06-13-2012 My new area is Arco Iris (Rainbow) in the zone of Marcos Paz

Hey Family!!!

Wow it is such a blessing to be able to talk to you after a couple weeks of craziness! It was really interesting to hear that you spent your weekend at an Amish auction but im glad you got some time together and you were able to enjoy your weekend together!

Im excited for the Tate and Mccray. I remember this time last year I was excited every week to get your emails to find out how they were doing.... I was in General Rodriguez in my first area... A YEAR AGO!!! jaja I cant believe that... I wish them the best of luck and they will be in my prayers!

My new companion is Elder Michel Kalmer
My new area is Arco Iris or Rainbow
My new zone is Marcos Paz

Elder Lopez - My Trainer
He went home last transfer. 

As for me... It was really really hard to leave my first area, I spent the whole night getting everything put together and lots of time on my knees in gratitude for all the life changing experiences I had in Catan, and the people I was able to share them with! I have a very large place in my heart for those people and that city. But i had to make room in my heart for my new area ARCO IRIS  in english... RAINBOW! My thoughts were correct I replaced Elder Goodworth in arco iris in the zone of Marcos Paz! It has been such a blessing! The people here really love Elder Goodworth and he really changed alot of lives here! My companion is Elder Michel Kalmer from Florida! He has 1 year in the mission and was called to be zone leader with Elder Goodworth and he really did a good job at training him! I thought of Elder Goodworth this weekend and pray he made it safe and is enjoying his time with his family!

Marcos Paz is alot like Catan but it is just a little more civilized! Pte. Carter has always said that Marcos Paz has the most potential in all the mission.... Elder Goodworth and Elder Kalmar have done a great job of helping the Elders understand that potential and made some large steps to reach that potenial... Our goal is to change this Zone into a zone full of Elders and Sister... ya you heard it right... I have to deal with Sister Missionaries... yiiiikes! jaja jk it really is such a blessing they are super sweet and bring a larger sense of virtue and spirit to the zone! our goal is to help build the kingdom of god here in Marcos Paz one Elder at a time... When an Elder understands his potential as a disciple of Jesus Christ he automatically starts to bring others unto christ through the covenants of baptism.. because that is what a disciple of Jesus Christ does!

We have a few great investigators here... Juan Carlos is a 45 year old man who is a reference from the 2nd counseler and he is stopping smoking and will be baptized the 24th of this month... Facundo is a reference from a priest in our ward who has been coming for awhile but recently stopped working sunday to come to church, he as well will be baptized the 24th! His parents are now listening to the discussions and should be baptized in the next month! We found a great lady my first day when we got off the bus who lives alone named Julieta and she came to church this week and should be baptized the 30th of June! This zone is ready and prepared to change and we are all but willing and ready to do it! This week was stake conference and we enjoyed the presence of Pte. Carter and heard from the stake president who is a stud and ready to work! The Bishop is really happy with the work that the elders are doing... Elder Goodworth really built up some strong relationships with the local leaders which is key to helping the members get involved in the work!

Well I dont have much more to say, but im sure i will next week! I am just so so happy to be in my new area and although i miss Catan I am 100 percent focused here because it is where i need to be! This is the church of god, Jesus is indeed the Christ, this is his work and our salvation deepends on how dedicated we are in helping others come unto him! We are so blessed to have the blessings of the priesthood in our days. Our local leaders and world wide leaders even the apostles and our prophet Thomas Spencer Monson are called of god!

May god bless you in all you do this week!

Love Elder Foster

06-06-12 I am leaving Catan after serving here for a full year.

Elder Nathan Goodworth is on his way home to good old Shelley, Idaho.
I have learned so much from him - he is an example to all of us!

Hey Mom!

Hey I got your emails!!! I dont know if I mentioned in my last letter but, because its the last week of the transfer our P days are Wednesdays because it is transfer day. Thanks so much for the letter that Elder Goodworth sent... It really has been such a great experience working with him and he really is such a great example to all the missionaries and really has let the atonement change and transform him! Im excited that you guys will  be able to talk to him! I AM SENDING SOME LETTERS WITH HIM.... IF YOU COULD PLEASE ASK HIM FOR THEM AND DELIVER THEM IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL!!!!

I have to say good bye to Catan
and my Argentine Mom and Sister
Susana and Sabrina Guzman. 

Well last night I recieved the call that I am leaving Catan... after one year here you can imagine how hard it is for me to leave. I passed the whole night in tears... It is really sad... Its way worse than when I left General Rodriguez or even my own house! It took me until 3 in the morning to pack all my stuff! I have accumulated quite the amount of stuff over the last year! Im now in the house of Susana and Sabrina eating breakfast saying goodbye and then at 1 we are having the transfer meeting and I will find out where the lord has prepared for me to go!

An old saying says It takes a village to raise a boy... I thought my whole life that village was Shelley... But spiritually it took Gonzalez Catan to raise me! But I am excited to experience something different. Not very many missionaries are in an area for one year but it was such a blessing for me.

I didnt get to say goodbye to anyone but its okay I am sure I will be seeing them at some point, I am determined to come back! I feel really really good about the condition I left the area... It is in prime shape! The missionary work is going really good here! We had 7 people in the sacrament meeting last week and we have 8 baptism dates... Elder Escobar will be set to continue having success here!

For now this is all I have time to write... ON Monday I will let you know my circumstances are and who my companion is!!!!

I love you all so much

Elder Foster

A Baby Boy is being named after me! 05-21-12

Elder Quade Foster and Sunilda Perreira
The baby will be named Romeo Youssan Quade Perreira

Hey Family!

Hey good to get your email... I as well am starting the week off really crazy. We are teaching a huge family... the Perriera Family is a Grandma, Aunt, Mom. Dad, and 6 kids!! It has been super crazy trying to get them all ready for thier baptisms this weekend! They have been progressing really well... Sunilda is the mom and she is going to have her baby in 3 weeks... they officially told us they will be naming thier baby,  Romeo Youssan Quade Perreira! They will be using the first names of both Elder Escobar and I!...

To make a long long story short, saturday everything was perfect with the family, we dropped in for a birthday party at 8 at night and taught a quick lesson on the importance of the Sacrament. When we left everything was  good, but apparently when I left some of the uncles showed up drunk and convinced the dad of the family, to drink and Sunilda the mom got mad and said some things she shouldnt have that not only upset the dad, but also the oldest sister, and the grandma and aunt... so they all went thier seperate ways and are living in 3 different parts of our zone.

Last night we got the family together to have a family council... just like we had so many times in our family! And we explained to them what the purpose of a family council was for and how it worked.... after a good 1.5 hours of talking and reading scriptures we came to some pretty good conclusiones that in order to recieve the forgiveness theat they were looking for in thier own lives.. the family needed to learn how to forgive! To end it all we knelt the 11 of us in a circle and each did a small prayer... In my prayer I cant explain to you the feelings I had... I felt closer to you guys than I have felt in almost a year and a half... closer than I did last Sunday when I got to see your faces... It felt so real! I remember all the times we have struggled to get things put together...but the strongest feelings came when I realized that we NEVER LET SATAN WIN!!! No matter what happend, no matter how big the discussion we always came together as a family and showed him that we are something greater than he is and we understand our purpose as a family! It was a feeling I will never be able to forget! I learned that every family in the whole world is full of problems and little fights, but the key part of an eternal family is the ability to get together after and show satan just how great we really are... this is how the healing power of the atonement works in a family!

Well all was good for a day but today we recieved a call that Satan was working harder than ever and they had all exploded again... So we are literally in a sprirtual battle with satan to get this family into the waters of baptism this weekend! What peace I feel in my heart that our destiny is bound to win!!!

Love Elder Foster!!!

04-23-2012 - Elder Goodworth's Last Transfer

Elder Goodworths last transfer

My new shoes and Easter package arrived
with Elder Weiss family.
Thanks Tyson Hanson for the sweet tie. 

Enjoying a great meal at the mission home.

President Carters grand daughter visiting from
the United States.

President Carters grandsons came to
visit and be baptised .
So cool that all the zone leaders could be witnesses.

Add caption

Family!!!

Wow what a crazy week!!! I would first like to comment on how proud I
am to have such a wonderful MOM!!! Your such an example and
inspiration to so many people mom you have no idea! All my converts
and members think your super woman... they cant believe at your age
your able to run like you do... Your not old at all (Infact you look
younger than you are! Everyone thinks your my girlfriend or my older
sister jajaja thats a huge compliment) but here at your age the women
dont even hardly see the daylight... they are slaves in thier houses
and husbands! So I was thinking and it would be so great if you and I
after the mission could run another half and maybe even a full
marathon if your our bodies will allow us to do so! jaja more my body
than yours! I really feel like I have aged like 7 years!

What a wonderful experience with Nana and Delanie! Im sure that
experiece in the Tabernacle was amazing! I find peace in my heart
knowing we have a prophet to lead and guide us! I feel so blessed to
be on the earth during a period of time where the priesthood is found
on the earth... Especially in this last dispencation and all the
promises that have been completed and those that are still awaiting
us! I know that Thomas Monson is the only man on the face of the earth
who has the sealing keys to unite us with our families forever! I
rejoice in the fact that I am sealed to my parents and one day will
enter into the temple to do the same with my precious spouse for our
children!

This weekend we had the huge stake baptism and it went so so good! It
took alot of planning but everything went great and 9 people entered
into the water and it was such a beautiful moment where heaven and
earth touched for a moment! Sadly I wasnt able to bring my camera so
I will have to send you the pictures next week but it was a very big
highlight of my mission! This weekend will also be another highlight
that I will always remember... We have stake confrernce and we are
getting together again with a few other areas who have baptisms and we
are going to have another big conference... but our stake president
will be there, along with Pte. Carter and also the Presiding 70 is
going to be in the congregation! This weekend a lady named Laura is
going to be baptized... She is just like NANA! We baptized a man like
PAPA with Elder Weiss and now its time for someone like NANA with
Elder Escobar! She is so so so happy! I think that is why she reminds
me of nana... she kinda looks the same with her white hair and her
blue eyes... but... she is Argentine and hasnt lived the word of
wisdom so she only has 1 tooth.. jaja but she is so funny... during
our lessons she randomly yells out...AMEN... or GLORIA TO GOD!!! jaja
she puts a smile on my face!

Well this is all the time I have for now but I wanted to let you know
that all the missionaries are still waiting for thier visas... Elder
Escobar and I are together again and I really count that as a huge
blessing! I love him and really am growing emensly with him! We will
be together for the next 6 weeks and then idk what will happen because
I will have been here in Catan 3 for 1 year! jaja can you believe that
1 year in the same ward!!! Elder Goodworth is a PASTOR... This is his
last transfer so in 5 weeks youll be able to talk to him! He is such a
great leader and I really look up to him and respect him! He is doing
great things and is finishing his mission really really strong!

Well I hope you all are found living your lives worthy of the
spirit... and if not... you know the changes you have to make to feel
him....JUST DO IT!!!! jaja nike slogan!

Elder Foster

5 Steps to make sure you never go inactive from Pres. Carter 04-15-2012

I love this building and the members are so proud of it.

Hey Family,

Well the good news is I'm back in Catan... Home Sweet Catan!

The bad news is that I still don't have my companion and its not looking to

promising... If the new missionaries don't get their visas for this

next transfer next week we will be waiting on 35 missionaries.

So I am still with Elder Escobar but I don't mind at all I sure enjoy working

with him! We got back into our area Thursday night but with the curfew

that we cant go out past 7. We were really blessed to find that all of

our investigators are doing really good. We are going to have a Stake

baptism this next weekend and we will be baptizing 2 little

grandmas... Laura and Marta... They are so sweet! Ill send you some

pictures next week!

President Carter came to our ward and spoke on how we can maintain our

spirituality... I wanted to share with you what he taught so you can

all maintain and build your own personally.

1. Pray from your knees out loud two times a day. 

2. 30 min. of scripture study every day.

 3. Serve in the church.

 4. Go to the temple every week.

 5. Stand up for the truth.

 He promised that if we do these five things we will never find

ourselves inactive... and we will continue to progress!!! I hope you

will all take the time to do these things! It was very interesting

because after we ate with our Bishop who is an absolute stud,  he

told us he loved the talk and knows its true... and told us the story

of his oldest son... He was an amazing missionary... Really Special...

But after his mission thought he was too good to do some of the small

things and now finds himself inactive because he doesn't sustain the

Stake President....

How sad is that? We must do all the small things.... EVERYDAY!

By the way.. how are the family home evenings going? Are you praying

as a family morning and night? I hope you keep up the tradition of

eating as a family and sharing that time together even though

sometimes its only 5 or 10 min! Its one of the things I miss most

about home,  I even miss Tate telling me to stop chewing so loud!!!

jaja good old times!

Wow only one more month of school and Tate will be graduated and

everyone will be out for summer break! Does anyone know their plans are

yet? I know what ill be doing all summer long... jaja living the dream

in the winter here.

 I really gotta watch myself because last

winter I got really fat cause all the people do is give us cookies and

chocolate milk.... jaja I felt like Santa Clause!!!! But thanks to

Elder Weiss and Escobar I am back to my normal self... but I have lost

the little muscle I had.

Mom I am really excited to hear how your marathon goes... YOUR SUCH AN

EXAMPLE!!!! I gotta get back into that kinda shape when I get back...

IF you can do it after 5 kids... I can do it after a 2 year mission!

jaja well I was hoping to get your letter before I got off but it

looks like I will get it next week :) Not a big deal at all!

Love you all

Elder Foster

So many precious baptisms

Elder Ben Weiss and his family when they came to pick him up.

Baptism of Tobias Blasi
Elder Escobar and Elder Foster

Baptism of Lucian Arrobacin

Baptism of Oriana Lopez

The Catan Zone with Sabrina and Suzanna Guzman
They talked about their confirmation they received at
General Conference 6 months ago.

New Shoes Are On The Way 03/15/2012

Elder Mather let us know that Quade's shoes were shot!

Mom thank you so much for all your efforts to put that package together,  Mom I couldnt bother you guys about my shoes because there are so many people here that walk around barefoot and who am I to complain about my shoes...if Elder Mather wouldnt have said anything I wouldnt have said anything at all but now that its all taken care of I am very greatful and I will walk myself right out of the next pair as well. How is it that Tyson got the shoes replaced... jaja I love the hush puppies as well.

Oh and just so you know I am saving at least one of everything of mine to put in a shadow box, imagine how cool it will be in my house to have 3 shadow boxes, one of football, one of my mission, and one of my wedding!!! It will be wonderful!!!

Well Elder Weiss and I had our last week of work together and we enjoyed every second of our time together, we worked until our very last seconds together and now he is enjoying his time on the final tour that all the missionaries do right before going home and he will be seeing his parents tomorrow.  He has been my favorite actual companion since now.... I finally found someone who has the same expectations as me and trys just as hard to live up to those expectations. Apart from all the success we had... I feel like I grew to know myself and where I stand with God and more of my purpose as a son of God and a holder of his divine Priesthood!

And as for me I have some pretty crazy news for you.... remember Elder Escobar my companion before Elder Weiss? Well he was called to be a zone leader with me... Its really crazy because we will be zone leaders together but be living in different apartments and work in different areas.... AND WE ARE BOTH TRAINING AT THE SAME TIME!!!! Im so excited to train, I am going to have a kid, I am going to be a dad in the mission, that is the terminology that we use between a new missionary and his trainer.

I should already be with him but thier visas got delayed and they will get here next Tuesday, so for now Elder Escobar and I are preparing the next steps in edifying our own piece of the Kingdom of God here in the zone of Gonzalez Catan!!!

I am so glad you could get to know Nate Mather this week and I am really excited for you to meet Elder Weiss, Mom I really appreciate what you said about touching shoulders with such good young men! I feel like that is one of the most special things about my mission is the relationships I have had with other missionaries but especially my companions,and the eternal principles that I have learned from each and every one of them.

I am really excited to keep in touch with them and see thier progess in life! Im also SO SO SO SO SO STOKED TO BE A TRAINER!!!! I CANT WAIT TO JUST TAKE WHOEVER IT IS AND JUST LOVE THEM AND TAKE THEM IN AND SERVE THEM AND TEACH THEM AND CORRECT THEM AND ALL ELSE THAT COMES WTIH THIS SACRED RESPONSIBILITY!!!

Thank you mom for taking the iniciative to start my school work,  I will do what ever you ask of me here  as long as its in the rules of course!!! jaja I am excited to go to school with my mission friends and those who I went to high school with and of course my little bro GREGORY!!! jaja Its gonna be a blast!

I AM IN LOVE WITH THE MISSION LIFE!!! I really am! Im enjoying it all so much! I am a little nervous about the responsibilty that the Lord has entrusted in Elder Escobar and I to guide the biggest zone in the mission, to be a trainer, and do it all hardly seeing each other only a few hours everyweek... The mission is very very young and I am  now one of the oldest... super weird cause I just barely crossed the half way mark.

For example 13 of the 22 zone leaders left with Elder Weiss and we recieved 20 new missionaries... only 6 leave this next transfer and we get 20 more new missionaries... so we are growing and we are really young, and President has to find trainers for all these new kids so we are seeing Leaders that have to train, as well as very young kids having to train like I did In Rodriguez... We are also seeing some very young leaders which will be a very good thing for the mission!

Im excited about the new training program.. Its gonna take me back through the basics and I am so ready for that! We just got DVD players so we can watch the Preach my gospel videos, It is gonna be so much fun! 

Tyson Hanson helped us get new shoes for Quade in a hurry
 to send with Elder Weiss' parents.
We were so thankful for Tysons help.

Well that is all the time I have for this week, sorry its been so crazy... I just wanted to tell you and dad your doing great working out! I as well am working on my fitness... I gotta get put back together before I come home jaja!! Keep on living the Dream!!!

Love Elder Foster