the Gold Cup

Hello Family,

 

That is too bad table rock was so cold and rainy, I remember it being very cold on the top. I think it took me 5 hours to finish the hike. 

Last week we went on splits with my district leaders and my zone leaders, it's cool seeing other mission areas. We have one more week until transfers and I'm sure I will be getting a new companion. My companion has been in this area for 4 transfers (6 months), I think he's excited to go to a new area.

My Spanish is still coming slowly, I get headaches a lot, and so hopefully it starts clicking. It's hard to measure how much your improving. For me to understand anything I really have to focus.  This week was pretty hard because our investigators decided not to be baptized because of her husband, which was sad. 

This week it has been raining more, everybody has tin roofs here and when it rains it gets very loud in the house.

Yesterday, the USA and Panama played  in the finals of the Gold Cup. We were at a less active persons house when the USA scored a goal. My companion and I both started to cheer, and then my companison and I both stopped because we remembered we're in Panama, We didn't want them to get mad at us. It was funny.

 

I have been working hard everyday and I have been praying and been reading my scriptures a lot. I've learned a lot from reading my scriptures everyday and studying them. Everyday I find something new in them. The more I study the Book of Mormon the more my testimony grows. I'm so greatful for the scriptures, and latter day prophets.

 

Love you all,

Elder Weston

"Chicha" Panama word for juice

Hello Family,

This week went well, we do have some investigators with baptismal dates and we hope they get baptised soon.  I drink milk here and we buy it in cartons, the milk is good here. I also eat a lot of peanut butter, and I found a pancake mix which was really good. I also buy a bunch of eggs. Dad, we also put salt on the patacones. At peoples houses we drink a lot of juice ("chicha" a Panama word). I've been sleeping well here, except one night (I was a little sick).

We get to go to the temple, I think about 1 or 2 times a change depending on where you are in Panama. We went once this change.  Those pictures of Grant are super cute and it sounds like he is having a lot of fun there. Have fun in Driggs, table rock is so much fun. I don't know if there are any good hikes in Panama,  but I do want to go hiking on a P day sometime. 

That pig roast sounds like a lot of fun and I remember it tasted really good.  This week I went on splits with two other missionary's which was cool.

This week we sang the song ''Abide with Me, Tis Eventide'' in one of our lessons. I really love that song and we really felt the spirit when we sang it. In the talk (Come unto me) by Henry B Eyring he mentions that song. If you have the opportunity you should read that talk again.

Love  Elder Weston

From the last pday when we went to the Hard Rock Cafe. It was really good. 

patacones (a fried smashed banana)

Hello Family,

It sounds like girls camp was a lot of fun. Mom, I´m also impressed by your ''Doggeling skills''.  It seems like you did a lot of cool things at girls camp. That is funny they wrapped the Tahoe in yarn.  This week was good, my companion is cool. He helps me a lot with Spanish.  Dad did you every eat patacones (a fried smashed banana) on your mission, there one of my favorite foods here. (Google them, and make them)  I get enough money for food here, we go shopping for food once a week. I been eating a lot of eggs and bread for breakfast.

This week we had zone conference with the new President and his family. He´s very smart guy and I know he is going be a great president and I'm excited to get to know him through out my mission.

The Spanish is still coming slowly, I'm studying a bunch but it's still difficult.  This quote by Elder Richard G. Scott really helps me when I get stressed or frustrated. It really helps me realize God will always help me no matter what, as along as I'm trying my hardest. 

''Remember, the Lord has called you to succeed, not to fail. Sometimes it may seem terribly hard, but He wants you to grow. He will not abandon you. He inspired your call. He knows who you are. He knows what you need. He knows what He wants you to become, and this mission experience is an opportunity He has given you to discover things about yourself you never knew; capacities you never knew you had, strength beyond what you felt you had, and the capacity to love and serve which will sustain you throughout the rest of your life. Remember, you have been called and He will fit the task to your capabilities. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.'' -- Elder Richard G, Scott, Missionary Training Center, April 16, 2013

I really love that quote and I read it about everyday.

Sarah have fun at Oakcrest next week!

Love you all,

Elder Weston

New companion Elder Johnson

Eric on the 4th of July

In front of a cathedral with Elder Johnson

Elder Weston & Elder Johnson at the Panama Temple

Zone traveled to Panama

Hello Family,

Thanks for your letters this week. That’s way cool Bro. Hart was a branch president here. That’s amazing how the church is growing here. I'm excited to keep working and help it grow.

Today our zone traveled to Panama and we went to the temple. That’s why I'm writing you late.

We eat dinner with members almost every night, we sometimes eat lunch with members but not that often. I like the food here, it's almost always rice and chicken. My stomach feels fine and I haven’t been sick here. We can get anything in the grocery stores, including peanut butter. The rice they make tastes good, it's just white rice.

This week we did teach a lot. I can always say something small in the lessons. My Spanish is coming slowly. I understood more this week in sacrament meeting and all the missionaries bore their testimonies (including me).  A lot of people here bare their testimonies. Our ward is a pretty good size. We have a few investigators but none are ready to be baptized soon, none are committing. In Panama everybody believes in Christ, and are either Evangelical or Catholic. They love talking about religion. Unfortunately a lot of people here say they believe in Christ, but they don't follow the commandments.

I'm getting used to the weather, in some of the nice building here they turn up the air-conditioning a ton, so once you walk back outside you can fill the heat just surround you. In my area it rains but not as much as other areas of Panama.

The buses here cost .30 cents, but the buses from chorrera to Panama City cost 1.50. We don't live very far out of our area. We live in the center of chorrera, and we take buses to an area called valle dorado.

Thanks you for your prayers and your fasting.

Love, Eric

P.S. Today we went to the temple, I love going to the temple. Every time I go there I feel so much peace and love there. My thoughts seem clearer, and it really takes me out of the world. My testimony of the importance of temple work has really grown here. I'm really glad the people of Panama have a temple. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to go there during my mission.

First area "La Chorrera"

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for all of our letters, I really enjoyed them a lot. I'm sorry I didn't call you but it was a little crazy, and no one called home at the airport, but sorry. So at the MTC all the missionaries left the MTC except the missionaries going to Panama. We helped our mission President pack his things and our branch President because everyone is moving to the new high school MTC. After about 2 pm  in the afternoon everybody forgot about us in the MTC. No teachers, no mission President, only people moving everything into trucks to be sent to the new MTC. So our group of missionaries had nothing to do that day. The temple was closed because it was Monday, all the computers were gone so we could not write, it was a very strange day. We were worried no one would pick us up at the airport, someone did pick us up, we were then dropped off at the wrong terminal, then we got picked up again and went to the right terminal, by the time we got to the airport there was very little time left. (I got a lot of cool pictures)

When we got to Panama, went to the temple, and stayed in rooms on the temple ground. Panama is very humid, it is very hot but not like Utah. You feel sweaty all of the time. It´s weird even when the sun goes down you feel sweaty. My trainer (or my dad) is Elder Johnson from Washington (ironic) [Eric also has a good friend who is currently serving a mission in Washington who's name is Elder Johnson]
He works really hard with me, and he can speak Spanish very well. He´s been out for a year. By the way thanks for sending me Elder Johnson email address. My area is called Chorrera, Panama. We don´t live in our area so we always take buses. In the buses they listen to Spanish rap music all the time. My Spanish is coming slowly and Church was hard to stay awake the entire time because I can´t understand everything but I know it will come. 

Yesterday we gave a lesson to a lady and her children. We testified of the Book of Mormon and prophets and then her son (who is nine years old) gave his testimony. It was so cool, she started crying and the spirit was so strong.

In Panama I'm really surprised how many people will listen to the missionaries, a lot of people will listen even if they don't want to change churches but almost everybody believes in Jesus Christ. 

Our apartment is OK, we have hot shower water which is cool. There are bugs, most are pretty small. I see a lot of lizards all the time. When we sleep we always have fans blowing on us, to keep the bugs off of us. There are a lot of dogs in the street, they don't bother us but they bark a lot. 

The food here is rice, chicken and beans. Every meal I've had with members has been rice and chicken. I haven' got sick from it. For breakfast I usually just make myself eggs. We bought a pineapple here which tasted awesome. I can buy anything in the stores here, that I could buy in states.  Everybody in the Panama mission came, and said their farewells to president Ward. I saw the missionary from Alex´s ward, I knew him because he went to Bingham which was pretty cool, Elder Clark.

Thanks Jake for your email.

I'm so excited to continue learn Spanish.

Yes I did watch the missionary conference, there are so many missionaries in the  MTC in Provo. I loved all of the talks, and now I'm starting to realize how important the ward is in converting the members. 

Love

Elder Weston