Hey everyone! It's me again, Elder Z.S.Weber, reporting to you from the Dimig's basement apartment in Boulder, Colorado. I'm here to give y'all another quick update on how things are going for me and my companion in the Colordao Fort Collins Mission. And let me just say...it is too hot to function! Last week, the temperatures rose to over 100° Fahrenheit, and the sun quickly scorched anything that dared move under its burning rays. Sadly, Elder Hale and I had to be two of the unfortunate elders that had to tract in said blistering heat. On the downside, we have now finished everyday sweaty and tired as well as unsuccessful. On the upside...were now sporting some epic mission-tans!
However, even with the baking heat and stifling sun, Elder Hale and I were able to find some awesome ways to spend our time this week. On Tuesday, for instance, we went over to EFAA to do some service. We hadn't been for a while because of how little work was needed to be done, but we felt it couldn't hurt us to stop by. It was a good thing we came, though, because the place had gotten a surprise donation of blankets, sheets, comforters, and pillows from a hotel that was going under a renovation. So, we had about a hundred blankets, sheets, comforters, and pillows, that needed to be sorted, folded, bagged, and stuffed somewhere until they needed them. Going through all that suddenly made me realize what my mom went through on laundry day when we were kids...
On Wednesday, we got a surprise call from our District Leader, asking if Elder Hale and I could give the training during the District Meeting...that afternoon. Elder Hale and I had been called to do a training last week, but we hadn't the chance because we needed to fill out a survey for the mission. Luckily, we still had the notes, so we were able to be ready for the spur-of-the-moment lesson. Our training was on the powers of the priesthood in the church, and how we use them in our service as missionaries. One of the most important parts discussed during the lesson was how we need to apply it into our purpose, and seek to live worthy to wield the powers of the priesthood, that way we can truly live to our full potential as servants of the Lord. For a spur-of-the-moment lesson, we did pretty good.
On Thursday, we returned to EFAA for more service opportunities, and found just as large a load as on Tuesday waiting for us. Apparently, the regional manager was going to be stopping by later that week, so we needed to mow and weed-whack the yards so that it looked in top condition for when the manager came. While the yard work was going on, we also found out that they had a family in one of the apartments that had a bunch of broken furniture that needed to be replaced. So, while some of the missionaries worked out on the yard, I got the fun job of carry the chairs down to the trash can and breaking them apart with a sledgehammer, then carrying the new furniture up to the apartment. All in all...it was an interesting day.
Finally, on Friday, we got a call from a new family in the ward asking if we had anyone for dinner. When we responded that we didn't, we were asked to come over for make-your-own pizzas. The family, the Holeceks (Hole-a-checks), turned out to actually be a part-member family, with the father and his son nonmembers. As we talked, we found out that he had taken the discussions with past missionaries, but was still lacking the final step to move on to baptism. He's a computer programmer, and so his main problem is that he likes to see the answers before moving on. He reminds me a lot of Brother McManus, from my first area. It's our hope that, if we continue to work with him, we can help him overcome this hurdle of his, and lead him to taking that step of faith.
Well, that's my week! And that means it's time for the spiritual thought. This time, however, I have a story of my own design to tell.
This last P-Day, after finishing all of our preparations for the week ahead, Elder Hale and I decided to go over to Chautauqua Park for another round of hiking, continuing on from the hiking from last week. This time, we took a different path, and soon found ourselves at a fork in the trail. One trail led upward, and was a bit more rocky and rugged. The other was more level, and looked as though it merely led back down the mountain. We didn't want to return just yet, so we decided to go with the first trail, and see where it led.
The climb was rough for the both of us. The path seemed to be more made if rocks than of a trail, and the ground was loose and hard to hold onto. But these problems were of little consequence to us at the time. As young men with energy to burn and adventure in our hearts, we climbed our way to the top of the trail, unfazed...that is, until we found out our trail led to a dead end. The trail led to a sheer cliff wall, meant for experienced rock climbing, something neither of us could do.
Turning around, we found ourselves stuck. The trail back down was very steep, littered with loose rocks and gravel. Not only that, but this trail ran by a large ravine, a steep fall that went at least thirty feet down. Due to the exhausting hike up, we were almost spent on our energy, and fear crept into our hearts. What if we fell? What if the rocks gave out under us? What would happen?
It was during this that I noticed my glasses slipping off my face. In that moment, I realized I couldn't just stand there. We had to get back down the mountain. But I couldn't do it while I was trying to hold my glasses in place on my face. Though I knew I wouldn't be able to see as clearly without my glasses, I took them off and slid them into my pocket, that way both my hands could be out to steady myself, should the rocks give way during my descent.
Because of my limited vision, however, I was able to clearly pick out the shadows of the larger rocks—the rocks that were more stable than the others. Before, those shadows had been lost because of my anxiety in all the loose rocks. Once my vision was blurred, and I couldn't see as clearly, I could see the rocks that were the safest, and could put my trust in my steps. Before I knew it, we were back down on the trail, enjoying the beautiful scenery the second path had to offer.
My friends, sometimes we can get distracted by everything we see and hear around us. There are some doctrines that don't easily make sense to us, rules or laws that we cannot reason or find logic in. Sometimes, they might even be so terrifying, that we are hesitant to move forward in our pursuit of truth and light. However, when moments like that occur, I propose that we need only take away our 'glasses'—our focus on all the troubling things around us—and focus only on the 'shadows'—the core doctrine we know to be true that can lead us to safety.
Before you start doubting yourself, the church, or even the works of God, ask yourself; Is the Book of Mormon truly a work of God? Was Joseph Smith truly a prophet of God? Did he truly restore the Church of Jesus Christ? If you can say yes to all three of those questions, what else matters?
I bear my witness that this is the Church if Jesus Christ, restored in our days! It was restored through the workings of God, done through the hands of Joseph Smith, who truly was and is a prophet of the Lord and God of this World. The Book of Mormon truly testifies that these are so, and testifies that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the World. While I may not know everything, I know these three truths to be true. And that gives me the strength to press forward in faith. I pray that you can all say the same as well.
I'm the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Well, that's it for this week! See y'all again next P-Day! Ciao!
—Elder Z.S.Weber
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