9-27-11 Training Is Awesome!

Dear Family & Friends,

Training is awesome!  Elder Ingersoll is great and is a hard worker.  One of our strengths I would say is finding people.  We have found many people and are trying to set appointments with them.  Last week we had a lot of appointments cancel so that was kind of rough.  But in each case the Lord directed us to others that we could share the gospel with and hopefully continue sharing it with them.  Our teaching pool is doing well; we just have to really get people to make time to schedule appointments.  People are interested, but the worldly influences often times take over and they think they won’t have time "this week" but next week.  We are doing our best though to help people understand the importance of the message we share and the need that we each have for it.  We are constantly finding though, even today at the Laundromat we talked to one of the workers and gave her a Book of Mormon and a Restoration pamphlet. 

And yes, our P-days always turn out to be crazy.  I get tired of feeling so rushed, especially when a whole P-day is used for Zone P-day, and such.  It's fun, but then stressful.  But today is kind of back to normal.

I heard that the Relief Society session was great this last weekend.  I am very excited for this General conference and to see and hear the words of these truly inspired men and women who are receiving revelation from the Lord for each of us.  I know that as we strive to be obedient to the scriptures and the counsel from our leaders that we willed be blessed beyond measure.  The Lord loves us and has given us so much to be thankful for. 

We are very excited for General Conference.  And yes, we are trying to get as many of our investigators to watch it as we can.  The investigators that come will definitely feel the Spirit and I think it will be a major stepping-stone for their conversion process.  What’s weird is that we will be watching all the session a couple hours later on that day than you.  We technically are watching it at the same time, but we are two hours ahead so priesthood session gets over at 10 o' clock.  Practically our bedtime!  Oh and we will probably be watching it at our church building which is also the stake building.

Something that we talked a lot about at a training meeting this last week was our purpose for all the new Elders that came in.  It's important for every missionary to understand and grow in their understanding of purpose.  When we understand our purpose we put priorities where they should be and work our hardest to accomplish this work here on Earth.  One of the focuses for a workshop given by Elder Dransfield, one of the AP's, was the story of Enos.  Enos experiences an incredible conversion as he ponders the words and teachings of the Gospel and seeks to know the truthfulness of them from God.  Once he obtains his powerful testimony he realizes how important it is for every single person to hear the Gospel and experience his/her own conversion.  He prays for the souls of his brethren and does his best to share his testimony and the Gospel with each of them.  Enos understood his purpose after his own conversion.  He gets it.  He knows that faith, repentance, baptism, sacrament, are all part of enduring to the end and that the Atonement is what all of those things are built upon.  With out the Atonement none of this beautiful plan or gospel would be possible.  It is through this process that our desires and we become "At One" with our Father and Savior.  Enos became "At One" with our Father and Savior in his conversion.  He could pray for anything and receive it because his desires were that of our Father and Savior.  This is what each of us must strive for.  We do this by applying the Gospel and submitting our will and desire to that of our Father and Savior.

Well I love serving a mission.  I have been changed and know that a mission is meant to change you as you help others to change.  I can feel my will and desires being changed to that of our Fathers as I strive to become "at one" with Him and our Savior.  I love this Gospel and know that it is the only way, and the most joyous and peaceful way.

I love you all and love your letters and testimonies that I receive.  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Weaver 

The Lord Truly Does Qualify Those He Calls

Dear Family & Friends,

This week has been great.  The Lord truly does qualify those he calls.  I have felt his hand as I have started training Elder Ingersoll.  He just graduated from High School this last year from playing football and basketball.  He is from Boise, Idaho, 6’ 4” and taller than Elder Helton.  Elder Ingersoll is a great Elder!  We love this work and growing tremendously. 

We are excited to see this area really grow.  We are planning on about 6 baptisms this next month with a potential 8.  We found 15 potential investigators over the last 3 days and are hoping to turn them all into investigators this next week.  Lots of teaching and preparing to do!  The field is truly white already to harvest.  People need this Gospel and we are finding people more and more interested.  We don't focus on those who are stubborn or not ready, we move on until we find those who are ready to receive and listen by the Spirit.

Thank you Mom for all of those scriptures and quotes you said in your letter this week.  They are all part of a new focus we are putting in the mission.  After Elder Nash of the Seventy came and visited the mission we took our strengths and made some new focuses to strengthen some of our weak areas in the work.  These new things are truly inspired and are already really making a difference.  I love that scripture in D&C 84:106 "And if any man among you be strong in the spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also".  We are now planning on sharing this scripture in several member lessons this week.

There has been lots of rain happening out here this week.  But I think it's going to brighten up today.  P-days just keep switching around and things are just busy.

It's great the Ward is doing swell and I hope everything is going wonderfully for you all and at home.  I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Elder Weaver

Elder Weaver A Trainer - Letter From Mission President

I Am Super Excited To Train

Dear Family & Friends,

Wow do the days move quickly.  Time just fly's especially on prep days!  I am doing wonderfully and loving the work out here.

Elder Helton and I actually just did another musical number in church last Sunday and it went really well.  We did I Stand All Amazed.  It fit well for the 9/11 Sunday meeting.  As far as practice goes we don't get a whole lot of time if any...it's weird how some people just think something can be thrown together...but we usually get a little time in here and there. 

As far as transfers I am staying here in Cuyahoga Falls and will be training a new missionary and Elder Helton is going to be a zone leader in one of two places.  I find out who I train and everything tomorrow!  Can't Wait!

I am super excited to train and know that the Lord qualifies those he calls.  President Sorensen talked about this for a little while at training meeting this last week and it's true.  Revelation is such a powerful thing and is what truly helps the Gospel flow.  It sounds like you have a rock solid new Relief Society Presidency there.

We have several investigators that are all progressing and will hopefully be baptized in the next couple months.  The next baptism should be Kathy Bertoldi at the end of this month or next month...just have to be sure she doesn't go back to the hospital and the people who need to be at her baptism will stop going out of town.  Our teaching pool has been recovering from the hit it took a couple weeks ago and should really grow the next couple weeks.  But we have 4 right now with a date, and we need to reset or set about 4 or 5 more this next week.

How is the ward mission process working in the ward?  It's been implemented here and is starting to really take hold.  It is truly an inspired program and I am excited to see it really progress the work throughout the world.

Well I love you and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Weaver

P.S.  Happy Birthday Mom!!!!  I love you and hope you had a wonderful day!

9-6-11 I Will Be Starting To Train A New Elder

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy Tuesday!  The library wasn't open on Monday, Labor Day, so we are all doing our emailing on Tuesday this week. I bet the Facer's were all smiles on Sunday.  That’s great to hear he made it home and has that missionary spirit just radiating off of him.  I'm glad to hear about the missionary lesson in primary!  I actually just listened to a talk this morning by Elder Ballard about how a little girl in primary heard a lesson on missionary work and went to the only non-members she knew and invited them to hear the missionary lessons.  She took a loaf of banana bread over to the nonmember’s home and said that she would give it to them if they would let the missionaries in.  From that the missionaries came over and they were eventually baptized and sealed in the temple.  It’s amazing how each of us, even from the time we are small can bring souls to the light and truth.  

I will be starting to train a new Elder next week and am so excited.  It will definitely bring more responsibility, but I know it will be a wonderful new experience for me to grow and become a better missionary.  

I am so excited for General Conference next month as well!  General Conference has a whole new meaning for me and I look forward to hearing what the Lord has to say this next month.  Some incredible movements are happening in the work.  This work just keeps picking up speed and will continue to.  What an exciting time!

Sister Gleed was a wonderful example to all of us who knew her.  She truly endured to the end and is a shining example of what we can become as we keep our covenants and live the gospel.  It's good to hear she has gone peacefully into her next part of life.  What a great experience for you Dad to have been with her before she left.  

Each day I understand more and more of this Gospel and gaining a stronger testimony.  I realize that this is something that I must do each day for all of my life.  We must be constantly progressing in the Gospel.  Moving forward is the only way.  We must always be progressing so that we will understand our eternal salvation.  If we receive Celestial glory then we will have eternal increase and progression.  How we live our lives and what we desire in this life carries over in the life to come.  This must be our desire to progress if we are to inherit that highest degree of glory in the life to come. 

I love you all and hope you all have a great week.

Love,

Elder Weaver