WEEK 6 - PHEW! WHAT a WEEK!!!

Phew! What a week! Hey everyone, this is Elder Weber once again, starting off a brand new week with one more email telling how life in the mission field is going. And, as you can probably guess from the subject for this email, it has been totally awesome! So, let's get down to the bare details, and find out just WHY this week has been so. Totally. AWESOME!!!

Enjoying the "Greenie Box" to celebrate is 1st month as a missionary

 

The week began with Monday of last week. After sending out my last email, Elders Proffit, Miller, Wengreen, and myself went down to Target to restock on food for the rest of the week, and to buy myself a bike. The other Elders wanted to use (steal) the van for the rest of the month or so, so I needed a new set of wheels myself if I was going to get anywhere productive. After all, our only good ponds to fish for investigators are about thirty minutes by bike from our home! So, I got myself a nice and simple mountain bike. And let me tell you guys; there is no greater feeling than riding a bike down a steep hill, after not riding for over a month! The wind in your face, the land speeding away under you...some say that the feeling of soaring in a plane makes them feel closer to God. I have to disagree. You're stuck inside a metal machine, which is doing all the work! But biking? The thrill of riding a bike, feeling all the elements push against you as you careen down a hill, a shout of joy leaping from your throat, THAT is more how I feel God feels, absolute joy, absolute thrill, and boundless wonder and excitement. Even though I'm closer to Earth, I can easily feel like I'm soaring through the Heavens above.

Elder Weber & Proffit had to relinquish the van ,

but that's okay they've got a new ride

 

Tuesday, sadly, wasn't all that big a day. Elder Proffit and I had planned to bike up to Timnath Ranch, one of our larger neighborhoods we proselyte in. However, though we did eventually get there, there weren't many people interested in what we had to say, and very few of the members were out and about, so we pretty much just biked around, waiting until we had our dinner appointment.

The Elders: Wengreen, Miller, Weber and Proffit

 

Dinner at the Banagas home

 

Now, that was something good to take from the day. Sister Shauna Banagas, my mom's friend while growing up in California, was hosting all four of us missionaries at her home for dinner. They had the cutest pug, too, which kept trying to bite my ankles off!  Afterwards, we sort of goofed around and aimlessly chatted, and I actually learned how the Banagas' and my mom know each other. Knowing that it had been Sister Banagas that had played a key role in having my mom baptized totally blew me away!

Elder Weber has lost his "signature" pose

Elder Weber leaving the Banagas family with a message

 

Wednesday was phenomenal! Why? Because we got to see Meet the Mormons at an early showing at one of the church buildings, JUST FOR THE MISSIONARIES!!! In case you don't know what Meet the Mormons is, it's a motion picture coming out nation-wide on October 10th, put out by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Basically, it tells the tale of six Mormon families throughout the world, from the streets of St. Louis, to the Mountains of Nepal, to the 'Mountains' of Salt Lake City, Utah. The movie was funny, exciting, and very spiritual. I don't think I saw a single member of the missionaries in our area who was not totally fixated on what was on the screen. It also had a great soundtrack to it, with Symphony as the ending song. Now THAT is one song I wish I had learned about before I went on my mission! That way I could have it stuck in my head all day long, and I wouldn't mind in the least bit! So, in case you didn't get it yet, the movie is awesome, and you should all go out and see it!

Saying goodbye to the missionaries van

 

After that came Thursday, and then Friday! Friday was the last day I got to teach Marilyn Macreena, my first investigator on my mission. We loved talking with her and her mother, a recent convert to the church, and were so excited that her baptism was going to be happening the VERY NEXT DAY!! After she passed her interview to make certain she was ready to be baptized, myself, Elder Proffit, and the two Zone Leaders who interviewed her, goofed around a bit by doing what is now called 'The Baptism Strut'. So far, I think Elder Esplin (the ZL) did the best...but that's only because I myself looked like a drunk elephant lumbering about. T-T

The newest member of the Fossil Creek ward, Marilyn Macrina and her

 mother Felicia, on her special day.

 

Saturday came, and Marilyn was baptized! I got to bear my testimony right afterword, of how it felt teaching Marilyn the Gospel, and how I know that she has a strong, kind, gentle spirit, which knows the truth and meaning of what happened that day, and would continue to grow and improve throughout the rest of her years. And, though she was baptized later than most kids in the church her age are, she will grow to have a light so bright, it will far out shine any soul who stands beside her in her life. On Sunday, Elder Proffit conferred Marilyn as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and was able to bless her with the blessing of the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I know that this blessing will take her far in her life, as it has with me. I still remember the day I received this sacred Gift, as well as every day afterword when the Spirit was able to stand beside me and hold me up. He has been my teacher, comforter, and friend. A person I could rely on, when I had no one. I know that Marilyn Macreena has this Sacred and Holy being now beside her, to help her grow and stand strong as a member of the Church. And I know that the Holy Ghost will be as great a blessing to her as he was to me, if not more so. This I know, and bear solemn witness of, in the name of the Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen!

Well, that's it for this week! Catch you all next Monday!

--Elder Z.S.Weber