Week 43 - Teaching a Mason!

Hola Everyone:

So, it has been one week in El Palmar and I am not going to lie, it has really been a lot of hard work!  So, in getting to this area, there wasn’t a really any investigators progressing and with me being the Senior Companion, I am the one that has to do all the stuff, which is not really all that bad but it is not easy!  So basically, this week I started off by going through the area book to see what has been done in the past and there really wasn’t a whole lot to start with so we just went out and we have been tracting like mad and honestly, we found some pretty good contacts.

Probably the biggest highlight of the week was that my Companion and I planned a Ward activity and we got quite a few of the less actives and some of our investigators to come. One of our investigator’s names is Sevario and he is a really cool guy.  He came to the activity and we have taught him a few lessons but he is not sure he really wants to come to church or not so we are going to continue to work with him.  Two of the other investigators we have found are named Carlos and Jessica and honestly, they are pretty interesting.  Carlos does sculptures and stuff and he is just an all-around interesting guy.  He is a Mason so that makes things sort of hard because he really knows his scriptures and doctrine.  Both of them came to church yesterday.  When we found them, we were just walking the streets and went to his house just as he got there.  He invited us in and he told us about some problems he is having with his son and he was really emotional about it.  I think we are going to see some progression there because they are already going to church but the one issue, we are going to have is that they are not married so I guess we will have to deal with that when the time comes.

So, going back to the Ward activity we planned, we worked all week and invited everyone and although we did get some of the less actives and some of our investigators to come, we invited a ton of people and there were only like 20 people that came.  So that really told me that there is a problem with this area.  The more I looked into it, there used to be like 200 people come to church every week but now the numbers are down to like 30 people attending.  I think the main problem is the fact that a little while ago they put in a new Bishop and he is like 28 years old and he has unfortunately offended a ton of people in the Ward and so they don’t want to come any more.  I am probably going to be in this area for at least 3 cycles so I am going to have to figure out a way to get people back to church and some how fix the problem that is here.

So, after seeing the problems in the Ward, I guess we are going to start visiting a lot of the less active members!  But, just like the President asked me to do, I have been working really hard and we have been getting home a little late every night because of all the visits and appointments that we have had.  My Companion is really cool and I am really pushing him hard but we really get along well.

Well I forgot to take some pictures of my new apartment so I will have to do that next week but this week I am sending 2 pictures from the Ward activity and also a video of me eating at a member’s house where the kids dared me to eat a really hot pepper!

Being here in Mexico is great and I love being here and what I am doing.

Love

Elder Fawcett

                                                                  Elder Fawcett I Dare You to Eat This!!!

Ward Activity

With Investigators

Week 42 - Being Watched Over!!

Hola Everyone!

Well sorry, this is going to be a really short letter today.  I was transferred and I just got to my new area. My new Area is in the North West corner of Pachuca and is called “Palmar.” It is tiny and it is known as a really hard area. They really don’t see many baptisms here. Hopefully my new Companion and I can change that.

So, you’re not going to believe this, but my new Companion is Elder Perez. Yep! He has the same name as my last companion. Pretty funny huh?!  He is from Chiapas Mexico. I’m excited to get to know him as we plan to continue to work hard. He is still a greenie, he’s only 3 months in the mission and so I’m like his “mom” as they say in the mission. That just means that I’m helping him get a little more acquainted with the mission.

As part of getting my transfer today, I got the following letter from my Mission President:

Elder Fawcett,

Congrats on your last baptism and especially since you got to baptize him. Always a little more special. Now with your new transfer, I expect you to learn and lead your new area. You have a very good but very young companion. I will be watching you for the next 5 weeks as you lead your area and I know you will do well. Your companion is very capable so you can push him. Don’t hold back. Make the most of every day.

President Kimball

So, I don’t know what to make of that but I guess I will work my hardest and just wait and see!

Both me and my last companion were transferred out of Tulancingo as they decided to close the area back up to missionaries.  We worked pretty hard during the week but one story I want to share with you from the week there was that on Wednesday, we were our proselyting and were riding our bikes along the side of the road like we normally do.  Some cars came racing towards us and one of them had a long radio antenna on it.  As they raced by us, I suddenly felt a sting pain on my face but pretty much ignored it until we got to our destination.  After we got there, my Companion looked at me and said that I had cuts on my face.  As you will see in the pictures, the long antenna from the car must have hit me but luckily, I was being watched over because it just barely missed my eye. If you look at the pictures you will see how close it came and how it could have taken out my eyes!

I love serving the Lord in Mexico and I an excited for the new challenge of serving with a relatively new Elder.  I hope you all have a great week!

Love

Elder Fawcett

                                                                                     Ward Cultural Dance Activity

Hit by a Car Antenna!!

Blessing that it Missed My Eye!

Donkey Parked at the Gas Station!

Ward Cultural Dance Activity

Week 41 - Clemente's Baptism

Hola Everyone,

So, another week has come and gone here in Mexico. I don’t have a lot to report on because the cycle is winding down and coming to an end.   

We did have the Baptism for Clemente on Saturday. It was really cool. And I was honored that he asked me to baptize him. So, a lot of this past week was focused on his baptism and making sure that it was going to happen. Because there for a while, we weren’t sure.

We are still working with the Olvera Family. It’s been challenging! They still haven’t come to church, but we keep trying and hoping that they will. We realize that there’s only so much we can do, but we are not about ready to give up

Sorry for such a short letter this week.  Some weeks are just busier than others. I love being a missionary and serving the people of Mexico.

Have a great Week!

Love,

Elder Fawcett

Clemente's Baptism

Ward Members

Riding into the Countryside

Leaving Town

Farm	Countryside

Little Goat

Families Turkey

Farmer's Dog

Sunset

Week 40 - Answers to Prayers and Fasting

Hola Everyone,

It’s been a really hard week this week to be honest.  We’ve been working hard! My Companion and I have been working extra hard with the Olvera Family. We continue to invite them to church, but they don’t ever come. It seems like the only people we can get to come to church are the ones who have been investigating the church for a long time and are not wanting to get baptized.  We are bit discouraged, but we’re are going to continue on working hard and not give up. 

So, on Saturday we decided to fast for help in finding people to teach and baptize because my Companion and I have a goal of baptizing 5 people.  Anyway, we went over to Clemente’s house and they were building a roof with cement. Even though we were in our church clothes we jumped right in to help! We mixed the cement and scooped the cement. It was tiring for us because we were fasting and it was hot. We got dirty, but it was worth it. Clemente went with us to a baptism that Tulancingo Uno had. He told us afterwards that he finally wants to get baptized! He’s been investigating the church for about 6 months and has been reluctant to get baptized because his wife is Catholic. But we’ve been praying and talking to him a lot. So needless to say, Clemente will be baptized this Saturday. We are super excited! We can’t wait and are grateful for the answers to out many prayers and fasting after working so hard in this area!

We also found a new family by the name of Martinez. They are a family of five and we are hoping they come to church this week. We are working hard with them also. They are really nice and we are excited we found them. We’ve only taught them one lesson, but we are going back to teach them again tomorrow. 

My big backpack broke. Most of the zippers finally just broke. So, Hermana Kimball is getting me one with the mission name on it. So that’s cool!

Sorry for a short letter. We are working hard and I’m trying my hardest and doing the best I can. But I love being a missionary and serving the People of Mexico! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Fawcett

New Mission Backpack

Hanging Out Today on P-Day

Last Week's Zone Activity

House Inspection for the President