Hello family and friends,

I think that we get to email way to much! Every time I sit down I try to think about what I did and I just go blank. I know we did a ton, but it takes a few minutes to remember.

To start off, Monday, we went to Burlington Coat Factory with a group of Elders to look at ties and shoes. We were planning to be there for 25 minutes and ended up being there for like 2 hours! I will send a lot of the pictures from that it was seriously a ton of fun. The whole time, we were just trying things on and it was fun to see what the other guys thought looked good. We were just laughing and I never EVER thought I would have fun shopping. I guess I was for sure wrong. Then on Tuesday, we went on exchanges with some other missionaries in our zone for the day. On exchanges, we do some training and the biggest thing is just going out and working super hard. Helping them to see that missionary work is fun and that it is more fun when you work hard and are good at it. Haha  But it went well and I know I left with things I could work on but you just hope the other missionary did as well.

On Thursday, we had our Transfer Meeting and it was a whole mission conference because we went and saw Meet The Mormons. Well, we went to the church building and watched it. I love being able to see all your friends around the mission and also getting to see how they are doing and what is new with them, but the movie was way good, it was just hard to sit and look at a screen for that long. It is a little embarrassing but true. I just struggled sitting still!

Transfers went great! I am staying with Elder Taylor and I am pumped about that. We get along really well and have had fun serving together. Our zone also got a lot of cool missionaries and I think that will be a big bonus on our end.  Friday, as a result, was spent moving everyone's stuff to where it goes and making sure they have everything they need. Lots of driving and talking for Elder Taylor and I. We have some good music that we jam out to though, like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir! :) On Saturday, we had a few appointments and so we tried calling around to the other members of the ward for help. We called 26 people and only 2 said they could go. We left like 15 voice mails and only 2 called back. Working with members can be extremely tough so if the missionaries call, just answer! We needed one more member and right then, President Riggs sent out a text that he wanted to come to a lesson and call him if you were interested. So within the minute we called and he came with us! It was super freaky but it went way good and we got tons of Praise Of Men from him. Then he came to church so that he could see the lady again and so it was constant best behavior mode for us this weekend!

Well, I hope to hear more of you about all the fun you're having at home! What else has been going on? Have a great week. I love you tons!

Love,
Elder Westover

Hello Everybody,

I am so sorry I did not write last week. We went to DC and so we had to take off super quick! The DC trip was so cool. We parked our car at the 23rd St. Chapel in Arlington and then rode along the Potomac on the bikes and across Key Bridge into DC! I will say that is was one of the neatest bike rides I have ever done. We biked to the White House and to The Washington Monument and then parked up and walked around. The cool part was that there were 6 of us and it was cool biking around DC with the white shirts and ties in a long line juking through traffic. A very cool experience.

This week was full of twists and turns. It all started with a companionship in our zone that had all zeros and had done absolutely nothing the whole week. What we decided to do was to go and study with them in the morning and to just talk to them and see how we could help. We got there at like 8:15 and when we knocked on there door we got no answer. After 5 times of that and no answer, we went to there window and started banging on it. They heard us and one of them opened their door and you could tell he was a little nervous. We just sat down and started studying. One of them was awake and the other just kept sleeping. We had a good talk with the one and then left and reported to their District Leader. After the visit, that one missionary decided to shape up and told President everything that had been going on, even to the point that the one that was sleeping is no longer in Virginia. It was sad to see him go and I wonder if we had done everything we could to help him. President Riggs was thankful for the way we handled it but it was hard. The talks on conference were about making good choices and adjusting our lives to match and to follow the Savior. It sounds so easy but really takes so much application and dedication. If these Elders would have made small choices early on, it would have completely changed the way all this happened. It really is hard to see it and I am sure this is how our Heavenly Father feels when He sees us fall off the path.

I can't wait for the Phoenix Temple. That is going to be great having it so close and being able to go frequently. That will be a huge blessing. I still can not comprehend that Football started. I had no clue BYU was that good and that ASU was doing well. It sounds like it has been a good season for those teams beside the injuries that have gone on. As long as they are good next year that is all that matters right?

I will send pictures of the trip we had and some other moments. I love you! Have a great week and continue to apply the words of the Prophets into your life. I miss you and will see you..eventually! :)

Love,
Elder Westover

Awesome Kids

 Austin Ave

Our View of Alexandria

Hey Dad,

I think it is so crazy that it is Monday again. While you're in the
week, you feel like time moves pretty normal but then you wake up and
you're emailing again. It really is so strange. I can't complain about
time moving quick though because it helps you stay motivated!

This week was so great! Elder Taylor and I have been so crazy busy and
this week we were really able to focus harder on our area. We taught
some really good lessons and the spirit was just screaming during our
lessons! It was wild. Also, at church yesterday we had 2 people come.
Saria who is the daughter of a recent convert and a lady named Fanus
Neguse. She is from Eritrea and is soooo nice! But she enjoyed it and
we are excited for her to continue to progress!

This past week we had our interviews with President Riggs and then we
got to take time with everyone as well. It was so fun but it was way
tiring! You have 22 interviews with different missionaries and you
just have to stay really positive and motivated for each person. I
can't imaging how President can do that for 10 zones worth every 3
months! He is a stud.

I love getting to know so many missionaries and being able to see them
have success! There is a companionship who is teaching a man named
Addis and he is so cool but the Ward Mission leader was hesitant for
some reason for the baptism. They asked us to help pray for it all to
work out and we sent that to the whole zone. They called us and were
so excited to report that it was going to happen Saturday! They
were so grateful that we had sent that to the whole zone to pray for him
and it was fun to see them happy! It is so great that God will hear
and answer our prayers. I have seen to many prayers answered to
question that anymore.

It sounds like a lot is going on.  I can't wait to see the
Temple once I get home, especially being able to go through it. It
would be so cool to be there for the cultural celebration and the dedication. I am jealous of the kids!

Thanks for your email. We are playing board games with some elders. I
will send a picture of the view from this place.

Love ya!
Elder Westover

Hey family and friends,

The big news of the week, the move went really well! The complex we are now living in is very nice but our place is smaller than the last. We had to downsize a lot but that is not a bad thing. I will make sure to take pictures and send them to you. The move did take TONS of time though which was hard on the area a bit. We still had a good week even though we were not out and about as much. But overall, our area is doing well and I think we are on an upward climb here. This past week, I went on exchanges with a new missionary who is from Chesapeake, Va. He is doing a mini mission to see how the mission works and to have a better feel for it. It was around 8:30 and we decided to go knock a few doors and after I knocked one, I told him it was his turn. He looked at me and I thought he was going to faint, but I talked him into trying. He knocked once and then twice and nobody answered. We started going to the next home when I asked if he would like to practice. He said, "yes" and right as we started practicing, a lady at the last door opened and invited us to come in. We went in and met Terry and taught her about the Book of Mormon and she was just so excited! After the lesson, it was fun to talk up this Elder and show that his first door he knocked became a new investigator! It was a super happy and spiritual moment for me.

For some exciting news, this week should be a busy one as well. Tonight, our mission is doing a "Finding Fest". Our goal for the whole mission is to find 200 New Investigators in the span of 3 hours! I think it is very possible and we are hoping that we can reach the goal. Also, on Tuesday we are going on Exchanges with the AP's and that is always really fun because you learn a lot from those guys and they love to get out and work which gets me pumped up! On Wednesday, we have interviews with President Riggs and we also interview every member of the zone so that will be an all day thing. I am excited to see how that works on the other side of things. We have a full week but I am super excited to see tons of miracles!

How is work going by the way? I have not heard about that in a while and I am sure there are some neat changes recently. I have been thinking a lot about lately what I am going to do when I get home and for the rest of my life.  Not to many ideas are flowing but I still have some time to think about that.

Dove hunting huh? How did that go? Brooks looked pretty goofy with all his Camo on! I hope that he had fun doing that.

Have a great week! Miss you tons!

Love,
Elder Westover

Here is the new address! Please send me letters everyone.

5270 Duke St. #302
Alexandria, Va  22304

Elder Westover

Hello Everybody,

The crazy week turned out to be really good! My new companion is named
Elder Taylor and he is from the Ogden area in Utah. I think he is a
way chill guy and we will get along good. I am not usually someone
that gets frustrated or upset and neither is he. He is a brand new
zone leader and has been out for 17 months now. So there is a lot of
pressure to really lead the zone and to train him on being a zone
leader. It is not to hard but at the same time it is different for
sure.

On Friday we had our Mission Leadership Council (MLC) and that turned
out really good. We talked a lot about leadership, motivating the
mission, and other random topics. We start the meeting at 9 and got
done around 3:30. It can get long but it is way fun to see how it all
works and to be a part of that. We also do zone accountability where
your zones averages are on the projector and you talk about the good
and bad and ways to improve. I learned a lot and feel prepared for
zone training on Tuesday. Our zone lost a lot of good missionaries and
so we are hoping that the new people will really help keep the energy
moving forward.

We were not able to move into the new place on Saturday so that will
happen on Tuesday. When I know our address I will make sure to tell
you. By the way, I could totally use a "welcome to your new place"
package of some different kinds of treats. Just thought I would let
you know ;)

Also, we found a lady named Samuella, who just moved here from
Maryland about a month ago. She was baptized and never thought there
would be a church here in Alexandria. With the Africans, sometimes it
does not all click at once. Haha But now we are teaching her family
named Aminata and Katie. That has been so fun and it feels good to
have some solid people we can finally teach!

How has school been going for everyone? I heard Brooks got to do fast
offerings and that he did a good job for his first time. It sounds
like he is really growing up now and that is super cool. I am excited
to see what he is like in 11 months or so. I can't believe I am 13
done..

Take care and have a safe week. If you have any questions that I never
answer or don't explain well just ask. I always try to talk about
things going on but they might not make sense sometimes. You're all in my
prayers and I miss you tons!

Love,
Elder Westover

Hey everybody!

This week of ours was a step in the right direction but it was small
for sure. We FINALLY had a return appointment with 2 people this week
and so that was super exciting. We meet tons of people on the
doorstep, walking around,mor at bus stops but we can never get a hold
of them again. I feel like I have worked hard this transfer and I know
that we will see blessings for our diligent efforts. I really feel
that something will just explode here soon and we will be meeting and
teaching many people. I truly believe that.

I have learned how to be patient this transfer. I wanted everything to
work our right away so that we could be the example for the zone but
that is not what I needed. God teaches us in many ways and I know I
needed to learn how to wait for His will and not my own. I feel like I
have learned that principle but we will see what He thinks about that.

Our upcoming week is crazy!! On Tuesday we have meetings and then also
an exchange with a missionary who is way cool. Wednesday, we are
packing for transfers and also packing our apartment up. Thursday is
transfers and so that is always exciting and busy. Friday is our MLC
meting in Centreville which will be fun. Saturday we are moving into
our new place. This should keep me on our toes.. But I think it will
be fun and exciting!

I hope to hear from you and about all the exciting
news. Love you tons have a good week!

Love,
Austin