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Homeward bound!

Leaving Spain

Letter dated 11Jan2014

[Dear family and friends, with joy and sadness, I sent Weston's final mission letter. His mission has been an amazing experience for him personally and for us, his family. Thank you for your love and support during this two-year adventure! With much love, Weston's editor - BWS] Dear Family, What an amazing time this is. Officially, this will be my final message I'll be sending from my mission. This week has been crazy and to be honest, I don't know how to explain it, but I finally know it's time. I had the reassurance earlier in the week when I had my final interview with my mission president and after reflecting on all that's happened during these last two years, that I've had a fantastic mission! I could never imagine myself in the place I am now had I not served these past two years as I have. Since I began I've had to learn to communicate, how to appreciate a new culture, and how to love a new people. I wouldn't take back any of the experiences that I had and I honestly know that the Lord guided me on many occasions. On Wednesday night I arrive from Barcelona to the airport and was reunited with my family and with great warmth, even if the weather was 35 degrees lower than how it was in Spain! I then spent the rest of that night and the following day with my family until I was released by my stake president. Shortly after that I began to pass by my best friends and surprised them at their homes because they thought that I was not going to be home until the following Saturday. Since then I've been catching up and remembering those tender moments before the mission that prepared me and also how much I learned to appreciate the little things in life that give us happiness. Now that I'm home, I'm excited to see and talk to all of you and that we may be able to continue learning during our time here. I know that God loves us and that he has given us so many things to aid us in life. We may be able to know of a surety through true and honest prayer to receive our answers to have His guidance and his love with us at all times. He lives and is anxiously awaiting our return to Him after this life. Thank you to all who have followed my messages and shown interest. I hope that I've been able to share some of my life stories with you and that I may keep having great blessings such as these for the rest of my life! With love and excitement for new memories and experiences, -- Élder Xander Weston Schindler P.S. We have to go back, Kate... we have to go back to Spain!

Weston and friends

Weston, Dylan and companion

Friends and family at Dylan's baptism

Letter dated 30Dec2013

[Dear family and friends, here is the letter from Weston which we received earlier this week. This will be one of his last mission letters. Please note that the ending to his letter has changed -- to "We need to go back, Kate -- back to Spain!" For those of you who wondered, this was a reference to a line in the television show "Lost" -- which Weston started using when he was transferred to the Island on his mission. As I post this, I am excited to see Weston -- and sad to see the end of this incredible chapter in Weston's life. Thank you all for your love and support during this time. If you would like to send a LAST note to Weston, simply respond to this note - and I will forward your reply along to Weston. Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year -- and hoping that we can all find the Island of Christ's love during the new year. Much love, Weston's editor - BWS] P.S. Pictures will be posted on Weston's blog! Dear Family, I honestly can´t believe what´s happening right now. We had an amazing week with Christmas festivities, topped off with our wonderful call we had on Christmas day all together, and then following to the end of the week in which Dylan got baptized as well as two other people that the elders and the sisters had been teaching. I can not believe how amazing this past week has been and now it´s left me feeling great for the final week of my mission right here. That entire family is incredible and I consider them my South American brother and sisters! So many families in Cornellà, Valencia, and Terrassa have made such a difference in my life and I am going to miss them all so much. It´s all very unreal, everything that´s going on, and it´s strange to come to terms with the depressing fact that I really do not have any time left at all. It´s been a wonderful two years and while I don´t know if this will be my final message or not before I come home, I´d like to share my last words with everyone now just in case. Thank you all for your support. Thank you all for your prayers. I know that God had been helping me along the way and that He has truly blessed me and so many other people along my journey. In the October Conference of 2012, President Uchtdorf talked about how important it is for us to enjoy the moment that we´re in and also to enjoy our journey. I've had a wonderful mission that I cannot imagine being here today and being the person I have become after these past 21 years had it not been for the last 2 years that I´ve served in Spain. I´ll be telling stories about my mission for years and years to come, just as dad has always shared his experiences with us and I plan to continue meeting new wonderful people and devloping my skills and abilities that I had no idea I really had. I know that God loves us as our Heavenly Father and that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that in the scheme of things we may not understand everything perfectly, but He does. We can know he does for all the blessings he gives us every single day of our lives and how ready He is to do so when we act, when we obey, and when we show him that we truly love Him. I also know that I´m not perfect, but with His help I can become better and make him a happy Father. I love you and may we see each other soon, -- Élder Xander Weston Schindler PS We need to go back, Kate... back to Spain!