The Waters Of Mormon

This last saturday - June 21st 2008 - marked two years since I entered the missionary training center in Provo.

Arising early in the morning, we jumped on a train to a local mall. Gathering with some members in the parking lot, we got ready to travel a campground up north. Leading the convoy, Luciana and Fernando in their car, and then about fifteen others in three other cars, made the way into a beautiful area in a the city Kameyama, to a place called Sekisuikei. Once arriving, Luciana, Fernando, Elder Muniz and I changed into white, and we walked to a nearby watefall with everyone else. It was absolutely beautiful. The water pooled at the bottom of a fall, and trees and mountains surrounded us. We gathered on the rocks and opened the baptismal service. I played `The Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning` on my saxophone as others sang along in Portugues. After a brief talk and their testimonies, we headed to the water. It was so cold, and yet so clear. So pure. I was nervous saying the prayer in Portugese, but it felt like someone was there helping me. Luciana came up crying. It was such a sacred site.

Getting to that point took all week and a score of miracles. During her baptismal interview, I later heard that she cried saying that she should have been baptized six years ago, but so many things had just kept getting in the way. It was time.

Luciana`s husbandFernando is almost more of a miracle. He hadn`t known anything about the church just three months ago. He actually didn`t want to read the Book of Mormon at all - but when he found out he could listen to the Book of Mormon mp3 online, he had no problem with that. He wants so much for he, his wife, and their three month year old baby to be together forever - and his faith is such that I believe they`ll make it.

Thursday was zone conference, and Elder Smith and I had a blast giving the training. Before it was our turn, we both went out in the hall to the bathroom and put another white shirt and tie on, on top of the one we were wearing. It looked perfect, no one could tell. Then we came back and waited for our turn. As we led a discussion, and talked about the joys of dendo (missionary work), Elder Smith (a football player) got really intense, and then ripped off the outer shirt - buttons flying and all. He was joyful. Then, I asked him to share that joy with me (pretending to be a normal member) to which I then took off m outer shirt as well (I should have ripped it more intensly looking back). It was pretty funny - and it woke everyone up/got their attention. That`d be pretty fun to do sometime in the future during a boring business meeting.


I read a scripture I liked a lot today. Mosiah 27:29 "My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more. "

Pained no more, what a great feeling.

I love you all so much. What an adventure, what a journey. I pray for you, please continue to pray for me.

Love always,

Elder Alexander Todd Fuller
Japan Nagoya Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints