WEEK 33 - I'M COMING HOME

Hey everyone! Elder Z.S.Weber is here again with an awesome update on how things in the mission are going for me and my companion, Elder Tapia. I'm happy to say that things have been going very well for us. I feel that this week was a lot of fun, filled with moments of excitement and exhilaration, thanks to the Spirit. We spent a couple days helping one of the families in Kimball get their house ready for a big move later on in that week. We were able to teach all the young men and women in the Ward and help them realize what potential they have with the new video #BecauseHeLives on the Church's website. And, we were even able to help our Zone Leaders change a blown-up tire they got on their truck just as they were leaving the freeway to get to our District Meeting this week. So, all in all, it was a really awesome and eventful week.

But that's not what I'm here to talk about.

As you all pretty much already should know, due to my emails home, every six weeks we have Transfers. Well, last Transfer was six weeks ago, and tomorrow is my next one--my sixth Transfer on my mission. To be completely honest, I had no idea what was going to happen with this Transfer. I felt that I'd done some good serving in Kimball with Elder Tapia, but I also felt that there might be more that I could do to help my brothers and sisters there. However, I also had a feeling that I had done all that I needed to do as a Missionary there, and that my Heavenly Father needed me to work somewhere else in His garden. So, when Saturday rolled around, I and Elder Tapia were pretty anxious to hear what was going to be happening to us. And what ended up happening...definitely wasn't what I'd been expecting at all.

Elder Tapia is going to be staying in Kimball...and I'm coming home seventeen months early.

...

...April Fools! Though, I actually am leaving Kimball. Starting Tuesday evening, I will be serving in the Boulder Zone, the very southern zone in the Mission, with one Elder Buchanan in the Cold Creek Ward. So, technically I am coming home...back to Colorado, my first state in my Mission! I'm really looking forward to serving there, and meeting more of my brothers and sisters. I'm going to miss Elder Tapia, and my siblings here in Kimball and Sidney, but it's time to move on. Wish me luck in my new area!

Hope to hear from y'all next week!

--Elder Z.S.Weber

WEEK 22 - DWELLING in the WILDERNESS

Hello everyone, this is Elder Z.S.Weber!

 

That's right, I'm back once again, and made it safely through Transfer Day! Well...mostly safely. Elder Tapia (my new companion) and I had to put our bags onto the Mission's Trailer so that they could get to Nebraska safely. However, once we got to Nebraska, and were picking the bags up, one of mine went missing! Luckily, it was only the bag that has my non-missionary clothes in it, as well as my extra missionary books, like Jesus the Christ, Preach My Gospel, and Ensign. My scriptures, personal hygiene items, and missionary clothes all made it there safely, so I can still at least work hard until I can get my other bag from my new Zone Leaders, who are actually serving in Wyoming right now.

 

...yeah...I may never see that bag again...

 

Anyways, besides losing my bag, everything else seems to have gone just great! Instead of living with members, like I had with Elder Proffit and Elder V back in Fossil Creek, Elder Tapia and I are living in a double-wide trailer, equipped with five beds, a personal washer and dryer, a dishwasher, an oven, and one of those old TV's that are as wide side to side as they are front to back. Our landlord is a nice and kind 80's-ish old man named Joe, who always seems to have a smile on his face, and actually gave us some pancakes and jams the first real day we were in the area. Also, we no longer have The Battle Wagon (Fossil Creek's Grand Caravan). Instead, we have a small and simple Subaru that has great gas mileage, but is probably too small a car to be handling the rugged roads of Kimball, Nebraska.

 

That brings me to the other interesting fact about my new area. Though Elder Tapia and I are technically serving in Kimball, our area is actually a Ward made up of about a half-dozen small towns, the largest of which is Sidney, Nebraska, the home for the famous hunting/fishing outfitter, Cabela's. So, we are actually sharing the area with the Sidney Elders, Elder Snelders and Elder Layton. Elder Snelders is actually a missionary I already knew--he was one of the District Leaders back in Loveland. Elder Layton, however, is a greener greenie than even I, and comes from the strange and exotic world of Alberta, Canada. Working with them, especially with how to divide up the Ward, has been a very interesting and enjoyable experience, though also a bit of a headache now and then.

 

Besides our fellow Elders, the people in our Ward are some really great and amazing people. Most all of them work for, or are in some way related to, the Cabela's franchise, and as such, there are some very interesting characters to be found here. Like for instance...the Jones'. The first day I met them, I walked up onto their front porch with Elder Layton, Snelders, and Tapia, and the first thing I saw was a dead raccoon laying in a cardboard box. Elder Layton, rather than being surprised or disturbed by the lifeless creature, merely chuckled and said, "looks like Brother Jones finally took care of his pest problem." When we went inside, I found out that the raccoon was probably the least of the sights I'd see with Brother Jones. A real, bona fide hunter, Brother Jones does his own tanning, smithing, and carving. Last night, at dinner, he went into deep detail about how to tan a deer's hide, and even brought out a rifle of his he uses on some of his big-game hunting endeavors, while also cracking some hilarious jokes about his hobby-based work. So, for the most part, I'm getting the feeling I'm going to like this Ward.

 

The excitement doesn't stop there, though! Not only is this Ward filled with friendly and comedic hunters and outdoorsmen, but so far the experiences I've gained here in the first week surpass those of Fossil by a long shot. On Friday morning, after driving through the cold fog of the day, our Mission got the chance to hear from Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Some of the Elders there were afraid he was coming to give us an Apostolic beat-down, and chastise us brutally in front of the Mission President. But, no, when he got up to speak, he looked out over our still, silent crowd, and began cracking some sarcastic comments. Instantly, all the tension in the room disappeared, and we were able to really enjoy ourselves, listening to him talk to us in a very friendly, casual manner, and have us answer some non-aggressive questions. He even answered some questions from the crowd, questions that ranged from "what impact has your wife and your family had on your life" to "what was it like being called as an Apostle" to even "where is the Sword of Laban".

 

...actually, that last one he just gave the Elder that asked it a blank, "are-you-kidding-me" stare and shook his head...

 

But, all in all, it was a great conference, and the spirit I was able to feel there, while listening to one of the fifteen Special Witnesses of Jesus Christ bear his testimony and answer our questions, was incredible. I'm very thankful for the chance I had to listen to him, and to learn from him. I hope that, with as magnificent a beginning to this Transfer, I and Elder Tapia will be able to have a wonderful six weeks here in Kimball, Nebraska, doing whatever we can to expand our Master's garden ever further into the world. I know that the work will be hard--I'm going to have to work in a completely new way than how I did back in Fossil--but as long as Elder Tapia and I put in our best, whatever we reap is what we deserve. And I know that with our Heavenly Father supporting us through this, we will do many great and marvelous things here. That is my prayer for this next Transfer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Well, that's all for this week. See y'all again next Monday!

 

--Elder Z.S.Weber

 

A message like this makes my day a good one!!!

 

**Excerpt from the Mom Letter:

 

Alright, first the questions:

** Well, they have a Pizza Hut, a Subway, and a Family Dollar, but other than that, nothing.

** I'm living in a trailer house, peach color.

** There are about 300 members in the area, but only about a fifth of them are active.

** No, there have been proselyting missionaries before us, but that was back in 2008-2012.

** We have Elder Snelders and Elder Layton over in Sidney, about forty miles east of us.

** We go to church in Sidney.

** Elder Tapia is okay, a really nice guy once you get to know him.

 

Sounds like things are going great back home (except for the inversion, of course). I hope you know how much it means to me that you guys keep emailing me. These emails help me stay strong and last long through the week. They...give me hope that I'm doing good out here, and remind me of the real reason that I'm serving. So, thank you.

 

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

WEEK 14 - 'TIL WE MEET AGAIN

Hey everyone, Elder Weber here again with an email about how things are going in the Colorado Fort Collins Mission.

To begin with, this week was fairly slow, slower than normal, but we had several different events that made it exciting and worth while. But I'm not going to talk about that yet. Instead, I'm going to talk about the very big thing that is about to change the Fossil Creek Ward forever. Transfers. For those that don't quite get how missions are run area-wise, each Elder or Sister in the mission is assigned a companion and area to serve in, and serve in that area and with that companion for the space of six weeks, or a transfer. Every six weeks, the Mission President thoughtfully and prayerfully looks over the missionaries that serve under him, and decides where each should serve later on. Some, like my companion Elder Proffit, serve in their areas for five or six transfers, or eight or nine months, and have several different companions and roles. Others, which is far more likely, only stay in an area for two or three transfers, or three or four months, and usually with only one companion. Transfers are also the time when Elders and Sisters leave the mission at the end of their service, and board planes and trains to take them back home to where they belong.

With that in mind, starting tomorrow, Elder Proffit will be serving in the Boulder Zone, Broomfield 3rd Ward, the very most southern tip of the mission. Elder Wengreen will return home and begin living his life once more. And I and Elder Vakameilalo will become companions in the Loveland Zone, Fossil Creek Ward. From now on, Fossil Creek will be a one-companionship only Ward, and all the work in there will be handled by Elder V and me. I have to say, the thought of transfers both scares me and excites me.

Elder Proffit & Weber

I have enjoyed being trained by Elder Proffit, he is a great Elder, and someday will be a great member of this church (perhaps even a prophet). Elder Wengreen, while having his ups and downs, has been a great learning experience for me, and has taught me to be more loving and patient with others. He has also been a step towards humbling me and my over-sized ego from time to time. I am thankful for his work and presence in my life, and wish him luck in all of his future endeavors. God speed. And while I find it hard to understand Elder V from time to time, because he doesn't speak English as well as other Elders do, I look forward to working with him and his different personality and point of view. Even more, I look forward to serving not just the east-side of the Fossil Creek Ward, but the entire area, and everyone that lives within the Ward boundaries.

And so, with that, I believe I will end this email. I know, that isn't a very long email as compared to others, but there is very little I can say. This week was one filled with goodbyes, one filled with tears. But this I can say. Though Elder Proffit and Elder Wengreen are leaving their areas, and moving on with their lives, one with service in another part of the mission, the other with life back in his home, their work here will not end. They have left an impression on this area that will not be easily forgotten, and will be carried on by faithful Elders willing to serve their Savior with every fiber of their beings. And I am proud to be one of those Elders. Not only that, but the friendships they have forged here will not end, but shall last for time and all eternity. And so, though I must say goodbye to my friends and brothers today, I also say, with joy in my heart, "God be with you 'til we meet again. By his council's guide, uphold you. With his sheep, securely fold you. God be with you 'til we meet again."

God be with you all, 'til we meet again. This I say, in the name of my Lord and God, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

--Elder Z.S.Weber

Thought I would add a little from the mom letter this week:
"I won't be the senior companion, as Elder V has been out several months longer than I. But, I will be the designated driver, as I'm the one who has a driver's license.  However, I may need to do the calling and writing, because I know more English than he, so that worries me.  The good thing is he's catching on to English very well. He understands a lot, and can speak fairly fluently, he just has a very hard to understand accent. But I'm sure I'll be fine!

Also, how go the preparations for Thanksgiving? I didn't mention in my letter, but I'm fairly certain I'm either spending Thanksgiving with the Ottley's or the Smiths."