Just Do Your Part

From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: September 22, 2014 at 9:18:24 PM MDT


Ok family and friends, first item of business. Missionaries are representatives of Jesus Christ. You are not to counsel them how to do their job, you are only to help them. If it's an obedient missionary, you give him or her a referral. If they're disobedient missionaries, you STILL give them a referral. Obedient or not they are Christ's chosen servants who go in his place. It is your job as members to give referrals, not to judge, criticize, or correct missionaries. If you have concerns, put yourself in contact with their zone leaders but do not do it yourself. Respect the priesthood keys and have faith that God is smarter than we are. "We need more members actually doing missionary work and not just feeding the missionaries" said a member of our area presidency. Many people are really good at faking being member missionaries. I hope these words come back and haunt me to action one day!

Second item, there are too many miracles! Writing them all in my journal is impossible! As my mission has gone on I have become more sensitive to the spirit and in turn see so many more miracles.

Sunday we were driving home from church when I saw a man and his son walking down the street wearing Chilean soccer jerseys. I said to my companion, "Did you see that guy? He had a Chile jersey." My companion said "Oh" and kept driving thinking to himself, "Elder Weiss is too interested in talking to Spanish speakers" We kept driving for thirty more seconds and I said to him, "Elder I feel like we need to go back and talk to that guy!". A bit annoyed my companion turned the car around. We drove past them and got out of the car and went and talked to him. We talked to him about how he came to Australia. He said he misses Chile every single day. He told us that his little son was his "Tesorito" or his little treasure and how much he loved him. We asked him what his feelings were about God. He explained how he once believde but didn't know if he could still believe because his Dad was paralyzed in Chile and all his family lived there. He seemed so lonely except for his son's friendship. He stays here for his son because his ex-partner and him split up.

We taught him some simple truths of the Gospel and how he could know for himself that God is HIS loving Heavenly Father. He began to be very emotional at one point. We asked if some missionaries that speak Spanish could visit him. He said that was good and pulled out some ID with his address on it and then we got his number and passed him as a referral the Spanish elders. Maybe I'll get to teach him one day when I go back to the Spanish ward.

I love this work! Never underestimate the power the Lord gives you to reach out to others to do his work. GO and visit a less active. GO talk to your non-member neighbors. Get to know them and to love them and invite them to meet Jesus Christ, or in other words to meet the missionaries.

Where ere' thou art, JUST DO YOUR PART. Not even well. We don't need to be perfect we just need to try and the Lord does the rest!

Love you all,
Elder Weiss