WEEK 24 - QUALIFIED in our WEAKNESS

Hey y'all! I'm back!

 

Elder Z.S.Weber is back, once more with an update on how things are going here in the mission field. And let me tell you...this week was actually very tame. I know, I know, no week in the mission field is ever "normal" or "average", but compared to the past few weeks (where I've listened in on discussions of how to properly gut and clean a deer, or in-depth analyzations on what caliber of gun is most effective in hunting), this week was the most normal week I've had yet in the strange world that is "Middle-o-Nowhere, Nebraska". So, what exactly happened this week?

Pictures of the Elders from Elder Weber's last District.
left-right:Elder Bacon, Elder Weber, Elder V, Elder Mangrum
Elder Hamilton, & Elder Farnsworth

Wednesday: Wednesday found Elder Tapia and I starting out at our new service project. Unlike back in Colorado, where we would work in Soup Kitchens, or help out at Senior Centers, here in Kimball, Nebraska, our chance to serve the community comes from working at the Recycle Center there on the edge of town, off on the most-western end of main-street. What work do we do at the Recycle Center, you may ask? Well, on Wednesday, Elder Tapia and I ran around the town, riding in the Recycle Center boss' truck, picking up recyclable paper and cardboard boxes from the numerous businesses around the small town of Kimball. I have to say...it was interesting. Elder Tapia looked like he was having a serious blast, though, as he did a lot of the driving, and was ruling the stick-shift like he was born driving.

Elder Weber and Elder Tapia studying in their apartment

Thursday: After working hard on Wednesday at the Recycle Center, and as Mormon missionaries in the town, I was able to enjoy spending my Thursday with my District Leader, Elder Snelders. I've mentioned before how exchanges work, right? Well, in case you've forgotten, every once in a while the District Leader goes off with one of the missionaries in his District, his companion with that missionary's companion, and spends the next twenty-four hours working with that Elder and helping him with the work in that area. Well, working with Elder Snelders was very interesting for me. He helped me out with finding some good finding activities to use, due to us being in a very different area than what we were normally used to. We also worked on the car, the "Subi" or Subaru, because the low-lights on it were going out. Definitely a memorable experience...as well as frustrating...

The Elders and the antlers mentioned in last week's letter.

 

Yum-O...anyone hungry for antler soup???

 Friday: Aside from the headache from the Subi and its headlights, Thursday was great. But it was nothing when compared to what Friday morning had in store for us. Once again, we were at the Recycle Center, but seeing as Elder Snelders and I hadn't exchanged back yet, the two of us went off to work in the Recycle Center, rather than Tapia and me. However, instead of rounding up paper and cardboard, Friday was spent in a more...destructive way. Elder Snelders spend much of the time smashing glass beer bottles that had come in from the bars in the town, and me and another volunteer there worked hard packing cardboard into a cardboard compressor and getting it packed up into a small, foot-by-foot cube like the ones out of Monsters, Inc. Suffice to say...it was totally awesome!

Exterior of the mobile home the elders reside in.

Saturday: Finally, on Saturday, Elder Tapia and I spent our evening once more at the humble abode of the Jones family. After working hard all day, I was ready for whatever odd hunting story Brother Jones had ready to sling my way. What I was surprised by, however, was that his topic of the day was about the novel he was trying to write with his second-oldest daughter. When I heard that, I had only one thing come to my mind; "Finally, a subject I can relate to!" Brother Jones and I spent about the next hour or so talking about his and my stories; from genetic mutations that create reptilian, amphibian, and even mammalian dragons, to the horsemen of the Apocalypse being very real beings, who fight not for Satan, but against him, in an attempt to ready the world for the Savior's Second Coming. I have to say, it was a lot of fun, having someone to spitball ideas at, who was both receptive, and eager to add instruction and ideas.

A little silliness from Elder Weber

So, yeah, this week was awesome. And, I even have a spiritual message to go along with it, too! I know, I've been lagging a bit with them, but this one is great. Simply put--I'm imperfect. I'll be the first to admit it. Even more than that, I'm no way ready to be out here. I mean, the things I'm supposed to be doing are crazy, insane, and nigh impossible on my own. And it's not just me--everyone has this thought when given a new calling or mission in life. But you know what's the greatest thing about that? The Lord qualifies us in our weakness. "By small and simple things are the great things of this world come to pass." Even though I'm imperfect, I'm small, weak, and definitely not the most-skilled person in the world for this job, Heavenly Father knows that. And He knows that I am good enough. I may be small and weak, but because I am small and weak, I can turn to him for help and support. And through him, I can do many great things. And, if we all put our trust in the Lord, He will do the same to all of us as well. I know this to be true with all my heart, and I bear my witness of it, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Well, that's all for this week. Hope to hear from y'all again by next Monday! Stay epic, my friends!

 

--Elder Z.S.Weber