At the Car Wash

Dear Mi Familia Bonita,

So this week was a good one, we had a little bit of running around to do to get ready for our car wash we did in order to help get the funds needs to pay for a bus to take our investigadores to the temple this coming thursday! The funny thing about this is we ended up doing it for free!! So I will go back a little and explain, so we started out washing cars for 1.50 and motorcycles for a 1.00 but then after literally 3 hours of dancing in the blazing hot sun doing crazy things in order to get peoples attention we changed the price! It was so funny to see us all with signs and doing whatever dance moves we could remember and boy did we get tons of laughs, smiles, and horn honking, etc. We changed and said we would wash for free and just take donationes if the people wanted to help us out and we got about 12 or 13 cars after that and we didn`t hit our mark but it's better than nothing. 

Also, as missionaries we wear pants and collared shirts every day all day long, so when we did the car wash some parts of the body that had not seen sun for almost two years now seen it and seen it for like 7 hours, makes for a very sore man!! Did I get sunburned!! I fried!!! It is worth it though and I guess it's a good start on my tan for when I get back!!! 

This week we also had an older gentlemen who is seriously like 80 years old come to church again, and he said he loves it!! That he will continue to come and this old man tried my patience to the max and to see the change in him and what not has been a true miracle for me! I am so blessed to be here and getting to know him!! 

One quick thing for Colt is that man, as you are about to recieve your papers and when you get your call, a lot of things will happen and a lot of emotiones will start, and just stay strong because Satan will start to throw things in your way that could stop you from being a part of the greatest work this world has ever known!! So don`t EVER let your praying knees get lazy!!! FIght it off and get out here and join me in this great cause!! I love you little brother and I am so proud of you!!!! I love you bro!!

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

I love you all so much and hope every single one of you have a great week!!!!

Con mucho amor

Elder Leatherow

Guess this gentlemen doesn't need a car wash?

 OUCH!

Wes:  I also have been heavily thinking electricain..I got permision from my president for on Mondays I can use some of my computer time to look at schooling stuff and I looked up electricain at the ATC, so that is another one that has really caught my eye.

Dad:  Yeah that could be a great field.

Wes:  yeah and it has an option later to go your own business route, that I really liked so we will just have to see, I don`t get a lot of time just like 10 or 15 minutes a week, but dad I have a question for ya and I need a serious answer, and your honest opinion. So here in this area, we play soccer a lot!! and the members always ask me if I had played  before and we get to talking and what not and just playing makes my love for the game come back all over again so much!!!! SO the question is do you feel I could go play college ball?? Do you think I would have the chance and skills to do it??? Please be honest dad I trust your opinion and know you will tell me the truth. I just want to know if not its just a fun hobby I will do but ya so just wanted to hear your thoughts…

Dad:  Well bud, I do know you have the dedication. You would need to come back, get in soccer shape and try out. I know you have a great mind for the game. We would just have to test speed and ball speed. Bryan Garay would probably be a great help to answer that.

Wes:  okay gotcha, i just love the game, if not I would love to be a trainer or help coach a team!!!

Dad:  I'm sure you would be able to do anything along that. We'll try and get with him and see if he can set up some play time for ya, or maybe talk with Weber. I really think you could do division 2

Wes:  okay I guess we will just have to see then, I have been working out here every day to help get me started to be in shape, thanks so much dad for your help!! I really do appreciate it, I have to go for the week though I love ya dad, have a great week!!

Wes:  mother!!!!!!!! I got my card!!!!! WE need not worry any more!!!!!(:

Mom: That makes my heart skip a beat and makes me sing songs of joy!  I am so glad you were able to make it work.  Will you please do me a favor and give Sister Vasquez a hug from your momma?  Are you allowed to hug?  Well she needs to know how much I appreciate her and that her sweet spirit seriously calmed my nerves.  I also so to chat with Elder Caldwell ~ he said he was your first and favorite companion?

Wes:  We can`t hug but I will tell her thanks and yes elder Caldwell was my companion in the MTC, he is great!! He is a very funny guy! 

Wes: thanks mother for everything you have done for me!!! I will talk on the 31 of May that is totally fine with me, I think that would be best as well!!! I have to go though for the week, I love you to the moon and back and then some, have a great week!!!!(:

Favors

Dear Family,

We are doing good here in El Salvi this week, we are working and having some problems with members staying active so that's a struggle so we will continue to work and help this branch, but I guess it's helping me to see how to help run church for when I get home and what not. I enjoy it even though it stresses me out to the max!!! We have several great families here that we are working with and next week we are going to have a trip to the temple and we hope that will help them feel the spririt and have a greater drive to do the things we invite them to do!! The hardest thing is going to church because they are all a little ways out there in the country so it's a sarifice but we know it will bless them!! So it's great!!

So I have some favors I would love to ask ffrom you guys, and I know you are busy that is why I am asking early so you have more time and I don`t want to bother you guys at all!! I just need some help with a few things ~ 

 The first thing is my partiarchal blessing, if you could maybe help get the appointment with the bishop and tell him I get home the 28 of May and then following week I would love to get my blessing, sometimes he is a very busy man, so the sooner we get it set the better!! Cause there is something in there I need to hear, I don`t know what but I have the strongest feeling I need to get it! 

The second thing well you guys have already done it, so I thank you so much it was for school, maybe just check, when the schools start, Weber and the ATC classes, and I am wondering if it is okay if I can stay at the house for fall semester and what not until I get my feet under me and get my life more figured out and get some money.

Third thing is if you can keep your eyes open for some job offering that would be great!!! I can speak spanish! maybe a bank of something I just won`t work Sundays that is the only day I need off!! The other days I will take anything, really I will take anything when I get back, cause boy do I need some cash!! 

The Fourth thing is I was thinking you guys could maybe wire money into my companions account and then I can pull the money out from his account, but I don`t know  ~ think about it and let me know! 

Sorry I know its a lot that I am asking for!! I just have learned out here how to set goals and then how to make the plans to accomplish those goals, so I am kind of more on top of those kinds of things! 

With the airport flight stuff, I was thinking it would be better if the same people who took me to the airport were there to meet me, then we can go to the stake center I can get released and then everyone can meet at the house and we can talk and greet everyone there!! Just so we aren`t in the airport for hours and what not. That is just my thoughts, I will do whatever is easiest though so let me know what you all think.

As for speaking I can do the 14th of June that is fine I just will be going to the singles ward I decided when I return. 

Well thanks every one for the help and support I am recieving!! 

I love you all so much!

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

Have a great week!!!!!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

 Even in El Salvi

 Once a Longhorns fan always a Longhorns fan

 Careful!

Elder Smartt's got this

Dad:  Hey bud, have you given much thought to plumbing, electrician, AR heating and air? Them are fields that are losing workers but are always in demand. And as you get experience, pay goes up quite a bit. Just a thought. 

WES: The AR heating and air a lot actually;  that is too funny that you say that!!!  I think that could be a great field!! I know I need to study but I learn better when its hands on so a quick training and then to work is the best route I feel for me!! I know how to work hard so I think that would be a great option!!!

Middle of March

Dear Family,

Elder Smartt is an awesome companion, and I know that he was sent to be my companion by revelation, I will not tell a lie, just because of how much he has helped me in this litle time and there is still so much time left. He has helped me really get things into perspective and really is helping me with this whole winding down with the mission thing! So it has been great. 

The members here at good ~ we have 6 members in our area and the rest live in the other area, so it's so hard to visit them, and Sundays now are a crazy work day for me; more than normal, because of helping in all the different classes, with the sacramente and then as well trying to get investigators all figured out and make sure they feel good and comfortable, it makes for a stressful morning for me! I enjoy it though, the country life is great, it's so different then the last area, just the way of life and how you to teach people, the way to work even, it's  going to take a little bit to get the swing of things, but its coming along!! I really do like it and I am trying to live this last little bit up and take the work, the members and the country all in and have fun!!! 

I really do love this work and my call and this country, but I will not lie it's coming to an end and I will be home real quick and I can`t wait to see you all and have give you all a huge hug and talk and exchange stories and what not!! 

Well folks that is about it for this week! 

I love you mother to the moon and back and then some, I love you all, and hope you have a great week!!!!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

MOM: When would you like to have your homecoming talk in church?  May 31st, June 14th or June 21st?

Wes: So the date thing I don`t care when I talk to be honest, maybe sooner the better so I can still have that missionary spirit with me(; but truly just tell the bishop to deicide and I will do it!

MOM:  Do you want everyone at the airport or just a small group and everyone waiting here at the house for a late night?

WES: The airport would be sweet whoever wants to go but it doesn`t mattet to me at all!! Just you plan it and I will be there(; 

MOM:  Still no package?

Wes:  So I got a call about my debit card from mission presidentes wife, what is going on with all that?? Do you know?? Have you heard anything?? I haven`t recieved anything yet!

MOM:  Yeah I was chatting with her on FB over the weekend; she is helping me try to track your package which contains your debit card.  I am freaking out.  I feel awful that you are there and BROKE!

WES: It's okay sometimes things happen, there is no use in crying over spilt milk, it won`t change anything

MOM:  I am still looking into our other options.

WES:  Thanks mother!

Change week

Dear Family,

So what a crazy change this one has been for me I will not lie!! So I did get changes and it  was a hard one after being in an area for so long you just become accustomed to it and its home to you, I knew so many people there and they were all so awesome!! I am now back out to the country which is an answer to prayers, I wanted to finish my mission in the country, and I am pretty sure I will finish my mission here, and man do I got a lot of work ahead of me!!  I am serving in a small town, Aguilares.   My companion has only one change in this area, so he doesn`t know it all yet either, it is huge!!!! We have a little tiny branch here, of about 35 adults and 15 kids, so its so small and the weekend before I came they got a new branch Presidente so we will be helping a lot there. For example my first Sunday, I had to give a talk on the spot as well as teach the following two hours!! So will be working hard this next little bit. It shall be fun though! 

My new companion is awesome, his name is Elder Smartt, from Mesa, Arizona. He has one change less then I, so he knows what he is doing and there are two other Elders here with us, and that is our District. We are away from everything!! We are an hour in any direction from big city and stuff, so its great!! It is back to dirt roads and country living, the people here are good, its just back to very little education among the people so that always makes it a challenge, but we are up for it!! We have talked about it, and we have some plans so we will see what we can do, to help this branch grow and get some new members here!!! 

That is a quick update on the El Salvi missionary, I love you mother to the moon and back adnd then some, I love you all, and hope you have a great week! 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Leatherow

Elder Smartt and Elder Leatherow

Dear Family ~ I love you!

Dear Family,

So I have been thinking a lot lately and reading and doing a lot of pondering and it seriously scares me to death knowing that some of you have not had the chance to hear about the NEW WORD!!! We have this great thing that has blessed and helped us so much and its something I know you guys, need it too, sometimes you might know it but you will in the long run! I have had the privilege of meeting and teaching and helping people find what they have been looking for, or finish their search that maybe they never really knew that they had started! Help give people a direction in life, sometimes we seem to just roll through the motions of this game we call life, not knowing where we are going, or how to get there? 

I am here to testify to each one of you that the Lord has a plan for each one of you specifically! That one day we all will pass on to the next life, when?  we never know and that is why it is so important that we do all that we can to prepare for that moment!! 

This gospel has everything that we need to recieve the eternal life! We just need to look for it and ask our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ if these things that you will hear or read are true! I know it will be something very new for every one of you, and for those of you that at one point knew these things but somewhere life got to hard with family, work, or school, or whatever it might be, remember ~  there is ALWAYS time for the Lord, we just need to be humble enough to accept what it is that He wants from us! 

In the long run it will give us blessings, which is what He wants for us to give us blessings, just like you as parents want the best for your kids He wants the best for His kids, which is all of us!! 

I would really like you guys to take a moment and think about these things, maybe pick up and read in the Book of Mormon, ask questions to those of us who have had the blessing to know and have the gospel in our life right now! What have you got to lose if you give 10 minutes of your day for these things?? The only you can recieve is the truth!! There is only two options to this, it's that this gospel is true or its not true! 

I promise you from the bottom of my heart that they are true, I would not just give up two years of my life for something that I knew not to be true and change lifes and families forever! I know you love your wives, your husbands and kids if you love them so much, why wouldn`t you want to be them for an eternity?? If it's a true love I don`t know anyone that doesn't love their family so much that they wouldn`t want that. So please take a minute and ask yourself these questions….

What happens if I die tomorrow or my kids or my wife?? 

How can I create a happy family??? 

Why am I here on earth?? 

I know this gospel to be true and I want you guys to know it too; so you can begin to receive the blessings that I have!!! 

I love you all so much, if there are questions , ask!!! 

I love you guys,

con mucho amor.

Elder Leatherow