Alma 37:37

This last week we challenged a less active member to memorize Alma 37:37. The purpose? To get him to really ponder and think about the importance of prayer, and hopefully to get him to come to church. The result? Well, he somehow switched the scriptures and memorized Alma 37:27 and didn't come to church. But the result for me this last week was actually pretty big. I really like that scripture. "Counsel with the Lord in all of thy doings." It's a really good phrase and advice for missionary work. We need to be constantly talking with the Lord about what we are going to do, what to say, etc. That's been our focus this last week. We have been trying our hardest to get a lot of appointments with less active members, and investigators We have actually seen a lot of success in that respect. There are obviously a lot of people who decide not to accept the invitation to learn more. But we've been able to see a lot of miracles this last week. For example, we found a young couple in the street, and started to talk to them. They are actually very believing, and have a decent amount of interest, with the exception of them having their own church. Anyway, the miracle here, is not just in finding them. When we spoke with them on the street we set an appointment for the following Tuesday. So Tuesday morning, we get a phone call from the girl. She tells us to come a little bit later so that she can be there. You might be asking, "Where is the miracle in this?" Anyone who has served a mission will tell you time and time again, that the fact that somebody called is a miracle. It's such a rare occurrence, that I would definitely consider it as a miracle. The appointment turned out very well. They have potential. We just have to get them reading the Book of Mormon.

Mari. Yes, she is getting baptized this Saturday. Despite a lot of health challenges, she finally was able to make it to church. She is great. A real trooper. She has had so many health issues while we have taught her that our teaching rooms have varied from her living room to the hospital close to her home. But she has been reading the Book of Mormon and loves what she reads. She really has felt the spirit. I guess the key would have to be the members here. A member has offered to help her out with some difficulties that she is having. Like I've said, the members here in Elche are fantastic. I really feel very blessed to get to work here.

The work is going well. We are seeing progress in our area. Little by little we are seeing miracles by consulting with the Lord in all of our doings. Because we really need that help. So, little by little, we will make it a great day to be a missionary.

Love,

Elder Weenig

Typical Spanish Food

1 Nephi 3:7

It is very, very hot here in Elche. It kind of reminds me of Alabama, with the humidity and heat combination. But, we are still working hard. There is a lot of things to be done in this area, and we are trying our hardest to be able to find people to teach.

Mari is doing well and is out of the hospital! She should be baptized in the upcoming weeks. She actually told us she would be at church on Sunday, but when Sunday rolls around, no Mari. This is usually the sinking feeling that you get when you realize an investigator isn't keeping commitments and is that close to baptism. It's not a very good feeling. But we decided to go and find Mari. So, in the heat of Elche, in our suits, we went running through the streets to go and pick her up for church. It worked. She had actually fallen asleep and for that reason didn't answer our phone calls. Whoops. She came and really enjoyed church.

We've been finding a lot of new investigators that have been waiting for the missionaries but for some reason missionaries stopped coming by. It makes me really appreciate good record keeping. A lot of these people have records, but they are incomplete and don't have any reason as to why the missionaries stopped visiting them. So, advice for future missionaries: do your area book. The missionaries that follow will be very grateful to you for it.

We had a number of investigators and set appointments fail us this last week, but I think that's what makes you want to grow your area even more. 

The scripture that I chose for this week is the famous "I will go and do" (1 Nephi 3:7). It teaches a lot of things about obedience, and I think that it really has played an important in having motivation and desire to always work hard. So keep going and doing. It really is an amazing work and a great day to be a missionary.

Love,
Elder Weenig

Elche

With Elder Pesce (Chile).

D&C 18:15-16

This last week was really packed. Transfer weeks always are, but this week especially. There have been a lot of things going on. Like I said last week, we had transfers this last week. Elder Smith went to Torremolinos, and Elder Pesce arrived from Lorca. He is from Santiago, Chile and is great. He is also my oldest companion, being five years older than I am. He's awesome. We are going to have a great
transfer together.

Really cool story from this week. The sisters from Crevillente (a small town close to Elche) have been teaching a couple for two years now. The couple have wanted to be baptized for a long time, and have effectively been "dry members". The problem was a series of problems with paperwork for them to get married. Anyway, last weekend, they were married, and their baptism followed two days after. The wife had always wanted an elder to baptize her, so the sisters asked if I would be willing. It was a really cool experience, because it really showed that we all have our own piece to play in the process of missionary work. Whether we are the people that first contact them on the street, or the missionaries who are present after two years of teaching, it is the same thing. It was a really big honor to get to baptize one of them. We all have really important parts to play. I guess that really is what being a missionary is all about. Understanding that we are just the tools that God uses. It's a cool concept, and it's something that I don't fully understand or accept at times, but I'll keep working on it.

Another update on Mari. She is fantastic but unfortunately has been falling sick for the past two weeks. She's getting a lot of opposition and a lot of problems, but slowly but surely she is working on it.

We were at the Bishop's house yesterday. All of the missionaries are invited and allowed to be at his house at the same time once a month. They are fantastic and really just a good example of the members here in Elche. They are really ready and willing to work side by side with us, which is something that is invaluable to us as missionaries. They are great, and also cook very well.

One of my favorite lessons from this week actually happened on a park bench. Wilmer, the guy that I mentioned last letter can only meet on park benches because of some pretty big opposition from the people with whom he is living. He is a great guy. He has a lot of faith, and is going through a hard time. At the beginning of the lesson, he tells us, "Elders, you can say all you like in this discussion, but after this, we are never meeting again." Which, you know, is a kinda devastating thing to hear from an investigator. We had planned to teach about the plan of salvation, and as we taught, he started to open up a lot. He told us a lot more about why he was feeling resistant to meeting with us, and told us about some of the difficult things that he had passed through. The poor guy. But at the end of the appointment, he turned and said, "You know what? I think we will meet again." ...and he said he'd call (Elder Calhoun's faith don't fail me now). But it really showed me that the message that we teach really can change people. It has that power. We just have to teach it in the correct way and with the spirit. This week has gone great. We are working really hard in our area and are seeing a lot of progress. I'm really, really grateful for this time that I have and to be serving in Elche. It was hard to leave Granada, but I know that I was brought here for a reason. 

Yes!!!!! Jhizel went through the temple! The second time in white! She is amazing and has a lot of faith. I love the mission. And am really grateful for the people that I've met so far and that I will keep meeting.
Anyway, I love you all. Things are going very well here. I really love this.

Scripture for the week: Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16. Read it. It's what makes missionary work worth it.

I love you all. Here is a picture of where we went to eat today. All you can eat Italian food. (Elder Pesce's grandpa is from Italy, so we had to go)

It's a great day to be a missionary!
Elder Weenig 

Dinner at the Bishop's house

Jhizel at the temple

 This is where we ate today. All you can eat Italian food.
(Elder Pesce's grandpa is from Italy, so we had to go) 

With Elder Smith at the airport