I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! It is literally the greatest thing in all the world! It really is the dream life, and I am learning so much from the people, my wonderful companion, the other missionaries we serve and lead, and everyone. Miracles are happening, and this may have been the BEST WEEK of my entire mission. The work is hastening, the members are catching the vision of working with us together and the investigators are being touched by the spirit of the Lord. We are so busy and so happy---working really hard. I love this work.
MIRACLES. God is so incredible, and His hand has been in the lives of SO many of our investigators this week. This week we put FOUR people on date for baptism in this next month---ALL IN THE SAME DAY! HUGE MIRACLE!! The cool part about it all is that they are all solid. God has touched their hearts and they want to change and follow God. Can I tell you about them?
Dana Pineda is preparing to baptized on April 26!!!! YES! She is soaking things up like a sponge. She is 11, so we needed permission from the mom and dad. They were a little skeptical at first, but after we explained it to them, they were supportive. Dana has been asking and begging us to be baptized. She is literally the most angelic person that I have had the opportunity to teach. She reads everyday, she prays and she is growing in her faith. Listening to her teach us the plan of salvation after we had taught her, brought us both to tears.
Byron Leonardo is getting baptized on May 10th!! YES!! FINALLY! We had a huge miracle with him this week. President Burton, who is over the Spanish-speaking missionaries came out to a lesson with us and Byron. It was the most powerful lesson I have ever participated in in the mission! They went from declaring that they are married (which they aren't) to saying that they are just boyfriend and girlfriend! THIS IS A HUGE STEP on his way to baptism! President Burton promised him that he would be a huge leader in the church! AMAZING.
Lucy Santa Cruz is on date for May 10. She is SEARCHING for truth and there have been some sacred experiences with her this week. She was really hardened at first, but we are beginning to see, first hand, the atonement working in her life. She is changing and when she prays I just want to sing. Her prayers sounds like she is talking to God right in the room with her. It is incredible.
Ana Orellana is on date for April 26!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!! She has been coming to church for 3 years, and she FINALLY says that she is ready to be baptized. God softened her heart so much, and we are finally meeting with her regularly because she has made room in her schedule and she is making so many changes to be ready for baptism. We are working hard to resolve some doubts that she still has. But she is changing so much and she loves learning about the Gospel and said she is finally, "ready to change" and take on Christ's name.
MIRACLES. REFERRALS. Woah. This ward is on fire. The Maldonado family is sharing the Gospel everywhere they go and we received a few referrals from them. Nancy continues to share the Gospel with all her friends and family and we are teaching them. It is amazing to see all these people sharing the love of the Gospel with all of their friends and family and truly seeking to bring others unto Jesus Christ. It truly has been an amazing experience to see all of the members working hard. Nothing makes someone as happy as sharing the Gospel does. So, if you are feeling down, write a letter, call up a friend or someone that could really use an uplifting thought. Its amazing how good you feel after. :)
MIRACLES. We are finding a TON of less-actives in this area! The bishop really wants to find them and help them see how happy their lives could be with the Gospel. They are such amazing people, but have let their Spiritual lives go because of work, or they are too involved with the things of this world, or because they don't feel the importance of church. I have been doing a lot of reflection about our lives and the priorities that we choose to set. God gave us our agency to choose to fill our lives with good, inspiring and uplifting things---but sometimes we choose to fill our lives with things that have no benefit to us at all. iPads, iPhones, TV, music, the internet--all those things are good things. But are we using them to get closer to God? Are we using them to learn of him and become more like Him? We go to church each week, because it is our RESTART button. It clears our slate again, and gives us a time to reflect on where our priorities are. It has been amazing to teach and talk to those people that have forgotten, and to see them again in church with the smile on their face. This gospel is a gospel of change and of constant progression towards something greater.
I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. If you aren't reading it like crazy....do it. :) It is the fountain of happiness, peace and feeling the love of God.
Funny story. We were teaching this lady from Guatemala. As we were teaching about prophets and how God is the same today, yesterday and forever....so thus He will send us more prophets. She pulled out her Bible and started yelling at us telling us that we were in fact "false prophets." We sat there and listened to her with love and then explained that we were not prophets, but were called by a prophet to come teach her about how God still speaks and guides man. She felt the Spirit. Her heart changed. She prayed to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Wow. We are teaching her.
I love this work, and I love you. Thanks so much for all your support, love, letters, emails and everything. I hope you know that all of you are in my prayers and heart.
STAND STRONG.
Hermana Weenig
 |
| I got a surprise yesterday! Reina Reyes and her daughter, two that I taught in Old Town who were baptized while I was there, came to our ward to say hi. I was crying so much! It was so amazing to see her....and totally active and working in the church! She is amazing! |
 |
| With Karen Reyes! I was so happy to see them there! They are truly converted to the gospel! What a wonderful week. |
No comments:
Post a Comment