Week 25: Pruebas...

March 19, 2018

“Pruebas en La Vida de Las Personas”

Dear Familia, Amigos y el Mundo, 

     Let me just say that once you really get into this work, once you really forget yourself, you really start to feel a little bit of the pain that the people you know and talk with every day are experiencing. Let me start with Evelyn and Pastor. They are great! We went by their house one day this past week to see how they were doing. Well, to my surprise all was fine and great, they were holding hands and well.... basically, they were all lovey-dovey like any relationship, so that was good to see. But, at the same time Evelyn had changed a lot! She changed in a good way. She was really humble and really soft spoken. The best way to describe it is that her spirit is contrite and her heart was broken (in other words, she is humble). This is what happens when you truly convert to Christ! That is what happens when there are trials in your life and then it hits you that the only thing you can do is turn to God. We were sitting there and she was completely distraught, but at the same time happy... My companion shared this scripture that described how she was feeling perfectly. It is in Doctrine and Covenants 58:4:  

"For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand."

She’s been through a lot of tribulation and now she feels she is starting to feel those blessings. She was just different, and we found out why. She had left to go buy some empanadas for us to eat when Pastor told us what was going on. He said that she was worried and nervous. I asked if it was about the wedding? He said not so much…it’s because…SHES GOT A TUMOR IN HER BRAIN. She has a tumor! At first, I didn’t quite understand. I thought it might have been a slang thing or a saying I wasn’t understanding but no, she has a tumor in her head. I was shocked and really sad. That’s when it all came together. She’s being a little humbled by this experience. And, I am grateful to be here to help her in any way that I can. It will be hard, but I know she can do it. That’s what the Gospel is for anyway, it helps people deal with situations like this. It is the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ and it can help heal and repair a person! So, that news was a little rough to hear. 

On top of that, I’m having my own internal battles trying to figure out what to do with myself. Let’s just say that I feel like I take on most of the stress in our companionship. I walk fast to get to appointments on time, and I am constantly contacting people to get referrals and to just BE A MISSIONARY. Then, I turn around and my companion tells me that I need to slow down and not work so hard. Then, other people tell me that I need to keep pushing it. Well, let’s just say that I’m trying to find some kind of balance. I am trying to be humble and patient and really just try to have the end goal in mind which is seeing these people in the waters of baptism. And once again, there are the people who help me along the way. A member in our ward helped me realize that the “Weaver Way” (he defines the “Weaver Way” as going all-out all of the time) is THE way ha-ha! She may not really know what the “Weaver Way” is but she helped me realize I am doing all the right things by pushing, working hard and being the best missionary that I can be is the way it should be as a missionary. The standard of God never changes and so I need to keep trying to live that standard always, and especially now! I am hear to give the Lord my all and I can’t do that if I am not willing to go all out-all the time! 

     

We also had a bit of a hard time with an investigator who has been really working hard to get his marriage situation done, just to find out the truth. And well, it was hard for me this last time we visited him because he feels like there are 6 true churches! I was a bit confused as to why he thought that, but I tried hard to help him. I felt like we lost control of that situation. There was a moment in our discussion when the Spirit was not present in the in the room. It changed when he was just trying to prove something. It got me a little bit frustrated, and it didn’t help that I was the only one talking either. I tried so hard to contain my emotions and I honestly did a pretty good job, but it was clear that I was a bit frustrated. Really, my frustration was more because my heart was breaking due to the fact that we have been helping him for soooo long and now it’s possible he’s done listening to what we have to say. What it boiled down to was that he hadn’t prayed about it. This is key! Then, he told me on Sunday that he did pray, but that he just didn’t feel it. I told him to keep praying. I know that God answers and will testify to him the truth. So, we will see where that goes. Overall, I’m doing good! I am trying my hardest and trying to really follow the great examples of my Dad and older brother Connor. I know they were great missionaries and I want to be like them! 

I know this Gospel is true and I know we all have trials and maybe sometimes we feel like we aren’t receiving answers to our prayers, but I know that in some way and/or form He will answer. Sometimes we need to just dig deeper, keep praying, reading, and studying to find the answers. It happens to all of us and it happens to me too. But, I can say with 100% of my heart that He does answer.

Thank you all for the emails and talking with me and supporting me! I love you all! (Maybe, stop by sometime and check out the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!)

Love,

Elder Weaver