WEEK 21 - A NEW BEGINNING

Hello everyone, this is Elder Z.S.Weber reporting in once again with the epic and exciting news on what's going on in the Fossil Creek Ward and the Loveland Zone. First off, may I just say...Happy New Year! 2014 is long behind us now, so strange because it feels as though it only just began a few months ago, at least to me. Gosh, scary how fast time flies. Yesterday, when Elder V and I were attending the Elders Quorum meeting at church, the lesson planned was about New Years Resolutions, and the conundrum of End-of-Life Regrets. It's kind of scary just how many resolutions are made each year, and how many of those are given up on half-way through the year...or worse yet, two weeks into the year! This is just me talking, but I'd like to see if we can't change those statistics this time around. Let's try and set some real, manageable, life-changing goals, and make it through the year abiding by those terms set way back now at the beginning of the year. I left one in the last email for those of you who are questioning your current religion or theology, and I'm certain that there are tons more out there to test and enjoy. So, what do you guys say? Let's get out there, and make 2015 the best year we've had yet!

Now, then, with that out of the way, I have to admit that this email isn't just about the "New Beginning" we're all facing, what with it being 2015 and all. No, this is an email for a new beginning with me and the other Missionaries in the Colorado Fort Collins Mission. Tomorrow, just as I mentioned in the email sent out back in November, is Transfer Day. And on Saturday night, while chilling out with the Stetson Creek Elders, I found out the Transfer Doctrine. Before I say that, let me just say that Transfer Doctrine for Missionaries is a lot like the Super Bowl for Football fanatics, in that we have high expectations for what happens on Transfer Day, and make loads of predictions about it. Some even try to go total Black Ops. on President Brown, and find out the Transfer Doctrine early, before it's been sent out to the mission. So, while I was with my District, we decided to do Transfer Prophecies, and try to predict where each of us was going. My prediction everyone gave me was that I would be going to a really hard place, way away from everyone else in the mission, but be very successful and have a totally awesome Missionary as a companion. So what was my Transfer Doctrine?

"Elder Weber will be leaving us, he is going to be companions with Elder Tapia, who will also be leaving us, and they will serve together in Kimble, Nebraska, in the Cheyenne East Zone."

...Nebraska. Frickin' Middle-of-Nowhere, Nebraska! I'm not mad, or upset, or anything like that, honest. I'm just...Nebraska? First of all, that lines up perfectly with my Transfer Prophecy, because Nebraska is the furthest point from the mission you can go. Hardly anyone gets shipped out to Nebraska, and I'm getting shipped out there for my second area? Then, there's my companion, Elder Tapia. This guy is actually not that big of a problem--in fact, he's practically the living embodiment of that old proverb, "there's a time for everything". He's a hard worker, and loves to work, but he's also able to chill and relax, and if things are slow, he's a load of fun to have at your side. So, I'm actually excited to be working with him. Finally, there's the fact that we are replacing a Senior Couple, rather than regular Missionaries like myself and Tapia. I'm worried, because that means we'll basically have nothing to go off of, as opposed to having an area already set up for us, like Fossil Creek. However, in other areas where regular Missionaries replaced Senior Couples, especially in those "middle-of-nowhere" states, the work load has literally exploded! So, it looks like we could be having a lot of fun this Transfer!

So, why am I complaining?

...I really don't know myself, to be honest...

...Anyways, with that in mind, I'll talk to y'all again next week, from someplace up in Nebraska! Wish me luck!

--Elder Z.S.Weber

Thought I'd share a bit from the Mom letter...

Hey Mom!
It's alright you didn't send a message yesterday, I'm not ticked or anything. As for where I'm going, you'll probably read it in the newsletter I sent out, but I'm going to Middle-of-Nowhere Nebraska. Should be cool, actually. I'm looking forward to it.

Can't believe Tanner's back from his mission already, though. Now that is crazy! Wonder how he changed over the last two years.

Sister Banagas told me that you guys were together while they were coming back from their trip. You guys look great in your pictures, even the one of you being goofy on the walk!

I'll try to send more pictures once the new Transfer starts.

Just tell Belle that everything will be fine, okay? She's smart, skilled, and creative. Whatever life throws her way, she can throw it right back with twice as much force!

I know just how you feel about the schedule thing. Us Webers just don't do well without schedules, now do we?

I miss you guys a lot, and I hope to see you all again soon!

--Zack