Hey Everybody!
Well Im pretty wiped right now because we jsut walked back from playing soccer at the stake center. We were going to take a taxi back, but no one would pick us up because one of the Elders was wearing a Mexico jersey; the team that just beat Chile the day before. Yeah, it stunk and it was kind of funny. But thats Chile and pretty much every other country outside of the United States. They live breathe and speak nothing but soccer.
Things in Los Canteros have been coming along great. I really like some of the people that we are teaching and Elder Martin is an awesome companion! He talks sooo fast! and he uses vosotros occasionally, which is always funny. He´s from Sevia, the south of Spain. Lots of beach and heat and nude beaches, apparently. He is very happy right now that Barcelona won out of all the teams of Spain. There is only one problem right now... I really miss all the people in Trinidad. I now know what you are talking about mom and dad about loving these people. I didnt think that I would, but I have grown very close to a lot of these people, and I loved that ward in Trinidad. Not to say that it is our recent convert that makes me miss the ward. Trust me, that is not it at all. The people were just all really great and I enjoyed being there every Sunday. I am so glad to have been able to serve these people.
But things in Los Castanos seem pretty good too. Although it is pretty small (we sit in plastic chairs for sacreament instead of pews becuase the ward is afraid that they would get stolen), they are some really nice people. My Spanish is getting a lot better, and I can basically say anything I want. I started having dreams in Spanish now, becuase that is pretty much all I hear all day, so my brain is started to just get used to it.
I hope things are going good back home! Love you guys! Remember to keep the commandments and always brush your teeth!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Short Time Email
paul.westover@myldsmail.net
Thats my new Email! I was having problems before, but now we are in business. So change your emails to go to this address above.
Well, I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to my parents yesterday. It made me incredibly trunkie, so to speak, and I realized again just how awesome my parents are. They really are the coolest parents in the world. My dad´s gonna be on a TV show. What about your dad. haha! Good luck with that, by the way, dad.
Things are really interesting here in Los Cantaros. Today I had to take Elder Aguirre (not my companion), down to the Mission Offic to get checked out. Hes thrown up everything he´s eaten for the past week. Its pretty bad. I spent pretty much the entire day with him, throwing up and feeling like crap. It was kind of bad. After being around sick people for enough time, you yourself dont feel very good.
I have been doing really well apart from that. I have been improving in my Spanish, being in a pension with pure latinos (well, my companion is a Spaniard). I hope that by the end of the change I will be able to speak like a true spaniard!
Sorry that this email is getting kind of long, but things were kind of crazy and I have zero time to do anything. Alright, Love you guys!
Elder Westover
Thats my new Email! I was having problems before, but now we are in business. So change your emails to go to this address above.
Well, I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to my parents yesterday. It made me incredibly trunkie, so to speak, and I realized again just how awesome my parents are. They really are the coolest parents in the world. My dad´s gonna be on a TV show. What about your dad. haha! Good luck with that, by the way, dad.
Things are really interesting here in Los Cantaros. Today I had to take Elder Aguirre (not my companion), down to the Mission Offic to get checked out. Hes thrown up everything he´s eaten for the past week. Its pretty bad. I spent pretty much the entire day with him, throwing up and feeling like crap. It was kind of bad. After being around sick people for enough time, you yourself dont feel very good.
I have been doing really well apart from that. I have been improving in my Spanish, being in a pension with pure latinos (well, my companion is a Spaniard). I hope that by the end of the change I will be able to speak like a true spaniard!
Sorry that this email is getting kind of long, but things were kind of crazy and I have zero time to do anything. Alright, Love you guys!
Elder Westover
Monday, May 3, 2010
La Voluntad de Dios
Everything works out how its supposed to.
This last week has been the last week of the change, and so naturally all of us were nervous as to how it was going to work out. I really like being with Elder Wassom and Elder Johnson and Elder Bullough. They are all really good guys and I like em a lot. We really have a good time together. Sometimes it almost reminds me of the best two years and just how the dynamics work out in the pension. We are from different areas, all gringo, and we really get along well together. But every good thing has to come to an end.
"I think you´re going to Nuñoa, Elder Bullough," I told him. "And I think Im going to go somewhere in Puento Alto with a latino." That was my predicion. I thought that Elder Wassom was going to stay with some gringo, and Elder Johnson was going to get a latino for a companion. Its funny how things turn out the way they do, and how the Lord works. I felt so strongly that I was leaving, and that what I had to do in this sector was already done; I was ready to move onto the next challenge. Thats why I was so surprised when we got the call about the changes Sunday night and was informed that I would be staying.
"What?!!" exclaimed Elder Wassom. "I can´t believe it!" The fact that I was staying wasnt really what Elder Wassom was suprised about. It was what I had in my hand that made him suprised that I was staying.
Alright, to explain this, I need to remind everyone about Camila. Camila is our recent convert who had the hots for me a while back. Earlier that night, we came over to her house to say our potential goodbyes. As we were leaving, she gave Elder Wassom and I notes with our names on it. When we got back to the pension before the assistant called with our change results, we opened up the notes and began reading. My expression changed from sadness that I might not see our awesome convert again, to pride for who she is becoming, to worry about what she was writing, to nostalgia of seventh grade notes in lockers with little hearts on them. Im not going to say what it said, but after reading it, I realized that if the spirit was telling the president anything, I would leave. It was very mushy and kind of scary. So that was what I was holding in my hands the moment we got the call.
Even though I was staying, I felt like I should have been leaving. The next day, I took the letter to the change meeting where missionaries hear where they are being sent to and who their new companion is going to be. After the meeting (Elder Bullough did not go to Nuñoa, but Elder JOhnson did get a latino companion) I went up the president and explained my situation. He read the letter and nodded his head. "Well elder," he said. "You just gotta stop being so good looking!"
As of right now, I am writing this letter from an internet cafe in Puente Alto in the south of our mission with Elder Martin, my new companion. He is from the south of Spain and is a super cool guy. I knew I was going to get there. I just didnt know how.
Everything works out how its supposed to.
Love you all!
Elder Westover
This last week has been the last week of the change, and so naturally all of us were nervous as to how it was going to work out. I really like being with Elder Wassom and Elder Johnson and Elder Bullough. They are all really good guys and I like em a lot. We really have a good time together. Sometimes it almost reminds me of the best two years and just how the dynamics work out in the pension. We are from different areas, all gringo, and we really get along well together. But every good thing has to come to an end.
"I think you´re going to Nuñoa, Elder Bullough," I told him. "And I think Im going to go somewhere in Puento Alto with a latino." That was my predicion. I thought that Elder Wassom was going to stay with some gringo, and Elder Johnson was going to get a latino for a companion. Its funny how things turn out the way they do, and how the Lord works. I felt so strongly that I was leaving, and that what I had to do in this sector was already done; I was ready to move onto the next challenge. Thats why I was so surprised when we got the call about the changes Sunday night and was informed that I would be staying.
"What?!!" exclaimed Elder Wassom. "I can´t believe it!" The fact that I was staying wasnt really what Elder Wassom was suprised about. It was what I had in my hand that made him suprised that I was staying.
Alright, to explain this, I need to remind everyone about Camila. Camila is our recent convert who had the hots for me a while back. Earlier that night, we came over to her house to say our potential goodbyes. As we were leaving, she gave Elder Wassom and I notes with our names on it. When we got back to the pension before the assistant called with our change results, we opened up the notes and began reading. My expression changed from sadness that I might not see our awesome convert again, to pride for who she is becoming, to worry about what she was writing, to nostalgia of seventh grade notes in lockers with little hearts on them. Im not going to say what it said, but after reading it, I realized that if the spirit was telling the president anything, I would leave. It was very mushy and kind of scary. So that was what I was holding in my hands the moment we got the call.
Even though I was staying, I felt like I should have been leaving. The next day, I took the letter to the change meeting where missionaries hear where they are being sent to and who their new companion is going to be. After the meeting (Elder Bullough did not go to Nuñoa, but Elder JOhnson did get a latino companion) I went up the president and explained my situation. He read the letter and nodded his head. "Well elder," he said. "You just gotta stop being so good looking!"
As of right now, I am writing this letter from an internet cafe in Puente Alto in the south of our mission with Elder Martin, my new companion. He is from the south of Spain and is a super cool guy. I knew I was going to get there. I just didnt know how.
Everything works out how its supposed to.
Love you all!
Elder Westover
Monday, April 26, 2010
Career Day
Hey family and Friends!!!
Due to the many requests about my knee, I just want to reassure everyone and let you all know that it is fine, and everything is back to normal. No problems whatsoever.
Well, Chile is getting COLD!!!! The Fall gave way to winter in like three days, and now this week we are excpecting our first heavy rainfall, which is supposed to last all week and turn the streets into rivers. But so far... its just been cold.
Well to be honest I dont have a whole lot of time to write, but I will put in the most important parts.
I have recently made a life changing decision that may affect the rest of my professional career. I was at Lunch with some members, and we were talking about the metro system and how it got started up and how they had to figure out a bunch of different problems and things of that nature. I was so interested in the conversation because I was trying to figure out the problems myself, and even though we never got to a solid conclusion, I realized something: I really like doing stuff like that! I enjoy learning about anatomy and how the body works, but it just isnt what I was meant to do. I was not meant to be in the medical field. So im saying goodbye to being a dentist/Orthodontist and doing.... well... Im still not exactly sure what it would be, but I have a feeling I will want to do whatever my dad did. Dad, Im not sure you realize just how big of an impact that you made on my life. You taught me how to think, and how to exercise moral responsibility in everything I do. I feel like a little kid in the winter going on a walk with his dad and trying to step in his footsteps. I know its safe, and I trust him enough to follow him wherever he goes. I feel more and more like that same relationship I have with my dad I am developing with my Heavenly Father. I know his footsteps are safe, and I am confident he will never lead me astray.
Im growing up guys! I think I really am becoming more of the man that I was supposed to become on this mission. I am learning responsibility and how to take care of myself (and yes mom, that means feeding myself). But you dont have to worry too much: Elder Wassom, someone who I am convinced was never a child, tells me everyday that although I am a twenty year old man, I have a 6 year old heart. Some things I dont think are ever going to change...
Thanks for your love and support guys! I love you!
Elder Westover
Due to the many requests about my knee, I just want to reassure everyone and let you all know that it is fine, and everything is back to normal. No problems whatsoever.
Well, Chile is getting COLD!!!! The Fall gave way to winter in like three days, and now this week we are excpecting our first heavy rainfall, which is supposed to last all week and turn the streets into rivers. But so far... its just been cold.
Well to be honest I dont have a whole lot of time to write, but I will put in the most important parts.
I have recently made a life changing decision that may affect the rest of my professional career. I was at Lunch with some members, and we were talking about the metro system and how it got started up and how they had to figure out a bunch of different problems and things of that nature. I was so interested in the conversation because I was trying to figure out the problems myself, and even though we never got to a solid conclusion, I realized something: I really like doing stuff like that! I enjoy learning about anatomy and how the body works, but it just isnt what I was meant to do. I was not meant to be in the medical field. So im saying goodbye to being a dentist/Orthodontist and doing.... well... Im still not exactly sure what it would be, but I have a feeling I will want to do whatever my dad did. Dad, Im not sure you realize just how big of an impact that you made on my life. You taught me how to think, and how to exercise moral responsibility in everything I do. I feel like a little kid in the winter going on a walk with his dad and trying to step in his footsteps. I know its safe, and I trust him enough to follow him wherever he goes. I feel more and more like that same relationship I have with my dad I am developing with my Heavenly Father. I know his footsteps are safe, and I am confident he will never lead me astray.
Im growing up guys! I think I really am becoming more of the man that I was supposed to become on this mission. I am learning responsibility and how to take care of myself (and yes mom, that means feeding myself). But you dont have to worry too much: Elder Wassom, someone who I am convinced was never a child, tells me everyday that although I am a twenty year old man, I have a 6 year old heart. Some things I dont think are ever going to change...
Thanks for your love and support guys! I love you!
Elder Westover
Monday, April 19, 2010
Slow Week
Hey Everyone!
Before I start out this letter, I want to say that I am not a lazy missionary, as much as it may seem so in my last letter. I do pushups in the morning too :)
Alright, so this week has been very similar and boring in comparision to many of my other weeks in the mission. My companion, Elder Wassom, got sick. So as a result,.we have been stuck in the pension for some time. It made me realize that I HATE just sitting around. I want to be out doing something. I cant just sit around and draw or read the scriptures. I want to be out teaching the gospel to people! The good news is that Elder Wassom is getting better, so hopefully, we fill find success soon.
The other thing that happened was a bit of self evaluation. We were talking to a family at lunch, and they asked us if we had any pictures of our family. I whipped out the one small picture I carry with me everywhere I go. I showed them the picture I have shown to countless Chileans throughout the course of my wanderings throughout the Chilean jungle. The hermana looked at the picture and then looked at me and said: You dont really look like you did in this picture. You were a boy in this picture. Now you are a man. Pushing aside the fact that I have to shave every day, I felt proud knowing that I am growing in a distinctly upwards direction (speaking of growing upwards mom and dad, Im pretty sure that im 6´4" now). When we got back to the pension that night, I realized that not only have I physically aged, but I have spiritually and emotionally aged five or six years above that of the other people my age. I feel older. Not in an old man way, but in an experienced, mature way. I guess thats what the mission does.
Thanks for all of your love and support! I look foraward to hearing from you soon!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Before I start out this letter, I want to say that I am not a lazy missionary, as much as it may seem so in my last letter. I do pushups in the morning too :)
Alright, so this week has been very similar and boring in comparision to many of my other weeks in the mission. My companion, Elder Wassom, got sick. So as a result,.we have been stuck in the pension for some time. It made me realize that I HATE just sitting around. I want to be out doing something. I cant just sit around and draw or read the scriptures. I want to be out teaching the gospel to people! The good news is that Elder Wassom is getting better, so hopefully, we fill find success soon.
The other thing that happened was a bit of self evaluation. We were talking to a family at lunch, and they asked us if we had any pictures of our family. I whipped out the one small picture I carry with me everywhere I go. I showed them the picture I have shown to countless Chileans throughout the course of my wanderings throughout the Chilean jungle. The hermana looked at the picture and then looked at me and said: You dont really look like you did in this picture. You were a boy in this picture. Now you are a man. Pushing aside the fact that I have to shave every day, I felt proud knowing that I am growing in a distinctly upwards direction (speaking of growing upwards mom and dad, Im pretty sure that im 6´4" now). When we got back to the pension that night, I realized that not only have I physically aged, but I have spiritually and emotionally aged five or six years above that of the other people my age. I feel older. Not in an old man way, but in an experienced, mature way. I guess thats what the mission does.
Thanks for all of your love and support! I look foraward to hearing from you soon!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Monday, April 12, 2010
Service Project!!
Hey Family and Friends!
How is everyone doing? Things in La Trinidad are great! I love this sector and my companion is great! The only problem I still have is getting up in the morning. I swear, I was never meant to be a morning person. I get up, but that doesnt mean that I am firing on all cylinders. Mostly its very quiet in the mornings. Elder Wassom sits in the clothes room and listens to EFY music. Elder Bullough transferrs over to a spare bed in the living room and falls asleep there. Elder Johnson usually just sits on one of our crappy sofas and stares into nothingness. And I shuffle out of bed and put on my blue sweater and my incredibly comfortable sweats (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!) and half heartedly pour out a bowl of chocapic, which is the coca pebbles of the states. I get out my box of milk (Yes, milk comes in boxes here, and if you dont drink it within three days, it goes bad), and eat like a cow chewing on its cud. But thats not what happened on Saturday. No, on saturday, something completely different happened.
We had a service project very early in the morning. We didnt know what we were going to be doing, all we knew was that we got out of our study times. Sweet! Anyway, so we get driven down to this building pretty far out of our sector, and are greeted by 15 feet high fences with barbed wire coiling around the top. The gates slowly open like a creepy old mansion, and we go in. Immediatly after we get out of the cars we are greeted by the boss of whoever runs the place. She tells us that we shouldnt touch anyone here, and to just keep walking if they try and talk to us. She starts to lead us through the complex of plain looking buildings and barred windows. Then someone came up to me and said hello. Thats when I realized: We were in a mental institute. All the people had mental problems and walked around with a dazed look on their face. I laughed to myself, wishing I had brought a pink tutu and had just watched Ace Ventura, but then I realized that I was a missionary and that would be undignified. bummer....
We finally got to our service project behind another set of scary looking fances and locks, a building. A very burnt building. I guess last week the whole area went up in flames, so our job was to clean it up. That meant Tearing down the rest of the roof, hauling out burnt couches and beds, sifting through the rubble, and carrying out the rest of the dead bodies. haha! No, Im just kidding, there weren´t any dead bodies. But there was a lot of crap. It was very impressionable. It made me realize how destructive fires can be. Nothing was left untouched by the flames, however, there was still enough that was recognizable that trying to imagine what it was like being in the fire sent shivers down your spine.
The work was hard, but it was so much fun! What more can a boy want than a hammer and an order to go around breaking stuff? Im not sure I have any moral or any anology to the mission, but it sure was fun! I will try to get pictures from some of the other elders as soon as I can. I forgot to bring mine. I wont ever forget some of the stuff I saw there, and I feel proud knowing I helped by doing my part.
I love you guys so much! Take care!
Elder Westover
How is everyone doing? Things in La Trinidad are great! I love this sector and my companion is great! The only problem I still have is getting up in the morning. I swear, I was never meant to be a morning person. I get up, but that doesnt mean that I am firing on all cylinders. Mostly its very quiet in the mornings. Elder Wassom sits in the clothes room and listens to EFY music. Elder Bullough transferrs over to a spare bed in the living room and falls asleep there. Elder Johnson usually just sits on one of our crappy sofas and stares into nothingness. And I shuffle out of bed and put on my blue sweater and my incredibly comfortable sweats (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!) and half heartedly pour out a bowl of chocapic, which is the coca pebbles of the states. I get out my box of milk (Yes, milk comes in boxes here, and if you dont drink it within three days, it goes bad), and eat like a cow chewing on its cud. But thats not what happened on Saturday. No, on saturday, something completely different happened.
We had a service project very early in the morning. We didnt know what we were going to be doing, all we knew was that we got out of our study times. Sweet! Anyway, so we get driven down to this building pretty far out of our sector, and are greeted by 15 feet high fences with barbed wire coiling around the top. The gates slowly open like a creepy old mansion, and we go in. Immediatly after we get out of the cars we are greeted by the boss of whoever runs the place. She tells us that we shouldnt touch anyone here, and to just keep walking if they try and talk to us. She starts to lead us through the complex of plain looking buildings and barred windows. Then someone came up to me and said hello. Thats when I realized: We were in a mental institute. All the people had mental problems and walked around with a dazed look on their face. I laughed to myself, wishing I had brought a pink tutu and had just watched Ace Ventura, but then I realized that I was a missionary and that would be undignified. bummer....
We finally got to our service project behind another set of scary looking fances and locks, a building. A very burnt building. I guess last week the whole area went up in flames, so our job was to clean it up. That meant Tearing down the rest of the roof, hauling out burnt couches and beds, sifting through the rubble, and carrying out the rest of the dead bodies. haha! No, Im just kidding, there weren´t any dead bodies. But there was a lot of crap. It was very impressionable. It made me realize how destructive fires can be. Nothing was left untouched by the flames, however, there was still enough that was recognizable that trying to imagine what it was like being in the fire sent shivers down your spine.
The work was hard, but it was so much fun! What more can a boy want than a hammer and an order to go around breaking stuff? Im not sure I have any moral or any anology to the mission, but it sure was fun! I will try to get pictures from some of the other elders as soon as I can. I forgot to bring mine. I wont ever forget some of the stuff I saw there, and I feel proud knowing I helped by doing my part.
I love you guys so much! Take care!
Elder Westover
Monday, April 5, 2010
Easter Bunny
April 5, 2010
Hey Family!!!
So Chile is great!! It always is after such a great session of general conference! It meant so much to me, what all of the apostles said. I was privilaged enough to hear it in english, while our investigators got stuck with the translators. Bummer. I was so energized after that that I felt like I was floating on air and that nothing mattered. And then came the crushing reality of missionary work. I am here to testify that missionary work is the most emotionally and spiritually draining thing that you will ever do in your life. But I am also here to say that it is probably the most worthwhile thing I have ever done as well. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. Without it I would be nowhere. I know that I have been sent here for a reason and that everything that we go through is for our good. We are only challenged up to what we are able, so be confident in knowing that we will be able to overcome all the challenges that we will face in this life!
I felt pretty homesick though at the same time. I kept listening to all the talks about families and how they can be strengthened. I thought about my Mom in a lot of the talks, and felt grateful that she brought me up in righteousness. Ive seen too many families whose mother´s feel that the right thing to do is let their children think for themselves, when really they are just letting them spiritually drown. Yeah thats kind of harsh, but I have seen the damage that one weak link can cost, and the generations that have been affected. So to my mom: Thank you for making me do the things that I didnt want to do. I love you for it, and I will never forget the beautiful and humble example you are to me, even now.
Well, yeah Im a momma´s boy. Alright, I better get going. Thanks for everything that you have done for me and for the package, mom! I loved the peeps and got sick of em after the 15th one!
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Westover
PS- yeah, mom i did draw that picture of Christ. I gave it to my convert. The one attached to the email is also mine. Thanks for letting me doodle in church!
Hey Family!!!
So Chile is great!! It always is after such a great session of general conference! It meant so much to me, what all of the apostles said. I was privilaged enough to hear it in english, while our investigators got stuck with the translators. Bummer. I was so energized after that that I felt like I was floating on air and that nothing mattered. And then came the crushing reality of missionary work. I am here to testify that missionary work is the most emotionally and spiritually draining thing that you will ever do in your life. But I am also here to say that it is probably the most worthwhile thing I have ever done as well. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. Without it I would be nowhere. I know that I have been sent here for a reason and that everything that we go through is for our good. We are only challenged up to what we are able, so be confident in knowing that we will be able to overcome all the challenges that we will face in this life!
I felt pretty homesick though at the same time. I kept listening to all the talks about families and how they can be strengthened. I thought about my Mom in a lot of the talks, and felt grateful that she brought me up in righteousness. Ive seen too many families whose mother´s feel that the right thing to do is let their children think for themselves, when really they are just letting them spiritually drown. Yeah thats kind of harsh, but I have seen the damage that one weak link can cost, and the generations that have been affected. So to my mom: Thank you for making me do the things that I didnt want to do. I love you for it, and I will never forget the beautiful and humble example you are to me, even now.
Well, yeah Im a momma´s boy. Alright, I better get going. Thanks for everything that you have done for me and for the package, mom! I loved the peeps and got sick of em after the 15th one!
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Westover
PS- yeah, mom i did draw that picture of Christ. I gave it to my convert. The one attached to the email is also mine. Thanks for letting me doodle in church!
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