Things Are Going Great...And One More Transfer

August 25, 2014

Elder Weaver and
new companion Elder Ferreira

Report To Mission President:

Essa semana foi ótima! Eu e Elder Ferreira tivemos muitos contatos e muitos pessoas prometerem ir na Igreja nesse próximo Domingo! A ala deu alguns nomes para nós a visitar também. Eu gosto muito de nosso Distrito e Zona.

(Google Translation)

This week was great! Me and Elder Ferreira had many contacts and many people promise to go into the Church this coming Sunday! The wing gave some names for us to enjoy. I really like our District and Zone.

Dear Family & Friends,

Things are going great...yeah, and one more transfer. Guess what, my last companion, Elder Branco, is now my Zone Leader! haha. I Loved Colatina. I'm in a place called Cariaçica. The ward is way helpful here; the Ward Mission Leader is way on the ball which helps a ton. My companion is Elder Ferreira from São Paulo and this is the first time I have been Senior since the US. We are both new to the area but it's been a lot of fun with him so far. He speaks a little bit of English. So me and my district leader speak English in the apartment so my companion can learn English and then we speak Portuguese in the street which is a study tool that Preach My Gospel suggests. I live with 4 people again.

Elder Morteson, Elder Slyz,
Elder Ferrera, and Elder Weaver

I'm sorry, I'm still waiting to hear from President Young about BYU. I'll start applying and using my school websites as soon as I'm authorized.

I'm glad to hear they're moving in. Try not to get rid of too many things. It will help Nani to hold on to at least a few memories. Use Allison. She will know what to keep back and what to move in.

YAY! I'm glad to hear they got to go fishing! It's been so long. I hope Linda has been able to help get everything set up. She is really good about that.

We had a really sweet activity at the Church last night where RM’s from the stake bore their testimonies and shared stories from their missions. It was good for the youth. Also, it was good for us to get references and meet the ward.

Astoria sounds like some European name from a Jane Austen novel. And I would love to visit there with all of you some day. Allison will adjust very well to school and if anyone asks her out again I'll have words with Dad. She needs to go to school where she can meet some RM Jean Valjean Captain Moroni guy.

I will continue to pray for Josh, and I am happy that the tumors are reducing in size.

I love Enos. I use his story with my investigators. And he left a big impact for such a short book.  Conversion is more of a process than a single "a-hah!" It happens "somewhere along the way" But it is strong. Some major events included reading and praying about The Book of Mormon for the first time, deciding to go to Running Start and leave the wickedness of nasty, crusty Babylon to rot itself out, and going through Scouting events. These are just a few. But I found out for myself line upon line precept upon precept. And I know. Beyond any doubt these things are true.

I am grateful you look to me as an example. But I do not like taking credit. The Savior is our greatest foothold. We cannot do our own will. I just want to do The Will Of THE LORD.  You and Dad were OUR missionaries. And Ashley, Allison, and I were your investigators. We first learned the gospel in this life from you two. Also, in a sense, Elder Holland says that we are Gods investigators. And He is our great missionary.  We have been born as Nephi of old, to goodly parents who Love THE LORD...And we ARE NOW the Lord's missionaries. We'll Bring The World His Truth.

Love Eternal,

Elder Weaver

Map of Santa Fe Area of Cariaçica

Yes, I've Been Transferred After Only 6 Weeks!

August 18, 2014

Serving the world it's Truth

Mamãe, Family & Friends,

Mission President Report:

Essa semana nós contatamos algumas pessoas do Livro de Área que foram cortadas sem uma explicação. Nós encontramos algumas novas. E nós esperamos que nós podemos deixar Colatina melhor do que nós encontramos.

(Google Translation)

This week we contacted some people out of the Area Book that were cut without an explanation. We met some new ones. And we hope we can leave Colac better than we found it.

Sister Benitez, Sister Workman,
Elder Weaver, Elder Branco

Yes, I've been transferred! After only 6 weeks in Colatina. In fact the whole District was transferred. The Sisters were so thrilled about their baptism, Patricia! She was able to be confirmed on Sister Workman's last Sunday as a missionary which was way cool! Like any other investigators, the investigators of the Sisters can decide who will baptize. Patricia chose Elder Branco.

Elder Weaver & Elder Branco

I had a good visit with President and Sister Young they are very special people. Guys, everything will make sense when I relate in detail at home, but let me just say, I could not write a story as intricate as this! For now, know that Israel will shortly be free!

I am not surprised that Dad sacrificed His birthday for those he Loves. I am glad Cathy and Nani have a place of their own. Please tell them how thrilled I am to crash their new place! ;)

I hope you enjoy your new employment. They will appreciate your big smile and your care for others. I hope they understand how special you and Dad are.

Tell Sister Downey her Doctor attire is legendary! Thanks I won't forget Ashley's birthday. And no, I will send my email to President today about BYU.

Thank you, Mom, I love you too. I did get the video, Thanks! I hope Bishop enjoys the training. I enjoyed hearing Elder Scott speak Portuguese when we had a Broadcast to the Rio North Area. Please send everyone my love, I promise to write more next week. But now must be short because of transfers and everything, but I want you all to know that what I do, I do because I am trying to do what is right. "And of all these things I've done, I think I'll love you better now."

Let Your Light So SHINE, Love At Home,

Élder Weaver

This Week The Sisters Had A Baptism

August 11, 2014

My Dear Family & Friends,

This week the Sisters had a baptism! We're going to hunt down some references and clean up the Area Book a little.

Yeah, it's not a secret, just something that can best be explained in person. But I want you all to know I Love You. Yes! I can't wait. No way!

My companion's from Curitiba. I think Brasil is receiving mostly missionaries from Brasil to serve there but we keep getting Americans every transfer so.....? Yeah, I'm not sure.

Yayyyyyyyyyy! I am so glad the HOME is finished!!! "I want to live in a house surrounded by snow, and bears, and wood and stars..." That's also one of my Hipster songs that you might like. It is called "Bears" by Sam Isaac. Any curious entertainment seeker could listen to this composition with great profit.  Anyways. I hope Nani enjoys it and it meets everyone's needs. I hope Cathy as well enjoys her own space. 

As troublesome as it is, I am glad you sent me the information I asked for. My schooling is important and certainly I will pray about it. But before I do, I will say that I already feel like I need to go there in the 2015. To be honest I have trouble remembering my passwords from the pre-mission-existence...ummmmm yeah.......I will try and find some of them. But I may have them written somewhere in my files....hmmmm.  I think I did use it last, but it is not with me on my mission. It is probably in my room or Ashley's somewhere...sorry, I don't remember.

I will be sure to write Dad and Aaron. Thanks for the reminder. I don't have much time today. I will print your letter out in order to respond more properly. Properlier? I forget...

Thank you for the receipts. 

And more importantly thank you for who you are.  He will not fail us nor forsake us.

I Love You All,

Elder Weaver

We Had To Drop A Lot Of People This Week And Focusing On Finding

August 4, 2014

Our District
The Sisters with my companion
being a goofball!

Dear Family & Friends,

Thank You so much! Yes, I got everything in the package. I revealed many of the photos you sent so I could keep them forever. I'm glad to hear Chris will take it slow, and I hope his hand (and heart) feel better soon. Congrats on the mission calls! The Lord loves the help. YESSSS! The Giver. The long awaited day is coming. I hope they don't mess it all up. But I will be anxious to see it, too!

We had to drop a lot of people this week so we're focusing on finding again, but I would like to work more with the members to obtain references. My companion and I have been talking about how our work can be more effective.

That would be great to get an additional set of missionaries! It's always great having a set of Sisters because often they can get into homes that we can't. My first area had both Elders and Sisters and right now the branch has both as well, but our area is huge so they work on one side of the river and we work on the other.

I have so much to tell you all when I get home it's not even funny!

Yeah, we walk about 30 minutes to the Church, but we don't use the bus. I LOVE IT! We save so much money and the church is wayyyy closer. I remember walking an hour and a half sometimes to get to church, and feeling bad that we couldn't be teaching someone during the time we were walking.

Hahaha, the mission office. I never go there. We don't get delivery mail in this mission. So what happens is once a month our Zone Leaders will give our mail to us in a meeting, if we have any. 

No, I haven't had that many weird things, just fruits that I had never had like Guava and Bread Fruit. Sweet potatoes and yams are white, not orange here, which is kind of weird. But talking of food, I had a question. I want to make an apple crisp like you used to. It doesn't need to be a pie or super fancy; I just want to know if you could send me a simple recipe? We have flour, sugar, and oatmeal at the house but I can buy cinnamon for pretty cheap and milk, and oil. That would be great thanks!

No, the Sisters will print the idea for the t-shirts today and we might get them printed after District Meeting on Thursday. I'll send you a picture of the idea.

The picture idea for the t-shirts

I Love the thunder. If you have a minute check out the song "It's Thunder and It's Lightning" by a band called "We Were Promised Jetpacks" it complements the storm quite nicely. Hahaha! I can't believe I remembered all of those names?! I've still got it! ;)

Best of Luck with Allison, I know she'll know her track soon. It really doesn't matter which one she gets. If she's in school when I get home, I can walk to Idaho, haha.

I really haven't but I sent an email to President today saying how I would Love to meet with him. We'll see how it goes. He'll probably give me a call later today.

AWWWWWWwwwwww CATHY! I Love YOU!!! I laughed really hard at that picture of you and Allison on the couch. I hope the house comes along soon! Keep smiling and I hope you fly safe!

Love, Me :)

Hi BUTTERSCOTCH! I Love YOU WHOSE A GOOD BOY?!?!?!

I remember a scene from the Joseph Smith movie, as Joseph Smith Senior lay sick the prophet told him, "You will always be his father, and Alvin will always be your son."

I have a family here on earth. They are so good to me. I want to share my life with them through all Eternity. As Famílias Poderão Ser Eternas.

More to follow.

I Love Thee All,

Elder Weaver