Remembering Memorial Day!

May 26, 2014

Dear Family & Friends,

Yay! I am glad to remember them, too. Oh. My son was supposed to send my blue sandals...just forget about it if you don't get them. They should be in one of the boxes I sent home. Thank you for everything.

That's great you're learning Spanish! You can speak with Elder Cervantes and Elder Quiroz when they come to visit me! I will probably be able to understand everything, I just won't be able to respond.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Go, Team Allison! I can so picture her doing that!!! Haha. Oh, that's rich! Those suckers in the salon didn't even see it coming!

Toma! Receba, Irmã Allison!

I am glad to hear about the new families and also new callings. I am also thrilled to hear about Jessica Pukahi serving a mission. She will bring the world His truth! :)

So, this week was transfers...and shocker...no one in our District was transferred! I thought for sure half of the District would be. Elder Rodrigues said that only 3 people in the Vitória (ours) Zone were transferred! Vitória is the largest zone in the mission, too! This will be my 5th transfer in this area. The stories being spun about me are legendary. People refer to me as this old Bilbo Baggins sage guy because I've been in the same area for about 6 months now. Haha! I still don't know my way around, but it's getting better. I Love my companion so much and I am so glad that our house family is staying the same. This would probably be a lot harder if they weren't here.

We found a sweet family yesterday consisting of a Mom, Dad, 2 girls and a boy. Just like us. :) I hope to baptize the heck out of them. They live with a bunch of others, too!

Love,

Elder Weaver

Vitoria Truly Is Beautiful

March 3, 2014

Dear Family & Friends,

Thank you so much, Mom. I probably could have bought one here, but I appreciate it. It is a mattress cover, right? Like a thin sheet with elastic? Not a huge pad like I had at home? Because I probably won't have room for it in my suitcases if it is. Sorry, I should have been clearer. I am glad to hear my mission is influencing even people in Oregon. And Thank You Mom, for being a missionary.

Vitória truly is beautiful. And our mission is special. Every mission is special, but there is something different here. It is not a coincidence that the mission is called "Victory" and the state that this mission covers is called "Holy Ghost" in Portuguese. Thanks for that scripture in Alma it is very insightful. President shared with us Doctrine and Covenants 104:82 that talks about the Victory. The theme for this mission is Doctrine and Covenants 128:22 "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!" It's pretty sweet. I've been thinking a lot about something my companion said in a lesson the other day. He said something like, "We only receive the blessings for the commandments we keep." In reference to the Atonement, we only receive the true blessings of the Atonement when we keep the conditions of faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Those are the conditions the Lord set when Jesus Christ became our creditor and great Mediator. I think it is wonderful you get to talk on this subject. It is perhaps the most beautiful doctrine in all of the gospel. That bad men and women can become good, and good men and women can become even better. I have reflected again and again on a statement I heard in the MTC. Elder Bednar was quoting Elder Neal A. Maxwell, something to the effect of, "The infinite Atonement would not have been possible were it not for The Character of Christ." Also, in Kansas, Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy spoke to us. He said something like, "When we heard that Jesus Christ would be our Redeemer we all gave a huge sigh of relief because we knew His Character. We knew He would be good on His word. We knew of all of God's Spirit children, He would fulfill His promise." So, when you teach these youth, I hope they can feel the Spirit to truly understand why the Atonement was important. While entire volumes alone have been written on The Atonement, and I don't think we can fully comprehend it, we can at least gain an appreciation and deep and abiding Love for It. Something also that may help is a talk I read this morning from General Conference "Teaching With Power and Authority of God by David M. McConkie. Maybe this can help.

Thank you for that scripture, Mom. I hope You know you made me cry :')

I am glad you got to go to "A Casa Do Senhor" and Thank You for the experience you shared with me. Boy, do I have stories to tell YOU when I get home.

We had Stake Conference, too! Isaaque (our Elders Quorum President) gave a good talk on the Rescue. He said, "It's easy to think it's not my problem. But brothers and sisters it is always our problem."

I'll try and take more pictures of us this week. And please send me some. This is a two-way street :) But I promise. This week I will.

I Love You All. I Love The Leaders the Lord has blessed me with in this mission. Elder Alexandrino, Elder Williams, Elder Johnson, Elder Richards, Elder Quiroz. I will Always Love You. It's All True.

Love,

Elder Weaver

Doctrine and Covenants 130:2  And that same ^asociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with ^beternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.

Bravo Elder!

Dear Family & Friends

Sorry, but my emails will probably be getting progressively shorter. I am blessed with 1 hour to email in this mission. I did get Ashley's email, thank you! I hope her flights arrive on time and safe.

So, I had an interesting experience yesterday, I don't feel comfortable sharing it over email because it will take forever to explain, but let's just say my testimony of Jesus Christ and His Restored Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith were strengthened yesterday. Thank you for your comments. I have not heard that quote before I don't think, but I shall always remember it. I think that's great Y'all (Yes, Y'all, I left my heart in Kansas) are working on member missionary efforts! My one big suggestion to all of you is to USE ROLE-PLAYS. It might seem like the goofiest thing, but some of my most revelatory experiences as a missionary for investigators take place during role-plays. Whether in the MTC, in the field, or in the Wards I have served. They always help. Pretend you are you and someone else pretends they are your friend, co-worker, or other investigator. As you practice what to say, The Spirit tells you what those people need. It's incredible. I never understood how awesome role-plays were before my mission! Use them! And if you need help to know how, check out The District 1 and 2 on The Preach My Gospel DVDs.

I got your package!!! Thank You so much. Everyone asked if my Mom was Catholic, haha. Thanks for making sure the box was protected. You can use pictures of the Savior, too if you want. I think the people here will fear those same as Mary. I shared the goodies with my roommates. The Mint Oreos didn't last long ;). I feel bad it is so expensive. I don't want you to feel like you HAVE to send me things. It is always nice when I get things from y'all, but I know it is a sacrifice. That being said, I don't want you to feel like you have to send me another one right away, but sometime during the mission it would be great if you could send the following, but only if you were already planning on sending me another one, don't worry about it if not:  Contact Solution (it's way expensive for some reason here)  Empty Flash Drives, for pictures, church music and videos when my camera runs out of room.  A mattress cover, if you have an extra one at the house don't feel like you need to buy one. Q-Tips, Ensigns and Church News are always great! Thanks for sending those to me.  And if it's not too much trouble, I will always eat Mint Oreos :)

The Jewish Chocolates were great, too. Haha, I'm going to show my companion later how to make his Hot Chocolate you sent him. News!: Transfers are tomorrow. Elders Araujo and Hansen are getting transferred. But get this! I'm staying put and Elder Williams (John's friend and my zone leader) and Elder Johnson, my other hilarious zone leader, are staying put so I get to be in their zone for Elder William's final transfer. He asked me if Oregon is cold right now and if he should prepare for cold when he returns in March. Also, Elder Quiroz, one of the APs extended and I get the honor of serving with him until April! He is so great. Don't let me forget to tell you about him on Mother's Day. I've got stories for you.

Thank You for all You do! Fique Firme e Fiel!  D&C 130:2

Love, Sempre,

Elder Weaver

PS: FYI...YEAH he got his Christmas package finally, now waiting to see if he gets his birthday package anytime soon!

That is açai ice-cream, by the way, way good!

Happy Day!

December 30, 2013

Subject: Re: Happy Day!

Dear, Familia & Friends

Excellent! I’m so glad your Christmas was lovely. Sorry if my email looks funny the computers have funny keyboards here, ha-ha. I haven’t gotten the package yet, but I’ll let you know when I do. Ashley is so ready! The Spirit of Elijah is real. Brother Bartholomew, one of my Branch Leaders in the MTC shared a quote with me from Elder Nelson about how the ancestors of the families I teach on my mission will be my guardian angels, leading me to their posterity so they can have their temple work done. And likewise our ancestors will guide them to us. It was very neat the way he put it.

It has been so good here. I have a few miracles to report, but I’ll just share one for now. The others I think I should tell you in person when I return home. Elder Quiroz, one of the AP’s, called us and asked us to fast on Saturday night at like 7:30 p.m. to find a ready person. Right after the prayer we felt like we should go talk to a woman on the street. But she had left so we went down the road we thought she ran down. We eventually found her sitting there with 2 friends. We ended up teaching all of them a brief lesson 3 and they accepted return visits. It was amazing. We truly have inspired leadership in this mission.

I’ll try and find a good picture for you. I have to go, but just know that I love you, so much! Philippians 4:7 - The Lord has given us peace that passes ALL understanding.

Fique Firme!

Elder Weaver