Week 8 - Life in Tecamac

Hola Everyone,

Sorry that this letter is a little shorter this week, we had an activity today in Pachuca at the President’s house that took up most of the day!

This week has been a very long one. So, for my first P-day last week, my Zone and another Zone got together and played soccer. It was fun! Tuesday, we had to take a bus for about an hour. We had our little welcome meeting and training with President Kimball.  While there, I was able to see everyone from my CCM group. We talked about rules and finances. Wednesday, we taught our first lesson which was really cool. We taught a family with the Dad being the only member. We taught the first lesson and it went really well. The family started to cry and the Spirit was really strong. Friday, we had to go to Pachuca again for our first Zone Conference. We talked about the mission and how everyone is doing. President Kimball then gave us a new initiative which is 212 baptisms in 3 months. Its going to be really hard, but I know we can do it. Saturday our Ward had a baptism for an 8-year-old boy. We had to get everything thing set up for that and that was really cool experience.

I want to talk about Tecamac for a minute. Tecamac is a City that boarders Mexico City. It’s a pretty sketchy place if I say so myself. I am sorry there isn’t a ton of pictures. I can’t carry my camera around with me because I am afraid I would get robbed. To get around the City, because our area is pretty big, we take these Mexican sprinter vans everywhere called Combes. They are crazy to drive in. They have signs up in the windshields telling where all of the different ones go. Once we find the right one, we call them over and they pick us up. They cram the car full of people! Whenever I get in, I get stared and glared at. That’s always fun. The ride usually costs 10 pesos per person. That sounds cheap, but when you have to take a lot of them each week, it adds up pretty fast. That is our main form of transportation.  Another thing about Tecamac, is I don’t think they have an age limit for drinking or smoking. I see really young kids doing it and it makes me really sad to see it. Tecamac is a really interesting place. I don’t think you need a license to drive either. I see like 14-year-old kids driving. I’ve also seen all sorts of interesting shoes with different pictures on them. Some of which I shouldn’t mention. Trash is also a really big problem here. Most people just liter and it gets really gross in some places. That’s where the smells come in. Sometimes I can’t breathe because it smells so bad!  Anyways, that’s the city. The members of the Ward are really nice though. They all laugh at my Spanish. If anyone is curious about how I feel everyday of my life, watch the part in “The Best Two Years” when Elder Calhoun goes to the store for the first time.  That’s what every day is like for me. We eat lunch at a member’s house almost every day. They feed us a lot, but sometimes the food doesn’t agree with my stomach. 

In closing, I would just like to say that I have learned a lot already on my mission. Life isn’t about fun and games, its about work. Not just having a job, but just always working. As a missionary, I have learned you work hard every day. We don’t get weekends off. We don’t even get P-days off.  With the Lord’s help, I hope that I am able to stay healthy, so I can continue to work hard every day of my mission.

Love you all,

Elder Fawcett

My Apartment, Surrounding Streets and Sports P-Day Today


Zone Conference
New Missionary Training Meeting

Week 7 - My First Week in the Field!

Hola Everyone, 

Wow a lot has happened! I will do my best to remember everything. So, last Monday morning we got up around 3:30 a.m. and we made sure we had everything packed. Then we went to wait for our bus. The bus got to the CCM around 5 a.m. We loaded our stuff and left for the airport. Once at the Airport/Bus Terminal, we unloaded and went inside. We waited for about an hour until it was time for our Puebloan Part of our District to leave. We said goodbye and then waited for our bus. Once it got to the Terminal, we loaded and left for Pachuca. I fell asleep on the bus along with everyone else.  The bus was really nice and it was about an hour and a half bus ride.

 We arrived at the Pachuca Main Bus Stop and were greeted by President and Sister Kimball. They loaded us in cars and took us to see a few of Pachuca’s sights. We took a picture in front of the clock tower. We then drove to a Church where the Mission Office is. They had these things called pastels waiting for us to eat. We all sat in a room and talked a little about the mission. Next, they started doing interviews with the President. They took the Sisters in first. Each interview was about 20 minutes, so I waited for about 3 hours before it was my turn. When I went in, the President shined my shoes for me and then took me to meet my new Companion. He is Latino and his name is Elder Castro from Puebla, Mexico. 

Elder Castro and I then took a taxi to the Bus stop and then rode a bus about an hour away from Pachuca. We got off in a city named Tecamac. Tecamac is more on the hood side even so for Mexico. We got off the bus and took a taxi to our house. Our house is very small and is fairly nice compared to most houses around Tecamac. 

The next day we jumped right into it!  We went contacting and ate at members houses. This is how most of our days go. We are struggling to find investigators. We walk the streets for hours and knock on doors. Doors here in Mexico are different. Their doors are mostly just a steel gate. Some have doorbells, but they don’t really work. So, we use a peso and tap on the steel gate. They then shout “Quien” and that’s when we start contacting. Not a ton of people want to hear us and if they do, I don’t know what they are saying. 

Time for some of the interesting stories for this week. My Companion is the District Leader. So, on Friday he went with another District Leader to Pachuca. I went on splits with his Comp. This was nice because he’s fluent in both Spanish and English. We went to an appointment he had (we were in his District) with some investigator. Now he warned me before that one of them was a 20-year-old prostitute. So, we went in and started teaching. I just sat there because I don’t understand very much. I start hearing a few words I know in Spanish like coffee, drugs and cigarettes. The Elder I am with, hurried and takes out the Word of Wisdom pamphlet and we leave. After, he tells me that it was a good time to leave and I asked why. He said that we were offered drugs, coffee, cigarettes and “prostitutional services.” I had no idea because my Spanish is very poor. So that’s what my first lesson was like.

So, the other fun experiences I had this week is that this weekend is like Mexico’s Independence Day.  It’s on September 15. Our whole Zone went to the Stake Center for the big LDS Party they were throwing. President was there and we took pictures. I got to see some of my CCM friends which I really needed because this week has hit me very hard with homesickness. At the party, they did Mexican Classic Dances on stage and most of us missionaries talked. I also had some of the “Nacho Libre” corn which was really good.  
  
So that’s a little about my week. My spiritual though for this week is Prayer. As I said, I have had the hardest week of my life. I have felt pretty alone because I can’t speak Spanish. It has been very hard. I have often thought what I could do to feel better. I then thought to pray. I have prayed my heart out this week and it has helped a ton. Even though I still feel lonely, I know the Lord is with me. I challenge everyone who reads this, to pray day and night.  If we don’t pray, we aren’t building a relationship with the Lord. We will fall away without even knowing it. It’s important to pray and read the scriptures every day.  The Lord loves us. He wants to help us in our lives. We just need to invite him in and ask for help. We need to be solid members of this church and not just go to say we went.  I love you all! Remember to choose the right!

Love, 

Elder Fawcett

(Lots of pictures since I didn't send any last week!)


Last Bit of the CCM and My Teachers

Meeting My Trainer
My House


Mexican Independence Day Celebration

Week 6 - Elder Fawcett Arrives in Pachuca

Dear Fawcett Family,

We are so excited to have your son, Elder Fawcett, here with us in the mission.   

He arrived this morning.  He will be a blessing to us here and know that he will grow and be blessed in his service.

Thank you for your sacrifice and for him. We know that your family will be blessed as he serves our Father in Heaven. 

Love,

Presidente y Hermana Kimball

(We just heard for Elder Fawcett, a little late, but he has been assigned to serve in Montes, Ecatepec de Morelos.  Yeah the best we can translate, it is somewhere in the Mountains north of Ecatepec.  Anyway, his Companion is Elder Castro from Puebla Mexico.  It is just the 2 of them in the house and Elder Castro does not speak any English!)

Week 5 - Ready to Go to the Field!

Hola Everyone,

So, I have made it to my final week in the CCM. I must say that I am ready to go to the field. I know that my Spanish isn’t nearly good enough, but faith is a principle of action. So, I am taking the little Spanish I know into the field. The CCM has brought many experiences into my life. I have learned how to be a better person, to have more patience with myself and others, and to have faith in my Savior Jesus Christ and my Father in Heaven. I have gained a better testimony of this Gospel and this Church. I have gained a greater love for the creation, people, the Gospel, the Church, my Family, Jesus Christ, The Holy Ghost, and my Heavenly Father. The Mexico MTC is the greatest place (even though I’m counting down the days till I leave)! It is a very well taken care of place. From the grounds to the pianos, everything is beautiful. I am beyond blessed to have spent 6 weeks here. I thank the Lord everyday for the chance he has given me to be here. The employees, the President’s, etc.… Everyone here is amazing. The Latino employees are very patient and loving. I am beyond lucky to teach the Latino people. 

I can also testify that the Lord does indeed bless his missionaries. I have always felt the Spirit every day. I have watched my Spanish come from nothing to almost being able to understand everything the teachers say (week 5 & 6 is Spanish only. So, the teachers only speak Spanish). I am starting to be able to speak more Spanish and use the tenses. However, I am far from perfect or even semi-fluent. I know through more hard work and faith; The Lord will bless me to say what I need to when I need to. Again, I am grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to have been able to be here in the Mexico MTC. I truly have met some amazing people along with having some amazing experiences in which I would like to share.

One day I woke up and was feeling a little homesick. I went to early morning study in the classroom. It was a personal study. I always start my studies with a prayer because a missionary always should. Also, in case anyone is wondering, missionaries average about 10 prayers a day. So, I prayed that I would have help understanding my purpose better and help to stay better focused. After ending my prayer, I opened my Book of Mormon and came across Alma 42:31. “And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words. Amen.” These were the words I needed. I know the Lord wanted me to read this. Every day I read this scripture to help me remember my purpose and my duty to The Lord. I testify that The Lord hears and answers our prayers. 

This next thing I’m about to share is very special to me and I do not feel at liberty to share the whole thing. However, I do feel that it is ok to share a little about this experience. So, a couple nights ago I went to bed around 10:15 (which is 15 minutes before the deadline), I was usually tired. So, I went to bed like a normal night and I started dreaming. In this dream, a little girl came up to me and I felt just this overwhelming love for her even though I didn’t recognize her. She was a little older than a toddler and could walk and talk like any human at that age could. She was the cutest little girl I have ever seen. As she walked up to me, I asked for her name and she said, “Lily.” I felt chills run up my spine in my dream. I then noticed that she had a dirty face, and I used a napkin to wipe her face clean. That is all I feel I will share about this dream. When I woke up, I could remember my whole dream. I then started to ponder about my dream. I prayed about it and had a thought pop into my head, “that little girl would be important in my life someday.”  I had that impression come into my thoughts and I felt the spirit testify of it. I am still trying to come to grips with it. I get chills when I think about it. I also thought about the hymn “Consider the Lilies,” one of mine and my Mom’s favorites. Also, in D&C 84:82. “For, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these.” 

In closing, I would like to say I have loved the MTC and I am excited for the field. I know the Lord will bless me with my Spanish and efforts. I love The Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ. I love you all and I love being a missionary!

Love,

Elder Fawcett

Shining My Shoes Before I Hit the Field

One of the Parrots at the CCM

Elder's Wells, Rawlins, Fawcett and Williams

My Last Week Dot on My Name Tag

CCM Post Office

CCM Cafeteria

Me, Proving I'm the Biggest in the District!

CCM Barber Shop

CCM Store

The CCM Devotional Center

CCM Gym

CCM Water Tower