Hey family how are you guys doing!! 

This week was even faster! This week has been beyond hot and I really hope that it will cool down just a few so that I won't sweat all the time! 

This week we have been working really hard and we have received many blessings! I was worried because my companion didn't want to be obedient and follow a lot of rules!! But I decided to sit him down and talk about why we are here and the importance about being obedient! So after my little talk me and him are ok but  I think he needs some time to think.... that I am only trying to help him! Thursday was really sweet because we had like three more people to teach and I really believe that they can progress! We had talked to this a less active in the ward about the word of wisdom again so that he can stop smoking tobbaco but he has had some major problems with members being really mean and judgmental and now its becoming really hard to get him to come back but we will keep praying! so Friday was really hard because I realized here that they celebrate Easter all week and  no one was home. Everyone went to the beach or some family members  so we didn't really teach very much! That night we had a activity in the ward and I had to speak about the birth of Jesus Christ and I loved it! I thought it went really well and the others talked about the life and the resurrection! 

They have this food or drink here called abichuela con dulce and its not good at all!!! It's like a mix of hot chocolate and beans and potatoes and crackers! The people think that it is sooo good but not me!! haha so anyway, Saturday was alright but we really didn't have many people to teach and most of the members we visit don't like to listen to our message they only like to talk! 

Sunday was soo good because there were soo many people there at church. I was really excited!! The whole Stake Presidency talked and their talks were really good! Easter Sunday I really missed you guys a lot!! 

Monday was soo sweet because we had a Family night with this a family, and we talked about the goods and the bads of technology. It was really good! They are such a good family and the dad knows so much doctrine! We had troubles with a member there because he thought he was always right, but wasn't bu we made it work and it was great. 

Monday was a really good day but it rained all day and I'm glad that my shoes are water proof! We taught a lot of people but we are really praying for this one investigator  because she has had a tough life. She doesn't have a floor in her home and almost nothing for a roof.. but, she loves her Savior and just wants to follow his example! But ya tha'ts my week and I hope that everything is good for you guys as well

Love your Elder Westenskow

Mom's note:  Just a quick note..Mitch has been losing so much weight.  Over 50 pounds now and we know that he is walking a ton, and his diet probably isn't the best.  But would appreciate prayers his way.  THANKS SO MUCH!!!  

Hey family! 
This week was really fast and I hope that all you guys had a good week too! Thursday was a good day! I've been great but tired from lack of sleep, my companion decided that he wants to snore..and its really loud! haha  But Thursday we had like 7 lessons and they all went great I really feel that we are receiving a lot of blessings right now because we have a lot more people to teach and all of them are progressing! Friday was a good day but i was really frustrated! My companion is new in the mission and he doesn't want to get up in the morning and doesn't study, I am trying to keep my patience so we will see! Any ideas of how to keep him motivated? Friday was a really good day with the all ouri investigators in their home but we are going to have to work hard with them because they have a lot of problems con the word of wisom. We taught this one guy and he is really old and loves Jesus Christ. He  is also Haitian and he is a baptist.  He knows a lot of doctrine so I have been studying my bible more everyday and he loves our lessons and he says he might want to be Baptized so that we will have to see! 

Saturday was sooo good! my companion and I were talking in the morning about that we need more people to teach and references from the members so we were walking in the street and this random guy came up and turns out he is a member and has a lot of friends in our area so we talked and now we have a new family that we can teach! 

I love when the lord answers our prayers! This work is great!! Sunday  was kind of sad because the guy that was supposed to be baptized can't because he needs to go to church he can be baptized....please pray that he will come so that we can help him be baptized. I really love it when we have fast meetings.They tell the people to its time to share our testimonies and they call out my name to come up first!! I love to testify of the gospel.  So this was pretty good but it's is going to be hard to teach a lot of people because the people call this week "The Holy Week and almost everyone goes to the beach.  But we will pray that we can receive lessons to teach during this week!  We had a ward social and I had to speak about new things going on in the Santiago Mission! The talk went really well I just really hope that the members know that they have to work with us in order to bring more people to the kingdom God!! Today during the afternoon we played baseball and it was missionaries vs a professional team and it was fun but I don't have a baseball glove... so if you guys could send me one next package or for my birthday that would be great! 

My Testimony:

First of all i know that this church is true!

I know through our diligence in the scriptures and our prayers we can know for ourselves that this true! 

We all have difficulties and problems as members of the church but I  know that Jesus Christ knows our challenges and with him we can overcome all of them! God has made a lot of promises to us and he wants us to be happy but if we don't go to church or read the scriptures and keep our baptismal covenants we can't receive those blessings and promises that he has made! The lord has commanded that we obey his commandments! I know the second coming is near and now is the time to change our lives in order to be happy and live with Christ and our families again!  

I know that Joesph Smith was a true prophet of God! And through him we have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

We all have families and we all want our families to be with us and only through Jesus Christ is it posible to do it! We can always return and it doesnt matter what others think, the lord knows and loves each and everyone of us! If we have faith and love for our Savior and do all that we can to be obedient it is possible. I know he still lives and guides his church today through Thomsas S Monson and we can hear the voice of the lord through him! This I testify in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Hey Family!!
This week has gone by really fast and i really wish that I could take a breather but the time just flies by! Anyway... so everything here is very sweet but the only problem Is that its starting to get really hot! 

I haven't  received your package yet but im not im worried Eventually i will get it ! My companion is really sweet! He has a lot of energy and sometimes I have a hard time keeping up with him but the people absolutely love him! It's different  when you're the Senior companion. I have to have the answers to questions about the mission and doctrine. It makes me feel old in the mission ! 

Thursday was really sweet so we had a new investigator  and she is really cool. She is really Catholic . I have to just be patient. She was trying to say That she does not need to be Baptized again because she was already! I decided that was a good time to read Moroni 8:11. She did not know that there are scriptures on baptism. I Read these scriptures and she kind of thought about it for a minute and then said it is true! Wahoo!! 

Friday was very cool but It is hard when a person has many problems and they want the missionaries to fix their problem. Especially when the problem is money!  They think that since I am white I have the money to help them. It's hard not to help all the time, but they kind of understand when I explain that I am here serving without getting paid for my service.

Saturday  was amazing Because We watched conference and me and the other missionaries from Utah got to watch in ENGLISH ! ! This conference was so powerful and was really different for some reason as a missionary ! i felt the talks were fantastic! I am really thankful that we have prophets and apostles! Sunday was the same we listened to conference and then had a few lessons afterward ! I really loved the talk of President Thomas S Monson about loving one another ! We have almost every member saying they everyone they know is part of another religion....and they aren't comfortable talking to them about the church. But it is so important we need to open our mouths and talk to people! Noy everyone needs our help but there are people out there that do. What a huge impact 15 million members could have if we just loved everybody and served others more regularly ! 

Monday was  good but not a lot of people we home.  We had 2 lessons but iihope That the baptism That we have planned for the 26 will follow through. We just need to fast and pray really hard for Reimili ! Tuesday was good because  I got to eat at Burger King and That sure tasted good !  We are working hard to help the members here to Know the blessings of attending their meeting regularly.  Because we have only been having about 70 people in sacrament meeting ! well that is my week family just know that I pray for you guys all the time and cant wait for mothers day !

Love you Elder Westensko

Hello Family!!

 I hope last week was very good! This past week for me has gone by very fast! The mission is so cool! 

Thursday seemed like it was soo long, it was good but, I'm not used to large areas! San Francisco is much bigger that Porto Plata, and each lesson that day was long because people here Like to talk a lot! My new compaion, Elder Saldana is from  Mexico and he has only 3 months in the mission! I'm senior companion now! And excited about it. Elder Saldana is very knowledgeable about the doctrine and can cook very well! My head does not hurt much now because I'm drinking lots of water! I think I was dehydrated! 

 Friday went  very fast, we were in a home of an individual and he is very old and hasn't been to church for a while, but the reason he is less active is because a member said he couldn't go to church because he is not paying his tithing, We can learn from this member!  He is not paying his tithing,  but if he wants to return to the church he can!!  He needed to know that all of us are not perfect, But we need to help the people to feel that they can always return! 

 Sunday was so cool because  we had another baptism and many members were there and the spirit was very strong! When we have a lot of church members to a baptism, it helps them feel welcome ant it  a way he can always remember his baptism! Sunday was very good! I had to talk in Sacrament about the pure love of Christ! I was very nervous... but I know now that when we have the Holy Spirit with us, we can talk in any form and they can feel the spirit and understand. I also needed to pray in a class but in English! You would think that I should be able to do that..since I speak English, but I could not think of any English words!  Monday was so cool and I'm learning the area and they are used to me! I hope we can get four more references to teach, but the members haven't been doing as good with the new system.  We will work on it.  Tuesday was very cool but very hot and we walked a lot! I hope that in three weeks I can get another baptism but we have to see! It's a family we are teaching.  Pray for them please. 

 Family hopefully next week you can receive many blessings! Family I love you guys so much and you have no idea how much I miss you  and I want more pictures! Mom I hope everything will be good and that You can find another job and One That pays good and does not take advantage of you! love you! I will talk to you guys next week! I want pictures of my car Please and Chloe and my room! (mom note: the suburban and his room??)

Love you Elder Westenskow