Spiders and Lizards O My

The letters home this week were extremely short due the fact that Weston was trying to send over as many photos in a short amount of time.  He told the boys how much he missed the deer hunt.  He also said his area is quite poor but he is happy and healthy.  Please enjoy the photos from this week.  
These are Geckos/Lizards that he finds in his apartment almost every night.  Aren't they just too cute?

Weston says these spiders are about the size of a softball and he sees them everywhere and everyday

 Ducks of El Salvador ~ 

I am not quite sure what to make of the next photos ~ are they feeding the duck/chick? I do however LOVE the cute platter

This next group of photos is totally Weston being Weston ~ O my how I miss this boy

 Garett got a kick out of this photo ~ he says "Wes taking a selfy in El Salvador"

 These are Weston's two companions, Elder Eldridge and Elder Winter.  He says that they all get along really well.  He has the most in common with Elder Winter (the shorter of the two)

I absolutely LOVE the next couple of photos.  The one of Wes wearing his striped polo made my heart literally do flip flops.  He looks so happy, healthy and just glowing with pride knowing he is serving his Father in Heaven.  Here the elders are enjoying a meal at a member's home after their service project of chopping her lawn.

This is a picture of Weston's area ~ this is what he told Colton about his area:

The culture is so different!! I eat a ton of bread, I eat it with every meal and rice and beans!! I don´t have to cook or do my laundry I pay people to do that for me, so all I have to focus on is the work! That is so nice! The place I am is in the hills, a more urban area!

In Weston's letter home he challenged everyone to watch conference and to really take to heart what is being said.  He asked that we drop him a line of our favorite talk and why.  I accept that challenge and ask that you all do the same.  

"Get on your knees and ask for the blessings of the Lord; then stand on your feet and do what you are aked to do.  Then leave the matter in the hands of the Lord.  You will discover that you have accomplished something beyond price."  Gordon B Hinckley

Riding the Missionary Roller Coaster

Monday, September 23rd, 2013
Hey Dad,

Wow! That isn`t to bad for a youth hunt! That is so freaking lucky of G, guess somebody needed to take my luck with shooting bands! So props to him! I am glad you guys had a success and were able to get dekes out there! I can`t believe people beat ya to the spot though that is freaking mind blowing!! That is way promising for the deer hunt though! Hopefully your guys success will carry over into it. 

This week was extremely rough..I have found missionary work to be an emotional roller coaster..we have been using members to find investigators so they can be in the person's conversion process so after they have someone to help them keep going in the church and it just seems like our appointments kept falling through with investigators and members, so we have been doing a lot of praying and trying to re-think things and doing what we can to make more happen. When things fall through you feel sick inside cause then you have nothing to do until your next appointment so you try back-up plans and they don`t work so you feel you are wasting time, then all of a sudden a lesson later that night will turn everything around by the spirit you feel and the progress that person is making and you completely forget the bad for that bit and feel so happy! It is a roller coaster though, but I am enjoying it and doing everything I can. 

That is sad about your meeting, keep trying and I know they will come just keep the faith!! 

Well that is about it for this week dad! I love and miss ya!! I hope you have a great day!!

Love your son,

Elder Leatherow

Hey Mom,

Well sounds like the game was a blast along with the youth hunt!!! I am glad to hear you are doing better, tell Tess that she is okay and the Lord is with her; she is in my prayers. 

This week was rough..I had the opportunity to give a three year old girl a blessing  because she was extremely sick..and Mom the feeling that I had during the prayer and going into the rest of the night was incredible!! The next day we went and ckecked on her and she was doing great and was up running around like she was never sick!! I know that through God and the power to act in His name with His authority miracles can happen! You just need to have faith. I am so lucky to be out here serving and getting to grow spiritually and into the man that God wants me to be. I am way far from where He wants me to be but I am doing all that can to be that man! 

Tell Bate I said good luck and to take care!!! 

Ya I would love to have the Taylor's emails!! 

I will send pictures next week, I took a couple this week of our service project that we did. We chopped this ladies lawn.   I said that right CHOPPED! We used machetees and hoe and metal rack to do this. It was a bit strange at first and boy was it hard work! But it was great, and I love the feeling I get when I am doing service. 

I have found I write you and Dad different things so you can maybe share parts so you both get the full complete story on my week. 

Thanks for sending qoutes I really enjoy them and it makes my day!! 

Well mom, I love you to the moon and back and then some I hope you have another great week!!! 

Love your son,

Elder Leatherow

"We have a tremendous resposiblity.  I do not hestitate to say that.  So much depends on us.  If not me, who?  If not now, when?  It is our job here and now to do our best to make a differnce"..Gordon B Hinckley

Hey G,

Dude that is awesome about the youth hunt!! Way to be bro!! 

I am sorry about the knee; I know how that feels to only road hunt..I hope you guys have great success though! You are awesome just cause only one knee bends though doesn`t mean you can let those praying knees get lazy, okay?? 

There is a talk on lds.org that you should read and Colt too, that talks about missionaries. It's called 'This Great Generation of Missions.'

 Have a great week buddy and keep strong the Lord is always there if you need anything!! 

Love your bro for life,

Elder Leatherow

Hey Colt,
Well bro it isn`t the U.S. I can tell ya that much..Tell Skyler i said hello back. I am glad to hear you are staying busy! You looked like a total stud for Homecoming bro!! Keep up the good work, I am hearing nothing but positive things about you from everyone, and you literally are making me so proud to be your brother!! The langauage is coming very slowly but it is..How is it working with Adison??? My companions are awesome Elder Winter I get along the best with!! We are a lot alike so that is why, we work so good together. Well bro keep up the great work, have a great week!! I love you!
Love your bro,
Elder Leatherow

Looking back….always handsome

Exhausted = Giving it my All

Monday, September 16th, 2013

Hey mom! It is so good to hear from you! This week has been extremely insane and really rough for me. The language is progressing slowly..so that doesn´t always make things better. I am sticking with it though. I have been extremely exhausted at night! So I guess that is good knowing I am doing all that I can. I have found Thursdays to be my toughest days with missing home. Just cause I miss so bad laying at the bottom of your bed talking to you guys at night..I am making through and I know its not for to long.

That banquet sounds way fun though! I am so glad that all the people were so welcoming for ya! I am so glad to hear G´s team won though. You will have to keep me updated on the knee. I will be sure to keep all of them in my prayers  every night.  Colt cracks me up! Tell him to just make sure cause its a huge commitment and if he messes up this will effect him for years to come down the road, but I trust him and he will do fine. He is a great and very wise kid! I am glad your doing good for the most part though mom!

This week we dropped some investigators - mom  that was seriously so hard for me..to see someone just stop progressing and not want to find the truth, or to pick it apart and find excuses to have doubts..It makes me so sad inside and then makes me doubt myself like what else could I do...i don´t know..On a positive side we picked up two new investigators and one has a baptism date already! So we will see how that goes. 

Well Mom I won´t keep ya took long; I love and miss ya like crazy!

I love you to the moon and back and then some,

Your son,

Elder Leatherow

Hey Dad!

Oh man!! That sucks I am sorry no one drew out! That will be fun to get out though and least some one kill something! I know I miss going out with you guys and all the talk and hype about the season to come. That sucks about the deke situation, dad I am so sorry. You will have to send me pictures. That is positive about geese numbers though hopefully they will knock them dead this year!

I don´t really workout, I play soccer every P-day for about 2 hours or so and that is about it. After walking all day up and down streets that remind me of that steep hills in Salt Lake; I am dead!! i know that is lazy of me but I am. There isn´t a whole lot of members there is only about 70 or so. We had to drop three investigators this week and that was extremely hard for me. To see someone just stop progressing and not acknowledge the truth when in the lessons the spirit is so strong! It was really hard and extremely sad! On a positive note we picked up two new ones and one already has a baptism date! Well Dad I hope your week goes good! I love ya!

Love your son,

Elder Leatherow

One of many youth hunts ~ this is actually one of my favorite photos of Elder Leatherow

G~

Hey buddy! I am sorry to hear about the knee that is rough.. Keep strong though it will all work its self out for sure keep me in the loop though. That sounds like this coming hunting season is going to be total blast! try and kill some for me k? You will have send me pictures. Tell Colt he looks like a total stud in his homecoming pictures for me by the way too! My companions are way cool they are both from Utah. The language is coming..keep up with the school work though and when I get home I will teach ya some more phrases and stuff. The food is good for the most some things are straight gross but that is okay. It is a pretty rough place down here but some people are really nice others are just like back home. Well buddy keep up the great work back home and helping the family with anything. I love you so much and very proud of the person you are turning into!

Love your bro,

Elder Leatherow

Another great week for Elder Leatherow.  As you can see his letters going back and forth between him and his dad and brothers all revolve around the hunting season.  This is going to be the test of faith for all my guys.  With the help of a loving Heavenly Father they will get through the next couple of hunting seasons and will have a hunt full of memories come September 2015.  Please continue to pray for missionary opportunities not only for the missionaries serving around the globe but for the little missionary moments for all of us.  

Brothers by birth; Friends by Choice!

So much work to be done

After a long, long, did I mention LONG week?  We finally got an email from our missionary.  Tom and I have both been worried sick about Wes.  I know you all seen the picture from last week and you all thought the same thing, WOW!  Wes looks thin, Wes looks pale.  We also thought that but have tried to stay positive and were continually telling each other maybe the lighting was bad, maybe he was just tired, or maybe he had just lost his Utah tan.  Tom was a bit more worried than I. That seems so weird, I know, but for some reason in my heart I knew he was OK.  I felt confident that the MTC would not have allowed him to travel if he wasn't healthy and I know without a doubt that our Heavenly Father is looking out for him.  Enjoy his emails home and some much needed pictures of the cutest Leatherow in El Salvador.

Mom,

I am so sorry, I tried to call at the airport and they said it wouldn´t go through cause you guys can´t recieve collect calling. So I have no idea what happened there and besides it was all in spanish so I did´t understand one bit. I am so sorry, I wish it would of went through though so bad!!! I miss you so much mom! 

El Salvador is nothing like the MTC!  It is so different, we make our own schedule and basically what we do and how we do it depends on us and what direction the spirit guides us. My first field companions are the Zone Leaders! They are both from Utah and white!! Ya, I have no idea how that happened or how I lucked out! They are awesome guys! They are both on their last transfer and this is my first, so it is a huge difference. I am picking their brains constantly so that way I know things that they wish they would of at the first of their mission so I can start off on the right foot! 

El Salvador is crazy different than the states; lets just say that much. I have had some great food and some not the best so it balances out! That is always nice. We wake up at around 5:30 and don´t go to bed til about 11ish at night. We're constantly going. We are staying busy and the people here are really nice. They are being so patient with me and are always willing to help, which is great and I am so grateful for that! Tell G congrates he sounds like he is tearing it up! That is exactly what I want to hear! Tell Colt not to worry I am sure everything will workout and it will be just fine! That is so crazy Josh has already left! The time sure is flying by which scares me, cause there is so much work to be done, I hope I can get it all done in time! 

My P-days are now Mondays just to give ya heads up.

Well Mom I hope you are doing good and everything with the egging will turn around! 

The parasite thing is all good and I feel just fine! 

I love you to the moon and back and then some mom! Miss ya!

Love your son,

Elder Leatherow

Hey Dad,

Sorry I tried to call at the airport but it wouldn´t work and it took us two and half hours to get through luggage claims. I was able to place my first Book of Mormon though while waiting so that was positive!! 

My first companions are the Zone Leaders and they are on their last change! So they are like experts so I am taking advantage of that and eating up any information that will help me for the rest of my mission to get me started in the right direction! The people down here are so nice!! They are so patient and willing to help me learn, the Spanish is coming. I can´t exactly hold conversation yet inless its about the gospel. We have extremely long days here, but that is good cause there is a lot of work to be done! I am so excitied to see what is in store for me! 

Sounds like the younger three have been keeping busy which is good.  Tell G to stay strong, the knee problems are rough. 

We are walking here so much! I sweat like a pig; it is so disgusting! 

The food here, has had its good meals and also its not so good ones..but I am hanging in there! 

That is crazy about your work though, that was a pretty good opportunity for you and I am glad you took advantage to show of your intelligence! 

Tell the 5th ward I said hello for me! 

Thanks so much dad for allowing me to come out here and do the Lord's work! It is great extremely exhausting but I wouldn´t want it any other way!!! 

I love ya dad, you will have to keep me updated with hunting results, my fingers are crossed for you guys! I love ya dad! Take care!!

love your son,

Elder Leatherow

Doesn't he sound FANTASTIC?  As promised here are a few photos that we received from his mission president on the day he arrived.

Look closely….Where's Wes?

Wes with President and Sister Glazier

Our Missionary, Love you to the moon and back and then some!

He must LOVE this yellow tie.  I am beginning to think if he has lost all his others.  :)

Mailing address for Weston:

Elder Weston Brock Leatherow

Mission El Salvador San Salvador East

P.O. Box # 3362

San Salvador, El Salvador

Central America

Some advise from the President ~

Just a few helpful hints, put Jesus or Virgin Mary stickers on your packages.  Identify the contents on your custom declaration as candy and missionary supplies.  They also ask that we DO NOT use private mail systems: UPS/FED EX/DHL; use US Mail. 

Weston visits an internet cafe to write his weekly letters and they are sticklers for only allowing one hour so please keep sending him email/letters even if he isn't able to write each week.  

Well that wraps up week 7.  Yep, that is 49 days down.  Crazy how fast it is flying.  But like Wes says there is much work to be done in these latter days.  

Good Bye MTC

My bus leaves here at 1 in the afternoon and then my flight takes off at 5:37 that night. I will have 3 hours in the airport in Mexico to get through customs and what not so I would like to give you guys a call or something if that is possible I know I can reach mom hopefully others, I would call at around 2:30 or so if I could. I will email a more detailed email tomorrow about my last week. Tonight I am packing and weighting everything and getting my flight papers and what not. I love and miss you guys! Have a great night and I hope your Sunday has been great!!!

Love,

Elder Leatherow

Well this week has seriously been crazy! It has been a wild roller coaster ride. Between getting flight plans figured out, packing, weighing in our lugage, saying our goodbyes, learning and last minute things, etc. It has been wild and I have loved every second of it, I honestly can't believe that I am already leaving this place. The time is flying by! 

Yesterday was a day I will never forget though..It was fast sunday so people got to bare testimonies and it was truly remarkable and I loved to hear everyones testimony and see how they have grown in just this last six weeks. 

We also decided to set some time aside to give comfort blessings to anyone who wanted one in our distric and in the end we all recieved one. I got the privilege to exercise my priesthood power for two elders who had asked me earlier in the week if I would. I was so honored but so freaking nervous to give them cause that was my first time experiencing that.  I literally can't began to explain to you the power and the spirit that was felt in that room at that time . It was incredible! As I was saying the prayer I don't even remember what I said all I know is I felt the spirit and it took over from there. It was a feeling that I would love to feel all the time, and something I ca't wait to get others to feel that way themselves. 

That night we said our goodbyes because people took off way early this morning, so that was hard seeing people that I have became so close with leave, but I know that are about to embark on their journey and blessing so many lives in their mission!

I hope you guys have a great day out riding and get to see some wildlife, enjoy that time away from everything because I know I sure do miss it so much! I love you all so much and thank you all for your love and support as I decided to serve our Lord. You guys are the best family ever! Be safe while out on the trail!

Love,

Elder Leatherow

Nothing makes a family's heart happy like seeing his smiling face ~ enjoy! …remember to see the photos up close and personal simply click on them.  

Another visit to the temple

This is of my district and my two teachers 

for the past six weeks

This guy, Elder Berryhill, was like my bestfriend down here. We seriously were so much alike it was crazy; he really helped me stay sane and get through the MTC Experience. He is a great guy! There is also a parrot in this one; all you can see is the butt.. its the green tail poking out. It was so cool to see them flying around every where!

when I got my package! It was seriously like Christmas morning!!!!!!!!

The branch leaders, they would conduct our meetings on Sundays and interviews with them about how things were going while here at the MTC.

The people in my house weren't in my district so it was cool to get to know more people and stuff. There is an Elder in there named Wilcox and he hunts and we have exchanged emails and will be keeping in contact after the mission to go hunting!  He is way cool and he is from Layton so not to far way!

Me and Elder Taylor

Even though Wes has dropped the lbs; he is still smiling.  He is still loving serving our Heavenly Father.  I continue to pray for his health and pray that he will not wait a FULL week to seek medical attention in the future.  Please keep the letters/emails filling is mailbox that is truly what gets him thru the days and long nights.  I will post his mailing address once I have that.  Thank yo all for your love and support for our missionary and for us.  

Love you to the moon and back Wesman.