Nov 2, 2009
Well another week in Chile, another strange experience that any normal north american would cock their head and wonder, but eventaully, you just get used to it after a while. First off though, mom and dad, I still havent gotten the ipod yet. Just wondering when you sent it so i know when to start getting nervous that some chilean mailman confiscated it. I just want to have it by the time Christmas rolls around. I dont think I could survive a Christmas without Amy Grant and Nat King Kole. By the way, Halloween here is nothing like it is in the states. Its lame, and there isnt even a day of the dead. I was kind of disappointed. But I guess I wasnt going to go trick or treating anyway, so it´s not that big of a loss.
So my story this week is pretty normal. My companion and I were walking to church yesterday, but the chapel is 45 minutes away and to get to it, we need to cross a huge alfalfa field; not ideal when you are running late and need to pick up investiagtors. So we were crossing this field, when we heard a guy behind us yelling at us. "Crap, its the farmer with a shotgun," I thought to myself. But when I turned around, I saw a man in a giant sombrero on a horse riding up to us. "Okay, he is going to run us over with his horse then. great." As he got closer to us, I could tell he was NOT the farmer. He tilted and swayed on the horse as if he was on a bucking bronco. His eyes were half closed and he had an awkward smile pasted on his face. I now knoe all to well what that means: Someone has been sippin a little too much of grandpa´s cough medicine. The drunker tottled up to us on the horse and started trying to slur together words to form a sentence. After a little effort, we learned that he needs to call his wife so she can pick him up from a Halloween party that he was at last night. Where the horse came in, we didnt ask, but we figured just as well that we didnt know. We explained how we could try to help him find a taxi or something, but he insisted on using our cellphone. Unforatlely, it didnt work at the moment, so we had to leave the poor guy stranded in that field with his horse, which seemed as if it had been sneaking a few sips of liquor as well. I think I have leanred that things dont always happen in a normal order. You cant just walk to church and expect the only thing you leanred is the distance between your house and the chapel. We have experiences on the way that teach us and occasionally bewildre us, but it is those experiences that make up our life, so we might as well enjoy them. Also, yesterday, I was thrilled by the testimony of our convert, Luis, who is only 13 years old, but he mentioned that when he gets older, he wants to be just like us and go on a mission. I was touched by the faith of this boy, who knew only just enough to be baptized, have such fire and dedication to something. I might have said this before, but it is becoming more and more cemeted into my mind how much the Lord loves us and how I am beginning to experience a small taste of what it must be like to feel the love that he has. This experience, even if it is just a side step from the race of life for a while, will be one that I will treasure forever. I really cant imagine what I would do without it. Thanks to everyone for your letters! I love them so much. Mom and Dad, You will have to thank andy and amy for me. I got their letters and had to laugh at the rough crayon illustrations from the kids. I loved them!
Siempre, con Amor,
Elder Westover
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