Hey everyone, it's me, Elder Weber,
back again with a newsletter about how things are going out here in No-Man's-Land, Nebraska. Things this week have been a bit rough--we've had some struggles getting together with our investigators Brian and Lance, we've had some problems with communicating with each other, Sidney Elders to Kimball Elders, and we've even had some trouble working with (and against) the weather. For instance, earlier this week, while driving home to Kimball from Sidney, Elder Tapia and I got broadsided by a blizzard coming in from the west. Don't worry, we're fine! Neither of us got too badly beat up by the snow. But, only a couple of days later, temperatures soared to the low-seventies, perfect weather for walking...if it weren't for the fact that every sidewalk, curb, and street was pretty much a miniature white-water river rapid system, caused by the melting snow. Seriously, there were times I worried that I'd slip and end up getting carried a few yards down the road due to the power of the current!
In spite of the crazy weather, Elder Tapia and I have been able to make the most of our service this week, sometimes using the weather against itself in order to do said work. It all started out on Wednesday, when Elder Tapia and I were doing our service at the Recycling Center. Due to the blizzard that had rolled in over-night, the roads and streets were cold and icy. So rather than work on the large piles of metal and glass that were getting covered with snow outside, we were left with crushing cardboard in the warmth of the indoors. However, even that did not save us from the cold, as no more than an hour after we got started, a large garbage truck came rolling in through the garage, the garage door left wide open, and the wind blowing snow and ice into the garage. Apparently, the truck had broke down while trying to drive out throughout the town, and had stopped at the Recycle Center for repairs. So, for the rest of our service time, the garage door was open, and the sounds of drills, ratchets, and repairs prevailed over all other sounds in the garage.
Soon after our service at the Recycling Center was finished, Elder Tapia and I got a call from the Sidney Elders telling us that our District Meeting that afternoon was to be cancelled due to the snow (strange that both an Alaskan and a Canadian would be scared to drive in the light snowfall we were having at that time of day...but oh well). However, they did ask us three hours later if we could come into Sidney to help them with shoveling snow throughout the town. At first we hesitated. Then, they mentioned we were also getting dinner in Sidney, and so we quickly decided to head over. Luckily, the snow had all but finished falling at that time, allowing us a quick ride over to get the work done. We had a blast shoveling the snow, though many times we were asked why we were choosing to shovel the snow for other people. We even had a police officer, in his car, pull over beside us and ask us what we were doing, and why we were doing it. Honestly, it's as if they didn't want us to shovel the snow for them!
Anyways, after the snow-shoveling was finished, Elder Tapia and I headed back home...just as the blizzard started roaring in again. Luckily, we got home safely. And the next day the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the snow was running in thick rivers down the road, from the south end of town to the north. Due to the niceness of the day, we were able to have Sidney join us for the District Meeting that had been cancelled the day before. After discussing what could be done to improve work in the area, our two companionships split up, me going with Elder Layton and Elder Tapia going with Elder Snelders. Our objective--talk to as many of our less-active members as possible, and find out what is keeping them less-active. We were able to make some good progress, I think, because most of the members we visited with genuine concern actually came to church that Sunday, and (from what I could tell) enjoyed the services that were held that Sabbath Day! So, I feel it was a very good way to spend our day.
The rest of the week flew by with a breeze, and soon Saturday came back around, once more. However, it came with slight disappointment, just as with last week...we weren't able to slay the goat again! For some reason, the goat-slaying that had been planned for last Saturday and had been moved to this Saturday, was now being moved back even further to next Saturday. So, rather than spend our day killing goats, Elder Tapia and I turned our attention to service, by going to one of the active families in Kimball (the Markums) and helping them paint their dining room's walls...which was an utter failure, because the paint caused whatever thin coating on the wall to become flimsy and soft, and easily sloughed off the wall! So, after scraping the coating off of the wall, we ended up having to go over the wall with paint once again. We weren't even able to finish the room before Elder Tapia and I had to leave so that we could make it to our dinner appointment in Sidney on time. But, still, it was a fun way to spend the day.
So, what message do I have to say to end this week off with? Strangely, it has nothing to do with the immense amounts of service I and my companion gave this week. No, it has to do with the work we did on Thursday evening, when we split up companionships and went to talk with the less-actives. Each family we met understood the gospel very well--some of them were even High Priests, and had previously served as bishops and stake presidents. However, here they were, failing to keep one of the simplest commandments ever; keep the Sabbath Day holy. The services done on the Sabbath Day aren't just some fun activity the church thought up for us years ago--it is a Heaven-sent program that refuels us for the next week. By partaking in the ordinances there, such as the sacrament, and the recommitment of ourselves to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we fail to stay strong through the week. Trials that are hard for us are even harder, because we have not renewed our commitments to our Father in Heaven; "that [we] are willing to take upon [ourselves] the name of [His] Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given [us], that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]...(Moroni 4:3)." If we can't do this, we cannot have the blessings necessary to make it through the week.
This I know, with all the surety of my heart, in the name of our Savior, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
--Elder Z.S.Weber
No comments:
Post a Comment