Missionary Update

 

Elder Killpack is currently serving in Cali Colombia (population 2.5 million).  This is the second time that he has served in the city.  Since leaving home and traveling to Colombia he has served in the towns of Palmira, Ipiales, back to Palmira, Cali, Buenaventura, and back to Cali.  He has had companions from Ecuador, Peru, Chile and a “gringo” from Arizona.  He writes home that he has learned to love the people, the culture and the food.  According to Wes, the Colombians make better bread than his mother. 

He has been serving as a Zone Leader for the last seven months.  He and his companion are walking a lot trying to find people to teach.  He describes his area in Cali as the complete opposite of Buenaventura.  “There (Buenaventura) the people would come up and ask you to teach them.  But here (Cali), the people see you walking towards them – they cross the street and try to hide.”   Westley has become fluent in Spanish – when he first arrived in the mission he discovered that his Mission President, companion and the ward members did not speak any English.  He was excited to be transferred back to Palmira (first area) so that he could finally talk to the ward members there.  While he served there they called him Elder No Se’ (Elder I don’t know) – since he answered their questions with no se’.  He now looks forward to his interviews with President Priccoli and has grown to love and admire him. 

He loves his mission and knows that Colombia is where he is supposed to be.  He doesn’t want to talk about life after his mission – he reminds us that he is still a missionary and will figure life out when he gets home.  He has had to do some very hard things during his mission and his testimony has grown. He inspires us with his faith and perseverance.