Week: 48 Kockn' Doors in the Humidity!!! 6/24/2019

Alright, so this week went by pretty fast. I feel like I say that in every email that I write, but each week feels faster than the last sooo it's the truth. Well, Summer is definitely in full effect here in Edmond and we have been on the bikes like there is no tomorrow. (who ever serves here, don't feel bad when you step on a scale after a long days of work and see that you have gained 5 extra pounds, it's all in your clothes!) Once I'm done with my mission in a year, I don't think I'll ever want to go to a place with humidity ever again. 

Well, we had some really good things happen to us this week with a few of our people we have been teaching. I'll just give you an update on all of that, the Hanson's are doing awesome. We had a lesson with them LATE at night on Wednesday. We started the lesson at 9 because that is the only time that they can do it because of how much he works, and we didn't get out of there until 11, so that was a pretty late evening for us, I don't think I have been outside of our house that late ever since I was home! But that was awesome, they loved the story of Enos' conversion from the book of Mormon. I would encourage yall to read about that and try it out and see how much your conversion changes after that and what it motivates you to do. She thinks that her religous thoughts and her faith is just fine where it is at and she doesn't think God will exclude all other denominations. We told her that whatever you do that follows the Savior is good, and there is a good feeling that comes out of doing that through the Holy Ghost. Christ taught it himself after he saw someone, not of his discipleship, casting out devils in his name. "those who are not against us are for us." So there is good that comes from every church or faith. All we as missionaries offer is MORE, but that's up to her to find out. She accepted the insight and is gonna continue to seek things out for herself! She even came to church for the first time with us yesterday, so that was pretty awesome!

We also had another lesson yesterday with Henry Coffman. Taught him about the plan of salvation. Asked him how he feels about the book of Mormon, he likes it and he thinks there is good that comes from it, he's just not entirely 100% there yet, but we challenged and encouraged him to keep reading and keep praying, and we promised that Heavenly Father is never going to leave him high in dry and that he will find out eventually. You just have to do your part and continue to show your faith to him and then when he sees that within us, he will always be there to answer our prayers!

Well, I guess the biggest challenge that we have to face coming up is ALL of our progressing investigators are going on vacation. Trying to escape this humidity! So these next few weeks we need to hit the pavement harder than ever to find some more people! It's gonna be difficult, but I'm up for the challenge! This week is also the Mansells last week here in Oklahoma, my new mission president will be flying in sometime this week. Gonna be a lot of change happening here! I've been looking forward to this for a long time though! Can't wait to finally meet them, but I don't want to say goodbye to the Mansells. They have truly been awesome and inspirational to me! Well yall, I hope everyone has a great week and that you guys are enjoying summer! I'll talk to yall soon!! Love you guys!

Love,

Elder Weese 

1,2) Cheesin'

3) Cool Cats!!

4) Very authentic

5,6,7) Indian Territory

8) Be as bold as a rock!!

9) Don't tell Gauge

10) Hello!! Welcome to Church!!

 

Week 47: It's Getting HOT!! 6/17/2019

Well, the topic speaks for itself. It's super HOT out here and very humid. I feel like when I reach the end of my day that I have gained an extra 5 pounds, that's because my close are super soggy from constantly sweating. We are gonna be in for a treat this summer... Well, it was another pretty quick week in the mission field! It was a little frustrating coming down to the end. Our miles for our car have been cut in half due to some hardships going on in the mission office with the vehicle coordinator. So we have 450 miles for the car each month. Our area is impossible to bike in! Just way to big, but we are gonna half to push through it once the car things get figured out. So for the past few days, we did not touch the keys to our cars, but have hit the pavement with our bikes. Even though the day is super long and tiring, I do feel a lot more accomplished as I bike throughout the entire day. I also will lose a few extra pounds in the process as well.

We really didn't have to much going on here in this go around. Just knocking doors and trying to get in with our investigators. They were all pretty busy this week, but this upcoming week we have a few lessons set up. We got another new investigator that was a tender mercy to us. He was actually referred to us from some members in our ward. The dad is a returning less active, and his son Henry, is not a member who has only been to our church 3 times with his dad. He took a lot of theological classes, so this kid is super smart! We taught him the entire restoration and he told us it all made sense to him. He also loves how our church is more of a lifestyle commitment, rather than a once saved, always saved; or go to church on Sunday and sin the rest of the week. We challenged him to read the book of Mormon and pray to know the truthfulness behind it. If all goes well with that, we may set a baptismal date with him this Sunday when we teach him again. #membermissionarypower!

Well yall, I'm looking forward to another awesome week. I can't wait to tell you all about it because I have high hopes and expectations this week. Got a lesson with the Hansons on Wednesday, so pray that that will go well! I hope yall have a great week in whatever it is that yall do!! Love you guys!

Love,

Elder Weese

1) The BEST Bishop! Bishop Bowman! (Edmond 1st ward)

2) The originals (the flight going home with me in a year)

3,4) Studs!

5,6,7) Turtle Crossing!!

8) The road not taken!!

9) Lighting Tree

 

Week 46: First Week As A Trainer 6/10/2019

Well, what another awesome week it was. Probably one of the best ones I have had on my mission so far! There was a ton of stuff that went down this week, including finding out who my greenie was going to be! His name is Elder McCuen and he is from West Valley City, Utah. This is only my second companion from the same state as me. So here's how this event transpired... Wednesday, the meeting started at around 9:45 and all the trainers and greenies gathered in the chapel of the church. The whole time, I was thinking of when I did this when I was a greenie and I was super nervous to find out who my trainer was going to be (I saw him there FYI). But, on the other end of things, I was a lot more nervous now then I was then. I didn't know what to expect from it at all. I was just hoping I could make an impact on this guy because what they do now lays the foundation for the rest of their mission! But I definitely lucked out with the person I got. He called the trainers up one by one, then announced who his greenie was going to be. It was very intense! 

Well, Mia's baptism was on Saturday, and we were so excited to be a part of it! Elder McCuen got to confirm her on Sunday which was really cool as well. Hasn't even been out a week yet and he already has a confirmation under his belt. But back to the baptism, it was such a wonderful thing for her and her family. She has been waiting for this moment for a long time, and the first thing you have to know about Mia, is she is super smart and she will make you feel real stupid at times. I know this because I have been teaching her for a while now and I've learned it the hard way many times. But she was so ready for this. Her mom Katya, who is not a member, literally video taped the whole thing so it seemed like she enjoyed it as well. But the defining moment I feel with every baptism, is the confirmation. It is evidence through the feelings that were felt when we layed our hands on her head, that she has the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. What I great gift for everyone to have, and she will have it for the rest of her life. It's going to bless her so much and bring so much peace to those around her. We will continue to go over there to teach her some recent convert lessons so hopefully as we are doing it, Katya will show some interest as well as her other son Max.

Another cool thing that added to our super cool week was last week, before Elder McCuen got here, we were invited over to dinner with a less active family named the Millers! We were told by our relief society president to go and visit them, and when we did they offered to feed us. So that happened last week, little did we know that they are in charge of some foreign exchange thing in Oklahoma, and whenever there is a problem with families having to drop our at the last minute, those students go and live with them. So they had one who is from Korea living with them. His name is Ki and he is about 15 or 16 years old and grew up with little to no religious background.It was his first time going to any church when he first came to Oklahoma! He told us his sister did the exact same thing in Provo Utah and told him who she really wanted him to come here because she really liked going to CHURCH over here. We asked him which church he thought it was and he had no idea, but we assume that it was very likely that it was one of ours because she lived in Utah. We talked to him also a little about prayer and if he'd ever done it before. He said he never has, but he wants to. So we gave him a pamphlet that told him how to pray and he said he would try it sometime. The Millers even pulled us aside and said "you guys have to teach this guy, he's like a sponge, he just absorbs everything, we are giving you full permission to teach him whenever you want!" So that was a huge miracle that happened to us this week.  

We also taught both the Hansons and the Terry's this last week. Taught the Terry's the plan of salvation to help her with her concern of who we can become. What our potential really is. We tied the whole thing back to God's unconditional love for us, and how he wants us to eventually obtain everything he has. I thought that lesson went really well. And then the lesson with the Hansons happened on Elder McCuen's very first day here and we talked a lot about the restoration and how the priesthood authority was brought back to the Earth. She still is having a hard time with it because the person that baptized her was someone she loved very much and she was wondering why his baptism didn't count for her. We tied it to prayer and said, we can blabber and tell you all these things, but it is not going to mean anything to you unless you ask God himself if these things are true. We gave them Enos to read and wanted her to pay attention to all the things Enos did prior to getting an answer for himself. It all starts off with a hunger and desire, which at times can be very hard to develop with people, but she says she wants to know, so we are leaving it at that. But Elder McCuen did a great job at explaining the Holy Ghost as well and with out that gift, our baptism doesn't mean anything as well. We will see what she does in these next few days.

Well, this week was super awesome and we are looking forward to another great one. If you haven't told my brother congrats on getting married, give him a shout!!:)

Can't wait to talk to ya'll next week!

Love,

Elder Weese 

Pictures:

1) Elder McCuen

2) Dinner at Freddy's 
3) Elder Weese, Bishop Bowman, Elder McCuen

4) Dinner with the Babcock's

5) Mia's baptism

6) Life Church!

7) Friends at transfers!

8) Shannon Miller is pretty cool!

9,10,11,12) Elder Weese's showed up to Parker's wedding!!

Week 45: New Transfer on the Horizon!! 6/3/2019

Well, another week has come and gone! I can't believe how fast time has flown by and the time I have been out here! It boggles my mind that it is already June and that I am getting ready to hit my halfway point! Where has the time gone? This week is the start of the new transfer and we got the news about what will be happening this last weekend! Elder Beckstrand is leaving, and I will be staying in Edmond and my new companion is gonna be coming from the MTC so I will be training! I am super excited for it! It's gonna be quite the adventure as my entire mission has been up to this point, just a new opportunity for me to learn, and put my trust in God. Things roll a lot smoother when you do. I am also still district leader over here and just when I thought life can't get any busier, it just got busier! I like it though, it's gonna be awesome! I don't know who my new companion is yet, I will find out on Wednesday and let yall know!

This week is also exciting because we have a baptism this upcoming Saturday for this girl named Mia. I'm not sure if I told yall about this family, I may have mentioned it a little bit before in my weekly's, but her stepdad, Brother Jeffery is an active member in our ward. He lost his wife a few years ago to cancer and remarried to this girl named Katya who is from Belarus, a country in Europe. She is not a member of the church and has 2 kids named Mia and Max who was from her last marriage. We have been working with them for a while now and Mia is the one who has made the furthest progression. Max isn't as interested, and Katya isn't quite ready for it yet, but Mia is ready and super excited for it. It's gonna be awesome for not only her, but her mom and her brother who haven't made that decision yet to be baptized. They are such an awesome family and I can't wait to be working with them even more as I have found out that I am staying here!

Well yall, sorry this one is a little shorter than usual. We have some fun plans for the day that I am excited to get on! This week is gonna be super exciting! Being a missionary is awesome and so much fun! I am thankful for every minute of it! I love you all and hope you guys have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Weese 

Pictures:

1) Memorial day memories!

2) Dinner with the Kidders!

3) Dinner with the Mckinley's!

4) Pic by the First Vision!

5) Met a cool lady who wanted to take our picture!

6,7) Last district counsel with the best district!

8) B-dubs crashin!!

9) Some biking with Elder Badger!

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!