December 15, 2014

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for all of your emails! So first of all, I must be going crazy because I thought Dads birthday was this coming week, was it just celebrated early or did I just totally space it? Anyways Happy birthday Dad! I love ya and it sounds like you had a good Birthday party! You are still younger than all my missionary companions and friends dads haha. And happy Anniversary! Sarah and Lynz and I wouldn't be here without you guys!

This last week has been pretty crazy. The Fredrick Brunswick area is pretty crazy haha. Its a pretty poor area and is the Maryland capital of homeless people because of something called the Fredrick rescue which is a huge place that take donations and feeds and clothes the homeless. We do service there every week and this last week we sorted a ton of canned food and served the homeless people food for about 3 hours. It was pretty fun, they had lots of soda and stuff to drink so it was good. This area is pretty tough to only have half car in because its so spread out and big. Me and elder p walked around and street contacted people for hours on some of the days we didn't have the car because we have already seen almost everyone who is walk able or really bike able. For some service this week we painted a members mud room and that took awhile. Our ward Christmas party on Saturday was fun. A ton of people showed up and the food was really good. All of the Hams were smoked in some members smokers, so they were really good.

Its been interesting getting used to the area. I have only had to get to know a new area 4 times on my mission so its always an interesting experience haha, there area a lot of cool people here. There is a really rich part of our area where... members...spoil us. One of them owns the company who builds temples for the church, and is good friends with Mitt Romney.

Tomorrow is zone Training and me and two other district leaders have to instruct of course. And on Wednesday we have to teach President and sister Richards a pamphlet lesson So we are going to be super busy these next two weeks which is good. And then its going to be 2015! Like what the heck?! Anyways on Christmas we should be skyping you at the L's who are way cool ....  So anyways that's about all I have for you guys this week, thanks again for the updates on sports and everything! I love you guys hope you have a great week!

Love wes

Dec. 9, 2014 letter

Whats up everyone!

Wow it has been a very long week! It doesn't feel like I have emailed you guys in two weeks! My new area is pretty nice though, so I know you looked up the town of Brunswick which is in our area. But that is only a tiny portion of our area. we cover a huge area that covers a lot of down town Fredrick and surrounding towns. Brunswick is actually a half hour drive from where we live in Fredrick.

 Our apartment is super nice apartment. Its like brand new and has a nice kitchen and everything. We have gym for the complex we are living in so we go there for work outs. 

 My new companion elder P has been out for 3 months so hes a pretty new missionary. Although you would never know it, he is a super good teacher and knows the area well. Hes from Idaho, nice kid likes video games and and stuff like that. He is a super smart kid, but he is willing to play sports which is good haha.

 We share a car with the sisters here which is interesting. It is a lot better than no car, but a lot of our area we have to drive to so when we don't have the car we can only stay in Fredrick.

 Anyways its been interesting getting to know everyone in the district and in the ward. Down town Fredrick is a ecently big so there is a ton of good stores and a decent mall which I was glad about. 

 Our church building is a stake center and it has a full size basketball court and smaller basketball court so its pretty nice.

 Its nice having elder B as my zone leader and elder P is serving in Fredrick Spanish right now so I can chill with him! Not to mention café rio is my area! Hopefully I don't go broke haha.

 Overall im pretty happy with everything! But of course there is the normal stress of being a District leader in a new area but its no big deal.

Anyways it sounds like you guys had a good week. Sorry you guys have been feeling sick! There is a lot of sickness going around the misson right now too.

Oh and by the way my new address is 5901 Ramseur circle apartment 203, Fredrick Maryland 21073. It has been pretty dang cold here the last week or so, luckily it hasn't snowed yet though. So anyways that's about all I can think of to say to you guys. Let me know if you have any questions! I love you guys!

Love wes 

Dec. 1, 2014

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! It sounds like you all had a pretty eventful week! That's too bad about Grandma! I hope shes doing okay. They really need to make her house Grandma proof or somthing haha so she doesnt fall anymore.

My Thanksgiving was awesome. In the morning our zone went on base at fort meade and we played Ultimate Frisbee with the Fort Meade ward. It was pretty fun we played for about 3 hours. We had Thanksgiving lunch at Bishop C's house with about 15 other people and it was way good. I did a good job of not eating too much and was very comfortable the whole day haha. After the C's we went with the sisters to our ward mission leaders house and played board games and ate some pie. I ate quiet a bit of Oreo pie. After that we went to the B's and hung out with them and then played Basketball at the church as a zone. So it was an awesome last mission Thanksgiving.There wasn't too many people we saw because of black Friday and the holidays and all that, so it was pretty boring week haha. 

As far as Transfers go I am getting Transferred! I'm getting Transferred to Brunswick which is in the Fredrick zone. It is supposedly one of the best areas in the mission so I'm pretty excited to be the District leader there. Elder B is my zone leader and in my District so im sure we will be going on lots of exchanges haha. My companion is not someone I know, his name is Elder P and he just finished Training so hes a newer missionary. So I'm really excited to be going there and it will probably be my second to last area. 

Anyways I don't have much more to say. I will get you guys my new address as soon as I can! I love you guys very much! Talk to you soon!

Love Elder LeGrande

Nov. 24, 2014 letter

Whats up everyone!

 

Im super stoked for this Thanksgiving week, and I hope you all are too! Its 64 degrees here today so im happy about that as well. This last week was zone training and that was pretty good. On Saturday we went to M's baptism in the GB ward who I interview and play basketball with every week. I'm really tight with him and his Dad... so we brought brother B with us and got to attend so that was awesome. 

 

All of our investigators except for C are being difficult to get with right now ... and hope to pick some new ones up this week! 

 

Thanksgiving is going to be awesome. So Thanksgiving is no Pros, so as a zone were playing ultimate Frisbee in the morning. For meals were going to the bishops house with the sisters and 20 or so other people in the ward. We are also going for dessert from the M's (our ward mission leader and his wife from WJ) and then we are going to the B's! So its a pretty stacked day and should be a ton of fun. 

 

On Saturday we are going to the temple with the B's and some other people including T to go to Baptisms for the dead with them! By the way me and Elder K and the bishop and some high priests ordained T to the office of a priest yesterday and gave him the Aaronic Priesthood!

 

Sunday night is call outs to see if I'm getting Transferred or not, if I don't will be in 3 areas for about 18 months! I may only have one or two more areas left in me! 

 

So it anyways it sounds like you guys have some fun Thanksgiving plans with the family! Enjoy your last Thanksgiving with out me haha. Are you going to try to the black friday deals? I don't think we are going to see anyone on Friday haha. So R emailed me today and told me his Dad wants him to go to Utah or SVU so he can be a manager at his Dads place. So he is transferring from Dixie after this semester. They are buying another property thats about 3 acres and expanding on there business. So that pretty much makes up my mind on going to Dixie. I'm pretty dang sure I will not be going there anymore. R also told me that when I get back his Dad will give me a job starting at 14 bucks and houre. So that sounds pretty dang good, so we will have to see what happens. 

 

What do you guys think? Anyways I'm stoked to get the package from you guys! Thanks for sending me one! :) Well that's about all I got for this week! I love you guys! Tell the family I say hi and I miss them. Tell e's kids thanks for all the mail! :) Have a great week, love ya!

love wes

Letter 11/17/14

Hey guys!

Holy cow you guys wrote me a lot this last week! It was a good read, thanks for that! :) Sounds like you had a lot going on this last week haha which sounds exactly the opposite of how my week went haha. We had so many appointments cancel on us this last week and of course it was the coldest wettest week of the year so far haha. Me and elder Knudsen had some cold nights walking around haha, so I know you guys are feeling back home!

 Me and elder K are looking to find some new investigators because its been hard to meet with our current ones lately. But that's OK that happens on a mission hopefully we can find some new people who want to be baptized soon! Our recent converts are doing very and and are very active. The B's are just a joy for the ward out here to have, they are so solid. T has already taken on his new calling as scout committee chairman and has provided some great experience to a not very experienced Severn scout program haha. 

I have been feeling sick today and hope that I don't stay feeling like this for very long. A lot of people in our ward are sick right now so its not surprise haha. Tomorrow we have zone training which should be good. This last week I had to do two baptismal interviews so that was interesting, they both passed so it was good because I don't enjoy failing people :/ 

I cant believe Thanksgiving is next week! We have some awesome people having us over so im pretty excited. We will see if President bans turkey bowls this year, because I really want to play haha. Thanks for the sports updates Pops! Hopefully the 49ers do well and get into the post season and hopefully the jazz can establish some good chemistry and make the playoffs this year. So thats about all I have to say about this last week! Any questions for me or anything I can do for you guys? Thanks for all you guys do I miss and love each of you! Be safe out there! Love ya!

Love wes

November 10, 2014 letter

Whats up everyone! 

 

It was great to here from you guys! This week has been pretty busy and a little long. We had the mission tour with elder and sister Perkins which is the last mission tour of my mission. It was good he talked a lot about just teaching simply and be confident and happy as missionaries. Right after that I went on exchanges with one of the zone leaders in Glen Burnie which was alright, it rained at was cold for the whole exchange so I was glad to be in a car haha.

It was a little hard to set up appointments with people this last week because people were sick and no one wants to let us in when it gets dark haha. Today its sunny and 65 degrees out so its really nice and enjoyable. I hate the dark and the cold haha, especially on a mission. No wonder I like summer so much. But anyways A our investigator is doing well and came to church on Sunday. And some less active members we haven't seen in awhile also came so that was pretty cool. 

The weeks go by slow but I look back and everything is a blur. So I'm curious as to what the missionaries did as a lesson after dinner with you guys? How did they ask for referrals?

 I hope everything is good with Sarah and Lynz. 

What are you guys doing for Thanksgiving? We already have three people lined up for thanksgiving day so that should be fun. Anyways as far as Christmas ideas go. I really don't know what to ask for. I feel like sending money is the best way to go because I'm not really sure and shipping is expensive but I know you kind of hate doing that mom so I don't know. I'll try and think of some stuff.  Anyways thanks for all you guys do, have a great week!

Love Wes 

November 3, 2014

Hey whats up everyone!

This last week as really good, so I don't know if I told you wrong or if you just misunderstood but R is the one we lost contact with. T is great and got baptized and confirmed this weekend and gave an awesome testimony afterwords! So it was way sweet to be a part of that. His non member wife who hates any church for the most part and also came with there 14 year old son who were hoping to work with now. 

Anyways I received the Halloween package and letter with the drivers license and credit card. Thanks so much for doing that! Anyways we have a new investigator named A who has been coming to church and we have been teaching so hopefully he accepts a baptismal invitation next time we go over! :) Tomorrow is out mission conference with elder and sister Perkins and I'm not stressing about it anymore and so I'm sure it will be good :) 

Halloween was cool on Friday, we had leadership meeting in Fredrick and then since it was no proselyting we played basketball and volleyball as a zone! It sounds like you all had a pretty fun Halloween! That's sweet that you guys had such nice weather!