Week 54..."You Can't Play Baseball in this Weather Benny..."

January 18, 2016

“You Can’t Play Baseball in this Weather Benny”

Hey there mis queridos! 

So Elder Marquina officially became Non-contagious today! So that's the good news for the week! We can finally leave the pension and work this week! I plan on just going absolutely crazy in the streets this week. There will not be a single person that will not be contacted. 

I wish I could say that a miracle took place this week, but it just didn't happen. Ludes is our main investigator right now and he passed his baptismal interview last week, but the reason he wasn't home last Sunday and didn't come to church is because another Haitiana that lives with them tried to kill his wife with a knife in the night... so I'd say that's a pretty valid reason not to get baptized. The Haitianos are kind of unpredictable, but it looks like this woman has some serious jealousy issues... Fortunately nobody was hurt and that woman doesn't live there anymore. Ludes told us that he still wanted to be baptized so we planned on baptizing him this Sunday... didn't exactly come to pass... A little frustrating, but I did everything I could. I'm confident that we'll see a baptism this last weekend of this change if we have the faith and if we work hard and if we're obedient. God is bound when we do what He says. I rely on that scripture everyday! 

Elder Marquina obviously looks a lot better, and he's ready to end this last week of changes here in Villa Sur. He'll definitely have cambios this week, he's been here since July…5 cambios in one sector is the maximum! We'll see what happens with me. We have some pretty solid investigatores, it'd be kinda hard for me to leave now, but I'm honestly dying to go to the coast right now, I've been in the city since May and it's SO FREAKING HOT HERE IN THE CONCRETE JUNGLE OF OCHAGAVÍA!!! 

The 14th I obviously had to burn a white shirt. Papa Soza helped me out, and luckily we didn't even come close to burning the house down. Turns out that about a year ago another Elder burnt a shirt to celebrate his one-year mark and he almost burnt the house down. 

I've learned a lot while being in the house. I've really analyzed why I'm here and what I plan on doing this last year of my mish. I read all of Dad's motivational quotes that he gave me, and I love the one that says, "Life would be awfully boring if we never tried to accomplish something extraordinary." I completely agree. I plan on baptizing and sharing the love of our Savior to a ton of people this last year. Everyday I plan on working even harder to try and save the souls of mis queridos estimados chilenos wachitos. Reading in Mosiah 26-29 really made me realize that there are a lot of people that will not be in the Celestial Kingdom. If we truly have love in our hearts for those around us, we should want everyone to partake of this gospel. I only hope to be able to be at the feet of my Savior in the last day and say "HE HECHO TODO LO POSIBLE, TE DI MI MEJOR!" I love my Savior and I love that we have the atonement in our lives to improve and be better each and everyday. As missionaries we sometimes think we're perfect and we don't need the atonement as much as our investigators, if we think that way we don't truly understand the atonement. We need to be constantly improving and progressing, none of us are even close to being like our Savior. 

I love all of you! Pray for Ludes, Felusme, Carlitos, and pray that the boyfriend of Rosalia, so that she can be baptized. 

I taught Elder Marquina a lot of lines from Sandlot this past week. He has no idea what he's saying but it's funnier than hearing aunt Lelsy say, "hot dog." You just gotta meet this guy; his English is pure "Weaverized." Who knew that a Peruvian would ever learn the phrase “What the heck are ya doin ya putz!" 

Signing out! Pray that I don't get skin cancer! KICK BUTT IN WRESTLING PRESTON!!! YOU ARE THE FREAKING MAN! 

 Love Ya!

Elder Weaver 

Week 53...

January 11, 2016

There Are No Excuses!

 Mis estimados gringitos,

Needless to say, this week was LA HIEL!!!! I don't want to focus on the bad, but it is the worst thing in the world to not be able to leave from your pension for 1 week! WE HAVE ONE WEEK MORE!!!!!!!! I HATE CHICKEN POX, AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE IT! 

In other news, the cologne that you guys gave me for my 12th birthday has finally run out. You know, that Abercrombie and Fitch cologne? Yeah, I finally used the last of it about 2 days ago. 8 years with that cologne, and I think it's like a fine wine that increases in value as it ages... it was truly a pity when I used the last spray. I got nostalgic and everything. 8 good years with that little bottle of cologne. Fortunately I still have the American Eagle cologne! That should run out by the end of my mission! 

This week I will officially complete 1 year in the mission. The 12th of January a year ago I was set apart right after Ohio State won the national championship and I left for Chile on the 13th, now here I am... El Barrio Villa Sur!

 Our Awesome Ward Mission Leader! My Companion for the week!

I did leave every single day this week, but sometimes not until like 6 or 7 in the afternoon. Luckily our Ward Mission Leader loves us and he's a stud and was willing to leave with me everyday. Papa Soza has to stay in the house with Elder Marquina though, so that's why I would have to wait. It's a huge blessing that we live where we live though. It made it possible for me to work a little this week! 

Yesterday was the most stressful day of my mission. Our Haitiano investigator Ludes passed his baptismal interview this Saturday and was all set to be baptized this Sunday! I called him Saturday night to confirm that we could pass by to pick him up and walk to church at 9:30. I then called him at 8 in the morning to wake him up and to make sure he was getting ready. He said yes and that there was no problem. I then called again at 9:15 right before I left with my Ward Mission leader Lizardo to pick him up. He told us he was good to go. We get to his house.... and his wife (who speaks no Spanish) told us he left to go to his friend's house! Luckily, I know where his friend lives and we went there. We got there and he told us that he barely left and was going to wait in an Internet cafe nearby. I called him again and he told me he was coming and that we should wait. We waited and waited and he never showed up. I called again and his phone was turned off!! Now we're about 15 minutes away from the church and its 9:55 and church starts at 10. Then, the bishop calls me and asks where I am; I told him that we were looking for our investigator with a baptismal date for after sacrament meeting. He said, “But Elder you need to come to the church! Can you give a talk in sacrament meeting?" I was like.... today Bishop? Yes, today, you can talk about any subject! PLEASE HELP US ELDER WEAVER! I said all right and we booked it to the chapel. We got there just in time to take the santa cena. I literally just got up to the pulpit after and started talking about enduring to the end and the atonement and how if we aren't progressing we aren't fulfilling our calling as members of the true church of Jesus Christ. I used a lot of Alma 5... Then after they asked me to give the gospel principles class.... Needless to say.... it was a stressful Sunday and Ludes did not get baptized and I have yet to get in contact with him. 

I did go to the temple with Osvaldo and Katuisca and Maycol this weekend! IT WAS AMAZING!! It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Santiago and I had the opportunity to baptize Osvaldo for the dead in the temple! IT WAS INCREDIBLE! They ALL ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! Osvaldo is talking to everyone about the church and I just love this family! One month ago they were struggling and now they pay tithing every week and have done baptisms for the dead! This gospel is true. 

There are no excuses in mission work; I did everything I could to get investigators and inactive members in the capilla this Sunday with the circumstances I was in. I was a little disappointed when Ludes didn't get baptized, and wondered why God would allow us to be stuck in the pension all week and then after all the work I did.... he didn't get baptized. D&C 122:7-8 (7- My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; 8- And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.) There are no excuses, I need to be better! There’s obviously something to learn from all of this. 

I know this is the Lord's work. I know he lives. I know he's aware of me personally. I know if we keep the commandments and do everything we can possibly do... we can put our trust in God and He will take care of the rest and bless us in his due time! 

Love all of you!!! Have a great week! You should see baptisms in these next few weeks!!! 

Elder Weaver 

Elder Marquina!  He’s got the pox bad!!

Our Awesome Ward Mission Leader! My Companion for the week!

Week 52...

January 5, 2016 

I've Got 99 Problems and...

Mi Gente,

I'm just going to come right out and say it, this week was ridiculously good up until Saturday when Elder Marquina got CHICKEN POX!!!!!!

What more can go wrong with this poor guy? He has problems with his feet and hands, and now he has chicken pox. Why does he have chicken pox you might ask? Because about 2 weeks ago we went into a house of inactive members, their little kids greeted us like normal and then right after they're like, "Oh, just so you know, they have chicken pox!" Elder Marquina freaked out and was like, "I've never had chicken pox!" They just laughed, and shrugged it off. Who in their right minds allow missionaries to pass by when their kids have chicken pox?!?! It takes two weeks to acquire chicken pox after contact, guess I forgot that from Boy Scouts. The irony is that on Saturday he even said, "Hey, I'm so lucky! I never got chicken pox!" Yeah, well that night he broke out and I was like ahhhh heckkkkk. So he pretty much looks like death right now. Poor guy hasn't had a normal mission by any means. D&C 122:7…

So Sunday was the biggest problem of the week. We had 7 investigadores that committed to go to church, and we have to pass by in the morning to bring them to church. Well, the problem is that Elder Marquina needs to be isolated for 2 to 3 weeks! So I called the ZL’s (Zone Leaders) and they sent Elder Arraniz and Elder Matamoras to our house. Elder Arraniz has had Chicken pox before so he stayed with Elder Marquina while I went to church with the Ecuatoriano. Then the ZL’s called and told us that they were heading to our sector to pick up Elder Matamoras to bring him to his ward, and I had to find a member to be my comp. Well the problem is that we not only have to pass by investigators in the morning, but we have to bring a recent convert that has a wheelchair to church every Sunday. It was a hectic morning to say the least with all the calls and all the running around. By the end of it, the Zl’s decided to just leave Elder Matamoras with me, and they went to church. By the time I got to church, I was sweating bullets, and they're like "ELDER WEAVER! ELDER WEAVER!! WHERE'S YOUR COMP? WHERE'S THIS PERSON? WHERE'S THE BISHOP? ADJGHASDKLJGHADKLGJHAKLDJH!!!!! CAN YOU BLESS THE SANTA CENA?!" 

So I blessed the Santa Cena and after that, things kind of mellowed out. Like I said on Skype... the ward depends on us. It's so stressful at times, but I love it. 

So basically all day yesterday I was in the house, but I did have divisions with our DL(District Leader) and his comp. I got to leave at 6:30 PM and let me tell ya. It's good to go out and work! I wanted to bang my head against a wall all day! 

I'm writing this email from the laptop of Papa Soza. Elder Marquina is looking terrible!  On a good note…We have a baptism this Sunday with our Haitiano Ludes! I am so excited for him! 

We passed the New Year with La Familia Soza, and I sang "God Bless America" at 12:00. I hope grandpa Weaver was singing along with me. (This is something his grandpa Weaver does every New Year)  Elder Marquina completed a year that night so he burnt a white shirt. 

So other than the fact that I want to rip my eyeballs out right now because I absolutely hate sitting around!  I’m all good!  I know all things happen for a reason!!! 

I Love you all!

Elder Weaver 

Happy New Year!!! Ya Guapitos! Connor's Week 51

December 29, 2015

Mi gente, 

So it was incredible to see all of you guys! The hour flew by! I didn't even get to mention everything that I wanted to mention, but it's all-good! Preston definitely looks like a man with only 3 percent body fat. Freaking bestia. Elder Marquina was like, “It’s obvious that your family is super athletic. All of you guys look like Weavers." He also said that Dad sounds very gringo and that his English sounds flyte but he literally didn't catch a single word we were saying. Mom is the best Mom ever, Elder Marquina was so happy to get all that we got for Christmas... but we'll see how we burn off all this weight we've gained. We have been running everyday now though.  Elder Marquina keeps saying "ELDER WEAVER UN ANO HASTA SEXY, UN ANO HASTA SEXY!"  It is unreal that I only have a year left! I still have so much I want to do!

So there was definitely a huge difference between my Skype with you guys and the Skype that Elder Marquina had with his family.  I literally just wanted to sit down and start teaching his mom a lesson, but Elder Marquina obviously just bore his testimony and said that she’ll be his first convert when he gets back. His Dad didn't say very much. His older brother was there and he talked a ton, and that guy is such a stud! He served a mission about 5 years ago and he's the stake secretary, and he really inspired Elder Marquina! It was really humbling to see how Elder Marquina handled his Skype. It really just got him to be more motivated to work hard. He's a great example to me! I am beyond blessed to have the family that I have! 

So we didn't end up having a baptism this weekend because Jonathan's dad thinks he needs more time.

What more can I say? I'm super happy! Can’t believe I’m at the half-way point on the mish! I'll be burning a white shirt the 14th of January! I love you guys a ton! I'll be making some goals for this next year and just know that I'll accomplish them!

This is the Lord's work. I have seen His hand in my life. 

Romans 5: 3 to 4! 

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

LOVE YOU ALL!

All those letters are amazing! I can’t wait to read them all!  

Elder Weaver 

VENID Y ADOREMOS...Week 50

December 22, 2015

 So this week was pretty sweet. I'm really not sure where to start, but let's start with the news that the whole mission received yesterday in our Mission Christmas Conference.... My new President is going to be President Woodward from Florida as of June 1 of this next year! He served his mission in Spain and his wife served in the Dominican Republic! The weirdest thing of all is that Presidente Barreiros was his home teacher in Florida for a time! President Woodward is a lawyer and he has lived pretty much everywhere in the world. As of right now he's living in Vancouver, Canada. It's going to be really weird to get a new Presidente. We still have a ton of time until June though, but I just thought I'd let you guys know! 

In the Christmas conference we ate a huge almuerzo that was SO GOOD, and we got SO MANY THINGS: First and foremost, I am now know throughout the mission as the Elder that receives the most from home. You guys are awesome! I'm not going to open the packages until Navidad! I want to cherish what I got here on the mish the best I can! Elder Marquina is super, super stoked as well. He's never gotten a Christmas gift in his life! He keeps talking to me about how excited he is, and he says, "Now I know how you gringos feel before Christmas, the anxiety is killing me!" So thanks Mom for sending that package! His family didn't send him anything! (WE ARE SUPER BLESSED, CAN’T SAY IT ENOUGH) 

The Christmas program was really good; we have some real talented people in our mission! We're in an awesome ward to pass Christmas too! Like I said, we live with members and they are planning on giving us a huge dinner for Christmas! Not to mention all the other members that want us to come over! Our investigadores and recent converts as well all want us to come over! Lots of love in this ward for sure! 

Speaking of recent converts, Osvaldo and Michael passed the sacrament this Sunday! They were super nervous, and it was super funny to see them. They kept saying "Weaver, Weaver, Weaver, no estamos preparados, tenemos solamente 2 semanas como miembros!" I was like, you guys received the priesthood last week and you're worthy! GO GET EM! They did awesome! So stoked for their progress! 

I also was asked to give a talk this Sunday on reverence. They called me on Saturday night and I whipped up a talk in the morning over reverence.... nada que ver. I linked it in with the Navidad and I had everyone laughing pretty hard as I told the story about what I did with Adin as a kid in sacrament meeting. Everyone gave me compliments afterwards and they told me that I'm easier to understand than most Chilenos because I don't speak quite as fast and I pronounce super well... I'll take it! Have no fear Dad... I'll talk to you like a Chileno for Christmas anyway! 

Today I fell through the roof of our pension because I went on top to take a picture... so that was cool. Looks like it won't cost that much though. I will be paying for the damages. Momma and Papa Soza are just happy that I didn't die.

I am beyond excited to see and hear you guys this Friday! Not going to lie, it's going to be sweet. I just hope to heaven that I don't cry. The amazing thing is that I just love the mission more and more. It's crazy to think I will not live these next days ever again on the mission! All the more reason to keep working hard! 

Love all of you!

FELIZ NAVIDAD DE CHILE! DISFRUTEN ESTA ÉPOCA DE NAVIDAD! 

Elder Weaver