Good Fruit

CIAO my friends and family!!!

Well as you may notice our investigator JOEL got BAPTIZED on Saturday!!!!! 

WHOOOOO!!! He was SO excited to be baptized! It was a process to get him here but it was amazing!! 

So let me tell you some highlights of teaching the one and only Joel! 

The first week of this last transfer (6 weeks ago) Sorella Gates and I went on a finding spree/rampage!! The mission goal is to have 10 quality gospel conversations  a day/70 a week. The first week we were together we had 90! Don't think this was just because we are these amazing missionaries.... it was because we had no one else to teach and we were in some desperate need  to have some new investigators!

So we found Joel outside of a supermercato asking for some money. Sounds a little sketch BUT he is really just an refugee living in the African camp here in Foggia. On our first meeting he told us he has no way to survive because it is really hard to find a job. On the first lesson we promised him that if he would put got first in his life he would be ok! and the next time we talked to him HE FOUND A JOB! In the lesson he told us that he found a job because of the Book of Mormon! 

also in a lesson he was telling us that he didn't think he could stop smoking! But then I felt prompted to take a pic of Christ and tell him to commit to Christ to stop smoking. (this idea came from this little book called "member missionary work" I call it the green book that you have to take with a big fat grain of salt... that i actually really do not like ...AT ALL. The author is not very humble and every time I read It i just am about to pull my hair out) SO when we were in the lesson and the thought to do the "commit to Christ to stop smoking" lesson from the green book came to my head I KNEW it was inspiration! (because there is no way I  would want to actually use that book) It was actually really powerful! and the next week Joel told us (direct quote)

"I have been smoking since 2002. And then in one day I quit" 

He was telling us how every time he wants to smoke he would pull out the picture of Christ and then the desire would totally go away! WOW!! so cool!! so moral of the story..... quitting smoking CAN actually happen AND never underestimate the power of inspiration through unexpected ways! 

Another random side benefit (actually I dont know if this is a good thing or not... probably not) is that Sorella Gates and I are having a little bit of a personality change. AKA our voices are not adjusted to "African English" So that Joel could understand us. We sound so ghetto. But it is cool. but also other missionaries think we are freaks.  It is really funny! 

This week we were with Joel, waiting for 4 hours for the stake president to come from Bari for Joel's baptism interview. We taught him a lesson and just kept waiting and waiting . We didn't know what to do because the stake president wasn't picking up his phone so we were looking around the church and found the movie "How Rare a Possession" and decided to watch it with Joel. It was hilarious because we had to "translate it for him" and make it SO basic! I was trying so hard not to crack up because of the whole situation! By the end of the movie I am pretty sure that he thinks that America still looks like it did in Joseph Smith times. hahaha! 

But sopra tutto (above all) the best part of Joel was the actual baptism!! He kept telling us that he wanted to be clean and be born again! Before his baptism he just was so excited and when he came up out of the water he just started to bawl! He was so happy! so cute! Also in his testimony in front of the ward he said (another direct quote)

"I never thought I would be here in Italy, as a member of the church, with all you white people. But God is real and I feel like a new baby right now!" Slightly awkward but sweet also! 

But it was so sweet because after the whole baptismal service he came up to me and said "congrats" I was like "Joel, congrats to you... YOU got baptized, I did nothing...its all God!" He said "no no no...thank you for helping me become a new person! I will forever be thankful!" It was so presh! That is what the mish is all about!! 

If anything this last transfer I have learned that God really does keep his promises. Our goal was to have a baptism this transfer and we told God our game plan on how we will accomplish this and we got to see the fruits of our labors!  

WOW! what a great week! also... randomly Alessandra came back to church this week after months of not coming! I have always felt like it is her time to be baptized and stop being the eternal investigator! Praying that during my 5th transfer here we can have a big break through!! We will be meeting with her tonight so we are doing a big fat DTR!! 

Love you all!! xoxoxo Vi Voglio Bene!! Sorella Fuller 

Transferred?

Who's ready to hear my transfer call???? Well here it is .......... (you will never guess) I am staying in Foggia for another six weeks! I promise you this is not a joke! My 5th transfer in the one and only Foggia! hahahaha! To give you some perspective.....sister missionaries missions are 12 transfers in total...so I will have spent almost HALF of my mission IN TOTAL in Foggia! I really not like thinking about it that way... hahahahahaha! When we got the transfer call the AP's called us. The transfer calls from AP's are KNOWN for being filled with jokes and pranks so the call went like this.......

AP: Sorella Fuller... what do you think is going to happen"

ME:Idk Elder Alvey..... like I am for sure out of here... maybe somewhere up in Rome..that would be sick!" 

AP: Really ok... so here you go Sorella Fuller.... you are going to..."

and he hangs up...........what???

calls back in 2 seconds

AP: You are going to........ (meanwhile my stomach is totally in knots and just so nervous/excited)...stay in Foggia.

ME: YOU ARE KIDDING.....  ELDER ALVEY WHAT TYPE OF SICK JOKE IS THIS? NO ONE DOES 5 IN THEIR BIRTH CITY.... NO ONE DOES 5 IN FOGGIA!"

Meanwhile Ast Alvey is just cracking up laughing so hard thinking this is the funniest thing!! I am just dying! The phone call was 25 minutes of us claiming he was lying! I was literally in a state of shock! I am the longest sister to stay in Foggia! I can offically be called the "Queen of Foggia" it is just insane! 

Anyway..... the call was on Saturday.. and since then I have been digesting/coming to grasps with the situation. It will be awesome! I love my comp, the members really know me, we have some good work going on right now and there are two new greenies coming into our district! So I think it will be really good for my confidence to not be the youngest missionary in the district anymore. 

It is really funny because literally..... there are random missionaries that I have never even met in the mission that know I am staying in Foggia for 5! It is totally unheard of to stay in a city for a long time.... especially your birth city... especially for sisters! There have only been two other missionaries who have served in Foggia for this long and they were both Elders. 

Anyways... real quick.... Joel was not baptized but we were just able to push his date back for this week! So there will be a baptism this week! YA! 

Sorry I do not have alot of time today because we went to a castle called Castel del monte (look it up it was really cool and beautiful! ) for p day and it was far away and we dont have a lot of time! 

CHEERS TO FOGGIA!

Vi Voglio Bene!! 

Sorella Fuller 

Buona Pasqua! Happy Easter!

Hello Family and Friends and Buona Pasqua!!!!! 

What a great time of the year! I have to say that I think I liked Easter better this year than Christmas! Who knew? But it was really awesome! So many crazy wonderful things.... I don't even know where to start?! 

First off for Easter we got to watch some of general conference! Always a blessing! I watched some in Italian and some in English! I was really thankful to listen in English because it is amazing to hear the apostles and the prophets ACTUAL voice. Not just some Italian voice over... what a blessing it is to have English be our first language! To hear the prophets actual voice!! We didn't get to watch all of conference...bummer...but I think we will try to make up the talks today during preparation day! 

Also on Easter, we got to have Easter lunch with an amazing family in the ward--the Dicarlos--- they seriously are the glue that holds the ward together. The American family--the Wilcoxsins-- were also there! We had a giant feast and were stuffed silly! 

Also, the day after Easter is another holiday called "Pasquetta" For Pasquetta there was a ward party at the Wilcoxsin's house and we had an American bbq! So fun! 

Ok, so I guess the most exciting thing that has happened this week happened just about an  hour ago. A couple weeks ago, Sorella Gates and I found a man named Joel on the street. He is from  Nigeria and has been our stead investigator throughout the transfer. We just had a lesson with him and guess what.... HE IS PLANNING ON GETTING BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY!! Today we went over some commandments and you could tell he was really nervous about something. He was like " I can not serve god...I have a dark past" The whole time I was just thinking "oh no....maybe when he was back in Africa he was part of some rebel tribal group and was  involved in a serious crime like murder!!" but  The problem is smoking! classic. So this week if he can be clean he can be baptized!! We really hope he can continue with the committment! He is really pumped and has great faith! So it will happen!  Pray for him! 

Also.... This week will most likely be the LAST full week in Foggia. I find out on Saturday if I will get transfered... and I would say that there is a VERY high chance of me leaving! I am full of mixed emotions about this but I am excited to see what the Lord has in store. 

In this Easter season we have been using the church produced little videos percheEgliVive and Grazie a Lui for finding! The coolest things happen! Italians love them because in just 2 minutes the spirit can hit you SO STRONG!! I challenge everyone to use this media in some way...via socail media or what ever.... So simple, so beautiful, so easy!! 

also... I just want to let the world know how thankful I am for Sorella  Gates!! She is the BEST comp!! We have had THE BEST time serving together!! If I get transfered I will be so sad to leave her!! soooo ya! I just love her! So blessed!! 

Ok I love you so much|||| 

Vi Voglio Bene|!!

Sorella Fuller

Rollercoast

I don't know what else to say but that this week has been the ultimate roller coaster. I just want to tell everyone that this mission is HARD! Yes, once in a blue moon we get to have an amazing day in Rome and Napoli but it is not just a vacation! haha! I wouldnt say that this mission is physically challenging... we are blessed in the fact that we have heat, and hot water and showers.... but oh man.... it is mentally one of the most challenging things I have ever done. To mentally stay positive and happy after spending six hours trying to find people to teach and the catholic tradition is rooted SO DEEP in their soul, meanwhile you feel like you are spitting out a bunch of nonsense in some weird language. and then you do the same thing all. over. again. in the same small city... that you have been in forever... and then investigators dont come to lessons or church and you just think "what else could go wrong here?"  it is hard to really explain but frustration to the point of mental break down could describe it pretty well!  Sorella Gates and I were looking at photos of us when we entered the MTC 6 months ago and then looked at us now and said... " we look like we were just hit by a semi truck" I dont even want to know how beat I will look in a year! hahaha!

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But then little experiences of hope are given to you as a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. This week, Sorella Gates and I went to Bari to go on an exchange with the Sister Training Leaders. Sorella Anderson and Sorella Vickers. Sorella Gates (my comp) was with Anderson and I was with Slla Vickers. I didn't really know what to expect from the scombi but it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission. Sorella Vickers is the most unexpected type of person you will ever meet. She looks like a pageant queen but is an amazing missionary! Her go to finding/teaching tool is family history. She has living relatives that live in Bari and she has been waiting her whole mission to serve there and find, teach, and baptize her relatives. The first thing we did was prepare to teach thier investigator who is a 16 year old boy. Before the lesson we were waiting for him in the church and she showed me MY family tree on familysearch.org  IT WAS SO COOL! Like Facebook but with history! thank you alll my great aunts and other family members who have been doing all that work! WOW! so much has been done. Seeing the family tree before the lesson really got me in a good spirit. When we taught the lesson It was the strongest lesson I have ever been apart at. It was all about the book of mormon. We read a chapter together and were talking to him about it. I was able to share personal stories about how I KNOW the book of mormon is a true word of God. My Italian has never been stronger and it was one of the few times in the mission where I legit felt like  a literal tool in the hands of the Lord. And to top it all off.... this boy we were teaching... who used to be a total punk.... started to cry and said he now knew it was true. And he decided he wanted to be baptized!! When we got out of the lesson I told sorella vickers " I get it....this is what I wanted to feel like in a lesson for my whole mission" She was so sweet and even though I will probably never see that boy again she told me " I am so thankful that you could be a part of his conversion... he will always remember that " WOW. just wow! 

Also during the scombi we went and found/did genealogy with Slla Vickers real life family! It was absolutely so amazing to see family come together and see slla vickers have the opportunity to teach them the gospel! So cool!! I cant wait to use family history as a finding tool here in Italy! Get the italians excited about family history and it is the easiest intro into the gospel! 

on the last day of the scombi Slla Vickers asked me if  I felt ok and how I was doing. I basically told her my true feelings that I expressed above. She was like an angel! She was able to tell me exactly what I needed to hear and testify to me... that even though this mission... the italy rome mission... is one of the hardest missions in the world.... it is the most rewarding mission in the world. It breaks you down so you can understand Christ better. It makes you humble... but it makes you build your faith! As she told me all this.. she was crying... I was crying and I felt peace! 

I am not saying that now everything is perfect. Not at all... everyday has its ups and downs. But that is just LOAM.. Life Of A Missionary! Everyday I am learning how to embrace it, love it, and find joy in all moments! Those when you are at the Colosseum and those when you are walking through trash filled/muddy streets of Foggia. 

Vi Voglio Bene!

Sorella Fuller