Week of February 4, 2013

Dear Mom and Family,

 

Wow, what an incredible week I have had!!  But first, let's clear the air.  Michael is growing up?!?!  That is awesome!  I'm still waiting for that to happen to me haha. jkjk.  

Ok, so R's baptism!!!!!  Wow, was it incredible!  I baptized him also!  It was very emotional for me because it was what I prayed for and also just like dad.  So, it was a really heartfelt experience for me.  The spirit was so strong, Sis. F was crying the whole time!  She was just glowing with happiness.  Also, R has been smiling and laughing a lot more!  Elder M and I both have that as the highlight of our missions so far.  What an incredible experience!  It's hard to explain it in words really!  But it makes all the sadness, rejection, and long days worth it out here.  I love it so much!  The feelings you have when you see someone go from A to B in the gospel is incredible!  He has changed so much! 

Wow 6 months already!!!  HOLY COW!  I burned a tie!  Don't worry, one from the DI.  It's crazy it's going by too fast!  This little 8 year old girl kissed my arm at dinner with lipstick!  I didn't know but Miller saw the lipstick on my sleeve and was like what the freak is that! haha It was scary, I was so confused!  That little stinker!  

Also, another guy D, he was at church and we sat next to him. I had a feeling to talk to him about serving a mission so I did, he said he was just thinking about it and was scared that I knew what he was thinking haha.  I also turned to him and said go bear your testimony.  He said, "wow, I had the feeling but I wasn't going to go, the spirit just told me", he got up and told everyone he wants to serve a mission!!!!  It was awesome!  We are helping him change his life through the gospel.

I'M PREGNANT!! and I found out....IT'S A BOY! haha mission lingo (this just means that Elder Fischetti has been called to be a trainer - in the mission, when they start training, they missionaries they train become their "sons") because I'm training, it will be my son. Our family is the biggest family in the mission by the way.  Everyone wants to be part of it.  I'm pumped to see what he's like!  I won't find out his name until the transfer site when I first meet him!  President gave some very nice compliments to me, it's nice to know that the Lord knows Thomas Fischetti and to be able to tell president my name as one of his new trainers. President goes to the temple twice when finding out transfers and trainers and leadership roles. 

This has been an awesome week!  I love my mission so much!  It's so exciting and energizing when things get challenging.  I have the MRI tomorrow morning.  I am pumped to give birth to my very first son!!! haha.  My headaches are killing me, but it's ok, the Lord gives me enough strength to keep working.  I love you all so much!! Thank you for all the support you give me!  Hopefully this MRI shows what it is that is causing the headaches.  I love you and be safe!!  I will send out pics shortly.  Love life and remember to LIVE it.

Love,

Elder Fischetti

-God Speed

Newspaper Article - LDS Life

What a nice surprise we received in the mail!  Elder Fischetti and his companion, Elder M, were featured in an article about the Idaho Pocatello Mission and was distributed throughout the entire area where he serves.  We were unable to find the article online, so I am typing it up here:

UPPER VALLEY LDS LIFE
Serving in St. Anthony
Fulltime missionaries find "gold mine" in Idaho

Serving a mission in St. Anthony might be the last place in the world where a native Idahoan would want to serve, but to two full time missionaries from New York and Alabama, it's the best place in the world.  Just ask Elders Zachary Miller and Thomas Fischetti, who say they even like the cold winter weather.

"On the day my call came, I was nervous," said Elder Fischetti, a 19-year-old missionary from South Salem, NY.  "At first, I thought, 'What kind of work is out there?' - but I just love Idaho.  It's awesome living there and there are a lot of amazing people."

"I love it too," Elder Miller of Heflin, Ala., said. "I even love the cold.  It's a dry cold and a dry heat."

Elder Fischetti hasn't known anywhere else but St. Anthony.  He has served the first five months of his two-year mission here, and expects to be here at least until February before he's possibly transferred to another part of the Idaho Pocatello Mission.

Elder Miller has been serving for nearly a year, with the first nine months in Chubbuck and the last two months in St. Anthony.

While they sometimes go door to door to meet people, their greatest success is when they receive referrals from fellow Latter-day Saints.  The missionaries believe it's important to first gain the trust of church members, who will then trust them to speak to their own friends and family members about the gospel.

"It's a gold mine," Elder Miller said of this area.  "There is a lot of work here.  It's good for it to be hard, for when you have successes, it's all worth it."

Coming from a small town in Alabama, Elder Miller said it's not too much of an adjustment living here.

"Except there are a lot more members here," he said.  "I was the only member in my school.  The church was about 30 miles away and the stake center was about 75 miles away."

Instead of starting his mission at the typical age of 19, Elder Miller was almost 21 years old before he left.

While he always planned to serve a mission as a boy, from about age 16 to 19 he began to back away from missionary service.  "I didn't want to go," he said.  "I didn't feel adequate."

His father's death a year and a half ago has helped explain his reluctance to serve when he turned 19.

"I would have been gone (on my mission)," he said of his father's death.  "I could stay home and help with the kids.  I knew it was divine intervention."

As he looks back, he believes this is the time of his life for him to be serving as a missionary.

"The Lord's picture is perfect and ours is just little pictures we have to put together," he said.

Elder Fischetti is the son of a Latter-day Saint mother who grew up in Lava Hot Springs and then worked as a nanny in New York.  While there, she met a nice Catholic man from Brooklyn, and the two were married.

As a boy, he remembers attending the Mormon Church with his mother and the Catholic Church with his father.  He was baptized at age 8, with his father being baptized immediately afterward.

"I was the first Fischetti ever to be baptized," he said.

Growing up in New York as a lone Mormon wasn't always easy, but "I was always active and always knew I would serve a mission."

The two missionaries have served together for two months and say they make a good companionship.

"We are both very opposite and it works out perfect," Elder Fischetti said.

"We're really unified too," Elder Miller added.  "When teaching, we're just thinking the same things most of the time."

The missionaries who live in a house in Twin Groves, serve in Wilford and Twin Groves, as well as in the St. Anthony 1st and 2nd wards.  Because they live 3 miles out of town, they often drive to St. Anthony where they park their car and walk or bike from there.

"There have been days when it's really, really hard," Elder Miller said.  "Personally, I came out to be more converted to my Savior, and by doing so I would help others."

Week of January 28, 2013

Hello! 

We have like a foot of snow outside!!  It's crazy!!  It snowed for 1 day straight nonstop!  So Caitlin's call!!!  That is so exciting!!  Stateside is the way to go!!  Foreign is over rated! hahaha

So, I have an MRI this week for my headaches, I went to the Dr. that dad said to go to, he was really on the ball and really wants to figure it out.  I will keep you informed, don't worry.  So R and D are being baptized this Saturday!! R's is so exciting, we taught him the word of wisdom and he has dipped every day for 20 years!!  He took the can of it and threw it out and hasn't touched it since!!  His baptism is going to be so packed!!  They announced it and the whole room gasped haha.  Missionaries have been trying for years apparently!!  D is 9 and he is a cool kid!  

So we tried using a door approach of "can i use your bathroom?", then the other one of us pitches the gospel!  I got denied haha the guy said "sorry I won't let you use my bathroom"!  I was blown away hahaha!  Never have I been denied that harshly! 

We had dinner with a crazy fun family!  5 little boys!  I called this one kid stinky so he calls me Fishstinky. He is crazy, we were teaching and he was walking around talking to himself saying I'm a scorpion, these are my pinchers and he was shaking his butt for his stinger, haha. 

So sometimes we make deals with people to get them started, with a few less actives we made a deal that if they come to church 4 weeks in a row they get to throw pies in our faces, but if they don't, we get to throw them at them!  We also made a deal with some other kids that if they read every night we will give them doughnuts! haha  They read and came to church!  So we also met M, a lady who just moved here, we were held up by some service and our plans were behind, but then we walked past a lady and I felt we had to talk to her, so I turned around and ran to see what her deal is, she is not a member and is coming to church next week!  She will be baptized within the next 2 months, I can feel it!  We went over to the H family and E goes, "Elders are here!! I happy!"  He is so cute we play with all of his toys when we go over haha. 

It was like 40 degrees Saturday, so we spent the entire day shoveling water and heavy snow for people!  It was so exhausting!  Jack and I were teasing each other last night at his house for Family Home Evening, he started tickling me and I lost it!  I was laughing so hard, I almost died!  We were wrestling and punching each other, then he ripped my shirt a little bit so I tore it all the way down, it was exciting!  He signed it so I can keep it as a memory.

I love my mission!  It is going so well and I am just so involved in the work!  I love every second of it!  I am so proud of Caitlin for going!  It was nice to watch the video of her opening it!  How is home?  Did you get a lot of snow?  We barely have any free time, but when we do we have fun with it haha.  Elder M is awesome, we have a lot of fun together and we just work our butts off each day!  

I am doing that coconut oil thing and it is helping out a little bit!! So the talk went well? Woohoo!!  I'm glad!  Elder M and I look like such dorks in that picture on the newspaper, the sun was in our eyes and it was like -10 outside haha. 

I am so blessed to have this opportunity to be serving a mission!  Every one needs to go, the amount you grow in just a few years is irreplaceable!  Thank you guys for all the support you have given me!  We were trying to eat healthier, but it's too expensive.  It's hard having to budget out money!  I've never had to be so aware and frugal with each dollar!   

I hope you guys have a great week!  Stay safe and warm!  Don't ever forget that I love you and am so thaknful for the family that I have!  Keep up the good work and remember CPR!!  (Church, Prayer, Reading) Pay your tithing and fast offerings as well!!  Blessings will come, I promise! Tell all the family I said hello! Thank you!

Love, 

Elder Fischetti  

Week of January 21st

Hey Mom!!!!

Wow, long long letter haha.  Ok, so the doctors - I went to one this morning that our mission doctor had me go to. They said my sinuses are very swollen and my nose is broken!  He said both could be contributing to my headaches.  They gave me Nasonex and some moisturizer to spray in my nose - I also use that squeeze bottle you sent me, thank you!  He said use those daily for the next month and see what happens.  If it doesn't get better, I will go to the doctor dad said to go to.  I went to an ENT specialist btw, so no worries.  I will also get some vitamin D3 and some coconut oil at the store today!  My immune pills are still fine, I have plenty left.  My fish oil is almost done, I will pick up some more soon.

So Chris was baptized on Saturday, it was an amazing experience.  He is a good friend, I am definitely hanging out with him after the mission.  He came from a rough background in Cali and has changed his life.  It was such a spiritual experience, I baptized him, I will send pictures soon.  He is also writing his conversion story down for us so we can put it in our journals.  For your talk, I would just pick through my emails to you and choose from there, that's cool you get to do that!  We spoke in sacrament meeting last minute!!  I spoke on returning with honor and how it takes much more than just not doing something bad to return with honor.  I mean returning to heaven.  We also saw a man get arrested for drug use and abusing his girlfriend!  How awful!!  I wanted to lash out at him.  He was a not so good guy. 

Last night we went to Jack's house and we always smack each other when it's least expected, so I gave him a little tap and I ran away not realizing he was right behind me, I looked behind me and his arms were wrapping around me haha. He took me down and beat me up. :(  It was a lot of fun though.  So RF is being baptized on the 2nd!!!!  He has totally changed he asks questions and really gets into it, when before he was very passive.  Sister F is so excited, you can see it on her face.  They have a bunch of RC trucks, so I got to drive one around for a few minutes the other night.  Elder M and I are doing awesome, we are best friends!  We pushed some girl to the gas station the other day, her car ran out of gas.  Oh it was the girl whose boyfriend got arrested.  She had no money because he took all of hers!! We gave her some money to get gas, and wow I've never been so tired as I was after pushing that car through town haha.  

I also quoted Wiz Kahlifa at some guy's house, it was a gospel related lyric in his songs it said "even the sun sets in paradise" from the song "Payphone". I said it and almost directly after in the background the song came on the radio his son was listening to!!!  So funny!  But we were talking about how life is hard.

    

I love my mission so much!!  It is going by way too fast!!  It will be over so soon!!!  Logan Carlson, Joseph's brother, got home not too long ago, he said it's like a dream when you get home, you go "did that really happen?" It's scary!  I love it!  Thank you for all the support you give me!  Transfers are on the 5th of February!!! dahh  Getting nervous, hopefully we stay again!!  I love you all so much!  I hope life is being sweet to you!  Tell everyone I say hello!

Love, Elder Fischetti

Week of January 14th - Boy, am I behind!

Good Morning!!

Sorry my email is late, we lost power this morning and had to play a little survival this a.m.  It was -20 degrees and we had no heat. haha  We were doing everything we could and then our landlord came over and built a fire for us!!  Thank goodness!  It's against mission rules to build them, but he said I don't care I'm building a fire.  Blame it on me.  It was nice and toasty after that.  We sat in our car from like 5 to 6:30 a.m. haha.  It was so exciting!  Yes, I got your package!!  Thank you so much!!!  It was a great little treat!!  I loved the mozzerella (We sent Elder Fischetti some Italian favorites from home - fresh mozzarella and italian cookies) and yes, I am staying plenty warm!  I don't need any more warm clothes, but thank you for thinking of me!  It was -25 Sunday morning, our car barely started haha.  The ZL's (Zone Leaders - they are leader missionaries over an entire area) were up in Driggs and it was -40 degrees!! So scary!

So we have C.A.'s baptism this weekend!!!  He is 20 years old, and from California!  He is such a fun guy!  He and his member wife have us over for dinner all the time.  He is so ready for baptism, he already made fliers to pass out!  Elder M and I got him a few little gifts from Deseret Book today.  I am so excited, I am doing the baptism and Elder Miller is doing the confirmation.  I can't believe Caitlin sent her papers in!!!  ahh The deadly wait and then Limbo!  I was lost in limbo my last few weeks!  I am so excited.  You have to tape it so I can see her open it!! and yeah, Paul and Paula visited me!!!  It was awesome to see them!  They showed me the video of Adrian opening his call!!  So exciting!  He is going to do amazing and it will bless him for his entire life!  It stinks he's not going to the #1 mission in the world...the IPM (Idaho Pocatello Mission - every missionary thinks their mission is the best, as they should - it is the best for them!).  

So we moved some wood for the mountain man Mad Jack!  He is super less active.  He is an older guy and lives in a tiny trailer and lives like a mountain man!!  It's so cool!!!  After, he taught us how to throw tomohawks and knives!!  I got a few bulls-eyes!!  Yeah I said I should have totally been an Indian!  We had a competition and he beat me by only 3 points!!  After, we shared our testimonies of the Book of Mormon.  It was a very spiritual experience and he was definitely feeling something.

We also had exchanges with the Spanish elders this week!!!  I went to their area, so I spoke very little.  I would read a favorite scripture in Spanish and that's about it.  But in one home, we were meeting with a family who is all Catholic.  I didn't understand a single word that was said in the 30 mins that we were there, I just stared at them.  Then the Spirit told me to share dad's conversion story!!  I had Elder S translate for me, he said it was exactly what they needed!  The Spirit was so incredibly strong!  The parents both felt the Spirit and invited us back.  It's amazing how the Holy Ghost works!  It was just a random thought...

We have done a lot of reactivation this past week!  It's so cool to see people that haven't been in years at church!  Oh yeah!!  We were interviewed and put in the newspaper!!  I will send you a copy!!  We were on the front page haha a huge picture of us!  We look like such dorks! but it's ok.  President recommended us out of all the missionaries!!  How cool is that?

Man, my mission is going so well!!  I love every second of it!  We are so involved in the work and just love working hard.  Elder M and I are working very well together and the work keeps progressing!!!  We don't really have time to proselyte anymore!  It's just straight teaching!!! We are soaring past our goals!  It's so exciting!!!  Cad is coming out teaching with us tonight!! He always shares his testimony and it makes me tear up every time!

Read D&C 122, I love that one!  Also watch the following Mormon Messages, "A new year-look not behind thee", "Good things to come" and " Hope ya know we had a hard time." They are really great. I love you all very much!  I am glad you are all strong in the gospel.

CPR saves lives!!  Church Prayer and Reading!  Make sure you do that each day!  If you are doing that, you will always be lifted up and have the Lord next to you at all times.  Have a great week and thanks again for the package!!  I loved it so much, yummmyyyyyy!  I hope all is well and moving forward with life!  Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Fischetti

- let YOUR wings spread and fly away in your own style.