E-mail 12-14-09

Hey family
What's up? How are you guys doing?
My week it has been OK, kinda frustrating. Our baptism fell threw again. The lady just said she is to busy so call her next week please, which sucked! We will just have to see what happens with her. Then we tried to get a family we are teaching to get baptized and they were "like we don't know." The thing is, the mom wants to get baptized but the husband doesn't because his dad is a leader in the Catholic church and is hard core Catholic. I think he is scared of his dad so he is scared to get baptized. Yesterday he didn't come to church and we went to visit there family after and it was super awkward. We felt like the dad was way bugged with us cuz his wife and kids came to church but he sat at home alone. We don't know what to do about that family now. so its just been a frustrating week.

I just got yelled at by a bus driver cuz the buses here have a bell and you push it to get them to stop. So I pushed it and he didn't stop so I pushed it again and he still didn't stop. So I said, "bahan por favor." which means stop please. So he did, then he said "that's what the bell is for" i said "I rang it twice." He said "no you didn't" in a jerk way. I just got off cuz I'm a good missionary and don't want people to think bad about the church. But I really just wanted to punch him in the head cuz of his attitude. So this week has just been really crappy, I feel a little on edge haha! Going to the temple tomorrow will help.

The day of the virgin of Guadalupe was this week too. It is nuts, everyone throws party's and gets drunk and shoots fire works. They all build shrines in front of there houses to the virgin of Guadalupe. It's just huge day of getting drunk and partying in honer of her hahahaha. It's really bad. I feel bad for people, it's kinda sad, they have TV shows about her where people act like she gave them a miracle and all kinds of stuff. Freaking apostasy!!!

I'm so excited for Bridger, that will be so good. Tell him to put his head down and work his hardest and he will be great! 3 months in Salt Lake City and he doesn't have to go to the MTC, that is so cool. Tell him to get Preach My Gospel and read chapter 3. It's all the lessons we teach and then tell him once he reads them to practice with Ross. One thing I did is as you read the lesson write down what you want the people to learn from it then make an outline of what to teach. Teach those points with questions to help him know they understood like after teaching about prophets ask a question like, "So do you think it would benefit you to have a prophet on the earth today?" or "How do you think a prophet would be able to help us in our day?" Make an outline like that with questions and answers of the things he wants the people to learn and he won't need the MTC cuz that's what they teach you there. Tell him how proud I am of him and that I know he will do great!

That's about it this week. I love you all so much and hope everything is going good. Have a good week!
I love you all!
Love Elder Fackler

E-Mail 11-30-09

Hey how is everyone?

This week has been good. We had alot of people in church, well 7. 4 came for the second time and we have a baptism this week. The work it is starting to go again, I feel really happy about that. We have people progressing to so that is good. If the same people keep progressing we should baptize 5 people this transfer which will be really good!

So Thanksgiving here sucked because it doesn't exist haha! They don't have it here but it's OK. I like when holidays pass cuz it means I only have to miss one more and then I'll be home and we can party and have crazy Thanksgivings again not boring ones with out me hahaha!!!

Today was transfers but I didn't get transferred and neither did my companion so we will be together for 6 more weeks. That is fine, we get along good and don't have any problems. Our district leader got transferred so now we have Elder Huchim. He was my second companion, the one I loved so much and that helped me so much. It was cool to see him again, we went to get him at the bus station which was cool.

I am still losing weight, I'm going to send you some pics in regular cloths today so you guys can tell me if I look skinnier.

I don't have alot to say, this week was kinda slow and nothing cool happened. Oh, I'm such a freak here I swear!!! We walked by some kids and they were talking about how big I am and one of them said "I think he is bigger then big foot!" I felt like such a freak. I have not gotten taller I have just lost weight and look a little stronger now. But those freaking kids said I'm bigger then big foot! My comp thought it was so funny and keeps saying he is going to start a circus and have me in it. He said he will charge 5 pesos for a picture and 15 pesos to touch me. He acts like an announcer and says all this stuff about how big I am. It's funny, I just kinda feel like a freak. It's because the people here are way shorter, Ross is average or tall here so think what I am.

I'm excited to have 9 months behind me this week. It's kinda cool to think I have the same time on my mission as it takes to have a baby hahaha! I don't know why that's cool, I guess it's just something to compare time to.

This week really nothing cool has happened its been boring so no cool story's. I guess that is it. Love you all, hope your all doing good.

Love Elder Fackler

E-Mail 11-16-09

Hey everyone,

I still have not gotten the box but I think I'll get it this week. We have interviews so I'll see president this week and that is when we get packages. It should be here this week I hope. I have been praying for it to get here safe.

I can't believe Ross broke his leg, that is SO crappy! OH, seven screws and a plate, he broke it really good!!! How is he feeling? Tell him I'm so sorry, I feel his pain. OH that sucks so bad!!! Did he cry like a little girl or was he tuffer then me? I hope he cried like a little girl so I don't feel as bad about being a baby when I broke my leg.

OK, cool story OK... so me and my companion are teaching this super cool family. It's a mom and dad and 3 little girls. There cousins live next door and they are a family I baptized a month ago. We always teach them together so we were teaching them lesson 1. The spirit was strong and the family was bearing testimony, it was super good. Then all of a sudden a big FAT mouse runs under the door (the houses here are small so we are all by this door where the mouse ran under) so there are about 10 people in this room trying to stomp on this mouse. I mean everyone in the house jumped up and tried to step on it, the moms, the little girls, my companion, everyone!.....EVERYONE except me! I was standing on the sofa screaming "Kill It!!!" scared to death of this little mouse. (I'm like dad, I hate them. His fear is in me now.) So anyway, finally one of the mom steps on it and smashes it after about 10 seconds with 10 people trying to kill it. (It looked like a ho-down). After it was dead everyone looks at me standing up on the sofa scared to death screaming like a little girl (I think I might have even peed a little.) and everyone just starts making fun of me. There were 5 year old little girls trying to stomp on the mouse and me this big 6 foot 8 football player is standing on the sofa screaming. So ya they all made fun of me all night and every time I see them now they talk about it first thing. They even told our ward so everyone knows I'm just a big chicken now.

This week my comp got upset with me because he is kinda little and I am really big and we were walking down the street when some little kids saw us and one of them said "Wow its Big Show and Ray Mysterioso." This is important because "Big Show and Ray Mysterioso are wrestlers for the WWE like hulk Hogan wrestling. Big Show, is this huge giant white guy wrestler and Ray Mysterioso is this super little Mexican wrestler. So my comp was upset cuz now that I'm his comp. people think he is a little wrestler. I always call him that now and he just laughs.

Our area is starting to do better. We had 10 people come to church which made me feel super happy. We were having a way hard time getting people to church but we had 10 this week so God really blessed us alot. We fasted on Wed and a bunch of people came so God is blessing us.

That is about it this week. I love you guys. Tell Ross I said sorry and I feel his pain!!! That's not good!

I love you all, hope life is going good!

Love Elder Fackler

Hey family
Hey what's up? So First off the thing we climbed was a volcano I think. I'm not totally sure cuz no one knows the word in English. They were all Mexicans that went with me.

Mom for Christmas I need new shoes. Mine are OK for now but are starting to come apart. I think they will be fine till like Feb or March but not after that. The problem is the others you sent me have already started coming apart and they hurt my feet to walk in. So I still use the Rockports everyday cuz they are super comfortable and have been holding up good till this week. They started wearing threw the rubber on the heel.

It is starting to get cold here and I'm wishing I had got one of those weird V neck sweaters. Mexico does get cold I have figured out in the last 2 weeks. My big coat is to hot and no coat is to cold. Anyways it is true, Mexico does get cold.

I haven't got my birthday box yet. I think I'll get it on the 19th cuz that is when we have the next interview with president and that is when we get our boxes. I have been praying for it to get here so I'm sure it will get here safe if I have faith!

This week has been OK. We found a cool family but they have a lot of problems. It is a family of 6 and they are all baptized but inactive. The problem is the 2 oldest sons have girlfriends and the girlfriends are both pregnant. They live with the sons in the families house. The girlfriends wanna get baptized the problem is we have got to get them married first and one of them divorced from her last husband. We have got some work to do but they are very cool people. They have been reading and praying and got answers and everything so that part of it is good. One of the girls said after she read 3 Nephi 11 she had a dream that she was in the scriptures when Christ visited the Americas and got to see him, it was super cool!

My birthday party didn't happen. The family forgot about it but oh well its OK. Halloween here is so much different. The kids trick-or-treat for 3 days and everyone goes to there families graves and sleeps there and has parties in the grave yard. They sell food and all kinds of stuff. It is was way cool here. It's weird to remember how scared I was to come here and how crazy I felt at first. Now it's all just normal stuff that would blow your minds and it is just normal for me! Mexico kinda feels like home. I want you and Dad and Angela to come visit once with me, after my mission to see what my life has been like. We will go in combies, eat tacos at the street vender's, visit the cool Catholic churches and eat tamales. It will be way fun OK.

I got a new shirt it is an Abercrombie and Fitch shirt and its a large. I look super good in it!!! Ill send you guys a picture next week. I got it in the tanges for 3 dollars. It's a large or an X large, it says large but I'm not sure, It fits good and I like it cuz I could never wear those clothes before!!!

That is about it family. Bridger looked super good in his pics with Brecken. RJ looks good too, I am proud of both of them. I love you all tons! Can't wait to talk to you all.
Hope Bridger's call comes this week cuz I wanna talk to you all!
I love you guys!
Love Elder Fackler

E-Mail 11-2-09

Hey everyone,

How are you all doing? I am doing OK. This week has been a good week to learn haha. We worked like crazy and didn't have much success which is crappy!!! But oh well all I can do is keep working.

My first birthday away from home and it's really crappy to be honest! It doesn't really feel like my birthday. It was weird to not have you guys come in and sing to me, I missed it this morning. But I'm glad it's my birthday cuz that means I only have to miss 1 more!!! That's how I look at holidays, everyone that passes is just one less I have to miss. Tomorrow will be better, a member is having a birthday party for me and is making a cake and everything so that will be fun. We couldn't do it today because after I finish emailing we have to go to the other part of the mission for zone conference so I won't be in my house or area all night. So we are going to do it tomorrow night when I get back so that will be cool.

I found some cool scriptures for you guys, one is D & C 118:3 and the other is in Ephesians 6:11-12. Read them, they are way cool! I know it's weird that I'm asking you to read scriptures I just liked them a lot.

So I got the pics of Ross and Sandi's wedding, they looked so good. I liked them a lot. It is hard to have not been able to be there but I know I am where I need to be.

So I am starting to lose weight again. I stopped the last transfer but I have lost again in the last 2 weeks cuz I started running in the mornings. I have lost 9 pounds in the last two weeks so I'm skinnier then the last photos, cool huh hahaha!!! I think I'm going to get my cloths taken in cuz they are just so huge. I look like I robbed a big fat homeless bum!!! So ya, I need to get them taken in a little in the next few weeks. No one in my ward can do it, I asked. They all just said they are not good at fixing cloths the same size as bed spreads!!! So ya I think I'll take them to a bedding store to have them made smaller cuz they are HUGE on me!!!

So I got bit by a dog! Ya, a little dog bit my shoe. I was going to kick it all the way to the United States (cuz I can't kick it to Mexico cuz that is where I am LOL) but the family was outside trying to get it. So I didn't do it, but ya... it bit my shoe. Stupid Dog!!!

OH! I know what I was going to tell you...I made little kids cry! Terrible huh! What happened was, on Halloween night we went to a members to warm up cuz it was way cold. While we were there kids were knocking on the door for candy, so the member had me put on a wrestlers mask. Kind of like a Hulk Hogan mask and answer the door for little kids. (To kids in the United States I am very big, but to kids here I am what you would call a Scary Giant) so the first kids to knock were a 5 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. So I opened the door wide and stepped up into the door way. (Here I am bigger then the door ways so I filled it and then some. You have to know this to get a picture of what happened) and asked these little kids in the scariest tuff voice I could "What Do You Want?" They just sat and looked straight up at me with their mouths wide open and I think peeing in there pants for like 5 seconds, not saying anything. Just staring straight up at me with there mouths wide open and eyes as big as softballs. So I bent down to give them candy and they both screamed as loud as they could. Then the brother grabbed his little sister and yelled "Run!!! Before he breaks all of your bones!" and they ran to their dad screaming and crying. I felt kinda bad but it was way funny. I think the dad was a little upset but didn't know what to do, cuz he just stared at me with his mouth wide open too! I think he might have peed a little too. So it was way funny but I felt bad. After, I took off the mask and we gave them lots of candy and told them I was sorry I scared them to death. It was funny!!!

Well family that is about it for this week. It's OK my birthday package will be late. I don't mind, as long as I get one! Or I'll come home and scare you guys with a wrestling mask!!!

Love you all tons!
Hope everything is good!
Love you all!

Elder Fackler

E-Mail 10-19-09

Hey everyone
What's up? This week has been OK. First off I got a new comp, his name is Elder Haro. He seems cool.

Next, I baptized again this week so that was good!!! It was kinda crazy. The other elders didn't drain the font from their baptism the week before. So when we got there to fill it, it was full of old water with dead AND alive bugs in it. YA it smelled bad and was just gross. So then we tried to drain it but the drain was not working and we needed to use it the next day. So guess what??? I had to take my shoes off put on my gym shorts and climb down in the nasty dirty gross water with a bucket. I had to hand out buckets of this water to my comp then he carried them outside. It took over an hour and a half. I bucketed out old, nasty, gross water barefoot!!! Fun huh, hahahaha ya nasty!!! So then after all that we turned the water on to fill the font and left. But when we came back the water was not really working so we left it on all night to fill. But it never filled it very much. So the next morning when we got there to check the font it was only a 4th of the way full, about 6 inches below my knees. So we had to baptize this guy but didn't have much water so I had him sit on his butt in the water and I knelt down and baptized him. Ya I had my first sitting baptism!!! Cool huh hahahah ya it was a good experience.

So lets see what else, this week has been boring no other cool experiences. So Ross had a good wedding? I'm glad it was good and everyone loved it. It was really hard not to be there and be able to be a part of it but it's OK. I wore the tie and took pics so I'll send them next week OK.

That is about it for this week. I got a new companion, he seems cool but I have only been with him for an hour so I'm not really sure yet but we will see. I am doing good.
I love you all!
Love
Elder Fackler

E-mail 10-5-09

Como Esta
Hey family,
Whats up? So how has your week been? Mine has been OK. Mom my eye is fine now. I put some cool Mexico drugs in it and it's all better. I have been wearing my contacts and everything so don't stress.

I didn't have my baptism this week because of conference. Next week I have 2 which means I'll finish the transfer with 6. That's an average of one a week! Sweet!!! Pray for them OK, there names are Alejandra and Carlos.

My cool experiences this week are I ate chicken neck and cow intestines, pretty cool huh!!! I'm a Mexican now. I ate a whole chili plain and it didn't taste to hot so that makes me a Mexican now.

On Tuesday I worked with one of the youth from our ward. We were knocking doors and we found a crazy lady. First she tried to hit on me, then she started telling us how bad her life was and how she would cut her self before she found Jesus. (ya crazy) But then after all this she said at one point in her life she was so mad at life that she ATE HER FINGER!!! (yes ate her finger.) Then she held up her hand and you got it... NO FINGER. I about threw up, told her thanks for her time and we RAN away as fast as possible!!! CRAZY

I didn't get to watch much of conference and what I did watch was in Spanish and was a little hard to understand. TV is hard to understand so I didn't really watch it. It made me home sick on Sunday to think about all of you guys eating waffles and hanging out. It's OK I ate eggs and chicken yum huh, hahahahah.

The weather here is killer. It is only 75 or 80 but it is so humid I just feel gross and sweaty all the time. I shower with cold water alot cuz if you use hot you are sweaty when you get out. Cold doesn't help to much cuz you still just get sweaty fast but it could be worse I guess.

So how are you guys feeling about the wedding? How is Ross feeling? I can't believe we are all getting so old. Ross is getting married and I'm going to be 20, no freaking way 20!!! I need a walker that's so old. You asked what I would like for my birthday, I would like an electric shaver. One with the 3 little circle things cuz they work better. I have to shave everyday now and I hate it, so an electric shaver please, and peanut butter M&M's and American candy, I miss it lots.

Stuff with my comp is going OK. I have just got to get through 2 more weeks I think. Pray for his safety cuz I am a very BIG person and he is Not hahahahahah!!! Just kidding.
I love you all so much and hope life is going good!
Love you all!
Love Elder Fackler

E-mail 9-28-09

Hey family,

This week has been OK I have had alot of chances to grow. First of all on Wed. I had to go into the middle of the city to see the doctor cuz my eye infection would not go away. It was all good except for the metro those stupid under ground trains. Here in Mexico they pack those metros so tight you can't move at all. When you are as big as me they pack you in even tighter. I have never been so violated in all my life!!! I got touched every where!!! Not fun!!! Then when we had to get off I kept saying "Excuse me!" and every one just ignored me. Finally the doors were getting ready to close again so the missionary I was with who was behind me just started to shove. So I did too. I just kind of played football again and shoved my way threw. Everyone was very upset with me since I am 6ft. 8in and they were all 5 ft Mexicans. I threw about 10 of them. We got out but they were not to happy!

We baptized again this week. He is a 17 year old kid named Jorge. He is really cool but his baptism was nuts. The pila wouldn't fill with water so we had to go to the stake center to have his baptism. So we ran to the stake center then me and one of the youth ran to pick up the three ladies we were confirming then we ran back to the church. It was just crazy but it all worked out in the end. I baptized again which is good and we have 1 for this week too!

Sat. I was feeling super down. Me and my comp had been fighting, I had a really bad head cold and I had not slept much because of going to the doctor. We had been knocking doors and contacting people in the street for 3 and a half hours. I was just starting to think this was the worst thing on earth and why the crap am I here! We were knocking on the last door in an apartment complex and at this last door a 21 year old guy answered. I started talking to him about are message, figuring he was going to slam the door in my face like every one else. Then in the middle of me talking he said, "I always see you guys and wanted to ask you some questions but I never do. Please come in." So we went in and he asked us things like, who pays for our missions? How long is a mission? Do we talk to are families? Were we normal before? We answered him and then taught him the first lesson. He paid such close attention and had such good questions and answered all are questions. He is just so ready to receive the gospel it is amazing. I was with a different missionary who has only been out 3 weeks so I talked alot. I could feel the spirit teaching threw me. It was so cool.

I am so glad that when we feel the very most lost and down and start to wonder why, God gives us experiences to pull us up and get our focus back again. I just wanted to tell you about it cuz it really helped me!

The houses here are so small I am always hitting my head on everything. It's OK, I'll learning to have better reflex's or I'm going to be brain dead by the end from hitting my head!

So Bridger whats up with taking my girl on a date??? First you take my room all to your self, then you take my scooter and crash it... now your trying to steal my girl!!! Watch it man, I will get home some day and kill you! Come on, taking Angela on a date... you just went to far this time (hahahahhahaha) just kiddin! But for real, watch it bub!!!

I love you all so much. I'll write next week.

Love you all!

Love Elder Fackler

PS: I weighed at the Dr. and am down to 294, I haven't weighed that since I was 15. I may be skinny but I am still HANDSOME!!!

Great Story e-mail from 9-21-09

Hey Family,
So everyone, what's up? How is life? I'm doing good, I baptized 3 more people this week!!!They were three ladies who all live together and we baptized all of them. I baptized 2 and my comp. Baptized the other 1. I'm struggling with my comp. right now. We are having alot of problems. He doesn't wanna work and he wastes so much time doing really dumb stuff, like checking out girls all the time. He is disobedient and lazy so I'm having a hard time right now. I'm trying to figure out the best thing to do for the situation but its to the point that it has got to change or I'm going to break all the bones in his body! (Kind of LOL) I'm act like the Sr. comp. which is good cuz I'm learning alot and the wards love me. I hope I'm only with him for one transfer or I'm pretty sure I'll just kill him!!! (then I'll get a new comp.) It's hard cuz even when I push him he just goes at his own pace and I wanna work so hard!!!

My eye infection won't go away, if it's not gone by Wed. I have to go to an eye doctor. I'm still wearing my glasses and look like a freak hahaha. I hate it but oh well.

So this week I had a little kid open the door and I asked to talk to his Mom and Dad. So he yelled "MOM THERE IS A GIANT AND HIS FRIEND HERE FOR YOU!!!" it was so funny. All the youth in my ward have bets on how tall I am, it was so funny. Everyone just thinks I am the coolest giant in the world!

I had to give a talk for 10 min. in church on Sunday and they told us Sat. night at 10pm so I had like 5 min to get it ready. Anyway I was giving my talk and it was only about 6 min. long and they get mad if you go short. I didn't know what to do so I just sang...to my whole ward, by myself! It was so funny cuz I was talking about helping the missionaries with the work, so I just said "Your friends and family need Christ just as much as you do. So I want you all to close your eyes and I'm going to sing for you. I want you all to think about the people you know who need Christ. After the meeting give me there names and address so we can go teach them about Christ!" Then I sang I Need Thee Every Hour, in Spanish! A solo, with no piano! NO nothing! And ya after... I got 7 referrals and everyone told me how good I sing. Ha, so I guess it was good I sang at random.

That's about it, I love you all so much. I'll be OK don't stress cuz I have a crappy comp. You learn the most when life is crappy right!!!
Love you all so much!
Love Elder Fackler

E-mail 9-14-09

Hey family,

What's up everyone? How is life going? I'm doing OK. My new area is very different, I have mixed emotions about it and my comp. First I'll start with my area. It is so big I have to take buses everywhere which sucks cuz I am using so much time to get anywhere and I feel like I never have any time to teach people. In this area if you have 5 or 6 lessons a day you are flying threw the day cuz you use so much time to get anywhere. I feel like all I do is walk and take buses. In my old area I could cross the whole thing in 20 min. walking. Here to walk across the area would take 2 hours at least. The area its self is cool. It's a big city and a rich part of Mexico. Every one has cars and my house is way bigger. I fixed the boiler cuz you know how I am, I didn't wanna shower with a bucket. I had a guy in the ward come help me fix it, so now it works good! My house is good, I cleaned it so that helped. The wards here are really nice. They work with the missionaries alot more and that helps! They have malls here so that's cool. This area is the closest to the states you can get so that's cool.

My comp is OK. He is not really lazy, he just has an "I don't care" attitude, which is hard for me cuz I feel like I care so much. We have a deal, I bought this super cool green tie in my last area and he wants it so bad. He has tried to give me stuff and buy it from me, so we made a deal...if we baptize 10 people in this transfer I'll give it to him! So that's our little deal. He knows how to baptize, for two months he had the most baptisms in the mission. One month he baptized 21 people!!! So we made the deal, we baptize 10 in the next 5 weeks, he gets the tie. He is working again. His last comp was super serious so I just make it fun and act like I used to at home. We are having fun and working. As for my ward, they think I am so cool. They all love me!!! I just acted like I act at home in all their houses but spiritual at the same time and they all like me. I just look ugly cuz I have a freaking eye infection and have had to use my glasses all week. My first week here and I look like a big nerd! I called the doctor finally yesterday and got some drops to kill it but the drops were 25 dollars. I wanted to cry!!!
The food here is good. I had spaghetti and mashed potatoes, it was soooooo good. My weight is balancing out I think but I'm still working out, sit ups and push-ups cuz its my new goal to be super sexy when I get home. I'm learning love songs in Spanish so when I get home I'll be hot and sing love songs in Spanish. I will use them on Angela so she won't think I'm a weird missionary like when Ross got home!!! hahaha (Don't tell him I used him as an example of a weird missionary!!!)

I love it here, I feel like I am learning to be like Bishop Cheney, super cool yet spiritual at the same time. I joke with everyone like when I was at home but at the same time I teach people about the church and show my spiritual side too.

I have been studying really hard this week about Christs attributes. Yesterday I made a list of all the things I need to change to be more like Christ and to be the best missionary I can be. I only told you this so I can ask you to pray for me, I have got alot of work to do... it was a looooooong list!!! hahahahahahah

That's all the time I've got. Don't stress about me, I'll be ok, I always am and always will be!!!

I love you!

Elder Fackler

E-mail 9-7-09

Hey family,
I got transfered to Quaretaro. It is the rich part of the mission so that's cool. My comp only has a few more months on a mission and everyone said he is dead and doesn't wanna work so I'm a little stressed. I'll just do my best and help him all I can. I feel bad I didn't wanna change, I loved Elder Huchim so much. He helped me so much and was just such a good missionary. But change in our life is what makes us grow right? I'm excited for my new area, it has Mt. Dew! hahahah cool huh.

So other then that lets see, I have not been sick at all. I weighed my self last Monday and I was 306 but I don't know if it was right. I hope not, that's 50 pounds lost since the MTC. I look healthy not sick.

I'm kinda home sick, I always feel crappy after changes. I hate it but I'm sure in 3 days I'll be fine and it will all be normal here. I traveled by bus for 3 hours to get here, it sucked and was scary.

My comp is Elder Tolentino he has been out 21 months and every one keeps telling me he doesn't like to work but I'll help him out with that. I'm so glad you and dad taught me how to work hard cuz you need it as a missionary. Hard work is everything! My new area is cool, I have not seen much of it but it is huge and has huge hills I will have to climb up so maybe I'll get skinnier haha! Our shower doesn't work which really sucks. I'm going to be using a bucket for awhile I think. It's OK, it will make me happier with the USA when I get home right!!! We have a washing machine in are house which is cool. I'm excited for that it will be nice, but the shower with a bucket will suck. Oh well it's just for awhile then it will be over and ill be home again and be normal.

It was so hard to pack all my stuff. It really sucked bad saying good-by to all the people I baptized. All of them almost started crying when I told them. It's OK though cuz change helps us grow (I hope.) I really hate transfers. I always feel so home sick in them, it's the worst. I'm sure in a few days it will all be fine again though. My comp seems cool just a little lazy.

I can't believe Bridger is finishing his papers soon. How is he from the wreck? What's going on with the scooter. It's really green here but super humid and hot too and it rains like every day which stinks. I always feel wet, it's super crappy.

That is it here I've got to go.
Love you and pray for you always!
Love
Elder Fackler

Hey Fam, what's happening?

I got the box with everything in it. Thanks so much, the shoes fit good and I have been using them all week thanks a ton! The candy was so good!!! I missed rice crispy treats. They don't have them here. My comp ate one out of my box and it was the first one he ever ate in his life. Now it's all he wants hahaha it's so funny, he loves them now. The ties are super good too.
The red one for the wedding is so, so, so cool. I love it, I don't know if I can wait to wear it till the 16 of October. That is a long time and it is very cool haha. I got Angela's stuff in the box too, thanks a ton for everything, the letters and everything, I needed them so thanks!!!

I baptized again, it was good. It was a 10 year old kid named Martin, he is super funny and cool. We baptized him on Sunday. His family was inactive and we found them and started teaching them. We invited them to church and for Martin to be baptized and they did it. It was so funny, all the kids didn't wanna go to church so I just acted crazy like I would at home. I had everyone laughing and having fun the whole time so the kids loved church and wanna go next week. The family has 3 daughters, one is 18 the other 16 and one is 7. There are 3 sons, one is 22 one is 10 (Martin the kid we baptized) and one is 2. It was so fun to just have them all go in the church just laughing having fun cuz i was being a spaz. They said they loved it and they will go again next week if I sit with them again hahaha!!! So ya that's good.

We had interviews this week too. I think I'm going to get transferred next week which is good and bad. I love my comp with all my heart, he has taught me so much but I'm kinda ready for a new area, a new adventure hahah. So ya next Monday I think I'll be moving to a new area in the mission. In my interview president said he doesn't know where I will go or who I will be with but he knows I'll do great cuz I'm a good missionary, it made me feel way good! I love our president so much, he has helped me to grow as a missionary. He is just such a good loving guy.

I was sick this whole week again, it was really bad. I had a way bad fever, the chills, throwing up and all those wonderful things. It got so bad Sister Nancollas the mission presidents wife had me call the doctor. That is why I took money out, it was to go buy medicine to try and get better cuz I really thought I was going to die! The worst part was I had to drink this nasty stuff to put electrolytes in my body cuz all my muscles were spazzing and cramping. So I had to drink nasty water stuff then the bishops wife gave me hot milk with fresh garlic in it, you wanna play Fear Factor drink that crap yuk!!! I am better now, the medicine I got helped. It sucked, I got food poisoning last week then this week the flu, what a crappy 2 weeks. I'm good now so other then that not much else is new.

I lost more weight I think. I had to move my CTR ring to my middle finger cuz it was going to fall off. I don't have fat little round fingers anymore, they look long now.

But that is about it. Tell everyone I love them and pray for you guys every night and morning and at lunch and some times at dinner to hahah!!!

I love you all,
Love Elder Fackattack (aka Austin)

Hey Family,

So how is everyone doing? I'm doing good and bad, we had a super crappy week. No one came to church and I just felt super frustrated. Last night me and my comp were talking about it and he said "Just think of the peoples lives you have helped since you have been here." It made me feel good and really helped me out. He also said "Think about your family at home, to them you are the best missionary in the world. So from now on think like the best missionary in the world and next week lets get people to church!" He is so cool and helped me so much and made me feel way better and motivated. I don't know why we had such a hard time this week, we worked super hard. One day this week we couldn't work cuz we both were super, super sick and throwing up. It was really bad, it was the most sick I have been on my mission so far. We were at this investigators house helping them. I was standing talking to the mom and all of a sudden everything started spinning and I had to sit down. I almost passed out so we went home for the day and tried to get better. I feel better now but not perfect. It's just like everyone said, you will have times you feel so sick you will wanna die. That was this week!!!

I didn't get my box yet. I won't get it till we see president cuz all of the boxes go to the office. We get them at zone conference and interviews. We have interviews on Friday so I should get it then.

Not to much more has happened. Oh this little kid threw a firework at my head cuz his dad told him to. It blew up right by my ear, I thought I was deaf. I wanted to beat the little punk and his dad to death, stinkin kid!!! We have been helping a lady in the word who has been having family problems and she told us the other night that she never could have done this without us. We were the perfect missionaries for her and God had us here to help her. It made me feel so good and helped me have a better week.

I had to talk in church this week for 10 min. it sucked!!! I thought my head was going to blow up from thinking so much in Spanish. I talked on being humble and not letting anyone offend you. It was good I thought but ten min later we had to give a blessing to a lady who was offended in the ward (hahaha she didn't listen.)

Not much else is going on. I have to go, we have a service project today and have to paint.

Love you all! Hope all is well! Tell Jorden to whip some people in football for me and I love him!!!

Love
Elder Fackler

E-Mail 8-17-09

Hey Family
I can't believe Bridger got hit by a car on the scooter that is so crazy, poor kid. It's good it is nothing super, super bad. Trestay( Spanish for freaking) old people, the lord really did protect him though and that is so good.

I baptized again, a lady named Martha. It was really good but I had to push her under kinda hard cuz she didn't wanna go under. I didn't wanna say the prayer twice so I pushed her under. She is so funny, she is a little old lady and just has the best attitude. We baptized her in 3 weeks so it was super fast. She was really ready.

Yesterday we knocked doors with the district and I had to knock with the elder with no excitement. We found 8 news in 30 min. It was so cool, I always find the most news it's a pride thing. I hate to lose so I work super hard and just use my personality and people let us in and listen. Yesterday I just kept asking people if we could sing for them and they would be like "no" and I would say "Come on have you ever heard a giant white American sing in Spanish? This is a once in a life time chance!" and they would laugh and let us in. We would sing a song about the plan of salvation and then talk about being with your family forever and they all said we could come back which was good. We found 8 people in thirty min. The next best missionaries found 2 in forty five min. So ya we rocked it hahaha!!!

So Spanish is starting to come along really fast. People understand me and my comp is helping me a ton. He is such a good missionary and has taught me so much. I'm loving it right now and we are working so hard. I feel like I am growing alot again as a missionary. With my last comp I didn't feel like I progressed at all but now I feel like I am getting better which is super good.

I don't need more money Mom, it's good to have it in there though. I took money out to buy a scripture case. There is a guy here who makes them for us but it is only in the zone I am in now. I bought one to have to remember my mission with. It is leather and has a pic of the Mexico City Temple on the front and my favorite scripture on the back and it has my name on it. It's all burned in the leather so I got it to remember my mission.

I don't have any more time, we have an appointment.
I love you all so much!
Tell Bridger I am sorry the old person used him for target practice!!!

All my love,
your son
Elder Fackler

I'll let you know asap when I get the package ok.
Tell Dad thanks for the letter it really helped me and Bishop Chenny too!!!

8-10-09 E-Mail

Hey family,
What's up? How is everyone. I am doing good! We worked super, super hard again this week. I washed my cloths with my hands again, it is kinda fun and good exercise lol.

I'm working so hard you guys would be so proud of me. My feet have blisters though which sucks but it's ok. I think I'm losing weight again just cuz I'm walking so much and so fast. I'm not like looking skinny nasty just look more buff haha, which is good. Maybe I'll be cute when I get home. My face has got way thin. My companion and the lady I live with looked at pics of me when I started and they both told me how fat I was hahaha (jerks!) lol.

We have a baptism next week which will be cool. Time is going so fast with Elder Huchim, he is super cool and has helped me so much. My Spanish is getting better fast. On Thursday I dreamed Angela came to Mexico and was talking to everyone Spanish and I just kept saying "Babe you don't know Spanish." But she just keep talking to everyone. It was weird and I understood it all which was cool. My first bilingual dream and I understood hahahah.

My Comp has also helped me with contacting people. I have gotten good at it. Today we have a deal though, we have got to sing a "himno" on the bus for everyone to hear. I am excited, we will see if I really have the guts. He really is just so cool, he is super obedient and fun and easy going, he is perfect! I have loved the last two weeks and time is flying.

We got some cool ponchos cuz it is always raining here, so we got ponchos to use which is cool. We got the ward to start working with us more too, which is good. Our ward is not very good at helping the missionaries but we are working hard to get them to like us.

That is about it I have got to go we have a zone meeting today. I love you all!

Te amo familia yo estrenia ustedes mucho yo orar por ustedes cada dia dios bendiga me familia y me novia mucho amor o tambien habla graceas con madison y angela y la familia por todo la cartas

Elder Fackler
Practice some spanish hahahahah!

E-Mail 8-3-09

Hey Fam,
So how are you all doing? I am doing good. This week has been the best of my mission so far. My new comp is super amazing. He is from Quintana Roo, it is in Mexico too. He doesn't speak any English which has helped me with Spanish a ton. My Spanish is getting better super fast and he just has the best attitude about everything. It is unreal, he is always happy and super obedient. He has helped me so much it is crazy! He helped me with my street contacts and this week we found 18 new investigators. I think we will baptize alot. He is super laid back and amazing I'm so glad I have him.

Yesterday we knocked doors with the district to see who could find the most new people. I went with a missionary who is super shy and has a hard time talking to people. We went to knock together but I wanted to win so I was super out going and used my personality a ton. With my old comp I never really talked but my new comp Elder Huchim always has me talk and contact people, so in a week I have really improved. Anyway so we started knocking and I was the only one talking. By myself I found 6 new investigators in 30 min!!! Everyone was freaking out, saying how good I am. The missionary I was with just kept saying "he is freaking crazy!" But it was so cool. 3 of the people we found were talking outside and one of the guys was a Jehovah Witness and was teaching them. I just started joking with the guy and we sang for them right there on the street and prayed with them. All 3 of them gave us the address to there houses. It was super cool, we found 6 people in 30 min. the others found 2 and the others 1 so we smoked them and I did it all alone!!! I was proud of my Spanish, it has come really fast in this week. My new comp is just awesome and helps me with everything, he studies with me too which has helped me so much. He really is amazing!!!

I looked for shoes here there is nothing bigger then a 12 and I need a 14, so I need you to send them, sorry.

Oh, so today I washed my cloths by hand, it was super cool and they get way cleaner using your hands. I like it better and it is good exercise hahah!!! I love it! Don't stress about me, sorry last weeks letter was so bad I was just scared cuz it was my first transfer in the mission. I was way scared. I am doing better now then ever, my comp is so cool!!! You know how I am I stress my self out over little stuff.

Not much else has happened, we are just working hard. I have blisters and it kills to walk but I love it!!! I am being very obedient. My comp is perfectly obedient so its super good.

Oh I ate chicken heart and feet yum huh, hahah.

I love you all thanks for everything.
Love,
Elder Fackler

E-mail 7-27-09

Hey family

Hey everyone how are you? I am doing good. I don't have much time cuz we had transfers today. I got a new comp, he seems pretty cool. I think I will really like him. It will be hard though cuz he doesn't speak English at all. It will be really good for my Spanish to be with him. It was hard to say by to Elder Arrieta, I thought I wouldn't care cuz he drove me freaking crazy but last night he wrote in my journal. He started to cry and said the last three months were the favorite of his mission. It made it really hard, I think it's cuz I worked so hard to love him. When we had to say good-by it was so hard. My new comp seems really good though and seems like he will wanna work which is good so I'm excited for that. So nothing cool happened this week it was really boring.

The assistants to the president came and worked with us which was cool. I like them a lot, they went home today. Elder Pratt, the kid that was in my room in the MTC had to go home. He had a really bad heart problem. I felt so bad for him, that would be so crappy but I guess God has other things in mind for him now.

So nothing else has happened besides my new comp. I have only been with him for an hour so I don't know much about him yet. Getting all the stuff done for transfers was super stress full.

Yesterday we went to see the lady I baptized and she was smoking again so ya that made it a way bad, stressful week.

When we worked with the assistants one of them has an issue and has to be in the front so we spent the day racing, it was so funny. Elder Arrieta was just running behind trying to keep up, it made me laugh.

Well that is about it. It has been a super slow yet stressful week. I'll write more next week I promise.

Tell everyone I love them and hope life is good!!!
Love Elder Fackler

E-mail 7-20-09

Hey family,
So how are you guys this week? I am doing good, I have been kinda home sick but its ok.

I baptized again so that was good, his name is Felix. He is a really cool guy but it was "The Impossible Baptism." We had to work so hard to get him ready to be baptized and then yesterday when we got to the church to fill up the baptismal font the water didn't work at all!!! We had to go out side to the church water tank (here every one has under ground water tanks kind of like wells) and get a bucket with a hose tied to it as a rope and lower it into the water tank and pull water out then dump it into other buckets and then kids carried them to the font and threw the water in. It took 3 hours of none stop work to get it done. It was such a pain I hated! Today my arms hurt so bad I can't move them cuz most of the time I was the one pulling the water up out of the well! I bet it took 2000 buckets of water to fill the font but it was worth it. The water was freezing cuz we couldn't warm it up at all, so when I dunked Felix he came out of the water and squealed. It was a super long yet cool day. I will always remember it that's for sure. We did all that work in are white shirts and ties so afterwords we were so dirty.

This week we had interviews with president, they were really good. I'm getting a new comp next week which will be good. I asked president for a native comp who can't speak English so I have to use Spanish. So I am going to learn Spanish fast now I hope cuz I won't be able to use English at all so that will be good for me.

Not much else cool has happened. The family we were supposed to baptize this week won't even talk to us now so I don't really know what to do about that, I'll just keep trying I guess.

I weighed myself and I have lost 35 pounds, I don't think I will lose anymore though cuz I am able to eat the food here now.

That's about it, thanks for everything.

Love you all,
Elder Fackler

E-Mail 7-13-09

Hey Family
So how is everyone? How is life? Things here have been good. The weather is not bad, it's not very hot and it didn't rain everyday this week which is super good.

This week has been good. I baptized this lady named Angelica. It was such a cool feeling after I baptized her, I felt like I had been baptized again. It felt like God had forgiven me for all the times in my life I have fallen short. It was cool too cuz she picked me to baptize her which made me feel really good. She was so funny, she had a problem with smoking so we had her stop over a 2 week period. She had 3cigarettes for 4 days, 2 for 4 days then 1 for 4 days. When she was down to one she took the cigarette and divided it in to 3rds so she smoked a third in the morning a third after lunch and a third after dinner. It was so cool to see her trying so hard. I loved baptizing her, there really is no feeling like that!

So our turtles...I gave them all away. We are not supposed to have them and I'm trying so hard to be obedient, so I gave them all away. So ya my turtle adventure is over, I figure I have my whole life to have turtles and only 19 and a half months left to serve God so I need to serve the very best I can so the turtles had to go.

Next week I get to baptize again, it is a guy named Felix he is a super cool guy and I'm way excited to baptize him on Sunday, it will be cool. I've got the prayer down in Spanish, it was super hard but I memorized it. My Spanish is really starting to get better. People are starting to understand me and I understand almost everything they say which is good so I'm super happy!!!

I think my weight is starting to balance out which is good cuz my baptism pants are huge. They were falling off when I was in the water which is very bad.

We were supposes to baptize three other people on Sunday. It is a family but the dad drank so we couldn't and the wife and daughter want to get baptized at the same time as him so we have to wait till the 26th to baptize them. But it's OK that will mean I baptized 3 weeks in a row which will be good.

OK so there are these kids here and their a gang and they were staring at us. I thought we were going to get killed so I decided to go make friends with them, so we went and talked to them and were super nice. Well now they love us. They always talk to us and ask us if we want to drink and smoke weed with them, it's so funny. We took pics with them, it's all these guys smoking weed and drinking and two missionaries. We call them our hood!!! They are super cool to us now so I'm glad we decided to be brave and just go talk to them cuz now we don't have to be scared they will rob us or anything which is good.

That's about all that's new here.

I love you guys tons thanks for everything!!!
Elder Fackler

E-Mail 6-29-09

Hey everyone how are you?

I am doing pretty good. Mom don't stress, my stomach has been fine. I have not been sick for awhile and I'm starting to get use to the food. Some of it is so good, like Tortas. They are Mexican hamburgers OH I LOVE THEM!!! I am still losing weight cuz I only eat once a day and work out every night. I think I'm about where I was during football. I'm going to be skinny and tan when I get home.

I like Mexico more and more all the time. It feels normal now living here. My one bedroom house just feels normal. The donkey pulled trailer that comes to get our trash is normal now too. I'm going to have to let Angela pick our house cuz after living here I could probably live in anything in the U.S. and be happy. It's crazy how humble the people live here. It makes me feel like such a spoiled brat. I always felt like our house was so small and always wanted to have more. I was not happy with what I had. Now that I live here I see how blessed and lucky we really are. We have so much it's not even funny. I wish you guys could see some of the houses here. All I know is when I get home I'm going to be so grateful for what we have. We are so lucky!!!

The work is going good. We worked are butts off this week but I still have not baptized yet. I think we'll have one soon. We are teaching some super cool people. I learned this song in Spanish but changed the tune to the tune of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and my comp and I sang it to some investigators. At the end the dad was crying super hard which was crazy cuz he has never been very emotional before, he was crying like crazy, I couldn't believe it. The song is super cool, I'll try to record it and send it home.

OK the turtles well um ........................ we have 6 now Pedro, Juan and Santiago (Peter, James and John in Spanish) Moto Moto, Tietsy and Tony the Tiger. Ya I'm terrible I know. They have got a pretty pimpin house by the way. They live better then us and they eat live fish. It's cool cuz there are these things here called Tanges which are huge sales where they block off the street and tons of vendors come. You can find anything there super cheap. That's where we get the turtles, but we are done with are turtle adventure now. We are only going to keep them till transfers in 4 weeks.

My comp is great and has taught me a ton, I love him tons. I think my feet grew, my shoes that are 13 hurt my feet so bad. I'm wearing the same pair everyday but I don't want them to wear out and get ruined. I think I'm growing again too cuz my knees have been hurting really bad and my shoes are to small.

My comp said I can't be the Jr. Companion any more cuz I'm to big. He gets mad at me and asks if he can be the Sr. Companion just once cuz he is my District Leader, Sr. Companion and Trainer so I should let him be the boss but then he tells me I am just to big and that I don't let him hahahah.

I can't believe how much a missions help you. I always thought I was such a good person but a mission shows you all of the areas you suck at. It helps you be willing to swallow your pride and just do what you have to do to make things better. I know I'll be a better husband and dad from this. It teaches you so much and helps you so much!!!

You asked about the bugs here, they are not to bad. I get bit a ton but I'm use to it now.

That's about it here I have got to go. I love you all so much, thanks for all you do! I miss you all.

Tons of Love,
Elder Fackler

E-mail 6-22-09

Wow!!! No wonder they call him the GIANT!!!

Hey Fam,

Lets see, this week was kinda boring. I have not had to shower with a bucket at all!!! I just use cold water and hot only if I can but that doesn't happen to much it's mostly cold.

So we had a talent show this week in our ward and my comp wrote this "Dear John" song. He sang it and I acted it out. It was super funny! I took pics of Angela and letters she has sent me and stuff and acted it all out. Everyone in the ward thought it was super funny, then we sang a hymn in Spanish and it was super spiritual so that was good. Everyone says the "Dear John" song was karma and I'm going to get dear Johned. I told them "Ya right hahahah I'm way to good lookin to get dear Johned."

My clothes are getting so big I don't know what to do. My shirts look like sheets around me. Spanish is stating to come, I'll hit you up with some... hole como esta nosotros somos missioneros y nosotros tenga buen mensajhe por usted y su familia es muy espesual es sobre cuando usted veva su familia para siempre. That is a door contact in Espaniol. It gets better and better everyday it just is taking longer then I want it to.

The super cool family ditched us for church and now said don't come by till Thursday so that sucks. The other lady went out of town this week so she didn't come either. We had one new investigator in church this week. This week we have to buckle down and bust are butts and find new people cuz I freaking want to baptize already!!! My comp and I had a way good talk and figured out what we need to do so we are going to get on it this week.

So other then that it has been kinda boring. Oh Happy Birthday Mom and happy Fathers Day Dad, I love you both. I miss all of you but it's OK, this will all be so worth it in the end. I am growing so much as a person and learning new stuff all the time. By the end I'll be a better dad and husband and just all around better. I can't believe Madi is going to be 16 ahhhhh stay off the road. We have 2 more turtles, Moto Moto and Tetsy so now we have three. I think we are going to give them away cuz we kinda are not supposed to have pets and I want to be super obedient, I need the blessings.

I better go, love you all so so so so so much!

Love Elder Fackler

E-Mail 6-15-09

Hey family,

This week has been so amazing! First off this week I was in this taxi and he was flying down the road cuz they rush everywhere here, all of a sudden there was a huge dip and we freaking ramped it. It was so crazy and cool lol.

Next thing, transfers were this week and I didn't get transferred I still have the same comp which is good I really like him (most the time) hahah. He is really cool. I had to go with our district leader and get evaluated to see if I was a good missionary. I rocked it!!! I did super good, he said I was amazing. My Spanish is getting better, I can talk now with a mixture of Spanish and sign language.

I got a turtle, hahaha it's name is Juan... since it's a Mexican turtle.

So on Friday my companion and I went to check on an inactive family. They were not there so I said we should knock the doors on the way down cuz it was at the top of an apartment complex. We did and on the third floor we found this church member who went inactive and started worshiping Santa Muerte which means St. Death. They think death is a spirit and it is the only sure thing in life. Because death was the only thing strong enough to kill Jesus they think it is the best power and worship it like a god, it's nuts!!! Anyway she had been worshiping that way for a while. But she said she was in the middle of a prayer asking our God what she needed to do with her life, she asked for a sign...and we knocked on her door!!! She had us take all of the death worshiping stuff out of her house. It was so cool to think God used me to answer someones prayers. She came to church and everything, it was super cool!

So next, on Sunday we fasted for a family we are teaching, their name is Familia Alejandro, to come to church. Church started and they were not there so I was super upset. Half way through sacrament meeting I was saying a prayer cuz I was so upset and then I looked up and Alejandro and his whole family were walking in and they stayed the whole time. It was so amazing, I saw our fast work. It really was so cool mom!!!

We have 5 people with a baptism dates, cool huh!!! I'm super excited and we should have 2 more tomorrow, so 7 all together. I feel like I am finally stating to see all my hard work pay off, I love it. I just wanna keep working hard.

Our house flooded, hahahah. One of the missionaries used our sink but no water came out so he just left it on thinking it didn't work. When we got home we had a flood, it sucked haha we had Noah's ark in are house.

OK about my comp cuz I always forget to tell you. He has been out for 15 months. He lives in Chihuahua. He is super fun and I love him. He knows so much about the church he reminds me of dad.

A few nights ago my comp got up to go to the bath room at like 12 and all of the sudden he just started screaming like a big fat girl. I got way scared, I thought someone had come out of the shower to kill him so I jumped up and went to see what was happening. All it was, was a cockroach. It was so funny I about died laughing!!!

So that's about it here, gotta go.

Love you all so much!
Elder Austin Fackler

Austin and his Pres. and wife

E-Mail 6-8-09

Hey family,
So here are the answers to your questions. My interview with Pres. was really good. I really like him he is super cool. I have not been sick at all this week which is super good and I think my weight is OK. The women in our ward are upset with me cuz I don't eat all of the vegetables they give me but its so hard. Some of them are just so sick and I just can't do it. I try so, so, so hard and I just can't cuz some I don't even know what they are. They just turn into slime.

The lady we live with is mad cuz I have been using the water pump to shower. That is the only way we have water presser. This morning she got mad and told me to stop using it. I am going to have to start showering with a bucket which I am not looking forward to at all. I guess I just need to humble my self, suck it up and just do it. I just really really don't want to.

So we have a pretty good group of people to teach right now. We have two families and then two single women with kids and some others. It's just hard cuz they all act so good but then getting them to go to church is like moving a mountain which sucks. All we can do is our best.

This week we had kids throw rocks at us again but they missed so its OK. I saw all of my friends from the MTC on Tue. We all went to get are visas finished which was super cool. I really miss them so much it was good to see them all again. They all have been having a ruff time too. It's just so different. It's super hard to adjust and now I get to shower with a bucket, hahaha!!! Oh well I just need to keep working threw it, I'm sure I'll deal with worse stuff.

So Ross is getting married, crazy! That was super fast. I'm glad he and Sandi go together. I can't wait to get home and get married and start school. I kinda miss being normal. I'm kinda homesick this week, cuz of my ward being mad at me and the lady we live with. You know me, I don't do good when people are upset with me.

This week the assistants brought me a new mattress which was super good cuz mine sucked, and a fridge so that's nice. I didn't have one my apartment. It is so small it's hard to fit it all in. It's probably as big as our living room at home and has a bathroom. Ya it's very little but its OK. I know I needed to come to Mexico to be more grateful for what I have cuz we are very lucky! I promise.

So people here have been screaming at me a ton, greengo and stuff. It's kinda funny I learned to just ignore it.

Other then that not much has happened. We are teaching some way cool families and trying hard. I think president really likes me, at least I hope so. I am trying so hard to be good and do my best. It's hard cuz we still have not baptized and the ward is mad at me, and I have to shower with a bucket!!! I'll be OK, it will get better I hope, I know it could be worse hahaha. Mom don't stress about me, I'm OK I promise. I love you so much, thanks for all of your prayers.

I love you all with all my heart.
Write next week. Hope life is good and I'm OK,
I promise.
Love,
Elder Fackler

Dear Family,

Here is what's going on here. I have been sick all week but I just go work anyway. My cloths are falling off, I can't stop losing weight. I'm kinda home sick, our baptism fell threw. But we have a lot of really good new investigators. and all of them have a lot of potential. Nothing really exciting has happened except a drunk women came up screaming grandote at me which is giant in Spanish she was crazy. We went bowling today it was super cool, the mall is like the US I love it.

This week I have not really eaten anything gross except cow intestine tacos, but they actually tasted good. I have not really taken very many pics, I don't like to carry my camera around cuz I don't wanna get robbed I have not had anything like that happen too me yet I think I scare people cuz I'm huge here. I'm getting skinnier and doing push ups sit ups and curls everyday to stay in shape so I can play football when I get back.

I don't really see my president very much we have are first interviews since the first day on Fri. His letters are always super nice, just like he is proud of what I am doing for my comp and stuff and to just keep working. So i got some cool dollar ties I was pretty excited. I did street contacts alone in Spanish on Sat. which was super cool. I will be an 8th of the way done on Thur. that's so crazy. I hope it all goes this fast. Some days I just want it to be over, but I know it's right and I am where I need to be. It's just hard when we have weeks like this one. We couldn't get in a door to save are lives and our baptism fell threw. I have been really sick all week, I am so worn out physically cuz I can't really keep food down but I'll be OK. I got a blessing this morning and didn't throw up breakfast so that's a good start lol. Ya this week has been hard but all I can do is just keep working and try to be better and work harder. Mom I know how you are don't stress cuz I promise I am OK and will be fine.

So I have been teaching my comp wrestling hahahaha. It's so funny, he always tells everyone I try to kill him but I really don't we just have fun which is good. Oh are bishops son is nuts he stabbed his mom's pet bird with a stick and almost killed it. He is crazy, I was freaking out, I wanted to stab him with a stick... freaking psycho. I ate cucumbers mom you would be so proud of me!!! I'm getting so grown up I can eat cucumbers. I have seen a lot of like half run over dogs, It grosses me out I hate it. They drag their broken half around it is sick.

So girls here this week are just crazy! They just try to hit on me cuz I am the only white person they have ever seen which is dumb. On Tues my comp went to a meeting and I was with this other white elder, it was really bad but good. We knocked doors in his area and out of 7 doors we got into 5 and they were all girls and 4 tried to hit on us so we got up and left. But it's OK.

I have almost finished the Book of Mormon again, I love it. My comp told pres to make me a Sr. companion next transfer! I hope not I'm not ready for that yet!

That's about it I have to get going. I'll write again next week.
Love you guys I'll pray for you, you pray for me K!!!

Love
Elder Fackler

E-mail 5-25-09

Hey Family,
So this week has been amazing, we found this mom and her son last Sunday morning and now on Sat. they are both getting baptized! So that's good, I have my first 2 baptisms. My companion is really good, he is keeping all of the rules with me and is working really hard.

OK lets see, I got rocks thrown at me. We were walking and someone threw a huge rock at us but it missed so it's all good. I get hit on by girls a lot. It's weird, just because I'm white they hit on me. It's stupid and weird but it doesn't matter cuz I can't understand them. My comp just tells me about it, like the other night we were walking home and these girls were walking behind us talking loud so my comp had me walk past the apartment and go around the block till they stopped following us and he said they were asking me if I wanted to hook up and all this nasty stuff. And this 70 year old lady told me how handsome I was it's creepy. I need Angela to come protect me. I got hit on by a gay guy, so she really needs to come protect me. I have not seen white people at all so that's why they hit on me cuz I'm white.

I have had some of the best food of my life. There is a hamburger stand that OH my gosh, AMAZING!!! The members food has all been way good this week and I'm feeling better. I was super sick Wed. and Thur. with the flu. I found out the last missionary to have my bed had Swine Flu so I think I might have had it, but I'm good now.

I am really starting to love it here, we are working super hard and trying to get people to church. Church here is crazy there are 350 members and 47 go to church. We have got some work to do but it's good. A drunk guy came up and kept touching me wanting me to speak English but we are not supposed to cuz our area is way ghetto and we will get robbed. Finally my comp told him I was going to lay him out if he didn't stop so he did.

So I have lost more weight. I took my suit pants in to be taken in because they are just falling off. My face has gotten thinner. I don't really have fat cheeks anymore but I think since I am starting to get used to the food and my mouth being ON FIRE I will start to steady out. I am getting super tan. The weather is super nice it's 80 with clouds but still sunny. It just rains everyday at about 7 which sucks but the rest of the day is great.
Mom can you send me a hymn book in English ASAP please. They ask me to sing in English all the time so please send me one.

So about my size... I am a giant. Everyone says stuff but I can't understand so ya I am huge here. Oh there are these kids in this apartment complex that always follow me saying washu, washu, washu, they are trying to speak English but they can't so they follow me. They are my parade ha ha! Now they think I don't speak English cuz I talked to them in Spanish and said I didn't know English.

OK so my bed sucks!!! It was John Taylor's mattress on his mission. But it's all good, I have learned so much about the church, I love it. I love my study time, it's my favorite time of the day, I have learned so much.

I had cow head and upper legs and intestine tacos yum! They really were not to bad I just pretend it is Fear Factor ha ha.

So Jorden's Court of Honor was good, I'm glad.

I didn't know till I got hear what a mission would do for me but this is teaching me so much. How to work threw my own feelings about the gospel, to love people I have just met, to help people and to get my own testimony of the church. I am also learning how to work threw problems. I am just learning so much everyday, I love it!

I love you guys, I am doing so much better and Spanish is coming a day at a time. Pretty soon I'll be Mexican I promise. I love all of you so much, I can't believe I am an 8th of the way done.

Later!
Love,
Elder Fackler

First E-mail from Mexico

Hey Fam,
So my area lets start there: haha I live in the most ghetto part of my mission, it is super poor and there is graffiti everywhere. There are dogs everywhere, like on the roof and everywhere else. They put them on the roof cuz no one has yards. There are tons of little apartments. It's just crazy my apartment roof is my height. I have to duck. It's one room maybe the size of our front room it has no fridge and is super small. It was so nasty when I got here I cleaned every morning for like an hour so now it is not to bad. We have to clean in the morning cuz we only have running water in the morning. That is the only time you can shower is in the morning but at least it has a shower. It's so different here, like the trash man is a guy in a wagon being pulled by donkeys. Ya me and Ross got the wrong mission calls, this is his kind of place, and like people walk around smoking pot and stuff. I cantt wear my watch or carry money cuz my area is way bad and they don't want me to get robed. So ya that's my area the ghetto of Mexico City.

OK the food: I ate an earth worm, I have pics haha. They were deep fried earth worms to so they were kinda like earth worm chips they don't really taste they just stick in your teeth. I'm not kidding other then that the food is just FIRE HOT and it's really hard for me to eat. I am going to look like Uncle Blaine by the end of this. I have been a little sick the whole time since i got here I am pretty sure I drank tap water. But I'll be OK the food is just so different, there is no in the middle it is either way, way good or so, so, so sick. They eat alot of soup which is hard for me cuz it is weird soup but I'll get used to it. I'm glad you have been praying for me, I have been pretty homesick here. It's hard to only email once a week. I would like letters in the pouch too. Just send me as much as you can.

OK my comp: he is a way good teacher and a super cool guy. He had problems with the rules before me but I just told him we are going to be obedient and we have been. So that is good, he is from Chiwawa Mexico. He has had me sing "Be Still My Soul" in English like 5 times to different families cuz they don't have it in Spanish. So I sing it to people alot which is cool. They didn't really have much success before I got here. We had 0 on everything. Now we have 8 new investigators and one with a baptismal date. So ya we worked hard this week and we will keep working hard.

That's about it here it's just all so different, dirty and crowded but it is good. Everyday gets better and I'm starting to feel happy again. Tell everyone I love them. All of you are the best I couldn't do this without you. I love you all so, so, so much keep me in your prayers k. I'll write next week
Love
Elder Fackler