Finding Families = HASTENING HAPPENING

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I had this terrifying realization the other day that I have been out a year....where in the world did the time go?!? I know this probably sounds terrible, but I never want to leave this place. I literally love it so much. The people, the language, the miracles, the area, the ward, my companion...just EVERYTHING. I can't wait for the day when all of you get to serve missions and get to experience first hand doing the Lord's work all day everyday. I love it. Every second. THE HASTENING IS SO REAL. We have been praying and searching for FAMILIES. And I know now, that God in fact does answer prayers. The Holy Ghost has led and guided us to be exactly where we need to be to find the families that are prepared. MIRACLES.

One of the biggest miracles of the week was the Juan Gonzalez got the priesthood and a calling this week! AMAZING! He was just baptized a month ago, and now he is totally converted and fully active in the church. I can't tell you how happy it makes us to see him in his white shirt and tie, and see him asking us and the ward members questions about what he can do to learn more. He was just called as a Ward Missionary....PERFECT! He is now going to bless the lives of so many people! We took him to the temple this week and he said he wants his entire family to be baptized in Guatemala! So we are sending the missionaries down there to talk to them! AMAZING! I can't wait for Juan to go through the temple in a year! :) :) :) !!!!! MIRACLES.

Ana Orellana is on FIRE. Ana has met with a lot of missionaries before, but she is FINALLY making some incredible headway! We took her to the temple visitors center (Washington DC temple is GORGEOUS, one of my favs), and we had an incredible tour about the family and Jesus Christ and how He is the ONLY One that can bring us full and complete joy! She was so moved, and was asking so many questions. We invited her to be baptized on March 1, and she said YES!!!! WAHOOOO! She has been coming to church for 2 years, and will finally be baptized. The Spirit confirmed to her that it doesn't matter where she had been, what she had done, but the ONLY thing that matters is WHO she is BECOMING. The Lord loves us and wants us to be light and happy, so when we focus on BECOMING, rather than beating ourselves down for things that we have done, we are happier. Ana is starting to see that light, so now she will be baptized. Her daughter, Kimberly also wants to learn about the gospel and prepared to get baptized! Miracles are happening right and left! I know that God prepared that family to hear the Gospel, and now is their time to accept it!

FAMILIES. This ward is ON FIRE and have been referring their friends like CRAZY...and most of them are totally interested! It is a MIRACLE! The best missionaries are literally the ward members by far! It is so much fun to see! They are working like crazy to share the gospel with all their family members and friends. They have truly caught the vision of member missionary work, it is AMAZING! We have found and are teaching 4 different FAMILIES thanks to member referrals and working closely with the members. The Lord has prepared so many families to hear the Gospel, and that is what is what the Gospel is all about---FAMILIES. So it is truly incredible to see. They are all in the beginning stages of learning...we are seeing 2 of them tonight...but they are GOLDEN. They want to know more, and have a desire to come closer to God through preparing for baptism. I can't explain the joy I feel right now! Seeing Elizabeth's family, Jose and Loius' family, Alarcon family and others coming to Christ, but learning about it together! THIS PLACE IS ON FIRE! The other day we went to visit a less-active returning member, and she had invited her friend. We taught the first lesson...the Spirit was stronger than I have ever felt before! They are from Honduras, and the friend is all alone here in the states. She said, "I know that God brought me here for a reason, and I think that this is the reason." WHAT! AMAZING! She is getting baptized at the end of this month---she will be "reading the book of Mormon like crazy" to make sure she is prepared. MIRACLES.

Bryan is a changed person. He is making HUGE sacrifices so that he can be prepared to get baptized on the first of March! YES! GO BRYAN! That includes the fact that he has been apologizing to people he hurt, changing friends and his edgy lifestyle to come closer to Christ. He told us yesterday that he has never been more happy and that he wished that he had changed a long time ago. Bryan is a huge example to me. He doesn't care what everyone else thinks of him, he just wants to be CONFIDENT and WORTHY in the presence of the Lord. That is my goal, and Bryan inspires me. He is studying, praying, coming to church and CHANGING so that he can be closer to the Lord.

We had transfers this week.....Hermana Dopp and I are staying together! YES! I love this girl, she is the best! We will continue serving as sister training leaders! This is Hermana Dopp's LAST TRANSFER. I get the pleasure of literally "running till she cries mercy" before she goes home. We have set some HUGE goals for finding and baptizing people this transfer and we are ready to WORK HARDER THAN EVER BEFORE. I love all the hermanas so much, they are incredible missionaries! We are going to be really busy this transfer doing more exchanges more often. I am learning so much from these wonderful hermanas, their areas and everything they do to be great missionaries. Exchanges are exhausting, but they are the greatest thing ever. The Lord loves and watches over all of His missionaries, and it has been incredible to see the hand of the Lord in their lives.

Our district is planning an EPIC event! We were sitting in district meeting this past week, and we were inspired to plan a HUGE mission-wide event. It is going to be called "Mundial Mormon". Which in English is "The Mormon World Cup." It is sheer genius and the ward and the stakes in our mission are supporting it like crazy! It is going to be quite a huge event in March! The goal is to get a ton of less actives, investigators and members all interacting in a fun, family-centered environment. So it is a soccer tournament with a talent show at the end! YES! And during it all, us missionaries will be giving tours of the chapel! MIRACLE! We are so excited for all the plans and cool things that are happening....in-actives and less-actives are coming out of the woodwork! :)

Thank you so much for all your love, support, and EVERYTHING! You all are the BEST! I love you so much and you are always in my thoughts and my prayers. I can't believe it has been a year....THERE IS SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE HERE! One thing that I am really learning right now is to do the will of the Lord, and follow the Spirit with exactness. As my companion and I have truly focused in on this, we have been happy, confident and at ease. There is no need to stress out about life. God knows EXACTLY what you need to do, what you need to say, how you need to live....Just ask. And then LISTEN. And be WILLING to act upon the answers that you receive. That is a process I am trying to master right now. Because time and time again we, as missionaries, don't know where to go, what to say or which door to knock...but the Lord ALWAYS knows and He leads us to exactly where we need to be and we open our mouths and He fills us with exactly they need to hear. I know He will do the same with ANY decision that we need to make--and that YOU need to make--but we need to trust Him and follow the Still Small Voice that leads us quietly and carefully to where we need to be.

STAND STRONG.

Happy Valentines Day! 

Hermana Weenig

Juan, Ana, Hermana Dopp and I at the Temple Visitor center. What a beautiful experience.

The BEAUTIFUL Washington DC temple. :)

WE beat the Elder's challenge!! Wahoo!!! 30 member present lessons in one week, 42 lessons total! What a miracle! And the prize=delicious chips and salsa! :) Yummmm....