Peace be with you!

Missionary Power

Give It Up For ASU

Birthday picture for Ismael

Me and My B-ball friend

   April 15, 2009  

     Wow I'm so mad at tiger! he has 4 green jackets and he cant muster up enough strength to beat Cabrera! he stinks! hes not even good! wow, and Phil always chokes, just like i told you dad. haha, and you had to tell me you were going to play Poston Butte ALL DAY!! wow seriously that killed me! its like killing me so bad i cant golf, this morning i smelt someone cutting weeds and instantly thought of state tournament in the morning with fresh cut grass!! ahhhhhh. so dad and Josh and Jared, i want you to go play golf at the club for me really early, step up on that tee box, and take the biggest whiff of air you can for me ok!! thanks!

    Well that's awesome Devon leaves! he is one of the last ones to go. we still got CJ, Michael Flemming, Josh Brooks, that's might be it! wow! and its amazing that a month from tomorrow i turn 20!!! wow weird, i bet mom has a package full of candy ready for me. I'm not ready to not be a teen! its scary, plus i almost am at hump day!  I remember it like yesterday when it was just me and Jakelle finding all of the Easter eggs, I cant even think of where that year went! I hope you guys had a great Easter! oh and mom! you made me cry with that poem, its also my favorite too!

    Well today we went to Santiago with our zone, cause its our turn today, and at the end we ate at taco bell- and wow it was so amazing! I got a crunch wrap supreme with spicy chicken and cinnamon twists, I was in heaven! and now we are just here writing.

    Well what happened this week, hmmm oh! ya so this week was Semana Santa and there were like 70 deaths and 600 emergencies, and everyone was like, oh that's not to bad! WHAT! they said usually its like 200 deaths. people are crazy!

    Well Friday was the worst day and we were not allowed to be in the streets, so the church had a steak activity so all the kids would stay off the streets and we went.  The news is that an old missionary came to visit the area and his companion is a kid who was in my seminary class junior year and is in our steak! like my friend! I had no idea he was here. His name is Elder Smith, so it was great to see him.

    Sunday was a great day at church. about 20 Americans came to visit and we spoke ENGLISH after sacrament. It was so fun, one lady took my picture and got moms name and number and said she would call you guys to say I'm doing good, but this one guy works for the church and was just in Mesa talking to Brother Farnsworth, I was like, ya I know him. so it was cool.

    We went to Rosangel and Ismael last night and they are doing really good, but are thinking about moving to Santo Domingo to get a job, so were working with the Bishop really hard to get him a job here, we will see what happens with them.

    Transfers are in 2 weeks, which means zone conference is this Friday and ill probably get picked on to talk, because supposedly President asked my comp in interviews how I was doing and if I'm ready to move up, but if its here for one more transfer or somewhere else I don't know! but I would prefer not to be. Give me another transfer or two first ha.  Whatever happens I will accept, its for a reason and a call of God. Today we were at Taco Bell and a Dominican missionary was so convinced I was from Latin America cause I'm really tan and my Spanish is good!  I told him I'm from Arizona and he freaked. So at least someone thinks I'm good at Spanish.

    Well that's about it for this week, I hope you guys are having a fun and safe time in the real world! Remember Satan is trying to work really hard right now, so picture him as mountain view and kick his butt. that's what i do! OK have a good week family! I love you all, 

Elder Westergard

April, 9, 2009
MY LIFE IS OVER!! Why did you have to tell me Bajio is closed! why why why why why why! thats the first place I wanted to go eat when I got back! Josh and Jared always were gone, but Mom, Dad and Jakelle know how in LOVE I was with the shrimp taco’s! Wow I was having the best week!
    Ok now that’s over! Notice how I said the best week! Well I feel perfect and am not sick! Were working hard and I’m focusing on the work really hard!
    As I sat there watching conference and noticed, wow I was in this city for the last conference and I don’t remember very much the last 6 months except baptisms and breaking my wrist haha! Honestly where did the time go. I have no idea. Conference was so awesome! I loved it and I called Elder Anderson. He was very nervous but he spoke at the Stake Conference we had here with President Eyring and Elder Bednar and he is great! He knows so much. He will be a great apostle and yes I watched all of them in English, so that was good. For starters, I loved the talk on the first session by Elder Christofferson, wow it was soooo good, about how we gain faith by honoring our covenants and by overcoming trials, and as usual, I loved my favorite speaker every time, President Eyring! I love him so much; he is so amazing and has good story to everything! Like the story with the old man who could barely walk but wanted to push his garbage can up the driveway so he could make someone’s day! What love he had and that we need to have everyday of our lives! Oh and Kevin w. Pearson’s 6 Ds was great to! They talked alot about Temples and the one that got my attention the most was Richard G. Scott, how great of a talk was that? Even telling us to take off our watches as we enter the temple so we don’t worry about the things of the world. And of course Elder Holland!! WOW!!!!! is all I can say about that one and you know what I mean!
   Wow this is along email!  Things here are great. We played basketball this morning and it was so awesome! I dunked it but cut my middle finger a little and it stung! Then we ate at la sirena, aka Costco and it was good! Now were here emailing you! I’m pretty upset about Michigan State; I thought they could do it! Guess not, oh and by the way dad, my prediction on the masters! Phil will choke like he always does in the majors, and tiger will be 3 behind after Saturday, then him and some young gunner will run up the score board on Sunday and tiger wins by two or on the final hole like always! Lets see what happens, by the way, you know I know a lot about tiger and you know that will happen cause it always does!
    Ishmael and Rosangel are doing super good and Ishmael is smoking like once a day! What a change. They are doing so great, his birthday was Monday and we had a family night with them and another member family, there son just entered the mission , CCM today! Santo Domingo East. I will put up photos of conference and the family night!
    But that’s about it, and good luck dad and Josh with the diet. I left to the mission at 140 pounds, at 6 months had 165, and now I have 152. So it’s perfect. I think I just wrote in English but Spanish talk, I have! haha my English stinks so bad! I would fail an English essay if I took one write now. Speaking of Spanish it’s really good, I understand just about 87 of everything and when were in taxies I understand the commentary on the radio! woo hoo go me! Oh and why did Donte Medder pick Tulsa, who is Tulsa! what’s a Tulsa anyway. Like a bathroom toiletry o algo haha! He should have gone to UCLA!
     Well I am going to go now cause I talk to much haha mainly cause I am having the best time of my life now! I understand the language and am almost out of my dark year and it will start going down hill very fast. I love you all, Happy Easter and take care!
Chao. Love Elder Westergard
 
 

Reading my Scriptures

Go Sundevils!

This is wear I fell and broke my wrist.

Eating Skim Ice (AKA) Otter Pops

Perfect Form!!

Zone Conference

Jesse wrote two letters this week, he wrote one early morning and then went to Santiago that day and then wrote another one when he got back, I played a April Fools joke on him and I guess he thought all day of one to pull on me, usually nobody can get me, well he did. He is feeling better after loosing 9 pounds which I am very relieved.

Ok first of all Mom!!!!!! that was the best April fools joke ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow another Westergard on the way...... i was flipping out haha I was like comp! comp! Guess what.......oh wait never mind! haha so yeah we had some good laughs on that! Good job, I don’t have any jokes for you guys sorry, I just like making people laugh, and you guys know how it works. Well happy birthday mom! Well on Friday that is! I want to hear about what Dad has in store for you ok! So how is everything going over there.... I hope its not so crazy with tax season, march madness, oh and what.....cough, cough tiger won!! ya that’s right! Oh and I choose Michigan state and NC in final and Michigan state by 9! That’s cool I love their coach, Izzy! and the basketball camp!
Your receiving this email very early cause today my comp and his group need to go to Santiago to pick up their suits in the mission home! We will be there and probably eating at TGI Fridays. Woo hoo I am excited! We had our interviews with the President the other day and it was really good! He said my Spanish is getting really good. We talked about my illness thing I had, and it was a parasite! I was sick from when I told you guys last week to still being a little down right now! I took all my pills and I should be up and running very soon! So don’t worry I am fine!
Church was amazing this Sunday! Fast and Testimony meeting and we got Ishmael and his wife to come! They loved it and want to return. The two missionaries, or soon to be missionaries, bore their testimonies about leaving and how excited they where! It brought back memories of mine and how good I felt and I pictured looking down and seeing my family crying as I bore my testimony and I started crying. Ishmael noticed and I could see something in him that was whispering to his heart, this church is true! We went to there house last night and they asked a bunch of questions! Then his wife asked, well what do we need to do to be baptized!! Ha so we told them we will talk about that on Thursday, and were going to set a baptismal date with them!
Also yesterday we found a family of 4 and taught them the 1st lesson and it was very exciting. They loved it and can’t wait for us to come back on Friday! Conference is this weekend and I am so excited! We get to watch it in English, US Gringos, so i cant wait! i have on my mind the two people who I think will be called, Elder Anderson, or Tingy! I am swinging towards Anderson. He is amazing and knows allot! He came here with Elder Bednar and President Eyring to the steak conference we watched. He is a great man! So we will see on Saturday I guess!
Well family I got to go! But if you want to know anything else or I missed anything to write about email me quick and I will check it when I return from Santiago later today!, if I have time, I think I will though! So I hope you guys have a good April! wow that’s weird APRIL! and a good Easter month! Remember Jesus Christ lives and this is his church! He died for every one of our sins and he rose from the dead! He conquered death so we can live with him and our families forever in the kingdom of Our Father! I am so grateful to have a family who loves me! You guys are the best! Take care, ttyl!

Love Elder Westergard




Hey family! i just returned from Santiago and it was a cool little trip! We got there and arrived at the mission home and all the office elders were they’re preparing to leave to the office and also Elder Palmer was there! My good friend in the CCM. We determined that I am the only one in my group still in there greeny area haha. Well Dr. Millet was there and that’s another reason we went to talk to him! I had a pain in my stomach really bad yesterday and it moved downwards last night! He checked me out and I have appendicitis! I have to get it removed early next week! Ok for anyone who knows me and how much of a wimp I am of water, how scared do you think I am to have someone cut me up and take something out of me! I am not to happy and my comps making fun of me! Like haha I had that 2 months ago! So ya ill let you know how it goes! I will probably get to call you after the surgery.
Well my comp and me ate at TGI Fridays and can you say wow!! I got a cheeseburger and it was the best thing I have ever tasted about in 8 months! And fountain soda drinks! I was in heaven. And they played country music it was awesome! Then we came back to Puerto Plata. But I read something on the bus I want to share with you guys!

Your mission is preparation. It is your school for eternity. You wont forget that will you! This mission is not just a two-year stretch. This is the time when you cultivate the seeds of godhood so you can help other people on their way toward exaltation. How small are we who think of the mission as just being a stretch of time, some physical things to do, a little studying to do, and some praying. THIS IS THE MOST PURPOSEFUL THING; perhaps, you have EVER done in your life and POSSIBLY the most purposeful thing some of you will EVER DO! Its up to you to let this be the prelude to your life, to let it be the beginning of a great and glorious life! (PRESIDENT SPENCER W: KIMBALL)

This hit me so hard and made me want to be the best missionary I can be for the next year and 4 months! I hope you can take something out of it, because you guys are missionaries to, but not with a plack!
Well I better go! i love you guys so much and oh I forgot! APRIL FOOLS!! I don’t have to get my appendix taken out! Don’t lie I got every single one of you didn’t I! It sounded real and I know it! I win! Even though mom yours was really good! I don’t know if I could stand babysitting anyone haha well I love you all and hope for the best this next week! Your in my prayers every day!
Oh!!! You know Brody Berhman? or his family at least, well he got his call to SANTIAGO! I am going to talk to President Lee, my new President in July, if I can be his trainer cause ill have a year and 2 when he gets here! So ill know my Spanish! and my other friend Nathan Carroll got his call to the east mission here, and Michael Fleming got his to Argentina! all my friends speaking Spanish! I love it. Ok well I got to go! I love you all. ttyl.

Love Elder Westergard