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

Letter home dated 8/20/2012 Hey mom. Ahhhh it is sooo different here!!!! yes I am here safely. We got here off the plane and met up with our mission president at the airport then he took us to his home and his wife made us dinner. then we took pictures then after that he took us to where we would stay for just one night, when we got there it was another missionaries apartment and we all crashed because we were tired. i slept in the kitchen , , , haha because their were no matresses left. and it was fine!!!!! no worries. It is very hot and humid here. I am used to it now kinda. hah. and everything is going well. The next morning woke up and i woke up sick i had brushed my teeth the previous night with the water. . . . and i think thats what did it. But im good now. That whole afternoon i was just going to the bathroom a lot. and the bathrooms are very gross ha,, but im used to that by now also. : ) the next day we went to the mission offices and met up with most of the missionaries and we had meeting with the president and he assignes us to the city we would be in. I am in the lowest city in the mission. It is called Esquinapa. Its below mazitlan. Later that day we went to the bus station and got on a bus. It was a five hour drive from Culiacan. The buses are nicer-. - hah so that was a benefit. When we arrived in esquinapa it was raining and i loved it. I like the rain. : ) and we walked three blocks from the bus station to the apartment. The apartment is nice and i like it. Il take a picture of it. You walk in and there is like a small living room with a long couch, and then the frisge is next to it, on top of that is a rafter type thing with a red railing and thats where we study in the mornings. as soon as you walk in and take a left there is the kitchen and the bathroom and then our room where we sleep. it is a nice little place and its good. The members live in a house behind us. yesterday was my first day at church and their are about fifty members-. it not very big. its nice though the church is nice. Its very hot and humid here and i sweat all day. . i bought rags today to be able to wipe mysef off. . . . hah. Everything here makes me very grateful for what i have at home. We started going out and teaching the next day and by now i know pretty much all the investigators. here in mexico its funny. . . hah each door we go up we yell buenos tardes through their windows and they usually come out, and they always say they are busy. . . even when we can see through their window that they are just watching tv or something. . . it is just the culture here. Everyone is busy. or occupado. most of the time we have to make an appointmnt later in the week when they have time or just start our message right there and then and then they come out and talk to us. its very different. and we usually teach more towards the north and thats where all the poorer people live. They live in. . . hmm its kind of close to the kibera slums but a little bit better. . . ha if that gives you a picture. and it is out of the city a little bit over a river and its really green over there. We have a few people in the city we teach but now a lot. Most of the people are catholic here. Their is a cathedral right in the center of the city. . all of the roads lead to it. After the first week i know where most of the members live and where all the investigators live. I can get myself around pretty well. We ride bikes everywhere and we are lucky to have them. There are only four white missionaries here in esquinapa. me my companion and two other elders. its a small city. we have one half of the city and the other two have the other half . There are two branches in the church here. I am here in the rainy season and it rains every couple days- once it gets hotter though it never rains. . it will be cloudy one day and the next it will be sunny. My new companions name is Elder Anderson. He is cool. still tfying to kind of figure each other out. : ) he is cool though. im sorry about katie i hope she gets better!!! and hazels birthday sounds awesome. . pfff i wouldnt expect anything less danny is going to spoil her like crazy : ) tell them i miss them and there family. I dont know exactly how the mail here works. . . or how to send letters. Once i do il send one to you and we will see if it gets to you or not. for right now i thinks its better to just email. I know that if you send me things though you have to go through the address the rio choix one the Culiacan one. You send things to that first and then the mission offices will send it to me in esquinapa. so the address is Rio Choix# 888 COl.Rosales, Culiacan SIN C.P.80230 A.P.645 2012111@ldschurch.org so send things to this address with my name and they will send it to me. I will be here for about 4 months then il get transfered i think. . . i dont know. My companion says its about 4 months though. I am usually verry busy during the week!!!! like way busy especially since i am new. . . its hard for me but i am doing well and doing what im supposed to be doing. I am learning the language fast i think,. . . ha i hope. but i know lots of new words. just after my first week. we have been teaching a lot of people. The church is starting to change things a beleive. . we are staring to only work through members lately we dont do door appraches that much. only sometimes. but the members usually know who we should contact and who would actually stay in the church. I think thats more smart anyway. i have been working hard and i know this church is true. I love you guys. I miss everyone. Tell Laura R to write me a letter. I hope kristy and Pete can help you with the WIN I am happy to hear that it is going a long well mom. I love you and dad sooo much. and i miss you both. I hope dad and uncle david had fun in colorado. i hope everyone is doing well. I am doing well and i am trying my best to focus on the work. Its is hard for me sometimes to not think about whats happening at home, or just missing everyone. but i know that you guys are all okay. and I love all of you so much!!! I will write to you next monday i love you tell the family i love them and miss them.