Week 14: TENEMOS UN BAUTISMO!!!!!

January 1, 2018

Dear Familia, Amigos y Mundo

    So, you heard it right I have a baptismal date set for this week on the 6th of January! I am soooooo excited! It’s this teenage boy named Sebastian who has kind of been investigating the church for 5 months and he’s really never received any of the lessons until I came and so I had the chance to teach him all of the lessons. I say he’s been investigating the church for 5 months because he we

nt to church regularly because he has a girlfriend who is member. It was really cool to see him from lesson one until now. He started not really knowing much about really anything, not even about Christ and his ministry. He is great because he is always asking questions and is always wanting to learn more. He has never failed to read and he is very diligent in trying to stay on top of commitments and asking questions and he is going to be a strong member in the church and hopefully a strong missionary in the future! But what happened in this last lesson was we actually talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and about baptism and I asked him if he would be baptized on January 6^th and he said, “YES!!!” It’s amazing how the spirit become 10 times thicker after he says yes and he when you have a person who sincerely wants to change and be baptized! I couldn’t help but smile! I mean I even kind of messed up asking him to be baptized and he still said yes! Now that’s just another testimony to me. I don’t know how to speak this language perfectly but it doesn’t matter because the spirit is still testifying and helping me along the way to get to the hearts of these people! This week was just great for me because of that! I put aside all bad feelings and really tried to work on humility and patience and trying not to get offended and just change the way I react. And the perfect solution is always to just go and talk. Talk to the people teach the people and just forget about your problems. Think about the people and think about the good things around you. And, as I did this I forgot I was away from home and I forgot I was speaking a new language that I don’t know perfectly and I forgot all of my problems. Now that’s cool! 

     So, this past week as we worked we actually contacted every day because we have a new goal to try to get 20 contacts every day. All of our zone is doing that. At first, I hated contacting because it was hard I had to have a real conversation with people and initiate it and ooooooooooooooh let me tell ya I actually love it. My Spanish alone has improved soooooo much just from contacting and talking to people on the phone. And as a result of contacting we got a few new investigators who are great, especially one! His name is Jacobo and he is this old man who is actually 10 times more white than I am and he listened and accepted el Libro de Mormon pretty easily. Now the question was will he go to church? His phone wasn’t working so we couldn’t call and he didn’t have a moto, he had a bike that he rides. Let’s just say we were praying a lot. And HE CAME!!!! He came to church and he loved it! We had 5 people come to church this past week. It’s not everyone that we wanted but that’s a lot better than before when it’s been 0 or 1. But let me tell ya this week must have been great for the whole district cause our capilla (chapel) was full! We had to truck in seats! I am very excited for this month of enero (January) because I think honestly, we will have a baptism almost every weekend! Now I am being serious! I legit think it will happen. We are really getting to these people now and I think that’s because I have been able to teach people and not lessons better every day but if I am honest I know what the real reason is…

     The real reason is that I have been able to put aside the pride and just work and forget myself. Now when I say pride I wasn’t like in people’s faces telling them I am better than them, I have just been working on trying to let things go. And just learn and move on and not get stuck on one little thing my comp said or on other little things. Cause sometime its hard having this guy telling you you’re doing something wrong or that you said something wrong. But I came to the realization that it was all for the good of me to just accept it and to move on and try to be better. I have been through a lot of trials already in my mission but I am so grateful for them because I can see myself changing and becoming an instrument in the Lord’s hands. And its only possible if we are willing to change and become his instrument. You have to have the desire and let Him change you so he can use you to further the work. 

     Now, what about Christmas!?! It was interesting and I honestly loved it! I spent the whole day with my zone because it was P day too. We ate food and played games and I got to open the packages from my family. Ya, it was all great! But here’s the difference here. They go crazy the night before and basically just party all night on the 24th listen to loud music and drink. Then, they sleep all of Christmas Day! I know, what a way to remember our Savior! But, it was still good. Visiting members and talking to people and all that fun stuff! Now here’s where people might think I am weird, I got to Skype with my family which was AWESOME!!!! But, usually missionaries get all sad and wish they were home but, for me it just pumped me up! I felt something after talking to them. I felt more motivated and ready to change this zone and my area! And I used my family as a way to get me more excited to help these people. So, am I trunky? Absolutely NOT! I am ready to take on Barranca!!!! 

     I also encountered other problems. I thought before my mission that I would be completely sheltered from the world and not hear music or see movies or all that jazz that we’re not supposed to do as missionaries. But here I was in a home teaching this man and what was playing on the TV the whole lesson?!? The Amazing Spiderman.... You have got to be kidding me!!!! Man was that hard. I had to just look dead into this man’s eyes the whole time. Because if I didn’t then I would see the TV! So here I am in Colombia and I still am encountering problems like that.... Everyday has a trial and every day we as missionaries are tested. And I can’t say that I am perfect but I am darn well trying my hardest to be an obedient servant. And, I am doing my best to help out my comp to do the same. This email honestly seems all over the place and I had no thoughts really gathered today except that I have a baptism! I am also in a member’s home because it’s the 1st day of the year and nothing is open. So ya my thoughts and everything have kinda just been all over and I really don’t know what to say. I promise next week will be better. But, let me leave with my testimony at least.

   This past week was great and my mission has taught me a lot already. And I know that I can only talk the way I do and teach the way I do because of my Heavenly Father helping me out! I know that what I am teaching is correct and I love every moment of what I am doing! I may not be perfect but I can see the Lord’s hand in my life helping me and making up for what I do terribly. It’s clear in lessons. I give all that I’ve got and even if I don’t say something correctly the spirit testifies and the lord makes up for what I don’t do correctly. I know that this gospel is true and I know that it changes lives. It changes people. And it will change Sebastian. This gospel is my life and I am so happy to be sharing the fruits of this gospel with these people. Thank you everyone for the support. I’ll try better next week to compile my crazy thoughts! I love you all! Keep up the emails. And INVITE THE MISSIONARIES OVER AND FIND OUT WHY I AM SOOOOOOOOO HAPPPPPPPPYYYYYYY!!!!!

  Love,

 Elder Weaver