The Spirit Bandwagon

From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: March 29, 2015 at 7:35:32 PM MDT


Queridos Amigos, familiares, y conocidos!

It's been another great week! I feel like I have served two missions
because I feel like as much as happened in the first six months of my
mission happens in like two weeks!

We have two investigators on date
for April. Hopefully they keep feeling the gospel bless them. One came
to church for the first time yesterday. It was about an hour drive to
the Spanish ward. One of the members from Mortdale, Brother Aviles,
picked him up and brought him. It seemed he really enjoyed it.

We talked
about missionary work. During the week we were a bit frustrated and we
had been trying to get a hold of Ofa because he's our high councilor
for the Spanish ward and we need to get somethings sorted out.

Our
bishop is on his way out. His house is sold and he's just trying to
find somewhere to live on the central coast. So the ward is in lala
land. Ofa said to us, "Brothas you set up ward council for this Sunday
and we'll give them a training on going to the rescue. So we called
around and got things organized. We had about half the council turn up
but we just went ahead.

We discussed being more welcoming to
investigators until Ofa turned up with the Zone Leaders and we got
somethings settled about how the Area Presidency wants us to go about
rescuing.

We got the 2nd counselor behind it because the Bishop didn't
turn up. It was combined Sunday and he asked Ofa to do the same
presentation in the final hour of church. It went so well that the
first counselor asked if he could do some rescuing with us after
church. We went to the rescue and brought a brother back. He just
needed some encouragement to get back to church. If we didn't go he
wouldn't have been invited or committed to be at church the next
sunday. It was awesome!

AL RESCATE MIS AMIGOS! Who was the last person
you rescued? Who was the last less active you worried about?

Last night I think I had my final Bible bash of my mission. I won..
but I lost. We didn't know where to go so we pulled over to say a
prayer. During the prayer David came to my mind. We drove there and as
we got out of the car I saw a lady sitting on this bench. She looked Latina,
so I asked her if she spoke Spanish. She said that she did and
that she was stopping by to visit one of our members in the complex.

We gave her the members mobile number and then invited her to hear
more. She said she'd already studied the "Mormones" and was not
convinced. I told her I'm not here to convince you because the only
convincing power that exists is the Holy Ghost. "And la biblia" She
added... And so it began…

I felt so guided to this lady we stuck
around and discussed with her. I sincerely though that the spirit at
some point would just come rushing in and save the day but it never
did.

One hour later I felt full of darkness and regret. She accepted a
Book of Mormon because I read 2 Nephi 29:7-10 and said the book
defends itself. But beside that the spirit was not in me. The Holy
Ghost had left me completely. My spirit felt burned and in pain. My
nightly prayer was frankly embarrassing and apologetic. The spiritual
damage from "Preaching the gospel by some other way" is still not
completely healed. You live and you learn because He forgives.

Righto Mate! Let's get back on the spirit bandwagon! All about that
spirit life! #cambios

Les quiero!!

Elder Weiss