Year mark?

Hello there, friends and family. Yes, it´s true. This week marks my one year mark since I left for the MTC. How crazy is that?! It has flown by, don´t you agree! I was thinking, just one year ago I was coloring eggs on Easter and packing. And now I´m speaking a completely different language in a different country where they don´t have egg hunts or paint easter eggs. Strange! I was pondering about my one year on a mission, and I think I might be in the top 5% of the strangest first year on a mission. Listen to this: 1 year. 2 missions. 3 mission presidents. 2 languages (well 3. Alabama hick is definietley a language). 6 areas. 5 plane trips. 12 companions (13 with the MTC). I have more companions than I have months. I´ll bet you it would be hard to find another missionary with this many companions! Pretty cool, huh? Have any ideas for how I should celebrate my one year mark??

This week was a bit frustrating and annoying, but we have a baptism coming up so I don´t even care! Giovanne is a 15 year old kid who lives right next to an active family. He´s friends with basically all the young men in the ward - plays soccer, video games, everything with them. We had been teaching him the past couple of weeks, but he really just wasn´t into the whole church thing. So this week we taught him with a young man who is getting ready to leave on a mission in a few months. He´s a convert to the church, and he´s got a strong testimony. We taught the plan of salvation, but he still wasn´t really into it. But then Carlos bore one of the strongest testimonies that ever existed and Giovanne finally understood. He asked us what he had to do to get into the Celestial kingdom, to which we responded: baptism! He accepted for the 12th of April, so that´ll be great. While we were teaching, Giovanne´s brother walked in and started listening. We thought he was 7 years old, but then he showed up to church Sunday and we found out he´s 11! So we´re going to teach him this week as well, and hopefully baptize both of them on the 12th. 

So as I said, the rest of the week was pretty frustrating. It seemed like everyone of our investigators lost interest, and every person we talked to immediately closed off to us. You have no idea how many times I heard the phrase "I´m catholic, but thanks" this week. It´s so annoying and discouraging, and both me and my companion were praying and working to no avail. So I randomly opened my scriptures and came across these, the first ones I saw: D+C 98: 1 

Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;

 2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.

 3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.

Hard times are hard, I know, but everything will work out in the end. God knows each and every one of us personally and has a plan for us. Sometimes, it´s not the same plan that we want, so we just have to keep pushing and trying. God hears your prayers and is obligated to answer them. So never give up and push through the good times and the bad ones.

One last thing to add: This week, we did a division with two members of the ward, because we had two appointments at the same time. We had a family night with an active family and a recent convert and less active. I stayed at the family night and my companion went to teach an investigator. I was sitting in a room with 6 other people who only speak portuguese for an hour and a half, and was able to understand and converse with them. I shared a 30 minute lesson with them and I think they really learned/felt something during the lesson. And I have been in Brazil for 3 and a half months. That, my friends, is what we call the gift of tongues. Obviously, I don´t know everything and still don´t understand every single word, but I really am learning this language. It´s amazing! So I´m telling you all right now : You can do hard things! I promise. The Lord is always there for you and will help you when you do your part. Trust in him and everything will work out.

Love you all so stinkin much! I hope you all have an amazing week and I´ll talk to you again Monday. 

Love,

Elder Weight

Don´t forget to watch conference!!!!!!