Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it MIRACLE

I love being a missionary! This week has been a whirlwind of INCREDIBLE miracles and SNOW. Lots of it. But, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am and the joy that I feel right now through doing the Lord's work. Lost. That is the best word to describe it. Totally lost in His cause, and I love it. I have never seen it snow so much in my life though! Who knew Virginia was a big snow place? I left my snowboard at home! We got about 13 inches and everything was closed for like five days. We couldn't drive, so we got to do a TON of service this week. Which, was a blast. My companion and I decided that we would shovel snow for our neighbors and help dig out their cars so that they could drive the next day. It was probably one of my most favorite days on the mission. We were in our dress boots and sweats....and all we had was a dust pan and a garbage basket to dig out the snow. So we started! It was quite the site! We did that for an hour, and then someone brought us shovels. It was a Blizzard! But we were SO happy! Car, after car, after car we dug out. And we met people and taught people as we did it! We helped people from: El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, Ghana, Sudan, Dubai, and all around the states. Our neighbors are amazing! It was so fun to serve them. We shoveled snow for 6 hours straight and people thought we were crazy! They brought us Gatorade and food from their countries. It was so cool! Who knew that shoveling snow could be so much fun?! I love sharing the gospel in doing the simple things. The man from Sudan said, "You must be women from God. No one else would do this and be unpaid." We love to serve. We dug out about 20 cars! It was a blast.

Miracle. BIG TIME. So I was on an exchange with another sister. She came to our area (she is awesome, she is from Thailand!) And all of our appointments fell through for the hour. So we stopped right there in the apartment complex and we prayed. We knew that God had brought us to that place for a reason. So we asked Him why He had brought us there and what he wanted us to do there. We both felt really strongly to knock all of the doors around the door of Ana (our investigator who wasn't home). So we did. None of them opened. We thought it was kind of weird, so we slowly walked outside. In my mind I thought, "why would the Lord tell us to knock these doors if no one was going to open?" We got in the car to go visit our next appointment. And that is when it happened. A woman from Africa came running outside of the apartment building signaling us to stop. We were literally just about to drive away when we saw her. We stopped. Rolled down the window, and she asked, "Who are you?" We told her that we represent Jesus Christ. She was intrigued. She said "You just knocked on my door." We smiled, and we said yes. We asked her why she felt the need to run out and talk to us. She said, "I don't know. I saw you through the peephole and at first I was nervous to answer the door because you were glowing. And then something inside of me just urged me to talk to you, I didn't want to miss out on what you were doing!" I think my mouth was wide open at that point. We parked the car and got out to talk to her. She asked us what we were teaching. We said, "We know God still speaks to men through a Prophet of God, and we know that Jesus Christ's church is here on the earth again." She said, "What? Who is the prophet? what is his name?" We kept talking and she kept firing us with questions. She told us that she has been searching for the truth for a long time, and hasn't been able to find it. We told her that God had sent us to knock on her door and help her find the truth and find out who she really is. She then began to tell us that she had been seriously thinking about committing suicide that week and that her life is in shambles and that she isn't worth anything anymore. WOAH. God literally sent us to her door--chills went up my spine. She is absolutely incredible. She told us that she had been praying and praying for God to send her some sign that God still loved her, and in that moment there was a knock at her door.....it was us. As we explained her purpose in life and the Love that Heavenly Father has for her she began to cry and cry. She said, "Teach me what I need to do to change my life around, and I will do it." My socks were knocked off. Probably the COOLEST experience I have had on my mission so far. We taught her about baptism about prayer and about the atonement. She soaked it in. She is getting baptized!! We have seen her so much, and she is progressing so fast. We gave her the Book of Mormon and she is reading the WHOLE THING! She is incredible! This really is the hastening of the work. AMAZING things are happening.

MIRACLE: Byron Leonardo, our investigator that was on date for about two weeks ago who moved to Ecuador, came back! And he said that he met up with the missionaries down there and that he wants to be baptized! He showed up in church---and we almost fell FLAT ON OUR FACES!!!!! He came to gospel principles and told everyone that he is finally ready to change and come unto Christ! He will be baptized on his birthday, March 1. We are so happy for him! WAHOOOOOOOO!!!!! Also, he and his mariachi band will be playing at the event us missionaries are planning "Mundial Mormon!"

MIRACLE: Bryan Huarita is on for baptism on March 1 as well!!! AAAAAMAZING!!! He has gone from never wanting to get baptized, to totally dedicated to being baptized! It is so amazing to see and we are so excited for all the changes that area happening in his life.

MIRACLE: Kelly, a young girl that we are teaching is changing her lifestyle so she can get baptized. She told us she has no idea why she is here on earth and what her purpose is. We set goals. We talked about how Christ helps us achieve those goals. She decided to stop giving into peer pressure and start relying on God. She is getting baptized this next month!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I love being a missionary. I love doing exchanges. I love all the sisters that I get to work with on a weekly basis. I love my companion and I love this ward and area. I love these people. That is all.

I have been learning like crazy this week that it is so important for us to give up our will to do the Lord's. His plan is so much better than our own. But sometimes we think that we are in control and that we don't need to let Him in on our plans, but that is not how it works. In fact, it is quite the opposite. If we allow Him to take control and listen to Him as we counsel with Him through prayer...WE FLY to MUCH greater heights. Over and over again I have seen how much higher God's ideas, thoughts and plans are. Even when we think He isn't in the details.....He is. Over and Over again. Its incredible. I hope you take the chance to get to KNOW God...He is your Heavenly Father. I hope you take the chance to talk with Him...for real---the good, the awesome, the ugly, the worst. RELY on Him. That is what these people are doing. We have seen people go from drug addicts, abuse, gangs, you name it....to becoming who they were meant to become through Christ. It is possible for all of us. We just need to do it. :)

STAND STRONG.

Thanks for all your support, love, letters and everything. I love you!!

Hermana Weenig

The US capitol! my favorite building in DC

The library of Congress....STUNNING.

That is a million dollars.

Preparation for the Mundial Mormon

Shoveling snow...with a dust pan and garbage bin. We finally got real shovels after an hour of doing this! hahaha   We were SOAKED. We dug people's cars out of parking lots for SIX HOURS! WHEW!

During dinner, we built a snow bear! YES!!! :)

Snow storm.

Went to the temple yesterday! It was gorgeous! We had the opportunity to go up to the 7th floor of the temple for a special meeting! It was incredible!! :)

Hermana Dopp and I

The Senior couple Carliles! They are an incredible couple!

A fun Valentine surprise.  Thanks, Candice!