December 18, 2017
Dear Familia, Amigos y el Mundo,
This week was a tough one
for many reasons but, I learned a lot about myself and about my companion. Anyone
who really knows me knows that I kind of bottle up my emotions and eventually I
kind of explode and really don’t intend on hurting anyone or creating a bad
situation. Well, I feel like it doubles here when I can’t express myself hardly
at all what I feel because of this language business. Now, before anyone freaks
out, I didn’t hit my companion or anything crazy, I just got really frustrated
because of the way he treated me. Her basically treated me like I don’t know
anything but, that I also know everything. I don’t know how to explain it. Basically,
I just got frustrated and finally just told him straight up that he was one of
the problems I was having because he thinks I don’t know how to teach or do
things but then at the same time he thinks that it should be easy for me to
just speak and understand everything we do. I know I’m just as confused as you
are. And that’s what frustrating. I got mad and usually what I do is I go somewhere
alone and think and then talk to someone. Well, I can’t really talk to my
parents so I took the invitation the AP gave me to call him whenever. And, I
did. It’s not a big deal cause he’s my friend and I just needed help and
direction from a gringo. So, I talked to him for a bit and he said a lot of
things. One thing that he said was, “you can’t change him but you can change yourself. Try your hardest to change and
love him and understand that he is from a completely different culture.” Basically,
I just need to try my hardest to find the things that bug me and try to change
myself and how to handle the situations that are tough for me. After that he
said, “I think your zone leader was called there for a reason and we are going
to do another companionship exchange.” The next day we did. I went with Elder
Dias who is basically one of my best friends in the mission he’s from Brazil
and speaks basically perfect Inglés and Espanol but we didn’t talk at all in
Inglés. We went to an area called Jon Do which is technically a part of the
Medellín mission but it is closer to us. And so that was pretty cool!! Well,
that really helped me a lot. And, he gave me council after and tried to help me
out. He gave me the scripture Alma 17:5-11 out of the Book of Mormon and it was
perfect for me! Because I did come prepared for the mission as best as I could
but now that I am here I am weak in spirit and tired in the body and have faced
many difficulties. And I feel as if now is the time I am being blessed with
patience to endure my afflictions and that’s key because he isn’t going to take
away our trials but will give us the strength and the patience to get through
our trials and afflictions. Read the scripture! It’s great! Go to lds.org if you don’t have a Book or Mormon and read it! There’s a
tab for the Book of Mormon. That really helped me a lot and he said we need to
have patience and humility in order to deal with our companions and our
missions. Then I shared a story with him. And this is it... before I left on my
mission my cousin, dad, sister, and 2 brothers were with me at a restaurant
called Big Bills Pizza. And I remember we were talking about the mission and Connor
got a little direct with me and he asked me, "What do you want to change
about yourself in your mission what are the 2 things you need to change or
improve?" And, I said to him, “patience and humility.” And here I am 12
weeks after and my Heavenly Father is helping me change to be more humble and
more patient. And I know for a fact that it isn’t a coincidence!! I know my
Heavenly Father and Lord are helping me to become a better man! He is taking my
weaknesses and making them strengths! And that’s what I did. This week I have
just been focused on that. And, I have been trying hard to change. The turning
point was in companionship inventory.
Here’s what happened… the
day after companionship exchanges I wasn’t too happy to go about the day
because I felt lost and was just wondering how do I become humble and patient
how do I resolve this problem?? Well, after he asked the question ¿Como puedo
mejorar? (How can I improve?) I responded with a normal answer that really didn’t
get us anywhere at first. Something about contacting. Then I humbled myself and
just asked him... Elder do you still think I’m insensitive? Because I was
really hurt the day that you said that to me. And, I just want to know if
that’s what you think of me? If so, this is going to be a rough next 6 weeks.
And he responded (this is all in Spanish by the way) I understand and I didn’t
mean for it to be like that I meant for it to be a joke and I should have
apologized. I’m sorry and I don’t think you’re insensitive. And right then and
there I could feel peace and the spirit again. I could see the future and our
success. I could smile. And that’s when we changed. He told me how in reality I
am the first really good companion because his trainer was really mean to him
at first but then they addressed it and changed and now they are best friends
but he’s also had comps who sleep in and are disobedient and I am the first truly
good companion that he has had. AWWWWWW how sweet! HAHAHA But seriously I
learned so much and the rest of the week was just fun and flew by!
I felt the gift of tongues
a lot this week after that moment and I understood a lot of all the conversations
we had with people and I just talked and explained and helped in lessons and
contributed in conversations! I know that that’s a blessing of companionship
inventory and finally becoming humble enough to say something sincerely to him.
It’s is extremely hard for the spirit to work through you when there is something
blocking it from touching your heart and helping you. I am so grateful for this
week. I didn’t intend to have any of these problems but, as Elder Dias said if
I hadn’t called the Assistant to the President he couldn’t have helped me. We
couldn’t have received 3 new investigators and I definitely would not have
resolved these issues and changed.
We got to work this past
week and just taught and taught and taught and helped people and served people
and just WORKED! On Saturday it was Elder Espinoza’s birthday and he turned 26!
I have a grandpa for a trainer haha! We got to do service and eat cake that day
and taught some great lessons and attended a bautismo and then ate a 2nd cake
after! So, it was a good day for him! Little did he know after the bautismo
Elder Dias and I bought a cake and took it to Elder Dias’ house for the next
day to eat with all the zone for his birthday too!
Sunday was a bit of a
bummer though because La Familia Navarro could not come because he was WASHING
HIS CLOTHES!!!!!!!!!! Are you kidding me!! He has a washer for the clothes! Why
couldn’t he just put them in and leave with us? I don’t know either! So, none
of the family came because the dad had to wash clothes.... Well, on the bright
side Sebastian did come and he is really cool and a good kid! He’s about 16
years old and we are going to commit him to baptism soon for 6th of January I
believe. And then at night we met at the church to surprise Elder Espinoza and
it was funny because he was complaining about how we have to meet there on Sundays
and how far it is. Then SURPRISE!! It’s for your birthday!! And, can I just say
the cake was great but weird! So, imagine a nice fluffy cake that the perfect
moisture? No, this cake was like wet! And I don’t know why? We refrigerated it
and all that but that’s how the cake was yesterday too.... I don’t understand it
either? Oh well!
Last thing, I’m sad now because
Elder Dias left us.... he’s in Bogota now and the new zone leader is Mexicano.
I’m mostly sad because he was one of my best friends and he helped me tons. But
I’m excited because now I have a chance to really improve my Spanish a lot
more. Well gee dang it.... Why Elder Dias??? But no seriously I am so grateful
for all the events that took place this week! I have grown so much in one week
and I have seen immediate blessings this week with teaching. I know this gospel
is the true gospel of Jesus Christ and that it is worth it to just talk and to
resolve and to change. Especially being humble enough to let the Lord change you
and bless you with that patience to work through your trials. Thank you for the
emails! I’m gonna keep trucking and go full gas vomit!!! ALL my mission! Cause
why not? Why not try to be the best I can be? I love you all! Visit mormon.org! And Visit our Church! If you want to experience what I feel
which is true pure happiness I recommend you start at the door of our church!
Love,
Elder
Weaver
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