Stand Strong!: Love is the Secret Ingredient.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Happy MEMORIAL day! I love this work. I really do, and I am learning more so than ever how much I love these people. My whole paradigm is shifting, missionary work is more than just sharing the gospel and getting people excited about missionary work and getting them excited about the work. In fact we could be the most powerful and wonderful missionaries that have ever walked the earth, but without love it is all invalid. We can't persuade people into the church, but we CAN LOVE THEM INTO IT. Love is by far the most persuasive thing that we can offer. So instead of persuading people to do things this week, we were focused on being really excited and sharing our love for the gospel....and things TOOK FLIGHT.

MIRACLE at church. Just at our ward alone we had 18 people at church on Sunday!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!! INCREDIBLE MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING AND FAMILIES ARE COMING TO CHURCH! It is a beautiful thing. 5 of those included our investigators Ana, Byron, Delmy, Denya and Sonya. They are part of one of the families that we are teaching! It was incredible. They came, but in their club outfits. It was so good to see them there and they will be getting baptized in June! So happy for them!

MIRACLE.EMA OLMAS texted us the other day and said SHE WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! What a miracle! I started teaching her family back in December, and they fell off the map for a couple months, but now they are back and they want to try again...but this time with a determination to be baptized!!! YAY!! Ema asked us what it takes to be baptized, and said that she wants to do it. She said that she missed being close to God, and that she wants us to help her get back close with God. SO EXCITING! Also, she says that she wants to marry one of my brothers.....so Tyler, Austin and Hayden....I will let you fight over her. She is amazing! ;)

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That was a lesson learned this week. Satan has been trying to thwart our plans and our investigators like CRAZY. But he will never win, because we are being focused on the Savior Jesus Christ and bringing people to know Him and to love Him and to serve Him. We had zone conference this week and President Riggs trained us on how to be bold and powerful servants. I loved it! We practiced teaching the Law of Chastity, and that very night we used it on one of our investigators. It was one of the coolest lessons that I have ever seen on my mission. We felt just like when Ammon taught King Lamoni about God and how he can come to know God---when Ammon spoke with the Spirit and with power there was silence. The Holy Ghost taught through us as we boldly taught about this law given from God. (It's the only thing that is keeping him from getting baptized). We love him, but because we love him so much we were able to testify with boldness and help him understand the importance of obeying ALL of God's commandments, even if that means sacrificing many things.

FAMILIES FAMILIES FAMILIES!! This week we have been praying like crazy to find families! And guess what? God led us to find FAMILIES!! I love FAMILIES!!! We are finding families like crazy and the work is taking flight! I love all of these people that are interested in the Gospel and want to change as a family. Another family that we are teaching is Alcidus, Franscico and Anahy. They love when we come over. Alcidus is like 10 years old and whenever we come to teach their family he starts screaming and jumping up and down and mauls us with a whole bunch of hugs. Cutest little boy ever. They came to church on Friday to play soccer with the kids and LOVED it. They want to be baptized, and I wouldn't be surprised if that day is soon.

Zone conference was inspired---again the tid-bit that stood out the most is that we can't MAKE people do things, but we can LOVE them into doing them. That can be applied whoever you are, wherever you are, and whoever you are with. LOVE. "Charity is the PURE love of Christ." So that means it isn't tainted by any of our own selfish desires and wants.

Fernando Guzman is getting baptized this weekend!!!! SATURDAY IS THE GOLDEN DAY!!!!! YAYAYAY! We are SOOOOOO excited. He is FLYING through the missionary lessons. There has been miracle after miracle with him. What has been amazing is that we have taught him probably 8 times and every time except one, it has been within the home of a member. That has made a huge difference in his conversation process and to see him changing and morphing into a new creature has been inspiring.

Crazy side note: I learned how to do phone lessons this week! I taught 10 lessons via the phone! Cool, right? :)

We are teaching Byron Castillo, who is the son of one of the members in our ward. We have had to freshen up on our basketball knowledge, because he won't talk to us if we don't connect the gospel to basketball. We have related everything back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon=the play book of life. The Coach=God. Team-mates=everyone that surrounds us. Opposing team=opposition. goal=Eternal Life. THE GOSPEL RELATES to everything! We love playing the gospel analogy game in the car. We have to relate whatever one person says back to the Gospel. What a blast.

My companion has been sick all week, so I have got to go work with a lot of different members! It has been incredible to see their zest for missionary work and how they are sharing the gospel to their family members. I have learned something this week, that even when we feel alone or not strong enough, GOD WILL CARRY US....always. If we rely on Him, and even when we might be to stressed to pray, He ALWAYS will be there to comfort us and carry us so that we can see clearly what is most important in life.

The members are on FIRE here with missionary work. Every time they invite us to teach a FHE, they have invited a family or a friend to learn about the gospel. It is beautiful. This ward is ON FIRE. I love these people. I love this language. I love the hermanas. I love this work. I love my Savior Jesus Christ.

Thanks for all you do for me. All your letters, prayers, emails and the like. You are my heroes. Keep up the amazing work. And never forget.....TO LOVE ALL THOSE WHO SURROUND YOU. Even when it gets really hard or you don't want to....pray....and do it anyways. :) <3

STAND STRONG.

Hermana Weenig

p.s. We had the opportunity to place roses at the Arlington National Cemetery and go to the Washington DC national parade for Memorial Day. IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER! I am so grateful for all of you out there that have served faithfully so that we can be free! I love you! and God bless the USA!!! :)