November 8th Weekly Letter with Pictures

hey everyone. Its been a good week. JUst keep grinding and working and seeing miracles. Im loving it so much. I feel very blessed to be here and to be able to serve. Sure, im skinny as crud and i would love to eat tons more food and drink protein and lift, but i just realized that this work is way more important than my skinny-ness. haha. I will be able to lift again someday. But yeah i was thinking like, wow, my emails have gotten super boring. Im sorry for that. I will try to spice it up a little more ;)

This week was radical. We had lots of crazy things happen. Not really. BUt kind of. Monday we had an outstanding lesson woth carlos. He loves the guitar and the hymns of the church but doesnt really have a testimony. We left 3 nephi 11 for him to read. HE READ IT. He read 12 as well. 2 chapters. We asked what he like about it and he shared 2 verses that touched his heart. WOW: when he said he read and shared that with us it was a moment where we just sit there surprised with our mouthes open and speechless. I felt like a spotlight was shinging onto Carlos in the dimly lit room as he spoke and there were angels singing ¨halelujah¨ halelujah! But then after we just explained to him what he felt. He said he went to kneel down after reading to ask if it was all true and his friends came to his house and burst open the door. He didnt end up praying. But he had a great experience. Also, he and his friends looked up why it was called the book of mormon haha. He said it all perfect and i as surprised. He is an eternal investigator but we are seeing real changes now. Its exciting. 

Other than that we get rejected a lot. But its not like a NO GO AWAY! its just like people are not keepibng commitments. Like they are nice but just say nah its not for me. Im just like.....how is not for you! Your crazy! Were not here to teach you only were here to help you remember the truth. Thats what i always think. Theres nothing worse than to know someone is rejecting the word of god. Its sad. This isnt a matter of life, this is a matter of eternal life. Some people just choose to avoid it because sometimes the truth is overwhelming. And Satan wants us to think its impossible and that there really is no eternal life. This life is meant for enjoying, thats why we have hte gospel. 

Not too much else has happened. I got to see some good friends this week from the consejo we had. I love my friends in the mission. I have met a ton of new people. Its great. Being in the office i now know almost every misisonary personally. Its awesome. Elder Furlanich came and stayed in my pension for the night. He got in at about 10 and we talked until about 4 in the morning. I couldnt sleep i dont what happened. but i still feel the effects of that. But we had a deep study all night haha about the temple and experiences weve had and stuff. And the relationship that some chapters in the book of mormon have with the bible and ven doctrine and covenants Super powerful. I loved it. It spiritually recharged me as i dont have too much time to study these days in the office. But i can just tell you the more i learn the more i know this church is true. Its hard to find words to explain how much i really believe this.  

Things are busy and stressful in the office. Theres always some sort of problem to fix. And sometimes theres no answer to we have to get creative and make it work. But im learning a ton. I love it. 

I was reading in Alma 26:35 i think it was. I think this is my favorite stripture. I know i have like 50 at least but dang this is a good verse. We are nothing without god. The more we realize this and understand it the more humble we will be. We will be more willing to dothe will of god and not what we want. In return of doing this god has prepared to give us all that he has. Is there aything better than that? I dont htink so. 

I love you all very much and cant wait to give you all a big hug. But for now were just going to keep working out here! 

Elder Westensee