June 27, 2011

Hola,

Yesterday was stake conference. They had a Spanish and an English session and we went to both. We are use to long Sundays but we did get a little restless during the second session. It was nice nonetheless. The temple president from Juarez came and basically told everyone not to worry about the violence in Juarez and to come to the temple. Also, a member from the mission presidency spoke and did a nice job.

Saturday and Sunday were some HOT days, around 108.

We went on exchanges with the zone leaders this week. Me and Elder Hallows worked our area and actually got a lot done. He interviewed one of our investigators for baptism and we should be having the baptism on Sunday after church.

We helped one of our investigators make a little cage for their kitten. They had us there at 7:30am. Good thing they made us breakfast! We had a lesson with them later that day and they made us more food.

We also helped another companionshiop in our district this week. One of the Elders is sick and hasn't been able to work much lately so their area was in need of a boost so we went over and took turns going out with the healthy Elder and staying in with the sick one.

I got an email from my old companion, Elder Pearson, and he says he's getting married in August! I'm not sure if it's a joke or not.

Today, to celebrate my half birthday, my companion and I are going out to B-Dubs with Brian Allen for buffalo wild wings. Brian is a member in our ward and takes good care of us, so this time I'm taking him out to lunch. I love him.

Love,


Elder Wiest

June 20, 2011

Hola,

Things are good, as always. This week we had zone conference with President and Sister Miller. We talked a lot about planning for a successful future. We also watched a powerful talk that Elder Holland gave at the MTC in january.

Salt Lake sends out these papers with addresses of members to try and find out information about other members who are connected to them. Well, the English ward passed those on to us and we did that this week. I kinda felt like a detective. In the process, we met a lady who has two hearts, extra bones in her hands and feet, and no teeth... who knew? And she could read our emotions.

With a lot of our "free" time this week we went and helped our English Ward Mission Leader pack up his house. On Saturday, we loaded everything into a huge U haul. It had to be like 115 degrees in the truck.

The weather has been ugly the past few days. Windy, dusty and hot.

Our investigators are doing good. We've got some that are close, they just need an extra push.

I turn 20 1/2 next week. Just so you know.


Love,


Elder Wiest

June 13, 2011

Hola,

Things are pretty much the same in these parts. This past week we went on exchanges with the other Elders in our District. I went with Elder Hull and had a good time. He has diabetes and is always poking himself and sticking things in his arm, so that was fun to watch. Elder Hull had coupons for free ice cream so we each got a bucket.

Elder Salazar and I had to go to the DMV in Las Cruces again. We didn't have to wait as long this time and we made friends with two black kids who were there waiting with their dad.

Our two baptismal dates are doing good. We should be getting them interviewed soon.

Our Ward Mission Leader for the English ward is officially moving this week. He and his family are going to Boise, ID. They have lots of family there, I guess. They had a little "going away" open house last night and we stopped by and got some treats. We are going to miss them. Before they go, we'll be helping them pack up.

On Friday, we were having a lesson in a park around 8:00pm and we might have met a vampire. It was a little freaky.

Yesterday during Church we helped our Spanish ward mission leader change his flat tire and drove him back to Church from Pep Boys.

I have a new found appreciation for Girls Camp. Our recent convert, Jocelyne, went this past week and loved it! I think it really helped her testimony. I've heard horror stories from Girls Camp and Elder Salazar and I were a little worried but we talked to her on Saturday just after she got home and she was basically glowing!

Love,


Elder Wiest

June 6, 2011

Hola,

Things in the northeast (of El Paso) are going great! We worked hard this week. School is officially out...and it's officially super hot!! It's a good thing we have real air conditioning and a car.

Our ward mission leader for the English ward is more or less out of a job right now and home all day. We stopped by and invited him to spend a day with us. So, the next day we went over and had breakfast with his family then went to work! We hit up a few investigators and then started going through the part-member list. We went all over the place. It was a lot of fun and we got lots done.

We have two baptismal dates right now and they are both looking solid.

We've gone to Denny's another three times or so. They have a bacon maple syrup ice cream sundae! Yummy, but it kind of gave me a tummy ache.

Not much to say for the week, just lots of heat.

Love


Elder Wiest

May 31, 2011

Hola,

Me and Elder Salazar have been working hard this week. He is a real good missionary and I'm excited to work with him this transfer. He's pretty funny, too. He is from Sandy, Utah. He goes home in November. He was called as English speaking but got changed to Spanish this last transfer. His parents are from Columbia and he grew up speaking Spanish. He is a licensed message therapist and he used to be a cheerleader (the cool kind not the weird kind). Yesterday we decided that his new nickname is "Spooks" because his birthday is on Halloween.

We found a bunch of new investigators this last week and have been getting a lot of work done on the Spanish side of things.

I think I mentioned before about the elderly lady who passed away. Well, we taught her son and niece this past week and he has a baptismal date set for June 18th. He is a really good guy.

We played the longest game of Uno with one of our investigators and his family. Despite the name of the game being Spanish, Spanish speakers don't actually know how to play. That was surprising!

Being the end of the month, we've been pressed for miles, so yesterday for P-day we hung out with Julio and Jocelyne, the two kids who got baptized awhile back. We went to the park/rec center and played some indoor soccer. I didn't do so well.

Since I've been companions with Elder Salazar we've been to Denny's three times...and two of those times were in the same day.


Love,


Elder Wiest

May 23, 2011

Hola,

Elder Wiest is staying in the north east. Elder Konelio is not. My new companion will be Elder Salizar. I'll be getting him tomorrow. We guarded each other last week in basketball during the zone vs. zone Olympics. He seems like a cool kid, so I'm excited. Elder Konelio is going to my old area, so he'll be close. Elder Konelio loves this place a lot. He knew he was gone, though. He started packing on Wednesday.

The last week of a transfer is usually a rough one and this one wasn't much of an exception. We still got stuff done.

I went on exchanges with Elder Palomo this last week. He is a fun kid. Their apartment is in a real rough place.

Some of the people we have been teaching have been slacking lately, but we're working with them. The ward and branch are taking good care of us.

Love,


Elder Wiest

May, 16 2011

Hola,

We had a good week, on Friday we had a baptism. I had the chance to baptized Darren. He is a great kid. There wasn't many people from the ward at the baptism but he had his whole family there and brother Sheiss, who is his home teacher/counselor in the bishopric. His family definitely felt the spirit. He was confirmed on Sunday by our ward mission leader who walked in the door after the opening prayer in sacrament meeting, it was a close one.

On Saturday we went hiking with some brethren from the Spanish branch to celebrate the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. We went up in the Franklyn mountains a little ways then went out to get pizza.

For the past month or so we've been visiting a old lady from the Spanish branch who has lots of health problems and her son who is not a member. He's been hesitant but he is way nice. Anyways her health kept getting worse and worse and she passed away this past week. I think she was like 135 years old. Anyways, he came to church on sunday with his sister who is a less active member and two other siblings. So I’m excited to work with them.

I think Elder Konelio may be leaving this transfer. I’m not sure.

We’re having a zone olympics today. The El Paso zone is coming over to play volleyball, basketball and soccer.

Tell Hunter’s Mom I send my love.

Love,

Elder Wiest