WEEK 98 - LOOKING FOR OTHER SEAS

Good Morning, friend, family, and other relative acquaintances! This is your favorite missionary from the Colorado Fort Collins Mission once again, the ever charismatic, charming, and completely humble Elder Z.S.Weber. It's great to hear from all y'all again. A lot has happened this past week, but before we get to all of that, may I just say that summer has officially come...and DANG! Is it hot or what?! I mean, seriously, this past week we saw the temperature gage on our car go up to 108 degrees! It was only for a few seconds, but DANG! That is hot! We're still expected to work in this infernal heat that has swept over the state, but worry not. Though the heat is great, the work has actually been pretty good here.

So, without further ado, let us begin!

To start us off, let's go back to Tuesday this past week. Now, some of you might remember that for the past few weeks, Elder Pember and I have been struggling in finding a new place for us to call home. Well, after searching and begging and pleading for a new home, we finally were able to move out of the McKenzies' and find a new place to call home. Where are we, you might ask? Well, because both Wards are still struggling in finding us a member that can house us, we have moved in with our Zone Leaders, Elder Fraser and Elder Jackson. This is my first time living with other Elders while on my mission. It's actually been pretty nice, as we all have studies together in the morning and have nice discussions. These discussions range from principles of the gospel, to who we think would win in an Avengers vs. Justice League, to possible date plans for after the mission.

Along with great studies and discussions with my friends, moving in with the Zone Leaders has proven to be good for me and my companion in more ways than I first thought. For starters, we live above-ground now, so when the sun rises at 5:45 in the morning it helps to wake us up at the right time. Also, every morning at 6:35, the Zone Leaders work out, having this huge six-day rolling plan set up to, as they say, 'get pumped!' So, pretty much every morning now we are working out...though we might not do the Zone Leader workout with them. I'm not saying that I can't do it, or that I won't do it...I'm just saying that I did their chest workouts on Thursday, and my right arm is still kind of sore...

Along with moving in, Elder Pember and I were able to get out and enjoy the warmth of the summer as we went out and tried to find some new investigators for the Prairie Ridge Ward. We have a pretty good teaching pool for Taft Canyon, and though things could be better there, the sad truth is we pretty much have nothing going on in Prairie Ridge. So, this week we dedicated ourselves to finding in the Prairie Ridge area. The work was slow, but enjoyable, as we mostly walked everywhere. Unfortunately, there weren't many people that were interested in talking with us. In fact, there were several occasions where we were walking down the sidewalk, saw someone walking towards us on the same walk, who then cut across the street to avoid talking to us. However, we were able to share a few short messages about the temple.

The best thing from this week, however, was our chance to finalize our plans for our investigator, Kathy Williams. Things have been really going well for her, and she is really excited for her baptism coming up. Wednesday, we were able to drag the District Leader over to our Church Building so that he could give Kathy her baptismal interview. Just as we had expected, she passed with flying colors. However, as we were setting up the program for her baptism with her, we found a few small problems. Nothing much, just that pretty much everyone that needs to be at her baptism (i.e. Ward Mission Leader, Relief Society President, Bishopric Member) would be out of town. So, we've moved her baptism from the 2nd to the 9th. Still, it's really exciting!

Well, that's how my week went! All in all, not all that shabby, if I do say so myself. Along with the work done, and the experiences...erm, experienced, this week has also been a great week of spiritual growth and enlightenment. Which means...It's time for another session of the Spiritual Thought!

This thought was inspired by a baptism that Elder Pember and I attended this last Saturday. After the woman had been baptized and had her short welcoming into the Ward, the Bishop had asked her to bear her testimony, or share about her journey to her baptism. While she said that she didn't have much of a testimony to share, as with most people who share their testimonies it was profound and beautiful, even as it was simple and sweet. As part of her testimony and journey towards baptism, she shared a song that her grandmother taught her when she was a young girl. Years later, she translated the song from Spanish to English, and it took on new meaning for her. With her permission, I include a verse of the translated song;

Lord, you looked into my eyes,

And smiling, you called my name.

In the sand, I left my boat.

With you, I will look for other seas.

(Pescadores de Hombres; lit. Fishers of Men)

This song refers to the story of Peter and his brethren. Peter was a fisherman in Galilee, and had dedicated his life to fishing. I'm certain that, though probably not the most profitable work to be invested in, it was a work he took much pride in and was pretty good at, if the patience he shows whenever he goes fishing in the New Testament is anything to go by. Yet even though he loved his work, there came a time when a different work called his name. The work he had previously done wasn't as successful or fulfilling as it was before, and I imagine he was looking for something more in his life. And that was when our Savior met him and extended the call to throw down his net and become a fisher of men. (Matthew 4:18-20)

Now, let's return to the woman who told me this song. At that time in her life, this young convert felt as though her faith based off of the Catholic Church was the boat in the song. It had fared her well throughout her life to there, yet she couldn't help but feel as though something was missing. Slowly, her nets stopped catching fish, her sails lost their wind, and her boat ended up stuck on the sandy shore. She needed something more in her life. She knew she wanted to follow and believe on Jesus Christ, but the faith she aligned herself with at that moment wasn't filling her needs as well as she had hoped. It was at that time that she decided to seek out her answers—seeking that eventually led her to the missionaries, and through them, God in His glory.

There may be some of you who read these messages that are struggling with your faith. You love God, and seek to follow Him at all times. Yet sometimes, you can't help but feel as though there is something lacking in your worship. Something is there, you know it, yet it is just beyond your reach. My counsel to you, my brothers and sisters in the spirit, is to ask your Father in Heaven what He would have you do. His desires are always good, and He knows best what is best for you. Perhaps He will give you strength to fortify your ship, new purpose within your ship. Or perhaps His counsel will be to set your net aside and "look for other seas." I cannot speak for you. All I can say is that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints truly is His restored church on the earth today. And if you choose to come and join us, we will welcome you with arms open wide as a brother or sister "who was lost, and is found." (Luke 15:32)

Now, for those of you my friends who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and who struggle with your faith as well, may I direct your attention to the counsel of one of the apostles of the Lord? "At the beginning of [a river rafting trip], one of the experienced river guides reviewed important safety instructions, emphasizing three rules that would ensure the group’s safe travel through the rapids. 'Rule number one: stay in the boat! Rule number two: always wear a life jacket! Rule number three: always hold on with both hands!' He then said again, with even more emphasis, 'Above all, remember rule number one: stay in the boat!'" (M. Russell Ballard, Stay in the Boat and Hold On!, October 2014 General Conference)

There will be times in our lives when our seas get rough, when the storms are all about us and seeking to sink us into the depths of the ocean. At those times, there may be some among you who think it would be best to find a better boat to weather the storm in. My advice to you is—get away from that railing and stay in the boat! First of all, it's absolutely ridiculous to jump out of a ship in the middle of a storm, seeking for a larger vessel that may or may not be there. It's an entirely different situation if you can see the vessel, and it actually has a safety line thrown out for you before you've even jumped out into the waters (cough cough The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), but that's not what we're talking about here.

Second, and I hate to burst bubbles here, but there is no better vessel to weather the storms of mortality in than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! It is the Lord's church, and He is the Master at the helm. With a man as perfect as He is, someone who has proven more than capable of calming the seas and the sailors time and again, why do you doubt? Let us stay in the boat, stay in this ship we call the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and hold on with both hands. Though the waves may be fierce, and the force of the wind might cause us to fear for our lives, remember another group of Saints that feared a similar, yet more literal death. At that moment, the words of the Savior to them and the seas is the same counsel He gives each of us—"Peace, be still." (Mark 4:39)

This I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

—Elder Z.S.Web

WEEK 97 - A FATHER INDEED

Good morning, fellow inhabitants of this beautiful world we all call Earth. Once more, this is your brilliant, charming, and ever-humble friend serving in the Colorado Fort Collins Mission, Elder Z.S.Weber. Once more, I am here to tell all y'all what's going on in my life as a missionary and what lessons I have been able to learn. Before I begin though, I realize that a lot of you might have been concerned with how...blue my last email sounded. Last week was really rough on me, and so I didn't really have the energy or conviction to write another powerful or inspiring message like I normally do. However, I can confidently say that this week turned out MUCH better than last week did, and I'm feeling much better as well.

So, what happened this week that made me feel so much better than the last? Well, to begin, on Tuesday we were asked to gather together for a Zone Conference. For the first time ever on my mission, we were actually going to a Zone Conference that was being held in our own Zone. Usually, because we share a Zone Conference with other Zones, the Zone I am in has to drive to the Zone that is hosting the Conference. The other interesting difference about this Zone Conference is that it was President Brown's last Zone Conference, and should be my last one as well. It's still kind of hard to believe that it's finally gotten this far, and that my mission is almost over. The fact that this was the last Zone Conference was a bit of a rude awakening.

For the most, the Zone Conference was spent as a Q&A session with President Brown. The President wanted to share as much advice as he could with us before his time as our Mission President ended. Surprisingly, there weren't any sarcastic questions asked, and though President Brown wasn't able to answer all of the questions, the questions he did answer I feel fit most of the missionaries that attended. Along with advice, President Brown talked with us missionaries about President McMurray, who should be coming to replace him by the middle of the first full week of July (1st through 7th). It was his hope that we would make serving with President McMurray easier on him, and that the exchange from one President to another wouldn't cause too much chaos in the mission.

After the meeting, we had a delicious lunch which had been prepared for us by some local members. After lunch was over, we each received these awesome little challenge/memory coins with the Fort Collins Mission emblem and the Fort Collins Temple on either side. 

It was a great gift to remember our mission from, especially for me, who accidentally lost his 'Armor of God' challenge coin at the very beginning of his mission and had missed the feeling of having a coin in his pocket. Finally, at the end of the meeting, we got to the Departing Testimonies, and boy were there a lot of them. There were nineteen missionaries that were going home in the next two months that were attending our Zone Conference, and from what President Brown said, about a quarter of the mission is going home in the first two months of President McMurray's mission. Ouch!

Among those that spoke were actually a lot of familiar faces. Elder Dixon, Elder Genther, Elder Christiansen, Elder Pratt and Elder Clavel, all from my original MTC group (43-Best!!), were there to give their departing testimonies. Elder NeVille, my former companion, was also there, as well as Elder Harper and Elder Clark, who I have previously served around, and Elder Tiai, who came out with me and was pretty much adopted by my MTC group. Elder Stock, Elder Farnes, and Elder Carter were all missionaries that came out with me, but weren't in my group, and Elder Marchetti and Elder Biggs were missionaries that are currently serving in the same Zone as me. This isn't all of the missionaries that said goodbye in that Zone Conference, but they're the ones that I know. It's crazy to think that I'm among them, and come forty-two days, I'll be homeward bound.

After the Zone Conference was over, and the week continued on, I had a few more moments in my week that I feel are worth mentioning. To start with, on Wednesday I got a chance to go on Exchanges with Elder Anderson, my former companion. I ended up going to his area, the Timberline Ward, and we did some work there. It was a good chance for me to see how the other missionaries are doing, and what trials they are going through. Because Timberline was swept out at Transfers, Elder Anderson and Elder Marchetti have a lot of weeding out to do without much direction. It made me glad that, though confusing it is to work two wards, we are able to handle and sort the work in our area. More than anything, though, it was nice just catching up with my former companion and seeing him again.

The next day, after we had exchanged back again, Elder Pember and I were able to have another chance to teach Kathy and Ralph Williams. By this point, we had pretty much finished teaching them all of the lessons, and Kathy by this point is pretty much all ready for her baptism. We went over a little earlier than normal to have dinner with them, and then we spent the rest of the night going over the Baptismal Interview questions so that she's ready for them come this next Thursday when she is actually being interviewed. Once that was done, we also answered any of her questions that she had for us, and stated once more to her that we were certain she was ready, and she herself bore testimony (which was awesome, by the way!) that she felt that she was ready.

So, yeah, that was my week! Way better than last week, am I right? We also have a great new Spiritual Message for all y'all, if you'd like to hear it. Surprisingly, this message has little to do with the Zone Conference or the lessons or exchanges that I've had this week. Rather, this message is one I would like to share about someone truly special and important in my life.

A few weeks ago, I shared a message based off of an article I read in the Ensign from several years back. In it, Elder Holland spoke of a young missionary coming home after a long season in the mission field. He spoke of his family that was waiting for him, but especially about "that big, slightly awkward, quiet, and bronzed giant of a man" who was his father, and who "ran out and swept his son into his arms." (Amazed at the Love Jesus Offers Me, Elder Jeffery R. Holland, New Era December 2008) As I have thought of that message, along with other stories such as the Prodigal Son, the messages Alma the Younger shares in chapters 36 to 42 in the Book of Alma, and the fact that yesterday was Father's Day, I feel impressed to share my own tribute to my father.

My dad, Steven James Weber, is a man that I have always looked up to. He can do almost anything, it seems, that he puts his mind to. He's run marathons, competed in triathlons, gone on hiking trips that I would faint at the thought of attempting, and always seems like he's eager for more. It was through my dad that I learned a lot of what makes me who I am. Sure, I'm a fantasy-type guy, but it was my dad who introduced me to Star Wars, who read Harry Potter to me at bedtime when I couldn't read it on my own. He was there to help me learn how to ride a bike, how to bike down a mountain, and how to ski down a mountain. He instilled in me a love of the outdoors and a love of football, things that don't usually go with being a nerd.

Beyond just passions and pastimes, though, it's because of my father that I'm where I am now spiritually. My dad has always been the spiritual leader of our family, a strong and stalwart bearer of the priesthood that I always looked up to. I remember very clearly on the day before the school year would start, Dad would spend a few hours by himself in his room, getting ready for the priesthood blessings he would be giving. He would then give four blessings in a row, each tailored to us kids in a way that transcended this mortal world. In my eyes, growing up, my dad was spiritual giant, and I longed to be able to stand as tall as he did. I didn't just want to know about the gospel, though I was very knowledgable as it was. I wanted to be an active member, using the gospel in my life like I saw in my father.

I've come a long way from then. I'm in no way perfect right now, and I know pretty well that I've still got a long road ahead of me. But I got a good start. I had a father that I could always look up to, someone who I could always respect. Though his example, I was able to truly come to know my Heavenly Father, and understand who He is and what He expects from me. And now, as I come to the end of my mission and start off on a new stage of my life, I know with upmost surety that I have the support of both of them behind me. I know I can turn to either for support and advice, and through their guidance and examples I can become who I am truly meant to be. I am so grateful to have these figures in my life, who have led me on to who I am now. Such is the same for all of us. Put your trust in your Father in Heaven, and He will always lead you to who you are meant to be.

This I bear witness of in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

—Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 96 - JUST ANOTHER WEEK

Hey everyone, guess who's back? Elder Z.S.Weber is here again with
another update on how the work in the Taft Canyon and Prairie Ridge
Wards is going. And how is it going? Well...kind of hard to say. So,
we have one investigator that is coming along really well (Kathy...I
think I've mentioned her once or twice here). She's been coming to
church, keeping her commitments, and has a baptism date for the 2nd of
July. Things are going really well for her. However, beyond Kathy, we
really don't have anyone else that we are working with. Either they
dropped us, we dropped them, or we just simply haven't been able to
meet with them at all. So, we're in a rough spell right now.

With that said, there was sadly very little that I can report on for
this week. I'm sorry to say that, but it's just how it is. We haven't
had much that has happened, and what has happened isn't really all
that worth mentioning. What is worth mentioning, though, are two
things. First, we are still struggling with finding housing. Y'see,
we're supposed to move from one house to another every three months.
However, because of a lack in members that are willing to house us, we
have been struggling to find a new place that we can call home. It
seems as though everyone has been trying to find an answer to this
question, from the Zone Leaders to the Ward Mission Leaders in both of
our wards.

For a while, it sounded as though we had come up with a solution to
our problem. The Zone Leaders made it sound as though they believed
they were going to be moving to a new apartment, and that the
apartment they were currently living in would be the home for elders
that couldn't find much housing. So, we were under the understanding
that we would be moving in with them, and then take over the apartment
once they left. However, just a few days before we would be moving
into that apartment, our Ward Mission Leader in our Taft Canyon Ward
revealed to us that we were going to get housing on the 21st, so until
then we were encouraged not to move from our current housing.

All this adds up to us not knowing at all what we're going to do.

Besides our troublesome housing problems, the only other point from
this week that was really interesting was being able to practice and
prepare for our Zone Conference that is actually happening tomorrow.
This will be President Brown's last Zone Conference as our Mission
President, and as such, most of the missionaries attending will be
preparing different songs and pieces to perform for our beloved leader
and teacher. We've decided that we are going to perform the hymn
'Joseph Smith's First Prayer', sung to the tune of 'Come Thou Fount',
which I much admit I first thought was the actual tune of the hymn
'Joseph Smith's First Prayer'.

The song sounds pretty good, all things considered. I mean, we're not
the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but we do pretty well all the same. My
only problem that I really see with the practices is that the Sisters
want us to try and sing a little bit higher than we normally sing for
these performances. Now, I don't know how all you feel about it, but
whenever I hear myself try to sing at a higher pitch than normal, I
always feel that there's a colony of dogs nearby screaming, "Someone,
please, make it stop!" I don't sound good singing high, or at least
higher than normal. Seeing as this performance is going to make me
stretch, I hope it all works out in the end.

Beyond that, though, I don't really have much to mention for this
week. Sorry for not having more to report on, or having a spiritual
thought to share this week. I just feel so...blah. Hopefully, with our
plans and activities that are set up for next week, my next email will
be better than this one was. Have a great week guys, and Stay Epic, My
Friends!

—Elder Z.S.Weber

An addition email this week

We received a bonus email from Elder Weber which contained good news:

Putting it in pen and starting a new countdown!!!

WEEK 95 - A TIME for GROWTH

Hello Internet, this is Elder Z.S.Weber, reporting in to y'all live
from the McKenzie's basement in the Fort Collins Zone of the Colorado
Fort Collins Mission. I know, last week I said that I wasn't going to
use that statement again, as we were moving. But, things have turned
out to be a bit more difficult than we thought. It's looking like the
family that we were going to be moving in with aren't ready to house
missionaries just yet. And now, both the Prairie Ridge and Taft Canyon
Wards are saying that they don't have anyone who can or will house the
missionaries. So, for now, we are still here at the McKenzies until we
can get a new place to call home, which is starting to look like an
apartment, unless some of the families that can house us have a change
of heart.

Anyways, enough with that. Things are going alright for me and Elder
Pember this week. I'll be honest, though, there have been many better
ones than the week I had this week. While I would love to say that we
got a lot of work done this week, the honest answer is that things
didn't go too well for us. It has been a very tiring time coming back
from the transfers of last week, and learning to work with the new
missionaries in our area. We also have had a few of our investigators
drop us again, so we are pretty much planning on spending our days
with this next week in finding new investigators and working with the
potential investigators to see who is most interested in learning
more. We need a lot more work to keep ourselves busy.

However, this week wasn't without its high-notes. There were actually
three particular moments this past week that were good. On Wednesday,
we got the chance to meet with the new District. The meeting was
mostly spent as a meet-n-greet, a chance to get to know the new
missionaries in our area. We met Elder Allen, Elder Christenot's
replacement in the Harmony Ward, who is an excitable greenie with a
very infectious greenie-fire. Along with him, we have two new members,
Elder Marchetti (Mar-KET-ty) and Elder Anderson. Yes, this is the same
Anderson that was my companion a few weeks ago. It was great to see
him again, as well as to know that he is my replacement, as I am no
longer a District Leader.

Another high-note from the week was a chance to teach Kathy and Ralph
Williams, who are pretty much the only pair of investigators and/or
less-actives that we are really teaching regularly. We ended up
teaching about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as sharing a few of
the commandments from the Commandments section. It was really
interesting teaching this lesson to them, as it gave us a chance to
try and light a bit of a fire under Ralph, who is trying to get back
into the church. We mentioned how he could baptize Kathy if he
prepared himself in time for the baptism. It would make him work a bit
harder to be ready in time, but hopefully with the support of his
family and friends back at church, he will be ready the same time
Kathy is for her baptism.

Finally, the biggest highlight of this past week was Saturday. Now, I
should probably preface this by saying that Saturday, once again, was
a very hard day to work on. Not a lot went our way, and we were
feeling pretty bummed out. 

We went home at the beginning of the
evening as we didn't have anyone for dinner that night, and found an
interesting surprise waiting for us there. A large chocolate cake and
balloons waiting on the front porch. Apparently, Sister Banagas (from
my first area, Fossil Creek) had come by and dropped off a birthday
cake, as it was actually my birthday! We decided to gather the other
elders that evening and headed over to the church building to enjoy
the cake with friends.

And, so, those were the highlights of my past week. I know, not a lot
compared to others, but this week didn't give me much to work with.
That being said, though, we do have a Spiritual Thought to share with
you. Here we go.

As I slightly nonchalantly mentioned in one of the previous
paragraphs, I am no longer District Leader. Going into the transfers
for this new Transfer, I felt that I didn't want to have the pressure
of being a District Leader squarely on my shoulders anymore. It was
rough for me the past three Transfers, and I didn't want to have to
worry about it anymore. However, the interesting thing about that was
shortly after I was relieved of the duties of being a District Leader,
I was left feeling kind of...blank. I mean, I had been a District
Leader for three Transfers. And, while I didn't always enjoy the
responsibilities, I did learn a lot, and enjoyed being able to be more
than just a friend, but a leader, to my fellow missionaries. Now, I
can't claim that anymore.

However, while I was a District Leader, there were certain things that
I truly learned and grew with as a missionary. Perhaps the biggest was
I actually became a leader. I learned how to work with others and help
them to reach their highest potential, even as I myself am rising up
as high as I can aim to go. As I've thought over this, my thoughts
have turned to how slightly somber I felt when my calling was taken
away. While I had hoped I wouldn't be a District Leader anymore, I
can't help but shake this slightly somber feeling in my heart over not
being a District Leader anymore. I've had to set aside one calling so
that I can better serve in another. It makes me feel glad, as now I
can work harder in my area, but somber, as I wish I could've done
better before.

Our callings, whether on a mission, in the priesthood, or throughout
life, are an extremely important part of ourselves. It is a chance to
let our Heavenly Father shape and nurture us into greater, more
god-like sons and daughters of Him. It's a sacred trust, and we are
expected to do all that we can to follow Him and do the work that He
has given us. Some callings are easier for others than others. Some
are trying no matter who the calling is given to. Whatever calling you
might have in your life, whether it be that of a Bishop, that of a
District Leader in a Mission, or simply that of a father or mother in
a family, serve with all your heart. Yours is a chance to become more
like Him, and serve Him as He needs you to serve.

If there's one thing I've learned the most from my mission is that
there's no growth in a comfort zone, and there's little to no comfort
in a growing zone. If you want to see change, if you want to see
growth, nine times out of ten you're going to have to stretch yourself
a little or a lot before you start seeing results. It's something I
hope to take to heart, even after the mission, and one I hope we all
can strive for.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

-Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 94 - THIS IS MY BELOVED SON

Good morning, 'Merica! This is your ever-charismatic and clever Colorado Fort Collins Missionary, Elder Z.S.Weber! I am reporting to you here, live from the McKenzie's basement in the Prairie Ridge Ward. However, this will be the last time that I do this, as tomorrow is transfers. Yeah, that's right. Six weeks have come and gone so very fast since the last time I mentioned transfers, and now here we are again. What changes should we look forward to tomorrow? Where will friends new and old move on for new areas? What will happen to the incredible team of missionaries known as the Taft Canyon District?

Well, I could answer all of those questions now...but first, let's go on to the week!

First, let's start out with Tuesday. Now, there were a lot of things that happened this last Tuesday, and to be honest Tuesday was perhaps the most effectively spent day this week. As usual, those of us that were District Leaders gathered together for our District Leader Council. After discussing the goals we would set for this new month we are going into, we were asked to discuss how implementing the Safeguards for Technology into our missionary lives has improved us since the last time we made mention of them. After hearing some fairly good reports from everyone, the Zone Leaders suggested we do the same in our District Meetings this week.

After our meeting was done, we went on to do some tracting and finding, which we must admit wasn't that successful. However, we were successful in being able to meet with our investigator Harleen that afternoon. Now, with Harleen, we have to admit that there hasn't been a lot of forward progression with her. She asks good questions, but hasn't been keeping the commitments that we've left with her. We decided to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and explain to her what is important for her from the gospel. We then invited her to pray to her Heavenly Father over whether she should be baptized into our church or not.

After that lesson with Harleen, we went on our way to our dinner—which just so happened to also be an investigator of ours. Because we were having a lesson with Kathy and Ralph that evening, they decided that it would be nice to feed us, and then after dinner we could teach the lesson. The meal was great, and we enjoyed the chance we'd had to get to know Ralph and Kathy a bit better. However, when it came time for the lesson, we had a little bit of a hang-up. You see, we had wanted to have another member come with us to the lesson to help the Williams feel more welcome at church. But the member we called got lost.

After waiting a while to find him, and finding ourselves unsuccessful in calling or texting him our location, we decided to just go in and share our message that we had prepared. Though it started off a bit rocky, our lesson went fairly well. We taught about the Plan of Salvation, and how it relates to Kathy and Ralph in their lives. It seemed that they were really understanding what we were sharing with them. Kathy, at one point, even said that she really liked how we explained the afterlife. It sounded more hopeful to her than other religions. Rather than just Heaven and Hell, we know that even if we end up failing, we will receive a Heaven that we will be most comfortable in.

The next was Wednesday, and like I mentioned earlier and in past emails, Wednesday is District Meeting Day. This District Meeting was fairly good, as we spent it discussing what makes a planning session good, how to set good and approachable goals, and how goal-setting on our missions with prepare us for our futures. We then applied those lessons we learned by setting goals for the new transfer coming up. It was a fairly productive time, and a meeting well spent. Then, when all was said and done, we got to the fun part of District Meeting, where we predicted as a District where everyone was going to go for transfers.

Once District Meeting was over, we went on with the rest of our week. And, I'll be honest. Once the elephant in the room was addressed (namely, transfers) we found it pretty hard to stay focused on the work we had been given. And even though we went out and went to work, it was still a pretty hard work to go into. In the end, most of our time was spent giving service to different members in our area. On Thursday, we helped Brother McKenzie out with some yard work he needed done. On Friday, we helped one of the youth move sod for his Eagle Scout project. And on Saturday, we helped a member move items from his storage into his even-larger storage area.

All of that led up to the big announcement with transfers! Drum roll please!

Actually, not much is changing. Myself and Elder Pember are both staying here in the Prairie Ridge and Taft Canyon Wards. Elder Christenot is moving on to a new area, but for whatever reason the Assistants to the President chose not to reveal to anyone who they are going to be with or where they are going if they are being transferred. So we don't really know anything other than that he is leaving. Also, Elder Grossarth, my Zone Leader and 'younger brother' (he was trained by Elder Proffit after I was) is also getting transferred. Finally, those that remember my Boulder days—those will never happen again. Starting today, Boulder is now part of the Denver North Mission, and all missionaries serving there now are being evacuated.

There goes the infamy of Boulder. Good riddance, if you ask me.

And, so, that was my week. A little rough around the edges, but all in all, not that bad. Now, I believe it is time for the Spiritual Thought of the week. As I have been preparing for these final days towards transfers, I've been thinking over how I want my mission to end. While there have been moments that I wish I had done better, and other moments that I feel embarrassed by (Magic, D&D, and Pokemon?! How did my mission transform from spiritual growth to geek-dom growth?!), all in all I am proud of how I have spent my mission. I've served hard, and through the words I was able to share, it is my hope that I have led others towards Christ.

As I have thought of these things, my mind has turned to a New Era message I read one day for my studies in the morning. The message hit close to home as I thought of what would await me when I finally do go home from this amazing mission of mine.

"I recall a few years ago seeing a drama enacted at the Salt Lake International Airport. On this particular day, I got off an airplane and walked into the terminal. It was immediately obvious that a missionary was coming home because the airport was full of conspicuous-looking missionary friends and missionary relatives.

I tried to pick out the immediate family members. There was a father who did not look particularly comfortable in an awkward-fitting and slightly out-of-fashion suit. He seemed to be a man of the soil, with a suntan and large, work-scarred hands.

There was a mother who was quite thin, looking as if she had worked very hard in her life. She had in her hand a handkerchief--and I think it must have been a linen handkerchief once, but now it looked like tissue paper. It was nearly shredded from the anticipation only the mother of a returning missionary could know.

Two or three younger brothers and sisters were running around, largely oblivious to the scene that was unfolding.

I found myself wondering as to who would be first to break away from the welcoming group. A look at the mother’s handkerchief convinced me that she would probably be the one.

As I sat there, I saw the returning missionary appear. I knew he was the one by the squeals of excitement from the crowd. He looked like Captain Moroni, clean and handsome and straight and tall. Undoubtedly he had known the sacrifice this mission had meant to his father and mother.

As he neared the group, sure enough, someone couldn’t wait any longer. It wasn’t the mother, and it wasn’t any of the children. It was Father. That big, slightly awkward, quiet, and bronzed giant of a man ran out and swept his son into his arms." (Amazed at the Love Jesus Offers Me, Elder Jeffery R. Holland, New Era December 2008)

Message goes on to say that as Elder Holland watched this father and son embrace for the first time in two years, he couldn't help but think of a parallel reunion between another father and another son that had taken place nearly two-thousand years earlier. At the close of His Son's mortal ministry and at the end of His holy sacrifice for all mankind, Elder Holland stated that he couldn't imagine any other sight in heaven that day so long ago than of our Father running out to His son—bruised, beaten, yet still standing tall and noble—and holding Him with all the love He could offer.

I myself think of how I might be welcomed home after my mission here in Colorado and (hopefully several years down the road) my mission here in mortality comes to an end. I look forward for the day that my earthly father and my Heavenly Father will welcome me with arms open wide and a heart that is filled with love. Continuing on with the article, Elder Holland stated that he wouldn't find it too hard to believe that that mortal father of that mortal son would turn around to all those around them and state, just as that Heavenly Father stated years ago, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased."

May we all seek that someday we may receive those wonderful words at the close of our missions—in life, on earth, and throughout the passage of immortality—is my prayer, in the sacred name of the Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

—Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 93 - THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER LOVED TO DO

Good morning my friends and family, and any others that have come to
read this email today. 'Tis I, the ever witty and wise-cracking Elder
Z.S.Weber, coming at you live from the McKenzie's basement in Fort
Collins, Colorado. Today marks the end of another long and laborious
week spent out in the Lord's vineyard. Hours have been spent this past
week, working in the fields, nurturing the seeds and the sprouts that
we've been caring for over the past few months. The work of a
missionary is a hard one, I have come to know very well. However, in
that same breath, I also know with absolute certainty that it is one
of the most rewarding works we can be a part of. Above all else I have
felt on my mission, I have felt overwhelming joy and thankfulness for
being a part of this great and marvelous latter-day work.

Now, while those stirring words are still present—along with the epic
orchestral music that surely must have accompanied them in the backs
of your minds—I do have to say that this was, once more, a long and
hard week. Though we had many great and wonderful plans, one way or
another our plans fell through. People either weren't home, or they
had gotten sick and couldn't meet with us, or we got caught up in
something else and ended up being behind on our schedules. We really
struggled this week. It's hard to sing to yourself "I'll go where you
want me to go, Dear Lord," when everywhere you feel you are sent, you
come back with empty hands and a tired heart.

However, in spite of that, there were some moments of joy to be had
this week. This past Wednesday, Elder Swann and I went on exchanges,
and I went to his area to kind of see how things were going over
there. Perhaps I was a bad luck charm this week or something, but no
matter where we went in his area, we did not find any success.
However, the very next day, we were asked to help out with a move.
After grabbing the other elders to assist us, we headed over to the
placed and helped the small family move most of their belongings into
their building. It was a nice break for us missionaries. Rather than
having to think about the work and what was required of us that day,
we could simply sit back and unwind, helping out with some simple
service.

We got another chance to serve on Saturday. Apparently, a member had
come to one of the other District Leaders in our Zone and asked him if
he could gather the missionaries in our area together to help out with
a children's fun-run at a local school. We were asked to sit or stand
at major corners on the streets and sort of direct the traffic so that
the kids running or biking wouldn't be hit by on-coming traffic, or
wouldn't take a wrong turn and somehow end up in Loveland, several
miles south of us. Once more, it was a nice way to just not have to
worry about the work aspect of missionary work. And if that weren't
enough for us, nothing's better than a big pancake breakfast after
some fun service.

Other than that, though, this week has been a long one. To be honest,
I couldn't tell you what I most was able to get out of it. I guess the
one message that sticks in my mind is the principle of work. While
this has been a very hard week, I cannot say that it has been a bad
one. Certainly, it could've gone much better. We could've had all of
our planned lessons work out and met with all of our investigators
this week. However, still we were able to find joy in the Lord as we
went and did the things that He asked of us. The work is as hard as it
has ever been, and I don't care if you're in America or Argentina,
it's always a hard work. But as I said before, there is nothing more
rewarding and more satisfying than this work.

Sorry for the short message this week. Again, not much happened, and
honestly I don't have much of a spiritual thought to share this week.
However, we have a lot of good plans AND back-up plans for this next
week. Hopefully, the next time we hear from each other, I'll have
another one of my infamously long and profound messages to share with
all y'all. Until then, have a great week, and Stay Epic, My Friends!

—Elder Z.S.Weber

Sent from My iPad

WEEK 92 - AGENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY

Good Mornin', 'Merica! This is your favorite missionary, fantasy
author, and japanerd serving in the Colorado Fort Collins
Mission...and if you have more than one of those, then it's the one
whose name starts with 'W' and ends with 'eber'. What a wonderful week
we have had this past week! It has been an incredible experience for
both myself and Elder Pember as we have gone out into our areas in the
Taft Canyon and Prairie Ridge Wards. The work seems to be picking
itself up, and we are finding more success as we go out and put our
shoulder to the wheel. It seems that this is an ongoing pattern for
me: I have a week that goes really well, followed by one or two that
are just terrible. Hope this pattern doesn't stick for when I get back
home...

Anyways, let's get on with the week! First stop: Tuesday!

Now, like most Tuesdays that I end up reporting on since being called
as a District Leader, one of the main events of Tuesday was heading in
to our District Leader Council. Most of the council was rather
familiar—we talked about how our goals were shaping up on, what sorts
of trainings we should focus on for this upcoming week, how our areas
and our missionaries were doing and what we could do to help them be
even better. I wasn't anticipating it going much further than that.
While I truly enjoy going to DLC (and not just because it gives me
something to do in the early hours of the day), I do have to say that
it can be fairly predictable.

So imagine my surprise when they revealed to all of us that they
actually had some news they needed to bring to our attention. The news
was that President Brown was feeling rather disgruntled with how the
missionaries were spending their time on their iPads. They would spend
much of their time scrolling through the App Catalog, looking at the
new games coming out, or asking Siri to bring up Movie Trailers to
watch during the waning hours of the evening. While the news didn't
affect me (most of my time is spent in Notes), it would mean that
unless the mission made incredible progress and change, certain apps
would be taken off of the iPad, or at least blocked.

As a DLC we spent much time discussing what could be done. We
eventually came to the conclusion we revealed in our Zone Meeting on
Thursday (skipping Wednesday...nothing happened). After giving it much
thought and counsel, we decided that the mission had grown too lax in
following a set of guidelines we had as missionaries with iPads, known
as the Safeguards for Technology. We had grown to be slothful
servants, or rather disobedient servants, choosing instead to do that
which we found pleasure in rather than doing that which the Lord finds
joy in. We needed to improve ourselves, not just to keep our apps, but
to keep ourselves safe.

After the discussion came to an end and we headed off on our own ways,
Elder Pember and I found ourselves heading back out into our areas. It
was a very tiresome and frustrating time, as we didn't find
anything—not one soul that was interested (I feel like there is a
scripture that closely relates to this). We went clear up until this
evening, when we were scheduled to meet with a Less-Active member and
his Non-Member wife. We had been asked by the Bishop of the Taft
Canyon Ward to go and visit them, to teach the Less-Active member the
lessons so that he could feel more at ease at returning to church, and
help his wife understand what goes on at church.

What happened, though, was miraculous (again, this feels a lot like a
certain scripture I know). We decided to teach the Message of the
Restoration, and as it turned out Kathy (the non-member wife) was very
interested in learning about this. She just about ate up everything we
taught, and listened very closely to what we had to share. She asked a
lot of great questions, as did her husband, Ralph. And Ralph, though
he had been away from the church for years, was able to add a lot of
great comments to the message. Finally, at the end of the discussion,
we felt prompted to invite Kathy to be baptized, and she said yes!
She's going to aim for baptism on the 2nd of July! How incredible is
that?!

Finally, to end the week on a high note, Elder Pember and I were asked
to go out with the Zone Leaders for, as they called it, a Finding
Blitz. Basically, we split up for about a half-hour in one of the
neighborhoods in our area and just tract for that short space of time.
We had a goal to find three investigators and teach a few lessons.
Now, I do have to admit that I went into this a bit rubbed the wrong
way, as they had just dropped this on us unexpectedly. However, it
proved to be a great way to end our week, as we had some great
messages we were able to share, and we met a lot of interesting
people, including some that were interested in hearing our message!

So, that was our week! Like I said before, it's really starting to
look as though the work is moving forward in our areas. It's a new
experience for me, as for most of my mission, the movement of the work
could easily be equated to a sloth trying to walk through molasses. To
actually see some forward motion now, though, is great, and something
I'm very thankful for.

Now, before I forget about it, we still have one last message to share
today. Yes indeed, ladies and gentlemen, once again we are here for
the Spiritual Thought. Now, this week there were a lot of great
messages that I heard and were shared by others. However, of all of
these, I think the most important message I could share this week is
the one mentioned in the subject—Agency and Accountability.

As I stated earlier in this email, the focus of our meetings this week
has been to improve our usage of our devices. While there are many
missionaries that use the iPads for what they are meant to be used
for, there are also many other missionaries that use the iPads for
entertainment purposes. Because of this, the mission is reemphasizing
the importance of following the safeguards given to us, and applying
them into our usage of our devices. It is their hope that through this
action, as well as the threat of taking away certain apps from our
iPads, that we will become a much better mission, spending our time on
our purpose as missionaries in the work.

However, this challenge to improve our usage of technology isn't just
for us missionaries, and isn't just applicable during the mission. As
I'm sure everyone reading this is aware of, there are both good ways
and bad ways to use technology. Nearly anyone can tell you that the
Internet and social media have great potential both for good and for
evil. However, while it might be easier (and incredibly obvious) to
choose the good over the evil, this digital battle of ours isn't just
a black-and-white scenario. There are varying levels of good, of how
to spend our time online and on our devices. The real secret, then, is
to know which good to choose.

While I could go through a big epic speech on this, with powerful
motivational music thundering out from behind me, it's probably
easiest to remind us that we have our own agency. The greatest (and
sometimes worst) gift our Father has ever given us is our agency—the
ability to make our own decisions. What comes with that agency,
however, is our accountability. Perhaps you have heard the statement
"Where much is given, much is required." That is how accountability
works. We have to remember that we have much to owe our Heavenly
Father—the air we breathe, the water we drink, the warm homes we live
in, and those we share them with. The more blessings and knowledge He
gives us, the more he will require from us.

Therefore, it's always important to remember that while on
technology—or, to expand past that, anything in this life. We are the
children of the Almighty God, and He has a marvelous work for us to
do. This work should be at the forefront of our attention. Indeed, it
should eventually become our work as well. In this way, we must be
accountable to our Father. Ask yourself this question; "How am I
spending the time my Father has given me?" If you need to improve
(which, spoiler alert!, we all do), seek out ways to improve how you
spend your time. Our Father gave us our agency with good reason. Let's
use it to actually seek to do some good in this world of ours.

Our time on this earth is short. We don't have much time to do the
things that we want to do. But I know with absolute surety that if we
put the Lord first, and do His work, we will find the time to do those
things that matter most. And I'm not just talking about Family
Indexing, or preparing Talks for Sunday. The Lord wants us to be
happy, to be filled with joy. It is His promise to us that if we put
Him first in our lives, then shall we find time for our families, for
our friends, and for the things that bring us individually happiness
in this life.

This I bear my personal witness of, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

—Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 91 - THE GREATEST TRUTH of ALL

Hey everyone! It's-a me, your favorite nerdy missionary from the
Colorado Fort Collins Mission, Elder Z.S.Weber, reporting in to you
from the McKenzie's basement in the Prairie Ridge and Taft Canyon
Wards. Today is a wonderful day for me and Elder Pember, my dear
friend and companion. Now, there are several reasons for this, but
perhaps the greatest one is that today is the last day of the week for
us missionaries. Today we get to pack up all that went on this last
week, put it aside in storage or somewhere where we won't need it, and
refocus our efforts on the coming week. It allows us to start fresh,
feel renewed, and seek after newer, fresher goals with a brighter
outlook on our attempts to be incredible missionaries in the work.

Now, with that being said, I do have to admit that this past week was
a rough one. Not so much because all of our plans flew out the window
or anything like what I've said in weeks past. Rather, it was because
we had so much going on this week that we really didn't get a chance
to just sit and breathe. I wouldn't mind this so much if it had been a
lot of teaching appointments that we were rushing around to—well,
actually, maybe I would—but most of our week wasn't actually spent in
teaching. Instead, we had a lot of meetings and appointments with the
other missionaries in our area that we had to rush off to. And for me,
rushing around to meetings seems to put a much bigger drain on my
personal battery than other missionary duties.

So what all left me so drained this past week? Well, for starters, on
Tuesday we had our usual DLC with the Zone Leaders. Not that bad,
until they mentioned to us that we had interviews with the Mission
President that very next day, and we hadn't heard anything about it
yet. Because Wednesday's are my District's District Meeting day, we
had to find a way to reorganize our schedule to fit both the Meeting
and the Interviews together. It actually went over really well. We had
a pretty good District Meeting, probably one of the best that I've had
all my mission, and our interviews with the mission president went
over really well. This one was perhaps the shortest I've had yet,
clocking in at only about 10 minutes at the most!

However, the meetings didn't stop there. In the very day that we were
having our interviews, the Harmony Elders were needing me to interview
one of their investigators to see if they were truly ready to be
baptized. This was scheduled right before we were going to an
appointment we had with an investigator of our own, which ended up
falling through. On Friday, we also had another appointment where we
had to take the Harmony Elders to the Stake Center for their baptism,
and then right after had to go to dinner, and immediately afterwords
go back to the Stake Center to interview one of the Zone Leaders'
investigators for baptism. Then on Saturday, we were going to attend
the Zone Leaders' baptism, but we ended up getting roped into helping
the Harmony Elders with service.

After all that, I definitely needed a breather.

Now, in the past I have stated that attending Sacrament Meeting and
the other church meetings that follow it is a great way to recharge my
battery. And, yes, I still believe that is the case...but after
spending a week of rushing around to appointments and meetings,
spending a Sabbath Day rushing around to appointments and meetings
didn't work out that well. I mean, yes, partaking of the sacrament is
something I am always glad to be privileged to do, and the talks and
lessons given by those who were called on to teach that week are
always great and very instructive. But still, I just needed some time
to just rest and unwind. To just let go of the stress of the past week
and get pumped up for the next week.

I guess that's what P-Day's all about, actually...

Luckily, I didn't have to wait until P-Day to get that rest that I
needed. As I stated at the beginning of my email today, there were a
number of things that made the end of this past week great. While the
foremost of it is that the week is over, definitely a close runner-up
was the wonderful chance that I had to Skype my family and talk with
them face-to-screen-to-face. In case I haven't mentioned this in my
past emails, the two greatest days of the year for missionaries are
Christmas Day and Mother's Day, because on both of these wonderful
days, we have the chance to Skype home to our families, talk with
them, joke around, tell stories, and share in the love we have for
each other.

This last Skype was especially special to me, because this was the
last Skype that I would ever have on my mission. Exactly three months
from today (so long as President Brown sticks with the release date
set in mind), I will be boarding a plane back to Salt Lake City, Utah,
and going home to be released from my mission. It's a reality that is
very hard for me to accept, because I always believe that it would
never happen to me. When other missionaries at the beginning of my
mission would stand in Zone Conferences to give their departing
testimonies, I always had that thought in the back of my mind that I
would never be like that. My mission looked like it was going to last
forever. And now, here we are, nearing the finish line.

With that thought in mind, I would like to spend my Spiritual Thought
of the week speaking on a truth that has had an enormous impact on me
on my mission. These few chances that I've had to Skype home with my
family have been truly wonderful chances for me. I've felt so blessed
to be able to have the technology available to be able to speak to my
parents and my little (not so little anymore, though) sisters and see
how they are doing. Sure, it only comes around once every six months
or so, but any chance to see my family and to talk with them is a
moment that is worth more to me than any amount of success or
notoriety.

Thinking about how special these moments to Skype with my parents on
my mission has been for me, I often find myself thinking back to a
quote I heard in a Harry Potter movie (please bear with me, I promise,
it has something to do with the message). When Harry was learning how
to fight Dementors in The Prisoner of Azkaban, he was required to
think of his happiest memory, a hard task for a boy who hasn't had
that happy a childhood. After a few failed attempts, he finally is
able to drive off the pseudo-Dementor that he is training on. When
asked what memory he used, Harry stated; "It was of me and my parents.
We weren't doing anything, really, just...talking with each other.
That's it. Not sure if it can count as a real memory...but it's the
best that I've got."

That's sort of how I feel when I think of these few moments of Skyping
while on the mission. I'm pretty sure that if you ask me ten years
from now—or even just ten months or weeks from now—what all we talked
about during these Skypes, I probably wouldn't be able to give you a
good answer. And to me, that's okay. I'm just grateful that I have had
a chance to add more wonderful memories of my family to my
ever-growing mental library. Just the memory of being able to sit in
front of my iPad and just talk with my family about anything, be it
how the mission is going or what we need to do to get me ready for
college or what new fandom my sisters have gotten themselves into, is
a memory that I consider more valuable than anything else.

While thinking of that, my heart soars with joy that I also know the
profound truth that this wonderful family of mine, which brings me so
much happiness in life, will not break apart in the life to come.
Because we were sealed to each other for time and all eternity in the
Salt Lake Temple, I know with absolute surety that when we pass
through the veil into the next stage of our eternal life, we will be
together as a family still. This time we've spent together as a family
on earth is just the beginning. As long as we are faithful to the
covenants and promises we have made to our Almighty Father in Heaven,
we shall always be together.

To those of you who can't say the same now, don't be discouraged or
faint of heart. You are a part of an enormous family, the Family of
God, and have innumerable brothers and sisters who love you dearly,
both here on earth and in Heaven above. Perhaps you do not have the
most ideal family situations. Perhaps you feel alone in this world.
Perhaps you feel that you will never know of the joy and love that
comes from the families you see around. My plea to you, my brothers
and sisters, is to be of good comfort. The Lord loves, the Father
loves you, and there are siblings in Heaven that love you. Even here
on earth, you have friends and companions who come into your life to
lift you and to help carry your burdens.

I cannot pretend to know why some people in life are given situations
that are harder than others. I can't begin to understand. But this I
do know. Our Father in Heaven intends us to be filled with everlasting
joy. It's all that He ever thinks about. Perhaps you do not have that
joy now, but if you seek after it and put your trust in God, He will
give it to you. Never give up. You are a part of an incredibly vast
family that is cheering you on with the voices of angels. You are a
child of God. That is something to be filled with joy over. This I say
in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

—Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 90 - THE JOY of OBEDIENCE

Good Morning Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and any other planet willing to listen in today. Once more, it is your favorite missionary with the last name 'Weber' reporting in from the Prairie Ridge and Taft Canyon Wards. Yep, you guessed it. It's me, Elder Z.S.Weber. It's been a pretty long seven days since the last time we talked with each other. Heck, it almost feels like an entire month has passed by...though that might more be because I wrote this in April, and we are now in May. However, thought the week was long, it was also very profitable, and much more enjoyable than last week was. If words could show the expressions of their writers, each one of these words you are reading right now would have a beaming smile from the joy their writer felt this week.

As I stated in my last email, things were pretty bleak for me and my new companion, Elder Pember. We had a lot of investigators that were coming along very well. They were progressing and learning and growing. And then, right around the time that Elder Pember came in and joined me here, pretty much everyone we had been working with decided that they needed a little break from us. Those that were still on board with getting taught either had things going on, so we could never teach them, or they ended up moving to another area of the Zone. So we were pretty much left with whatever teaching pool we could fish in that was left over...and the investigators that lurk in that pool don't like to rise to the surface much, let alone even try to nibble on the lines we cast in for them.

So, last week was really rough, and I have to be honest here when I say that we had some moments where we just felt like doing nothing. It was a very depressing state to be in, at least for me, and I found myself questioning why I'm still out here working when it seems like nothing is going on. Sadly, that state of thinking continued for about half of this last week as well. We had managed to get some plans set in place, but our planning skills were still subpar, and we struggled in the actually getting out and getting our work done part. It was very tough, and still I found myself questioning why I was still out. I don't think I've ever prayed as much as I did during those last few days when my spirit so much longed to do the work yet my mortal so much longed to do anything but.

And then something changed. I guess it mostly happened through an exchange that Elder Grossarth and I had in my area. Apparently, Elder Pember had been feeling the same disappointment and discouragement that I was feeling, and wanted us to have our exchanges with the Zone Leaders a lot sooner in the transfer than usual. So, we decided to set up that the end of the week, Friday and Saturday to be most accurate, would be spent in an exchange between the four of us. Elder Grossarth came to my area, and the first thing we ended up having to do was gather the other elders (Elders Christenot and Swann) and take them up to this member's apartment where we were helping them move out.

Did I mention that this was going on during the rain? Yeah, that was interesting.

Regardless, we got the move done, and got most of the large stuff moved into their new house when we had to leave to get to dinner. After dinner, then, Elder Grossarth and I discussed what would be the most effective way to spend the exchange. I mentioned that we had been struggling (especially me) with bolstering and rallying a desire to do the work of the Lord. He suggested that we go out and tract for a while, do some serious finding. Again, there was quite a good deal of rain outside. Not only that, but I don't think I've mentioned how much I loathe tracting. I would be willing to do anything rather than stand out on a person's front porch, listen to them curse out the religion I love with all my heart before slamming the door in my face.

And I really didn't want to do it while getting drenched by the rain.

However, we needed to get a fresh and new teaching pool to work with. The only way that was going to happen—short of Heavenly Father dropping about a dozen people on our front porch—was if we went out and sought out those to work with ourselves. So, I decided to level with Elder Grossarth, and we agreed that if we found two of God's children who were willing to listen to us and our message, we would then return home and finish the day with a good planning session to close our day.

What happened, though, was incredible. We decided to go tracting in this trailer park not that far from our home. While we still got some curse words thrown our way, had a few doors slammed in our faces, and got pretty wet, it was a great experience. We met several people (about five or so) who were willing to listen to us and hear us out at least for a few minutes. We even set up appointments to meet with them this coming week. I was very thankful to be the prepared instrument for the Lord during those moments when it was my turn to speak, and when I was able to bear my personal testimony on the truths of this church which I hold so dear to my heart. At the end of the night, we had about two new investigators to work with, and at least four we could meet later in the coming week.

That wasn't the end of it, either. By Sunday, we had part-member families we were setting up appointments with, members that were wanting to come back to church, and lessons with members that we hoped would flourish into wonderful chances to teach the gospel to those their friends that they were preparing. It just made me so grateful to see that where we had previously had nothing to work with and were drowning in a sea of our own despair, now we had those we could teach. Now we had children of our Father who were willing to listen and to learn, who had been prepared to accept our message and take it into their homes and their families.

Through all of this, my thoughts have come back to a phrase I said while tracting with Elder Grossarth Friday night. As the rain had poured down and as we had marched from one house to the other, I couldn't help but revel in this wonderful feeling of joy that was blossoming inside of me. The work was long and tedious, yet I couldn't help but smile. It was going well, it really was, and I felt so glad that we had decided to go out and at the very least try to find children of our God to bring back to Him. At some point, Elder Grossarth asked if I was glad, and how I was feeling. I conveyed these same thoughts I've already shared with you with him, and then I said something that will forever be etched in the small plates of Great Weber Quotes.

"If I can do this in the rain, I can do this anytime."

That is a bold statement, but it's true. If ever after this moment I felt depressed because I didn't want to go out tracting or talking to some of our less-than-potential investigators, I could now always look back on this moment. I could remember the joy I had felt as I and Elder Grossarth walked from house to house, getting drenched from head to toe and meeting my brothers and sisters in the spirit. Sure, not all of them were willing to listen. But there were some that were ready and prepared to take the message into their hearts. My faith in tracting grew a little, and while I still think there are much better ways to get very strong investigators, I could no longer say that tracting was a completely useless endeavor.

I'm certain you are all thinking now, "this is all well and good for you, Elder Weber, but I'm not a missionary, so this doesn't really apply to me." Actually, it does apply to you, and I'll explain why. What I'm talking about here isn't just TRACTING. The point I'm trying to get across is the principle of OBEDIENCE. As missionaries, we are asked—or rather, commanded—to fill our days with moments of effective missionary work. We have been called to serve for two years, and we are expected to spend those two years doing as much of the work as we possibly can. If we disobey this commandment, our missions are depressing times in our lives, and we miss out on so many chances for the Lord to bless and teach us. When we return home, we will feel so disappointed in ourselves for not doing more.

The same is true in life. If we don't follow the commandments and choose not to listen to our Father in Heaven, then our lives lack that wondrous joy that He so much wishes to give to us. Certainly, we can find ways to keep ourselves happy during our lives—missionaries employ the same tactics by playing games or watching movies (more things that they shouldn't be doing, but have brought them pleasure in the past)—but we won't have access to that wondrous joy that stays with us regardless of our situations. Eventually, we will return to our Heavenly home above, back to the presence of our Heavenly Father, and have a full recollection of what we did and did not do while on Earth. While I have no proof otherwise, I can't help but feel that the more moments of joy we realize we missed out on in our lives, the more depressed and disappointed in ourselves we will become.

Therefore, be obedient. The secret to joy in this life is to obey the commandments of God. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21) So long as we are obedient to the Lord's commandments, we can be assured that the blessing will pour down upon us, as did the rains on that day when I learned what a delight tracting can be. It might not be easy to change our hearts and to willingly obey our Father. But nothing in life that is worth doing is ever easy—and there is nothing as worth doing in this life than seeking after that wondrous and eternal joy our Father has in store for us. This I bear my witness of, in his son's holy name, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

—Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 89 - GO TO THE WORK

Hello and good morning! It is another lovely day in Colorado, a perfect day to end the past week and start anew. I'm your charming host, Elder Z.S.Weber, here reporting to all y'all once again from the Prairie Ridge/Taft Canyon Wards. There have been a lot of changes that have come around since the last time I spoke with y'all. The first, and possibly the greatest change is that our dear friends Elder Anderson and Elder Chan are no longer with us. With the new transfer season coming to a close, our friends have moved on to greater and brighter things up in Wyoming, and we pray that their time up there will be well spent.

However, though we hope well for Elder Anderson and Elder Chan, I'm honestly more worried for myself and Elder Christenot, and the change coming to us in our areas. For these past three months, it was always us four amigos, striking it out together in our three areas. Now, our numbers had been cut in half, and new members to replace our lost teammates have come in. How well this transfer goes is very dependent on how well we get along with our new companions, and how much drive the four of us will have in our areas to keep the work rolling onwards. How's that going so far, you might ask? Well, let's start from the beginning of the week, shall we?

After loading all of Elder Anderson's and Elder Chan's stuff into the car and taking the half-hour drive down to the Windsor building for Transfers, we bid a hearty farewell to our friends, Elder Anderson and Elder Chan. Nearly immediately after bidding them farewell, I came across my new companion, Elder Pember. After getting our introductions out of the way, we spoke with our Zone Leaders and decided to head our on our own, leaving Elder Christenot to wait for his new companion with the other elders at the Windsor building. Once Elder Pember's bags were all packed into the car, we headed back home to see what could be done.

Mostly, that day was spent getting Elder Pember moved in and making certain that all of our ducks were in a row for the work ahead of us. However, after we finished our dinner that night and headed out, we had a chance to meet with the Ward Mission Leader in the Taft Canyon Ward, Brother Lickiss. It was a good chance to see how we as missionaries could help out in the Ward, and what things we should try to do more of to help the Ward get more excited or involved in missionary work. He offered a lot of helpful advice that he had seen work well in the area, and his wife, who was one of the Ward Missionaries, offered some helpful hints that she had heard from others.

The next day didn't really give us a good chance to put these plans or advice into action, as much of the day was swallowed up in meetings. First was our District Meeting, which was mostly just a meet-and-greet event. We got the chance to know all of the new Elders in our District, including the new Zone Leaders Elder Fraser and Elder Grossarth and Elder Christenot's new companion, Elder Swann. Then, after we had a chance to know each other better and set some good goals for the rest of the month, Elder Pember and I headed off to our District Leader Council, which gave us a chance to set some new, progressive goals for the entire Zone.

Thursday gave us a chance to get out and try to work our area some. After finding a good place to park our car, Elder Pember and I grabbed our bags and headed out into one of the nearby neighborhoods to start tracting and getting to know our area a little better. We didn't see a lot of success, as most everyone we came in contact with had just about the same response to us—"Not Interested." However, it was a good chance to get out and see the area a bit more, and see how the people in our area reacted to missionaries. It also gave us a chance to meet with our members outside of the Sacrament Meeting and see what we can do to help them in their missionary efforts.

However, though we were able to meet a lot of people, I would be lying if I said that this was a very successful week. We didn't manage to teach a lot of lessons this week, and those we were able to talk with and share messages with weren't actually willing to truly listen to our messages. If I were to single out one thing that made this week really difficult for us to work with was just how poor our planning time was spent. Even when we did write down plans, we wouldn't always keep them, and then would find ourselves a few hours later sitting in the car, staring blankly ahead of us, wondering what we should do.

It was Saturday evening that we managed to spark a change in us. After spending much of the week in a terrible bout of depression, we decided that we couldn't just lazy about all day. We actually had to try and put our nose to the grindstone in order to see any sparks from the work. As we went out and served, I could feel my depression and resentment to the work lift off of my shoulders. I was more willing to get out and open my mouth. By the time the evening was over, and we were heading over to where the Harmony Elders were to close the evening with frozen yogurt treats, the cloud of depression was completely gone, and I felt confident once more.

As I've thought over this experience, I've been reminded of a message I saw on one of the walls of the MTC while I was still training back twenty months ago. The message was this: "One of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work. If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people, and he will be happy… Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work." (Ezra Taft Benson, The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson).

How true that statement is! Here I was, worrying about the planning and getting everything perfectly right. I was afraid that if I went out and went to the work that I wouldn't be ready. I realize that it's a silly thought, as I've been on my mission for the last twenty months, but y'know, some old anxieties die hard. Yet it would only be through actually throwing myself out into the work that I would actually be ready for the work. It's an interesting paradox to think about, something that I've been thinking about a lot for these past few days. It's only by turning outward that our spiritual burdens can be lightened and our insecurities washed away.

That is my message for this week. As someone who has experienced this for himself, I can truly state that this is a true principle. If we simply get out there and get to work, whatever work it might be that our Lord wants us to do, our burdens will be lightened and we will feel more joy and peace in our spirits. I pray that we will all seek for that peace and joy in our lives, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

—Elder Z.S.Weber