Jenessa Mission Letter #7

Quite the News!!

Well this is the best letter and part of my week EVERRRRR!!!! 

So I don't have tons of time but I do have some stories for you that I think you will love.  I LOVE Sister Taylor, have I told you that?? She is a boss.  It's her birthday today so we had German pancakes and are going to play Risk in the park if it stops raining with the other Elders and Sisters in our district!! ANYWAYS

Remember Don?? Well let me tell you the best miracle in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!! Sister Taylor has been teaching Don now for 12 weeks... and we were pretty sure that he was going to end up being an eternal investigator which is the saddest thing ever.  Well I think it was two weeks ago we weren't sure why but we felt like we should stop by his trailer and chat.. not really sure about what, but we did.  So we had a chat about why we were there and what he was getting out of it and I had the feeling to teach him to set goals.  We taught that if he doesn't know where he wants this to go then there really is nothing he is going to get out of it.  So he set the goals of being able to feel peace when he read the scriptures and to feel loved when he went to church and to feel God when he prayed.  Seems simple right?? So then we had a member come out with us the next day and give him a Student manual for the BoM.  Don told us over and over again that there is NO way the Book of Mormon could be true and there is NO way that Joseph Smith is a prophet.  Usually he would start yelling at us about these things and then we would bear our testimonies and leave.  That brings me to last week.  Last week we had another feeling to just stop by Don and see how he was doing.  It was probably 5 in the afternoon and He was still in the pajamas and didn't look that happy to see us.  So I just killed him with all the kindness I could find.  Then we asked him how reading the scriptures and praying was going (He has been praying about the Book of Mormon for 12 weeks mind you) and he says well... I got my answer... It's true.

WHAT??? I have to see me face when I watch this clip in Heaven.  

So we say "Don like what happened how did you come to find this out??" and he says "Well they both say the same thing, the Bible and the Book of Mormon so it has to be true"

.....

We have not been saying that for 12 weeks or anything ?!?!?! Of course we have but this is the part that kills me.

"So Don, now that you know the Book of Mormon is true, what are you going to do to act on that knowledge??" And Don says... well I don't know.  Don will you be baptized... (commitment pattern)

NO. Because I don't believe in Joseph Smith.

So we set a goal for him to know if he should be baptized sept like 21 or something and he says he will think about it.

Crying inside.  So we leave and commit him to pray about being baptized Joseph Smith etc etc etc

WE WERE DYING SO SO SO SAD!!!!

So then the next day we had this "I'm a Mormon Fireside" to go to that Don wanted to come to and so did Taia and a friend of hers.  The member that was going to take them totally bails on us and says she can't have any extra weight in her car and we call EVERYONE in the ward list... not really but everyone we can think of and no one will help us out.  So we are eating lunch and then I have the thought... "Why don't you have your own I'm a Mormon Fireside?" and I'm thinking ya but Don's not a mormon and he will yell at anyone who bears their testimony of Joseph Smith.  and then the thought comes "Just take everyone on a church tour..." So Sister Taylor and I talk about it and plan it all out and so the hour arrives.  Taia a new convert who is 16 brings her friend Kat and Don is there and another member are there.  So we take them around and bear our testimony in different places (Having a member there was key!!! She really brought it home because she also is a convert) We take them to the Baptismal Font and Taia bears this beautiful testimony about baptism and our member does too and it was incredible.  So we end in the chapel like Jason suggested and bear our testimonies and tell the Joseph Smith story right? And this thing TURNS into an "I'm a Mormon" fireside.  Taia bears her testimony I bear mine Sister Taylor and Sister Delarosa and then we ask Don to tell us how He know the Book of Mormon is true.  So he bears his testimony on how he came to know and it was just powerful.

So the day after that we run over to Don's with another member because our appointment fell through and we ask Don about these scriptures he read that helped him know the truthfullness of the Book of Mormon.  And he starts rattling off all these really obscure scriptures about the "isles of the sea" and cross references it over to like Ezekial and Isaiah and Sister Taylor and Sister Ferrill and I are all just looking at eachother like... what on earth?? Then Don looks at us and says... THIS IS AMERICA!!!! It was crazy he just went nuts and it was such a testimony to me that God knows HOW to talk to his children when they are ready.  Don told us that he was so grateful for Sister Norris giving him the manual so he could find all these scriptures and THENNNNNNNNNNNNN

He says- I know I need to be baptized....

we are floored no joke WHAT??  He says last night I looked at that baptismal font and I remembered what it felt like to be clean like a little kid.  I want to feel that again.  And so we say well when do you want to be baptized? And he looks at us with tears in his eyes and says "I want to be baptized as soon as possible"

The spirit was so strong.  I cried- I felt so much love for Don this man with long hair and  only 5 teeth.  So Don is going to be baptized this Saturday along with Nick.

That's not even the best part.  He is already converted!!! How do I know?? Well He comes to me on Sunday and says Sister Weber I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet and he pulls out a scripture in Moroni about faith and says, I just have to believe it, like I believe the bible.  

The best feeling in the whole world is knowing that someone has taken charge of their own conversion and doesn't need you anymore.  Don never really needed us, but he needed to know how much he needed the Spirit.  He knows that now and I am SO excited for him!!!

Cool miracle huh?? 

This is also something that I learned this week.  I was studying like all day yesterday while sister Taylor was asleep and I was studying Trust and this is a highlight of what I learned.  

We are commanded to trust in God with all our HEART.  So I was looking at a topical guide reference for the word Heart and it is like "conversion, new, and reborn."  So after pondering on it for some time I came to this realization through the spirit.  You cannot depend on yourself to be reborn.  Your conversion cannot come from your own knowledge.  It will come when you, like a baby, are completely depending on the Lord, like a baby depends COMPLETELY on it's mother, before it is born.  Without God or a babies Mother, it would not be able to have life.  

A baby's heart would not beat if it were not for the blood of the mother.  It's very ability to live is dependant upon it's ACCEPTANCE of the blood the Mother has to give.  Trust in God allows us to live life through the blood of the Savior.  Expound on that as you will but I thought it was SWEET!!!

Anyways its safe to say that I am a changed human being right now and I miss and love you all TONS!!!!! i HOPE THAT YOU ARE HAVING A GREAT DAY!!! 

Don't forget to smile and be so FREAKING EXCITED because you are disciples of Jesus Christ!!!!

i love you i love you i love you!!!!!

Jenessa Mission Letter #6

Man I just laughed out loud in the library hearing how amazing of an experience that is!!! I can't wait to read that to my companion, she is going to get a kick out of that!!!! 

We actually just had a training on how to work with members in the wards with member missionary work.  I can't tell you how blessed those missionaries are to have a bishop like you that is taking the reigns and getting everyone excited!!! I know when we came away from that training we felt the weight of the world on our shoulders.  What a tender mercy it is that you have seen the purpose of the gospel and are acting on that purpose with faith.  Bringing everyone the "good news" (gospel) of Jesus Christ!!! That is the best story I have ever heard!!! Man they are lucky because you gave them a referral and a member present lesson and now they have two appointments that week.  Missionary work is as simple as what you did.  It's the bold statement that we love you and that God loves you and we are here to help.  I wish more members understood this.  You guys are so awesome.  Nothing makes me happier than hearing that you are experiencing the same joy that I have ever day out here.  You won't have any greater joy than when you are bringing others closer to Christ!!!! Hahaha I love you guys so much!!!! I miss you like crazy!!!!

I really wish that more people saw with your kind of vision.  I wrote Jason a letter about this topic but with a different twist I'd like to share some thoughts with you as well.  We are so blessed to have friends who need light!!!! I am so grateful you see the need for light in the ward.  You all worked together by the Spirit and were able to bring joy to someone's life.  I was talking with Sister Taylor and we were discussing why when we read the Book of Mormon before our missions we didn't get as much out of it.  I mean we are out here and every word I read I have to stop and study and it's like I'm bathing in scriptures night and day I LOVE IT.  So we were studying the topic of knowledge and there is a promise in the doctrine and covenants that if you are willing to share your knowledge and teach others of the things that you learn- God will share more insights and revelation.  It is good to believe that you will gain revelation.  But to have faith is to ACT on that revelation.  Want to start drawing back the veil and receive revelations like the apostles and prophets get?? Start sharing your knowledge the way the missionaries and apostles do.  Part of their calling is to be missionaries for the church.  God wouldn't give President Monson all this cool knowledge about ways to improve our lives if He weren't willing to stand up in conference and share it.  Or for that matter, maybe talk about how much God loves someone while they are at the store.  The key to receiving revelation is to be constantly serving others.  

We had a panel with about 12 members and half the missionaries in our mission about what stops people from sharing the gospel.  The number one reason was that they are afraid.  Everyone seems to be willing but doesn't know how to do it.  Missionary work is simple.  All you need to do is say hey, we have a spiritual thought and games at my house every monday night, want to come over? Or "I notice that you drink and that helps you take a break from the world, reading my scriptures gives me a permanent peace from the world around me, I've got some friends who can tell you more." or you invite the kids and the missionaries to a big volleyball game and have the kids bring their friends and then the missionaries can talk to them about the church, the members don't have to and it's the missionaries getting rejected not the members.  Trust me, we don't mind.  :)  PLUS there are HUGE blessings that come with sharing the gospel.  You might say well I don't have it in me, I am not a missionary, I can't do it blah blah blah blah BUT

D&C 4:3  Therefore, (insert name) (Annalece, David, Jason, Dad, Mom), IF YE HAVE DESIRES TO SERVE GOD YE ARE CALLED TO THE WORK!

*Who gives that promise, who called you to the work, who says you only need a desire? GOD DOES!!

also

3 Nephi 11:41

Therefore, (insert name) (Annalece, David, Jason, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Brother Perry, Shar) GO FORTH UNTO THIS PEOPLE, AND DECLARE THE WORDS WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN, UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.

Who tells us to do this?? Who asks us to just share what we know? JESUS CHRIST DOES!!!

The Holy Ghost is promised that in the very time that you need Him, your mouth will be filled with what words to say as long as you obtain the word and then declare it. 

If our desire is to be united with Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, and with God> We will share the gospel.  D&C 6:33 Fear not to do good, my sons and daughters.... Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.  also see Ether 12:4

We cannot do wrong in doing the will of God.

Favorite thing I have learned while we are out here is that God has an intended purpose for us. 

(Can you tell I am really passionate about this?? haha)

In the Doctrine and Covenants that we were made from light and truth.  Well what is the power of God?? LIGHT AND TRUTH.  You are made of God's power!!!! How cool is that??

But just like we make tools with the intended purpose to use them, God has made us with the intention to use us in the way He wants to.  

A screwdriver doesn't have to think about being a screwdriver.  It is a screwdriver.  It always will be.  And it will only every screw and unscrew things.  Sometimes though as mortals we lose sight of who we are and for what purpose we have been created- we say no i think I'm a wrench. Or I am not able to do this.  And you start trying to rip yourself around instead of letting yourself be used by God and you end up reaming out the screw.  The point is that God has created us for the purpose of using us in the way he see's neccessary.  Being a missionary isn't something we need to think about doing.  It is who we were designed to be. 

The field is white and ready to harvest.  When a field is white- it is indicative that the harvest season is almost over.  God intends for us to harvest and to be swift, for the time of the harvest won't last forever.

So that's my soapbox about member missionary work.  hahaha I am so silly right, I just love this work so much and I wish that everyone would understand what an amazing feeling that they could have if they would just have the faith to act!!!!! It makes a huge difference.  We have a Bishop a lot like you Dad, He is prepping someone this week to see us and we will see them next week.  This work isn't hard, it's fun!!!!

This week has been AMAZING!!! SO MANY MIRACLES AND NOT ENOUGH TIME TO TELL YOU THEM ALL.  

To the untrained eye, this week was super hard.  We had a lot of silly things happen like we packed lunches and intended to buy peanut butter and forgot our money so we had 2 dollars and went to the dollar store and the peanut butter was 3 dollars... so we just ate a whole box of granola bars for dinner.  But I have never been so grateful for granola, or the way kids laugh in a park, or the grass, or for my companion.  Men are that they might have JOY!!! Even when you forget the peanut butter at home.  

So one day we were having a really slow day and we had the feeling to go visit a potential named Jan which she's totally not interested but she talked with us about her family and gave us popsicles YUM!!! So we were leaving her house when we saw a boy playing the guitar on his porch.  I just about flipped a lid, I walked up to him so fast and we started talking about the guitar and then about God and He's TOTALLY SOLID He's in highschool but He wants to hear more about our message!!! YAYYAYAYA. 

Yesterday was another awesome day.  In our training we were told that our purpose is to serve like Ammon.  So I went up to the Relief Society President and we asked her how we could help extend her reach and who needed to be seen, then because we need members to come out with us I asked her, "Who would benefit in coming out in teaching with us, I know my testimony is strengthened by sharing it so who could use a boost." (we have the hardest time getting members to come out)  She got the biggest smile and gave us like 20 names to call so that was a miracle.  

Also saturday we saw Christopher Cheethum, he's a less active who is in his early 20's who just got baptized.  So we finally got him at home and he started rattling off all these social issues about the church and I just kept feeling like we needed to go deeper.  So we then talked about the restoration and what he understood and finally he broke down and said, I just want to know if it was true why he wasn't getting an answer.  I told him I was going to be real blunt and explained that if he wanted an answer he'd have to read like Joseph Smith read and pray like he prayed and search like he searched.  Then he said but how do you know God is real. I shared my mountain experience with him and it was amazing, I said "you have been there haven't you Chris, you're falling down that mountain aren't you"  Then he started crying and I bore the strongest testimony that Jesus Christ was there to save Him, that God knew him by his first name. The Spirit totally directed the whole conversation.  And then guess what?? He rode his bike like 10 miles to church the next day because he didn't have a ride.  We are going to help Him and I can't wait.

So this week Nick (going to be baptized) told us his mom won't let him get baptized or she will kick him out and never talk to him again.  She apparently had a word with Sister Taylor while I was on exchanges on Tuesday and said she didn't think he was doing it for the right reasons and was giving him all this anti literature to read (which he wouldn't)  I was so sad, she is super catholic and thinks we are a cult essentially and so Saturday night I decided that I was going to fast (This was right after our lesson with Nick where he reaffirmed everything about not being baptized)  So I slept through dinner and at the end an hour later I really wanted to eat, and I didn't because I really wanted to grow and be a better missionary. but come to find out that an hour and a half after we left (When I wanted to eat) Nicks Mom came to Nick and said she didn't care if He was baptized anymore.  How cool is that?? Fasting is legit!!!! It wasn't me but the prayers of all of you and all the missionaries and most importantly of Nick.  We will see what happens but I was really excited.

Then the other day all of our plans fell through and Sister Taylor had the feeling that we should go see this potential and he was out working in his yard He was edging it with a shovel and told us to go knock on his door.  Well the family didn't answer so I started talking to him about life and coming back another time when I just told him that he should give me his shovel ahaha he said no at first and then we kept talking and I asked again if I could take his shovel and help edge.  Skeptically he gave it to me and I started edging while we talked about the restoration (He was hostage because I now had his shovel) and was edging his lawn.  And we had a great talk.  He told me that He was going to go to sleep 5 minutes before we came but he had the feeling to come out and do this.  He said "5 minutes has changed my life.  I will always remember what you girls have done for me. You could have missed me if I went to sleep but now I will remember you forever" His name is Jeehad and He is from Syria.  So we are going to go see him again.  And he told me I did a better job edging than he did hahaha I finished the front of his lawn and it looked pretty sweet.  People in michigan are SO proud of their yards.  But it was really neat to see that God put him in a place where we would be able to talk to him and bring him comfort.  

Finally we had the feeling to go to Universal street and we met a girl 16 named Mayah who wants to learn more about the Book of Mormon and said she would read a few chapters before we saw her again this week and then we met a woman named Philis who investigated 13 years ago and then moved and lost the missionaries.  So we asked if she had a Book of Mormon still and she said no but she wanted to talk with us.  So we set up an appointment and told her we would get her a book of mormon and as she left she yelled BRING ME THAT BOOK!!!! haha so we ran to the car down the street and ran back and gave it to her with an invitation to read which she took. 

Story after story after story like that, day after day after day!!!! I can't believe it.  This is a gospel of strength and of peace and of power.  The people we talk to tell us, "for some reason, this gives me peace, comfort" Or I feel more in control.  Basically I love love love being a missionary.  I love seeing people light up.  I love being a mirror for God's love to get around the dark corners people put themselves in. 

I can't begin to tell you all of the miracles I am seeing and how amazing it is to feel at specific times the strength from prayers I know are coming from you.  I love you all so much.  I miss home like crazy and yet I am so at home in the spirit.  I want you to know that you never have to worry about my safety.  We are always really safe, even though most of where we work is about 10 minutes outside of Detroit, the people are so loving and beautiful.  Did you know that the area where I served has been closed to sisters for years until last transfer and when missionaries have been there it has been super dead?? It goes to show that the field will whiten quickly and in the Lords timing when and where he wants.

I love you all so much, I really do!!!

Challenge, will you all watch the youtube video "Missionary Work and the Atonement" it will change your life! Promise.  And watch the BYUI devotional "Character of Christ" By Elder Bednar?? Let me know what you think!!!

I just love love love love love you!!!!!!! I miss you and I hope that you felt the spirit while you read this and were uplifted and edified.  I always am when I read your letters!!! Thank you for sharing that awesome story with me!!!! Keep me posted on life!!! Who is dating who how the kids are??

GOOD LUCK IN SCHOOL!!! YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE GREAT FRIENDS!!!!! I will pray for you every hour of every day!!!!!

This is so amazing of a work, thank you for supporting me in everything.  I know it would be easier to be at home and I am glad to know there is no place you would rather have me be!!! I wish i could show you the joy I feel every day because of your prayers and support.  I pray for you always!!! Have a great day!!!!!

All My Love -Sister Jenessa Weber

P.S. Trust in the Lord and get fat!!!!! Proverbs 28:25

Jenessa Mission Letter #5

Letter #5-  Another beautiful Week

Well I love your letters.  I must say I am probably the most blessed missionary in the whole world who has a family that shares their spiritual thoughts and experiences with me that help increase my faith and lift me up!!! I am so grateful for you all and for the time and effort you put into this letter and into supporting me!!!! I really love and appreciate you so much!!!!  I hope that my letters to you can lift your faith as much as you have lifted mine!

Are the kids so excited for school?? Who learned how to drive the Ford??  I am sorry so many people have ruined their boats out on the lake that is absolutely awful!!!  I love Melinda and Dayne, they are so cute.  That must have been a great Sacrament meeting!!!  Thanks for writing me during not football season!!!! That would be super hard not to hear from you more than that!!!  Something that I am learning about people with special needs is that they are in a place where they can live so close to the Savior.  I am glad though that you had those experiences with Jon and that he has brought you so much joy!!!!

I think I LITERALLY just gained 10 pounds reading about that yummy treat!!! You better make me some when I get home!!!! We don't have much time to cook and bake out here, but I would imagine that it is amazing!!!!!

Jason and Rachael eh?? Well I am happy to hear that it is going well!!!! Yay for a two year old girl!!!! Jason will make a great decision, if this is what he really wants I know that it will all work out in the end.  Any two people if they are keeping the commandments and continually working to come towards Christ can make a marriage work. 

I am glad that mine and David's story has set such a bar for the kids and for Jason.  It doesn't always work like our story but I love what you are saying about having a divine dream.  Maybe if more people set their divine dream on becoming more like the Savior they would appreciate their trials more.  I would imagine that God feels like that towards all of us.  Because He wants so badly for us to come back and live with Him, any progress we make is going to be a reason for Him to bless us, even though we are not perfect yet.  That is a great principle though.   You will never know if you are reaching new heights unless you figure out how high you want to reach.  I am excited to read this book that you are writing Dad.  I am really going to share some of those things with some of the Less Actives that we are working with!!!  I appreciate how much time and effort obviously went into this letter and into your love and care for me.  I love you guys and miss you so much!!!!

This week has been another week full of miracles out here in Michigan.  I am finding more and more that if you would like to see miracles, all you need to do is look for them!!!

This week we have been really focusing on one of our investigators named Don.  (Some of the missionaries call him Dirty D)  To give you an idea of who he is he has really long hair (Annaleces long) Its gray and really thin and He probably only has 5 teeth.  He lives in a trailer park and prides himself on being a historian.  So the sisters before have been working with him for 5 weeks or so but he has a major problem with the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith.  Mainly he just isn't sure about whether or not it's true and doesn't feel like he knows what the spirit feels like.  Well we felt like we needed to talk about his relationship with God as his father.  We sang him "I am a Child of God" and he started crying and talking about how amazing he felt when he was singing the hymns in church, how it reminded him of being a little boy singing in the baptist choir.  He really felt the Spirit.  He probably cried for 10 minutes or so.  How powerful a knowledge that we have - God is YOUR FATHER.  That very truth can motivate and inspire us to do anything that we would ever need to do or go through knowing that you are a CHILD OF GOD and you can BECOME LIKE GOD!!! Can you believe that?? It was a really neat lesson because we were all so in tune with the spirit and even though we were in a dirty place and there were people yelling different stuff all around us, his porch became a sacred place at that moment.  The spirit is so powerful and there is no way I would be able to do anything with my companion without it.  We had a lesson with a member there as well with him later that week and she just connected with him so well!!!! It was amazing!!! Members are meant to be such a big part of this work.  She really propelled him forward in understanding and in feeling included as part of the ward.  He won't accept the invitation to be baptized yet, but He is feeling the spirit.  My job is only to invite others to come unto Christ- after that; Christ will do the rest.

This is a truth that I have been learning this week.  It is not MY job to convince people that the Book of Mormon is true or that Joseph Smith is a prophet.  I want them to have the knowledge and power that comes from having that light and knowledge but it is not my job to convince them.  The job of a missionary is simple.  I connect a phone line that lets the person I am talking with access the love of the Savior.  This is what will convince us of the truthfullness of the gospel.  The reason that the church is true is not because any missionary or prophet says it is, it is true because GOD says it is. 

We had another miracle where we had been working on some of Nick's (boy getting baptized) referrals.  We went through all of them and were not getting too far when I had the feeling that we needed to turn.  Well I didn't say anything and then Sister Taylor pulled over the car and said, there's something else we need to be doing.  I suggested that we go tract.  I LOVE TRACTING.  She then said ya we should go to Detroit street (which is where I felt like we needed to turn) So we were driving down detroit street and I felt the Spirit super strong near a few houses and then it left as we kept driving, we got to the end of the street and Sister Taylor turned and said maybe not that street.  I then spoke up and said we needed to be on Detroit and Dartmouth.  We tracted 3 houses and then were going to go to dinner and I had the feeling "just go put a card on that persons door" and Sister Taylor said well let's just try it then.  So as I walked up to these people's door I held my hand up to knock and the door opened.  2 men were inside obviously a bit drunk but very very Christian.  They were super open to what we had to say and then we set an appointment and came back with a member and had a really neat lesson with them about the Book of Mormon and the Bible.  We gave them both a Book of Mormon and we will see what happens but I know that we were supposed to be there.  It was really a neat experience!!

I am just so touched by all of the experiences that we have been having here.  There are a lot of people who are without any hope, they don't have any worldly possessions, they don't have food, they don't have the power that comes from coming closer to Jesus Christ.  It breaks my heart to see people not have the joy that comes from this gospel of hope.  I am coming to understand what it means when the prophets of the Book of Mormon say that their hearts are weighed down in sorrow because of the sins or pride of the people.  Yet even though there is a lot of darkness, the light of Christ will penetrate any darkness no matter how thick, no matter how long it has been there.  The ward I am serving in is such a light.  There are new converts teaching investigators and investigators who teach with the missionaries.  I can't adequately describe how much joy there is here either.  I feel like Alma the younger when he describes the pain and sorrow of sin and the joy that comes from the gospel and being forgivien of his sins.  Here I have experienced that joy as I have seen people come to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.  "And oh, what joy and what marvelous light I did bejold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain."

The fact of the matter is that when we feel pain, we know that if we are faithful our pain will be filled with the mercy and the joy of the Lord to the extent that it will completely cover as much as we were in pain!!!

My companion and I have been breaking down every aspect of D&C 4 and studying the different qualities we need to have in order to do this work.  Each day we study a different one and work on that.  Have I mentioned I LOVE MY COMPANION!!! One thing you might find interesting

We were studying virtue and as it pertained to missionary work.  In the topical guide virtue is a synonym for holliness and one of the definitions for holliness is "God's standard of righteousness"  Being virtuous is more than being "clean"  We studied it really in depth but what I thought was neat was this.

Virtue is knowing how much worth you are to God.  Your worth is above rubies.  When you return these "rubies" to god you will want them to be as clean and sparkly as they were when God gave them to you so that you can measure up to this "Standard of righteousness"  We express virtue thorugh our obedience.  This is how we treat the gift we have been given and this is how we will continually polish ourselves and make ourselves ready to meet our maker. 

So in short.  Virtue is the process of continual polish and cleaning (repenting and refocusing) that will help us measure up to God's standard of righteousness. 

I hope you are all doing well I pray for you every day and think about you so much.  I miss you like crazy and I wish I could see you all the time!!!!! Will you send me more pictures of the family together?? I would love to see you in different places in my scriptures and stuff like that if you get time.  I miss you and think about you all the time.  I am so grateful for everything you have done for me!!!! I appreciate your prayers and your letters and support!!!!

P.S. We put John on date for baptism on the 7th.  We are going to help him quit smoking. but he's totally elect!!! He is looking for truth and believes everything he has been taught YAYAS!!! I am so FREAKING EXCITED!!

Let it be known that Sister Weber has the most amazing family in the entire world and that I love you more than words can say!!!! I think about you often, thank you for everything you do!!!

P.P.S.
I wish I could tell you everything I am learning but alas :) I can't! Soooo here's an experience you will like.  Last night I really poured my heart out to Heavenly Father I felt like I wanted to run faster than I felt I had strength and I really just sat on my bed and prayed with all my heart.  I felt the strength of angels around me.  I prayed that that night I would have some sort of revelation that would help me do better.  That night I woke up after clearly as if Mom had said it "The secret to this work, is smiling.  All you have to do is smile."  I woke up with the words ringing in my head.  I know that even if you aren't sure about what to do, if you give the reigns to the Lord and smile, that is all the faith you need to be led to do great things.  So don't forget to smile!!!

Jenessa Mission Letter #4

Letter #4-  HEYA

HEYYYYYY

I'm so glad to hear from all y'all!!!!!! I don't have that picture but I am sure it is a fun one!!! Sounds like the Weber's all dominated sunday that's for sure!!! How do you all like RAchael??? I will try to make myself more available to Google earth to find me but we are just too busy teaching people on their porches that we just can't spend too much time on the street ;)

I am glad to hear that everyone is doing well and that life has continued on to business as usual!!! I love hearing all of the fun things you are doing and the sweet stories the kid's send me.  I wish I had more time for emails and I could answer back to all of your amazing emails!!!! Tell David I really loved that story about the boy who got a blessing from the less active man and was brought back to life.  That is really faith promoting!!! It goes to show that if we have faith in the power of God and we act on it, we can do amazing things!!!!

Man I miss y'all like crazy crazy crazy!!!!!

Dearborn is my favorite place I have ever been!!!! It's absolutely beautiful!!! I love my zone and I love my district and I love my ward and I love my companion!!!!! Everyone here is so sweet.  Our area is over the really poor part of Dearborn. So people here live with almost nothing, but are so giving and generous to one another.  We had dinner with the Williams family last night and they have taken in so many people who have been looking for homes and who are stranded.  It's absolutely astonishing to see the goodness that people have!!! They give everything they have to support one another.  We have so much to be grateful for.  My companion and I were planning the other day and a little black boy was outside talking to His friend and he said that his family didn't have blankets or beds.  It broke my heart, he was living in an apartment right next to us and he didn't even have a blanket.  Needless to say I felt really lucky to have mine.

I am learning that life is all about the little things.  When you have a pencil, a cool breeze, a blanket- they're all blessings!!! Can you believe that there are people in the united states that don't even have food to eat at night?? I have never been so grateful for things like biscuits that are made for us by members because it's all that they have. 

We are teaching a TON of people right now and we are working on finding more.  Our area has the highest concentration of Muslim people in the whole North American Continent.  So we have to kind of steer around those unless we feel prompted otherwise.  We are teaching a boy named Nick he's 19 and is a little bit autistic.  We were worried that he might be doing things for the wrong reasons but last night he called us and told us that he had sat on his bed for 4 hours and has come to decide that this is exactly what he wants.  He said "You guys just make sense.  Before you sister's came along I didn't get it, I didn't understand anything, but you make sense.  This makes me happier than anything else."  He went on like that for about 10 minutes.  I am here to tell you that it is absolutely true what they say about having no greater joy than bringing other souls to Christ.  He is going to be baptized on August 31.  I really didn't have too much to do with teaching him, but it's been great to step on the scene and support what has been done.  He is a really special spirit.

We are teaching a less active family named the Valasquez.  She and her family went inactive after their son was born with a whole bunch of issues and she said she didn't feel like the Book of Mormon spoke to her or made her feel anything.  She also said that she didn't get anything out of the hymns.  It was really neat because I could identify with the way she felt because I didn't always know HOW to study the Book of Mormon in a way that I would get things out of it.  So the next lesson we taught her we had her ask any question.  Hers was how to make her relationship better with her husband.  Then we taught her how to look things up in the index and with the bible dictionary and topical guide so she didn't have to "sort through unrelated scriptures" by having her give synonyms to things she thought would help her problems.  Anyways it was really neat because she started finding the scriptures on her own through her own revelation.  She looked over at us and was like.... I feel it!  Anyways she's got a 13 year old son that doesn't want anything to do with the church and we are going to work with him!!!

There are soo many people that we are teaching and it is amazing to see them for what they can become!!!! Its also amazing to look at yourself with your own weaknesses and see yourself for what you can become!!! Scripture reading has been really cool as well as companionship study.  Sister Taylor and I have been disecting D&C 4 today we studied faith.  It was cool because I brought up that if we have faith we will know that Christ is who He says He is.  If we believe that, then we also must believe that WE are who Christ and God says WE are.  If God has faith in us, why shouldn't we have faith in ourselves. 

This meant a lot to me because at the beginning I was so scared and I had a really hard time like talking to people. It's been getting better.  It's a choice to act in faith and teach with the spirit!!! I really have to focus on the investigator and really feel the spirit when I teach.  But I am learning so much.  The Character of Christ is that whenever He would want to turn in, He always turned out.  He never told experiences of miracles He had done or bragged about His power.  He focused on the doctrines He was teaching and the needs of the people who were searching for truth.  That is the character we need to seek to have!!  We went out contacting for the first time the other day and boy is that better than tracting.  I can talk to anyone when they are buying yogurt hahaha.  Teaching is one of the best experiences I have ever had.  Sister Taylor mentioned though this morning that you can't convert someone past your own conversion though!  So that was interesting to learn.

I love President Gerber and His wife is a doll!!! He mentioned in His interview with me that when I was leaving to Deseret Book He thought He would never see me again (He saw me the day before my last day) He said it was such a treat to see that I would be coming to His mission and He knew that I'd be able to do amazing things.  He really is the best.  What a great teacher.

Honestly every single day is a miracle.  Every moment that I wear this badge, a seed is planted.  And that is all that the Lord asks us to do, is to plant seeds and harvest them!!!! Wow but really!!!!  There are never any failures!!!!

My zone is great, we had zone conference the other day and they were talking about how as missionaries we have the tendency to shoot down people's problems and to just "fix" things.  Our Zone Leader said "You can't take out your sharp shooter and just take care of your investigators problems on sight like that."  Well then I made the comment that

True conversion comes not when we shoot their problems.  True conversion will come for the people we teach when we show them 'this is what the safety is and this is how it works'  and 'this is what the barrell is and this is what it's purpose is and it's this long because....'  True conversion is when we have taught them everything there is to know about that gun which is truly symbolic of Christ's atonement, and they take it in their hands and pull the trigger and are able to shoot down their own problem with the power that comes from the Sacrifice and knowledge that Christ died for us and we will be able to live with God again.

Anyways that is what I am learning.  I have been so changed, in just a week we are learning so much.  We are tracting lots, contacting, and teaching and reactivating.  It is so much fun!!!! There is nothing better than this work.  Can you believe that this is what I get to do for 18 months??? I am so excited to see what there is in store beyond this.  I have never been so happy.  Sure things are hard.  But it makes it easier knowing that Christ walked where we walked and every step is a success.  Even if no one listened to our message all day, which hasn't happened but if it did, our success would be that we talked to ever person we did and we planted every seed we could!!!!

The ward is super sweet, did you ever serve in the dearborn ward dad?? Lot's of people want to know.  I bore my testimony on Sunday and it went along with everything we were talking about that day in church.  Anyways I need to go but I love everything I love you and miss you and hope you are doing well!!!!!!

Sister Weber

Jenessa Mission Letter #3

Letter #3-  Address and Alive!!

Family!!!

I got a companion today!!! Her name is Sister Taylor and I love her!!!!!! All is well here in Michigan I are ready to get right to work!!!!

Sister Taylor thought it would be nice if I emailed y'all where our address is :) 

Hope you are doing well

Address

give or take a street ;) 

 441 Yorkshire Blvd. 

Apt 201

Dearborn Heights Michigan 83274

Jenessa Mission Letter #2

Letter #2-  I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!

I am so glad that I got to talk to you today!!!! It made me feel so good to hear your voice on the other end of the phone.  I am sorry it was so early but I am so glad that I got to talk to you.  Thank you for everything you have done for me and how much you have supported me!!!!!!! We got off the plane and as we walked into the baggage area and President Gerber and His wife were there ready to greet us!!!! They are so sweet, their spirit is absolutely incredible!!!!

MICHIGAN IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN THE WORLD!!!! It's so green and pretty and the people are amazing.  The mission home is in the prettiest spot in the world I'm telling you, I've never seen anything so green!!!! PLUS!!!! WE SAW FIREFLIES!!!! ahhhhhhh I didn't know this was going to be happening today!!!!

Fireflies are the coolest thing ever!!!

We also went out and went tracting with some of the seasoned sisters.  I went with Sister Ewing and it was actually really fun.  I love meeting new people.  We taught a sweet lady in her garage and she wasn't interested but it's just great to see them :) Also we taught a less active member with Sister Brown and the other Sister.  It was super fun and way eye opening.  

I love the President.  I love His wife.  I love this work.  I am so excited to finally be here.  

WE MADE IT SAFE!!!!

I love you with all of my heart.  I don't get to read emails and respond until Monday next week which is our Pday :) But I will look forward to reading your emails and writing you then!!!

<3 Sister Weber!

P.S. I am praying for you all.

Mission Letter #1

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Mom, Dad and familia!!!!

 

We got special permission today to write our families an email because we didn't get Pday this week.  I hope you got my letter in the mail!!! I hope that trek was super fun, tell me all about it!!! Was it a great experience, did you survive?? I wonder what happened to my amazing family!!?1?!?! :) I'M JUST SO FREAKING EXCITED TO FIND OUT!!! I miss you all like crazayyyyyy!!! Guess what, you were right, I can do this you better believe it!!! Our Pday will be on Thursday this week.  I LOVE SUNDAYS.  We have been working so hard and I love it because I am learning so much.  I love my companion she is the best!!!! Her Mom just died from cancer though the Tuesday before she came to the MTC so that's been pretty hard, man I wish I could tell you so much more but I only have a few minutes.  Anyways there is a calling called "Sister Training Leaders" and today I was in an interview with the branch president (Meyers) from American Fork and as we were finishing I asked if there was anything I could do to help serve Him.  He asked that my companion and I be the new Sister Training Leaders!!!!!!!! So we will be in charge of teaching the new sisters the ropes that come in next week and we will be have the opportunity to serve all the sister's currently in our Zone.  I am so excited for the opportunity to serve!!! We got to watch Music and the Spoken Word today!!! Did you see it?? It was AMAZING!!!! When the choir sang Come Come Ye Saints I felt such peace like there were angels in the room.  We are teaching an "investigator" named "Ed" and we are going to ask Him to be baptized tomorrow!!! I am really excited, I am working on becoming a better teacher, role play is really helping me. 

 

Anyways we are heading out to devotional so I actually have to run!!! But I hope you are doing well!! WRITE ME BACK ;) I love you all so much and I am working so hard!!! I hope you guys are feeling the spirit tons and tons!!!!

 

I waved at you across the lake from the Provo temple today :)

 

Have a great day!!

 

Sister Weber

 

P.S. how did David's talk go??

To the "Armies of Shelamen" 6 Lessons I've learned preparing for a mission!

So I guess it's the thing to do to make a blog before you leave sooooo here it is ;)

I want to start out though with a quote from my future mission president as was told by one of the Sister's in my mission :)
If nothing else this quote is FOR FUTURE MISSIONARIES :)

"You have a hundred successes every day."

We are missionaries to help coach people to eternal salvation. We can help people do that no matter how the encounter goes. We can help with a smile, a hello, a pass along card. For some people it's more dramatic; we teach them the lessons and they get baptized. We help everyone in different ways, but just by doing something, no matter how big or little, we are helping people progress toward eternal salvation. You have hundreds of successes each day. Count your successes. DO NOT look at your failures. You don't have any failures. " 

Cool huh ;)

So I leave on the Lord's mission in 6 days... AH XD.  Anyways I learned a LOT about preparing to go what to do and what not to do.  (Because believe me, my preparation was a RIOT!!)  So here are a few words of wisdom from a girl just like you that is finally getting her bags packed! Enjoy :)


1.  Everything that seems like a miracle IS A MIRACLE!!!!!

        -While preparing for my mission there were a million things that just "came together".  Whether it was opening to the perfect scripture when studying, or running into the person I needed to talk to that day working at Deseret Book.  Don't discount the things that really matter.  You are going on a mission and living righteously.  Righteous living will always entitle you to the help of the Spirit and YES even miracles.  God is aware of you, he knows who you are and most importantly HE LOVES YOU!!!!

2.  Don't waste your time comparing your wardrobe or other things to other people.

      - I wasted so much time looking at the "many are called..." site looking at people's outfits, their luggage etc. etc. etc.  Well guess what?? My situation was radically different than all of them and so is yours!!! You don't need to go out and spend another 500 dollars on a wardrobe when you already have one that will work.  The point of going on a mission is not to have the cutest clothes.  (Shocker right?)  The point of going on a mission is to share your sunshine and your testimony with every person that you can.  So spend your time on things of eternal significance.  Besides, by the time you get home you will hate all of your clothes anyways.  (Warning:  all of the returned sister missionaries I talked to said that the clothes from "Sister Missionary Mall" wore out the fastest and were the most expensive.... so be careful with your clothes and don't always shoot for the most expensive stuff)

DI was my saving grace!!! I got some super cute stuff from DI that still even had tags on it!! Can  you believe that?? The most money I spent on things, were my coat and my shoes... and trust me I didn't like it.  I haven't payed more than 20 dollars for a pair of shoes EVER.  Top brand picks for me
- Clarks and Yuu's. (You can get them at JC Penny's and DSW) I got some really "cute" shoes at first, and I wore them and broke them in and they still weren't comfortable, you don't have to sacrifice cute for comfort, just don't look just at cute ;).  Also, you can get great clothes online from China for super cheap.  Check out yesstyle.com and aliexpress.com, zulily is another great site for some inexpensive name brand clothing.

** Also... You will see all these people who are like "I'm cross stitching my mission temple" or "I'm reading all the standard works in a week." or my personal favorite, "I'm fasting every day until I leave..." To those beautiful sisters... I am amazed and inspired by you... but I really can't do that.

Our call is to try our best to be our best self.  If it's not you to make all of your clothing, don't do it.  I fell into a trap of thinking that said I needed to be more like these other sister's that were going out.  FALSE.

YOU were called to a specific mission where YOU could be of the best service.  Don't waste your time trying to change yourself into something that you are not. :)

3.  Nothing makes up for great preparation.

      - A year ago I received a blessing when I broke off a relationship that was about to turn into a marriage; in the blessing it said that it was important to spend my time preparing for a mission because a year of preparation could not just be made up in 3 weeks of hard work.  A year later I am going on a mission (imagine that).  Nothing brings me more peace than in knowing that I really have given it my all.  I know that because I have been prepared Heavenly Father will help me do the rest!!!  I am scared out of my mind to teach!!! We are commanded first to obtain God's word before we strive to teach it- so somehow I know that weak things will become strong and I will eventually be fine teaching. :)

But really- The scriptures are true.  Imagine how they came to be- many prophet's and ultimately Joseph Smith gave their very LIVES  to bring these books of scripture about- spend some time there, and you will be surprised how these people who lived so long ago can find their way into your heart.  You will learn how to LOVE the people you read about.

4.  ASK THE MISSION HOME- They can help you

        - When I first had a million questions I didn't want to email the mission home and seem really dumb (Don't you hate swallowing your pride?).... Eventually I gathered my courage and sent an email of upwards of probably 10 questions that were sooooo dumb :P And guess what?? THEY KNEW ALL THE ANSWERS.... it's like they live in the mission home or something.  Don't be afraid to ask questions. :) Plus, rules are different for every mission, don't get caught unaware.

5.  Life is hard... and it's harder preparing to go on a mission.

       -Can you believe that?? You spend all this time deciding whether or not to go on a mission and then all of the sudden (bells, music, angels) I'M SUPPOSED TO GO ON A MISSION!!! (Or maybe not, maybe you just knew or just decided ya know everyone is different)  Then, ten seconds later, Satan gets MAD!!! And you are then wondering ummmm did I make the right decision? The time I have had since my decision has been some of the hardest times of my life.  I mean plus everyone I talk to is like "Don't get shot while you're in Detroit"...(psh) The point is that people are often more cynical and can come up with horror stories about any place you decide to go.  Plus Satan doesn't want your sunshine out in a dark world converting and planting seeds all over the place about the truthfulness of the gospel.   With that said, it has also been some of the most humbling times of my life as well!

Remember that in your times of darkness to read D&C 6.  Within that chapter is a lot of really great encouragement for missionaries but especially when it says "Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?"  If you got an answer from Heavenly Father- it is still your answer... and unless something changes in your life- God doesn't change his answer without a reason.

6.  Prayer

      -Pray like everything depends on the Lord, and then work like everything depends on you!

Last of all, I know that you are going to do great.  Don't stress.  I always see people get ready for really great adventures and they are all sorts of stressed up and down the street about it.  RELAX.  Everything will work out fine.



COME WHAT MAY, And LOVE IT!

Oh and remember, Wherever you go, bring your own sunshine. :D