Email from President to families

Dear brothers and sisters,

We want to send you warm Christmas greetings together with your children. We feel very thankful for their dedication to this beautiful work, where the atonement of Jesus Christ has made great changes and miracles in the lives of the investigators, converts, and less actives. Thank you, thank you all for the support! Thank you for sending the best part of your lives here to our mission, San Salvador East!!! We hope you have a Merry Christmas and an amazing New Year!

Sincerely,

President and Sister Vasquez

Bruno Emilio Vásquez Robles

Presidente de Misión

El Salvador San Salvador Este

Zone 7

 Zone 8

Happy New Year

Dear Family

Well not to be baggy but I can now sing I will be home for Christmas!!!!(; It was one of those times that is was bitter sweet for me here, because everyone would ask how much time I have out here and would remind me that it is my last Christmas here in the mission....So it was a little emotional for me I will not tell a lie, I truly do love these people and the time I have had here! But at the same time I can´t wait to celebrate Christmas Leatherow Style again!!!!! (: 

We had a sweet experience with the Bishop this past week as well here...Saturday while we were studying I recieved a call from the Bishop and he was like "Elder I need your help!!"  I said "okay what do you need help with bishop???"  He said "you don´t have any appointments for this morning right??"  I was like "no" (we were just planning to go tracting). He said "good I need you to come down to my house and help me paint my house!!!" It was great!! I felt so good!! I felt like he knew he could call us and rely on us that we would go help him!! It was great and we got to talk and get to know the bishop on a more personal level and him to know us as well!! It was a very good experience and one I will never forget!! 

Being a missionary is great and all the opportunities to serve as well, you can feel so great and have the spirit so much when we serve others!! 

Thanks so much to all that were able to make it as well Christmas Morning to Skype!! Sorry if I offended anyone with how direct I was and strict with things, it just something that comes natural now....So I do apologize if I did offend anyone it wasn´t my intention what so ever!! 

Putting in the work:

Well I love you all so much!! 

Love you mother to the moon and back and then some!! 

Happy New Year and I hope everything goes great!! 

I encourage you all to can take a few minutes to set some goals that you all would like to accomplish in this new year to come!! If there is any that I can help ya accomplish please let me know!!!! 

Have a great week. 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

PS this is what we ate here its a traditiion. Its called Pan con pollo

Dad:  I forgot to ask ya how you were wanting to big game hunt this year. Muzzleload or rifle? and what areas would you like to put in for. Its not a guarantee to draw anywhere anymore. Especially for a rifle hunt. Think about it and let me know, k. I think I will be putting in for antelope buck. I now have enough points that my odds are higher to draw, than not to. I should draw that tag either this year or next. Any limited entry areas? and what species. I think you are open for anything now. 

Wes: I would like to hunt whatever you do! With Muzzleloader or rifle so just put me in whatever you do and for limited entre please put me in for Elk Bull and antelope. I don´t have any idea on areas cause I haven´t been home to do research so I am going to trust your judegement and please put me in for an area that you heard and done research on that has good draw results and has been hot on bulls!

Thank you Elder Leatherow for the WONDERFUL Christmas gift

Christmas Skype and Photos

Dear Family,

So Skype I will be going first, so I will be Skyping in the Morning at about 10 in the morning but 10 o´clock my time in El Salvi!! So I can`t wait to talk with ya. 

Also bring questions and whatever you want to talk about.  Also,  please invite everyone possible, Stergirl, all the Leatherow side and the Smuins, I know Heils will be busy with Kaeltgirl so I understand but please it would mean a lot if they were all there!! 

Some fotos of another crazy week. 

Fotos of olds companions and other elderes I have met on the mission at the Christmas Actvity we had with our Presidente. 

So love ya,

See you all Thursday!

Representing, Service and Duck Hunting

Dear Family,

First things first, thank you all so freaking much for the packages!!!!!! Either you all know me too well or I am just that predictable but pretty much everything I needed was in the box and more!!! I can`t thank you all enough for that!!!!! 

representing from El Salvi 

So this week was freaking crazy so we will start from Monday and then go down the days so please get ready...

So Monday started off as any normal Monday right before I go to head out for the night I get a call from one of the Elders in my District telling me they got robbed; someone broke into their house so we then had to head down and get them all packed up and get them out of there and moved into our house we still needed to try and make it some how to the family home evenings that we had planned!! So stressful but definately very fun and funny experience all at the same time! So we then had 5 greengos in the house at night!!! 

5 guys in the house = MESS and it is driving my crazy

Tuesday, I decided to take matters into my own hands cause no one is sending me dead animal pics, so we made a deal with a family if we painted their house they would let us kill their ducks and have duck soup!!!! So that was an absolute blast!!! I will try and get some pictures this week if not for sure next week of that whole thing, there is a lot more to that story but it is one for Skype so ask me!!! 

working hard and earning a duck hunt

and that boys is how you get it done

Then we got the Call Tuesday night at about 10 at night that only one of us would being having changes out of us 5!!!! WHAT?!?!??! So guess what?!?!? Elder Marriott and Elder Leatherow will be spending Christmas together here in Delgado city!! So yep both Christmases here I will be with a Greengo!! CRAZY. So then the week was crazy trying to find the elders a house to live in and help the new sisters come out here to their new areas and what not. 

We then had our Christmas dinner here with the ward and we got Familia Munguia to come with us. Which is another story I need to tell ya about them when I told them that there was a chance I would be leaving and then we they saw us again. Priceless. 

So now we are just getting our appointments set up for Christmas and what not and we have a for sure computer we can use ~ when can everyone skype?   I can`t wait though! So that is my week in a nutshell, I will stop talking your ears off. 

Have a great week, mother I love you to the moon and back and then some.

Have a great week everyone. 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

PS ~ this will be my companions first Skype home and he is pretty stoked so I will let him call home first ~ we can wait a few hours.  I will more than likely be calling home around 11:30 AM.  

Lesson + Suprise Party

Dear Family,

Well last Monday went so great!! It was so crazy!! We had it all planned and then they called and told us they couldn´t come after we had made all the food and cake and what not!! We then talked them into coming so they came running over a little late but they made it!! We then shared a short message and gave them a picture of the Temple here and the Proclamacion for the Family. They loved it so much and then we surprised them with the dinner and it went over so great!! They are truly an awesome family!! I love visiting them and teaching, they always have questiones, and a desire to know more!!! They also, have dropped Coffee, they were drinking five cups a day!! IT is incredible these people are truly changing and touching my life!! I love being a missionary!!!! We also had a good time at the Christmas Devotional yesterday and we had that same family and more go with us!! It was great! We had some great success this week with contacting people in the street so we are hoping this week, we can get a lot of news! This time of year is so hard to get into homes because people are coming to visit and they are working over time and what not, so it makes a little more difficult! But hey that is missionary work for ya! For Christ it even was hard, he had a lot who would contradict him and try and prove him wrong, so why would it be any easier for us?!?!

Well this week is changes so next week I will let ya all know how it goes, I have no clue nor hints what will happen it is completely in the hands of the Lord! 

Well I will let ya go, I love you guys to the moon and back and then some!! 

I love you mother to the moon and back and then some! Have a great week, and I will pray that you get some snow your guys way!! (; 

Also, finally did it!! Read the book of Mormon in español completely cover to cover!!! It is incredible and it truly is the word of God!!! I love you guys!! 

Have a great week, con mucho amor.

Elder Leatherow

The Mungula Family

Lessons, Dinner and a Suprise Birthday Party!  SUCCESS!!

Still working hard

Dear Family,

We had a really good week for church, we had seven people come with us to church five of those were that family that we are teaching!! They are freaking AWESOME!!!!! I love them to death, and it so great to teach them, thank you for the testimonies they helped out a lot!! We have a family home evening planned tonight with them and a family. I will send pictures of them next week, so you can put a face to them! Also it is the Dad`s birthday tomorrow so we planned it as a surprise birthday dinner as well!! I am so stoked we have been planning it for about 2 weeks now, so cross your fingers that everything goes good!!! (: Thanks for writing about your studies it really does help me a lot and I know it will help you guys as well, because once you share what you learned you have a greater chance of remembering it, and truly applying it to your life, so continue to share your knowlegde and your testimonies. Cause you guys have such a strong testimony ~  it is crazy!!! I love it so much!! 

We also, had a different experience we were walking and a guy in his early twenties called us over to talk, he said he had a report the next day for school about our religion. So we gave him a quick run down and then I pulled out a Book of Mormon and showed it to him and said if you want it you can have it, he then asked how much it cost? I said its free if he will read it, and then he asked us to come back nex week to talk more!! So that was so freaking sweet and I know the Lord is preparing people for us all around just need to be ready at any moment, which is why our studies are so important!!! 

There is a new video that is really cool that is only two and half minutes great short video, He is the Gift, you can then bear testimony how Christ has blessed your life and that is it!! Perfect family home evening for those who aren`t members or have fallen in the family!! Just an idea though. 

Well I am sorry for taking so much time hope you all are getting into the Christmas spirit and I am sure Dad already has his radio tuned into the Christmas song station(;

Have a great week love you all, mother love ya to the moon and back and then some!!! Con mucho amor,

Elder leatherow

Yep, they have turkeys in El Salvador

This little guy was being super stubborn and would not look at the camera and smile

Our activity from a few weeks ago

and the temps were in the low 60s and I was FREEZING ~ had to bust out the socks, pants and even the hoodie

Church attendence hits 140!!!!

Bendito mi familia,

Well the big question is, Is everyone ready for Thanksgiving Thursday??? Where is it at this year??? My companion is so bumped out that they don´t celebrate it here, he keeps asking what we will do and what not, I just tell him,..... Work(; I hope you all enjoy it though and eat a ton of food!!! I want you to know that when I get home, I bet you will be surprised but I will eat just about anything anymore!!! Elder Leatherow??? Not picky??? You can´t believe it right?? I know its crazy but that is one thing the mission will do to ya!! 

This week was great!! Yesterday at church, we got that same family to come and two new people so we had a total of six investigators, and then we got 16 menos activos and we got the attendence up to 140!!!! It was also the primary program week, so that was so cool to watch all the little kids say their parts and sing!! When is our Primary program in the Rock Cliff four ward??? We also had two lecciones este semana que fue incredible!!  (two lessons that were incredible) The spirit was strong and we just worked with the spirit, the two families had questions and it flowed just right, and then to close it out they asked when we could come back, because they wanted to know more and hear more!! It was great,  one of the families committed to read the Book of Mormon!!  It was so freaking sweet!! I am very excited about that!! We will see where this next week takes us with them!! 

Thank you so much for your testimonies, it means a lot to me, and I know it will help this family out!! We are already planning a noche de hogar  (home evening) with them next Monday with members!! Because it is the Dad´s birthday!! So I am pretty excited! He had his grandmother pass away this past week, and then his mother got sent into the hospital for her health, so he is kinda of struggling! So hopefully we can help him and get him feeling a little bit more relaxed. 

The pictures below are of a jungle pathway we found this last week, so I thought it was cool, so I snapped a couple pictures for ya! 

Well folks, thanks for writing and reading!! 

Stay tuned in until next week!! 

I love you all, Mother love ya to the moon and back and then some!! 

Have a great week! Keep going strong!! 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

Éter 12:27 

Tom had asked Wes to send home a photo just in case we decided to mail out Christmas cards ~ the following is his contribution

Wes: this maybe christmas card worthy  ~ you can decide mother  (;

Mom:Thanks!

Wes: you are so welcome mother!! Hope they look okay if not tell me I will try again, maybe you can foto shop it a little bit though so I don´t look so fat  (;

Mom:  Too funny!  They are all fantastic.

Wes:  thanks...(: How is work???

Mom:It is great.  We are staying pretty busy so that makes for great days.  And I of course have some of the best co-workers.

Someone that you know came into my work ~ she graduated from Bonneville and her name is Paige.  She says she was Gabby Ds friend~ she saw your foto on my desk.

Wes:  really what did she look like?? Was she cute?? Be honest it won´t go outside of this email...I did talk to some girls from there, but I don´t always remember their names just their faces….

Mom: She was a super cute red head with a FABULOUS personality.  She said she is waiting for a young man who is serving the Philippines

Wes:  hmmmmm......no it doesn´t strike a point or rememberance...but don´t tell her that, just tell her I said hello and hope she is doing good. We might of talked once at a get together or something one time I don´t really remember though...crazy she rememberes me though?!?!?!

Mom: Yeah she says she talked with you and Ster on occasion.

Wes: Well next time tell her I said hello!! 

Well mother I have to go, love ya to the moon and back and then some!! have a great week!!!!!! (: (:

Favors, Blessings and Families

Bendito familia Leatherow,

So this week was a way crazy week, it started off great!! We had two family home evenings with investigadores and they loved them!!! We have a family that wants to be members and they have said they love the church and everything but they are having a problem dropping the no coffee part...so I have a quick favor to ask of ya if you would, I would love it if you guys could share your testimonies or how the church has blessed your lives, specifically from mom and dad or even aunts or uncles and that I could pass to them. I think that could help them see as well, that it works and blesses families all over the world! I know they don`t speak english but thanks to technolgy these days we have Google translator and then you could copy and past it to an email, and then send it to me and I can print it off and pass it to them! If you guys have time that would be great and I would truly appreciate it!! This family is great and I love them so much and I truly see them as members and future leaderes here for this ward so if you get a chance if you could do that, it would be great!

So this past saturday, we were invited just our district I am not sure why just us but we went to the Stake center and they had like a little fair thing and we got to do our own little table and stand and what not, and give out materials to members so they could share the gospel with their friends, family, neighbors, anyone and then we also got some referencias right there on the spot from people and there was food, drinks, music, it truly was a great time and was what we needed after the week we had of not finding people, and just getting rejected day in and day out this week!! It was good! I will send ya pictures don`t worry.

In filipenses 4:13 we read that ¨All we do in Christ will strength us¨ and I know that to be true with all my heart because like it says in 2 Corintios 5:7 ¨for it is by faith that we walk not by site¨ because by our faith we keep going and pushing on ward in this never ending battle that we call life! I to like it says in Romanos 1:16 I am ¨not ashamed to follow the Doctrine of Christ¨ to be called a Mormon, I am rather proud of it! And nothing can or will change that! I love you all so much, Mother I love you to the moon and back and then some!!! Have a great week!! 

One last question, I would love to hear or read a scripture that stood out to you this next week during your daily scripture studies!! Have a great week, 

con mucho amor.

Elder Leatherow

P.S. sorry for so much writing and request…

P.S.S.I tried to send pictures but every time everything would crash, so I will try to next week but on a different computer, sorry

5 Greengos and a Mircle

Dear Family,

Well this week was good ~ that family that went to church last week went to the activities and they had us over for dinner and tonight they are going to come with us to a members house to have a family home evening!! It is great and man are they great!!! I truly do love teaching them now I just hope we can get them baptized this change so just in case I leave or my companion takes off! 

So I have a story for ya so get ready.....

It was crazy sweet this week I had an experience, where a miracle fell from the sky!!! I was walking and this lady came from the side of the street and almost bumped into me so I say "Hello have a great day", and then she says "thanks you to Elder", and soon as that happens I turn around and went and talked to her and asked how she knew my name and what not, turned out she is a member from L.A. and then her husband came around and she went back to the car and we talked to him, he is not a member but goes to the activities and general conference and what not so we just shared our testimonies and the need to read the Book of Mormon, right before we left the wife came back and handed us a bag of SNACKS!!!! oh man it was sweet and they were visiting a friend and they gave us the reference to go visit her friend some time! It was so cool! And man was that food good, it was like American snacks and drink I will send ya pic of it, it was sweet, completely changed the mood of the whole day and we sure needed that little pick us up moment!! 

Okay so maybe it wasn't a miracle but it sure was a blessing to us and the Lord truly does know us and he looks out for us ever day.

Also, I would like to send ya some pics so get ready for those, 1 with all us five greengos here and the other is us with the bishop and his family  ~ So enjoy!!! 

I love you mother to the moon and back and then some! 

I love you all as well don`t worry! (; 

Have a great week, and don`t forget "never let your praying knees get lazy!!!"

Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

Mom: I sure love your smile

Wes: Thank Mother, I try ~ I brush both day and night for it :)

Wes: Hey mom so I have a quick thing to let ya know, my debit card expires in January so I don`t know if there is a way you can send me my new one?? try putting it in a baggy and then in a jar of peanut butter ?? But if you could do that for me that would be so great!!! Also, I really don`t need anything, the only thing I need is some new insoles for my shoes and maybe foot powder but that is about it. It would be better if you save your money cause I might be needing help when I get back until I find a job and what not…..

Mom: I have worked with AFCU and I have your new card.  They told me that if you continued to use it even after the expiration it would work because their computers show it is not expired ~ does that make sense?  I will try to send you the new card ~ in a jar of peanut butter….

Wes:  I am not sure We just use ATM machines so I am not sure, if the machine will let me get by if there was an emergency or something that works that is my only reason, but you work at the bank so I trust you so that would work out great if i didn`t have to get a new one until I got home!!  It would be safer if you didn't have to send it.  I trust you.

Wes: Alright mother I am out of here mother for the week, thanks so much for writing and chatting and I love ya so much if you are lucky you can get a selfie(; Next week!! Love ya to the moon and back and then some! Have a great week, tell G-ray good luck for me!!

Delgado!

Dear Family,

So to start things off as you all know I am training.. since I am training we weren´t planning on changes or anything. Because usually you are with that elder for three monthes until he has finished his training, but then again I guess you can´t put anything past the Lord and what he has in mind for us here in this life!  But lucky for me, I am still with Elder Marriott and the same area. But he threw a quick one at us though and he did send us another Greengo to area.  So now there are 5 greengos working together here in this one city, called Delgado! So that is pretty crazy, I never thought that would of been possible but hey it is the Lord´s will and we just have to do it! 

This week I am trying so hard to get my companion working and doing things without me telling him so he could be a trainer if it came down to it this coming Diciembre! So it has been a very long but learning paciencias that is for sure! He is great though and I am so glad to be his companion. 

I had the greatest blessing of having a family of four in church this week with us!! It was so great!! They loved it they said! They also will be going to the activities during the week with the ward, so that is super positive. Also, it really helped the ward gain more confidence in us as missionaries and the work, so that helped a lot, and the ward came and were so great to them and the first time in my three monthes of being here feeling like the ward truly cares about the work and helping us!! So that truly was such a relief, cause sometimes the work as is, is a bit stressful at times and then with having to worry and work and teach the ward it gets more stressful! But hey that is missionary work for ya and I wouldn´t want it any other way!! So I am praying hard and working hard this week to get that family to accept a baptisam date for the middle of Diciembre! 

How is everyone doing??? Everyone ready for Thanksgiving now?? How was the Heil Halloween party??? Thanks for everyones support and help. I love you all so much and especially you mother to the moon and back and then some!! 

Have a great week!! 

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Leatherow

P.S. its been chilly down here since it's changing seasons, nice breeze at night great sleeping weather!

P.S.S Real Quick:

In my studies this past week I ran across some scriptures I would like you to read. 

Alma 26:27 y DyC 64:33-34.

I want you guys to know that the Lord is truly happy and thankful for even the littlest things we do. Sometimes to us as humans it might seem to go unnoticed but for Him it never does! You guys are doing so much and I know that Lord is very well pleased for that! Thank you for your examples and all that you do, it truly does help me and makes me want to be better and work harder and never give up! I couldn´t of asked for better role models in my life!! 

Love you guys!

Delgado ~ a bit junglely (is that a word?)

Having Faith and a little Patience

Dear Family,

Well from the empty box of pictures of deer, I am asuming you guys weren´t able to get any deer!! Which is okay more more for me to choose from when I get back I guess(; So thanks!!

 Well for us here there seems to be always someone that listens to us, because here everyone literally believes in God!!! But the thing is getting to understand that there can only be one true church and getting them to do the things to know for themselves! I am not sure why but getting people to church truly kicks our butts!! I know I just need to be paciente and wait for the Lord´s blessings, it just gets hard some times!! When I feel I am doing everything, taking miembros to visit with us and just have lessons on the Dia de Reposo, and all that good stuff running around an hour before church looking for some to go with us! Yesterday was rough, and I feel horrible about it, because after looking for an hour for someone to take with us and no one could go not even Menos Activos, we headed to the church. I was upset and feeling bad and thinking what am I doing wrong?? I am being a horrible missionary and I must not be teaching these people right? Just all kinds of things, and then 10 minutes into the meeting we had one investigador show up by himself, and then four Menos Activos walked in right behind him. It was a true blessing! I have learned and still am trying to keep the faith and know that the Lord will provide a way, on his own time and in his own way! I just need to do my part and then leave it up to the Lord, which is always hard for me cause, I have always wanted to do it all by myself, without help and doing it until its finished and its done right, so its hard to just do something and then pray and know that it will all workout. I am getting better at it but I still could use a lot of work though thats for sure!!!

When is the Heil Halloween party??? I can´t wait to see those costums!!!! They don´t celebrate it here because of how dangerous it is and what not!!! So that kind of sucks!! So I can´t wait to hear from you guys how it goes!!! By the way did anyone draw a swan tag this year????? I thank you all so much for your love and support over the years and especially while I am out here serving! It truly does mean a lot to me!! So thank you guys!! The weather is getting hot and dry here so that kind of sucks and we again expereinced an earthquake, so the profecias are coming true we are in those days! So I truly hope you all are trying your best and doing what you can to be better, he is not asking us to be perfect, because if he did we would not need him and his help, is expecting us to fall, so that way we can see his hand as we are trying to get back up we just need to take ahold of his hand and use his help and his Atonement so that we get up and are on the right path again!! I love you all, Mother I love you to the moon and back and then some!!! Have a great week!! Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

P.S. 2 nefi 33:15 his last words are great!!! ¨Se Debo al ser obendiente¨ How can we be more like this man? 

Dinner!

These are actually very good and if served with some off the wall salsa they are delicious.  They can be a bit greasy but they are good.

Feeling the Spirit

Dear family,

So this week was rather a rough rough start but then a again the best things never come easy and I am truly coming to find that out here, as I am working so hard to get a baptism but make it a baptism that Elder Marriott will never forget. He truly is a great elder and I love working with him, he truly does push me to be a better missionary and be the best trainer!! Which I fall short of a lot but I am trying so hopefully that counts for something...

So I want to share this experience I had yesterday in a lesson. We have this family who are so great but they weren`t turning out to be to positive the last time I went i gave them more than normal to do to see if they are here to find the truth or just be nice and listen to us. So yesterday was basically make or break moment for them for us and well they made alright!!!! They did all that we asked and more!!! They even truly took into their hearts and thought about they read from the book of mormon and the short version of the Restaruacion video. We then taught them about bautism and read from the book of mormon about it!! And the dad accepted to be baptized next month and the wife is a little harder and she had tons of questions but they were good questions and we answered them easily with the scriptures and she said she would pray about it and then give us answer. but they also asked us to come back during the week to teach them which was really cool, that they asked us to come back!!!!! We then asked the daughter at the close of the lesson to see what she thought about everything and then we asked the question if she believe that Jose Smith saw the father and the son and she answered yes when that moment happened you have no idea how strong the spirit was and it was awesome to be there and be part of it!!! We then even got the dad to give the closing prayer we had been asking for about three weeks for him to pray and he finally did!!! It truly was awesome!!!! So I truly believe we will have a family baptism at the end of next month!!! I am so excited and so blessed to be a part of this great and maravillos work!! 

Congrates to Blair on his elk that is freaking sweet!!! 

And that sunrise is way pretty!!!!! Man do I miss the marsh....only one more year fellas!!!!!!! 

(; How is everyone doing??? Have you been able to have a family over for a family home evening for the Elders???? If not keep praying I know He will answer your prayers just also ask with intent to act on whatever it is like jose Smith did!!! 

I love you all so much, I love you mother to the moon and back and then some!!! 

Have a great week!!! 

Thanks for all the pictures, I love seeing them so please keep sending them!!!!! 

con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

PS  by the way the earthquake was seriously the weirdest coolest thing ever!!!!! (: It lasted like 30 seconds nothing fell it was just crazy weird!!!!

PSS  no BRUTUS!!!!!! He can`t die!!!!! I have so many memories with him!!! I will for sure say a prayer!!! Cause he can`t die he has to last until I get back home!!!!!!! Please tell grandpa to do all that he can please to save him!!!! i know he is a great doctor I have trust that he will find the problem and be able to give the right cure to fix him!!!!! 

Look for the next hand hold and keep moving forward

Dear family,

Those are some monster deer,  am I right????(; 

This was a good week, we had interviews with presidente and so that is always a treat, but we are having some trouble here with the Ward and helping us in missionary work and the ward keeps declining in numbers it truly is sad!!! So that is rough and we are trying our best to help them out and get back on track so they can progress and recieve blessings as a ward. So please help missionaries out when you can, cause that is the only way the work will progress, always be looking and praying for missionary opportunities, I know there is no sweeter feeling than when you see the gospel change someones life!! 

I have a couple things or experiences I would like to share with you guys this week.

So this week we were contacting in the street, I was talking to this man who was reading the Bible and so we got into conversation, my companion is new so his spanish isn`t the best it's coming though and so fast! He is great, so he was just kind of standing there listening when a girl came up to him and starting talking, I couldn`t really listen though cause I was talking with this other gentlemen, I just trusted that he could answer her questiones and what not. After I finished, the lady had already left, but it turns out that she had listened to missionaries before and wants to learn more so she came looking for us and we went to her house the next day and taught her!!! It was incredible - the Lord is truly preparing people for us right before our very own eyes!! I know that there is someone out there waiting for YOU as well. Don`t be afraid if you get the chance share the gospel I promise you will never regret it what so ever!!!! 

So the second piece of news is horrible.  I just found out today and it's hard to fight back the tears as I type because what these people mean to me, but my last baptism this past June of the couple, the wife was killed in a tragic accident. She was shocked by a live wire and killed....I am not sure all details because I get them from other missionaries who are in the area..but it just really puts things in perspective when I heard that. That I am so happy I was able to help her be baptized so she could go and enter the kingdom of God now, but sad because now because a great man is wifeless and has two little kids to look after...I know that God has a plan for each of us and if we just trust in Him He will truly bless us and its all for own benefit! We are the luckiest people on earth to have this gospel that we can have the comfort of knowing that we will see loved ones again after this life, that God does have a plan for us!! That it's not over after this life! I bear testimony of this gospel and the plan that God has for each of us!! That through Him we can return to live with God and our families once again. Comparto en nombre Jesucristo. Amen.

Also I hope you all are doing better and have a great week!! I have a scripture in Mosiah 24:13-16 that I would like you guys to read and more importantly I need mother to read it! I know we all have our trials, but read it hopefully it will help ya out!!!! 

Well I will stop yacking your ears off, thanks everyone for your love and support, I love you mother to the moon and back and then some!!! I love you all, and miss ya but have a great week and keep smiling and stay positive!!!!! 

Con mucho Amor,

Elder Leatherow

Tom and I were both able to chat once or twice with Wes:

Wes:  so dad I was thinking for next year we should put in together!!! We both draw or we both don`t kind of a thing!!! I would truly be my honor to get to hunt with you, and put us in for whatever you want!!!! I will kill anything!! I just would really like to hunt with ya dad!! So please give it a thought and let me know!!!

Dad: Sounds like a great plan to me bud.

Wes: Sounds great!!!! Lets do it then, if you need money take it out of my account to put in for us please!!! Thanks, I have to go, until next week though for sure!!!!!!!! Love ya dad!!!!!

Mom:  Thank you for the scripture reference it was spot on for me today as well as the rest of the family.  You are truly a blessing!

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of the sweet sister.  I will be sure to say an extra prayer for her husband, kids and for the wonderful missionaries serving in El Salvi.  

Love,

Mom

Wes: Its  raining every day though getting into those days of rain season here, so it hasn`t been to bad luckily!!! How is your day off??? You seem a lot happier than the past couple weeks, which makes me a lot more relieved and happy!!!!! (: (:

Mom: you know I am ok.  I am truly loving have the day off.  I have a had a rough couple of weeks.  I felt myself getting sick, my mouth started to break out in sores and my eyes were continually swollen so I just said a prayer that I could be strong.  I have some amazing friends at work who listen and I am married to a true son of God.  He is my rock.  I know this hasn't been easy for him but his faith is amazing.  and Josh has really stepped up to help us with his sister.  I found myself always looking down but when I looked up and saw all that I have I knew I needed to walk taller and just have faith that we will get thru this.  One day at a time.  Thank you so much for caring and I don't want to burden you with my junk.  That is not what you went to El Salvi for.  :)

Wes: yeah but you are my mother and I love you, and I want to help you and do all I can so please talk to me if you need anything...cause I have gotten good at reading people and I know you and I know when things aren`t great so its even worse when you keep it from me and then I try and do what I can to help..even then its not enough...mom know that I love you and know that Heavenly Father loves you!!! You remember when we went to central Utah a few years back and I was helping you up those Rock walls..do remember the words I told you???? ¨I got you, I won`t let you fall¨ I haven`t went any where mother, I won`t let you fall nor will our Father in Heaven just put your trust in him and look up for the next hand hold to keep moving forward. I love ya mother!!!!!

Mom:I love you too.and thank you!

Wes:  I have to go though! So thanks for chatting mother, love ya to the moon and back and then some!!! Have a great week!!!!