The most adorable and softest dog in Tennessee!

August 31, 2015

This week has been quite the adventure. It feels like everything has been very up and down. The low parts of the week were when Elder Richins was sick, which happened more than once, and we had to sit in the trailer and wait for him to feel better. Everything annoyed him because he had a nasty migraine. I was trying to draw random things and he said the sound of my pencil was annoying. So I hid under my sheets and drew stuff so it would muffle the noise. Very interesting experience. We do have a bit of an issue. We had more anti arguments with the same guy I talked about from last week. He was even more rude and cruel in his accusations towards us. It almost got to the point where me and Elder Richins were ready to plow the guy. But thank goodness for patience. It was funny because our investigator was there during the whole thing and he stopped his friend and basically said, "what the heck are you insulting my friends for." Eventually he left in a big huff because he saw that it wasn't going anywhere. Afterwards in the car, Elder Richins  asked me how strong my testimony was. I responded that it was strong enough. After a while though what he said resonated in my mind and I wondered how strong my testimony was. Was it really strong enough? I thought about it the whole rest of the day and even while I was laying in bed that night. I realized that it was strong enough to the point where I knew pretty well...but I wanted it to be to the point where I knew FOR SURE. The best way to grow your testimony is by sincere prayer and reading the Book of Mormon. There was a story I remember from missionary prep given by Bro. Cardon. He talked about how while in the MTC when after the guest speaker who I think was a member of the quorum of the seventy, bro cardon went up to him and asked him a very real and sincere question. "Can you receive the same witness of Jesus Christ the apostles and prophets have? And if so, how is it done?" The man sat and thought at the question. He then prompted the young missionary to come with him to a secluded room. They then sat down and he told him "my boy it can be done, and this is how you do it. You imagine the savior in front of you as you pray. And not just standing there, but listening to you." Such a small thing has a powerful result. I encourage everyone to give that a try. Watch as it changes you for the better. The other way is reading the Book of Mormon and not just passively. Begin reading with Moroni 10:3-5. Always keep that scripture in mind as you read from 1Nephi all the way to Moroni. Be sincere. Pray before each time you pick up that book. You will change you knowledge will expand to lengths you couldn't imagine. Watch as the spirit wells up inside you. At points you will have so much joy it will sometimes be ,ore than you can bear! But it is a good thing and nothing to be afraid of. It has brought me great joy and peace in this life. We are at the point in history where you can't be on the fence about good and evil. Soon everyone has to make the choice about which side they will be on. I hope and pray that all of God's children will choose his side. This is a story that I remember hearing from a dear friend. It makes you think.

"I remember a story from when I was a youth. Two men were sitting together on the slopes of a hill overlooking a vast scene. They beheld a large city in the valley below filled with busy streets and many people. But in the midst of the congregation, they beheld a devil wandering around and keeping things in check. Now of to the left the two men saw a great mountain that seemed to touch the heavens above. As they focused their vision, they could make out a single man, scaling the side of the mountain with his climbing gear in hopes of reaching the summit. Now around this man were twenty devils. As the two men sat and took in the scene, one said to the other, "My, that must truly be a very wicked man, for he has around him twenty devils! How righteous of a city that must be, for it has but one!" The other man sat in a moment of silence and surveyed the evidence. Soon he spake and uttered, "No my friend, you have this story confused. That city is so wicked, it has need of only one devil to keep it in check. Now if one single man has need for twenty devils to surround him to tempt him and bring him down,truly that man is a very righteous man! May we all strive to be like that good man." 

Most of the week has consisted of trying to visit the people on the farthest outskirts of our area boundaries. Some people get pretty interesting out there. Another interesting experience was when we went to a member's house and their dog is extremely friendly and likes to clobber you with love and at the same time the five year old who is unimaginably hyper jumped me in nothing but his undies. All good fun. I thought it was funny. It is marvelous how often we are doing something. Just something uplifting. Wether it is visiting with someone, saying a prayer with them, giving a blessing, pet a dog, bash a bible...okay maybe not that last one, but that's what is so amazing about being a missionary! You are always helping others. The same way Christ did. 

Well it is time to depart from this lowly valley and ride the stead of victory to a higher plain of triumph. I shall return a week forth from this moments time. Far thee well my friends.

Yours truly,

Elder Weight~

Ellie Grace, Mickey's dog

dead bug in our house

 

Kale...tastes like bug spray

massive horse fly in our house

magic wand I am trying to carve

 And, more pictures of me eating.....

pudding with chopsticks

ice cream with chopsticks

big beefy hamburgers!

So it's a really good thing that Elder Richins is making me run....

 Because I might just end up looking like this....