8-29-11 I Didn't Know There Was An Earthquake Or Hurricane

Dear Family & Friends,

I am doing great!  And the week has also been a great one and trying for our investigator pool.  However first things first, I am fine, didn't even know there was an earthquake, didn't know about the hurricane till Saturday, and haven't really had any rain.  We have a sheet in our apartment with contacts and what to do in case of tornado or earthquake, but I'm not worried.  We will look into getting some extra supplies, but if anything happens we will be the first ones helping others so we will be close to all the supplies that would come in if we had a disaster.  But we really don't hear much of what is happening outside in the world.  We have a focus and we stay on that.  But yeah we haven't had anything to worry about here in our mission so far.

Yep, we sang last Sunday and it went great.  The Spirit was definitely in that fireside and it was great for all of the investigators who attended.  I am part of a quartet singing for a Multi-Zone conference tomorrow.  And a member of the 70 will be speaking and conducting this conference so that will be cool.  And lucky Elder Helton and I...our apartment gets to be checked by the mission president’s wife and the 70's wife since we are the closest apartments.  We got to go do some deep cleaning.:)  President called us and said "spotless" so that’s what we are doing.

Well Sis. Kathy is back in the hospital for some other things now, the 2 brothers that were going to get baptized moved to New York with their Dad because their Mom is being deported, and another of our investigators got kicked out of his Dad's house and is now living with his mom 6 hours south of here...so it's been kind of a rough week for our teaching pool...nevertheless we have seen some great miracles in our other investigators and have found some new people that are interested.  Tina, Eleanor, and Ashley are their names.  We have met with each of them once this last week and are hoping to meet with them all again early this next week.  Alexx is gaining a deeper and stronger testimony each time we meet with him, and Monique and Shevanda finally made it to church this weekend and really enjoyed it and are looking forward to next week.  However, the Lord is seen with each of them, and those we are still able to share the gospel with, though difficult at times, are persevering and experiencing some incredible testimony building blocks.  The ones who stick with it and turn to the Lord I believe will become immovable in the Gospel.  Change is definitely difficult, especially when the adversary is throwing everything in his power at these people.  However, I know the Lord allows this so that they may be strengthened.  And he is always there to help our investigators and us with any trial.  Having faith and being obedient to the commandments and principles of the Gospel will allow us to conquer all things that may be put in our path. The Lord and adversary are both very active in the world and this work.  But we are looking forward to continuing to find and share the gospel with as many of our brothers and sisters as we can.

About the ward...there is definitely tons of missionary work to be done within wards.  Just with members.  There are definite big changes being made to the way things are being done, I'm sure you and the ward council are seeing them and implementing them.  This is the way the work will be done till the second coming and it is up to the active strong members to bring back all those who are weakened and lift them up so that they too can become strong and begin helping others.  It is definitely time for each of us to evaluate what’s important and then go and do those things. 

I love you all and pray for you each night.  I thank you once again for your prayers and updates.  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Weaver

P.S. Mom I love you and thank you for being my Mother.  You have truly lived up to and continue living up to your calling as a mother and I am so grateful to be your son.

8-22-11 The Mission Is Experiencing Growth And Change

Dear Family & Friends,

The work just keeps building and moving forward each week.  The mission is experiencing growth and change and exciting things are taking place.  We will hopefully be having a few baptisms these next couple weeks and pray our investigators will stop ending up in the Hospital or having family there.  I never knew how busy hospitals were...until now.  They are all doing ok now and are recovering.

Something that I have been thinking a lot about is how critical it is for each of us as members, investigators, missionaries, etc. need to constantly be learning and developing our relationship with our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.  It is important to always be making progress each and every day in developing our relationship with them and our testimony of the Gospel.  Prayer and scripture study are two of the basic but vital keys in doing this.  We must each drink from the living waters of Christ each and every day.  When we do this we progress and make the changes necessary to living the Gospel.  When we are not progressing we are stagnant.  We cannot be stagnant.  We must progress and move forward each and every day.  If we aren't we aren't fulfilling our purpose here on this Earth.  Something that is important for each of us to understand is How to live the Gospel, comes from understanding the Why and the What.  Why=Doctrine, What=Principle, and How=Behavior.  As we follow this pattern in understanding the Gospel we will understand how to live it.  Pray and feast on the scriptures daily.  By this our behaviors will change and allow us to become what our Heavenly Father wants us to become; Faith unto Action.  Our works and desires are the key to our salvation.  As we develop our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, through the Spirit they will guide us to happiness and fulfillment of our purpose.  Trust in Him and everything is possible.

I love you all and pray for you each day.

Love,

Elder Weaver    

8-15-11 The Work Is Really Picking Up

Hey Family & Friends,

Things are going great!  The work is really picking up here and there's been a change apparently across the whole mission.  I love this work and love having the opportunity to serve here.  Our investigators are each ready for the Gospel.  They just have to stay strong.  They are having spiritual experiences, but the adversary is working just as hard on each of them.  Such as people in the hospital, financial issues, opposition from family, etc., and all things that are put in their way as stumbling blocks.  But I know that as we help them to continue to have these experiences and encourage them that they will have much stronger testimonies as they learn to endure their trials with the savior’s help and guidance.  

Tracting/Contacting I love to do.  We go down to a metro park called "The Gorge" and contact quite a bit.  It's a great park with a river and some other historical sites that almost always has lots of people visiting.  

My bike has only been ridden like twice so far so I hope it's still in good shape. :)  We have a car with a thousand miles a month and we have been staying under so we drive pretty much all month.  

Members feed us pretty regularly; sometimes we have a slim week.  The most important part of meals with members isn't the food though; it's helping them get their family mission plan together and making sure they are actively having missionary experiences.  But I am never hungry. :)  

The heat really isn't bad.  I haven't put any sunscreen on and I haven't even got burned...or tan...bummer.  It's just really humid.  I think it's hotter in Utah for sure; just a lot more humid here is all.  Clothes are holding up ok...a couple tears or buttons here and there that I get to patch up.  Shoes are the most important part and they seem to be doing all right still.  We do our laundry at a members home because our washer is out of commission.  We just store our detergent and stuff there and go over and get it all done through out the day on our preparation day.  

I love it out here and enjoying every second.  My understanding of the Gospel and how to live this life grow clearer and deeper each day.  I know it's true; I see examples of it each day as I see people and realize how much the gospel would help them in every aspect of their lives.  It's truly here to strengthen and help us in everything we experience in this life.  

Sounds like you are all doing well and having a blast this summer!  It is crazy how fast summer went, just keeps going faster and faster.  I love you and hope you have a fun safe time in Wyoming and on your trip back.  

Love you,

Elder Weaver

8-8-11 This Week Has Been Kind Of An Interesting One

Dear Friends & Family,

I hope everything is going swell with each of you and that you too have had a fabulous week! 

This week has been kind of an interesting one, but with much prayer looking back on it it's been a great week.  We found several new brothers and sisters this last week and are excited to share the gospel more with them this next week.  We have Nikia, and her daughters Monique (17) and (15).  We met Leonor Saltos through a member, and she has been baptized, but has been inactive for about 10 years and really wants to come back.  She has two sons who have not been baptized, Andrew (12) and Matteo (10).  Really smart kids who have really enjoyed learning about the Gospel and are looking forward to being baptized.  And then our recent investigators Emilio, Alexx, Eugene, and we are hoping that Marchae's (Emilio's Friend) parents will allow him to learn more about the Gospel soon.  He definitely has a desire, but his parents are saying no at this point.  Sister Kathy is doing better.  She will be recovering for about a month, so she should be baptized sometime soon in September.  Also, we are hoping to be able to share some more of the Gospel with the Atchison Family who have a son being baptized out in Utah this next month.  So if any of you run into the Atchisons out there be sure to say hello to them from Elder Weaver. 

Well Preparation days, just like every day seem to be getting shorter and shorter.  Never enough time in the day!  Oh really quick though I have a story.  So this last week we ate dinner at a family in the ward.  After dinner we sat down to have a lesson, and this is in the evening after Elder Helton and I have been doing missionary work all day and we have visited in some smokers homes, a nursing home, and a few others homes that aren't exactly the cleanest or smell the greatest.  So their 3 year old hops up on the couch next to us, turns to me, and says..."you smell like a bus."  He starts just a laughing and giggling.  We too have a good chuckle out of it.  And then he pee's...and it goes down the side of my pants.  Oh the joys of being a missionary. :)  What a funny night.

Well I hope you each have a fabulous week and remember to read the scriptures and pray everyday!  Love you all!

Love,

Elder Weaver

8-2-11 The Final Few Weeks of Summer

Family & Friends,

It's another Preparation Day here in Ohio!  I hope all of your summer have been going fantastic, and hope your final few weeks of summer go just as swell.  

We have another Bapismal date for the 27 of this month.  His name is Emilio Travino.  He is 14 years old and is in the young marines program.  He is great and has kept all of his commitments.  He is just so open to learning and accepting the Gospel that it's been really easy to share the Gospel with him.  His Father used to be LDS a long time ago and we have now met him as well.  We hope that as Emilio accepts the Gospel that his Dad too will desire to get back into it as well.  They both came to church on Sunday and liked it, and even brought a friend named Marce.  It's always great when someone brings a friend to church.  Always.:) 

Sister Kathy is now in a nursing home and out of the Hospital.  We haven't been able to see her this week so we keep praying for her and that she will get well.  We hope that we will be able to visit her this next week and hopefully share something uplifting with her as she goes through this trial.

Something that I'm kinda excited about is having the opportunity to sing a duet with a sister at a fireside in Kirtland later this month.  They are looking for an arrangement for a flute and piano accompaniment so I will let you know what the song is when I get it. 

This week has really been a growing week for me.  We kinda had a rough week with our goals and it's been a little challenging.  However,  this week has also been a wonderful week because of some things that the Spirit has really helped me understand.  My testimony of Faith, Charity, and Love have grown immensly as I, for one reason or another, have had the opportunity of focusing my thoughts and study on this week.  I just started thinking about these topics early on this last week and all of a sudden through prayer and study I started understanding and learning so much more about each of these topics.  I got a call on Saturday last week to give a workshop on these principles in District Meeting for the following Monday.  Interesting how that works.  I am so grateful for the Spirit and the role that it plays in each of our lives.  I know that when I am doing everything I can to have the spirit stronger and more often, that I see miracles happen.  Both with myself and with those around me.  It is our link to our Father and to our understanding of eternal truths.  As we each seek to have the spirit more often, and allow it to direct our lives, we each can experience such incredible growth and understanding of the Gospel at any stage of our lives.  Learn it, Live it, Share it!

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Elder Weaver