E-Mail 3-22-10

Hey family,

I am doing ok. This week didn’t go to good our baptism didn’t work out. We went to get him and his wife just freaked out and told us they were Catholic and he didn’t want to get baptized and all this crap! So ya his stupid wife ruined everything, she is just super dumb. Then everyone we had for church fell threw and we only had 2 for the first time so it was a long week. I’m not a district leader anymore cuz our regular one is back so that is good. It was a long week but it’s ok, all I can do is learn from it and grow. It has been a bad week but it’s all good

I got the box and the camera was in it. I really like it thanks a lot. The shirts fit good too. I’m glad you sent other ones cuz mine are just super big and no one could take them in. I just wear them big, but now I have a few more smaller and they fit good. All of my other clothes are still good, I was wondering if you could send me a few more pants in other colors besides black and blue. Maybe pin striped, brown or green. All I have is black and blue and it is getting old lol! If you could send some striped or other colors that would be good. I think the same size will be good cuz I like them big they don’t wear out as fast.

As for the work, we still have alot of people to baptize, they all just have stupid little problems like smoking or not being married or just dumb little stuff. So we are trying to get all of the little problems worked out so that we can have more success. I just hope we can figure it out.

I hope you guys like the pics they are from the Attlantas those are the big statue things the other ones are just of me and ya boring lol but I know you guys wanted them so I sent them.

But that is it for this week. I love you guys, talk to you next week.

Love Elder Fackler

E-Mail 3-15-10

Hey everyone,

I’m writing a little bit earlier today because we have a district leader meeting I’m invited to tomorrow so I am leaving today at 2 to go to the offices of the mission for the meeting.

This week was ok, kind of long and frustrating. We baptized a guy named Anibal he is super cool. His family is all members and they are supper strong and good in the church which is cool. When his family got baptized he didn’t want to so we have been visiting him and teaching him and he got baptized yesterday, he is just an awesome guy, him and his family are going to be so good in the church and go to the temple in a year I’m so stoked.

What was bad was 2 of the people we had to confirm this week didn’t get confirmed. They left and went to visit there mom cuz she is sick so they went to help her and see how she is doing so they couldn’t get confirmed which was super frustrating. I feel bad cuz like I have been doing really good and everyone was super happy with me then this week that happened but it’s ok all I can do is do my best and keep working hard it was just frustrating.

This week we started teaching this guy named George we found knocking doors, he is super cool and is a clown for his work ha-ha-ha! We are teaching him, his family are Christians so it’s super funny with them and their music but he really is a super cool guy.

This week I had to talk in church again it went all right. I didn’t have much time to get it ready because I have been working like crazy getting everything ready and trying to help the other missionaries in the district. One of them has been having a hard time getting people to church so I went with him on Sat. and worked with him in his area and on Sunday he had 7 people for the first time and 11 in total! I was super happy when he called to tell me cuz he needed to have a good week so I’m glad he did.

So it has been a stressful week. I feel like I have so much to do and no time to do it all. But it’s good I’m learning so much, in the last few weeks since I have been a Sr. comp my Spanish has gotten way better and how I teach has gotten alot better too. I’m just glad God is blessing me. That is it for this week, I love you all and I’ll write next week.

Love, Elder Fackler

E-Mail 3-8-10

Hey family what’s up?

This week has been very crazy ha-ha. First off on Sunday I baptized 3 people, it was cool but their baptisms were crazy I’ll explain why in a sec lol!

Last Monday I told you our district leader had a hernia, well he had to have surgery on it so from Tue. to Friday night I was in the hospital with him. Longest days of my life!!! It was good to be able to help him but I really wanted to be here in my area working. I spent the week with him then Friday morning in the hospital president called us and told me I was going to be the District Leader till he gets back… so ya I’m so stressed!!! I was stressed as a Sr. comp, now I am a District Leader too for a few weeks. My stress level is like a 9 out of 10 ha-ha. But I really love it I feel like I’m learning so much and becoming a better missionary which is really cool lol! I have a cell phone now for a few weeks, so that’s cool!!! I’m just the District Leader while he is getting better but its cool president trusted me. I don’t want to let him down.

So the whole week I was at the hospital and that’s why my baptisms were crazy! I had to do it all on Sat. Two of them I had to get ready on Sat. for the next day. They had to be interviewed and everything on Sat. to get baptized on Sunday and it was just crazy. Then Sunday the baptismal font was locked and we didn’t have keys, so in the middle of the baptism service I had to go back in to the service and jump the front wall into the font to open the door from the other side (in front of everyone) and the water was so cold!!! One of the girls I baptized, when she touched the water said a swear word cuz it was so cold and everyone heard!!! Ya it was just a crazy baptism but we had all three and that is what is important! I have another baptism this week so that is good. I’m starting to see alot of success let’s just hope I can keep it up.

Yesterday I ate some way gross stuff. I ate the bacteria that causes athletes foot!!!!!! Here they grow it on corn then serve it in tacos, they are called Ungos but its still bacteria so ya it was kind of gross. I also ate cow blood! They take it and put stuff in the cow blood to make it thick and then role it up in a piece of fat and serve it. I ate cow blood gross huh!!!

I had to give a talk today in front of the whole zone, 24 missionaries. I had to talk about how to get people to church for the first time. They had the 3 District Leaders talk about something and mine was “getting people to church for the first time.” I hope I did good and helped them, I was kind of nervous but I think I did good.

That is it for this week I’ll write next week ok. I love you all with all my heart. I hope it all works out for TJ and the baby. Tell everyone I said “hi” and tell Grandma I thought about her alot this week!

Love Elder Fackler

E-Mail 3-1-10

Hey family,

This week has been super good! First off I had 6 people in church for the first time and I had 10 in total, which is the most I think I have had in my mission so it was good. Also I have a baptism this week, her name is Nancy and I have two more possible, Laura and her son, pray for them so I can baptize all 3 of them cuz that will be sweet. So this week in the work was good we had a good week!!!

As for me and my comps as in 2 now ha-ha, ya I am in a 3-some cuz one of the missionaries didn’t get his companion. He works in the afternoon with a youth and in the morning with us so there is 3 of us, his name is Elder Carrillo from Monterey he is a really cool guy! He has helped me a lot, I have learned so much from the bible from him. I can teach way good with the bible now, he is a cool guy. My actual comp Elder Rivera is really cool too. He is from Veracruz and is just a super cool guy, he has helped me alot and is just super chill and cool. So as for my comps that’s going good, just one problem… we went to the doctor today cuz Elder Carrillo was hurting in his stomach and they found out he has a hernia!!! He has to have surgery, I feel so bad for him. We have to go to the surgeon tomorrow so ya things are a little complicated with all that, we will just have to see what happens. I will send pics home next week for you, sorry I have not in a long time. There just never is much time anymore, I’m always so busy.

So the story of the week… there is this little 12 year old girl in my ward and the other two elders kept telling me she was in love with me but I didn’t believe them. Her and her mom always say how handsome I am and I figured they are just joking but then she started saying other stuff and then on Sunday she just ran up and gave me a hug! I didn’t know what to do so I pushed her away and just avoided her. Then she ran by and I think went to hit my back to say “bye” but because I am so tall she hit my butt!!! So now my comps just talk crap about how she is in love with me, she is just a little 12 year old girl but it was just kinda funny!

I checked how much I weigh and it was 285lbs. I have lost again, 15 more pounds. I think it’s cuz I’m so stressed about my area. When I went to get my new comp I saw my bishop from my first area and he was just like “holy cow! You look so skinny. What happened?” He was just freaking out!!! It was cool cuz he could understand me now and I could understand him. He remembered me as a fat missionary who didn’t know Spanish lol. Now I’m skinnier and understand so it was cool to see him. He went off about how much better I look and how good my Spanish is so I felt good. I like being skinnier I feel better lol.

I can’t believe I am about to make 1 year! It feels like it went by so fast, but when I think about the last time I saw you guys it feels like a long time. I have learned so much this year and I know this is getting me ready for my future. I think that is it for this week, we don’t have much time since we had to go to the doctor and stuff. I’ll write next week ok, I love you all so much, thanks for all you do for me!!! See ya in a year hahahahahahaha!

Love you all,
Elder Fackler