Week 9: One year older and wiser too!! 9/24/2018

Man, what an awesome week it has been. It was filled with things going on. It was the last week of the transfer so we had a few things we had to do before it ended. Got our transfer docs yesterday. I will be staying down here in good ol' Vernon Texas for at least another 6 weeks!!! I can continue to make myself feel more at home here and build stronger relationships with all the people I have met down here!!! Like it says in my subject, I am one year older since the last time I emailed you all! Turned the big 19 yesterday!! Haha! Don't feel any different. I still have to pinch myself every morning to see if I am dreaming about me being out here. It hits me everyday!! I still feel like I should be a little kid!! Kinda want to go back that way when the whole world was given to me!! Haha!! Well, Got to celebrate a little yesterday. It was the first time baking a cake and decorating for myself on my birthday!! Was a fun celebration especially because of the awesome package my parents sent me. Had confetti guns and everything!! Man! We sure made a mess!! Well, I am super grateful that the lord has kept me on the earth for 19 years. I am truly blessed that I get to see another birthday!!! Hopefully more to come!! Haha! I'm planning on it!!!

Well, with that being said, it was still busniess as usual down here in Vernon!! No days off no matter what!! There is a work that needs to be done!!! Yesterday, I also got to go to a baptist church that our investigator, Bryan, invited us out to. That, in itself, was also a celebration. Lots of clapping and cheering and a whole lotta "amen brotha, amen to that!" It was really cool to see the different background these people have. I ordered a book recently that listed of a lot of religions in the world and how missionaries should approach them when the come to meet someone from a different religion. It is an awesome book of answers and conviction!! Haha!! 

Something truly amazing happened this week. It was quite the miracle. A few emails ago you probably remember me telling you all about this one girl who yelled at us saying "ya we don't need god!! Keep on biking by! That's all your good at!!" That happened to us twice with that lady. Whenever we would bike by her house, she would yell at us and what it appeared to have been her hating us and giving us a super hard time. Let me tell you something! Every time that happened to us, the spirit told me to go back and talk to her. I thought to myself "no way Jose!!! I aint going back to get blasted by that very mean lady." Like I said, that happened to us not once but twice. And the spirit both times was trying to tell me to go back and talk to her and both times I wussed out!!! Sooo as time went on, about a month or so. This week me and my comp were doing some service down at this place called the USSV (United samaritan services in Vernon). What this place is it's a place where people in need go to recieve free food and financial support. It was a cool experience working there. Helped me remember that we are all god's children and in no matter nay circumstance, he loves us all the same!!! Guess who walks into that store? That same lady who is always yelling at us. She turned and looked at us and said "I know you." Ughhh. I didn't really know what to expect! Another freak out maybe? She told us that she is the lady that is always yelling at us whenever we pass by. She then told us "why don't you ever stop by my place? I see you knocking all the other neighbors doors but mine??" Well whenever we biked by she told us she didn't need god. I was confused!! She told us that she was sarcastic about that and that she felt somewhat offended that we wouldn't stop by her house to talk with her. We told her, "well, we thought that you hated us, that is what it sounded like." Turns out this lady also just got laid off from her job. She is very interested in learning about religion and we promised her that we will never pass by your house again with out stopping by. Soooo this lady went from a grouch who hated us to a really nice potential investigator. Man I should have listened the first two times to go back. What would you all do in that situation? Her name is tiffany and we plan on meeting with here really soon!!! What a miracle! Probably my best story yet!!! 

All the other people we have come in contact with are doing really well as well. Kerry and Lisa Olliver, the ones who struggle coming to church because of health. We were able to get an idea of what they desired most and what they want to get out of us meeting with them. Also, what has changed in their lives since reading the book of mormon. I was questioning in my mind that they weren't really interested anymore because it feels like they have no desire to come to church. Turns out that they are still interested. It is just super hard for them. The christ like attribute I am working hard on developing is patience!! I can't expect salvation for people to come quickly. It takes time and effort!! Salvation is not an easy thing!! I hear this talk all the time from elder Holland saying "why do we expect salvation to be easy for us, when it was never easy for the savior, who suffered for us, bled from every pore, and was smitten and rejected." Got me to realize that this is not a one time deal. This deals with the eternal salvation, or forever, for the people who decide to make this big step. It should not be easy!!!

Well, This week was awesome! Looking forward to another one!!! Like I said, had an awesome birthday yesterday. The people in my branch new about it. Primary children sang to me which was REALLY awesome, and got invited to a members house for a birthday dinner. Missionary work is awesome. I don't regret any second of it!! Well, Thank you all sooo much for your birthday wishes!!! I love you all!! Have a fun and safe week!!!!

Love,

Elder Weese

1) Another toasty day

2) Last pic with the district before transfers

3) Fortnite partay with Vyse!! (Don't worry, I didn't play!)

4) Weekly bug collection

5) Birthday dinner with the Logsdons!!!

6) Made my own birthday cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7) Me and the CAAAKKKEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

8) Party goofs!!!

 

Week 8: Life just keeps on rollin' 9/17/2018

Man, it feels like I was just emailing you all yesterday! I can't believe another week has come and gone!! It went by so fast!! Thanks to all the people who took the time and wrote to me. Glad to hear that you all are doing well. Next time you all hear from me, I will be a 19 year old man as my birthday is this Sunday. It is gonna be soooo weird celebrating it out here in Vernon Texas instead of home, but I am still excited for that day to come. Well it has now been over a month since I got on a plane, and started my journey to OKC!! I have been out in the mission field for almost 5 weeks and in a week and a half, my first transfer will be ending. All the missionaries out here seem to becoming pretty anxious for the day we get our transfer docs, but since I am still being trained, I am sure president will be keeping me here in Vernon! I would be surprised if I got transfered. Almost half way through my training! Man I am tired of being a greenie! I feel like I am looked at as a little kid and everyone having way more experience than I do!! But the missionaries here have been really awesome and have taught me a lot!!!

Well, like I said, this week was a blur! I can't believe it is the start of a new week already! Even though it felt short, it was nothing short of amazing!! Probably the best week of me being out here!! We were able to find a lot of people who seem pretty interested and our investigators are doing really great as well. First, Kerry and Lisa Olliver. We have continued to read in the Book of Mormon with them. Ever since we have started doing that with them, I can see the change and how much it impacts their lives. They ask us some great questions about it and I can see there faith growing everytime we meet with them! For them, the next step is getting them to church. Lisa, because of her health problems, has not been able to leave her couch for months and she has a lot of anxiety about leaving her house!! We are trying so hard to get members over there to lessons with them so they can get to know the members in our branch and form a trust with them. Hopefully that will work!! They understand how important going to church is and we have been teaching them a lot about the Sacrament. Just getting them to go is the hard part. Another guy we have been talking to who I have probably mentioned before, is Bryan Sweitzer. He has met with the missionaries even before I got here and HE LOVES US!!! He takes us out to lunch every Friday and he is probably the investigator we spend the most time with. He has been to our church numerous of times, but he believes that all churches our good. Yes they are all good, but there is only one!! That is the thing we have a hard time getting him to understand!! He seems to believe everything about our church like the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, but still loves going to his baptist church as well!! I do commend him for the faith in Jesus Christ he has though!!! Those two are probably are strongest investigators!!

On top of the investigators we do have, we were able to meet a lot more people! A lot of OYM's (open your mouth). This week we were pretty successful with that and were able to get a lot of people to listen to us!! Got some new investigators out of it and some potential ones as well!!! We have a new investigator named Don,a really funny black guy,  who we ran into a few weeks ago while he was taking the trash out. Finally we were able to meet with him again and got to know him a little better and what his views of god and religion are!! We were able to teach him about the restoration and committed him to read the book of mormon. We are actually meeting with him tonight to see how that has been going. That lesson we taught him, was probably the best lesson I have ever taught!! I hope he felt the spirit as we taught him and that he is continuing to feel it as he reads!!! We also have this new guy named Tallon. I think he is about 19 years old. Man, his girlfriend is a member and she REALLY is pushing him to join the church. We need to help him understand that it is not her decision. The decision is entirely up to him. Also taught him the restoration and promised him that if he continued to read the Book of Mormon everyday. He will find out for himself how he can become converted personally. Lastly, this guy named Fred, a single guy who is probably in his mid 40's early 50's. He does uber for a living and talked to us a lot about that. It was mainly just getting to know the guy and what his interests are. Didn't get a lesson in with him yet. He probably smoked 5 cigarrettes while we were talking with him. Haha! That'll be a challenge!!! Hopefully we can meet with him again and possibly get a lesson in!!

Well, that was kinda the run down!! Me personally, I am still doing awesome and having a blast. Even though I do miss you guys a lot!! This past week I saw a sign in Walmart for 2k19. You could have probably caught me staring at that sign for 20 minutes. Haha!!  Also whenever we go in members homes, they either have some video games going, like fortnite, or some movies on that I loved to see back home. It is still a working progress trying not to get distracted by that stuff. Well thank you all for your continuing love and support. Send me some pics from home!! I'd love to see what you all have been up to! Love you guys, talk with ya'll next week!!

Love,

Elder Weese

1) Mirror selfie just for kicks!!

2) Only ones at the YSA face to face with Elder Cook

3) Helped move out a family! (No one was ready for the pic)

4) My everyday view!!!!

Week 7: Greenie Follow-Up 9/10/18

Well guys, another week on my mission has offically come and gone!! The time is starting to fly by here. I can't believe it has now been 7 weeks. First things first, I hope all is well with you all back home!! I love receiving your emails every week and hearing all the super fun things going on in your lives!!! Please continue to write to me. It is truly the high light of my week.

Well, this week has been pretty busy. I'm sure most of you have heard already about the fun trip I took up to the Wichita Mountains with my zone. I'll be sure to include some pics from that attached. Those mountains were way cool. It is crazy to think in Oklahoma we actually have mountains. Those mountains are probably the only mountains you will see around here. Everything else is flatter than a pancake. The mountains are not AT ALL what the mountains are like back in Utah but they are still really cool and pretty. Got to take a pretty decent hike. Climbed some pretty big bolders. Also got to end the day with a campfire and roasting hot dogs and smores. Sure does make me miss camping back home.

On Wednesday we had to take a 3 and a half hour drive up to OKC for greenie follow up. Not sure that I have told you what it means to be greenie yet but if you don't know it just means that I am still new and in training. They call you that for the first 12 weeks of your mission. Had to get up at 4:30 in the morning to make it there on time. Rain was pouring that day and we really had to be careful so we wouldn't hydro plane, but we got there safely. Got to see the MTC buddies. Was a fun little reunion. Thursday we also had interviews with our mission president. Got to sit down with him face to face and tell him what has been going on in the mission field. He is such an awesome president!!! He is like a 2nd father to me. He knows each of his missionaries really well and has a personal relationship with each of us. Since there were a lot of missionaries being interviewed, we had to do role plays while we waited for our turn. Man, we do a lot of those on a mission. They are very helpful, but I tend to get sick of them really quick!! During those role plays, they video taped us teaching. It was so weird watching myself teach. Haha! But it helped a lot. Seeing what you look like and what you do when you are teaching.

We haven't had much of anything exciting this week other than I got to go on my first exchange with the elders from Burkburnett. That was super fun. Getting to be with other missionaries and learning from them and what they do. I went with this guy named Elder Larsen and he is from Pleasent View. About 15 minutes away from Brigham City!! This past week has also been really stormy!! Been biking out in the rain these last few days and have gotten soaked!!! I also left my dang backpack back in Burkburnett. That has cause me a lot of stress this weekend. I have most of my stuff I need in there and I have to wait til Thursday to get it back! Ughhh!! But other than that it has been a really cool week. Investigators are still doing well. Haven't really found newer people to teach yet. I need to do a better job on getting on that. It is quite frightening trying to talk to people because you don't want to walk in on a bible bash. I just need to push through that and OYM (open your mouth) to as many people I can!!!

Well, all in all! Things are great!! I am happy and healthy!!! I have been eating A LOT! haha! Don't be surprised if you notice me getting a little heavier! Haha!! I love you all and hope you guys have a blessed and safe week!!!

Love,

Elder Weese

1) Dad, I went hunting!!!!!!!!!! :) #zonepday

2) Zone pday #2

3) Zone pday #3

4) Zone pday views #1

Week 6: Wichita Mountains and a Zone Conference 9/4/2018

Hello everybody!! Sorry I'm emailing you all a day late. I spent my labor day in the Wichita mountains with all the missionaries in our zone. It was all day so our mission president let us send out our emails today. I'm still doing awesome!! I can't believe it has been 6 weeks since I left and 3 weeks since I got to Vernon Texas. It was quite a long week though. We had a lot going on and we have a lot going on this week as well. This Wednesday we are driving a 3 hour drive back up to Oklahoma City for a "greenie" follow up. Since I am still new here, they call all the new missionaries "greenies" for the first 12 weeks of the mission and this week it is kinda like a check up on how we are doing. I'm looking forward to it because I get to see all the elders I flew out here with and the elders I got to stay with at the MTC. I can't wait!!

This past week, last Tuesday, we also had to take a 2 and a half hour drive up to Norman for my first zone conference. President and Sister Mansell gave tremendous counsel to us and it has definitely helped me throughout the week. President talked about what success is and how we can obtain success and Sister Mansell talked about how we can stop comparing ourselves with others. It is always good to hear from our president and his wife. They are definitely the parents of all the missionaries out here and even though there is a lot of them, they know us personally and take time to get to know us more individually so they can help take care of our personal needs. It was probably the most powerful day of my mission so far.

Well this week we have been able to work with our investigators a little more. They are doing really well and making huge progress. We challenged the Oliver's to take 10 minutes out of their day every day to read the book of mormon. They do a really good job with their reading, the hardest thing is getting them to church. We ask them about it everytime we meet them and they gave us that same “ idk" answer. This week we are planning on teaching them the importance of partaking the sacrament so they can have that going to church thought in the back of their heads. So I'm hoping that'll help get them to go. Our other investigator Bryan came to church this week. Like I probably said before he has a HUGE desire to follow Christ and is willing to do whatever it takes to do so. It is just hard because he likes his Baptist church even better. I know it takes time for conversion to take place. I just have to be patient and trust in the lord that they will make the right choices.

We also ran into a guy named Donald Richardson as he was taking out his trash can to the side of the road. Was able to talk to him about prophets. As we ended he told us we can come back so that is what we plan on doing this week. I am soooooo excited to get another week going!! I can't wait to find more people who we can teach because when they do accept us, it is the best feeling in the world. Of course, you still have to deal with some rude people but I consider them as huge testimony strengtheners. They have strengthened my faith in heavenly father because ya it is hard to be rejected. The first time I was rejected I was super hard on myself. But as we exercise faith in our Heavenly Father, we know that things will be alright.

Well guys, thank u to all those who wrote to me this week. I hope your are all doing great in whatever it is your doing. Have a blessed week!!!!!

Love,

Elder Weese

Pics: 1) First zone conference

2) Scorpions in the sink :(

3) Quality biking selfie :)

4) Underground weather shelter pt.1

5) Underground weather shelter pt. 2

6) Glass of milk after a long day of proselyting!

7,8,9) Labor Day in the Wichita Mountains with my zone.