Missionary Service!!

Yesterday I had  a great opportunity to talk to an amazing lady!!  Louise ZoBell..She is from Canada and is in the Dominican Republic doing humanitarian work.  She's had the opportunity to help the people so much and hang out with our cute missionaries!!  She caught me up on the things Mitchell and the other elders have been doing...Here's some cute pictures of Jenny!  The Foundation and the missionaries are building her a house!!  What an amazing Project!!  Thanks Louise!!

Hey family i know its Thursday...but  the electricity here really wasn't that good yesterday,  all the internet places had light or didn't have internet. well this week has been really long and I'm really tired this week but thats ok. so Thursday last week we had an activity with the members and invited all of our investigators and about half of them showed up so we were a little disappointed, but that's ok.  We taught about service and it was sweet! So other than that the day was pretty short. Friday was really a long day, we really didn't  have a lot of people to teach and the members didn't have any references That's fine we can still work with what we have right now.  Saturday was pretty sweet I have been helping some people with there English and I think I'm teaching it right.  Haha Sometimes it's a little hard to describe something because I know the word in Spanish and I actually forgot the word in English. Sunday was pretty crazy because those are always the days that are the hardest for me because I just want to listen to talks and hymns in English and rest after church but we always have a lot going. We see this one group from Canada they come down every year to visit the ward and they don't know Spanish so I was a translator for them.  It was pretty cool!  I gave them your phone number and they said that they will call you and say hi!! for me.. Monday was pretty sweet too!  We had a little more success with everybody and it has been great!! We have been walking all the way up the mountain everyday to see this one less active member and ya its far but some good excercise!!!  We had a lot of people to teach on Monday, but my companion got in a agruement with this other pastor and it wasn't very good the spirit was just gone. Yesterday was P-Day and the day went by fast and we went to the church to a  place called INVI and we played soccer, football, baseball, and a little bit of volleyball. My zone is pretty sweet we only have like 20 people in it. 

So that's my week!!! I  saw those wonderful pictures of Charlee and she is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Take care of her and send me a ton of pictures because I'm going to miss a lot of the beginning of her life. Dang!!  That's hard!!   I love you guys so much and I hope that everything is good for you and Grandma the recipes are what ever you think I can make because they have everything here!! well I love you and I will talk to you next week!!!!!!!

Love your Elder Westenskow

Family!!

This week has been a busy week here in San Marcos ! Thursday was kind of crazy Because we had heard in the streets that a young man in the neighborhood needed O Positive blood and he was in the hospital in Santiago. They were looking for a missionary who could donate blood that was O Positive but there wasn't one in the Santiago area. They found out that I have O Positive but one problem... my blood is bad for a little while.  Which means that I can't give blood here for a little while, because the platelets in my blood are below average because I have too many mosquito bites. But family but don't worry it can get better if I'm more careful with bugs, and use bug spray!

Friday was great! we had another split and I got to stay in my area and teach my investigators the  day was great because we found four more investigators and 3 more families can teach . I had to use my Spanish! I'm really feeling more comfortable! The other Gringo Missionary has-been on his mission for 6 months and I knew more than he did, but that's o.k. It's all learning.  Saturday was an o.k. day I felt really tired and frustrated with my companion but its all good now. We lost 3 older investigators...Dang! . Sunday was better and more relaxing. Sunday was great a lot of the  less active that we have been working with came to church and it went great . We have been working really hard with the Less Active and praying for them to come back to church!  

Monday so everyone was even better because of our ward helping us find and investigators. They were so well -taught  and excited. They had received a lot of information from the members in the last weeks. We have  8 more investigators, and we are so busy now . My Companion thinks that my Spanish is doing well and I have really improved and he thinks that I'm ready to teach family home evening with all members who meet at one of the members house . So Monday was the first day I have started preparing to teach like 30 members . We also have to start a class for members who want to learn Inglés and I have to teach class as well!  Excited!!  

Tuesday or yesterday was a really sad today because no other missionaries could  donate blood and the family couldn't afford to have the hospital to give blood. We received a call from the father and the boy passed away!  Me and my companion were pretty bummed all day because we  felt like we should have tried harder to find more people with That blood type .

Today was great because we didn't have a lot to do and was more relaxing and so we deep cleaned the entire house now it looks like new again . Hey Mom and Grandmas  please send me some recipes to cook some easy dinners, I'm kind of tired of  the same food. haha

Well that's my week family I love you guys and pray for you all daily!  Emilee I hope everything is all good with you and the baby and I can't to see the new guy or girl in the family. I love you guys and will see you guys next week! !

Love you Elder Westenskow

Hey family!

 I hope you guys have a great Wednesday !

This week has-been very long great week, because right now we are working really hard! Thursday was great we -taught more members and people! We started a new program called 8'4'2.  It's so freaking cool!  We asked the members to talk  to 8 people during the month and then out of those eight people,  they invite four of them to go with them to church or to their family home evenings,  and then  out of the 4 we receive 2 for us to teach !  And it's working!  Friday was great and we had another split, so I was not in my area and I had to really use my Spanish , because the other companion wanted me to teach all the lessons because he said I was doing so good.  My Spanish has been better lately! I'm able to talk to almost every person. Saturday was great because we got three more references of members and every person wanted to talk to us and hear our message, now we have more investigators. It make me feel so much peace in my life. We've got to get our new investigators to come to church regularly so we can get them baptized, but we are working so it will all work! Sunday was good too, we had another split with West Beach and I taught all the lessons again and it was all good!! Monday was a little more difficult because we had many problems with people keeping their appointments and  we couldn't seem to  find more people to talk to or catch any of the less active. Tuesday or yesterday was better! We found one more whole family! God's work is really progressing and moving forward here!

Family, well that is my week!  I want you to know that everything is good and my health.. it is great right now I haven't  ever felt so skinny ! haha . But I hope everything is well for you guys and I pray for you guys everyday! Emilee I  hope everything goes well with  the baby!  Don't forget to tell me :)  

I checked and yesterday was Dave's birthday so happy birthday to my Uncle Dave!  And happy birthday to Aunt Judy on Tuesday! Hope everything is settling down for you! And dear Mommy your birthday is tomorrow and I hope That you can have the best birthday ever but remember you are getting old ! ! hahahahahaha

love Elder Westenskow

Hello family !

So Mom, I guess I can talk about each day! Last Thursday was just a normal day but we keep having to change the date for our baptisms, Because They wont go to church! Friday was a pretty long day Because we had only 3 people who wanted to talk to us and the members are included. That is one goal President Douglas wants us to work on,  is to find people through the members and focus on the less active. Saturday was good day we did a swap with a branch mission leader and a brother in the neighborhood. Brother Kermy, he leaves for his mission in February 4 ! Logans birthday! He is serving in Mexico too!!  But Saturday was a good day because I was with Brother Kermy and I had to teach our investigators. I still get a little nervous , but it was a great learning experience! Sunday , first we fasted and I was really hungry haha and I really wanted to watch the Packers Game but it turns out it was not that important in the first place!  (Dumb Packers!!)  But we found a new investigator and her family! They like to listen and talk with us . The mom just had a baby and I told her that my sister was having a baby and now she wants to find out what it is. Me too!

Monday was great! We were able to teach a lot of people and members that day . The people are excited to learn about the gospel . Monday we talked with this family who haven't been to church in a while and every time we asked why he wouldn't say why  and it was hard to figure it out! But yesterday we had a great lesson with him and we found out why he did not want to go and  it was because he was afraid of what people would think of him . Since he hadn't been in a long while. We told him that the opinions of others don't matter. If you want to go back go back ! So this Sunday we have him and his family, they are going to come with us to church ! I think that  is a big problem in the church right now, people are scared to back to church just because of other people! We need to have faith no matter what other people think!  We can go back and become active again! Tuesday was great and we had many lessons with many members! Earlier Tuesday  we had to go to Santiago for another meeting with the president and that always makes the long day long because of the travel, but it's all good . Today was great and we had another activity with the area and was great!  The weeks are just flying by here.

 Family... well I love you guys so much and hope everything at home is good for you guys. I pray for you guys often, hoping that everything will be alright ! I'm so excited Emilee!!  It's coming soon and I hope everything goes well and healthy so please write me o.k. when it comes ! I have to go so I love you and I will talk to you guys later!

Hey Family!!!
After getting to talk with you for almost 2 hours :) the rest of my Christmas was great! I had to eat more and more! Kinda didn't feel good, but that's o.k. Hey I checked for you Ryan, about the sister from Honduras in my mission, she lives minutes from the side of Comayaguela!   Things are good here we are  finding more people to teach every day! This week has seemed very long. I have a video of a ward activity! They are a little different than our ward activities ! People like to dance but not like in Utah!

Family!!  I love you guys so much and I hope everything is good at home. I pray for you guys all the time . I really hope all of you guys are doing alright and are going to church every Sunday! That is one thing we are focusing on teaching here, the people think that they don't need to go to church every Sunday . The Importance of the Sacrament is essential in our lives! We can feel better in our lives when we have the opportunity to renew covenants with God...Our covenants we made at baptism,  Family attend church every Sunday please! There are a lot of things that my companion and I need to work on to get these people active in their church meetings.

 The guy who owns the house we used to live in is making us repaint the entire house, Something that is required I guess, He said we broke a lot of stuff, but it was that way when we got there, but to keep good feelings we will fix it up and do the things he needs done. My knees are doing o.k.  feeling a little better,  but sometimes its really hard to walk up hills. But gotta do it!  This is the first transfer and I have been out in the field for 6 weeks and its crazy fast !

Hey dad I am so glad that the Packers won and that they will play the 49ers ! What an easy win ! AMANDA HAHA ! They should win so if  you want you to keep the games on there for me ok! And Also all the Packers playoff games! I have lost so much weight that the shirts we bought, are a little big but its o.k I can still wear them.

Well Family I love you guys so much and hope you guys have a great year ! and I will write again next week!
Don't you love the Baptism picture??  More to come!!  The computer is just way slow today!!

Love your Elder Westenskow