Week 43: ¡Conferencía de estaca¡ 2/27/2023

Howdy everybody! How are you all doing? I hope all is well back home and that you are enjoying all the snow that is coming down up there haha!! I have been seeing some pictures of all the snow and it looks like a good time!

Well things down south are going good!! Work wise it has been a little hard because our baptismal dates aren't doing so good. We had to drop when of them because we lost contact and it looks like we are going to have to do the same thing with another one of them. Clara is the one who wants to get baptized but she can't because it has been such a battle with her and her family. She was texting us through the day and told us how she felt disappointed that God wasn't answering her prayers, and that she had been fighting with her mom all day. So it's been hard I won't lie! But all in all, there were still some cool experiences that I had this week.

We did 3 exchanges this week with the Elders in our zone. We are planning on doing that every week until the end of the transfer, so we got a busy schedule. I went to an area called Puerrydon with an Elder named Elder Flores who is from Chile, then after that to an area called General Paz with an Elder named Elder Diaz who is from Perú, then over to Ayacucho with an Elder named Elder Morrissey who is from Idaho. It was a busy week but it went by so fast because of these exchanges!! The big focus of the exchanges was helping these Elders work with members because that is the way the prophet wants us to do the work! We improved immensely as a zone this week with working with the members, so that was a miracle.

Another miracle happened when I was not here haha, but my companion told me about it. Remember the Carlos guy from my last email? Well I guess they went over to his house and they ended up having a lesson with him. Carlos told the missionaries that right after Elder Neilson and I left his house that first time, he felt 100% better. I look forward to see where this goes with Carlos!!

We also had stake conference this weekend which went really good. Elder Neilson and I were able to do a presentation for all the leaders about the way we need to work with the members! It was really good and we truly have some amazing leadership in this stake!!!

Anyways this email is way to long so if you made it all the way here, we'll go shoot a big buck when I get back. Have a wonderful week fellas!! Que Dios le bendiga!!

Love, Elder Weese

Meeeeeeeeeeessiiiiiiii

Week 42: Follow the Impressions of the Spirit. 2/20/2023

Howdy!! How was everybody's week? I hope things are going well for y’all back home!!! 

This week was the first week of this transfer and they are always crazy!! They are even more crazy when you have a leadership calling in the mission! We got 2 greenies in the zone, Elder Gonzalez who us from Perú and Elder Lilly who is from Arizona. They are a couple of great kids and will be doing some great things on the mission!! 

The week was crazy because with transfers, there is always things that don't go well. Just the fact of people trying to adjust to the new area and for the new missionaries to adjust to the mission! But I wouldn't want it any other way, keeps me on my toes.

I have somebody in mind that if yall would add her to your prayers, that would be great. It's our friend Clara Molina who should be getting baptized this weekend but has now told us the past 2 or 3 times we have gone over that she wants to post pone the date. The family isn't too supportive of the baptism and they don't won't to have anything to do with us so they need a miracle and I know all the prayers coming from Utah would sure help a ton!

On Friday we had leadership council which went really well!! Took a ton of notes and feel pretty amped up to go at this transfer with everything I've got! If there is anything that I have learned on the mission it is that, "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven" I just gotta keep giving more and more!!! 

So to explain the title now, Elder Neilson and I had a cool little experience yesterday. We were walking to a house which is a 45 minute walk or so, so we were HOOFING it over there. As we walked passed this one house that I have done a thousand times, I looked at the door and I couldn't take my eyes off it. I then felt like I walked into a wall (the spirit) and decided to knock on the door. An old guy came out, his name is Carlos, and he told us how angry he was with God. "If God was real, why are there wars?" "Why was my neighbor murdered by a bunch of kids?" "If God was all powerful, why doesn't he stop this?" I then looked at him and just said, "Carlos, all I know is that you have a loving Heavenly Father. He loves you so much that He sent His son to suffer and die for you. Because of that, you can be happy." He then broke down and asked us to help him. He lives alone, his body hurts, he doesn't have any money. We told him about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how if he follows that path, he will be happy. We then prayed for him and then set a return appointment for Tuesday.

I share that story because two things come to my mind. 1) I know that he felt the holy ghost testify the truthfulness of our message, and even if he never talks to us again I know that he will always remember that feeling.

2) Because we knocked that door, he knows the way to true happiness. He desired to have "peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come" (D&C 59:23) but is "kept from the truth because he knows not where to find it" (D&C 123:12) NOW HE KNOWS WHERE IT IS!!

I want to testify of the reality and power of the Holy Ghost. It is there to help, in my case, find those who need to hear this message. And for the case of my friend Carlos, and many times me, to comfort and protect. I challenge you all, to look for ways to be more in tune with the holy spirit. Make the necessary changes in your life to do so, I promise it is worth it. 

You are all loved by a Father who is in heaven. You are on His mind all day, everyday. He desires nothing more than for you to be happy 😊 

Have a wonderful week!! Love yall!

Love, Elder Weese

Week 41: Transfers!! 2/13/2023

Howdy everybody!? How was your week!? I hope things are all going well for ya back home and that ya'll are enjoying the snow haha!

Well this week was the last week of the transfer! We have had a lot of miracles, and we're able to put one of our friends on date! Her name is Clara Molina so if you could add her to your prayers that would be great! She is progressing really fast! Has been to church twice, has been reading the book of Mormon everyday, and has loved the chats we have been having! 

The members here in Guiñazu have been helping us a lot! So the work in the branch has been growing too!! 

As far as transfer news.... IM STAYING! And so is Elder Neilson so I couldn't be happier!! I do look forward to seeing some new Elders in the zone, we should be getting 2 greenies, so I am stoked!!

Anyways that was my week!! I hope yall enjoy your week and stay safe! Love ya!!!

Love, Elder Weese

Week 40: Conferencìa With Elder Christensen 2/6/2023

Hola a todos!!! How was your week!? I hope all is well in zion and that you can all see the Lord's hand in your lives.

This week was really good!! Elder Neilson and I have a lot of people progressing so we have a lot of hope for the month of February! I just ask that you all continue to pray for our friends so that they will continue to progress!

This past Friday we had a conference with Elder Christensen from the 70! It was really good and I learned a lot there! He focused on how to help us all individually!! I took so many notes but I had a few favorites from the conference. One thing he said was how we can set the culture for the mission. He asked us what we wanted to see in our areas 20 years from now? Well at least for me I want to see a couple of church houses here in Guiñazu haha! But it is really cool to think of how I can set the pace for that with the time I have here. So I better get to work quick because we don't even have a church house haha!! Another thing that he talked about was how we need to stop fearing, but need to believe more. That was definitely one that hit me because I feel like I have a lot of fear of a million things right now but when he said that, the story of Jesus calming the tempest came to my mind. The Apostles thought they were going to die as the waves of the sea were throwing their little boat around and during all of this craziness, Jesus was asleep. One of the Apostles woke Jesus up and asked him if he even cared that they would perish? Jesus stood up and calmed the raging waves and asked them how was it that they had no faith? I think the storm of life comes to us a lot and we feel like we are just overwhelmed with things, but the example of Christ can help us. His example of being calm throughout the entire thing! Why should we fear when literally we have God himself on ourside?

Anyways I'll cut her off here!!! I hope yall have a wonderful week! Please do everything you can to strengthen your testimonies! Satan today is doing everything he can to stop us, but we can resist his temptations as we let God prevail in our lives. I love you all so much I can't even describe it!! Until the next one fellas!!

Love, Elder Weese

Week 39: Exchanges with my Trainer. 1/30/2023

Hola a todos!!! Cómo les va!? Espero que estén bien y que puedan ver la mano del Señor en sus vidas CADA DÍA!!

This week went really well!!! We had a lot of success in our efforts and were truly able to see the Lord's hand in it all!!

Like I said in the title, we had exchanges with the APs and one of them is my dear Elder Scott!! He came to Guiñazu and did an exchange with Elder Neilson and I! It went really well!! I am pretty sure we talked to everybody that lives in Guiñazu hahaha!!! It was raining like crazy that day!! My shoes are still SOAKED from all the rain that we got! But sadly, I didn't take a single picture that day haha sorry!! We gotta be a little careful with the phone in my area so we don't really pull it out that much!! But all in all, it was a really good day!!

We also had a baptism!!! Well, the Elders in Patricios did but all of them count for the Lord!! I had the AMAZING opportunity to baptize my friend Telma!! I'll be sure to throw in some pictures of that at the end, but the story of Telma and her son Dante is truly incredible!! The Elders of Patricios found them one pday, buying some groceries. Telma saw them and how they were all dressed up in missionary clothes and she went to talk to them because she said she lost her mom and wanted to develop a relationship with God. Truly she has to be the strongest recent convert that I know!!

Well as far as how I'm doing, I'm doing great!! Seeking everyday for ways to progress and to change!! 

Well I'll end her here!! I sure do love yall!! I invite you all to take the counsel of our wonderful prophet, and to let God prevail in your life. I promise that as you do, you will find what happiness truly means and you will seek for ways to improve each day!! Have a wonderful week!!

Love, Elder Weese