May 18, 2015

Our family search meeting last week was very successful.  Evan went and set up the computer and got it working with the church system so I could show it on the screen.  The meeting went really well and I was pleasantly surprised to have Tom S and Carol V come as they are two of our less actives. We had visited Tom last week and told him about it but didn’t expect to see him.   Evan stayed to make sure things worked right which I was very grateful for.  He sat next to Tom and helped him try and get things set up. 

I told everyone about the connection I had found with John Solomon Fullmer and Noah Thomas Guymon that I mentioned in last weeds email and also of the reply our granddaughter Samantha had sent about what she had learned of Noah Thomas Guymon.  She enjoys family history almost as much as I do I think.   She is actually the family history consultant in her ward.  Here is what she said.

 “That's pretty cool, as soon as I read Noah Thomas Guymon I knew I had researched him, but I never knew that. I have found out however, my mom and dad are related at the 4th/5th generation (I think...). Louisa Rowley, Noah Thomas Guymon's wife, is the daughter of William and Ann Jewell Rowley. Wellllll on Grandma Joy's side is Samuel Rowley, Louisa's younger brother. Therefore on both sides of my family William and Ann Jewell are my great great great great grandparents. I had always known about Ann Jewell being on my Grandma Joy's side because of her amazing pioneer story, what I didn't know until I went through the "find your pioneer ancestors" thing on Family Search that she was also on your side. I thought that was pretty cool when I figured that out”

The members seem more comfortable with the program now which was the goal.

We each spent last Wednesday going our separate ways.  Evan went and worked with some members cutting wood and then stopped and did some weed eating at another member while I went with some of the sisters and did the Memorial Day thing-cleaning headstones and placing flowers.  Because I think cemeteries are fascinating I had a really enjoyable day.  I wish the headstones could tell the stories of the people buried there.  I would love to hear of their joys and sorrows, their dreams and hopes.  Silly I know.

The rest of the week has been pretty normal.  We did more service, helped with family history, prepared lessons and made visits.  Sometimes we look back and ask what we really did during the week but we manage to keep plenty busy.

We are both so grateful for the opportunity to serve these people in this branch.  Evan said that yesterday Bro. Hinkle who is moving and having a hard time with it asked Brother Skeen to give him a blessing.  Brother Skeen is the one paralyzed from the neck down and it is very hard to understand him but Evan said the spirit was so strong you could really feel it.  Our testimonies have grown so much watching these amazing people face their trials but carry on with such grace.

We love you all and pray that each of you will seek opportunities to serve those around you.  We testify that this gospel is true and the only way to true happiness.

Love to all

Elder and Sister Fullmer

 

May 12, 2015

Hello to all from beautiful Indiana

The weather has now turned to the hot humid days with a teaser day with cool breezes thrown in.  I love the sunshine but the heat just wears us out.  I can’t imagine what it is like where our daughter Kellie is living in Africa where it is 110 degrees.  They had the opportunity to go to Germany for a week and when I talked to their five year old and asked her what she liked most about the trip she said the hotel room with the air conditioning.  It puts it into perspective when we go from our air conditioned house to our air conditioned car to someone else’s air conditioned home.  We are so blessed.

I spent a lot of the last week working on Family Search.  I am teaching a class tonight and wanted to know all about the new changes so was going through each tab to learn what it did.  I knew there would be a lot of information on John Solomon Fullmer because of his prominent role in the church so I went to his person page.  I looked in the memories that have been put online and went through the pictures, documents and histories.  I noticed the name of Noah Thomas Guymon on one of the histories and I knew that name was from my family history.  I read the history and learned that Noah Thomas Guymon who is my great great grandfather and John Solomon Fullmer who is Evan’s great great grandfather were mission companions in England back in the early 1850’s.  We have been married for almost 45 years and never knew we had this connection.  It shows that even when you think all of your genealogy has been done there are still wonderful things you can learn about your family.

I have also been spending lots of time working on Primary trying to help our new presidency member.  We spent some time working up a sharing time with the help of some wonderful things our daughter Kimberly sent.  We only had the 3 Osborn boys to primary so it was a little different than planned but it worked well.  We taught them the abcd’s of repentance or admit, be sorry, confess and change and don’t do it again.  They wanted to come up with a word for each letter of the alphabet to do with repentance so we did.  It meant we didn’t have time for singing time or a lesson but it was them really thinking about repentance.  They came up with some good ideas of words to associate with each letter.   This wouldn’t have been possible in a larger Primary so I guess there are a few tiny perks in having such a small group.  Our little 4 year old had a hard time and ended up under his chair but was quiet doing it.  We have a challenge of keeping him interested unless we are really active.  Sydney(our new member) certainly has no hesitations when working with the kids.  She is a natural teacher and loves sharing her testimony so much. 

While I have been doing all this Evan has spent more time with the Elders or doing service with some of the members.  We both keep busy but sometimes not together.  I went and helped a family pack to get ready for their move while he was cutting wood which he so enjoys.  That is the wonderful thing about an MLS mission.  There are so many different aspects of what we can do to help.  Everything is in some way helping the members of our branch or the investigators we are working with.   This is also the way each of us should be helping in the hastening of the work.  We can do service, fulfill our callings, do family history and attend the temple.  Sometimes a service project which can involve a non-member or less active is just the thing for them to feel needed which we all need.  Family search is a great tool.  We have had several of our less actives say they are coming tonight to learn about family search which we hope happens.  They have expressed an interest in learning more about their families and as I have started looking into their lines I have found that lots of temple work has been done by members of their family somewhere.

We love you all and encourage each of you to share your testimony not only by your actions but don’t be afraid to speak up and tell people.  We know that the gospel is true and we are grateful for the opportunity to have a more active part in sharing it in our everyday life.

Love

Elder and Sister Fullmer

 

Yesterday for our preparation day we took the Elders and drove to Santa Claus.  They both wanted to go see what was there so Elder Fullmer graciously took us even though he would have rather done something else with his day.  We did manage to get him out of the car for one picture with Santa.  The other pictures are Elder Stewart and Elder Gould.

Also we saw this creature out in the woods and after taking his picture from a distance, managed to get a picture with him. We do see amazing things in this country.

 

May 4, 20015

It doesn’t seem as though there is much to write about this week.  The time is flying by and we are making lots of visits, meeting new people, doing service for many people, teaching lessons and enjoying being with the Elders but it is all things I have written about before.  We have had some unique opportunities to serve the family we moved the 40 miles away as they haven’t been to their new ward yet to meet anyone who would be closer to them who could help them out. 

The highlight of last week was really our visit with Gary and Wanda Yearsley.  They are from our hometown and finished serving a mission in California in February.  They had been in Texas visiting their daughters and were on their way to Indianapolis to visit with another daughter so we were on their way.  It was such a good evening with them sharing mission experiences both positive and funny.  They served as the office couple with Gary being in charge of apartments and cars-a job Elder Fullmer prays he never gets.  Wanda served in the office paying all the bills and keeping the mission running.  I am truly glad that we got an MLS mission and not an office mission.  They had way more stress than we do and also never had time to take a nap when they needed it which we sometimes find we need to do.  There are so many ways to help with the Hastening of the Work.

Our newest convert Sydney got her first calling this past week and was sustained as 2^nd counselor in the Primary on Sunday.   When she was asked to stand and be sustained she put her hands on her hips and just beamed.  She is so excited to have a calling and it made me think about how I react when I get a calling.  I hope I can always be as excited to serve as she is.  When Janine and Shay H(Primary President and 1^st counselor) leave in less than a month she will be the only member of the primary presidency so has a lot to learn in the next little bit of time.  The Sister who was called to be president turned down the calling so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.  I will spend as much time as possible helping Sydney learn the ropes so she will be prepared.  She certainly isn’t afraid to speak out in primary and tell the boys how blessed they are to have this while they are young.  She is already learning the primary songs and loving it.  She also got called to be the chorister in Sacrament Meeting which means teaching her how to lead music but she is enthused about that as well.

Today we had the fun of going on a 2 hour hike with the Elders, Sydney and another young man George, from the branch.  We went to the Hemlock Cliffs and got to enjoy the beautiful rocks and valleys.  We did more climbing than we probably should have and tonight I am really feeling it but it was fun while it lasted.  I will probably be so stiff tomorrow I won’t be able to move but it was worth it.  The hike was actually only just a little more than a mile but with all the extra climbing we did it made for lots more.  No boring days with this bunch around.

Much love to everyone.  Remember we each need to do our part in the Hastening of the work.  Be a member missionary by word and deed.  Let your light shine.

Love

Elder and Sister Fullmer

1st picture Looking down the trail to the first stop on our hike.  #2  Sister Fullmer having climbed up to the rocks--I think I can  #3Elder Fullmer at a point in the stairs going back up the mountain.  #4More stairs leading back up the trail.  #5  Layered rock formation.