WoW

Wow. This week was full of ups and down. But I feel like I should start out this letter with my Testimony. I know that God is our Father, I know that His Son is Jesus Christ. I know, without a doubt that Joseph Smith was chosen as a Prophet and Restored The Only true church onto the face of the earth. I know that The Priesthood power that Jesus Christ has, He has also given to us, to bless every human being that has ever lived, and will ever live on this Earth. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet. I know these things. And Because I know these things, I trust Heavenly Father for the things I can't say I know yet. I have faith, and that fills in the gaps. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Stone which Daniel told us would fill the whole earth. Its happening as I'm writing this email. No unhallowed hand could stop the missionary work that is going on in the world. It has been prophesied about since the beginning, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. 

With that being said, some crazy things happened this week. We got a call from a Bishop up in Anaheim, and he told us that there was someone in the Mission Viejo hospital that needed a blessing, and he asked my companion and I to go and administer to her. So we went on our way to go the Hospital, and I had just assumed that she was sick or maybe had to get a surgery and was nervous and was needing some comfort. We arrived at the Hospital and there were about 60 or 70 people waiting there for us. Everyone was Spanish speaking. And they had been waiting for us to arrive to give this young girl a blessing. Apparently, She had crashed while she was mountain biking, and was in critical condition, and she was dying. She was dying very quickly. I felt so unprepared. I felt like I needed more time to prepare to give this blessing, but she needed it then. So, we filed into the room where she was hooked up to tubes and a whole bunch of stuff. And the Doctors told us that she had slipped into a Coma and that she would probably die. My companion and I went and said a prayer together, asking to know the will of the Lord, whether this young girl was to live or die. We felt strongly that she would live, so we went and I anointed the oil on the only part of her head that wasn't wrapped, and we gave her a blessing, and it was simple blessing and my companion blessed her that she would walk again.. And I felt a lot of peace. We left the room and the next day, we got a text from one of the family members that she had died. We were heartbroken. I didn't know what to do. We both felt she would live and she didn't. I went to go say some prayers by myself looking for some sort of comfort or answer as to why we felt that way, and why it didn't happen. And I felt something so strong in my heart tell me that "She will walk again, just like you said in the blessing. She will walk in a perfected, resurrected body." And I also felt that what we did, the blessing we gave, comforted the family. I decided that I would never, ever feel like I was not ready to give a blessing again. I decided right then that I will live to be ready to help, and bless, and give everything that I can to help. Although this experience didn't have a story book ending, it made all the difference to me. I will be forever grateful for that experience and how it made me feel, and what it helped me recognize.

Something else that happened this week! We had been knocking doors, talking to people in the streets, and contacting everyone we could.  But we hadn't found a single person to teach. But, I kept telling my companion, "Hey, we put in the hours walking by faith and working hard, and the Lord will give us someone to teach, even if it doesn't come by contacting or door knocking". And it didn't. The very next day, the wife of one of our bishopric members called us and told us that she had a referral for us! We were super excited to go check it out. So we did, and Her name is Maria Figaroua. And we taught her the Restoration, and she loved it. She had been taught about a year ago, and she said that she was ready to get back on the Path, and we told her that the gate to that path is baptism and she said "Baptize me"!!

My companion and I were literally skipping out of the door and down the stairs. Haha it was the best. She is so great, and already has tons of friends in the ward. Also, her two daughters are going to get baptized. They are scheduled for the 9th of August. Just goes to show you that the Lord recognizes effort.

Well, I hope that you enjoyed my email! I hope that someone will take something out of it that will help them. :)

Con muchisimo amor,

Elder Dallin Fuell

Another great week in So Cal

Buenas Dias a todos!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM! Woootwoot. 

  This week was great! The work was hard, but I felt good about it. Our area is one of the busiest areas in the Spanish zone, and also one of the largest. We always have a lot to do, but this week was tough because everyone's been on vacation or somewhere doing something other then listening to us. Haha well, at least it seems that way. But the good thing is, is that we're keeping busy anyway. We figured that The Lord will recognize effort and our desires. So, we put in the time contacting, and although we don't find anyone, we're trusting that the Lord will continue to bless us with people to teach. We also decided that we need to be a little more bold with people. In fact, last night, we were having a lesson with an older couple that we've been teaching since I've been in this area, and they are very religious but they don't believe they can get answers to their own prayers.. They haven't been progressing much, and they have had a hard time believing what we're telling them. So, last night, Elder Sorensen and I bore powerful testimony that there is one true church on the earth that has the authority to baptize and perform sacred ordinances, and that we know that that church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. And we told them that they can know too, but they just have to pray with a sincere heart. They accepted the invitation, and I'm excited to see if they've received an answer. We both felt good leaving the lesson that we followed the spirit and testified the best we could. It was sweet.
  Also! Its been raining the past couple days! It's been really nice. It doesn't rain that much here and its been super refreshing!
  Well, that's all I can really think of to write! I feel like I forget most of the stuff that happens throughout the week, but I just remember that it was good.
  I hope you all have a great week! Love you!

Con muchisimo amor,

Elder Dallin Fuell 

Mission's Rule!!

Hola!
 

Well, This week was probably one of the hardest weeks of my mission, but I've never loved and enjoyed my mission more then this. Funny how that happens.

 I stayed in the Mission Viejo North Area with Elder Sorensen. We are working super hard, and its great! I realized the other day how much I really do enjoy being on a mission. Yesterday, we ran into a very delicate situation with some members that had been offended by something that someone did. As we sat there and listened to them, I couldn't help but think about how the Savior paid the price for all hurt feelings. My companion and I bore very strong testimony that The Son of God himself came to the Earth and suffered every pain and affliction that we could ever possibly feel, and that He did that so he would know how to help us, or like the scripture says "how to succor us". He knew what they were feeling and he laid a down a pathway for us to follow to be able to overcome these hurt feelings. The spirit flooded the room. My companion and I had entered that house kind of scared about what we were supposed to say and do for these members that we loved so much. But we did what the spirit directed us to do, and it was one of the most spiritual experiences I've had in my entire life. The member continued to talk to us, and I had an impression that we should leave her with some scriptures to read. I immediately thought about the Sermon on the Mount. But the one written in 3rd Nephi. I wrote the scriptures down, we said a prayer with her, and left the house. On our way out, we saw some people moving things out of a truck and into a house, and we offered to help.. somehow we got enrolled into a construction project and were soon carrying walls and tiles, here and there, and it was so tiring. But great. After We finished that, we got into the car and had to drive to a meeting, and we were talking about how physically and spiritually drained we were after the lesson and the service that we helped with, but we both felt great, it was exactly what the Lord had planned for us to do. Then, last night, we were planning, and we got a call from that Member who we had taught just like 3 or 4 hours earlier. And she said that as soon as she read the scriptures that we left her, the bad feelings left, and they were replaced by humility and love. Then, not much longer after she had read those, The person who had offended her showed up at her house, and apologized. She told us how grateful she was that The Lord was aware of the things that she was going through. I am so grateful for my calling. I cant begin to describe all the things that I've learned on my mission, but I love being a missionary. Nothing in my life has been as rewarding as this. I don't think I could have said that 2 or 3 months ago. I love this work. And I've been thinking a lot about the quote from Joseph Smith that says, "a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation."The Lord asks everything from us because that's what it takes. Anything less then that really isn't worth it. Well! I love you guys! And I hope that everyone has a great week!

Con amor,

Elder Dallin Fuell