WEEK 34 - WE THANK THEE, OH GOD, FOR a PROPHET

Hey there, friends, family, and otherwise affiliated acquaintances.
 

It's me once more, Elder Z.S.Weber, sending out yet another weekly newsletter detailing the amazing and wonderful life I am living as a Missionary in the Colorado Fort Collins Mission. As I mentioned in my last email out, this last week I was transferred to the Boulder Zone in the Mission, and am currently serving in the Coal Creek Ward with my friend and brother, Elder Buchanan. So far, my life in this area has been truly awesome. Elder Buchanan is a great missionary with a kind heart who loves to do his Father's work, though he also enjoys the very few times we missionaries get to just kick back, relax, and unwind from the pressure and insanity of being Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He understands the gospel very well, and has a very great sense of humor and responsibility when serving his brothers and sisters in this Ward. I'm really excited to work with him, and help our Spiritual Siblings return to their Father above. With that said, let's begin with the week.

Elder Buchanan & Elder Weber missionaries
of the Coal Creek Ward, Boulder, Colorado

Tuesday last week was spent the usual Transfer-day way; running around like headless chickens trying to get everything sorted out. Most of the time was spent getting to our area, getting my stuff unloaded, and then showing me around the area. Wednesday, however, the pace quickly changed, and Elder Buchanan and I took to the work, hitting the ground running. We spend the week hard at work, helping me get adjusted to the area as well as possible, and seeking out the less-active and former investigators that live in our proselyting area. We have made it our serious goal to try and find one of our brothers or sisters that is willing to learn of the gospel, and help them enter into the waters of baptism by the end of the month. In the last few days, I definitely feel that the Lord has been aiding us in that area, by bringing us to families that are very missionary-minded and seek to help their friends come unto Christ. Not only that, but on Friday we actually had a family feed us dinner that said that their friend was recently asking serious questions about religion and God. It was as if the Lord was just hanging a giant neon sign over this member's head that read "Here's Your Chance Elders!!"
 

Easter Basket from Mom & Dad

The week hasn't just been about work, though. On Tuesday, I got to meet the other set of Elders that will be serving in our neighboring area, the Laffeyette Elders. These guys are Elders Stone and Fuhriman (Fur-man), and they are really awesome. Every other morning, when Elder Buchanan and I are getting up, we head over to the Stake Building and get warmed up for the day ahead by playing a fun game of two-on-two basketball with them. Normally, I don't really like playing any sports of any kind, but I decided that it'd be some fun. Besides, for the first time ever, this group of Elders is all about my size, so I think I might be able to take them...some time...maybe...Anyways, it's really been awesome to get to know these guys and I'm really looking forward to the Transfer ahead with them.

Elder Weber's Easter loot

Another awesome thing from this week is that I got another package from my family back home. But what was really awesome was that the very same day I got my Easter Package, Elder Buchanan got his Easter Package from his family as well. So, that was really cool, too!
 

Elder Easter Bunny...sure miss this kid

Perhaps the greatest part of this week, however, was when we were able to spend ten hours of our week listening to General Conference. I've always looked forward to hearing the words of the prophets and learning from them, and this weekend was no exception. We mostly watched it from the Stake Center with the other missionaries in the area, though we did spend the afternoon session on Saturday at a member's house. This year's Conference was really amazing for me to listen to. So many of the talks were given on the importance of the Family, and the proper structure of families, and the importance of the role of the father in families. I found it interesting that so many would center their focus on those key parts of the gospel, and seek to help us understand the importance of our roles in this life. Elder Buchanan and I also joked a bit about how often the talks, when directed to young adults, mentioned getting married and starting families without too much delay--something other Elders in our Mission seem to dread with undeniable passion.

However, what I really want to focus my spiritual message on today lies not with families, or fathers, or the three temples announced by President Monson. My message today is about the simple truth that so many today do not know. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by a true living prophet, who is called of God by prophecy and holds all of the keys and powers of Heaven necessary to run and lead the Church in this day and age. So many people do not believe this sacred truth to be real. They do not understand that the President of the Church, as well as his Councilors and Fellow Apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators. But I bear my witness now that they are exactly that. Since the days of old, since the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord God Almighty has always had His people led by the humble yet powerful example of the prophets. As Amos of old taught, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." I bear my witness that this is true, and that today the Church is once again led by prophets. The prophets returned in 1820, when a young boy by the name of Joseph went into a silent grove to learn of God's will, and has continued to this day, with the current-day prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I know this to be true, in the name of our Lord and Savior, even Jesus Christ, Amen.

--Elder Z.S.Weber