I
LOVE being a missionary. I love it. And I think I have discovered why
they call it missionary WORK. Want to know why? Well, it is EXHAUSTING.
But the best kind. The kind that you forget about everything else except
for the people that you are serving, loving and teaching. The kind that
it feels like you are searching for the lost sheep and know they are
there but sometimes it feels like they are a needle in a haystack. The
kind where you get the COOLEST scars/tan lines on your feet from walking
all day. I love it. It is the kind of work where everyday you are
reminded of all your weaknesses and the kind that pushes you WAY out of
your comfort zone and forces you to THINK outside the box and to change
who you are into someone a little better. Even though it is hard, it is
the greatest thing in the world. I never imagined that a mission is so
much more than what everyone says. It truly is the greatest gift and
opportunity, I just hope I can take advantage of every second of it.
This past week I have had an overwhelming desire to yearning for the
people here to come unto to Christ and to change their lives
forever--but I am realizing that all I can do is love, serve and teach
them...then they get to choose the rest. But Change. That really is what
happens when we let Christ take control---through the power of
the Atonement He changes us, molds us and makes us into the people we
need to be. I have seen this power of Christ's atoning sacrifice in my
own life over and over again, and my joy is even bigger when I get the
chance to see others using that same power to change their lives.
I HATE Satan. Yep, you heard me. He seems to have
chosen this week to declare all-out war on our investigators. David, our
"golden" investigator says that he KNOWS he is supposed to be baptized
and he KNOWS it is all true. But he says that something inside of him
tells him that he "shouldn't do it" and that he doesn't "feel worthy to
change." Who is that giving him those feelings?!? UGGGGH!! So we have
been working to resolve his doubts and help him realize his potential as
a Son of God and the power that baptism brings. Also, Remember how I
was so stoked for the two ladies that were set for baptism
this Saturday??? Well, it fell through. My companion and I
were devastated. The father of the family is a devote Catholic, and the
mom is a less active member. The two don't want their girls to get
baptized until they can show "consistency" in going to church. But the
girls have been attending church for the past month.....so we are
PRAYING that the parents hearts soften. The girls want to be baptized so
bad, because they know that it is true and that it is what our Savior
Jesus Christ would do. I
am striving to do and to be the best I possibly can, and even though I
know I won't ever be the "perfect missionary" I sure am trying with all
that I am to be the best I can for the Lord. This week was full of ups
and downs. I am learning that it is so important to remember that after
all we can do, the Spirit is there to do the rest--and ultimately these
people that we are teaching are free to choose for themselves
whether they will follow Jesus Christ. And honestly, I think that that
is the trickiest part of missionary work....we can't force them...but we
can love them and pray for them and show them the way. But it is
ultimately up to them to change. We are continuing to teach Jenny and
Ana Ramirez, and they are progressing--but want to push the baptism back
till July. Although it was a little disappointing for my companion and
I, we know that the Lord has prepared others here and we can't wait to
find them.
We have been focusing on leaving "no stone un-turned". We have met with
almost every bishop and ward mission leader in our area and have
received maps of where people lived. In doing so, we have been able to
pinpoint where the Hispanic people live. We have received an contacted
various referrals that have led to potential investigators and current
investigators! I am learning so much about how to work with stake
presidents and bishops, and am starting to learn the incredible value of
member missionaries. We are very excited about the people that we are
finding and we know that there is even more out there that the Lord has
prepared. We also have been focused on building member trust and
building member missionaries. We have been holding training sessions for
members and will start doing role plays with them so that they can feel
more comfortable in knowing how to share the Gospel with their friends.
We have already seen the success of this tactic as one family in our
ward brought a non-member to their house for us to teach! His name is
Leonardo! It was seriously a miracle! This family that we trained are
recent converts and still have struggles with addictive substances, but
they want to member missionaries because they have seen how the gospel
has blessed their lives! it was wonderful! This man is now investigating
the church and we are starting to teach him the lessons. I have learned
the power of utilizing the members and the power that they have to
testify during lessons. We are working extra hard to make sure we have
members at all our lessons and have been focused on involving our 4
progressing investigators in other church activities. It has been
amazing to see the change in branch members as well as investigators as
we reach out to them and involve them. My companion and I want to
baptize people who will stay converted to the Gospel, and we are
following Preach My Gospel verbatim by making sure that we are involving
all the members of our branch possible so that they can truly become
converted to the Gospel, and not just us.
I
AM SO EXCITED FOR CINTIA DELACRUZ AND DAVID CRUZ!!! Cintia and David
are two investigators that are progressing rapidly in the Gospel. The
Lord has blessed us to be the instruments in his hands for these two
wonderful people. The Spirit truly has been teaching them, and both have
the goal to be baptized, but both are a little scared about the
commitment--as they realize the seriousness of the commitment. They have
been coming to church for the past 3 weeks, reading the book of Mormon
and are getting involved with members in the ward. It is truly
wonderful! They both have their own personal struggles and addictions
that we are helping them overcome, but we know that they will be
prepared for baptism by the end of this month! We are very excited for
them and the changes that they are making in their lives. Cintia gave up
coffee....which is probably the biggest miracle ever. She gave it up
because she knows she will be healthier if she does. David is working on
giving up smoking and the booze---this is a little more difficult. He
started smoking when he was 4 years old and was physically abused all
his life by a drunker-ed father. But the cool part is...is that through
the ATONEMENT of Jesus Christ we can be FREED of addiction and of past
haunting memories. He is slowly coming to this realization and I am so
excited for him to continue making these huge changes in his life.
Someone
should write a book about how to teach the restored Gospel to
Catholics. That is the biggest difficultly we are facing, and helping
them understand that need to be baptized by someone holding the proper
authority of the Priesthood I love Catholics SO much---they have
amazing traditions and beliefs. All of the people here that are Hispanic
at one point in their lives or another were Catholic. Doesn't mean that
they go to church, but it means that they are rooted in that tradition.
We are trying to focus on the family and just how much the Gospel
blesses and unites families forever through the temple
and priesthood authority. Any advice?
Mom
and Dad--I will always be safe here because guess what? The gangs have
got our back. Yes, my companion and I had our first run-in with an
Hispanic Gang---tattoos, cigars, the swag and the works! They were the
nicest people I have ever met! We struck up conversation about the NBA
and about how the Heat is the greatest team ever...and then one of the
gang members was like--"are you going to talk basketball or about the
word of God?" When I answered both, they couldn't believe how Koby
Bryant and the Gospel connected. They started talking about how they
will never be Mormon, but that they respect missionaries and will
protect them with their lives. As my companion and I talked about the
restored Gospel, these gang members ensured us that they "will hunt
anyone down that even tries to lay they hands on you, because yeah, we
ain't Mormon, but we respect the missionaries." Brigham City isn't
necessarily downtown Detroit, but it is awesome that we have got the
gangs on our team. I thought that was hilarious! They were such
amazingly nice people, and now I feel a little safer walking home at
night. :)
There is a lot of work to be done here in Brigham City and I, with my
wonderful companion, are learning and working hard so that we can try to
be influential instruments in the hands of the Lord. Transfers are next
week, and I am a little nervous. There is so much work to be done here,
and I just want to keep laboring in this area as I finally feel that I
am getting into the "groove" of missionary work here. One thing that we
have been striving to develop and to work hard in has been being able to
teach simple and to teach according to what the spirit directs.
Yesterday, we were out finding and visiting some referrals that we had
received and all of the sudden I got this picture in my head. I saw this
house with a lady sitting on the doorstep. I didn't know quite where it
was, but I just listened. Although it was rainy and it meant we had to
get drenched, we went. The Holy Ghost literally drug us to where we
needed to knock. Then opened the door to a woman who was ready to hear
about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. AMAZING. I can't explain
the gratitude that I have for the Holy Ghost. He is honestly the one who
does the converting---we are just here to be the instruments through
which He speaks.
I have been learning a lot. Through the ups and the downs I am learning
about how to be a better servant of the Lord. I love missionary work and
am striving to do everything I know how to do to serve, love and teach
these people. Hopefully, in doing so, I can become more like my best
friend and Savior--Jesus Christ. I just want to be able to help my
investigators realize the great blessing of the Gospel, and I can't wait
to keep working. Our gospel is centered on Jesus Christ, but it is also
centered on families. And how God has given us families to learn and to
progress. That really is life eternal--Family and the principles of the
gospel. Isn't it amazing? One thing that I have really learned from my
family and here on the mission is the power of Love. But not just any
love, but Charity....the pure Love of Christ. I am striving with all
that I have to learn how to have charity for all those that I meet. This
week strive to love someone. But love them through the way that you
treat them and serve them. Actions ALWAYS speak louder than words--that I
know.
Thank you for the support and love you
send to me each week! Keep working hard and SERVE someone
today!!! And never forget to share your testimony of the gospel through
your example and word! I love you!
STAND STRONG.
Your biggest fan,
Hermana Weenig :)
P.S.
No word on the VISA yet, there is about 200 VISA waiters for Argentina
in Utah right now....so we will see! It looks like I may be here for a
while. But that is okay! I love it! And I am learning SO MUCH! I
am so grateful to be here! :)
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| This is my new backpack that I take tracting......hahaha :) |
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| We hiked the "B" last p-day! |
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