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