Hey everybody!
Well things here in Gabriela are chugging along. Its difficult though. We dont have any investigators and the ward is very small, so its out in the streets and knocking. I feel like a pioneer in a sense. Little missionaries knocked as they walked and walked and walked and walked aaaand walked. Its hard work but somebody has to do it and I feel like I am taking a lot out of it as well. The difficulty always has rewards. I feel very blessed to be able to be here in a time where I can grow up with my investigators.
Being a zone leader has been a lot different than I thought it would be. I really dont feel like its a whole lot different from being anywhere else. I feel just like a normal missionary, but for some reason everyone thinks that you know what to do. I feel like I am just doing what I need to do to stay under the radar, but for some reason, there are always people who need our help.
I have four months left in the mission. I am officialy old. I really hope to just keep going and push through as hard as I can for this last stride of the mission. Thanks for everything that you guys are doing for me!
les amo!
Elder Westover
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Changing...for Better or Worse
Hey Everybody!
The mission is a cruel thing sometimes. You can be so caught up with being in one place that you forget that your world is bigger than just your sector. That is what happened to me in Tocornal. Yesterday we had changes, and Elder Bowen, Elder Chapman, and I all left. We got the call when we were in Omar and Veronica's house. When I walked in the kitchen and saw the 8 year old daughter Fran crying, I was slightly angry that God would separate us like this, especially someone as loving as Fran. It hurt me a lot. Veronica was also in tears, as well as Omar. We were also a little bit leaky eyed leaving them. It made me realize how much I had grown there in Tocornal.
But change always comes to hit you smack in the side of the face. I have been changed back into my old zone, Gabriela. But this time, I got put in charge. I am in the sector Gabriela as the zone leader with Elder Welling, a super cool guy who seems like a great match for me. Its not exactly what I was expecting, but you take what life hands you I guess. I am very excited but kind of nervous I guess. I haven't really been in any kind of leadership position until now. I am really going to miss my old sector though. It was like ripping out part of my heart. That little plot of land in Puente Alto in Santiago Chile is a little piece of Zion for me. I don't know how I am going to make it, but Im sure the Lord has something in mind for me here in Gabriela.
Well, its time to get crackin! thanks for your support and everything that you've done for me! I love you guys!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Monday, February 14, 2011
Bugs and Missionaries
Hey Everybody!
Things here in Tocornal have been going great! I guess the biggest news that we have is that of our missionary, Pamara, who is going to the northern part of Peru. Its basically jungle. She is very excited to go and we are all very proud of her and for everything that she has done for us. The other cool thing that is going are our little mini missionaries. Two young men from our ward has come out with us for the whole week this week. Its been an awesome experience! I love seeing how they are growing as they come with us to visit all the people here.
The other cool thing that has happened is our trip to the rio clarillo today. We started out just going to see a river but instead uncovered a lot more. It first started out as the fact that we are still little boys at heart that would love nothing more than to just poke at bugs with sticks. The second was that right when we entered by the place, there were about a million lizards running around. We unfruitfully chased them down for about half an hour until one rock we tried to uncover to scare out the lizard had another occupant: a tarantula. We squealed for joy and immediately looked for something to put it in. This event happened again and again until one rock, we found who we now call Shelob. We turned over a rock and found a tarantula about the size of my hand with hundreds of tiny little newborn babies. It was gross. So we caught it. It is now in our pension and I have photos uploaded to my Walgreens account with me holding it. Its actually really laid back. Even though I dont like spiders, its pretty cool.
In all, we collected about four tarantulas, two scorpions,and one frog; but not one lizard. aww...
I hope you all had just as an exciting a week as we did. Haha, take care everybody!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Monday, February 7, 2011
Missionary Helps Out Mission
Hey everybody!
Everything is going pretty well here; we are just waiting for the heat to cool off. The rest of you guys are probably expecting the exact opposite. Things are going pretty well in the sector, but we really are running out of people to teach. I feel like at this point Elder Chapman and I are just basking in our success and watching each of our converts stroll into the church each sunday. I think its time that I leave the sector. I feel like I am getting too involved in the sector and its becoming too much like I really do live here and less like I am just a gringo with a plaque and tie. Not to say that thats bad, but I just feel like its my time to go.
I guess the big news that going on right now is that Pamara, one of our good friends in the ward, is going on a mission. She had a LOT of obstacles to go out on the mission, and it was a really hard process for all of us to get through, but she is finally recvieving her call today. We are going to find out where she is going tonight. I am so happy for her right now, I feel like it is worth three or four baptisms to me, but I know in the end, it will be worth much much more.
In the end, theres not a whole lot to say. Things are going really great and I love being with my comp, despite all the differences that we may have. Its a great time to be a missionary!
Love,
Elder Westover
PS- just so I have a I told you so, I call the next big earthquake in chile! Apparently we are going to have another big one sometime soon! Get ready, chile!
Everything is going pretty well here; we are just waiting for the heat to cool off. The rest of you guys are probably expecting the exact opposite. Things are going pretty well in the sector, but we really are running out of people to teach. I feel like at this point Elder Chapman and I are just basking in our success and watching each of our converts stroll into the church each sunday. I think its time that I leave the sector. I feel like I am getting too involved in the sector and its becoming too much like I really do live here and less like I am just a gringo with a plaque and tie. Not to say that thats bad, but I just feel like its my time to go.
I guess the big news that going on right now is that Pamara, one of our good friends in the ward, is going on a mission. She had a LOT of obstacles to go out on the mission, and it was a really hard process for all of us to get through, but she is finally recvieving her call today. We are going to find out where she is going tonight. I am so happy for her right now, I feel like it is worth three or four baptisms to me, but I know in the end, it will be worth much much more.
In the end, theres not a whole lot to say. Things are going really great and I love being with my comp, despite all the differences that we may have. Its a great time to be a missionary!
Love,
Elder Westover
PS- just so I have a I told you so, I call the next big earthquake in chile! Apparently we are going to have another big one sometime soon! Get ready, chile!
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning
Hey Everybody!
Have any of you ever started out one day with an idea of how it was going to go, and then it turned out completely different from how you originally wanted? That very thing happened to me today.
P Days always turn out to be one of the most hectic days on the mission for a number of different reasons. One is that we are always going to get groceries, or we are running to get something we forgot or trying to scrape up lunch. So Yesterday I decided that we were going to have a completely chill day and nothing was going to happen so that we could go back to the pension and take a break. And that's exactly what happened until we went out of the pension for just a little bit to buy some bread.
We rounded the corner of Pedro Duarte and see that the sky seemed a little dark, like it was going to rain. It seemed odd though, because it was actually pretty hot outside, and rain was not predicted for at least a few weeks. That's when we realized what it really was: smoke. A house about a block down had caught on fire and was belching dark billows of smoke into the summer heat. We at first walked with an interested gawking sort of a way. Then as we got closer and we realized how the fire had just started not two minutes ago, something happened in my mind. A switch, a light went on that changed my entire basis of thought. We all started running over towards the house. Without thinking about anything else, we barged into the house and started yelling to see if anyone was there. Luckily, the family had all gotten out and people had started to take things out. The Firefighters got there at about the same time as we did, but the only difference there was the water pressure. To understand that statement, I need to explain something about Chile. In Chile, being a firefighter is an honor, but it is voluntary, not paid. So they didnt kick us out or anything, they just let us help them hose down the burning building. We took out a lot of the possessions, and tried to salvage as much as we could, but we had to leave because the roof was going to come down from the weakness of the wood from the fire and the weight of the water. The last thing the lady (the owner) asked me to get for her was a frame of the last supper. I kind of had to run through a bunch of rubble and fire house blasts to get it, but in the end, I got her precious heirloom. We were one of the last people to leave out of the volunteers, and we left as inconspicuously as any dirty gringos with ties, plaques and backpacks could.
The last thing we did before we left was give her a book of mormon, promising her that all true peace and happiness resided within the pages of that book. I learned today the true value of integrity and how selfless service is the fullest kind of blessing that we can ever hope to receive. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to serve. I hope I can continue to serve until the very end of my mission, o sea, when I die.
Thanks for everything guys, you really are a great support for me!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Have any of you ever started out one day with an idea of how it was going to go, and then it turned out completely different from how you originally wanted? That very thing happened to me today.
P Days always turn out to be one of the most hectic days on the mission for a number of different reasons. One is that we are always going to get groceries, or we are running to get something we forgot or trying to scrape up lunch. So Yesterday I decided that we were going to have a completely chill day and nothing was going to happen so that we could go back to the pension and take a break. And that's exactly what happened until we went out of the pension for just a little bit to buy some bread.
We rounded the corner of Pedro Duarte and see that the sky seemed a little dark, like it was going to rain. It seemed odd though, because it was actually pretty hot outside, and rain was not predicted for at least a few weeks. That's when we realized what it really was: smoke. A house about a block down had caught on fire and was belching dark billows of smoke into the summer heat. We at first walked with an interested gawking sort of a way. Then as we got closer and we realized how the fire had just started not two minutes ago, something happened in my mind. A switch, a light went on that changed my entire basis of thought. We all started running over towards the house. Without thinking about anything else, we barged into the house and started yelling to see if anyone was there. Luckily, the family had all gotten out and people had started to take things out. The Firefighters got there at about the same time as we did, but the only difference there was the water pressure. To understand that statement, I need to explain something about Chile. In Chile, being a firefighter is an honor, but it is voluntary, not paid. So they didnt kick us out or anything, they just let us help them hose down the burning building. We took out a lot of the possessions, and tried to salvage as much as we could, but we had to leave because the roof was going to come down from the weakness of the wood from the fire and the weight of the water. The last thing the lady (the owner) asked me to get for her was a frame of the last supper. I kind of had to run through a bunch of rubble and fire house blasts to get it, but in the end, I got her precious heirloom. We were one of the last people to leave out of the volunteers, and we left as inconspicuously as any dirty gringos with ties, plaques and backpacks could.
The last thing we did before we left was give her a book of mormon, promising her that all true peace and happiness resided within the pages of that book. I learned today the true value of integrity and how selfless service is the fullest kind of blessing that we can ever hope to receive. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to serve. I hope I can continue to serve until the very end of my mission, o sea, when I die.
Thanks for everything guys, you really are a great support for me!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
Monday, January 17, 2011
Dogs and Gratitud
Hola Everybody!!!
Things here in Tocornal have been going great, with the exception of Fi Fi, one of favorite family´s dog, who died yesterday. We came over and dug a whole and buried her. We sang God be with you til we meet again and I said a dedicatory prayer. It was nice, but very strange. We buried her behind the house, but there was still music blasting, kids running around everywhere, and it seemed almost impossible in that moment to give that dog a moment of solace.
Our other favorite family, Omar and Veronica, threw us a party. Unbenownst to me, it was a suprise birthday party. I felt so grateful for the effort and time they put in just for me! Me, a 20 year old gringo that struggles with spanish and just about everything else. I felt love that day. Love is getting over the faults someone may have, and caring for them anyway. That was something that I learned before the mission, and then had reinforced during.
I have been reflecting these past few weeks about my mission, and the progress everyone is making. There are a lot of people now that are younger than me in the mission but are now my district and zone leaders. Although we shouldnt worry ourselves about it, it is still something that is expected as you get older in the mission. I am used to be in a leadership position and I have the personality that will take a situation and command it, but here in the mission, all I have done is train. I felt for a while that my talents and abilities were being wasted a bit, but as I thought about it more, and especially after I read Mom's email, I realized that God puts us in the place where we will grow. I didnt realize how prideful I was until I got onto the mission and saw just how arrogant and puffed up I had been. I realized that God put me in a position to grow, as he does with everybody. Lift where you stand. Its good advice. Taking off the complicated vocabulary and fancy dialect and we can see a person for what he really is. I hope that down inside something is growing. Something that will help to shape me as a man and as a missionary. I have come to realize that true happiness lies in the simpliest of things. So why complicate it so? I realized how grateful I needed to be for my situation, my parents, and for everything else inbetween. I am so grateful for Grandma and Grandpa's consistancy with their writing and for always giving me the updates on the Utah weather. I love you guys and love to read your letters! Im grateful for Aunt Polly who even though its not a lot, she at least expresses her sincere feelings and really helps me out. I feel your prayers helping me keep my feet forward and my chin up. Thanks for everything guys!
Elder Westover
Things here in Tocornal have been going great, with the exception of Fi Fi, one of favorite family´s dog, who died yesterday. We came over and dug a whole and buried her. We sang God be with you til we meet again and I said a dedicatory prayer. It was nice, but very strange. We buried her behind the house, but there was still music blasting, kids running around everywhere, and it seemed almost impossible in that moment to give that dog a moment of solace.
Our other favorite family, Omar and Veronica, threw us a party. Unbenownst to me, it was a suprise birthday party. I felt so grateful for the effort and time they put in just for me! Me, a 20 year old gringo that struggles with spanish and just about everything else. I felt love that day. Love is getting over the faults someone may have, and caring for them anyway. That was something that I learned before the mission, and then had reinforced during.
I have been reflecting these past few weeks about my mission, and the progress everyone is making. There are a lot of people now that are younger than me in the mission but are now my district and zone leaders. Although we shouldnt worry ourselves about it, it is still something that is expected as you get older in the mission. I am used to be in a leadership position and I have the personality that will take a situation and command it, but here in the mission, all I have done is train. I felt for a while that my talents and abilities were being wasted a bit, but as I thought about it more, and especially after I read Mom's email, I realized that God puts us in the place where we will grow. I didnt realize how prideful I was until I got onto the mission and saw just how arrogant and puffed up I had been. I realized that God put me in a position to grow, as he does with everybody. Lift where you stand. Its good advice. Taking off the complicated vocabulary and fancy dialect and we can see a person for what he really is. I hope that down inside something is growing. Something that will help to shape me as a man and as a missionary. I have come to realize that true happiness lies in the simpliest of things. So why complicate it so? I realized how grateful I needed to be for my situation, my parents, and for everything else inbetween. I am so grateful for Grandma and Grandpa's consistancy with their writing and for always giving me the updates on the Utah weather. I love you guys and love to read your letters! Im grateful for Aunt Polly who even though its not a lot, she at least expresses her sincere feelings and really helps me out. I feel your prayers helping me keep my feet forward and my chin up. Thanks for everything guys!
Elder Westover
Monday, January 10, 2011
Just To Stop By
Hey Everybody!
I hope everyone is doing well! We are doing pretty good: We blew over changes again without any problems. This is going to be my fourth change in Tocornal, which means that I will have been in this sector for at least a fourth of my mission: wow! But its not something that I dread. In fact, I am very excited! In the short fourth month period that we have been in Tocornal, we have had 11 baptisms. Just to give you guys a perspective on that, in all my other sectors, we were lucky if got a baptism a change. that gets you about 12 baptisms in your whole mission. I am so thankful that I came here to see how amazing the mission work can run when the members do their part.
We have two fechas for the month. Nicole, the girl who believes in reincarnation. and Carlos, the long haired guy who is going to get married soon. They both are progressing great and all coming to church. Last week we had 11 investigators come to church. it was pretty cool.
I am so glad for this opportunity that I have been given to be a servant of the lord. I can tell from long hours of study and introspection that we are basically the sum total of what we do, think, and say. It is essentially an easy concept to grasp, but it has infinite consequences. I am so proud of my parents and for the exemple that they are in my life.
Gracias por todo lo que han hecho para la obra misional!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
I hope everyone is doing well! We are doing pretty good: We blew over changes again without any problems. This is going to be my fourth change in Tocornal, which means that I will have been in this sector for at least a fourth of my mission: wow! But its not something that I dread. In fact, I am very excited! In the short fourth month period that we have been in Tocornal, we have had 11 baptisms. Just to give you guys a perspective on that, in all my other sectors, we were lucky if got a baptism a change. that gets you about 12 baptisms in your whole mission. I am so thankful that I came here to see how amazing the mission work can run when the members do their part.
We have two fechas for the month. Nicole, the girl who believes in reincarnation. and Carlos, the long haired guy who is going to get married soon. They both are progressing great and all coming to church. Last week we had 11 investigators come to church. it was pretty cool.
I am so glad for this opportunity that I have been given to be a servant of the lord. I can tell from long hours of study and introspection that we are basically the sum total of what we do, think, and say. It is essentially an easy concept to grasp, but it has infinite consequences. I am so proud of my parents and for the exemple that they are in my life.
Gracias por todo lo que han hecho para la obra misional!
Con Amor,
Elder Westover
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