January 29, 2018
Dear Familia, amigos y el mundo!
I am so excited today but also a little sad
as I have finally finished my training! 12 weeks of gut grinding! 12 weeks of
trying my hardest to learn this language! 12 weeks of ups and downs! But, I
would dare say more ups! As there have been miracles in my 12 weeks of training
with my now past companion Elder Espinoza. Specifically, with him we had 3
amazing milagros (miracles) with the names of Sebastian, Yolanda y Sol entering
the waters of baptism and setting themselves up to return to our Father in Heaven!
Truly it is a blessing this mission!
I am so glad to have had Elder Espinoza as my companion. We
may have had the occasional challenge but as a whole it was great! He is a
truly a hard-working, motivated man who will go on to do great things in the
remaining year on his mission and after as well! He taught me a lot! From how
to properly say words, when words had “el” or “la” in front and how to talk in
stinking past tense! I’m still working on that by the way... well, I am still
working on all of it. Haha. But most of all he taught me what I have talked
about a million times over... Humility and Patience. I don’t think when I talk
about these two things how great a significance these two words actually have!
Humility is something all people need! It says in the Book of Mormon when Moroni
is talking specifically to us today that he sees pride in our future. And sadly,
how right he was. Everyone is swallowed up is some sort of pride if you think
about it. If you think you are humble take another look because I know there is
likely more humility needed. Now days its money and other stuff! And we forget
of our God our Father when we have these things. Well, I was very humbled.
Realizing I don’t REALLY know Español and I actually might not know how to teach
as well as I thought I did... I learned that maybe my trainer does know a thing
or two. Then, I studied up a lot on patience and I can say I was patient ALMOST
100%! I would give myself a 75% only because in times when I really needed to
be patient I got mad or frustrated. But, as my 12 weeks went on I learned and
adapted and became more patient. I was able to receive strength through my
trials and they were not taken from me. So that’s what I learned! Thank you
Elder Espinoza!
This past week was kind of normal. Well, it
was different because my Elder Espinoza wasn’t excited to leave. He wanted to
work hard to the end and I was so glad for that because I have big plans for
the future of this city of Barranca. We were very busy and we didn’t worry as
much about making contacts this week but more about the people and just going
about preaching and teaching the truth! This is a lot more fun and it makes me
feel good at the end of the day! We are teaching people! We’re not just here
for the numbers of people we contact so when you focus on the people it becomes
less about you or the leaders and becomes about the people and their salvation
and their needs! We found people and we taught people! I am so excited for my
new future here with my new companion who will be coming on Thursday! He is
from Ecuador and that’s about all I know about him right now! Nos vamos a
ver! (We will see!) I am going at it with a positive attitude! Because why not?
I’m not done being the full Elder Preston Charles Weaver! I am going to execute
my mission like my wrestling and when I need to be serious and go out on the
mat I will be ready and when the time is appropriate I can be the other part of
me and have a lot of fun! Fun little crazy you know ME!
Well, we have a few investigators who are
looking great! They are going to church and they have fechas (dates/commitments)
and they are doing it for themselves! That’s the best part, they want to move
forward and they want to change! We are just instruments to unlock that in
people and it is really cool to see! We had 6 investigators at church but it
wasn’t exactly what we wanted! We need people to come because if they come they
will gain an even greater testimony and witness of the truth! We have one
investigator named Rubis and she is amazing! The second time we came to visit
her she not only had read but she had highlighted, underlined and then wrote a
short summary and notes of what she had learned and read! I will give you a moment
to close your mouth that is wide open in “AHH” because that was my reaction!
MILAGRO! (MIRACLE!) She is great! She is practically a member already. She
knows people in the church and she understands the doctrine pretty well and she
is just amazing! Then, we have Jacobo who is this old man who looks like he
could be a gringo but he is not! He has been kind of interested in the Testigos
de Jehovah (Jehova’s Witnesses) for a while but he has some problems concerning
their doctrine so here we come a long and we teach him. He loves church but he
faults a true testimony. He reads and studies the Book of Mormon but he needs
to pray. I think the problem is that he doesn’t what to pray because he knows
that the response will be a yes, this Book is true! But, poco a poco (little by
little) we are teaching people and everyone goes at their own rate! I know he’s
close! I mean there’s something lately that has just told me that he’s
close!
Family and friends, I know this gospel is true I
know this church is true! We teach that the church isn’t a building it’s the
people that God assigns and I truly believe that! We as members that have been
called of God have the power to affect and change lives! We are just another
means of transportation if you will for the Spirit to testify to the hearts of
the people! I know that The Book Of Mormon is the word of god and that the Book
with the Bible work together to accomplish the work and plan of God! I am very
excited for the up-coming time I have here! It’s getting hotter and I am loving
it! Heat can’t stop me and the message we have! Satan can throw all he’s got at
me cause I am not giving up! My testimony is too strong and is growing every
day! I have big plans and I am ready to go 110% full gas vomit to the end! I’m
going to be the Spiderman of missionaries! Hey, invite the missionaries over
and talk to them or talk to my family I know they’d love to share and talk to
you about why I am sooooooooo HAPPY!
Love,
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