Big news: I am leaving the beautiful island of Abemama. That is right. Due to some changes in missionaries, they will only have two elders on Abemama. So, I have been called in to go work on Tarawa. In a city called Temaiku. I will be flying off of Abemama this Friday. I am glad that I have been able to serve here on Abemama. It has been a remarkable experience. Both physically and spiritually. What I have learned the most from my time on this island is that we need to devote ourselves completely and totally to the Lord. Not just as a missionary, but throughout all of our lives. It is amazing to see that as we do that, we are blessed abundantly.
Well, this week. It was great. We had a lot of business items that we had to do. Plan flights for people to get to Tarawa, do the audit for the branch budget - which, despite taking a long time, was quite fun - other branch business, and yep. It was fun. I wish we had more time. Time is definitely of the essence. I am grateful for the time that I have now to serve the Lord.
One experience from the week was teaching a lady by the name of Baitaua. She loves the lessons and is very attentive in them. She listened so well and tried so hard to feel the Spirit's power, it was amazing. I felt the Spirit so strongly as Elder Dale shared with her the story of Joseph Smith. She believes. She is amazing. I hope that we can continue the lessons with her -- her husband is very firm in his own church.
Another experience, not as happy. We went to visit down south, because there are only three of us on Abemama right now, so we work the whole island again. So, we were in the south, and we visited one of my old investigators. He had fallen to drinking. It hurt to see. It is crazy to see the power that the devil has. He really does all he can to prevent people from being baptized. The devil has power. But I testify that the Lord has more and we can access his power through faith and pray.
Final experience. We were visiting a side little village in the forest. We noticed a person filming us. We asked why. He told us that we were the first white people he had seen. It was pretty cool. I feel honored. :) Yep, that was a fun encounter.
Well, my spiritual thought for the week is on hope. Hope is not just a longing for something, it is an expectation. For example, if we have faith and we obey God's commandments, we hope that we will receive the promised blessings. It is a hope. We do not just long for it in a day dream type of way. We hope for it, we expect it to happen. It is pretty amazing. It is having such firm faith, that we expect the blessings or event to occur. I really like that concept. I hope that I explained it well. It makes sense in my head. For a better description read the "Hope" section of Preach My Gospel - it is found in Chapter 6: Christ-like Attributes.
Well, I love you all! And hope that you all are well! Keep on being amazing! Stay firm in the faith! Find joy in all things! I love you and pray for you!
Stand firm!
Enjoy life!
Hurrah for Israel!
Love y'all!
Elder Weenig
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| At one of our church meetings -- the far south one. We are in a member's house - Sister Tiria |
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| Elder Jubeck, Elder Dale and I |
