Our Area Is Made Up Of Multiple Towns

September 17, 2013

Dear Family & Friends,

The Ward is TINNNNNNNYYYYY. But we attend ward council. Which was frightening at first because Elder Eliason told me how he used to attend ward council and they would spend half an hour talking about which side the hymnals should go into the slots, but my Ward Council is pretty legitimate.

I drive a white truck. A Chevy Colorado ironically from the Colorado Springs Mission. I drove it all the way from Wichita, which was like an hour away. And I hadn't driven in 3 months, so that was scary but fun!

Our area is made up of multiple towns...well they appear on maps like towns...but they're more like farms with a couple of people living near each one. We drive 30 minutes to get to church in Wellington. We have a lot of miles allotted to us for the car, but it's usually not enough to visit every place, so we get rides from members and ration out miles. Also we have a rotation as to which places we visit on each day (which we are thinking of switching up soon).

I Love it at night here though, there are so many stars, which is more than in the city of Wichita. We teach a few investigators, but mostly we have potentials we visit and less-active members. I am really out of place here, because there are pretty much only white people here. Don't get me wrong, I Love white people, but white people are the WORST!  Everyone is "busy" when we stop by. Black people in Kansas are way more inviting and would let us in most of the time.

We teach Richard who is married to a less-active member Bonnie. We are on Lesson 2 with him and committed him to baptism. He struggles to read and pray, but likes reading with us.

Lancy is a half-native American guy we teach who has been meeting with missionaries off-and-on for 2 years. He has a testimony of The Book of Mormon and he knows the Church is true. He always loves to hear about the Savior coming to America. He Loves the Prophet Joseph Smith. He wants to be baptized, but he struggles to quit smoking and he makes a lot of money on Sundays (being a tattoo artist). So we are working with him to set a goal for baptism and how he can overcome these things.

Mario and Christy: These two are interested in learning more, but never seem to have time to read, so we are trying to help them with that. We had probably the best member-present lesson I've ever been in with Brother Brundage last week. It was so powerful. We are going to try finishing up lesson 1 with them next week.

Troy: He doesn't have an interest in investigating the Church, but he has fallen on some hard times, so we share scriptures with him and visit him every so often because he needs company and we feel that (even if it is indirectly) we are bringing him closer to Christ, and every time I have visited with him he seems to open up a little bit more and make a little bit more progress.

Before I go, I need to testify about the Atonement. It is ONLY through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can receive a remission of our sins. I Love the Gospel. I Love how simply The Lord laid these truths out to those who will partake. The Lord loves us. He is the well of Living Water, a well that will never run dry. We can in no way "use up" the Atonement of Christ. It is true He suffered in Gethsemane, however He is happy and has immense joy when we use the Atonement because it is to that end that he performed that Sacred, Infinite, and Eternal Act. The Atonement was our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's ultimate expression of Love to us. I Love You All! And may we so live as to be worthy to merit some mercy of this the great Atonement is my humble prayer that I give in the name of He who suffered in Gethsemane, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

Also, Mom, I Love You, and I hope you have a stellar week! Please tell the family I Love them too! I Love the Brazilian candy you sent me ;) I am glad Nani and Dad is bonding :) I am glad Ashley is serving a mission, and I am glad that Allison is making decisions in her Life!  I Love You All!

Perseverar,

Elder Weaver