Christmas / Christmas Eve

Dear Family,

Mom at the end of your letter you said, "talk to you on Tuesday" but Christmas is Wednesday. I think that's funny because here in Panama everybody acts like Christmas is on Tuesday or Christmas Eve. The Christmas traditions are a lot different here, on Christmas Eve everybody stays up all night until midnight and at midnight everybody lights off fireworks. On Christmas day they don't do anything. So everybody is inviting us to eat on Christmas Eve but not so much on Christmas. I will try to call in the morning on Christmas day, I bet that would be the best for you guys.

This week we had two Christmas parties one for the missionaries and one with the branch. The Christmas party for the branch was a lot different then the Christmas parties in the states. Instead of one person dressing up like Santa Claus, people dressed up as a Fox (like a mascot), someone dressed up like a mouse, a few dressed up like princesses, and then there was a black Santa Claus. Then add weird dub-step music and that was the Christmas party. I was a little confused.

At the missionary party I got to see almost everybody I came with from the MTC and the President and His wife gave great talks. Afterwards we watched Elf and that was a lot of fun.

Yesterday we went caroling, it's not as difficult here because no one will ever freeze. 

Thanks for making the Skype account, I'm going to use it. We are trying to figure out where to use Skype, we might use it at a members house or Internet cafe. I will try to skype you guys in the morning.

I'm a little nervous for Christmas Eve because I fill every house we go to will give us food and I will probably not be able to eat it all. I think here a common Christmas food is ham, rice, and a kind of bean called ''gandul''. We have all of Tuesday planned already with lessons and stuff.

Have you guys already gone snowboarding yet? It sounds like there is a lot of snow, is it all melting or is it staying? Will you have a white Christmas?

This last week I had a little cold, and every time I coughed  the Panamanians have tried to prescribe me drugs that I should buy at the store. But I haven't taken any of them.

Merry Christmas, and remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Talk to you on Wednesday

Love,

Elder Weston

New Companion, Elder Valdez

Dear Family,

Thank you for all the letters, I got a new companion his name is Elder Valdez, he is from Texas. He can speak great Spanish and almost everybody we visit compliments him on his Spanish he has about 19 months on the mission. The hard thing is now everybody we talk to will compare me to him because we are both from the United States and I obviously can't speak as well as him. But it's really helping me study more because one day I want to speak as well as he does. I really haven't had Spanish dreams.

The changes were Wednesday and only the missionaries with changes go to the city. It was sad to see Elder Quimiz leave and like you said he is the only member in his family. He said that his little brother just turned 8 and wants to be baptized so that's really cool he set a really good example for his friends and family.
 
I did get the two packages, can I open them? I already took out the candy but I haven't unwrapped any of the gifts. The mail service here goes through all of the packages but they tape the packages back up.

Skype is allowed here so I will try to Skype on Christmas, I'll try to get more details next week.

This week we have a few Christmas party's for the missionaries and our branches which I'm really excited for.

That's funny you guys saw me in the ad for Seagull Book. Today for P-day we went to the Panama canal again, which was fun.

Thank you for the story about Elder Jarvies coming back to Church. This area has a lot of less active members and we have been visiting them and trying to re-activate them. It's really frustrating when they don't want to come to Church. But stories like that help me know that they can come back to Church. As a missionary we care about helping less actives come back to Church. Has members always try to be friendly to all. That talk by Elder Uchtdorf's was so great, we know some of the reasons people don't go to Church are serious, but we are always asking them to came back. It's like in his talk he said

''To those who have separated themselves from the Church, I say, my dear friends, there is yet a place for you here.'' I hope because of the Christmas season people will see the importance of the Savior in their lives and want to come to Church.

Thank you again for everything and have a wonderful Christmas Season.

Love,

Elder Weston

Elder Valdez

Baptism & Mr Rogers

Dear Family,

This week we had a baptism of Hermano F....... it was really cool. He gave his testimony at the end and said the missionaries didn't convince him the church was true but the Spirit did. I really liked that. I will send you photos of the baptism. This was a really fast baptism, we met him at the beginning of the change and baptized him before the end the change.

This next Wednesday we have changes, I'm really excited to see who my new companion will be but I will miss Elder Quimiz. We've been working hard and we basically have the next three days planned.

Yesterday we watched the Christmas devotional at a members house. I really loved everything the music and the talks were so great. When the kids were singing to Elder Nelson it reminded me of Mr. Rogers I'm pretty sure he was wearing a sweater. Yep, I checked and he was.  His talk was so good.

The Christmas party sounded like a lot of fun.  The only time I feel cold here is when we are on the buses and the air conditioning is on high. Have fun at the dance Michael, you can still move your hands so can still dance. 

Yes, yesterday was Mothers Day here in Panama, we had activity's in the Church which were fun. Happy Mothers Day!

I got the letter from Grandma Jane and the wedding invitation thank you.

Sometimes I don't realize how much I've been blessed to be born in the Gospel. We teach people everyday who need the Gospel in there lives and in there families. I'm so grateful for the Hope and the help the Gospel gives me.  I'm really grateful for this Christmas season, this Saturday we went to the temple and there I read the story of the birth of Christ. I'm excited to talk to you in just a few more weeks!

Love,

Elder Weston

Zone Alcande Diaz

Baptism

p-day

A Temptation or a Blessing

Dear Family,

My Thanksgiving was just like every day here. We ate rice and beans, no one really celebrates it here. Black Friday is celebrated in the malls here, so more people celebrate Black Friday then Thanksgiving. 

My comp and I are still working very hard, we should have a baptism this next week so I'll send you pictures of that hopefully. These last few days have been so hot, and yesterday was Fast Sunday and I almost ''died'' until some less actives gave us food and we could not refuse because that would be rude. When fasting my companion and I say, "If a member tries to give us food it's a temptation and we should not take it, if an investigator tries to give us food it's a blessing from God, because we can't refuse an investigator but members we can."

That's to bad Michael broke his foot, I guess he will dance with crutches. At least it is a good story on how he broke it. You better be able to go snowboarding, that's one thing I will miss a lot. 

This P-day we tried to go fishing, but there were no fish. We got to ride in the back of a truck, with a bunch of crates and it was super bumpy. We agreed it was better then Indiana Jones at DisneyLand. The lake was very pretty and I have quite a few photos that I'll be able to send you guys. We got to walk in the forest a bit and take photos there as well.  

I read a talk by Dallin H. Oaks called, "Love and Law".
God’s love is so perfect that He lovingly requires us to obey His commandments because He knows that only through obedience to His laws can we become perfect, as He is. For this reason, God’s anger and His wrath are not a contradiction of His love but an evidence of His love. 

I really liked this talk because it explains why we should teach with love, but still be direct with the commandments, and sometimes that's really hard to do. But I liked this part of the talk because it shows God gives us the commandments because he loves us. And we show our love to him by obeying them. 

John 14: 15, if ye love me, keep my commandments.

Thank you for the letters and have a great week.

Love You All,
Elder Weston

They went fishing at this lake

Christmas songs & 85 degree weather

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the pictures, it sounds like the wedding went well. This Friday was a little tough, I kept on thinking about you guys but it's all good now. The pictures all looked cool and cold. It seems like a lot of people came to the wedding and even the Henrie's and the Murdock's.  I bet you guys are glad it's over.

I looked at the blog of Weston Kimball, it sounds like he's doing well, that's amazing the surgery went well and he can go home soon. I know the Lord gives us blessing when we ask with Faith.

Have fun this next Thanksgiving, the weather is messing with me. We sing Christmas songs and it's 85 degrees here, it's messed up. The day before my companion and I celebrated his 2 year mark. We celebrated with soda and ice cream.

I'm really grateful to be serving a mission here, and I'm thankful for all of your letters. I'm been learning a lot, and I'm so grateful for my family. I love you guys a lot. They don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, but I will still remain grateful for all the love and support you give me.

Love
Elder Weston

Trees and Cement

Hello Family,

Happy Birthday Michael and Sarah, I hope you like the pictures I sent to you. I really like my new area and companion.  We have been working really hard. This week we did more service projects, we cut down more trees with machetes, and we mixed cement with shovels, all sorts of fun stuff. The packages sound great, I need a few more normal shirts because lots of them are stained because of the service projects, and maybe another pair of shorts. If you want you can send them in the package or put money on my card which ever you want. When I get the  USB, I will probably go to an Apple Store in one of the malls and ask them to put the music on my Ipod.

I really like the example of how we should pray, we should be asking how we can help a situation instead of just asking ''selfishly''.  I will try to focus on my prayers this week. That experience of the Burton's is amazing, the Lord gives us blessing in many ways.

The missionary from Panama from Alex's ward Elder Clark went home this last change. Has Jake or Alex talked to him recently? A week from Friday, the wedding is almost here. I sent Mckay a letter and he said:

Ya when is Jake getting married?

Send my best regards to him and his honey.  

I thought it was funny.  He also said everybody in is mission sounds like they are from Duck Dynasty. 

I'm really learning a lot from my new companion. He always has a great attitude and is just so friendly to people. That's one thing I will really try to work on this next week, is having a good attitude even when I don't want to. Sometimes in lessons people want to fight, but my companion is always so calm. He's also a great example of how to work, because he hasn't taken one break and this is his final change.

Thank you for everything,

Elder Weston

Plantaines

Yuka

Elder Quimiz

Panama

Panama

Elder Weston and Elder Quimiz

Jesus

Transferred to Ciudad Bolivar in Alcalde Diaz

Dear Family,

Yes, I got transferred.  I am now in Ciudad Bolivar in Alcalde Diaz. This area is closer to the city and is on the east side of the canal. It's weird, it is closer to the city but I think it's prettier than Chorrera. This was Elder Kipp's old area, he got transferred out of the area, and I was transferred in.  It's a branch.  This area has a more hills than my first area, but it's not as big. The ward about 70 members, but there were only about 45 this Sunday because there are a lot of holidays this week. My companion is Elder Quimiz.  He is from Ecuador and this is his last change, he's going home next month. But he's working really hard and I've learned a lot from him already. He's very kind and is a great example. 

The members in this area feed us lunch and dinner everyday except for Mondays.  Also a member washes our clothes for free. The house is smaller then my other one but it's nicer. The only problem is there is no hot water so the showers are cold, I'll need to get used to that.

That's so exciting Autumn got baptized, that's great. I really liked the pictures dad sent of the baptism, everybody looks like there doing well. Thanks for the analogy, it's always good to use something simple to help teach, even when teaching adults.

I still haven't spoken in Sacrament meeting, but I did introduce myself on Sunday. I think in this ward the missionaries always give a small thought about missionary work, or something they learned that week. They might do it every Sunday, I don't know?

Two week's from Friday, the wedding is coming up fast.

I'm really excited to be working in this new area, and the members seem really helpful here. I still feel like I should be better at a Spanish but little by little it's improving. Right now we have about 1 fecha (baptismal date) but there not progressing, so we will continue to work with them.

I know in this area we get to go to the temple a lot, like my old area, I'm really excited about that.

Thank you for your letters.

Love,

Elder Weston

Painted a Kitchen

Dear Family,

Thanks you so much for the letters, it sounds like you are all doing well.  Next Wednesday we have changes, I'm excited to work in new areas here in Panama. I had 3 changes here in Chorrera so a normal amount. When we have changes all the missionaries with changes go to the stake center next to the temple and they show a video which shows where everybody will be going.  Next week I'll tell you about my new area. I've really enjoyed my time here, and I've seen quite a bit of improvement in the ward during this time. I'm going to miss the members here, but I'm excited to leave because this area still feels like my ''greenie'' area.

This week I got a letter from grandma Jane, and photos from the Milne's. I really liked the photos they sent me, I haven't sent an email to McKay yet, but I will today.

This week we painted a kitchen of an investigator, which was cool. This investigator is this old fisherman, so he only talks about fish and I never understand him. This guy has story after story about fish, it's hard to teach him a lesson because we always end up talking about fishing.

I've been reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish since I got here and I'm almost finished.  I'm reading in Ether right now.   I also read the talk by Jeffrey R. Holland, "Safety for the Soul".  I know everybody has listened to this talk, but it's so good.

I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon, and how much it has affected each and everyone of us. That's awesome you guys listened to the General Conference talks this week, I'm really excited to get the Ensign and read them again.

Love,

Elder Weston

Baptism / Panama Canal

Hello Family,

Thank you for those pictures you send me it looks like you guys had a lot of fun in Las Vegas and that limo is super cool. ''Too Cute'' sounds hilarious. 

This Saturday we had the baptism of A..., we contacted her last change and we have been working with her ever sense. The members helped a lot, and she already knew a few members in the ward, which was a lot of help. I'll send you a picture of the baptism, it went very well. When the members help us it makes everything a lot easier, and after the missionaries leave they will stay active.

Today we went to the Panama Canal, I got pictures of that and I will try to send you some. At the canal today I saw Elder Johnson, and at the mall I saw Elder Kipp so I saw all 3 of my comp.s today. 

We continue to work really hard in our area, and we have a couple of positive investigators that I'm excited for, but I will probably have changes before they get baptized. 

Was it hot in Las Vegas? It's still always hot here,but I'm getting more used to it.  

I've been doing really good at writing in my journal everyday these past 3 weeks, and I've realized writing in my journal helps me think about the day, and write down all the things I'm blessed with through out the day. So if you remember, try to write in your journals, especially when you study the scriptures.  

Grant must think the Iguana was a dinosaur, but that's funny.

Love,

Elder Weston

Panama Canal

Panama Canal Locks

On top of the Panama Canal

Huge Cruise Ship

Dear Family,

Happy Birthday Mom!! I hope you had a great day, what did you get for your birthday?  Thanks for the pictures of Tanners wedding, they got married super fast. I like the picture of the cut-out of McKay, but it's OK Jake and Alex don't want one of me.  Jake and Alex's wedding is coming fast, have you made the invitation yet? That's cool you have been to the temple so many times these past two weeks. The stake went to the temple Saturday, all the missionaries went also, unfortunately everyone who went were missionaries and about 5 people from the stake. 

We have a baptism next Saturday for A..., I'm really excited for her. We continue to teach a lot. Yesterday during priesthood meeting the lesson was about the talk given by Thomas S. Monson during the Priesthood session about doing your home/visiting teaching. One of the less active members that we brought back to church bore his testimony on how important it is to always visit people in the ward, it was a really cool testimony. 

I'm getting a little better at Spanish, but it's still slow, I do see improvement which is good. It does mean a lot to me that I know you guys are always praying for me, thank you. And I will always remember to pray for you guys.

Tell grandma thank you for the letter she sent me. 

Wow, that story of Elder D Todd Christofferson is amazing, that's so cool he was still able to give his talk.

I'm sending a picture of a huge cruise ship that was passing the canal. We passed by the canal when we went to the temple, so the bus driver stopped to let us take pictures of it. It's so big I couldn't get it in one picture.

Thank you for everything,

Elder Weston

Huge cruise ship that was passing through the canal

Machetes

Dear Family amado,

Thanks so much for your letters this week. I thought General Conference was just so good, the gringos got to watch it all in English in a room in the stake center. I loved so many of the talks. I kept and thinking about watching General Conference at Bear Lake and how relaxing it is there. I have sent Jayson emails, but I'm just really bad a consistently sending emails.

I stayed up through every conference session with no problems, even through Richard G. Scott.  I think my favorite talk was by Thomas S. Monson on the Sunday morning session. I just felt the Spirit so strong during his entire talk. I also loved Uchdorf's during the Priesthood Session and the difference between sorrow of the world and Godly sorrow.

What the heck?! Tanner's getting married, thanks for telling me! Send me pictures of his wedding invitation, and you at the wedding. That's super exciting Alex is going through the temple and will get to see Tanner's wedding. 

This week we did a service project at a members house. We climbed into trees and we cut down huge branches with machetes. It was sweet. We also cut down a palm tree with a machete, but when the tree fell almost all of the coconuts broke.

Love,

Elder Weston

Lots of Rain

Dear Family,

This week I'm super excited for General Conference.  We get to watch it in the stake center and I'm almost certain we can watch it in English.  I've been reading past General Conference talks every week, so I fill a little bit more prepared.

This week we went with the stake again to the temple, I did 2 sessions. The weird thing was, I was more tired in the first session then the second. I always love going to the temple.

That's cool Michael went to homecoming, I bet it was cool...cool,cool,cool.  The dog sounds like a lot of fun and a lot of work. I sure Sarah and Michael just love the dog.

This week it has been raining very hard, almost all day Saturday and half of Sunday it was raining. I really like it when it rains because the weather is a lot cooler, ''Fresco''.

This week I've read a lot of talks but this one stood out to me.  This talk is by President Henry B. Eyring  called Preparation in the Priesthood, "I need Your Help".  "Don't worry about how inexperienced you are or think you are, but think about what, with the Lord's Help, you can become".  There are so many times a day I fill inexperienced, or have a lack of confidence.  Then he said, "feast upon in our priesthood preparation is the words of Christ and so to qualify for the receipt of the Holy Ghost. Then we can know what the Lord would have us do in our service and receive the courage to do it, whatever difficulty we face in the future."  I know our lack of confidence will fade away as we strive to always have the Holy Ghost and show love to everyone. Also sometime's the Lord gives us trials to help us, we have to show patience even when we don't want to. The last few days I been trying to write in my journal more and I have seen it help's me remember why I'm here, and all the things I've learned already.

Have a great week, thank you for your prayers.

Love,Elder Weston

Chino's

Dear Family,

Thanks for the letters.  Oh my gosh you got a dog without me? How did you convince Dad to get a dog? To be honest, my love for dogs has really died off because there are so many dogs here and they are constantly barking at us, and sometimes they have attacked us. Millie sounds like a great dog.

That's awesome Utah beat BYU.  Yes, the picture of the green house is ours, I don't have an apartment. 

We don't eat out a lot, but there are little stores here called Chino's (they are owned by Chinese people) that sell soda and food (like a gas station) where we buy soda during the day.

I still have the same companion.  We have been working hard and it's been going good. 

Thanks for the talk last week by Boyd K. Packer, I really enjoyed it. I really liked the stories of the two immigrants who couldn't speak very well but the people listening stopped paying attention to there mistakes and instead listed more to the spirit. I really liked this part 

Then my friend said that something happened. The teacher started to speak, and then it happened! They all began to listen. This friend said, "You could warm your hands by the fire of his faith." That meant that in that older, worn-out body that did not seem to be able to erase an accent, there was a powerful spirit.

I have noticed when I speak some of the investigators start paying attention a little more because they need to listen a bit harder, and sometimes it helps them to keep focused. I know the Lord is blessing me with so many things, and sometimes I get frustrated but I know if I continue to have faith the Lord will strengthen my character.

Thanks so much for the letters, I love you all.

Elder Weston

Me standing in the rain

1st package

Hello Family,

I got the package this week I was super excited, I also got a letter from Grandma. Thanks a lot for all the things you gave me.  I've been eating all that candy and now I should be able to send pictures.  Zone Conference was great, Elder Ochoa of the seventy came to talked to us. Also we did get snicker doodles. I learned a lot.  Saturday we had the two baptisms and I'll send you pictures of that. 

Thanks for the letters from Jake, Michael and Sarah in the package I really enjoyed them.

Sarah asked me if I was tan, Yes I'm getting tan.

Jake asked what my typical day is: Right now it's 

wake up at 6:30 

8:00 personal study

9:00 comp. study 

10:30 language study

12:00 lunch in the house

1:00 to usually teach

7:30 dinner at a members

9:00 return home

Jake said he usually did district meeting only at the beginning of changes, we do them every-week. Also I try to read a little of the white hand book everyday. 

Michael's trip with the priests sounded like a lot a fun. How's school going are you taking calculus?

Yesterday we went to the temple with one of our investigators and I saw Elder Johnson he was with one of his investigators.

I just learned I will not be transferred I have another 6 weeks here in Chorrera, but that's ok, I kinda wanted to go see new areas but it's cool.

Thank you

Love Elder Weston

Pictures

Eric received our package.  We sent him a camera cable so he send us a bunch of pictures.

Fountains at the Mexico Temple when he was in the MTC

Mexico MTC picture

Making pancakes

They have green bees

Bus in Panama (this one is boring compared to the others)

Our home

Baptism last Saturday (Sept 14)

Panama Temple

Panama Temple

Panama City

Huge Spider

Dear Family,

This week went well.  I'm really excited for this next week, we have two baptisms this Saturday one is R... and the other one is a member's son who is nine years old, we have been teaching him. I still haven't got the package yet but when it comes I'll send you a picture of the huge spider that was in our house. It was bigger then the size of my palm, we killed it!

I bet that bishops fireside will be really inspiring, tell me about it in the next letter.  That's so cool you guys got to clean the Conference Center. The pictures of Michael on the drum set was awesome. 

There is a piano at our church, before Elder Johnson would play the piano during sacrament but now no one plays. The missionaries were telling the Bishop that I play piano, but I really don't want to play. 

Wow, the sacrament meeting sounded great, President and Sister Burton, and Sean Hardy are going to be great missionary's. That's funny you mentioned D&C 68:6 Wherefore, be of good ^acheer, and do not ^bfear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me,even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I ^cwas,that I am, and that I am to come., because I remember reading that same scripture this week and really loving it

Yes we have Zone Conference this Wednesday and now I'm really excited for those snicker doodle cookies. 

That's funny Grant calls Michael ''Eric'' and McKay's host missionary was somebody he knew. 

This week I really liked this talk by Elder David A. Bednar called Pray Always, November 2008

I really liked these two parts of his talk:

Morning and evening prayers—and all of the prayers in between—are not unrelated, discrete events; rather, they are linked together each day and across days, weeks, months, and even years. This is in part how we fulfill the scriptural admonition to “pray always” (Luke 21:36; 3 Nephi 18:15, 18;D&C 31:12). Such meaningful prayers are instrumental in obtaining the highest blessings God holds in store for His faithful children.

The prayers of prophets are childlike in their simplicity and powerful because of their sincerity.

This week I have been trying to focus on praying more sincerely and following some of the guidance in this talk. I have noticed that my prayers have been better and I have more purpose behind each one. I'm so grateful for the ability to pray everyday and knowing when we pray with real intent God will always listen to us. 

Thank you for your letters.

Love you all,
Elder Weston