Wow how is my family? that was such a fast week and now I'm writing you guys again! My toe was pretty gross! but it has healed really good and today I played some good basketball on it! and it didn't hurt! so all is good, but I wont have like all my toenail for the rest of my life, so ya! my comp and I are doing great! we have found new people to teach and they are really cool! so lets see how that works out! Sylvia didn't get baptized cause her dad said no this and no that, so were trying to get his permission! I have had tons of personal experiences this last week as I started again to read the Miracle of Forgiveness! wow what a book! I challenge each of you to read that book because honestly.... i cant describe it, it will help you so much and it gives you a chance to increase your testimony of the Atonement! I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and his sacrifice! I don't know where or what I would be doing without it! so please I challenge you all to read it and to fix the things that keep you from having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost!

We had our interviews with the President yesterday and it was amazing! even though some things he has changed no one likes, I could just tell he was a man of called and this is the true church! then we talked about what could help me have more animo, and i told him another area haha cause i have to much time here. so ya he said OK and i will be leaving on transfer day. im super excited. i want to finish these last 10 months off super strong!

OK what is this i hear about jakelle getting....ok i cant spell that so make fun of me haha, pneumonia or something like that!! that's so scary! I'm so glad your ok sis! i almost started crying believe it or not! i don't know what i would do if a family member like...died while i was in the mission, so thanks for still being alive Jakelle haha sorry about the rain and that you couldn't cheer at the Mesa game!

Something else.... MESA beat WESTWOOD???????? i thought us beating MT. VIEW 3 times my senior year was a miracle, haha well think again, wow they must be pretty good! wait!! is Kyler the QB?? its his senior year and I know he was really good on JV. that's really cool good for them.

Ok i know you cant read this dad cause your fishing in Alaska??? thanks for asking me if i wanted to go haha. I know I can't but its the thought that counts! but ya here it is....TIGER!!! so ya remember when I told you his best game was yet to come??? ya that's what you told me is happening! wow I know Tiger better than himself haha. wheres Phil at?? oh he probably choked the last 2 holes again haha. ok sorry i got it out!

Well I cant think of anything else to write at the moment! but if I do I will let you know! have a wonderful week and i love you guys so much! be safe! and talk to you soon.

Love Elder Westergard.

Jesse is doing really well, he had another trial happen, which is becoming very common for him, the poor kid. I posted some pictures of his ingrown toenail so if you have a weak stomach, you have been warned, they really aren't that bad.

Hi Everyone!!

Well family! as you can tell by the title of the letter, I have added another thing to the list of trials on this mission, which makes that like the 10th thing that has happened to me! I went in to Santiago to see Dr. Millet, he is the mission doctor, and he looked at my toe..... ya he was like were going to take that out right now! So turns out I had a really bad ingrown toenail, he said it was a hooker, I thought you might know what that meant dad since you have history with toenails. Do not worry I will be putting action packed photos and a video up on flickr so you can see what it was like haha. Everyone is calling me right now like saying, Westergard I heard man, I'm sorry haha its kind of funny! Dr. Millet stuck three big needles into my toe to numb it, it hurt so bad, but the funny thing is he did it in the mission home. He was like I think we should get that taken out, and I was like OK! I thought we would wait for a couple days and go to the hospital, but he was like OK get on the bed!! what!!!!!!! here!!! your crazy! haha I was freaking out, but it was cool. Sister Millet was there to talk to me, they are from Salt Lake and love eating at the Cheese Factory! they go home in three weeks.

Well today was very interesting!! so I was at the office visiting the Elders and other Elders from the mission, and there was an Elder Pachecho, he looked at my name and like stared at me for a while! I was like do you need help reading it haha, he was like dude do you have cousins in Virginia? I was like you mean Megan and Katie.... he was like dude!! sweet haha he knows them, he just got here in the field so it was kind of cool!

That's about it from me, the Haitian girl didn't get baptized we felt like she should wait a little longer so she is sure and knows the gospel for sure! oh ya!! Hermana Lee, Presidents wife, made me grilled pork and mashed potatoes and apple pie today!! It was amazing! and I played ping pong there to. I was in heaven! So don't know, there is a huge Huelga tomorrow and lots of people might die, (WHAT?) so i don't think we can leave the house. I'm not suppose to anyways cause i cant walk. so it will be really boring! (I looked up what Huelga was and it is some sort of Strike)

Well sounds like everything there is amazing, besides the hot weather and mosquito's! don't worry mom, you shouldn't feel bad, cause ill come home with like scars I get bit so much everyday, even with repellent. There are so many all the time, at least yours will go away soon. I got 10.5 months left of it! everyday and hotness haha. Great job on the cheering Jakelle, I'm proud of you! haha I told you at least you will do good, I know Hamilton and I know the coaches at Brimhall haha lets just leave it at that, except we were city champs in track! oh ya!! dad I'm so jealous your going fishing in Alaska! that sounds really cool! and also I'm super jealous about labor day golf I missed at my favorite course! Las Sendas! so remember Shelby? her dad lives there and I totally asked it I can get discounts for that, she was like yep! so I got hookups dad we can get on for member price! I'm really sorry Josh for your knee, that stinks man! I hope everything will be good in the MRI. I'm praying for you, and everyone pray for my toe, I got a basketball activity with the zone next week, and the Dr. said I can play if I take care of it the first 3 days! so ya haha.

Well that's about it, I should get started on the pictures and stuff. I love you all so much! have a great week!

Love Elder Westergard

(Did anybody else count how many times he said the work LIKE to explain things?? I did, I got to about 12, haha love you Jesse!!!)

Me with Elder Robertson

Elder Robertson, Me, Elder Powell

Look at that sandal tan line

Cleaning

OUCH!

The hooker, aka the toe nail

Im sure he soaking up all the attention that he is getting, I would!

Especially a nap!!!

Jesse has been sending me some video's he has down loaded, does anyone know how I get those onto his blog??? please leave me a comment if you do.

Platano Field, these Mtns. remind me of Wyoming

Well its probably really early there in Arizona, I'm sorry! but I'm in Navarrete until Elder Powell's comp gets here from Santiago. So ya me and Elder Tarver stayed the same, which is cool, but I'm really bummed I was not a trainer. I was looking forward to it for like 2 transfers but guess I'm suppose to be with my comp again ya know but its kind of getting to how I was in the plat, my animo is going down, its my 4th transfer here haha and that's to long. Think about it, this is my 9th transfer, I have 2 areas, and 4 comps, and I'm at 13 months! its crazy but I guess I got to deal with it and keep working hard! right?? Well the good news is that remember my really good friend Elder Robertson who lived with me in the plat? he is Elder Powell's new comp! and I'm his District Leader!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you don't know how good it feels to have my best friend back! it makes things so much easier, and we like eat lunch together every day with the other missionaries so it will be really fun!

The work here is pretty good! well considering the fact we work with the inactives a whole lot! so ya know, dad is probably like, ya i know! so we do alot of 1st lessons to get their memories back and how that message changed their lives! We like to talk about their baptisms and the spirit they felt and stuff like that and then we ask for references, if they have any. We have a few new people we are teaching now, they are pretty cool, but its to early to tell! so we will see how they go. Oh and if everything goes good we will have a baptism this week, a Haitian girl shes like 11. her mom in inactive, so hope it turns out!

Sounds like everything there is going great! oh and I wish I could have heard the Ashby's speak! I bet that was wonderful! mom I loved that story by Sister Ashby, its so true! the little things pile up, so we always need to be studying, praying, and being obedient! wow so Jakelle has her first cheer game huh? good luck with that sis! I'm sure you will do great! your playing Hamilton??? well at least you will do good haha ill just leave it at that! I still remember that game at Hamilton when we came back in the last minute and 6 seconds to beat them when we were down by like 13 points! man I loved Aaron Fuller that day haha and Devon's steal at half court!

So Josh how is school? is it cool, boring or awesome! when do you get out every day? so what are you studying, or majoring and whats your classes! let me know. Hey Jakelle, who are your teachers?? I know LJ is one so tell him hi for me and that I'm not a girl! and i have common sense ok? haha well then he will probably just make fun of me even more haha. love that man.

Can you believe its September already? I cant! I remember it was like 3 weeks ago I turned 20 in May.....wow! we get to talk in almost 3 months! I know moms saying... yes I know! haha and I cant believe its my 9th transfer. I only have 7 more.....weird!

Well sorry this is a short letter, cant think of anything else to write at the moment, you guys can still write me and ask stuff cause ill be on later when I'm back at esperanza aka hope! cause Elder Robertson will be using it, and all 4 of us will just be hanging out today! so take care and I love you all so much! bye!

Elder Westergard

Jesse has always loved the spirit days at school or any type of excuse to get all decked out in head bands, socks colorful clothes, and as you will see in some of these p-day pictures, he still does. You look awesome Elder Jesse!

Me and my Zone Leader Marte

Sweet Sword I bought for 145 pesos (5 bucks)

Jesse always loved the outfits, especially long socks!

Ouch, sliding into 3rd base!

Esperanza 4 numero 2

On the way to the field!

Hey family! I don't know how time always flies by so fast, and here I am again writing you guys! The only thing that was really eventful was Zone Conference, cause we had tons of meetings and stuff. Elder Coleman came to speak and I have never seen anyone so flecha! (strict) but it was good the mission needs it! We talked about the structure of the church and then the mission, so we learned why we have missionaries and stuff. There are three main points, to find, to teach, and to baptize, that's why we have missionaries and that's why I am here. I love the work, its so awesome! it was really fun to talk with all my friends and hang out after and eat food! There was alot of catching up to do with the kids in my group! We all had a great time and shared some laughs together, but other than that it was a really slow week for me to mom! haha. I'm trying to think of what I did but I just cant think of it, time goes by so fast. We had a really good family night at a members house, me and my comp talked about the importance of the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon! so it was great!

Today in the morning we played softball again and man I couldn't do anything except run down balls in center field like always but I was like 4-9 today at batting. It was ugly haha but we had a really good time. Later I think I'm going to take a nice shower and sleep cause i dont feel very good, so i got to lay down, maybe eat some comida china (chinese food), pechurina con papas fritas! (fries, I think) YUMMY!

Enough about me, it sounds like you guys are really good. School is in session, I love the beginning of school and the end, haha but not the middle, actually I loved school cause I was actually doing something, ya know! like the mission, a set schedule with stuff, it feels good. Sounds like the ward camp out was a success after the storm flew by. I miss all the people of the ward, how are they doing? I hope really good. it would be cool to get letters from them and stuff. ya your right Dad, i wouldn't fish in the lake either, not my style, but only if Matt was there with me I would do it, wow I miss him so much. I still remember Brother Postert would see me without Matt and would be like, hey wheres your boyfriend, or friends meaning Landon and Malcom. haha cant wait for the group to be back together.

Wow Jared and Lexi, congrats on the 3 years again, sounds like you had an amazing time. I will have to look at the pics of New York. I love it there! not more than here though, but its awesome.

Well I should probably tell you that transfers are next week, not this week sorry for confusion. I thought I said next week. I'm pretty sure I'm getting a kid and Elder Castillo, in my group in the other area, is getting a kid, so we will see. If i do, President will call me Friday night, it might be Brody Bearhman you never know but we will see. I kind of want to leave this area though, like whitewash an area with a kid or something cause since Elder Spragg and his group of 37 missionaries went home, there are still like 8 areas closed but now there are 16 Americans coming in next week. so ya....

OK family i got to go! I love you so much! you guys are the best, we get to talk in four months from today, so woo hoo. Oh and Dad, I loved your football things, they were so awesome and it made me laugh cause its so true! OK bye family.

Love Elder Westergard.

OK so your probably reading this thinking, hey its not Wednesday! its Tuesday haha but yeah it was changed just for today because tomorrow we have zone conference and the 1st counselor of the area presidency is coming to speak! Tomorrow will be a very spiritual and amazing day for us missionaries! so what you can do is write your letters today and we can come back tomorrow and read them cause you guys didn't know! so write me a little something.

This last week has gone by so fast I don't even know what to say! it felt like yesterday I was writing you guys. Well with the work, were working with tons of in-actives, its like you find a new one here every day! but the thing is they are really hard to get to go to church, ha I'm sure you know that Dad, Jared and Josh, but were doing a really good job, we teach like 15-20 inactive lessons every week, so its awesome. The girl Naomi we baptized, her family has lots of problems, her dad does not help out the family and the mom gets mad and the kids never do anything the parents say so they like beat them and stuff, and its just all messed up. Us and the branch pres. are working really hard focusing on the proclamation to the family! I don't know its difficult, cause she also wants to move out, but we will see what happens. If you have any ideas please share, lets hope things get better everyone but the husband went to church on Sunday.

Other than that its really hot when were teaching and stuff, cause it has not rained forever. I know dad said that there is a hurricane, but here in Esperanza nothing ever gets here, maybe sprinkles, but sometimes it pours like I never have seen, so I'm praying for water haha! but yeah the work is going great. We have a baptism planned for the 29th. oh and dad thanks for those tips on the work! they made me feel really good, I will put those into practice.

Well I cant believe I only have 1 more real pday left, then the next one is transfers! what!! already! I just got a new comp! and I think he is leaving cause I'm pretty sure I'm getting a kid. I asked Pres. Lee about Elder Bearhman so lets hope I'm his pops in the mission. Speaking of that, ill have 1 year and 1 month. wow!! it goes fast!

This morning we played basketball as a zone again on the nice wood court here in Esperanza! it was super fun! we played 9 games to 21 and my team won 8 of them! haha still got that old shot of mine, i know you guys here that like every week, but i don't want to brag on all the shots I made, so I just say still got that shot haha! Sounds like everything in Arizona is nice and hot! kind of like here all year round. I hope it goes down for you guys, I remember those days, school almost starting, burning heat, pool parties, well with just guys mom haha! yup good ole days.

Sounds like Jared and Lexi are amazing in new york! sorry mom that you have never been, just remember that i was the 1st one to go haha sorry that didn't help I know. One day you will go, its awesome! Happy Anniversary Jared and Lexi!! and Jakelle, do great in cheer, I cant watch you but I want pics ok!!!

Well I love you all, sorry you guys didn't get the chance to write me, but do it tonight or something and ill read it tomorrow. I love you all so much! remember that the church is true! til next week, love Elder Westergard

Wow I cant believe its been a week already! it just felt like 2 days ago I was playing softball and telling you guys everything! now its Wednesday! crazy how time goes by! its true, once you hit a year time really does go by alot faster! Today was pretty cool, we started doing stuff early today so we could play basketball why it was still cool and not really hot, it was super fun, I still got my shot haha i can tell you that.

Well this last week was very busy! yesterday we had interviews with Pres. Lee and it was really awesome! we talked how if you don't have the spirit you CANT TEACH EVER!!! so its really important that we keep the commandments and follow mission rules so we can feel the spirit. c If we don't feel it, the people were teaching wont feel it, and if we don't have it, Pres. Lee said we should testify, then it will come and then we should teach!

On Monday I gave my first capacitation as District Leader and the ZLs came! i was nervous but I did really good. then that same day I had a intercombio with one of the ZLs and we did really good! we taught lots of people. Right now were focusing 85 percent on inactive and the other on investigators, its hard but hey, we need to do it!

So there is like special transfers next week cause people are going home for school and stuff, so we will be having transfers and 5 Mexicans are coming to the mission and the ZL I had intercombio is leaving! lots of people are saying the reason we had intercom bio was to see if i would get one of them or go to be ZL. I really want to stay here as DL haha, besides I want to be Brody Bearhmans trainer next transfer. I don't know what will happen, we will let you know next week i guess.

That's about it from here I'm pretty sure, sounds like everyone back home is having lots of fun, well Dad and Josh that is, moms melting in the sun haha that's what she told me, but I hope you had a wonderful time at the cabin. Next time you go I will be with you guys, weird huh! yes thanks mom I'm excited about the candy! I love Jackson Hole candy, its the best. I love Alpine slides too, very fun. YES!! glad to hear Tiger Woods won AGAIN dad and where was Phil, wait I know!! probably choked again on the last hole like always cough cough sorry hes not like Tiger or me! haha just kidding, no but seriously! he always wins the Buick open, and wow, 36 to 1 on Sunday! that's insane.

I cant believe school starts, last time people told me school started was when i was in the MTC! wow 1 year already! time is going to fast. Well everyone I love you so much! I'm glad your all having a wonderful time so stay safe and have a great week! oh and mom, can you send me some contact solution, the optical stuff in big bottles, what Jakelle uses, like 5 bottles. that would be great! ok i love you guys!

Love Elder Westergard

Yeah that title of the letter is not a miss print! last inning, other team is up 8-6, 2 outs and I'm on deck! They walk my ZL and now bases are loaded! I get up and so far batting 1.000 this game, now its full count, fast ball down the middle and I cranked it over the left field wall, game over! (He really should be a sports announcer)

Yes that was a real story and like I couldn't believe it happened, it went so far. So ya that's my p-day story for you guys. So my new companion is from Pocatello, but he's not weird cause he grew up in Texas! (I'm sure he didn't mean people from Pocatello are weird, right?) So yeah, but if I could think of one person who is like him...it would have to be Benson Cotter! hahaha so you can probably guess what he's like, and it took like a matter of 1 hour to get comfortable, not a week! so things are really good. He's like my body guard, ill send you a picture and of my hit I got a grand slam on, yes I got a pic on that one, didn't know Elder Powell took one secretly.

Well being a DL is pretty cool I guess, I'm trying to do my best so we will see how it goes! I'm still not convinced that tomorrow is July 30th and that it will never come! in my mind I'm still a greeny and I'm never going home! but.....ya I'm not. You know how it goes, time flies and I'm not ready for it yet you guys, so pray for me please.

Sounds like you guys are having a lot of fun at the cabin. I totally wish I could go! only one more year. Sorry Mom I already invited Clayton to go with us next summer as my present for his baptism haha, so hes going! Sounds like the golf experience on one of my favorite courses AKA Eaglewood was not very good Josh and Dad! that stinks so bad. You know me, I would have hit the ball into them, I have no paciencia (that would mean no patience) when slow people are in front of me, wow and 4 holes! that stinks.

Well mom if I were to tell you what I liked from the candy store it would probably be those sour ropes things that you can tear piece by piece, mini jaw breakers, those lego candy things, those fizz candy's and LOTS of them!!!!! and lastly hey stacks but that's hard to send haha. so ya that's about it, maybe a Jackson Hole shirt too.

I read a quote yesterday that was really amazing! it said.... "to the world you are just one person...but to one person you could be the world" it was really cool, thought I might share that with you. I'm going to try and put some photos and videos on flickr now! so i hope you like them. Oh, there are 4 people in my district Dad, all of us here in Esperanza, same branch!
Well I love you all, I want good updates on next weeks activities and so forth, Dad and Josh that means scores and good shots you made! oh and you guy always get mad at me for not sending pics, I want you to send me some via email!!! like of fishing, golfing, views, Jackson Hole, the works! Thanks. I love you,

Love Elder Westergard