From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 28, 2014 at 7:53:04 PM MST
It was great to Skype ya'll (Ed. note: Joe call us on Christmas Day and spoke with family gathered in Logan. It was the day after Christmas in Australia). It was good to see yous. It put my mind at ease, so it's go time!
Elder Johnson and I are going to rock this area. He's a great missionary and wants to go hard!! We are knocking doors when we have extra time and working more diligently and it feels so good.
If you don't feel uncomfortable or scared at least twice a day you aren't living. Our zone is quite flat right now but we are going to do our best and watch God go to work.
Our district leader Elder Shelton told us "Don't be surprised when you get out of the boat
and you find yourself walking on water." That's what we're waiting for.
Go walk on water this week!
Love,
Elder Weiss
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
First Miracle in Canberra
From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 22, 2014 at 6:26:49 PM MST
Let me tell you about Elder Weiss' first miracle in Canberra (as far
as I know it's the first but it's probably like the 204th) So due to
weird circumstances I got to my area Thursday morning. After studies
my companion and I went to this lake and sat at a picnic table to do
our weekly planning. As we were battling through our distractions we
saw this skinny tall tan dude with long poofy hair (Poofy as in
fluffy). He had just been swimming with his friends in the lake and
was walking back from the car to the shore again with a towel wrapped
around his waist. Because of his lack of clothing my companion said
"Ooo look at this tough guy" But before you know it Mr. Tough Guy
walks over to us and says, "Are you Mormons? This is going to sound
pretty crazy but I just felt like I should talk to you guys. What are
you doing?"
As we talked he said he was from up north in Newcastle and he was in
Canberra fundraising for the Red Cross. He said that previously he had
knocked into a Mormon couple with three young kids who let them in and
listened to them as well as fed them lunch. The man of the house and
him got talking about religion and he said that this man talked of
religion and logic and experience as if they were all the same thing.
Previous to them religion and science were two separate things. This
man opened his eyes and then two months later he saw us weekly
planning at the park. His name was Matt.
Matt was to be leaving on Saturday
in Arvo so we set up a lesson before he started working on friday. We
met him at the chapel at 8am and had a recently returned missionary
come with us also. We gave him a chapel tour and taught the
Restoration as we went. The spirit was so strong especially as we
enterred into the chapel there was a big hush that came over us. And
peace. We got his details and he will be meeting with the missionaries
up in newcastle as soon as they make contact! Miracles!!
We are having a zone council with all the District Leaders every
friday. We are running it like a ward council should opperate. We
discuss the needs of individuals and families (Companionships) and we
make the District Leaders make a plan of action and we will follow up
in each of the following meetings to track their progress and see what
they have done. I've wanted to run and ward council for a while now
just to see what it would be like if leaders followed the Red
Handbook. Belconnen Ward does it though! Man, Ward Council was intense!
It was so fast paced and leaders reported on their progress... BOOM!
Merry Christmas! See you later this week!
Love Elder Weiss
Date: December 22, 2014 at 6:26:49 PM MST
Let me tell you about Elder Weiss' first miracle in Canberra (as far
as I know it's the first but it's probably like the 204th) So due to
weird circumstances I got to my area Thursday morning. After studies
my companion and I went to this lake and sat at a picnic table to do
our weekly planning. As we were battling through our distractions we
saw this skinny tall tan dude with long poofy hair (Poofy as in
fluffy). He had just been swimming with his friends in the lake and
was walking back from the car to the shore again with a towel wrapped
around his waist. Because of his lack of clothing my companion said
"Ooo look at this tough guy" But before you know it Mr. Tough Guy
walks over to us and says, "Are you Mormons? This is going to sound
pretty crazy but I just felt like I should talk to you guys. What are
you doing?"
As we talked he said he was from up north in Newcastle and he was in
Canberra fundraising for the Red Cross. He said that previously he had
knocked into a Mormon couple with three young kids who let them in and
listened to them as well as fed them lunch. The man of the house and
him got talking about religion and he said that this man talked of
religion and logic and experience as if they were all the same thing.
Previous to them religion and science were two separate things. This
man opened his eyes and then two months later he saw us weekly
planning at the park. His name was Matt.
Matt was to be leaving on Saturday
in Arvo so we set up a lesson before he started working on friday. We
met him at the chapel at 8am and had a recently returned missionary
come with us also. We gave him a chapel tour and taught the
Restoration as we went. The spirit was so strong especially as we
enterred into the chapel there was a big hush that came over us. And
peace. We got his details and he will be meeting with the missionaries
up in newcastle as soon as they make contact! Miracles!!
We are having a zone council with all the District Leaders every
friday. We are running it like a ward council should opperate. We
discuss the needs of individuals and families (Companionships) and we
make the District Leaders make a plan of action and we will follow up
in each of the following meetings to track their progress and see what
they have done. I've wanted to run and ward council for a while now
just to see what it would be like if leaders followed the Red
Handbook. Belconnen Ward does it though! Man, Ward Council was intense!
It was so fast paced and leaders reported on their progress... BOOM!
Merry Christmas! See you later this week!
Love Elder Weiss
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Leaders are Givers
From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 7, 2014 at 7:56:48 PM MST
This week was long and fast at the same time. So transfers are in one
week and living with the AP's and with a few games of 21 questions I'm
pretty sure I'm going to the best ward in the mission. It was Elder
Urbina's favorite area and they have the meanest ward mission leader
name Brother Baker. He's a legend in our mission. On Saturday Elder
Urbina went on a trade off with Elder Edmondson, my “son" here in
Mortdale. It was pretty special to have my “son" serve with my “father".
Brother Baker drove all the way up from Canberra to have lunch with
them and I got to see him at the chapel as we were going to our ward
christmas party.
We just started developing some relationships with members and BANG!!
We are both getting taken out!. Oh well, the other three companionships
will recieve the blessings of our area book. Another guy I taught in
Bathurst got baptized. Colin in Dubbo that Elder Janes and I baptized
is now 1st Counselor in the Dubbo Branch!! And he's on track to get
endowed in FEB!! I hope President lets me go to the temple that day!
Elder Urbina taught me something when we were together. He got it from
this talk about giving. He says that leaders are givers. That if a
person is unselfish that people automatically identify him as a leader
because they trust that he won't stab them in the back. So on Tuesday
I went on a trade-off with Elder Salter who is Elder Edmonson's
companion. They have a rubbish old flat and there were lots of dishes
in the sink. More in the sink than in the cupboards.
After lunch I started cleaning up the dishes and then kept going to the counters and
the oven. Then we left. Later that night we were supposed to go GQing
but the rain went insane and with a dirty flat in the back of my mind,
after dinner we continued cleaning. We organized and rearranged and
made the flat a beautiful place. We mopped the floors put things and
away and made it a house of order... at least the kitchen and living
room.
It was a night and day difference. The flat went from being the
legendary dirty flat to something quite nice. What I've learned on my
mission is that "if you don't do it, nobody will." At the end of the
night as we reviewed the trade-off Elder Salter said "You're a legend!
Your not even gonna live here and you took the time to do all this
cleaning!"
I reckon that's how the Savior feels. I can't really explain it but I
know that's how I should be more often if I want to be more happy...
which I do!
Don't expect me to be the same when I come home. I'm not the same
person that you remember. I hope you'll see me and you'll know that
the atonement is real.
Love yous heaps!
Elder Weiss
Date: December 7, 2014 at 7:56:48 PM MST
This week was long and fast at the same time. So transfers are in one
week and living with the AP's and with a few games of 21 questions I'm
pretty sure I'm going to the best ward in the mission. It was Elder
Urbina's favorite area and they have the meanest ward mission leader
name Brother Baker. He's a legend in our mission. On Saturday Elder
Urbina went on a trade off with Elder Edmondson, my “son" here in
Mortdale. It was pretty special to have my “son" serve with my “father".
Brother Baker drove all the way up from Canberra to have lunch with
them and I got to see him at the chapel as we were going to our ward
christmas party.
We just started developing some relationships with members and BANG!!
We are both getting taken out!. Oh well, the other three companionships
will recieve the blessings of our area book. Another guy I taught in
Bathurst got baptized. Colin in Dubbo that Elder Janes and I baptized
is now 1st Counselor in the Dubbo Branch!! And he's on track to get
endowed in FEB!! I hope President lets me go to the temple that day!
Elder Urbina taught me something when we were together. He got it from
this talk about giving. He says that leaders are givers. That if a
person is unselfish that people automatically identify him as a leader
because they trust that he won't stab them in the back. So on Tuesday
I went on a trade-off with Elder Salter who is Elder Edmonson's
companion. They have a rubbish old flat and there were lots of dishes
in the sink. More in the sink than in the cupboards.
After lunch I started cleaning up the dishes and then kept going to the counters and
the oven. Then we left. Later that night we were supposed to go GQing
but the rain went insane and with a dirty flat in the back of my mind,
after dinner we continued cleaning. We organized and rearranged and
made the flat a beautiful place. We mopped the floors put things and
away and made it a house of order... at least the kitchen and living
room.
It was a night and day difference. The flat went from being the
legendary dirty flat to something quite nice. What I've learned on my
mission is that "if you don't do it, nobody will." At the end of the
night as we reviewed the trade-off Elder Salter said "You're a legend!
Your not even gonna live here and you took the time to do all this
cleaning!"
I reckon that's how the Savior feels. I can't really explain it but I
know that's how I should be more often if I want to be more happy...
which I do!
Don't expect me to be the same when I come home. I'm not the same
person that you remember. I hope you'll see me and you'll know that
the atonement is real.
Love yous heaps!
Elder Weiss
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