WEEK 9 - HEY EVERYONE!!

So, another week come and gone. And, what do I have to show for it? Sadly, not much. Things are still going slowly here in the Fossil Creek Ward, with investigators becoming very few and far between. I've mentioned that we've had some potential investigators for a while. That is still true, but sadly, they still haven't made much time to talk to us. It's not only Elder Proffit and I that are having the trouble, either. It sounds like a lot of the Elders in our area of the mission aren't faring very well either. And with the days quickly getting shorter, and the nights darker and colder, the chances of filling our evenings with appointments, discussions, and lessons are getting fewer and fewer. Seems like this time of the year, with everything that goes on in life, is just an up-hill struggle in teaching. But, worry not! We will press onward!

Fort Collins Temple as the construction progresses 



This week was transfers, when Elders and Sisters are sent to different areas in the mission, sent home, or, for the first time in their lives, enter the mission field. I was not directly affected by this, as I am still in Fossil Creek, and with Elder Proffit as my companion. However, one of the other Elders in our group, Elder Miller, got sent to the Young Single Adult's Ward in Fort Collins, around the college there. I'm very saddened by this, for two reasons. First, because Elder Miller was a very fun and exciting Elder, who always made District Meetings and P-Days a truly great event. And, Second, because that means I'm now stuck with Elder Wengreen for another transfer. Elder Wengreen isn't all bad, to be honest...but I would not ever recommend him as a driver, or as a serious missionary. He is seriously trunkie, and I only hope and pray that this next transfer, he'll at least be able to focus on the work a little bit more, and not be so...immature.

Elder Weber on a "double decker" bike



But, with Elder Miller gone, that means someone has to replace him. And so, in comes Elder V. Elder V, or Elder Vakameilalo, is a Polynesian Elder from Tonga. When I say this, I mean fresh off the island, still learning English. He's a really nice Elder, and to be honest, he's not the worst Tongan I've ever seen. The other Elders were moaning about how he's going to be so big, and that he's going to eat everything, and that he could break me just by giving me a hand shake. But when I saw him, I couldn't help but think, "This is Elder V? The titan from Tonga? He's tiny!" And, really, he was. He's about six-foot, which is still a half-foot taller than me, but hey, everyone's taller than me! So, really, I am looking forward to working with Elder V in the nearby future. I just hope that Elder Wengreen won't corrupt him with trunkieness too soon!

We had Stake Conference this last weekend, and while driving down we found out that the brakes were in danger of failing. So, while down at the Stake Center area, we took the van over to a Firestone, and had them look at it. It turns out that some form of rodent had snuck up into the machinery at night, while the car was parked out on the road, and chewed up the brake wires! Can you imagine that? I didn't even think that was possible. So, Elder Holley, the elderly Elder in charge of the vehicles, reassigned us to a new car, a Subaru, and had us stick with it until the van can get fixed. We were all pretty bummed out about this, but we went on and all of us, all six of us, piled into the very small car. It was like a can of sardines in there! However, there was a ray of light amidst all this darkness. While we had been tossing our suit jackets and bags into the trunk of the Subaru, I found laying there an old Japanese-version of the Book of Mormon.

Japanese Book of Mormon that has found a new home



For those that don't know, I have always wanted to learn Japanese. It has been a goal of mine for many years. When I found out I couldn't learn Japanese by going on a mission to Japan, I have to admit it was quite a let-down. So, to find out that my mission president, President Brown, had served in Japan on his mission, and that several of the Elders in our mission speak Japanese, and that there is actually a family in our Ward that is from Japan, it just blew me away. And, now, to find a Japanese-version of the Book of Mormon, just sitting there, in a car that hadn't been used for a while, probably since the Fort Collins Mission was founded about a year ago...it all just seemed like answers to my prayers.

Someday he'll learn to read it, just not at this time.



However, when I asked President Brown about it, later that day, in the Adults Session of Stake Conference, he very kindly, and very firmly, told me to not waste any time on my mission learning Japanese. Surprisingly, I wasn't saddened, or angered by his advice. In fact, I was grateful. Perhaps it was because, deep down inside, I knew that my mission was no place to learn Japanese. And, yes, all signs seemed to point towards me getting the 'okay' from Heavenly Father to learn Japanese, and I feel that He does still want me to learn Japanese. Just, at a later date. Who knows? Maybe I'll serve worthily here in Fort Collins, learn Japanese once I come home, and then, only a few years after I've started my own family, I'll end up being assigned as Mission President for one of the missions in Japan! You never know.

And that's what I'd like to leave you with today. You never know what God has in store for you. We all have a mission to accomplish while we're here on Earth. Sometimes, we have the blessing of knowing what that mission is. But, most times, we haven't the foggiest clue. But, we live worthily, and serve diligently, and leave the rest in God's hands. The answer, or mission, that He gives us might not be the mission we expected, or the mission we wanted, but that isn't what matters. God knows us far better than we know ourselves. He knows who we are, what we were sent here to do, and what we need to do to accomplish that mission. So, don't ever fight God. He'll always win in the end. Besides, whatever God calls you to do must be good. For whatever is good is of God, and whatever is evil is of the Devil.

Aim to do good, my friends, and listen to what God asks of you. You never know where it may lead.

--Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 8 - AUGH! MY LEGS!!!

Hello everyone!

It's me, Elder Weber, reporting in once more for an update as to how life in the mission field is. And...well, I'm currently covered in bruises and feel like my legs are about to pop off. Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Just the average, everyday life of a missionary. ...Well, the average, everyday life of a missionary in the Loveland Zone, with two trunky Elders travelling along with you. Yep, crazy, right? My story is an interesting one, so pull up a chair and grab some popcorn, 'cause this is going to be good.

After emailing y'all (good lord, I already am writing in the Coloradoan accent!), the other Elders and I went over the the Baer's house to enjoy the rest of the P-Day. Usually, P-Day at the Baer's includes eating ice cream sandwiches while competing in table tennis tournaments, enjoying a refreshing game of pool, or launching tennis balls at each other with lacrosse sticks, inside the Baer's indoor gym. However, this day we had a small change in plans. Somehow, the Stetson Creek Elders (Elders Mangrum and Corpus) had gotten their hands on two pairs of pro-boxing gloves, probably from a member or something. And they wanted to have a little fun boxing each other around. It was fun for a while, but after a few rounds, I was paired up with Elder Corpus. This man is easily a full foot taller than me, and a good fifty pounds heftier than me. Whoever thought it was a good idea to have the largest and smallest Elders go at it with boxing gloves must have been an absolute maniac. Suffice to say, after the first few blows, I ran like a headless chicken away from the tall Native American boxer. All the while, one of the Baer boys happened to be video taping the entire thing, and the other rounds as well.

Luckily, we got to him before he could post it on any site, and had him delete it forever. However, Elders Corpus and Wengreen weren't as lucky, as their's was posted on SnapChat. From what I've heard, everyone in the Fossil Creek Ward now knows of the "Elder's Fight Club". May President Brown have mercy on their souls.

After P-Day, the rest of the week passed on fairly slowly. However, on Thursday, I was able to once again enjoy an exchange. This time, it was with Elder Jensen, one of the Zone Leaders that looks out over the Elders in the Loveland Zone. Talk about terrifying. Lucky for me, Elder Jensen was very easy to get along with, so I looked forward to serving with him. Our first thing we were going to do was take care of weeds at the Church Building for a service project. However, before we could get very far with it, we found ourselves stuck in a downpour. It rained all day, and all night. Just biking from the building to home got us so wet, even throwing our clothes through the dryer twice didn't get them completely dry! So, once again, I had an exchange where we were unable to do anything of use.

Saturday, we had another chance to do some service. A young man was taking out the cement for fire pits at a large camping ground, and myself, Elder Proffit, and Elders Wengreen and Miller volunteered to join the work. Talk about back-breaking work! First we had to break the cement and remove the fire pits themselves. Then we had to dig square holes in the ground, and place large wooden frames in them, for the concrete to be filled in for the new fire pits. Then, when the cement was brought, the pits had to be placed back into their spots, with the iron pins used to hold them in place perfectly erect. We messed up several times, and by the end of it, I was dog tired. Then, the other Elders, including the Zone Leaders, decided they'd go and friendship a less-active. Friendshipping is when you form a bond with a less-active, before you begin teaching them, so they can trust you. We did this by LARPing with him, or Live-Action Role-Playing. Basically, eight full-grown men ran around swinging foam swords, shields, spears, clubs, and knives, and beat each other to a pulp. It's a lot of fun...unless you're the one they keep hitting! Seriously, I think the other Elders wanted to do this just so that they could have an excuse to beat up the greenie (me) some more.

So, between getting boxed by Corpus, drenched in rain, covered in broken cement shards and clay, and getting knocked around with foam swords, was it really any surprise that I practically passed out the second my head hit my pillow Saturday night?

Despite the negative points throughout this week, it's still fun being a missionary. I've made some good friends, and have really enjoyed being a part of this large family. And, the spirit is strong here. In fact, I have another story to tell you. Growing up, my dad told me a story of him losing his wallet, back before he became a member of the church, and how he found it again. Well, now I have a missionary version of that self-same story. Last night, Sunday night, Elder Proffit and I got back home, tired yet again. We had done a lot of walking (couldn't bike because Elder Miller had messed up Elder Proffit's bike seat), and we were just about ready to fall in bed and fall asleep. As we were dressing down, I reached to my back pocket to take out my wallet. Immediately, I knew something was wrong, because I always button my back pocket up when I put my wallet in there. Yet, the button was undone, and the pocket was empty. My thoughts immediately went to 'I lost it'. This was bad, because we had been tracting in Timnath in the darker hours of the night, so it could have fallen out then. Or, it had fallen out in the van, and the Elders took it, thinking it was someone else's. Or, it could have fallen out in the Church Building, and someone in one of the later sessions had taken it home. Then, as I calmed myself, I told Elder Proffit of the situation, and he suggested we search the room, first. So we did.

Nothing.

We couldn't find it anywhere. We searched everywhere, the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room, under my bed, everywhere. Just when I was about to give up, I decided to continue the search tomorrow, and go to bed. As I laid down in bed, I sent a prayer heavenward, asking Heavenly Father for help to find my wallet. Instantly, I fell into the best sleep ever, and had the most clear dream I have ever had. It was like I was watching a video clip of myself. It was Saturday night, and Elder Proffit and I had just gotten back after our long day of service and sword-fights. I watched as I took my pens, pencils, notebooks, and wallet out of my pockets, and tossed them at the edge of my bed. Then, the dream went black, and changed to Sunday morning. In the haste to get to church on time, because we had Ward Council at 7 in the morning, I watched as I fumbled around in the dark, slid my pens, pencils, and notebooks into my pockets, and ran out the door. While doing so, I saw my wallet get pushed back further under the bed, lost and forgotten.

The next morning, I got up and looked under the bed. Sure enough, there it was, sitting right next to the shoe-shining kit Elder Miller had given to me, about two weeks ago. I was dumbfounded. I had seen the shoe-shining kit the night before, when I was looking for my wallet. I had moved it to the side, to see if the wallet was behind it. And yet, this morning, there it was, with the wallet sitting right next to it! There is no doubt in my mind that that was an answer to my prayers. I don't know where the wallet was, between searching for it that night, and finding it that morning. Because, I promise you, it was not under my bed when I looked for it. And now, I have it once again. I bear my witness here and now that God does listen to our prayers, and He always answers them. While the answer may not come as quickly as mine did, they always come. God loves us, and He wants us to pray to Him, not just so that we can talk to Him, but also so He can help and bless us throughout our lives. I testify that He is our Heavenly Father, that He loves us, and wants only what is best for us. And as long as we follow His commandments, and turn to him when we are in trouble, He will bless us. I say this, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

That's all for this week! Catch y'all next Monday!

--Elder Z.S.Weber

EXCERPTS from the LETTER to MOM

 I thought I would share some of the excerpts from the letter to mom...

I loved General Conference this last weekend. It was awesome, and the lessons taught were great. After the Priesthood Session, the Ward Mission Leader took us out to Red Robins for dinner. The other Elders and I had the stupid idea to have a drinking contest with the bottomless Freckled Lemonades they have there. We ended up going home having all eaten all of our burgers, all of our fries, and four Freckled Lemonades each. Suffice to say, no one slept well that night.

Other than stuffing our faces to near explosion, the Conference was totally amazing. There was a lot of subjects given that I think we all sometimes lag in. Like serving people often throughout our lives, or actively sustaining the Prophets and General Authorities of our Church. So, for six months until the April Conference, we have some things to work on. I'll definitely be improving how I teach and study, after hearing what the Apostles and Prophets had to tell us!

Oh, almost forgot two of the other big high-lights! Sister Banagas brought chocolate shakes and onion rings over on Friday! The tradition stands strong against the tests of time and space!!

 

Also, in the Priesthood session, I could see Duncan singing in the Elder's Choir from the Provo MTC. If you have access to the songs, look during the congregational hymn they sing about an hour into the priesthood session, and you can see him behind the conductor, on the conductor's left-hand side (the right side of the TV screen). How awesome is that?!

WEEK 7 - WHOOHOO!!! GENERAL CONFERENCE

Hey everybody, Elder Weber checking in once again with an update as for how things are in the Colorado Fort Collins Mission!

First, a report on the weather. Earlier this week we had a few run ins with some sparse showers and storms, but nothing too noteworthy until Wednesday, where the rain fell for over two hours, and lightning flashed and thundered almost every other second. My heart goes out to the Elders and Sisters that had to go out and tract in that ghastly weather, without a car to protect them. The rest of the week was nice and sunny, however. Perfect timing for the wonderful General Conference Weekend!

Next, we go over to sports. As I stated in my last letter, I got a new bike, and was thrilled. I did not yet realize, at the time, what it would feel like to bike around twenty miles a day, most of which was up hill. Needless to say, my legs are terribly sore, and falling asleep at night is very easy. However, slowly but surely, I should be able to get used to biking such long distances, and my legs will stop moaning in protest. Besides that, should I continue with both biking and exercising with the Elders every morning, I should be able to return from my mission looking healthier and stronger than I ever imagined I ever could. So, for now, I'll just grin and bear through the agonizing miles to and from appointments.

Now, for the news. On Tuesday evening, Elder Proffit and I went on my first exchange. What is an exchange, you might ask? It's when two companionships in a District trade companions for 24 hours, and use the time to get to know the other members of the mission, and to generally mix the teaching up a bit. My temporary companion was Elder Sellers, and on Wednesday we tried out teaching. It did not go too well, as half-way through our tracting in Timnath Ranch, the storm hit us. And I, being the temporary senior companion, had given the decision that we would not be wearing jackets, despite the terrible storm rising in the distance. Yep...not gonna make that mistake again. We had to hunker down for a while at a friendly member's garage, drying off as we waited for the storm to stop. When it eventually did, we were picked up by the other Elders and taken back to the church building to end the exchange.

Thursday was spent in interviews with the Mission President. Each person had a different interview time, so we took all four companionships down at around ten-thirty, and just waited the time out. I believe the words President Brown said, when he saw all eight of us already there was, "...we're gonna need a bigger room." After Elders Earls, Sellers, Mangrum, Corpus, Miller, and Wengreen went in and spoke to the President, it was finally my turn. President Brown asked me how I was doing in the mission field with my stress, how I well I was teaching, and reminded me to email him every week. Afterwords, we all went down to an all-you-can-eat pizza place. While there, we were asked by an old man at a nearby table to sing 'Happy Grandpa', sung to the tune of 'Happy Birthday', to his friend, who had just become a grandfather to a baby girl. The other Elders were cautious, and slow to accept, but we all sang the song for the man, and seeing the smile on his face definitely made it worth it.

The major high-light of this week would have to be General Conference, though. Myself and Elders Proffit, Wengreen, and Miller attended all of the sessions, watching the broadcast via projector in the Church building. There were a lot of very good talks given, and I was able to notice several profound subjects, most of which were based around the core beliefs of us Mormons. First, developing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we can stand strong against adversities. Second, serving others and caring for those who are less fortunate than us. Third, Missionary Work, both by those called to serve as Missionaries, and by those who are considered normal members. Fourth, the power of the Prophets, and their status as leaders and teachers of this church. Finally, fifth, the ability to receive revelation and instruction from God, the Eternal Father, either personally by personal prays and scripture study, or generally by those who sit in higher seats of authority, like the Prophets, Bishops, and Stake Presidents. All this led to the closing talk by Elder Bednar, aimed directly at the nonmembers watching the broadcast. I find it interesting that this Special Witness of Christ would call for such a subject as explaining who we are, and why we are so passionate about our church, but I have feeling that it was with good reason. Who knows? Perhaps, now, there are several thousand nonmembers who decided to listen in, and are now wondering about what Elder Bednar said, and thinking to themselves 'maybe I shouldn't slam the door in those missionaries faces the next time they come by.

Well, whatever the reason, this week was great. Though there were not many lessons given, there were many lessons learned, and I am feeling confident to start this next week off with even more fervor than before! The lessons taught in this last General Conference were truly God-given subjects and talks. I feel certain, that if we all take in what we learned this last General Conference, we will be able to make our endeavors as members of this church improve by ten-fold! By increasing our faith, seeking to serve, teaching those we love of our beliefs, following the words of the prophets, and gaining spiritual insight from our Father Above, I know that in these things, we shall be successful. That those we love and care for may understand the desires of our hearts, and gain their own sacred connections to Christ, is my solemn prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

That's it for this week. See you all again next Monday!

--Elder Z.S.Weber