Roller Coaster

From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 2, 2013 at 6:29:31 PM MST

Will is freaking me out. I hate watching missionaries leave. That is probably the worst thing about the mission. When I think of going home I just see myself sitting on the couch doing nothing because I have no clue what you do in real life.

So we need to start arranging for a time to make a call. Do you want to do it Christmas day or Christmas eve? I can do it any day during December and because there is a day difference it won't be Christmas for one of us. To get to Sydney time change the clock forward three hours and switch the AM to PM or visa versa. If I called at 9 am here it'd be like 6PM there. I'm thinking that's probably best but just let me know your thoughts.

On Sunday we were leaving a less active member's house when a man called out to us in English. We went over and talked to him and found out he is from Chile. He told us he recognized us by our dress and our plaques. He told us his brother worked for two years to earn money to serve a mission for our church. His brother always tried to teach him but he didn't listen.

Two years back his wife died and he very sad and his friend told him if he drank the problems disappear. So he started drinking and smoking. But after two years he is tired of it and he wants to become clean. We taught him the plan of salvation and gave him a book of Mormon and committed him to read. And we committed him to be baptised on the 29th of December and he accepted. This man is so prepared. This is just like German from the District DVDs.

We went back the next day with a member that had to give up alcohol himself when he joined the church. When we arrived he told us he quit smoking. That he went to by more cigarettes and decided he didn't want that anymore. And he said he's not going to buy anymore alcohol. All he had left was one cup left that he was going to drink because it was expensive. That cup was at his side during the lesson and I really wanted him to get rid of it.

We taught the restoration and Word of Wisdom. He told us he doesn't want to drink anymore. He said he would commit to live the word of wisdom after this last cup. But after we closed with a prayer, our member asked if he would like a blessing to help him overcome his desire to drink and he accepted. I was able to give him that blessing and after we closed I asked him, "Can you pour that cup out?" With a little hesitation he said yes and poured it into the bushes.

This man is golden. He has been prepared. From the first lesson he told us he believed our church is true. And in the second he lamented how he wished he would have listened to his brother earlier. He told us he would talk to his sister to see if we could teach her as well.

It is humbling to see how God is working in this ward. My first companion worked in this area for 7 months and got one baptismal date. And he is a very good missionary. Now between the two companionships we could likely have four baptisms in the coming months. The Lord has something to teach us and this ward. The Spanish isn't gone yet. The Lord still has plenty of plans for the people there.

I am so happy to be here another transfer! I love this ward. I love my companion. Everything is so good right now. Man! Such a roller coaster.