Hey everybody! Merry Christmas! I loved being able to talk to you guys, even if it was for a short time. I hope I don't sound too weird. I've kind of lost my ability to talk fluently in English now.
I hope everybody had a great Christmas and the viajito pascuero brought you all something good. This Christmas was one that I really will never forget for the rest of my life. Even though I have passed a Christmas on the mission, this has been my first Christmas away from home.
The whole Christmas time was kind of a rush. We decided to take a Christmas picture of us four and hand out little Christmas cards to everyone in the ward. It turned out to be a lot more work that we originally anticipated, so there was a lot of lost sleep the few nights before Christmas. Christmas Eve was spent handing out the cards to everybody and trying to help out the people who wouldn't be getting a whole lot. But that night we were able to eat dinner with a family that has two sons on the mission as well, so we kind of replaced them for that night. We had a spiritual thought, sang a few songs, and then we had a huge plate of meat and potatoes that were amazing! I loved being there and being able to really enjoy Christmas as they do in Chile. We got back late to the pension, but instead of just planning and going to bed, we turned off the lights and just sat in our couches and stared at our poor dilapidated Christmas tree. We didn't have many lights, but we just sat there and talked about what we were grateful for. After that, I pulled out a few papers a printed off that Monday and took the role of dad by reading an excerpt from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I talked about how here on the mission, mankind is our business. The dealings that we do in our careers and our personal life are but a drop in the comprehensive ocean that is our business. I'm pretty sure I butchered the line, but it had a lot of meaning to me as a missionary. I realized that everything I do I have set to turn out exactly like my dad. I realized that all my goals were set to be exactly like him. Its like a child following his father's footsteps in the snow because he knows that they are sure and wont lead him astray. I'm just trying to follow your steps, dad.
We had a great Christmas and I loved being able to be here in Chile this time to be able to celebrate it. Now we are planning the baptisms of Omar and Veronica. Veronica asked me to baptize her and for Elder Chapman to do the confirmation. I don't know what it is, but I can just tell that that family is going to be extremely strong in the church twenty years from now. I can see Omar being a general authority of some kind. He really is an example to me of a good father. We love them very much!
Javiera Maulen got baptized this week! She is a 12 year old spark plug that has such a great desire to learn. Her parents were recently inactive, but due to our insistence and charming personalities (joke), they have come back to activity in the church. It was a nice service. Elder Bowen got to do the baptism! It was sweet, he had to do the prayer about two or three times before he could pronounce it right, but it reminded me a lot of my first baptism. It was a really cool experience.
I hope that everyone is doing well and that I can answer any questions that you guys might have. If I dont answer all of them, Im sorry. So far, I haven't received any packages except from Ashlee. Good job, AJ ;D
Love you guys!
Elder Westover
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Chilean Christmas
Hey guys! Merry Christmas!!!
Well, its here: the first time that I am going to away from my home for christmas!
I have been thinking for a while what this christmas is going to be like for me. Obviously it is going to be a stark contrast from the christmases that I have had at home. But I am realizing that the more and more that I am pushed and molded, I am becoming what God wants for me. I know that I say stuff like this almost every week, but its not for repetition sake: I have been gainign a stronger understanding of what thet means each time I say it. The mroe I learn and study about the gospel, the more I am amazed by it, by how expansive it is, yet how simple it can be. We are told the the gospel and every principle we teach should be able to be understood by even a five year old, which means that the gospel is for EVERYONE, not just for a few scholars who have dipped their head into books and unrighteously donned the title of authority upon their heads. One of the greatest gifts that I can give this christmas mgiht very well be myself. The more we align our will with the will of god, we understand what it means to find true happiness. We become what He wants us to be.
My companion and I have been stuck in the pension for a good part of the week when I got sick one night after eating an entire jalepeño (yeah I know mom, it was dumb). But while I was there, I thought a lot about what I was doing here and why the heck I even wanted to be out there in the hot sun (yes, its very hot out here!). I realized that I was in some small, minor way, wanting to just do what God wanted me to do. I am becoming more obedient! yes!!
Okay, to contrast the self righteousness of that paragraph, I wanted to let you guys know how Chile does Christmas down here. I dont know if I have told you about Chilean impatience, but its pretty famous down here. They want it now, and I mean right now. So... putting Christmas, presents, and a deadline to be able to open those presents, and you get this tradition. On Christmas Eve, all the families have dinner... at like 10:00 at night. We are already invited to go to one :) Then after dinner, everyone gathers around the clock, and waits until midnight. The second the clock strikes twelve, its officially Christmas, and all child squealing, wrapping tearing, fun frenzy hell breaks loose. So at around 3 in the morning, all the little chilean kids are running around with their wierd looking skateboards and their pretty pretty princess dolls in the streets, annoying all the american kids that are trying to sleep.
Its pretty interesting and Im gonna be excited to see it and to be woken up at three in the morning. there you go, mom and dad. You have your revenge.
Thank you everybody for making this christmas great for me and everybody else here in Tocornal! Elder Bowen and I wish you all a merry Christmas!!
Con Mucho Amor!
Elder Westover
Well, its here: the first time that I am going to away from my home for christmas!
I have been thinking for a while what this christmas is going to be like for me. Obviously it is going to be a stark contrast from the christmases that I have had at home. But I am realizing that the more and more that I am pushed and molded, I am becoming what God wants for me. I know that I say stuff like this almost every week, but its not for repetition sake: I have been gainign a stronger understanding of what thet means each time I say it. The mroe I learn and study about the gospel, the more I am amazed by it, by how expansive it is, yet how simple it can be. We are told the the gospel and every principle we teach should be able to be understood by even a five year old, which means that the gospel is for EVERYONE, not just for a few scholars who have dipped their head into books and unrighteously donned the title of authority upon their heads. One of the greatest gifts that I can give this christmas mgiht very well be myself. The more we align our will with the will of god, we understand what it means to find true happiness. We become what He wants us to be.
My companion and I have been stuck in the pension for a good part of the week when I got sick one night after eating an entire jalepeño (yeah I know mom, it was dumb). But while I was there, I thought a lot about what I was doing here and why the heck I even wanted to be out there in the hot sun (yes, its very hot out here!). I realized that I was in some small, minor way, wanting to just do what God wanted me to do. I am becoming more obedient! yes!!
Okay, to contrast the self righteousness of that paragraph, I wanted to let you guys know how Chile does Christmas down here. I dont know if I have told you about Chilean impatience, but its pretty famous down here. They want it now, and I mean right now. So... putting Christmas, presents, and a deadline to be able to open those presents, and you get this tradition. On Christmas Eve, all the families have dinner... at like 10:00 at night. We are already invited to go to one :) Then after dinner, everyone gathers around the clock, and waits until midnight. The second the clock strikes twelve, its officially Christmas, and all child squealing, wrapping tearing, fun frenzy hell breaks loose. So at around 3 in the morning, all the little chilean kids are running around with their wierd looking skateboards and their pretty pretty princess dolls in the streets, annoying all the american kids that are trying to sleep.
Its pretty interesting and Im gonna be excited to see it and to be woken up at three in the morning. there you go, mom and dad. You have your revenge.
Thank you everybody for making this christmas great for me and everybody else here in Tocornal! Elder Bowen and I wish you all a merry Christmas!!
Con Mucho Amor!
Elder Westover
Monday, December 13, 2010
New Companions and a Return to Cleanliness
Well, the time has come again for emails, and I couldn't be any happier! We had a baptism yesterday, and one of our converts baptized her. Her name is Yoselin Sepulveda. She is 21 with a bright happy personality, and, before she had a dream of an angel telling the exact date that her baby would be born, she was athiest. Since then she has turned her life around completly. She has a real spark that will be put to great use here in the ward.
In other news, we moved back to our old gas-filled pension. Luckily the gas had all left when we got back and we lived through the night. The only thing that worries me now is my new bunk-mate: Elder Burgeous (Elder Chapman's companion). He is a great guy, but at around 270 pounds, every time he turns in his bed, I pray that the frame holds. Everyone is getting along great. Elder Burgeous is a lot like me in personality and my companion, Elder Bowen, is a lot like Elder Chapman. I dont know why it is, but I feel like I am one of those japanese fighting fish; I only get along really well with people that are totally opposite to me. I dont know, I can really get along well with just about anybody. Thats definately been a blessing of the mission. A lady told me the other day that I had the gift of expressing myself. Im not exactly sure what she meant, but I feel like the Lord is definatley helping me out here. [Editor's note: Paul is still waiting for the gift of spelling] I love just talking to the people here!
Do you guys remember one of my last emails that I said I had gotten mroe organized? Well, I guess God wasnt finished with me yet, because I recieved the shock of my life when we went to go buy things at the store the other day. My companion bought almost all cleaning supplies and just a hint of food. I informed him that Chlorox did not mean milk in spanish, but he insisted that it was necessary if we were to clean up the pig sty that was our pension. When he said that I almost did a double take to make sure it wasnt my mom that had said it. By the way mom, you know you aren't allowed to bribe the mission president to give me certain companions, right? Well, however we ended up together, I feel like he is going to bring me up to a whole new level of cleanliness. Dont worry, Im sure my personality has an emergency brake somewhere around here if I start getting too organized.
I am starting to think more and more about the end of my mission. Seeing as it is only 6 months away, I feel like I should be wrapping up what I came here to do. The only problem is that I dont feel like that at all. I feel like I procrastinated a term paper again, and now I am running around like a mad man, trying to accomplish all the goals I have set for myself. I guess in a way, I have done all of them, but I dont feel like slowing down; I just started speeding up! I dont evern want to know how I am going to be at the last month-- I will be running to peoples' houses at that point. I see my new companion and I think of saying "appreciate the time you have now, it slips away so fast. Every moment is an opportunity in this short two year window to officially represent the Savior and testify of his divinity. The time we have flies on the wings of lightening, use it as wisely as you can." But usually I just say "So, what new movies are out?"
I feel like this is my chance to be able to say all the things I have learned on the mission to my new companion so he is able to enjoy a greater satisfaction on the mission. If I could boil it all down in two words, it would be "No Regret". Just as the liklyhood of getting inot a head on collision on the freeway is infinately higher if we only look through the rear view mirror, we cant look back longingly at what was, knowing that the future is just around the corner.
I am very glad that Chistmas is just right around the corner, and I am looking forward to getting your packages. I would like to congradulate Ashlee for winning the best Christmas present so far (that I know of): two big beautiful jars of peanut butter!! Thanks AJ!
Thanks for everything guys!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
In other news, we moved back to our old gas-filled pension. Luckily the gas had all left when we got back and we lived through the night. The only thing that worries me now is my new bunk-mate: Elder Burgeous (Elder Chapman's companion). He is a great guy, but at around 270 pounds, every time he turns in his bed, I pray that the frame holds. Everyone is getting along great. Elder Burgeous is a lot like me in personality and my companion, Elder Bowen, is a lot like Elder Chapman. I dont know why it is, but I feel like I am one of those japanese fighting fish; I only get along really well with people that are totally opposite to me. I dont know, I can really get along well with just about anybody. Thats definately been a blessing of the mission. A lady told me the other day that I had the gift of expressing myself. Im not exactly sure what she meant, but I feel like the Lord is definatley helping me out here. [Editor's note: Paul is still waiting for the gift of spelling] I love just talking to the people here!
Do you guys remember one of my last emails that I said I had gotten mroe organized? Well, I guess God wasnt finished with me yet, because I recieved the shock of my life when we went to go buy things at the store the other day. My companion bought almost all cleaning supplies and just a hint of food. I informed him that Chlorox did not mean milk in spanish, but he insisted that it was necessary if we were to clean up the pig sty that was our pension. When he said that I almost did a double take to make sure it wasnt my mom that had said it. By the way mom, you know you aren't allowed to bribe the mission president to give me certain companions, right? Well, however we ended up together, I feel like he is going to bring me up to a whole new level of cleanliness. Dont worry, Im sure my personality has an emergency brake somewhere around here if I start getting too organized.
I am starting to think more and more about the end of my mission. Seeing as it is only 6 months away, I feel like I should be wrapping up what I came here to do. The only problem is that I dont feel like that at all. I feel like I procrastinated a term paper again, and now I am running around like a mad man, trying to accomplish all the goals I have set for myself. I guess in a way, I have done all of them, but I dont feel like slowing down; I just started speeding up! I dont evern want to know how I am going to be at the last month-- I will be running to peoples' houses at that point. I see my new companion and I think of saying "appreciate the time you have now, it slips away so fast. Every moment is an opportunity in this short two year window to officially represent the Savior and testify of his divinity. The time we have flies on the wings of lightening, use it as wisely as you can." But usually I just say "So, what new movies are out?"
I feel like this is my chance to be able to say all the things I have learned on the mission to my new companion so he is able to enjoy a greater satisfaction on the mission. If I could boil it all down in two words, it would be "No Regret". Just as the liklyhood of getting inot a head on collision on the freeway is infinately higher if we only look through the rear view mirror, we cant look back longingly at what was, knowing that the future is just around the corner.
I am very glad that Chistmas is just right around the corner, and I am looking forward to getting your packages. I would like to congradulate Ashlee for winning the best Christmas present so far (that I know of): two big beautiful jars of peanut butter!! Thanks AJ!
Thanks for everything guys!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Monday, December 6, 2010
Gas Leak, New Pension, New Elders
Hey Everyone!
Sorry you guys didn't get an email from me last week! Things got a little insane. Allow me to elaborate.
So on Tuesday of last week we got our new companions. My new companion´s name is Elder Bowen. He is from Salt Lake City, Utah. Yup, hes from Utah alright. haha, he is actually a pretty cool guy. Elder Chapman, my old companion, stayed in the sector but he is also training a new elder called Elder Bourgeous. They are pretty hilarious together.
Anyway, we were getting them all situated, and while we were up in the bathroom, I smelled something that smelled a lot like gas. I called up Elder Chapman and he confirmed the smell. We called the pensionists and they came over. They also confirmed the smell and said that we couldn't sleep there that night. Gas had been leaking into our pension the whole day. So at around 3 a clock in the morning, we had to move all our stuff to another pension to sleep.'
Since that day we have been living in another pension. Seriously, we haven't had any time at all to do anything because we live so far away. But things have been good regardless and it has been very interesting training my kid. It seems very strange that I am getting older in the mission. I don't feel old at all. I feel really new! I don't know what happened to the time. Well, I guess that's why they say to utilize every moment that you have. I'm sorry that I didn't email last week, and this email was really short this week, but Elder Chapman is really sick, and cant really stay out for a lot of time. Next week Ill let you guys know if we are gonna be back in our old pension, and how everything is going with the training. So far its been great! Im just amazed at how much Ive improved since the beginning!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Sorry you guys didn't get an email from me last week! Things got a little insane. Allow me to elaborate.
So on Tuesday of last week we got our new companions. My new companion´s name is Elder Bowen. He is from Salt Lake City, Utah. Yup, hes from Utah alright. haha, he is actually a pretty cool guy. Elder Chapman, my old companion, stayed in the sector but he is also training a new elder called Elder Bourgeous. They are pretty hilarious together.
Anyway, we were getting them all situated, and while we were up in the bathroom, I smelled something that smelled a lot like gas. I called up Elder Chapman and he confirmed the smell. We called the pensionists and they came over. They also confirmed the smell and said that we couldn't sleep there that night. Gas had been leaking into our pension the whole day. So at around 3 a clock in the morning, we had to move all our stuff to another pension to sleep.'
Since that day we have been living in another pension. Seriously, we haven't had any time at all to do anything because we live so far away. But things have been good regardless and it has been very interesting training my kid. It seems very strange that I am getting older in the mission. I don't feel old at all. I feel really new! I don't know what happened to the time. Well, I guess that's why they say to utilize every moment that you have. I'm sorry that I didn't email last week, and this email was really short this week, but Elder Chapman is really sick, and cant really stay out for a lot of time. Next week Ill let you guys know if we are gonna be back in our old pension, and how everything is going with the training. So far its been great! Im just amazed at how much Ive improved since the beginning!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
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