Colonia Las Ilusiones/Zona 18-Oct. 26, 2010

Whoa mother!! The Temple was seriously AMAZING!!!!! I was BLOWN AWAY!!! I haven't done a session in over 8 months!! It's so dang important to go every single week or so! I loved it. Literally when I first walked in and was just getting my pants and stuff I almost started crying because I had forgotten the spirit of the temple. oy. I'd forgotten that that's why we teach families can be together forever. Wow! That is a special place. And is HANDS DOWN the Lord's house. I could literally feel so much peace in there. It was such a blessing to have gone there. I'm SOOO uplifted right now :) But tired. I woke up at 4:20 in the am. And that about trashed me. So I'm gonna go take a nap after this. Since today is my free day :) So I have a story of just today... ready to hear how blessed i am? So there is a PILAS family in my area. They wash our laundry every week. So you know that they're awesome. But, they have 2 daughters, age 7 or 6 and about 3. The wife is a member (always giving references and stuff, sooo awesome.) and the husband is not(He has received the missionaries for the past like 4 years, and has ZERO intention on changes. He made that super clear to me my first day) SO today they had a doctor's appointment near the temple, and for some reason the husband had desire to go see the temple after, and it just so happens they got there right when I got out!! And he had a few questions just about why he couldn't go in and so on. And his wife expressed to me why they had showed up! So for some reason I just offered them to use my camera to take fotos...I dunno why. Just did. That's the spirit :) They were taking pictures of themselves and their daughters at the temple. Then I took pictures of them all together in front of the temple! COOL!!!! After he had like 3 REALLY good questions about Moroni, why he was there, and why they all face the same way, so I answered. Then he asked why we don't know when the Second Coming is and stuff and it went reaaaally well. You could see a new desire to know more because of the power of the temple! So I feel super strongly to teach about families for eternity!! So were doing that tonight :) I think the Lord has a plan for them. Who knows when. But this is and was for sure a huge stepping stone. I just love seeing desire in people to hear this message. So yea...that was my cool story from today. Things are really good. I love it. So, that is the latest here. I love you mother. I'm super tired. But thank you so much for your prayers. I have alot of fotos to send home and a memory card. And it just so happens I have a sweet mom who bought me two memory cards, so while you have that one, I'll have this one :) We will talk a little more bout that later. Anyways, I love you mom. Dad is Awesome!!! That rocks he is going to UNLV, was selected by the Head Referee and is teaching his dream. He's the man. I gotta follow his camino he made! I Love you! Love your GCN Elder Elder Fast

Elder Fast & Elder Toolson-MTC Dec'09-Feb'10

The day before Evan left, his camera got lost. We kept thnking it would show up while he was packing. We unpacked and repacked his things thinking we had missed it somehow. After he entered the MTC, I was still looking for it. In his room, in our car, in the trash, etc..But to no avail we never found it. We sent him a new camera. The night before leaving the MTC, it was dropped. When Evan called from the airport in Dallas, the first words I heard were,"Mom, I am sooooooo sorry!" I have to say my heart dropped hearing those words. What did that mean? Well, it meant we would be buying yet another camera. Luckily enough, Elder Toolson did have a camera!! These are a few of the pictures taken at the MTC while Elder Toolson and Evan were companions. You can tell they became fast friends! (Thanks for sharing Cheri! You are the best!) They look so handsome and eager to learn This was titled-"We are going to show the others how it's done" Guatemala here we come! "THE District" Their last dinner in the MTC. We know someone that works at the MTC. They REALLY wanted to buy Evan and Elder Toolson In-n-Out as their last meal before leaving the states. Evan's favorite meal of all time:In-n-Out Cheeseburger with onions. They don't look like they are enjoying it at all, do they?

Colonia Las Ilusiones/Zona 18-Oct 25, 2010

Faaaamiliiiiiiaaa!!!! Wellll holy cow! You guys sound like you had the best weekend ever!!!! Holy cow what you all did makes me sooo jealous! But sooo happy!!! I can't wait to do that stuff again! Fun! I literally forgot it was Halloween! Or close to it. They don't even come anywhere close to celebrating it here. Mom sent me a picture of all the children and I about pooped my pants. How on earth have they grown that much!?!? The craziest one is Emers (Emree) (the one who I tell "no!") She's a giant!! I thought she was like 1 still or something (she is 2 1/2)... haha AND Hudsen!!! WHOA!!! That was sooo weird. She's like a little girl now not a toddler or however you would say it! (She is almost 6) I super love our family :) I always kinda brag about you guys when we teach about families :) Well...for me...this week was awesome! It was another good week. But, before I start about the week I wanted to tell a realization I came too. When I first came to Guatemala I was told that I was gonna get 175 baptisms eeeeeaaasy... yea.... it's not so......so, that was my realization haha. But, it was good for me. Because it was really starting to take its toll on me when I wasnt anywhere near that and I almost have 10 months in the mish...(Thats weird) But, I'm here for certain people. Maybe 175...maybe 2...maybe 50. I dunno. I just have to do what the Lord wants me to do and I'll be all good! So yeah... This week! Awesome! We had a rockin' District activity!! There are 4 areas in our district, and two of them are really struggling. So for an hour in each area all 8 of us in the district did divisions and all went contacting in the same area. And in our first hour we found 8 new investagators for a struggling area!!! AWESOME!!! Then our second hour in the other area we found 6 news! LEGIT! It was awesome to have been so blessed and see it as a district. So hopefully we can help them all progress! Also this week we found a new family! They are so amazing!!! Well technically it's not a family cuz the Dad is already a member. But the day after we contacted them they alllll came to church!! As in, all 3 of them :) But cool!!!! We really hope to help them progress. And to baptize the mom. Cuz it'll be easier for her (the wife) to listen with her esposo a member. So Elder Navas and I have had 8 separate people with fechas and they've all fallen so far this change. Which was poo. And hard. But we are still chugging along. This maje is a way hard worker! I Love it!! We have had a lot of success with everything. Just not baptisms. But those will come. We are planning to put fechas with a familiy Bran. This past week we didnt get too because we couldnt find them! But we saw them on the way over to email actually. So were going there Wednesday! Cool story... sooooo I go to a families house (Martinez) at about 6:30 at night and they are all just chowin' down on who knows what, and we literally had just eaten so we were not hungry. But they insisted we ate a little or at least try it. And would not! Tell us what it was. Some weird meat looking ball thing. And when they won't tell you what it is, you know it's gross. So, I ate it. It had the weirdest texture. And I ate it with a tortilla. Anyways, they told me after...It was blood clots from a pig they had killed...... yep. Sooooo.... yeah. Shouldnt that be against the Word of Wisdom or something? So don't be jealous that when you were all in California having a Halloween party, I was eating blood clots. Are there new cool songs out? I forgot time is progressing there.. Seeing those pictures of all the kids made me realize that. I wonder if I look different...or if my head grew... huh....who knows. So this morning I painted an entire house. We painted from 7 to 12. Thats boring. But it was good for the fam. They then made us a rockin' lunch of beans and eggs! Question: Do you guys realize how blessed you are to have sour cream? Answer: Probably not. Because tacos without it just aren't the same. For some reason they don't have it here. Just creme. Which is different. Shout out to all the Spanish speakers: Que loco puedo communicar con vosotros ahora!! Freak! Escriban todos sus cartas a mi in español! solo porque es pilas...duh. Que suerte tuve para aprender esta idioma. Buenoooooooo! Tambien despues la mision.... Well... I gotta go. Mañana me voy al templo!!! I'm going to the temple tommorrow!!!!! I'm soooo excited! It'll be a session in Spanish...duh.. But I can't wait. Im so lucky! Anyways, take care family!! I love you all toooons! Send me photos via letters of your family if you love me! Thanks :) Thanks SOOOOOO much for all your prayers. Gosh I love you guys. Thanks, thanks, thanks. Love you all tons. Elder Fast. P.S. College football? Anyone there for me and updates? It's like I don't even exist anymore. :) You all watched it together too. Momma!!! Hows our ward? Who are the missionaries? You should have them for dinner, and see how pilas they are, and if they ask for references or share a thought :) If not, ask them for a thought and suggest they share one with everyone! And if they do, give them a reference! That's how it should be I think (in my head) :) haha I'm good! My area is good! I think I'll be here another change, It's already week 5 of the change!! So only 2 more weeks. Weird! But I think I'll be with my comp still, too. Who knows. I sent you like 5 or 6 photos the other day. I can't remember of what (as in in a hand written letter) but I hope you get them soon! Tommorrow I get to go to the Temple!!!! WHOOO!!!!!!!! So in my area one of the families we have are progressing. Well at least since yesterday when the familia went to church. I will try and send you photos soon. Mother...sorry the Letter isnt longer my hour just ran out. I have so much more time to write now too, with the whole print scenerio!! I Love you with all my heart. Thank you for all your prayers Mother. And for going to Kal's farewell. I know it was pretty much all for me. Your so .... (I cant think of the word in english...conservative?....Caring?) I dunno but it's where you're always thinking about other people. And loving. kinda like compassionate. But thank you so much mother. I love you sooooo much. Give Dad all my love too. You guys are the best. Elder Fast P.S. This past week a drunk guy gave me a good 10 second long hug haha. He smelled horrible. And then after I had one of his long hairs in my mouth hahahahaha SO gross!! I love you!!!

Fotos-Colonia Las Ilusiones/Zona 18-October 2010

I cut my hair...and everyone thought this was like the funniest foto ever. (Ummm, yeah, it is! I think he looks skinny, too...The tie was sent to him by one of the dearest Missionary Moms-she knows LOVES orange!) This is Elder Nava unpacking our groceries...our house is pretty nice!!!! Me and all the Latino Elders at Zone Conference. Fun! Love them! Elder Jennings and me... This Elder is huge! Way cool, too! We got matching suits!! (Tell you about that later) This is written on the fridge in my house...I didnt write it...haha crazy!!!!! Made me all trunkie. (We lived in the Hesperia Stake when Evan was growing up. His 3 oldest siblings live in Hesperia now! He is right, that is crazy!) I dunno...but cars are always like that here! Yeah...I can dunk...This is at Elder McPhee's house. Just one of those really cute Guat dogs. No seriously....I can dunk now.

Colonia Las Ilusiones/Zona 18-Oct. 18, 2010

Well hi! So I'll try and make this all informative more then anything! My past week was really good! But lame. I didn't work 3 days because my companion was sick. So it was a lot of reading and talking to the people we live above. Which is like a two story house, but we live in the second story. They are so nice. The lady.. Hermana Guzman made me breakfast lunch and dinner 3 days straight. So yesterday I made them all lunch! That was actually a lot of fun. Elder Navas and I didn't have too much progression this week in the work. We actually went backwards I felt like. Our fechas fell. I dunno what happenned. But last Monday the family we had the AMAZING experience with now runs in the house, turns off the lights and doesn't answer when we knock..(fam. Castillo chok) Turns out they got baptized in a different church.... I dunno. I felt run down from the whole no progression from my investegators. And then at Zone Conferance Hermana Torres gave a talk that seriously I think was for me. She talked a lot about her mission. So! I'm all better and ready to go find the white and ready!! :) Kinda a slow week I feel like. But I wanna just go work today!! I wanna go kick butt this week! We have Fam. Bran, Fam. Mendez, and Fam. Sylvestre we are teaching! I love them all so much. I wish you guys could meet these people. So loving and willing to help anyone. I wanna be like them! We are planning on putting a fecha with Fam Bran this coming week!! It's gotta be a bomb digity lesson though. Elder Navas and I get along very well. We dont have anything holding us back like contention or other stuff. Just sickness this week. But that's done now! I love the kid. He is always talking about home still though. (you can tell he is new :)) He still watches every move I make. And is always reminding me to flush the toilet. haha I haven't got good at that yet. haha My area is really hilly. Steep hills. And my comp and I always race up them. They're so steep that it feels like your not moving when running haha.The members are starting to know us a little better. We are doing 2 family home evenings tonight. That will be way fun! We always play food and eat treats :) This past week I had Fam. Bran ask me my favorite thing about Guatemala.... I have been thinking about that a ton this week. And it was hard to find one thing to top the rest. But I realized hands down it's the people. They are amazing!!!!! I wanna show you all of them! Spanish is going really well! I'm getting it all down. I've reeeeaally improved these past few weeks. Anyways this letter is boring fam. Sorry! It's just cuz nothing happened this past week. Just sickness and some regular work. I love it here. I don't ever wanna go home. Sorry. I'll send you pictures later too! I love you all tons! Thank you for all your letters! I getta read 'em tonight cuz I print them all off! Les amo!! Elder Fast Thanks Mom and Dad. Thanks for being so good to me! I love you guys so much.... I'll be super jolly next week! Sorry I was lame this week! I really am purely happy. Thank you for the prayers and package! I cant wait!!! About a Christmas package. Don't worry about it :) I dont want you to have to do that! I already ask way too much from you guys!! I love you both!!! Elder Fast

Oct 13, 2009-The Mission Call

It was a year ago, almost to the day that Evan received this letter. For me the emotions are still right on the surface of that evening and time. Evan had been working the past year and a half selling home alarm systems all over the country, including Hawaii. He had moved from home the day he graduated from high school. He was anxious and excited to get his life going. And, to prepare for his mission. He had lived in several different states for short amounts of time. Some longer than others. Last October, he turned in his Mission Papers to our Stake President. Then the next day Evan left for Hawaii one last time. He would be gone for 15 days. He knew his mission call would probably come while he was gone. His plan was if it came, we would overnight it to him so he could open it and read it himself. That was the plan, and as his parents we were fine with that. It was his mission, not ours. Evan had been gone for about a week. And his papers had been in about a week. My husband, Rey and I had been gone until late Friday evening. Rey walked over to our mailbox, having a feeling the call would be there. Even though we actually still had another week or so. I was in the house, Rey walked in with a large envelope. I recognized it. It was Evan's mission call! Oh my goodness! Oh wow! He is in Hawaii, and we are here. Rey, my husband called Evan. It was 10 pm our time, so about 6 pm his time. Rey told him the call was here. I could hear Evan's voice get louder and full of excitement. He kept saying,"What do I do? What do I do? Should you send it to me? What should I do?" Rey told him to think about it for a few minutes and call us back. Evan called back within 5 minutes. He had a plan. All of his room mates would call each of our 6 other children. Our daughter and her family that lives close by would come to our house. Evan wanted his dad to open and read the call outloud, while Evan listened on the phone with me. We were all on speaker phone. I can't even describe the excitement as I could hear each of our children respond that they were all on the phone. All their families ready to hear where their youngest sibling would be serving his mission! It was quite incredible. As Rey opened the envelope, I could hear little giggles from everyone. We could hardly contain ourselves. Rey saw the call, and smiled. Then began reading to all of us..."Elder Fast you are hereby called to serve in the Guatemala Guatemala City North Mission. You will report on Dec. 30, 2009." There were cheers of joy! As Rey finished the letter, I was still on the phone with Evan, I could hear him sniffling. I could barely hear his voice. He said, "Mom, I know that's where I am suppose to be. I KNOW that's where the Lord wants me." We both sat in silence and cried. Once he got his composure, he shouted,"I AM GOING TO GUATEMALA!!!" He was wound up. We were all wound up!! So much gratitude in our hearts. Each sibling got to give a shout out to Evan. Very, very amazing how it all worked out. Each one in our family was able to be a part of receiving Evan's call. It really was incredible! A few hours later, I couldn't sleep. I was so excited. A million things were going through my mind. How are we going to have everything ready in time? How will we send him money? When will we have his farewell? Will all of our children be able to make it? And so on. My phone rang. It was Evan. He was still so wound up. He was walking to Taco Bell for something to eat, as we were talking. While we were still on the phone, he placed his order. I could hear him order, then say,"I am going to Guatemala! I am going to be a missionary for my church for 2 years! It's going to be so awesome!" The cashier responded,"Really man? That's cool!" Of course, being the mom that I am, I started crying as I heard him announce he was going to be a missionary in Guatemala for 2 years. My heart swelled with love and gratitude. We talked for a least for another hour. He had me look up all kinds of information online for him to know. We talked and cried. Again, so grateful. There is a touching reason that Guatemala City North Mission is so close to our hearts. That will be in the next post...

Colonia Las Ilusiones/Zona 18-Oct 11, 2010

Well hi!!! How cool I getta write you all! I've been super working hard this past week and it literally feels like 1 day has passed since I was last here typing you. Which is actually nice. But also sad. Don't like how fast time goes. Anyways, this past week I was really blessed to have really gotten to know all the members here in Las Ilusiones. Awesome. Our assistance (attendance) was only 63 this past Sunday. But my companion and I have a goal to bring it up to 85 by 4 weeks from now. That's 22 more souls :) Awesome. We've been really amazingly blessed with success you have no idea. Last Wednesday we had interview with President. And it was really good. He just talked a little with me on how things are going and what he expects from me. A lot too. I know he receives inspiration. He's so awesome. Anyways he told me Las Ilusiones was a sleeping Giant. ha ha It made me think of Pearl Harbor when he said that... But the reason that's so cool he said that is because this past week Elder Navas and I found 4 more families! 4! That's a ridiculous amount in one week! And not only that they are all so pilas and willing to listen. And they all have already fed us. So I'm like best friends with them :) I'll keep you updated on how all that goes. Also, tomorrow is Zone Conference. So that will be good to get that spiritual uplifting. It's always good to have that. Really though, the weeks all seem to blur together now. Everything that has happened in my mission feels like it was yesterday. It's a really weird feeling. My Spanish is really improving. It's getting more and more seldom where I am not understood in a sentence or something. When I do make a mistake it's a very simple one I knew. I've been really blessed with the language. having a Latino comp that's so willing to learn and help me learn has really helped me a ton already. Like I learned how to say kite. (barrilete) It's just funny to me that i literally have to learn ebery (purposely written like that) word. Fun though. No puedo esperar para hablar con mis hermanos :) va a ser bien pilas!!! (Spanish to English translation: I can not wait to talk to my brothers:) Going to be good batteries!) Here in the city the people are much more intelligent I have found, they actually can understand some things that we teach without fotos and stuff. Which has made a large improvement on my knowledge as well. And listening to the spirit more to know what to say. That by far is the most clave (key) thing in the mission.....having the spirit and just listening. All it really is, is a thought or at times a feeling. So cool. What a blessing it really is. In 3 Nefi when Jesus appears and he gives the people the holy Ghost they are just so amazed by it. I think that's so cool. At think at times we tend to not realize how great of a gift it truly is to have it. Really Fam, I just want you to know I am soooo grateful for all your letters and keeping me updated on your families. It's the best to hear. It really is. I hope and pray for you guys daily. I was able to share my testimony with my new ward this past Sunday, and I was able to tell them about the pathway you guys laid out for me to walk into the mission field. I feel so blessed to have seen you all grow up and dome rock the Gospel. Then I also told them how I was the best looking in my family. Which of course...was easily believed by my looks. haha Lame joke. Anyways, I love you all. Guat rocks. The people rock. And platanos are gross. (look them up if you don't know what they are) Bleh. They eat so many here. Love you! Elder Rapidito Platanos Mother! I'm so grateful for Our Savior Jesus Christ. And the sufferings He made for us to live together for eternity. I can't wait to talk to you on Christmas :) And just so you know...pumpkin pancakes...mmmmmmmmmmm :) That seriously made me soooo jealous haha! lucky!!! Oh! and just to make you feel good...the family (members) that live below us is a mom and dad just about 7 years older then you and pa! She allllwwwayys brings up food!!! Soooo good. They remind me of you guys. But they're old. And they have a 30 year old son who is a firefighter. (Speaking of I still feel desire to do that ever since my mutual trip to a firestation with Dad...) The husband just got a surgery so he'll be home for the next four months. They were wondering in the Christmas package if I could have some beef jerky haha...they want it :) They and I assume I'll be here that long :) Love you mother! See you in 1 week! or email... :) Elder Fastito