This week has probably been the hardest and craziest week of my life.

Hello family!

Thanks for all the nice emails from you guys! This week has probably been the hardest and craziest week of my life. So my new area is in the Jones Falls ward here in Towson, Maryland. Towson is a nice area and 80 percent of the population in Towson city is under 25. 

My area is huge! Our ward is the biggest ward in the mission, with 900 plus people on the roles and average of 320 people at sacrament! Its bigger than most Utah wards. It is a very young ward because The Johns Hopkins hospital is in my area and half of the ward is working and going to school there. There are about 12 colleges in my area! Our area covers some inner city and some really bad spots in Baltimore. 

Today we had district meeting in Essex which has the the two most dangerous streets in America haha. There are places called blue light areas in my mission area, which means that they have blue lights and cameras all over the streets. Police pretty much don't even respond to phone calls in this area any more haha. To put in perspective how crazy this area is, there are about 500,000 people covered by us and another set of elders and two sets of YSA missionaries. 

It has been a crazy adjustment. Not to mention me and my new companion Elder Benard "shot gunned" the area, which know one cared to tell me. I found out we were "shot gunning" at transfers from Elder Benard. 

This week has been very hard. First of all they took the car away from this area and the start of this transfer  and gave it to another area. We soon figured out that this area would be impossible as a car and out ward mission leader called president Richards and "told him off" about taking the car, haha. So we got a car from the mission office yesterday which was such a life save. We had already walked to everybody who was in walking distance of out apartment. It took us three hours to walk to a members house each way.

These last couple days me and Elder Benard have been completely exhausted after walking about 25 miles in 2 days. But luckily we have a full time car now. These last couple weeks I have been having bad migraines almost everyday, so today I'm going to call sister Richards and see what we can do for it. Two days ago it was so bad I felt like I was going to throw up. So yea you could say its been tough. 

I'm so glad to have the best family and friends in the world, I don't think I could any of this without you guys! 

I love you guys so much, I'm glad to here that everything is going well back at home. I hope the weather there has been better that it is here. The weather has been an absolute joke. The entire state of Maryland was almost in chaos. But today there hasn't been a cloud in the sky and its 50 degrees! :) Tonight I get to go play basketball at the church with a bunch of people and some less active members, so I'm very excited about that. :)

 We have a very good investigator who is being baptized next month who is a school teacher in inner city Baltimore. He is a very humble sincere guy who is VERY solid and ready to be baptized. And we have another lady were about to start teaching who just got married to a member and told us she is going to join the church with her husband! So we pretty much got a free baptism haha. She is an anesthesiologist at Johns Hopkins hospital and her husband is an RM who grew up in Maryland and is a Navy Seal. 

So that's sweet. Well I'm in the Towson library and have to get off now but I love you guys very much hope you guys have a good week!

love,

Wes 

Transfer to Jones Falls, MD (Suburb of Baltimore)!

Hey guys!

So yes I'm getting transferred after six months in Woodstock. I'm headed to Baltimore! Apparently my area has been the zone leader area in Baltimore for a really long time but I guess they moved it because I'm not a zone leader! Elder Tilley tells me I'm not it the hood but I'm in the really rich area, probably the richest area in the mission.

It is supposed to be a good size ward though. I'm pretty excited, I will be going on exchanges in  the hood though in inner city, so that will be fun! ;) My new companion is someone named Elder Bernard. No one has a clue who he is, so it should be interesting.

 

Yesterday I got to hang out with the whole Harris clan for the last time. I was sad I had to say bye to all them but it was a good time, and I got some pictures with them so its all cool. This last week nothing really happened to much, the three investigators I'm leaving behind are doing well and are going to be baptized this next month.

 

But I'm excited to go to Jones Falls. It really is one of those areas that a lot of missionaries wish they could serve in. I hope my new companion is cool.

 

Thanks for the package you guys sent me, I loved it. Thanks for the nice things you liked about me to, it made my day. Thanks Sarah and Lynz for the emails too! It is good to here both of you are doing good :) I hope school is still fun for you.

 

Thanks dad for the update on sports it was cool to here the jazz beat the heat. Well I hope you guys have an awesome week and have a good Valentines Day I love you guys very much. 

Letters from January 20, 27 and February 3 2014

January 20, 2014

Hey guys! 

Elder Tilley and I had a great week. We were able to take our investigator Chris to a baptism in a near by ward because elder Tilley was the elder who began teaching her so we got to go and bring him. Afterwards we had a sweet lesson with him and when the spirit was super strong we invited him to be baptized and he knew that he really wanted to, so he is scheduled for the 22 of February because we have some stuff to work on with him, like the word of wisdom. But no biggie, the spirit can do all things! Hopefully his girlfriend and friend who are doing awesome and taking the lessons will get baptized too! I sadly will probably will not be able to see it though because I am 90 percent sure I am getting transferred. But oh well, it doesn’t matter. I hope you all had a good week. I dont know about you but I am sooooo done with this cold weather. I am ready for it to warm up! I was bummed to here that the Niners lost but I am glad the Broncos are.  I love you guys very much, I am excited for the package and letter! Have an awesome week!

Elder LeGrande and Elder Tilley fill up water containers
 for a member from a water spring

January, 27, 2014

My knowledge of the Gospel has just grown tremendously, I have also just mainly learned about people which are super important in missionary work. Missionaries, [I know]  aren’t so robotic anymore. You have to read people with help from the spirit and just teach to there needs and ask question to help them teach themselves.

Briefly, this week has been very good, our investigators who chewed tobacco during every lesson we have taught so far all committed to live the word of wisdom. Me and elder Tilley were both super nervous because we didn’t want to lose them as investigators, we studied and real played it a lot and as we taught them the spirit was stronger than any lesson I have ever taught or been in. It was a miracle just to see how the lord has our back. Chris is on date and his two friends have committed to be baptized but not on a specific day yet. Mission conference was also super awesome this week. S Gifford Nielson is THE MAN. Btw he is 6'6! But it was an awesome mission conference, he really talked about how the second coming is coming soon and how we just need to be the help in the wards and branches to bring others to his gospel. Another thing he taught that our mission is already focused on is real growth and about finding those big fist investigators. We could be baptizing thousands in Baltimore but the numbers are not what were focusing on. Anyway that was my week! Played ball with a bunch of really good elders today including my best buddy elder bell who was my MTC companion, almost all of us played HS ball. Thanks for all you do for me guys I love ya very much I pray for you guys every night! Love ya :)

Love wes

February 3, 2014

Dear family,

Had a pretty good but tough week. We had pretty much no miles this week so we had to walk a lot. We walked 10 miles one day and my shoes are starting to get decently worn out. We were able to see our investigators the 3 amigos  and that was really good. We bought them jolley ranchers, gum and mountain dew to replace there tobacco and coffee. We were also able to go over there house yesterday with two other friends they invited to watch part of the super bowl because we were able to get permission from president! I only saw the first half of the game and I must say it was a joke of a game. But oh well me and elder tilley had fun with them and the had steak and shrimp for us, so that was pretty sweet. The weather here is terrible. I am so done with this stupid snow and cold. It snowed a little this morning and our cars got grounded, so we cant really go anywhere on our preparation day which stinks. I heard we could get up to 30 inches of snow later this week. I don't know how much more of this crappy weather I can handle. But anyways I hope you guys had a good week, I liked the pictures you guys sent of Dad playing Austin [McCombs] in church ball! Whats he up to these days? Anyways transfers are next Wednesday and we should find out where and what on Sunday night. So I just now found out that two of my good friends just came home from there missions. I'm not going to name anyone but I am kind of upset about it. I guess I cant really blame them at all, because missions are the hardest thing ever, but I wish they could have stuck it out. But oh well. I will be looking for your letters in the mail! Thanks for always supporting me and encouraging me. It really does make a difference. I love ya guys have a good week!

Love,

Wes

January 13, 2014

Hey guys!

It has been a fantastic week. We picked up three new investigators this week and has some sweet lessons with them. They are 3 kids in there 20s and all just want to learn about the Gospel! We have 11 investigators right now, which is really good but it is a lot to handle! Hopefully we will have some investigators on date to be baptized soon. Its still pretty cold here, but a little warmer than what it was last week. Yes the long johns fit just fine, which I already emailed and told Grandma, but they did help keep me warm this last week!  But anyways everything sounds like its super boring from what everyone in utah is telling me, so that doesnt bother me much haha.  Thanks for the letters sarah and lynz for letters I enjoyed reading them ALOT! I like how I can see both of your personalities come out in your emails! It helps me remember you guys! You guys both sound like you have had fun with school and friends. Thanks for the packages! Cant wait to get this next one! Thanks for always being there for me, I love you guys very much have a good week.

Love wes

Letters from Elder Wes LeGrande December 30, 2013 and January 6, 2014

Hey guys!
It was great to talk to you on Christmas! It made my day for sure :)
Thanks for all the awesome Presents! I feel like I got spoiled for sure. I was pretty stoked to get lots of nice ties from everyone! Please let Tricia and Grandma Peggy/Donna and Jess know how much I appreciated the Presents they got me. Brandi, Ashley and Karlee all sent me Presents so that was pretty awesome :)

Overall my Christmas was very different but it was good :) Donald was confirmed yesterday, and that went very well, we are going to play Basketball with him and some potential investigators today. I'm sure you are anxious to know the news on Transfers.

Well, I’m staying in Woodstock for another Transfer! Elder Zander is leaving to go be a zone leader and my new companion is named Elder Tilley. 

Elder Tilly is one of the most experienced missionaries in the mission, hes a tall kid and apparently he's good at basketball so that should be good! I think he might even go home next Transfer so I might have a trunky missionary as my companion haha.

He was a zone leader for six months before this and will now be the new District leader here.  I get to go on lots of exchanges again so that will be cool. So will be going too Transfers on Wednesday and President Wright is taking us, so he will probably buy us Cafe Rio on the way back :) But yea tomorrow we have district meeting and The Kunz (the senior couple in our District) are buying everyone in the District Lunch tomorrow for our Christmas Present to that will be awesome! They are the coolest senior couple in the mission. 

We also aren't allowed to proselyte tomorrow night and new years day so that will be interesting! Anyways I love you guys very much I missed you a lot during this Christmas season, but I'm glad to be out here on a mission :) I'm glad you had a fun Christmas with the family :) I feel like time is just going by faster and faster and my mission will be over before I know it, so I will continue to work hard until the very end. Thanks for always being there for me :) Have an awesome week! :) 

Love Wes

January 7, 2014

Hey guys!


It was good to here you had a good New Years Eve! We don’t get to stay up till 12 so my new years eve was pretty non existent ha-ha. And wow 17 days off (girls)? That’s a long winter break!

Anyways we had Transfers New Year’s Day and picked up my new companion Elder Tilley. He is from Memphis TN, and he was in the Sweats old ward when the Sweats were there. He is a 6'4 Baller, pretty dang good at Basketball; he got some offers from some small schools.

He doesn't go home as early as I heard but he leaves sometime in the summer, but won’t tell me when exactly because missionaries are butt heads about telling people that stuff ha-ha.

He is a really good missionary and definitely knows what he wants to accomplish and get done. I have learned a bunch of stuff from him already this last week. We also got 3 new investigators, so we were stoked about that!

We like a lot of the same things especially basketball and music. And he is Randy Rigby’s nephew, so he is a big Jazz fan too. I'll see if we can snag some free season tickets from him when I get home, he is also going to UVU. 

So yeah, it has been a good week, gave a couple blessings earlier this week and that’s about everything worth mentioning ha-ha. The weather here is awful though. It’s in the teens and single digits and the humid cold is 10 times worse than the dry cold. But oh well.

Sarah it was good to get that letter from you! :) Sounds like you had a crazy amount of homework! I hope school is fun for you and Lynz! :) Thanks for the scores pops! I hope you guys end up having a good basketball season! Break some old man ankles! Pull some Euro step on some dudes like I did to some Elders on New Years Eve! Tell all the guys on Tuesday what up for me and tell them they all better be there when I get back! I hope you all have an awesome week and stay warm! 

Love ya guys,

Wes

Hey family!

 Had a good week this last week. Our investigator D is being baptized this Sunday. He is a pretty awesome kid, he has soaked up the gospel like a sponge since we have started teaching him. Ill get some pictures on Sunday and send them to you hopefully next Monday.

We also got 4 new investigators this past week which are two older couples, so thats been pretty sweet. One of these couple houses just looks like a regular house, but actually has a swimming pool inside! It was pretty crazy but I guess thats how they get all of there excersize. 

Haha yesterday we got to go to the temple again with two families in our ward to go check out the lights and go to the visitor center. They had some christmas violin and singing performance at the theater there. They all seemed to have liked it. It was fun and the [whole ]clan brought tons of food to eat so that was cool.

Honestl,y thought thats about all that happened this last week. The mission Christmas party is on Friday in Ellicott city, so that will be a fun long drive haha. I also get to go to Luray on exchanges this week with elder J a buddy from the MTC who is from park city, so that will be fun especially since Luray is a crazy place.

But anyway I am glad you are all doing well. Happy birthday 44th birthday pops! Are you receiving any old folks ads yet!? Haha just kidding. In the state of Virginia the average is seriously like 72, there is no young people here at all. I hope your party was fun with the family. I missed being there with all of you guys! Your the best 44 year old baller I know for sure, you did learn from the best though ;) BTW I havent played basketball in like 3 weeks, it really stinks. I think im just going to get fat now that I dont get to play ball very much. But I work out hard in the apartment for 30 minutes everyday! Happy anniversary too! I love the picture you included when you were married haha, but I hope you a had a good time.

Well I better wrap this up, but I hope you are enjoying your christmas season and you get to relax a little for a change, im excited to skype you on Christmas I will be giving you a five minute phone call to figure out when we can skype. I love you all, thanks for the pictures! Good job Sarah and Lynz in your dances im sure you did awesome. The picture of Brandi was pretty funny as well haha. Have a good week Love you all very much!

Love Wes

Hey guys!

You guys sounded like you had a fun week! So on Friday we got to go to the temple visitor center with our investigator and two of his Young Single Adult friends from the ward. It was pretty awesome, Donald enjoyed it a lot and so did me and Elder Zander. I got to talk to of the sisters who are missionaries there who I knew in the MTC, so that was cool.

It took us 2 hours to get to the temple and because we stayed until 5:30 to see the lights turn on, we left right in the middle of rush hour and we got stuck in the DC and northern Virginia traffic and it was an absolute joke. It took us about 4 hours and some change to get home. Oh yeah, on Tuesday I got to go on exchanges with Elder Eves (Elder Dallin Smith's MTC companion) who is one my favorite missionaries out here, so we had a lot of fun. 

These last 3 or so days have been calling for snow out here, and everyone makes it such a big deal, its pretty funny. It finally snowed early yesterday morning and had freezing rain which iced all the roads. So they cancelled all the church in the area yesterday, and the mission grounded our car because of the rain. So we spent about 8 hours yesterday going around and shoveling snow. We shoveled our entire apartment complex and then we had to walk the church and we shoveled that. Then we walked to a couple members houses near by and shoveled them. 

We then got a ride from a member over to the a member's house and we shoveled there back porch and then shoveled there elderly neighbors drive way. It was pretty funny, the old guy living there tried to pay us like 4 times while we were over there, and so we explained who we were and all that and the guy just couldn't believe someone would just do that for him and his wife. It was pretty awesome, they said they were Episcopal but said they had a lot of respect for us and that there prayers were with us and then gave them a mormon.org card. 

Then we went over with that [member's house to another one's house] where we had dinner with the whole... clan and that was good as it always is. We then went to the our newly baptized members and visited them for a couple minutes and came back and watched the awesome Christmas Devotional with the another family. So I had a pretty good week this week. 

Our ward Christmas party is on Saturday and the mission Christmas party is on the 20th. President Richards said we get an hour to Skype you on Christmas, so that's pretty sweet. I am glad to here that you are all staying busy and having fun for the most part. Dad thanks for the box scores and stats! Me and Elder Zander were pretty stoked to look at those.  I got to go, as always I love and miss you guys very much, I hope you are all having a fun holiday season! Have a good week :)

Love Wes