WEEK 13 - ISREAL, ISREAL, GOD is CALLING

Hey everyone!

Elder Z.S.Weber is here, once more, with an update on how the progress is going in the Mission Field here in Fort Collins, Colorado. To begin, let me just say--it is freaking cold out here! Remember how I mentioned in my last email that "the field is white, all ready to harvest"? Well, now the fields are just white. In just under one day, all of Colorado has become blanketed in a thick layer of white snow. And this isn't good snow, either. Good snow is thick, but wet, and useful--it makes the winter more fun. But this snow is thick and powdery, cold and dry, and absolutely useless! It dusts the streets and the roads with a thin layer which easily turns to ice, and makes long-distance travel to anywhere in the mission nigh impossible! Though, I suppose I shouldn't complain too much. After all, Elder Proffit and I had the car this week, when it was the coldest, while Elders Wengreen and V had to bike through the ice and snow. And, Elder Proffit's old trainee, Elder Komarek, is serving up in Wyoming, where it's both cold and windy, any missionary's worst winter nightmare! My prayers go out to him, and all other Elders like him who are facing the harshest winds and bitterest winters this world has ever made.


Somewhere under all the winter clothes is Elder Weber

Well, on to the week! This week was another slow one (there have been a lot of those recently, haven't there?), and progress with teaching isn't all that great. However, this week was very eventful, in its own special way. To begin, once again Elder Proffit and I went down to the Stake Center for the District Leader Meeting on Tuesday, and the Junior Companions were sent out on their own. I was worried at first, mostly because I didn't know if any of them knew how to drive in the snow or not, but after we had traveled about five miles at about 30 with zero fatalities, I lightened up a bit. We decided, because no one had planned for service projects in the snow (honestly, who would be crazy enough to do that?), to just go to the nearest thrift shop and do some bargain-hunting. One of the Elders was going to compete in his Ward's ugly sweater contest which was coming up soon, so he had a ball. As for myself, I didn't do too much shopping, but I did get a new scarf in case I end up getting transferred to Wyoming half-way through the winter. I also bought a cool tan trench coat, so now I am totally ready to cosplay for the start of Supernatural: Season 10!

 

...which, unfortunately, I won't be able to see for another two years...

 

On Wednesday, Elder Proffit and I had the wonderful opportunity to teach the McManus family once again, though this time in the comfort of the Keat family's house. Remember, Brother Keat is the Ward Mission Leader, and has been helping us teach the McManus' the lessons. So, as we had previously decided, we taught them the third lesson; the Gospel of Christ. For those that don't know, the Gospel of Christ is composed of five parts (finding faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ, then repenting of our past sins and wanting to improve ourselves, then being baptized and honoring the promises we've made to God, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and listening to its guidance often, and finally repeating the process daily, and enduring to the end). As usual, the McManus' loved the lesson, were very involved, and I feel strongly that they are building their testimonies with every passing day. However, when we proposed the date we had been praying about for them to be ready for baptism by (December 13th of this year), they immediately shot it down. They said that they wanted more time to find more answers, and then hopefully be baptized on the Saturday of Easter Weekend next year. I have to admit, I was seriously disappointed. I'm hoping that either they will be completely ready by January, when I will hopefully still be in the area, or that they will stand strong in the faith until that Easter Weekend, and be baptized, either by myself, or by someone else. That's all I can hope for.

 

Friday was a very fun day. The snow had stopped falling for the moment, and it was actually fairly warm outside (up in the 20's!), so the entire Loveland Zone gathered together and decided to work on a very large service project down in the south. Last year, there had been a huge flood in the area, which sent debris and rubbish all across this one family's ranch home. Most of the hard work was done, but we of the Loveland Zone still had some work we could do, by moving the large piles of sticks, branches, and even full-grown trees out to the side of the road to be picked up later on. And let me tell you--they definitely left us the dirty work. The piles were higher than I am tall, and between the mud from the flood and the snow from the winter, it was no easy job. A few of the bolder Elders tried digging the branches and trees out of a pile that had become merged with the bank of the river, and ended up falling butt-first into the ice-cold water several times, while I, the other Elders, and the Sisters all watched and laughed. The service came to an end when all the Elders decided to grab a large tree from the last pile and carry it to the trash pile up by the road. I don't know who was foolish enough to think up the idea (probably the Zone Leader), but we all pitched in, and with one exhausting effort, we managed to lift the tree up, carry it up the hill to the road, and throw it/drop it into the trash pile. Some of us afterwords laughed and said "that was more inspirational than Miracle!" Which, honestly, I'd have to agree.

 

Loveland, Colorado Zone

The week came to an end with Saturday and Sunday, when the snow fell hard once again. We were expected to drive down to Longmont for the Mission Tour. One of the members of the First Quorum of the Seventy, Elder David A. Baxter, was in the Mission's boundaries, and had decided to share his thoughts in several meetings over the course of six days. We eagerly listened to what he felt was important for us to know, and I have to say the old Scot's words of wisdom were both profound and prophetic, and I am glad I was able to listen to them. He told us first that Heavenly Father does love us. That is not just hopeful wishing, that is a fact. He is even more joyous for us, also, because we are doing His work, and He couldn't be prouder of His children but for them that serve Him and His children with everything they have. He then said that the solution to having more families be prepared for the Second-Coming of Christ was to teach them with the end goal in mind; preparing them to live worthy to serve in His Holy temples and be ready for their interviews with their Savior and Redeemer. I can't say much more of what he said, because unfortunately I had forgotten to bring a notebook to write in, but let me say that it was indeed wonderful to hear. Finally, on Sunday, Elder Proffit and I went by the Miller family, half to warm up from the cold, and half to check in on the progress of a referral they had given Elder Proffit when he was first in the area. While the referral didn't go over all that well, we were blessed to have time to talk with the Miller family, and to give their son Brock, and their daughter Alyssa, blessings--Brock's for the pain in his back, and Alyssa for her foot surgery to go well so that she could return to her mission in peace. The Spirit in the room at that time was unbelievably strong, and I admit that I was close to tears a couple of times.

 

So, what spiritual thoughts or feelings do I have to share this week, you might ask? Well, this one is a little less wonderful than others. It was Thursday night, and I was laying in bed. Remember, this was the day right after we'd had the baptismal date fail with the McManus', and add to that the fact that we hadn't made much progress any where else in the area, I was feeling pretty bad. But, instead of blaming the weather, my companion, or the people in the area, I decided to blame myself. Which, if any of you really know me well, is never a good thing. I was seriously beating myself up, I felt that I wasn't living worthily enough to teach right, that God was upset with me, that I shouldn't even be on a mission to begin with. My thoughts were darker than a moonless night, and the longer I thought these thoughts, the darker and more malicious they became. But while I was thinking these things, I heard a voice, in the back of my head, say one single small word.

 

"Zack."

 

I have heard people talk about hearing the voice of God before. For some, it is loud and proud, while for others it is soft and comforting. But for me, in that moment, the voice sounded like an old friend, who had seen me at my lowest points, yet still stood beside me. The way God spoke to me in that moment with that one word was as if he were saying, "Oh great, Zack, are we really going to go through this again?" You know, in a sarcastic but loving way. When I heard that, I almost audibly responded with, "No, God, we aren't going to go through this again." And just like that, the dark thoughts ended, and I was able to fall asleep peacefully, more peacefully than I have ever fallen asleep before.

 

My thought to you today is quite simple. God lives. He is our Heavenly Father, our loving Father and Friend who watches over us night and day. He knows all of us by name. I know this, for I have heard Him call out to me by name. He loves us dearly, and continues to speak to us day by day. He speaks to us through His prophets, who lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with humility and meekness. He speaks to us through the scriptures, which teach us of His Doctrine, and what He would have us do to come unto Him. And he speaks to us through our thoughts, even when they are encircled about by the darkest of dreadings. All He asks of us is that we reach out to Him for love and comfort, and He will give it to us, regardless of our current situations. As the Book of Mormon prophet Alma the Younger once said, "My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now, I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more." (Mosiah 27:29) May we all reach out to our Heavenly Father, who longs to give us the love and comfort we so desperately need in these trying times, in the end of the days of the earth. This is my heart-felt prayer for all of us today, in the name of He Who is Mighty Enough to Save, even the Son of God and Savior of the Earth, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Well, that's it for this week. I'll hear from y'all again next P-Day!

Stay epic, my friends!

 

--Elder Z.S.Weber

Couldn't help but share this paragraph from my "mom letter".  This makes me happy.

"... I have to admit, I miss home, especially with the lack of Christmas songs to listen to (dang you Elder Proffit, can't we just turn on the Christmas station on the radio?! ), but I wouldn't say that I'm homesick yet. And I'm certainly not trunky, either. I'll leave that for the Elders who have one-eight weeks left (ie Elder Wengreen, who leaves next Tuesday). Honestly, I think the old saying says it best; "Love what you do, and do what you love, and life will be filled with meaning and joy." (I think I just came up with that by myself, but oh well). It seems to stand true for me, because it's already been three months, one/eighth of my mission, and I'm feeling great!"