Goodbye Clanton!

I'm leaving Clanton today at 1:30! But not for the reason you thought ;)

Elder Henderson got his visa this week so he's headed off to Brazil today!!! It's crazy! I thought for sure I'd get mine first since he had to send stuff back but I guess not! So I'm being transferred to Millbrook, Alabama which is about 30 minutes south of here. I've been down there quite a few times and it's a really nice area. AND I'll be in a ward!!! A real live ward with a big building-it's gonna be weird. I was so excited at first for a new area, a change of pace, a change of scenery, new people to meet, etc. But now I don't want to leave! I have grown to love the people here and I'm going to miss them so much! I have grown close to quite a few members and investigators and it's so sad to have to leave them! Especially since I probably won't be back for at least 2 years. Saying goodbye to everyone at church was so hard, and then visiting some other people and watching them cry as we walk away is the worst thing ever!!! Sister Blankenship, the lady in the nursing home, said the sweetest prayer as we left yesterday. I think she said "I'm going to miss them so much" about 3 times during the prayer and was crying as we left. And then we took the sacrament to Brother Desimone's wife, and Brother Desimone was crying as we left too! AND THEN, we visited an old lady we met the first week we were here, who also started bawling, saying she loved us so much and that any new elders would never be the same!!!

Ahh man who knew this would be the toughest part of missionary work! But, that's the amazing thing about this gospel. I know that I will see each and everyone of them again, even if it's not in this life. The most important thing I've learned on my mission is how true this gospel is, how true the church is, how true the Book of Mormon is, and how real Jesus Christ's love is for each of us! I never want to become inactive because this gospel is the most amazing thing. I just want everyone to accept it because I know how much it can bless their life! It is amazing how many truths we have and I don't think members of this church understand how blessed they are. I am so grateful to be a missionary and spread this good news throughout the world, whether it's in Alabama, Brazil or even my friends and family back home! I want to encourage everyone who is reading this to stay strong and escolher o caminho certo! (Choose the right!) You will be blessed as you honestly strive to do this, I can promise you that! I have seen it again and again on my mission and throughout my life. Stay strong and keep going!

Okay, spiritual rant over ;) I was sick at the beginning of this week which was honestly quite terrible. Haha I couldn't really do any work so we were just stuck in the apartment with nothing to do. I mean, there's a point where studying and reading just gets so boring you can't even handle it. And we had slept way too much so we were going stir crazy. Haha but luckily I was feeling much better the next day and now I'm basically 100%. I think it was just a virus that had been going around I had to get out of my system.

So then on Thrusday we found out Elder Henderson had his visa, so after that we were basically just visiting all the people and members we were going to miss the most. It was sad, but I'm still happy. Like I said before, I know I'll see em again.  Since Elder Henderson is from Atlanta, we have this plan of me flying to Atlanta and him picking me up there and then visiting everyone down here. I'm already excited just thinking about it haha! I really will miss Clanton-maybe not how insanely hard it is to find investigators, but I'll miss the members here.

I should be getting my visa very soon though. I thought maybe it was because I was from Utah that it was taking so long, but another elder from Layton got his visa this week too!! So it should be any day now. I'll give you my Millbrook address, but as soon as I get my visa, I get to email you. And then I get to call you at the airport! :D

Well, I hope everything is going well. It was a bit of a sad week, but I'm excited for the future! I love being a missionary, it's the best thing ever. For real!!!

Loves!

Elder Weight