Meekness is not Weakness-July 11, 2013

From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: July 11, 2013 7:57:43 AM MDT
To: Cyndy Weiss <cyndyweiss@gmail.com>

Thank you all that wrote me this week! I had a great harvest on Monday or Tuesday! I got like 8 letters all at once! I felt very special. Last Thursday, (4th of July) because we couldn't listen to the Stadium of Fire (Provo, UT fireworks show), we had a devotional and watched (the movie) "17 Miracles". I love Levi Savage! He's my guy!

So I began to think a lot about meekness! I got to study it for a day but then ran out of time the other days getting ready to teach our progressing investigators. But, I've learned a lot! I read a talk by Elder Neal A. Maxwell about meekness. I learned so much through my study and his talk! That is what I want to become on my mission is meek.

In today's society people see meekness as weakness but they are so different! Society believes in aggression! Football is a good example (at least in America) Everybody likes to pretend they are the linebacker that comes out of nowhere and blindsides the quarterback. But probably the hardest battles we ever fight our within ourselves. I have so much respect for runners because they do battle with themselves. They have to keep their head up and keep going even when it's boring, hurting, and very painful physically and mentally.

Meek people are not weak people. A meek person, when attacked, is not afraid to retaliate but has the mental fortitude to choose not to. Christ was the perfect example of meekness. "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were my disciples would fight". I remember the scene from the Passion of the Christ is being beaten to the ground but gets up again and again until he's laying in pools of his own blood being inflicted with pain beyond any mortal's comprehension and "just takes it". How? How could he? Because he was filled with love for others that gave him the mental fortitude to keep going.

As much as I belive in instrinsic motivation I will always make my companions bed better than I make my own. I believe our deepest intrinsic motivation is centered on helping others. If you want a shallow experience in life, be self centered. But if you want more, look around and help someone. Elder Maxwell said, "Meek people go on far less ego trips, but go on far greater adventures." Sometimes we need keep our mouths shut and let God do the teaching. As right as we may be, people need to learn by their own experience. It's not about OUR teaching. It's about THEIR learning!

I love you all! Keep it up with the dearelder.com (or mtcdelivery.com) letters! I love getting them!

With Love, Elder Weiss VI (The V always comes before the I! Thank you brothers for the examples you are to me! I find little bits of each of you in me each and every day! You too dad!)

PS You bought a sailboat...? Wha..? I guess I can respect that! Haha you guys are crazy!

June 27 First Week

From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: June 27, 2013 7:23:37 AM MDT
To: Cyndy Weiss <cyndyweiss@gmail.com>
Subject: First week.

 Alright I have 7 minutes to write this letter. First off I love you all and thanks to Ashley, Will, Mom, Dad, and sorta Deb... ;) for letters! You guys I would love to receive some mail. I got a solid two liner from mom on monday... and I got shoes from the Kater shop. So as of right now the kater shop is tied with my family. While I'm here in the MTC please dearelder.com me. I spend a lot of this time read letters and don't have time to respond. If you dearelder.com me I can read it during the week and then during email time just spend my time writing. AND IT"S FREE!
This first week is weird. The first four days are great but they fit so much into such a little time it feels like two weeks and then after sunday the days are just flying by.
My comp and I are completely opposite. It's really hard sometimes. But it keeps me humble. I have to listen and ask questions to get my point across because if he isn't responding or preparing to respond he checks out.
We have been teaching a "investigator" (our teacher that hasn't taught us yet, we have two,) Magali. I've come to love her so much and yesterday we taught her for the last time. We committed her to baptism and reading and praying every day. This saturday we are taking her to a baptismal service and the next saturday is her baptism. I got kind of depressed when we were done teaching her. Time to go! Please use dear elder! it'll make the world better!!

Love you all so much!!

ELDER WEISS VI

June 29, 2013 Give More & Take Less

 

Letter from Joseph Weiss written June 29, 2013 and mailed July 1, 2013.

Everybody has to make sacrifices to come into the mission field.  One Elder in my district ran track for BYU and had a promising freshman year, which he left to come out.  Another left his starting forward position on the Air force Soccer team.  Others deferred scholarships or left girlfriends.  For me it was $10,000 worth of hard work or a year of my life.  During that year of sacrifice, my thought process was something like; “I’m earning my money for my mission.”  Then my first week here (at MTC) it was something like:   “I spent a year of MY time earning MY money for MY mission.  So, now I’m in the MTC making MYself the best missionary I can be.”  That attitude didn’t work at all. 

I was arguing with my companion.  I was only focused when I wanted to be.  So one day my comp and I are planning a lesson and we disagree on a key component of the Plan of Salvation or Plan of Happiness.  So we proceed to argue until the spirit is completely gone.  Then we have less than an hour until we need to teach this lesson. So we say a prayer.  I feel like garbage without the spirit, but my comp saves the day and we enter the lesson a decently prepared companionship and one severely humbled Elder.  In my state of humility I was able to sincerely testify of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Things worked out probably better than they should have.  Grace was given and the spirit was there.  However, I was left with some serious introspection to do.  I looked inside myself and truly saw how selfish all my motives had been for over a year.  I’d been over trying to meet some self-imposed standard of something I didn’t understand.  I realized that missions weren’t about taking, but about giving to people around you and in turn giving back to God like it says in Matthew and in Mosiah 2:17.  That the $10,000 is the Lord’s money.  I gave it to Him.  I chose to do that.  I chose to GIVE a year of my life.  But my heart wasn’t there.  I took $10,000 and a year of my life but then had a hard time letting go of something that was never mine to begin with.

This last few days I’ve decided I’m focusing on giving.  The rest of my mission I’m going to try to give it all to people around me.  That’s what Christ would do.  As I’ve focused on giving myself to those around me I’ve become so much happier!  It’s night and day to how I was when I entered the MTC almost 10 days ago.  Instead of paying attention, I give my attention.  Instead of thinking so much, I listen much more.  I’m growing so much!  I know God is guiding me and helping me.  He is teaching and preparing all of his children to become happier than they are now.  If you don’t get along with someone:  If you’re having heart problems, give more & take less.

GIVE MORE and TAKE LESS!

It seems weird, but it will resonate in your heart and you’ll find more joy and peace in your life.

I know with every bit of me that Christ paid the price for my mistakes so I can have peace & joy in this life on this Day!

July 4 Letter: Characteristics of Christ

From: Joseph Weiss
Date: July 4, 2013 8:38:26 AM MDT
To: Cyndy Weiss <cyndyweiss@gmail.com>
Subject: Characteristics of Christ

Well it's been another crazy week at the MTC. Time is flying faster and faster. We started teaching some new investigators this week.

Our Spanish is getting better each time. The gift of tounges is real. I speak my best Spanish in lessons.Sometimes I just get tired of Spanish. Outside of lessons it gets annoying not being understood. I was soo lucky to get into the intermediate class. I'm learning a lot. Being in the beginner class would have killed me...

This week we worked a lot at the beginning of the week on planning. Planning is so great!! It's literally one of my favorite parts of the day. When you plan well it makes a huge difference in how effective you are. Also in PMG preach my gospel it says to review your day in prayer and review your plan for the next day as well with God. So I  did it and it was such a great experience. Here in the MTC I'm feeling the spirit the way I've always wanted to but never was able to.

My comp and I are getting along better. But yesterday I wanted to testify of the fact that God wants us to become like him and bless us with all he has but he said the plan was to return and made a sarcastic comment which made me really have to bite my tounge. This happened before and I reciprocated and lost the spirit. But this time I had the power to just be quiet. God is helping me and I'm changing.

But here is the doctrinal question of the week! Was the original idea of the plan to help us become like God or return to him?... Please send me your answers. I'm super interested and I'll be studying it this week as well.

There's some interesting stuff in Abraham. We listened to Elder Bednars talk, "the Characters of Christ" on Sunday which is my favorite talk ever!! So good! I read it before I came and then when I heard it again my mind was blown. During that talk Elder Bednar talked about note taking. He compared note taking to Nephi making small plates and large plates. The large plates were mostly historical and the small ones spiritual. If we take notes like the large plates we get nothing out of it because we could've just printed out the talk later on. But if we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings it will become apparent how the Lord is helping us.

So please send me letters (via Dearelder.com so I can have more time to write on PDAY, thanks mom and deb) that have a little bit of large plates but mostly small plates. Also if someone could let me know how my boy Fed is doing in wimbi that'd be great.

Here's my small plates:
I was reading in John 2 about Christ when he's at the wedding feast and his mother says to him, "we're almost out of wine" and he replies "what would you have me do? My time has not yet come." She replies with an answer that I believe exemplifies Mary's entire life.
"Whatever your father tells you, do it."

Watching the Passion of the Christ and seeing how Mary had to stand and look on as her little boy was beaten, bruised, and scarred for the sins of the world. She had to know with every fiber in her bones that Heavenly Father's plan was the very best plan. I know that It is the best plan. Mary is an amazing example of faith.

Love you all!

Elder Weiss VI

Where to write Joe

Joseph Mark Weiss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Address for Joe through July 31st while at the MTC learning Spanish.

Elder Joseph Mark Weiss
July 31  AST-SYD
2009 N. 900 E. Unit 139
Provo, UT  84602





To send packages, contact Sis. Weiss.

Joseph to MTC June 19, 2013

 Leaving California Pizza restaurant.

Last ride in the green Expedition for a couple of years.

 Gatehouse at MTC.

It all happens in about 4 minutes.

 Joseph gets assistance unloading his luggage.

Putting on the backpack.

 Saying goodbye to Dad.

 OK Elder, let’s go!

...and off he goes.

Entering the MTC to learn Spanish and a whole lot of other things that he didn’t know that he didn’t know!

Photos from entering MTC on June 19th

Address for Joe through July 31st while at the MTC learning Spanish.

Elder Joseph Mark Weiss
July 31  AST-SYD
2009 N. 900 E. Unit 139
Provo, UT  84602

I will be posting his letters on his blog:
http://elderweissdownunder1.blogspot.com

You can send him emails here:  Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>

Here are some pics from when we dropped him off yesterday:
This is the last time in 16 years of dropping off missionaries to the MTC-Provo.
2 more years and we are at the end of an era!  David was Elder Weiss I and Joseph is Elder Weiss VI...bookends.  Was nice that he could be there.