happy about sweden and i bet it is way pretty. I am so happy your global womens summit went well. I am doing well, ha my shoes are fine, and i worry about you also mom, i worry about the whole family!!! I dont like being away. But i keep you all in my prayers and i know that you are kept safe day by day while i am gone. I love you guys and i miss you. I want to remind you that Melanie s birthday is coming up! Do you think you could maybe do something for her or anything if the family want to do something. It is october 8, the day before grandmas birthday. Just a heads up, Thank you . Please tell missy happy late birthday for me. . . ugh and i told david happy birthday. I try to keep up on all of them. . Il write grandma something monday the day before her birthday and you can read it to her. Everything is well mom, I hope your travels are safe and i hope dads trip was good also. I love you both so much! I havent received your letter yet. . i just know they take a really long time. Im sure i will get it soon though. and im sure its the right address. I love you mom! Love your son Elder Fellingham

Letter home dated 8/27/2012 Ha hey mom. I love you yes i am doing well. . . i should probably buy some more fruits and vegetables at the store though. . haha it just takes a lot of time out of the way to cook and wash the vegetables and most of the day we are given lunch by members. Usually we always get lunch so thats good!!! I am really tan. . . haha tell alex my arms are almost as tan as his now. : ) and my face. My hands are a lot darker for some reason idk why. I also have hmmm something wrong with my feet but thats okay. Its just like athletes foot or something. I wash them each morning and night. . . everything has been good!!!! I am happy. Teaching a lot of new people. we have about 6 new investigators since last week. and lots of people here are unpunctual with time and setting a time to come teach them. so we just keep going back until they are home. . . most of the time the person is never there. . . . . but that is okay. we go up and down a lot of hills on the exterior of escuinapa. and my legs are getting strong. . . ha it has been fun. i wake up 30 minutes early to practice my spanish. . . i dont get a lot of language study. right now i can pretty much understand everything that is being said in a spanish conversation. I nderstand beter then i can speak it. this morning i had a really good language study and my companion helped me out a lot- I am learning little by little. . . We have a 12 week process. all the new missionaries go through and thats what i am doing right now. after the 12 weeks i should be able to do everything on my own. teaching lessons and inviting and everything. i am on my third week now and things are getting less bumpier. I struggle sometimes in the morning waking up. . . but i can feel the difference when i dont and when i do to study my language. We have our first zone conference tomorrow. That is in mazitlan. i am happy because we get to ride buses. . . ha and get to rest. : ) i like the buses here. Everything is going well. and me and my companion are good. we talk a lot more now. the people here are awesome. Lots of them are funny. Women sweep the dirt road and i have never understood that haha. . . but whatever. : ) I am soo happy to hear about the family. and everyone started school again. That seems like this summer went by way fast. so glad you and dad are doing well. hope alex likes his new job. !! and i am way excited for david and jackie. !!!! they get to move back to utah thats soo awesome!!! and i am happy david is graduating. he is such a hard worker and all of it is going to pay off!!! i hope the move goes well!!! I have not received any mail yet? it takes a long time. It takes about three weeks to receive things. Atleast thats what my companion said. . . sooo when you send things just know that they are going to take a while to get to me. make sure the family knows the address to send things to. The mission office in Culiacan like i explained in my last email. then they send it to me. Mom that is sooo awesome you are going to all those places for the win. That makes me happy india sounds fun!!!! haha mexico is similar to india! lots of people ride on scooters and bikes, and have carts trying to sell things. they do with what they have and everythings is great!!! I love you and the family. Keep updating me on the family. i will write to you next monday. Tell everyone i love them. and i am doing well. !!!! strong, healthy, mentally good. . . ha! learning lots. starting to teach lessons in spanish. (trying) haha. . . but i am getting there. I give my little parts. but my companion talks a lot more then me. . . but i learn new things everyday and try to find room to place them in my head. : ) everything is well. I love you miss you and dad and the family. I have a fovor when you watch shows from now on will you write down the new ones for me???? so when i get back i can watch them ; ) only if you can. Thanks i love you give the family my love. Tell david happy birthday!!!! from me. love him. love everyone!!!! Love Elder Fellingham