Sanbonani!
I can't even wait to say it -- life is awesome. Mission is
the best. I can't even contain my love for this work and this entire Church.
It's all true! If not, there's no way I could ever feel this happy from working
my b*tt of every day finding and teaching people about the Restored Gospel of
Jesus Christ!
These past two weeks or so have been the best weeks of my
mission and the best weeks of my life! This week I felt a lot of adversity --
Missionary service does not deny the powers of the adversary -- but after
enduring faithfully, I feel greater joy than I have ever felt in my life! I
have been praying that God's love would be manifested to me, and my prayer was
heard and answered an hundredfold! I am so amazed at the love and grace of our
beloved Father and our perfect Saviour! They really do live! They really do
love us! And they really have provided a way for us to return to them!
This week was my first week with Elder Fransen, and I was so
excited to find that he loves the work just as much as I do! So we are shooting
for the stars this transfer! Nothing held back!! The only damper on the week is
that I had the flu so we didn't get to work nearly as much as we desired to,
but we still managed to accomplish great goals this week!! So this week we have
no excuses for anything less than legendary!
I am officially in love with Umlazi -- like, we were kind of
in a courtship during my first transfer, but I think I'm ready to get serious
with her... hahahha! I want to serve in Umlazi for my whole mission! The work
here is incredible. The Lord is doing amazing things here and it is so so so
incredible and humbling to see Him doing it through us -- two average guys who
just like to talk about Jesus with people! It's been so awesome to watch the
Spirit direct us and watch the Lord as He directs His work! I was amazed when
on Friday we were approached by 3 different people and told us that they needed
us to come visit them! We were just like "What?" then they were like
"Yeah I want you guys to come teach me and my family. We need to hear the
word of God." and so we just pull out our planners and take their contact
information because we're so baffled. The Lord really does prepare people and
guide us to them (or them to us!).
Monday was the best P-Day I have ever had! It was my first
day with flu, so I didn't do much, but we went to a members house and ate
dinner and then played with like 30 kids in the street! I sat in a chair off to
the side and watched -- I don't think I have ever laughed and smiled more in my
life. It's a memory I hope to cherish for the rest of my life! As I sat and
watched I pondered "Why does Christ command us to become like little
children?". As I watched my brothers play with all of these kids I was so
amazed with their simplicity and their joy in such small things; their humility
and their innocence. Something kind of clicked inside me and I felt like I
really understood what Christ meant. I feel like we over complicate so many
things to the extent that we ruin what could have been a wonderful family
activity or a day well spent with friends. I want to invite all of you to join
me in working to make life more simple -- finding joy in the small things!
But yeah guys. Life is so good. Just take a step back and
look at what you've got! Then thank God for what you have! Then turn outward
and serve the people around you! You're needed and God will use you if you've
got a willing heart!
With as much joy and love as I can send through this
keyboard,
--
Elder Weiler
PS. Oh yeah. I forgot to explain the topic. We finished
General Conference yesterday and I totally got emotional when MoTab sang
"Come Thou Fount". So yeah... I'm getting soft in South Africa (I
don't think I was ever hard in the first place haha).
