Week 44: Tornados like CRAZY!! 5/28/2019

Hey hey everyone!! This email might be a little short this week. Don't have too much time today, but I am emailing today instead of yesterday because all libraries in Edmond were closed because of Memorial day so we received permission to email today, just not for very long! It was another super fast week! We had some crazy weather roll in which kinda slowed things down a bit! We literally had tornado's in our area and Saturday night we heard sirens and got calls from the zone leaders saying we needed to go to a members storm shelter ASAP! I really wanted to see if I could find a tornado, but it was too late and too dark outside and raining like crazy! Apparently these storms have effected many people here in the OKC area, killing and injuring quite a few people, so if yall would keep the people here in your prayers, that would be appreciated! All missionaries are still safe and sound though!

Something cool that happened this week was we got to teach a lot of lessons finally! Had a list of potentials we made while tracting, but our big struggle was getting back with those potentials, but this week we did a great job with that as we got to teach quite a few times! First, this lady named Stephanie Terry, her husband is a member and has a super strong testimony of the Gospel, he just hasn't been active. They recently got married, and she said she would love to have us over to discuss some of the "hang ups" she has with our religion! She reads the come follow me every week and has read the book of mormon before, she doesn't have any problem with that, it is mostly about what are view of heaven is, and "how we can become Gods." It was cool talking with her a bit about that, even though she still isn't really there yet, it just makes me more grateful to know we have a loving heavenly father who loves us enough to give us everything he has. We are literally heirs of the kingdom of God, he wants that so much for us that he was willing to put his only begotten to do what he did so that it would be possible to obtain exaltation! I'm so grateful for that!

Another person we taught this week was a man named Victor. He is a pastor for a congregation in Enid Oklahoma, so we were very shocked to hear about his interest in having us back over. Most Pastors or ministers don't! We tracted into him months ago, but his schedule has finally cleared up enough to have us over. We were kinda worried about it at first, we were thinking it was just gonna be a conversation of opinions, since most pastors do that, so we weren't really expecting to teach anything. But right after we said the opening prayer, he said "alright men, take it away!" We were shocked to hear that, so we taught him the entire plan of salvation! He thought it was pretty cool, he has some differences with certain aspects like the spirit world and premortality, but it was cool to share that plan with him! It was a 2 hour and 45 minute lesson! Haha! It is pretty cool teaching a pastor don't get me wrong!

One more cool thing that happened this week was I got a call from the Elders from my last area in Tulsa! When I answered the phone, it was Ron who was on the other line! If yall don't remember who Ron is, he was someone I taught for a very long time in Tulsa who I tracted into who literally was listening to David Archuleta the night before we knocked on his door! He was literally the most prepared man I have ever met in being ready to receive the Gospel! He talked to me and let me know that he had been baptized and that he couldn't tell me enough of how thankful he was for me in helping him out along the way! Ron has been such a huge blessing in my life and one of the coolest persons I have ever met out here! I wish I would've been able to make it, but I live to far way! I'm just sooo glad he called me about it! The first lesson I had with him he told me "I am never becoming a mormon because I can't give up coffee! Haha! Who would've thought?

Well, I guess this email wasn't short after all! I almost forgot how good of a week I had this week! I can't believe it has now been 10 months being a missionary. I wouldn't trade this time for anything! I can't wait for the time I have ahead, but it is going faster than I could ever anticipate! I love this work so much, and I know it's true! I love you all, and hope you have another safe week!

Love,

Elder Weese  

P.S. More storms are coming this week, I'll make sure to keep yall posted!

Pictures:

1) Dogs are cool!!!

2) Fun at primary!!

3) My parents are probably glad that I am helping people move, since I won't be there to help them move!

4) Storms a brewin'

5) Tornado watchers!

6) Someone's getting married!:)

7) Wall sittin'

8) We met a monk!!!

Week 43: Got to meet Pres. Eyring!!! 5/20/2019

Hey, what's going on everybody!! I'm super thankful for this opportunity I have to tell you about my week! I guess, the elephant in this email, the topic says that I got to meet President Eyring and oh man, what an experience that was! It was very interesting how it all went down to get him over here. He was here to dedicate the temple here in OKC, which I am very excited about feels like it has been a while since I have done temple work, but, knowing that he will be coming to our beloved mission, Our president called his secretary and asked if he'd be willing to take a moment with our missionaries here when you come. He agreed, and it was the best thing in the world to have him speak to us. When we listen to general conference, there are talks we listen to here and there that we think are specifically talking to us as individuals, and when president Eyring, it really felt like we was talking directly to me, even though he had no idea who I was. What he talked about constantly in his message was reassurance of how much the savior really is aware of all of us. Not only the people that we try to bring the Gospel to, but to people specifically like you and me. The way he assured us, and the way he promised us, how could you not believe him? He also told us that if we are constantly remembering him throughout the day, what he has done for us and his commission to us, will bring us courage to withstand our fears. It is hard to always remember the savior, especially as we encounter hard things and trying moments, but really, that's when we need his comfort the most. Hopefully that will help me overcome some of the fears I have as I look to work on that! We are so blessed to have prophets and apostles walking the earth today. Where would we be without them? Where would the Gospel be without them? 

Well, that was definitely the high light of my week, a few other things that happened was a few days ago, we got to go up to Stillwater to help out with the special olympics! That was also a neat experience. This world is full of incredible people and I was so glad i got to meet a lot of them this past week. Something that was an eye opener to me with that was even though we may feel like our life is bad, and that we are going through some rough patches, just know that there are people here that have it even worse than us. However, you may be that person that feels like no one else is going through, or has been through what I am going through. Just know that there was someone that had it worse then everyone that ever walked the earth, our savior, he has felt EVERYONES pains and afflictions. We can never have it worse than him. We must be positive on the blessings that we do have in life, we have many, and as I met some of these people at the special olympics, they weren't focused on the pain that they go through and the way their life is, it was priceless happiness that I saw because of the chance they had to participate in these games. It was so neat!

Well, we have a ton of lessons scheduled for this week. Honestly, I haven't taught in a while and it has been getting to me as of late. So we have made the push with everyone that we have to go and teach them and we saw great results because of that. I pray these lessons go well! Also, Oklahoma is under tornado watch and flood watch, so we are about to hit severe weather! I'll keep yall updated on everything that goes on, but in the mean time, love yall, stay safe, and have an awesome week!

Love,

Elder Weese

Pictures:

1) B-dubs with the zone #edventure

2) Good friends!!

3) Dinner with the Hatches! 

Week 42: Still busy, busy, BUSY & sore from biking!! 5/13/2019

Hey everyone! How are ya'll doing?? ‘twas another awesome week out here in the mission field! Don't want to rub it in, but ya'll are missing out! Haha!! It was another busy week. I always think to myself every single week that things will slow down a little bit this week, but I find myself wrong every single week, so it was another busy one that came and left! We had 2 exchanges and a zone conference that was all day Wednesday. It was a very good zone conference, the last “teaching” zone conference that President and Sister Mansell will have on their mission! This summer is going to be very weird! There are going to be a lot of changes taking place. Since this was their last teaching zone conference, ;( prior to it, they thought it would be best if the trainings were requested by us as missionaries. There were a lot of ideas that came into fruition, and President gave a 4 hour training on most of the things that were requested. We got some “doctrine fire” the entire time and I learned some things that I thought I had down, but turned out that I didn't because there was just so much more. That is the glory of the Gospel, you can never get enough of it. As long you know the basic units that make it up, and strive to live them, all the unanswered questions that we may have of how everything works out will come. The Lord continues to give us line by line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, the more we come to understand more about his will, the more he will give us and it's such a huge blessing that I have found on my mission as I continue to experience wonderful things.

Something else that has been going on this week is bike week. I find it near impossible  to bike in this area because of how spread out everything is, but regardless of that, it is time to put the car keys away and get out on those bikes everyday. On Saturday, we made a 20 mile round trip down to the southern part of our area to spend the day down there. It was really fun riding all the way out there, but man, I haven't had a good bike ride like that ever since I got my biking merit badge in scouts, so I have been pretty sore. It was definitely worth it! We met this really cool part member family down there, the husband is active but the wife is not a member for some weird reason. We have found a lot of people like that in this area which is amazing to me! She was the only one home, and was super sweet to us, found out that we biked 10 miles to get there, so she offered us a lot of things! We also found a few potentials down in that part of the area as well, all over the age of 80! This one guy was a devote church of Christ guy and has been that way all of his life, but he told us we could come back and tell him more about the Book of Mormon we left him with. I'm so Thankful that we have the book of mormon! It's definitely the most powerful tool for missionary work! Hopefully he can feel that power as he reads it! We also met Ruth, who is a German native, it doesn't seem like religion was a part of her life when she lived in Germany, but ever since she moved to the United States, she has become exposed to it, so she claims Christian! We'll see how that goes as we try to meet up with her.

Well, all is well down here in the South! Still busy, busy, busy and very sore from biking! I can't wait for another week that is to come! We are already halfway through the transfer, so times are flying!! Can't wait to talk with y'all again next week! Hope ya'll have another great one! Love ya!!

Love,

Elder Weese

Pictures:

1) Exchange chillin'

2) "Let's take a pic!

3) Texas roadhouse after zone conference!

4) Demolished tree from a lightning storm!

5) Safe parking spot for our bikes!

Week 41: Oh Ye that Embark in the Service of God!! 5/6/2019

Hey ya'll, What's going on? Man, another quick, busy week has come and gone. Once again, it went by so quick I feel like I am going to have a hard time remembering everything that went on because it was such a blurr. It was definitely a success oriented week with everything going on at the Oklahoma City temple open house. Spent 2 full days out of our week working there. On Tuesday, we were volunteering with the parking side of things. We did that for the first half of our day and it was literally pouring soooo hard on us. We thought a hail storm was coming, but we were fortunate enough to not have that happen to us. The next half of that day was spent in the temple itself ushering people around through the hallways and where they were supposed to be going through out the tour. Then on Wednesday we did ushering as well, but this time it was all day standing in the temple. I'm glad I was lucky enough to be in this area at this time and to have a chance to work at the temple open house. Can't wait for it to get dedicated on the 19th so I can finally go for the first time in a really long time. It was also cool to see people at the open house from previous wards, and also some previous companions I had.

Another event that took up an entire day was MLC (mission leadership conference.) Meetings like that are definitely long and exhausting, but super fun to be a part of. There is so much revelation and inspiration that has been coming at this mission left and right, and I'm just glad I am able to be apart of it. As President Mansell keeps assuring us, there are gonna be some changes in the months to come. President and Sister Mansell only have a month and a half left, then President Christensen and his wife will be coming in. That time is gonna be coming so fast, it's hard to imagine that we are already at this point.

Friday was also a fire day for us. We had District counsel with our district and zone, and it was awesome. Right after that, one of the assistants, Elder Wold, his companions were out of town so he asked to go on a quick exchange with us right after district counsel. We didn't have a lot of time, but we spent 45 minutes knocking some doors. Rewind: A goal that I have been having in mind for finding efforts was to set our expectations high, so we are shooting for 10 new people a week. It's a lofty goal, but that's definitely going to push us to give it our all! Now back to our 45 minute door knocking, we found 3 potentials all back to back! It was way cool to see the miracles come instantaneously after we set that goal! Don't be afraid to shoot for the stars ladies and gentlemen! On Saturday we got to help out volunteering with the Red Cross for the “Sound the Alarm” event. We went door to door in OKC trying to install fire alarms for people who didn't have any. It was way fun and felt good to be doing something like that for the community! Definitely a Christlike move!

Well, I guess this week was more memorable than I thought it would be. It was good to be with y'all on this fine p-day! Thanks for all the love and support ya'll give me back home! Can't wait to talk to ya'll soon! Love ya'll!!

Love,

Elder Weese

Pictures:

1,2,3,4) Old Friends!!!

5) Perks of being a missionary!!

6,7,8,9,10) More Temple open house!

11) Wet parking day at the open house!

12) B-Dubs after MLC!

13,14) American red cross "sound the alarm."

15,16) Pictures from last transfer day