July 29, 2014

 

This has been a week with much less traveling to find members and more working with some of those we have found.  Evan and I went to a ladies house a couple of weeks ago and had a good visit with her and learned of her reasons for not attending church (excuses).  Since then we have taken the Elders with us and they have been teaching the lessons from the beginning with Peggy who is the member and her son who is not a member.  She really suffers from depression and if nothing else our visits seem to bring some light into her life.  She enjoys bantering with the Elders and is very receptive to listening.  Her son Ivo was so funny at one lesson.  He said “I hope I don’t offend anyone but I don’t really like Mitt Romney”.  We reassured him that he didn’t have to like Mitt to be a good member of the church.  They gave us a pretty firm commitment to come to church on Sunday but didn’t make it for some reason. We had learned from the Elders that last Sunday when the James family came with the two boys that had helped us so much that they were really bored in the Sunday School lesson.  On Thursday I called the teacher and talked to her about teaching the boys in Sunday School and if we didn’t do something more interactive than read an article from the Ensign we would lose them.  She was grateful that I wanted to help her as she has never been taught how to teach.  She was given the lesson manual and told she could just read the lesson.  As a convert of 4 years she can only do what she has seen others in the branch do and that is mostly how everyone teaches in this branch.   We came up with a lesson from the Primary 4 manual Book of Mormon on the Tree of Life story which is what we had just read with the James family.  Even though the boys are 12 and 14 they have neither one had Primary so we felt that going back to the very basics would be more beneficial to them.  This might be one of the better ways that I can make a difference in this branch.  By helping someone learn how to teach more effectively it can benefit her and the branch.  Unfortunately the family didn’t come to church so we will just hold the lesson for next week.  The same sister taught the FHE lesson last night and even though she still read an article from the Ensign she did try and ask some questions and elicit some comments during her reading which was new so I think she is catching the vision. We had high hopes of a number of less actives and investigators attending church as we had several commitments for them to be there and not one showed up.  Back to the drawing board so to speak.  We will never give up as we have really come to love these people and want them to be back and feel of the joy of the gospel. We were able to help out the Hermanas(Spanish speaking Sisters) in our area as after District Meeting we drove them about 40 miles to see the LDS dentist.  He does their dental work for free so it makes it worth the trip especially if we can help them out with the miles.  It gave us an opportunity to get to know them and learn of the challenges they had to come on their missions.  I am so impressed with all the missionaries in our district. We pray that you are all helping the missionaries in your own areas.  We have certainly learned how important the members are in missionary work.  The missionaries certainly can’t do it alone.   The gospel is true and we need to share that with everyone. It would be good to hear from any of you.  Thanks to those who continually drop us notes. Love to you all Elder and Sister Fullmer etc.

July 21, 2014

I was able to go with two of the sisters from our branch to the temple on Wednesday.  When we got to the temple we found that the whole session was full with the New Albany Zone of missionaries. It was a very spiritual session with 20 missionary companion-ships.  The room is only supposed to hold 40 but we had 48 there to accommodate everyone.

We had interviews with our new mission president and his wife on Thursday. They had told us all about themselves last week at Zone Meeting so this was a get to know us interview. We are both so impressed with them.  They are excited for the work.  They are so different in personality from President and Sister Woodbury and will come at things from a little different angle.  It takes all different personalities to continue this work.

This has been a busy week of travel as they all seem to be.  We are averaging $10 a day on gas which tells you how many miles we go a day.  Thank heavens gas has dropped $.30 a gallon the last couple of weeks. We are having some success in finding some of the less-actives in the outlying areas but it means lots of miles.  On Saturday we spent three hours with our branch mission leader trying to find three different households and finally found one to talk to.  He says he had been thinking now would be a good time to come back to church as there are some changes taking place in his life.  Another of the households had a locked gate across their drive and when we found the third house we didn’t have time to visit because of another scheduled appointment we had to be to.

Because it was our branch conference yesterday we had a full house at church.  It was so good to feel of the spirit there.  After meetings we had a linger longer to feed all the visitors and to be able to mingle with the leaders.  Just as in the wards of the church the women in this tiny branch know how to put on a meal.  We had so much food left that we are having leftovers for FHE tonight.  We had one of the less-active families who we have been working really hard with come to church.  Their boys Bryce age 14 and Jakob age 12 really wanted to be of help.  Bryce has been baptized and is a deacon but they had not been back to church since Bryce was ordained and Jakob has not been baptized.  We were able to use the boys help putting the food on the tables and then they helped put tables away and set the chairs back in rows and helped carry food out to cars for people.  Hopefully they felt needed enough to want to come back.

We also had a less-active from the Sketo family come to church.  He had called the Elders and said he wanted to come back.  I guess he does this every couple of years and is active for a while but then drops off again.  Hopefully the branch members will step up and keep him this time.  It can’t just be the missionaries because we all leave.  His family is the one that had 12 kids and the parents were very active but now only have one son who is active at all.  This same week the Elders met a young man who is a nephew of this man who they started to teach and he doesn’t even have an understanding of God.  It is sad to think that just two generations ago his grandparents were the stalwarts in the branch.  He is excited for them to come back again.

It was so good to hear from some of you this past week.  Those emails really help keep the spirits up.  Keep up the good work Elder and Sister Hatch, Yearsley, Wallace, Saunders, Sister Hawkins and all the rest of our missionary friends.  Also all the rest of you member missionaries keep the missionaries in your area busy.  We all love referrals.   

 

Love to all  

Elder and Sister Fullmer etc.  

The pictures below are just some interesting things in Indiana and Kentucky.  #1 is the tepee bridge   #2 is one of the three bridges you see going in to Louisville.  #3 is a restored car #4 is a pretty moth we saw on a door frame and #5 is  just one of the factories that surround us.   

   

July 14, 2014

Another week has flown by and we have been busy as usual.  The highlight of this week was that we got to go to Zone Meeting and meet our new mission president and wife-President and Sister Brough.  They are so full of greenie zeal and fire that it is amazing.  They told us a little bit about themselves and their family.  When we broke into groups we first went to the group with President and Sister Brough.  President told us about their 4 days at the MTC.  I wish I had recorded it and could listen to it over again.  He told about how the first evening after class and dinner they got on a bus with Elder Bednar and went to Thanksgiving Point to the theater for a movie.  He was so excited telling the story.  They saw the new Meet the Mormons movie that the church has produced.  It will be really neat when we get to see it.  It is meant for investigators or just anyone to see and learn more about us.  On Sunday they had sacrament meeting with the whole first presidency, all but Pres. Packer of the 12, all the auxiliary leaders and many of the 70’s.  He told about the young missionary who got to pass the sacrament to President Monson and what a memory that young man will always have.  They spent the rest of the days with different members of the 12 and the 70.  He then told us about the new focus of the missionary program.  It is FIND, TEACH, BAPTIZE, RETAIN and REACTIVATE.  ALL FIVE EVERY DAY.  Every missionary is to now do all five of those things and try and keep those they baptize.  It is important that those who find the truth don’t lose it by inattention.  We also were told about the new THE FAMILY book that is coming out which we will give to investigators to help them get started on family history.  I am excited.

We then went to the AP’s class where they talked about the promises we could have made with some of these people in the pre-existence.  Angie M’s name just kept coming to my mind.  I feel as if I did make her a promise that I would not give up on her even if she was stubborn.  I felt the spirit so strongly in that session and really want to try and focus on her.

The last session was with the Zone leaders and was focused on teaching the members how to do missionary work.  It really takes all of us, missionaries and members alike to retain those who come into the fold.

On the way home from Evansville we stopped at the little cemetery I have wanted to stop at since we first got here.  It was so interesting to see some of the old headstones.  One of them had every bit of information a person would need to do her genealogy.  In the picture below you can see that it has her name, spouse's and parents names, where she was born and her birth and death dates.  I went into Famliysearch.org and found that her work has not been done at all.  I want to do more research when I have time and see what else I can learn about her.

 

Saturday evening we went to visit Sonny and Sue. They started out telling us that their children were concerned about what they are doing and are discouraging them so they want time to think about things.  I wasn't surprised but it still broke my heart.    Sue had checked a book out of the library which talks about several different religions and when Elder Gerard skimmed through it he tried telling her not to read it.  I told her if she wanted to really know the truth to not go to someone who didn't believe it to get her information.  The Elders stopped to see them last night and think we need to go back to the very basic Restoration lesson again to make sure they understand.  Sonny is really close to the daughter who is putting the pressure on them so we don’t know if he will have the strength to stand up to her.  This work can be so rewarding but so heartbreaking at the same time.

We love you all and appreciate the notes we get from you.  

Love 

Elder and Sister Fullmer

etc.

Picture 1 & 2 are the headstones.  3 is Evan standing by a cornfield.  

 

July 8, 2014

Hello to all.  This has been another busy week with many miles on the car.  Sometimes it seems as if we spend half our day or more driving.  We spent 3 days last week just driving out to different areas trying to find people on the branch less active list.  We were able to find an address for 4 kids that no one in the branch even knew and get it to the branch clerk to send the records on as well as finding 3 people who have passed away that again the branch didn't even know who they were.  Interesting to say the least.  We also found several less actives who invited us back any time and were very friendly.  Several of them come from the same family that when the parents were alive were very active.  Only one of the 12 children are still active that we have learned about and he lives in another unit.  It is sad to see that so many of this couples posterity is inactive after they were so faithful.  Some of the names on our list will never be found because they have moved and we can't find any forwarding address and some on the list don't even have an address listed. The detective work is a challenge.

Our good friend Anna who we felt was progressing so well dropped us on Wednesday.  It is such a heartbreak to loose these people after coming to love them.  We are still going to try and see her and still be friends but her note was pretty harsh.  That was the real downer of last week but our sweet older couple Sonny and Sue are committed to baptism even though Sue is scared to death of the water.  When we taught the Word of Wisdom lesson last Saturday before we even mentioned coffee, Sue brought it up.  When they came to church on Sunday she said that it had been a very hard morning and when we saw her last night she said it was hard but she is stubborn and can do it.  They only drank decaf coffee so hopefully it won't be so hard for her.  She had also asked about why we didn't have a collection plate and was interested in the whole idea of tithing.  That lesson is this week.   I am especially excited to go over today and help her start her genealogy.  They are scheduled for baptism on the 26th but it all depends on when Sonny has to have his surgery.

We were able to spend the afternoon of the 4th with the Branch President and his wife's extended family.  Many of them are less active but are very open and welcoming.  They used to have a band and traveled to many different areas to perform and did opening shows for some great singers but quit to be family people.  They have a music room all set up and sang and played.  It is fun to see our Branch President drumming.  We had such a good time.  Afterwards we sat on our porch and watched fireworks from all different directions.

It has been cooler this past week which was a blessing because the ac in our house went out again.  Luckily it only took one day for them to fix it.  We hadn't had a rainstorm in a while and the grass didn't even need to be mowed this week and was looking pretty dry but thankfully we got a pretty good storm last night.  Our cantaloupe and watermelon and growing rapidly.  We have about a dozen cantaloupe and just less than that of the watermelon on the vines.  At the rate they are growing it shouldn't be long before we get to eat some.  A couple in the branch are leaving for vacation this week and will be gone for at least 3 weeks so we get to benefit from their garden and use their produce.  

Other than the chiggers which have eaten Evan up and the ticks that we find so frequently(one each just this morning) we love it here.  

Please let us know how things are going in your lives.  We miss you all and appreciate even short notes to let us know you are still alive.

 

Kimber-How is it having a tiny baby again?  Do you ever get to hold her?
Joe-Does Maya have an email address of her own?  Tell her happy heart day from us.  What happened to that letter you said you had written and just needed to send?
Josh-more details on the sister you met who is coming to our mission and your trip.

Kara-How did the move go?  What is your new ward like?
Cami-I loved getting to talk to you.  It is nice to hear from family--hint, hint for the rest of you.
Kellie and Shawn-How is France?  Send pictures please.
James-Do you have Landon right now?  If so give him hugs from grandma.

Jake and Jess-I still haven't gotten pictures of your new place.  How is the move going?
Kate-Thanks for the long talks this past week.  I needed it.

Audi-How are you doing after your surgery?  I know John won't email so please send a line this way.

Jared-It was good to talk to you even for a minute.  Did you find a new place?

Levi-Will Zellers says to tell you hello and he would like to see you when he gets back to Idaho.

Love Elder and Sister Fullmer

Mom and Dad

Grandma and Grandpa

Evan and Trudy

Jul 1, 2014

Hello all from beautiful Indiana.  This has been another busy week.  On Tuesday we took some Elders to transfer meeting which meant being in Owensboro-the wrong way to Louisville-by 6:30 a.m.  We love going to transfer meeting and this one was especially good because it was the last time we would get to hear from our Mission President who has finished his three year calling.  Even though we have only been here for 4 months and had three interviews with him we have felt of his spirit and love for all things missionary.  We are looking forward to meeting our new President next week at Zone Meeting.  We put over 300 miles on our car that day the last half without a fan to run our AC.  We couldn’t even have the car windows down because of the rain that was pouring down.  We are so spoiled and blessed to have air conditioning.  It has made us ever so grateful for those saints who went through this area without the luxury we enjoy.  On our way back from the meeting we stopped in Tell City to help our Elders move the heaviest stuff for the non-member family they were moving.  Four Elders made the job much easier.  Our greenie was enthusiastic for his first opportunity to serve. 

We have had many appointments with new contacts and continuing investigators.  Our good friend Anna is coming around about leaving her home.  She continues to surprise us.  When the Elders asked her to pray at the first of one lesson she said she just couldn’t but when they asked her at the end she just went ahead and prayed.  She told us she would come to FHE and perhaps to church.  Each time we meet with her she has progressed.  She is reading the Book of Mormon rapidly and always has questions she writes down to ask us.  She says she knows it is true and believes that Joseph Smith could be a prophet. 

We had an interesting time with the Elders at one appointment.  They had met with Kyle and Molly a couple of times before and one time Molly’s dad tried to bash them.  When we visited with the Elders, Molly had some really deep questions about some of the doctrine that we know come from her dad and anti-literature.  They didn’t set up another appointment but the Elders will keep in contact with them. 

We were able to go with a less active couple to see the convent and monastery which are not far from us.  We saw the statue of Christ overlooking the Ohio which is patterned after the one in Brazil,  a covered bridge and took pictures,  the convent in Fulda, the Amish shop that is the old flour mill with a water wheel and then the  geode gardens which are amazing just because it really is all made of geodes and then went back to Mienrad and saw the  monastery.  We got there just in time to attend Vespers which was interesting but I sure didn’t feel the spirit.   The monks all came walking in wearing their black robes.  It was a man singing a verse and then the congregation singing one.  We then toured all through the monastery and saw lots of idols.  Talk about worshiping idols.  There were plenty of them to see- from the finger bone of St Mienrad who started the monastery to the relic box which holds the bones of someone.  There was a very ​ornate box which holds the sacrament bread that isn't eaten because they believe it really does turn into the body of Christ.  It felt like a very pagan place and I didn't feel any of the spirit there like I do in the temple.  It is beautiful architecture and a lot of money goes into it but I didn't feel the spirit there.

We had four less actives to church on Sunday and one nonmember who comes with his wife a couple of times a month.  I took over nursery for the day so that the young couple who take turns staying with their boys in nursery could both go to Sunday School and the combined fifth Sunday lesson.  Thank heavens for the   i-pad and phone because they kept William and Daniel entertained after they got tired of building towers.  I can’t do the nursery every but will certainly take it on when we don’t have anyone attending the Gospel Principles class. 

We are still finding less actives who have had their feelings hurt some way and don’t want to make any effort to come back.  It is sad to see how many people take offense when probably no offense was meant.  Today we are headed out to try and find all five families in a little town 20 miles away.  The two we have already talked to there aren't very interested but we still pray for them.

Love to you all

Mom and Dad

Evan and Trudy etc.

Picture 

1 Christ overlooking the Ohio, 2  Convent 3  Covered bridge, 4 Amish shop  5 is the waterwheel. More Pictures will come in another email.​​

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Here are more pictures from our jaunt last week.  The first two are of the geode garden.  It is very interesting and if you go to Geode Garden Jasper Indiana you can see all the pictures.

3.  the monastery, 4.  the monks, 5. fingerbone of St Meinrad, 6. relic box and 7. Sacrament box.

I could send about 100 more but will just tell you it was very interesting and for the most part beautiful but not very spiritual to my way of thinking and feeling.

 

 

 

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