Week 43!

Friends and family!!

First of all happy birthday to my dad! You're getting old! Haha I have the best dad ever!

We had lessons with all of our investigators this week so that was a good thing! Our struggle is just getting them to church! They would be ready and progressing if they would just come to church! 

There was a big riot going on down the road on Friday! It was sweet! We guess there's been a lot of black people being shot so they had a big riot and chanting black lives matter! We were going to OYM in it but we decided maybe not! But it was like this tunnel of people when we drove through them and it was awesomeness!

We had zone meeting this week on Friday and it was awesome! The stake president came and talked to us and then the zone leaders talked about loving everyone! It was a really good training and kind of hit everyone right in the heart! They asked everyone if they loved America and then would they die for America and then turned the questions to do you love God and then would you die for God? And of course everyone said yes but then you really really think about it and would you? Or would you die for just the world? It was an eye opener for sure! We also read a quote from Bruce r mckonkie and it said how missionaries and apostles have the same calling and same priesthood and everything! Cool thought!

On Saturday we were OYMing in mountain view and there was a little shade spot and there was like 20 natives that were hanging out there and most of them were drunk. I thought it would be super fun to go talk to all of them and we walked up to them and like half of them are asking how many wives we have and why we are dressed nice and just yelling random stuff and we talked to them for like 20 minutes and by the end they were saying they like the Mormons and stuff like that so that's awesome! In the midst of all them was this guy named Ferrell and he was white! Haha He has a super cool little black dog named blackie and he was asking us some questions about the church and he wasn't drunk by the way. He stood up and asked if he could talk to us somewhere where everyone wasn't being dumb and asked a few more questions and he wants us to come back and teach him! He was awesome and sadly we had to pass him off to the other elders but it was still a super cool experience. So moral of the story for every 20 drunk native people you find there is one that wanting to change! 

Well that was my week this week! Thanks for all the emails and for everything you guys do for me! Love you guys!

Love, Elder Fawson

And just an awkward selfie for all y'all

Temple pic from a few weeks ago when he was still with Elder Judd!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Friends and family!!!

Well this week has been really awesome! We have gotten lots done!! One of the super cool things that happened to us this week was we had a Ward party on Saturday with our Ward and lake Otis the other Samoan Ward! We were at the park on Saturday and it was awesome! Tons of good food and cultural dances, music and games! And there was even lots of missionary work that came from it! 

Another cool thing that happened to us this week was our Ward almost woke up and now they want to help us so much more with missionary work! It's crazy! I'm not sure what happened but all of a sudden yesterday at church everyone was telling us families and friends that we could go see of theirs and lots of members told us to call them anytime to help with lessons  and all that good stuff! It was cool!

We didn't get the opportunity to do as much service this week but we did lots and lots of OYMing to people and I tell you what that is seriously the funnest thing to do! You never ever know what you're going to get! I met like 2 Joseph smiths! Haha!

The training is going great! It's really cool because when you train it's like you yourself get trained into a better and more effective missionary too! I think I may have learned more than elder Tuimoloau has! Haha my studies this week I have really been reading the Jesus the Christ and if that doesn't get the gears turning in your head I don't know what will! I have learned so much from it!

Our investigators are doing good! The family with 6 kids is doing great! We got to visit with them this week and teach them the commandments so that was really cool! They are actually moving soon but luckily it's within our area! William is doing good. We stopped by this week and he didn't read what we asked him to read so we read it with him and really focused on the importance of finding out for yourself and keeping and the importance of commitments so hopefully he read! Angleica is doing good! We didn't get to meet with her because she was up in wasilla all week so that's a bummer but we will this week!

Happy 4th of July! "I usually don't eat a braut, hamburger, and a steak!.... But it is 4th of July! And I need the energy if I'm going to start blowing crap up!" -Jim gaffigan 

I can't believe it's the 4th of July already! I remember a year ago today I was in the Mtc and it was probably one of the hardest nights because I missed my family so much! All was well! Overall this week was really awesome! The sun being out all the time is probably the coolest thing since iced water! Thanks for everything you guys do and continue to do for me! You're all in my prayers and remember God is at the helm!

1 nephi 17:3

Love, Elder Fawson

Friends and family!!!

Well this week was good! We had a really busy week and had some really good lessons which is always a good thing! Monday of course we got to play basketball and well it was pretty dang awesome! It rains like every Monday so we have to go to the chapel to do something. I just thinks it's heavenly fathers way of showing that basketball is his favorite sport!

It feels like this week we became professional movers! Maybe it's the fact that Im with a big Polynesian! Not sure! But on Tuesday we moved a family in the other Ward to a new house and it pretty much took the whole day! Gotta love it! Then on Thursday we helped these members move stuff from their storage unit to a uhaul. And out last moving gig this week we helped a member in our Ward, brother Whitney, (yes it's a palagi in a Samoan Ward) and he is actually moving to Spokane Washington! Pretty cool! So we basically moved everything in his house into and big uhaul and a huge box trailer! So we are professional! 2 missionaries in a Subaru! Starting a business now!

This week on Tuesday we had trainer trainee meeting which is an awesome experience because it's our president just teaching all the people training and intraining. He talked a lot about how to become better at training how to better commit and invite people to different commitments. And without extending commitments the investigator would not progress at all because it gives them no way to find out if the gospel is true if they done have anything they can do to help them feel the spirit on their own!

Elder Tuimoloau and I now have 3 investigators and a family we are now teaching which is pretty cool! We have an investigator named William who is really awesome and had a stroke a little bit ago but has fully recovered! He just moved up here and is trying to get his family up here. His parents are members but he never was interested in the church but he cried when we first went over there, he said he's been waiting for us to come over! It's was a super neat experience! I will tell you about the rest I'm future emails!

One thing that is super funny that happens to us is every time we go somewhere people always think we work there! It is seriously the weirdest thing! EVERYWHERE! So next time you go somewhere don't ask the missionaries if they work there haha! In my studies this week I have read proverbs and it is seriously the best thing to ever read! Haha it's wisdom man! And it's like the most entertaining and funniest scriptures to read! Well at least in the Old Testament! Haha 

But overall our week was really awesome! We got to each lunch with a family missionaries had worked with and got sealed so that was pretty cool! But we had lots of lessons and it is definently a good thing! Thanks for everything you all do for me! Love you guys!

The church is true

The book is blue

And Moroni is still on the ball

Jacob 6:12

Love, Elder Fawson

Happy Father's Day!

Well this week was awesome! It's weird to think that a year ago I was in the Mtc! On Monday we went fishing in Ship Creek and we only caught a little silver salmon but hey it's alright! At least we caught something! Haha on Wednesdays we had transfers! And that was a little crazy! So Wednesday's morning at 10 there was 6 of us trainers and we met and had like a little meeting with president Robinson and he kinda talked about the importance and responsibility and everything of training. We then got to go into a room with all the trainees and look at all of them square in the eyes and meet them and then they have a map of Alaska on the wall and give each new missionary a fishing pole and they get to point where they think they are going and then president calls up their trainer and tells them where they are actually going and its this super cool majestic moment! 

So my new companion is Elder Tuimoloau from Oswego New York! He was raised in American Samoa so he knows English and Samoan so that's really really good! Definently feeling the pressure because he looks and follows everything I do so I have to make sure I'm always being and setting a good example. 

So if I haven't told you yet we go to Golden Corral all the time! Haha so I know pretty much every food and which is good there! Random fact for all y'all! But anyway we had a Ward party on Saturday night to celebrate Father's Day so it was good he got to meet all the Ward and also the Ward parties here in the Samoan wards are the bomb! There is the best and most food you have ever seen in your life! You get full just by looking at it all!

We have lots of morning studies now! At 8 we start personal study then 9 we have companionship study. At 10 we have 12 week training. At 11 we have language study then at 12 we have lunch. And finally we have iPad training at 1 and then by 2 we are off! So our morning as you can imagine are just super exciting! 

I just wanted to say happy fathers to my father and to all the fathers out there! I don't know what I would do or where I would be if I didn't have my dad in my life. You have been such an example of hard work and perseverance and to never ever give up! I don't know how you put up with me and even though I met Jesus a lot in my youth and most of it... well all of it was my fault I love you so much dad! I couldn't ask for a better role model in my life! 

Well thank you for everything you all do for me! Remember who you are and who God wants you to become. We are put through trials so we can persevere and become the person God wants us to become. The refiners fire. I love y'all!

Love, Elder Fawson

Transfer calls!! I'm training!!!

Friends and family!!!!

This week was so awesome! It was transfer calls on Friday night and for those who don't know what it's like... It's like the most intense night you have ever gone through! Every companionship is huddled around their phone waiting for the call from president after 9 o'clock! It's so awesome to because your phone is going none stop with all the calls from missionaries asking where everyone is going and telling where they are going! Now you guys are probably wondering what happened with it right?!... Well we got some really REALLY awesome transfer calls! Elder Judd will be leaving to wasilla to be a zone leader and I will be staying here and training a brand new missionary straight from the MTC! Holy cow the pressure is on! Of course all the feelings of inadequacy come creeping into your mind but you just have trust in our father in heaven and the mission president that you can do it! So in the mission your trainer is know as your dad and your trainee is know as your son and so everybody refers to there trainers and trainees as their sons or dads so I will have a son in the mission! Gotta love the mission lingo!

Tuesday we got to go through the temple! It was my first time going through the one up here so it was an awesome experience! I love going to the temple it's always the most peaceful and happiest feeling during and after the trip! We went to the temple with our zone and you can definently tell it brings everyone together so much and unites everyone!

This week was also filled with lots of opportunities to do some service! Earlier in the week we helped an older lady cut done some branches with our district and take them to the dumps but we got to the dump right when they closed so we had to improvise and with permission we put it all in the dumpster at the church and had to stomp it down! It doesn't sound too fun but let me tell ya... It was a blast! Haha

Saturday the sisters in our district asked if we could help one of their members take all this mulch and spread it everywhere!! It's was a ton of mulch!! But we got it done! It was super fun and the family was so nice and even took pictures of us and sent it to our moms! Later that day we went to help a family move! You can only imagine how sore we were that night and Sunday morning haha! 

Today we are going fishing so it's going to be pretty awesome! The king salmon are running so if we catch one we will send some pictures!!! We have our day licenses and poles and tackle from members so we are ready!

Overall this week was one for the books! It was the most stressful and anxious night of our mission on Friday night waiting for that call from president! I am so excited for the opportunity to help a new missionary in the mission become closer to our Heavenly Father and help others too! I'm even double blessed because on Wednesday we have a meeting and that's when we pick up our new trainees and after we get to go to the temple again! Thanks for all you guys do for me! I love and care about you all so much! 

The church is true

The book is blue

And Moroni is still on the ball!

Love, Elder Fawson

They got to go fishing today for king salmon! They were pretty excited!!!

P-day again?!?!

Friends and family!!!

Well this week was pretty great!! We found new people and the work is starting to speed up!

Monday we played basketball with our zone and it was pretty awesome as usual and then had family home evening with the Amituinai family afterward! It was pretty cool!

Tuesday we had district meeting and then did some service for this old lady! We cleaned out her garage and made room for her new embroidery machine! Haha after we pretty much just OYMed the rest of the day at the parks! Which is always fun!

Wednesday and Thursday we were on exchanges with our zone leaders! It was good! I got to the zone leaders area and they are downtown anchorage and they deal with all the drunk native people! Haha so it was really interesting! But we actually found this guy named Kenny at this apartment complex and taught him the restoration and he has a probably with smoking and drinking so we even got to get him to go the addiction recovery classes that night which was pretty dang cool! But we did a lot of talking to people downtown which is interesting! Haha

Friday we did some service for that same old lady again and cleaned out her garage even more! She had a pretty messy garage haha! But our district was there so it was pretty fun! She is really less active but hopefully she went to church! She is a member of a different ward but hopefully she went to church!

Saturday was just a really crazy day! We met with a lot of our investigators so that was cool! We were actually given a referrel for a family of 7 that some other elders were teaching but they moved to our area so we will contact them this week! But Saturday night we got into a card accident! we were driving down the road and had a green light and a car turned left on a yellow blinking light and they couldn't see around this truck in front of them and they went and we were right there and hit them! So luckily it wasn't our fault! I had a little bit of time to slam on the brakes so it wasn't that bad! We were definently be watched over because our speed limit was 50 but by the time we hit them it was just a thud! The people were members and felt so bad and luckily they weren't hurt! But we were all definently looked out for!

Sunday we got to speak in church haha! We got to church and our bishop asked if we could share like a 5 minute testimony about missionary work! It was an awesome surprise! Haha but it went good! We had a crazy rain storm too!! I have videos to send but it was insane with lots of hail too! 

This week was pretty awesome! It flew by! Thank you for all that you do for me! Love you guys!

Love, Elder Fawson

He said "do you think they are Lakers fans!"

Another good week!

Friends and family!!

Well this week was awesome! We got to teach lots and found new people in our area! Oh and today is elder Judds birthday! 

Monday was awesome! We went and played soccer on a nice field then got kicked are they had soccer practice then went and played basketball! It was way fun!

Tuesday we got the opportunity to do some service for a cafe that helps homeless and struggling people with food and we helped them plant this garden with was really awesome! There may or may not be pictures of it on their Facebook page. Beans cafe in anchorage Alaska! She told us she was putting them on that so yea!

Wednesday we went on exchanges with an area in our district and that was pretty cool! We met with these potentials in our area and the answered their door!!! So the father and daughter are members but very less active and the mom is a non member! We had a good lesson with them about pray and faith and so we will see how this goes!

Thursday we did lots of OYMing at the park and found lots of less actives! It was really good! So we just got a referrel from other Samoan ward of a family with 8 kids that haven't been baptized that just moved in our area and so we are kind of team teaching them! It's so awesome to teach kids because everything is so simple! So they will be baptized soon! 

Friday we went on visits with our bishop to families that he thinks could need it! One of the families is the Mano family and they are a part member family! The husband is a member and the wife is a nonmember! She wants to take the lessons so that's pretty awesome too! We start this next week! And they came to church which was really awesome!

Saturday we did lots of OYMing around the parks and just walking down streets so that's always a fun time! Some members told us they were having a big rugby tournament in the park so we went and it was this huge event with teams and uniforms and stuff! It was so sick! Rugby is brutal! There was so many people coming off the field with like bloody faces and limping! Haha but we met lots of people so it was really cool! Sunday was awesome to see the Mano family! Michael and jaislyn didn't come so we are going to try and visit them sometime soon!! 

This week was so awesome because we had lots of lessons! Which makes it a lot more fun haha! Elder Judd and I are doing awesome! But thanks for everything that everyone does for me! Love you all!

Love, Elder Fawson

The only picture we got this week was the rugby game!!!