It's official, April 30th

Dear Family,

Thank you for the letters, this week I talked with the secretaries about when I was leaving, it was really tough to decide I tried praying a lot, but I saw my entire group was leaving on April 30th and I felt like it was ok to leave on that date. 

I stayed in the same area, but my companion had changes he went to Bocas del Toro. My new companion is named Elder Rodriguez he is from Panama, it's really weird because he's the only Elder in the mission from Panama serving in Panama. We are doing good. 

So when there are changes sometimes they need to send the new missionaries from Panama to Chiriqui and they need to take the bus alone to the area... Well the assistants put brand new missionaries on the bus at about 7:00 pm Tuesday and the ride takes about 8 hours. We got to the bus stop at about 3:00 am to wait for the new missionaries  so they would know were to get off. So we waited for about an hour and they didn't get here, so another Elder and I took a bus to the border (Costa Rica) the last bus stop, to see if they didn't get off there (a 45 minute ride) and they were not there, so we took another bus to the city of David (an hour and a half ride) and we found them there at about 6:30. They had been waiting there for about 3 hours and were really tired. We learned the missionaries who helped them did not put them on the right bus. We then finally got back to the area about about 7:30, a lot of traveling for one day. It was a crazy morning and the rest of the day we worked. 

This week we had a lot of investigators in the Church, so that was really great to see them all there.

This week we are going to have interviews with the President, I'm really excited because I haven't had an interview with him since August, or September. 

That's great that Michael got his patriarchal blessing, I continue to read mine, it helps me realize what kind of person God wants me to become.

I'm really grateful for the Book of Mormon, I am more and more impressed by the examples in that book. Just reading has really helped me feel peace. I always try to read a least one chapter every night even if I have studied in the morning, it's always a great way to end the day.

I love you all so much,

Elder Weston

cerro punta

Dear Family,

Thank you for your letters and the pictures you sent me. I saw the little video of Jenny's baby, he looks cute, and Karen and James had another baby! Tell grandpa, happy birthday for me and happy anniversary Mom and Dad. It's strange seeing seeing Sarah going on dates. Tell Sarah she looked pretty, and Michael to, ha ha ha. Also I got the package last week we ate all the Swedish Fish in like 2 days thanks for sending that to me. I asked president in my letter today when I'm leaving if it's in the end of April or the 10th of Jun, I will see if he answers me. Changes are on Wednesday we will find out if I'm staying or going tomorrow, I bet I will stay.

Today we went to a very beautiful place called cerro punta I will sent you pictures.

This week was good on Wednesday I went on Divisions with an Elder from Colombia is said his family used to live in Tulua and now lives in Medillin It was really great. and the next day the sister missionaries had a baptism and I got to baptize there convert..

On Saturday we were in a very far part of our area and we were walking to a less active when we found some members from Panama city visiting there family who lived in this tiny town, it was lucky they found us because we only have walked around there 1 other time in my 4 months and they asked us if we had oil because their mom was sick the the Hospital, we ended up going to the hospital with them and gave a blessing. The funny thing was we had plans of going to the hospital latter that day to visit a member who had did something to her foot. So we left the hospital and returned latter that Day with the son of the member who was there,and gave her a blessing. Then we found out that there was another Elderly member who was in another room and we gave him a blessing also. So we ended up giving 3 blessings in the hospital that day.

Something I learned this week was a little about what it says in Ether 12:6 the testimony comes after the Trial of our faith. I know as missionaries we want everything to move faster, but all things require trials. I that about Nephi who left is home, was walking in the wilderness and also had family problems. I thought about Alma who had to teach in secret and didn't have a home and for a time was a prisoner. I learned that no Prophet had it easy but it says in Matthew I believe in chapter 11 that we can take the yoke of Christ and everything will be easier. Christ calls the workers and he tells them they will find rest. This rest is not physical rest but spiritual rest, that we may fill good and little my little God will bless us. I fill sometimes my life has been really east, I haven't had to suffer a lot like those prophets but I know many people have made sacrifices for me, my family and ancestors. I really grateful for the many blessings I've received in my live.

I love you guys

Thank you
Elder Weston

"Animo"

Dear Family,
It sounds like everything is going well at home, I'm glad you finally got some snow and it's already March. Thats good Michael doesn't need a surgery. It's weird that Sarah can now date, I think I knew a kid named Brian Seager at school but I'm not 100% sure I have forgotten many things, I now speak more like a panameño. I always say that answer to every sickness is, drinking lemon and honey even though I know it's not true, I just say it because that's what everyone tells us.

This week was good we keep on visiting people but many of them aren't getting to Church which is a little disappointing so we will try to plan a little better more on how we can work a little bit more effectively. My companion and I have been reading the Book of Mormon a lot, which is helping with our ''animo''. Yesterday at night we read for about two hours, it was pretty sweet, we read in Mosiah from Chapter 17-27 about Abinadi, Alma, and Limhi it felt really good to read a lot. I really enjoy reading about those prophets that set good examples for us even during there trials. I really like Mosiah 23:21-22 because I know we will all have trials but if we endure we will be blessed.

On Saturday we went to an area that's pretty deep into our area, it takes about 30 minutes to get there by bus and we looked for a less active family. We found them they are an old senor couple that haven't been able to go to church, but it was really cool to see them and see that they haven't lost there faith. I don't think many people visit from the branch but I really felt happy we could go and visit them. But it reminded me about that importance of visiting the people that are less active.

Thank you for everything
I love you guys
Elder Weston

Zone

pony malta