It's Raining FAMILIES!!!!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. Families. Families. Families. It is INCREDIBLE. I love this work so much, and what is more, is that I love all of these people and seeing their families come closer together trough the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Miracle!!!! EDUARDO'S ENTIRE FAMILY CAME TO CHURCH AND THEY LOVED IT!!!!! Eduardo is an 8 year old who is a friend to Dana (who was baptized a little while ago). He has been learning with us and has been wanting to get baptized for quite sometime. Well, we felt inspired to go and visit their entire family and to see if we could teach them all and baptize them all together. Well, when we got there, his mom (from Puerto Rico) was SO interested and SO kind. We invited her to church and she said, "of course!" She has been so prepared by the Lord. We taught her about what church is like and how she and her kids will be more united as they learn about the Gospel together. She loved the idea. Cute little Eduardo came and whispered in my ear---"Ask her about baptism!" So I did! And she said YES, as long as he is totally prepared! MIRACLE!! Eduardo was so excited, and will be the spark that gets his entire family baptized! After the lesson, Eduardo prayed (we have been teaching him how to pray, because he had never been taught) and after his mom was in tears. "I have never heard my son do such a beautiful thing!" WOW. Spiritual high. ALL of them came to church Linda (the mom), Abigali (daughter), Alyidia (Daughter) and Eduardo (the son). It gave me chills! Nothing short of a miracle and Linda asked us if we could come teach them as a family. THEY WILL BE BAPTIZED SOOOOO SOON!! :)

Sacrifice: Giving something good for something better. That statement has been tried and true every single time. It seems that God is really refining us as well as our teaching pool. We have been rejected, we have been dropped and we have dropped a lot of the people we were teaching, and God is now blessing us with elect and incredible FAMILIES...who are all ready to be baptized!!! Example A: We went to teach Elba, one of our investigators, and she told us that she prayed, and felt that she didn't want to change religions. So we went outside, and there was a family playing outside. I sat down by the oldest and started talking to her about change and about how God loves us and has a purpose for her life. She started to cry. She said, "I have been so sad for so long, and have waited for someone to tell me something like this." WAHOOOO!!! We have been teaching her every other day WITH HER FAMILY!!! They all want to be baptized. She is programmed to be baptized on the 29th of June!! SO HAPPY for her!!

YES!!! Another family is on board and learning together!! Mina, Alcidus, Anahy and Fransisco. MIRACLES have been happening in that home. When we first met them, they were really rowdy and rude. But now there is a peace in the home. The mom, Mina, received news that her mother was dying this week. It softened her heart. As she was talking to us she looked at us and said, "I know that you have the answers. Teach me and will you pray for my mom?" OF COURSE. We were so excited, because up to this point she hasn't been super interested, just her kids. We found out 10 years ago she came to our church and had read parts of the Book of Mormon. She wanted to change, but never could. Now, she is ready to completely change her life around! What a miracle! She has completely changed from when we first met her, and her, along with her kids, are praying and reading the Book of Mormon. Its amazing.

The miracle of "Bath St." I was on exchanges with Hermana McDonald, who is one of the most fabulous missionaries out here, and we prayed to find a street with a whole bunch of Hispanic families on it. Lately, I have been praying like crazy to find families---because it is the most incredible thing to see an entire family coming unto Christ as a FAMILY. Anyways, we were led to this door that we had tried to contact earlier but no one was home.  (The way we tell if they are Hispanic is if there is gigantic moving vans, maroon drapes, toys scattered across the yard, and the smell of beans of rice easing throughout the door.) We knocked. Rosa answered. We taught her a quick lesson, and then asked her for referrals. Rosa wasn't very interested, but she said---"There are a ton of Hispanic families on Bath St." We looked at each other---WOAH! An direct answer to prayer. We went. As we walked down the street there were LITERALLY 5 or 6 families that were all Hispanic. They all accepted us to come back and teach them! It was a huge miracle! God literally led us there. THE FIELD IS WHITE, and ready to harvest.

That same exchange we saw HUGE miracles! The night before when I was planning for the exchange, I felt super inspired to go visit a family we hadn't seen since January. Well, when we got there the next night, both Emanuel and Elizabeth were firing questions at us about the plan of salvation. They LOVED it. They want to get baptized. They were so confused why their parents had baptized them at such a young age. We told them families are forever. We told them that they could be sealed forever in the temple. They want it---and they want it NOW. They were awe-struck and the Spirit was so strong in that room! I love them already, and know they will be baptized soon!! :) God keeps putting them in our path, because we saw them the other day, and they said that they can't stop thinking about God's plan for us! AMAZING! I really am starting to learn that God really does PLAN and do all of missionary work if we let Him take control. He can do much more with it all that we ever could. Divine and Spirit-filled planning allows miracles to happen the next day.

We are working with a total of 6 FAMILIES---->MIRACLE!! "Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you" Is coming to full fruition! I love seeing the hastening happening right before my eyes.

This is the greatest ward that I have ever served in. The people are so willing to work and share the Gospel with all of their friends. I am learning so much from their examples. We are really trying to train the members on how to do missionary work. And it is happening! We are getting referrals like crazy, and it has been amazing to see the joy that the members feel when they share the Gospel with someone else. Becky, age 7, took the challenge on! We dared her to invite one of her friends to church! And she did!! It was incredible! Although her friend didn't end up going at the last minute Becky was fearless in sharing the Gospel. We should all be a little bit more like Becky....totally FEARLESS.

I can't tell you how many times this week, we were going somewhere and then the Spirit prompted us to do otherwise. We have found 2 less-active and part member families through listening to the voice of the Spirit. Each time that we showed up to their houses they were in desperate need of help, it is just another proof that God really does GUIDE us....each step of the way so that we can be successful in doing this, the greatest work. It blows my mind how integrated the plan of God is. So often, God does use the means of other people as the answers to our prayers.

Transfers are this week. Can you believe it will be my last one? SAD! I am still in denial, and just think I will be a missionary forEVER. Anyways, I love Hermana Woodbury, I have learned a ton from her! She is a stellar young woman and is going to change the world forever. It has been amazing serving with her and with this incredible ward in Little River!

I cannot find the words adequate enough to describe my joy, happiness, and blessings that have come from serving a mission. It is BY FAR the best decision I have made in my life thus far. I have loved seeing people change their lives, come unto Christ and have seen how applying the gospel in their lives has made them happier than any other thing that they could do in life. But most of all, the greatest joy, happiness and blessings have come through getting to know my Savior Jesus Christ, and His atonement. I KNOW Him, and FEEL His strength and changing power daily. On the mission we have the opportunity to represent Him--and He carries me and directs this great work daily. I have been refined through His great atoning sacrifice, and know that it is only through Him, and putting Him at the center of our lives that we can truly experience joy, happiness and blessings. The biggest joy and blessing that I have received is change. I have changed, and been able to put off the natural man, through confiding in the merits of the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love Him. I know Him. And I know that He loves me. Because of that, I have learned my purpose in life, and will never leave His side as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I have the opportunity to walk daily with my best friend, the one who understands me the most---Jesus Christ. And He has shown me all that I can become, and all that others can become. The joy, happiness and personal blessings from serving a mission are immense, because each day I become more converted, and know I will be on this journey to become more like my Savior for the rest of my life
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I love this work so much. I love all of you so much. I am so grateful for all of your love, support, and prayers. You are always in my heart and in my prayers. Remember whenever you feel weak, that could be an opportunity to be STRONGER than you've ever been....if you rely on Jesus Christ. His life and His Atonement is a reflection of what we should be and what we should be becoming. If you don't know Christ, get to know Him---and apply what He taught, and still teaches through living prophets in your life. And guess what? You'll be happy. I can sure testify to that.

STAND STRONG.

Hermana Weenig

P.S. SHOUT OUT TO THE BEST DAD EVER!!!! HAPPY FATHERS DAY DADDY!!! You are MY HERO AND YOU ARE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE TO ME. I am so blessed and lucky to have such an incredible influence in my life! I hope one day to be more like you!! THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!

Jill and Adla, who we baptized while I was in Old Town, came to visit me at Little River ward! It was amazing to see them!

 Vivi and I. She has come SUCH a long way. She went from the party and drugs life to the Happy way of life. She is a huge example and influence on everyone she meets!

 Becky, the greatest missionary ever, who invited her friends to come to church and was persistent until they came! She is incredible. ALL OF US CAN DO MISSIONARY work.

Lake Accotink last P-day, it is a beaut!

Dad, I took your suggestion. Last p-day we fed geese....but then!! They ATTACKED me!! It was so funny...my companion caught it on film.

GROSS! We ate octopus and squid! Interesting texture.... Yummmmm.....