Wowowow four months!!! Time flies! (I wrote to him that I can't believe it has already been four months - he doesn't usually count!)
Yes, of course I am keeping up with Cad, mom. He is doing great and we are going to the temple with a bunch of the youth, all of the families we are close to basically. The Hills are excelling as usual. They are all ready to be baptized and are continuing to grow. They have many people in the ward watching out for them.
This week has been the best week of my life. It's amazing what obedience, being unified, and having a strong work ethic can achieve. We see miracles every single day. Literally. So we have so many new investigators, I will tell you about the Fishers. I have been praying for them for a long time. They are "my mission family". They have literally made my mission. I have always hoped and prayed I can teach a family just like ours was 11 1/2 years ago. When we knocked on their door, the wife was SO happy. We went in and mom, they are the exact same ages and fall in the same order as our family was when dad was taking the discussions. The mom is very similiar to you. She is a strong member and goes to church while the husband goes to Catholic church!! Mom, it's the exact same situation as our family. The other night, I bore a powerful testimony of those missionaries that changed my life and our family's life forever. I couldn't help but choke up a little bit. I then told him that if he wants the most successful and joyful life possible, to follow his wife. I continued to tell of my conversion and how I know this church is true. When I was finished, this big truck driver was in tears! Holy cow, the Spirit works on people like no other!! He didn't speak to us the first lesson and not up until that experience. He then opened up!! I asked him to be baptized and he said YES!!! I teared up because it reminded me of Dad when he was baptized and how special that is to me. He said he will have a hard time explaining it to his parents because they are Catholic, so I told him how it worked for Dad and he feels more confident talking to them. I am so thankful for them! Man, I can't believe how much I have grown. I am so much stronger in the gospel than I ever dreamed of being.
We are speaking on Sunday in Jack's ward. (Jack works with the missionaries in his area and is their biggest fan! haha He is very good to them.) I am excited. We are speaking about missionary work!! My favorite! It's going to be a little emotional because of how much my mission means to me, but as Coach Serpe said, "play with emotion, but don't get emotional."
Man, another special experience was with Curtis. He is 60 and his beloved wife passed away a few months ago. He hasn't left his house since. He was telling us how we can't speak because we never lost someone we were so close to. Elder Miller (his companion) then spoke up with a meek voice and said... "Sir, I lost my best friend, my Dad, right before my mission". It was quiet for a whole minute!! Elder Miller couldn't speak, so he told me to (yes, telepathic connections). I said, "Curtis, Elder Miller would not leave his mom home to take care of 6 kids and work and everything else that comes along with life if he did not KNOW this church was true. It was quiet again. Curtis was in shock! We both bore powerful testimonies and left.
It's amazing how two 19 year olds can be so powerful through the Lord. It's nothing we do or nothing special about us, we just know our calling. Elder Miller and I are so united! When we talk, it just works off of each other! His strengths are my weaknesses and my strengths are his weaknesses. I love it! We are meant to be companions.
I love having the Lord on our side. It's amazing. A man we stopped to visit and had a great experience with also worked for President Smith a while ago! Yes, our old mission president in NY. We are stopping at his house today!! I am very excited! Mom, I LOVE MY MISSION. At first I thought, this is going to be a long 2 years, now it's I don't know if I'm going to be able to go home. I love the trials most of all. I've never been so rejected and shut down in my life, but I love it. It just gives me more room to grow.
The lessons I am learning here are preparing me for life after the mission as well. In marriage, in my job, in everything! You really learn perseverance as a missionary. I am so thankful for my ADD also. It allows me to think differently and apply it in ways some people may not see. It's also hard, so it's all about taking advantage of the pros and forgetting about the bad sides of it. I have learned such good study and application skills! When I get home, I am going to get straight A's. Just study hard! I can do it now! I can sit down and study for 2 hours in a row and really put my mind to it!
Man, I am so thankful I am out here. My life is already totally altered because of it and I've only been out 4 months. The Stake President came to teach with us one night!!! Now he is giving us referrals to people he works with and everything!! It's so exciting dahhhh!!
I was biking the other day through all of the puddles! Our bikes have fenders so you can do that stuff, Jack said he saw us riding and me on a bike is like a rat on acid. haha Woops. Don't worry, I only let my crazy side out when it's appropriate. I am serious and grown up most of the time. See what happens on a mission is you grow up pretty fast. I am so excited to apply all I am learning to my life after the mission as well! In business, in school, in relationships, just everything! Wow, whoever doesn't serve a mission is crazy.
Oh Ezra, a foster boy that was staying at Jack's house, left last week. :( He was adorable!! When he was leaving, he sang a song, "I hope they call me on a mission so I can be like Elder Schetti!" That's what he calls me. It was so cute! Man, I love my mission! It really is the best 2 years! No one said it was easy, but it is the best. To be honest, this is the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. But that's the beauty of it. A mission is an intense period of personal growth and reflection. Aww man, but I love this time out here. Transfers are coming up the week before Christmas, so please start sending your mail to the mission office until you hear otherwise! ok? We are opening our presents at Jack's house Christmas morning woohoo!!
But I love you guys! I am glad to hear you are all doing well! I hope you continue to push! Be an example to the rest of the world. Be safe! Love you all!!
Love,
Elder Fischetti
Logic will get you from A to B, but imagination can get you anywhere.
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