The Days Just Keep Flying

Dear Family & Friends,

Good Morning California!  I hope you are having a wonderful week there and are enjoying the sun!  Fingers crossed it isn't raining on you!  So where did this week go?  The days just keep flying...so I am now going into the transfer after today that at the end of it will be my year mark...that is crazy.  Also this month I am saying good-bye to the teenage years!  Time to grow up and stuff. 

So this last Sunday the Saubers in the Branch brought their niece Alicia (21) to church again.  Her first time coming was on the "invite a friend to church" Sunday a while back.  She has liked both experiences and agreed to begin taking the lessons!  We had dinner at the Saubers with her and then we went over the Restoration together.  She has been prepared.  She quickly accepted to read the Book of Mormon, and committed to May 26 for Baptism.  She wants to learn and develop her relationship with God.  She works every other Sunday so not this week, but the following she said she is going to bring her 24 year old sister with her to church.  We are also going to see if her 12-year-old brother who came to church once is interested in coming again with them.  We are so excited for her!  The Saubers have acted on the promptings of the Spirit the last couple weeks for sure, and we are so grateful for their willingness to do so.  We hope their example will sink into the hearts of all the members here.  When we follow the council and the process established by our leaders today miracles happen.  Those who are truly prepared are found, and they progress so much smoother when members find them.  We have the Smiths also working with some family members and are helping them to invite them to learn the gospel. 

Something that has really stood out to me this last week, and has helped me personally grow has been studying a talk by Elder Bednar titled "Meaningful Prayer" (April 2008 General Conference).  The principles that it discusses have helped me grow as a missionary and son of God and has caused a major change in me again and has helped me learn my purpose further.  One thing that really stuck out to me in the talk and is going to help a family here to know how to go about inviting their family to learn of the gospel was this...We all know the Gospel and it's principles in the church, most of us are very familiar to them...but how often do we actually use them?  How often do we have "meaningful prayer" and truly rely on the Spirit for all things?  I have found I do not use the principles of the Gospel, especially prayer as often or as effective as I need to.  After reading that talk several times and pondering and studying I have grown in my testimony of prayer, and how much easier and powerfully things happen in our lives as we rely on the strength of God instead of our own strength.  As we rely on that strength this work will move forward in a remarkable way and the church will grow with an ever-increasing speed and power.  Re-read and study this talk this week.  I have very much enjoyed studying it and know as well as with Elder Bednar that "all of us can improve the efficacy and consistency" of our prayers.  I love you all very much and pray that you will each have opportunities to share the gospel this week.  I invite you to pray for an opportunity to share the gospel with someone in some way while in California, and let the gospel light and warmth touch someone while there.

I love you each so much.  I know this Gospel is true. I know that we are each engaged in a marvelous work, and that as we each seek the will of God and His power to do that will, we can each accomplish our purposes in this life and witness great miracles as we do so.

Have a wonderful week together in California! 

Love,

Elder Weaver