3 Nephi 7:25 -- Baptism to show Repetance

Hey family!

   It was great being able to see all you shiny happy people a few days ago.  The Cortez Oporto family loved hearing your voices even though they didn´t understand a single word.  They say that we all look alike.  Good looking. A short email today, due to all the forms that we had to send today it being the end of the year and all.  My birthday was great yesterday!  All the members found out so they made sure that we didn´t return home hungry at night.  Also a miracle happened.  We saw Pablo while walking in the street and started asking him about his baptism.  He admitted that he thought he was going to be baptized yesterday morning but when nothing happened, he was to afraid to say something.  We excitedly apologized and invited him to be baptized next Sunday.  He quickly accepted and walked into his house smiling.  A good man who has true desires.  Next week I´ll write a summary about his conversion.  I hope that everything is going well in the family.  Don´t party too hard in the New Year (especially you Mom and Dad).  I love you all!

Elder Weidman

Matthew 10:16 - "Wise as serpent, Harmless as dove"

Hey family!

How is everyone doing?  I bet that all the houses are decorated and all the presents wrapped (in the Weidman home we all procrasinated until Christmas eve to wrap the presents).  I seriously can´t believe Christmas has come again, or that it is a different day for the world.  We have already started setting up many appointments for Tuesday and Wednesday, but we do it without realizing that they are special holidays because they are normal days for us.  Many investigators and members have said ¨Come on Tuesday or Wednesday¨ and we accept the invitation without realizing that they are inviting us to celebrate Christmas with them.  Our minds are set in missionary mode where all the days have the same schedule and purpose.  It´s actually hilarious to see the peoples reaction when they try to understand the life of a missionary.  Those who have a strong testimony and conversion understand the importance of serving a mission with all heart, might, mind, and strength. 

I know that we will talk in a few days so I just want to give a quick update on the investigators.  Pablo still has the same problem with his wife.  He is afraid to tell her that wants to be baptized into the Church but he is gradually mustering up the courage by praying and reading the Book of Mormon.  We have a few new investigators that have a lot of potencial now!  There is a family that Elder Sosa and I contacted a few months back who have now reactivated themselves into the church.  Everyone in the family was baptized a few years back except for the dad because he didn´t want anything to do with the church.  He recently told us that he has seen a huge change in his son, Javier, due to the church, and now he has accepted lessons from us.  We are also teaching the boyfriend of Javier´s sister, who´s name is Cristian.  Yesterday we had an amazing lesson with him and Antonio and they shared their opinions about baptism and the church.  Antonio believes that it is the church that he and his family should participate in.  Cristian has a past full of mistakes and he loves the feeling that he has when he talks with us about the Gospel.  He wants to change his life and already knows that the Church is the key.  He says that he wants to be baptized when he know 100% that he will continue in this path for the rest of his life. They both have true desires to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know the truth.

Elder Sosa was called to a different area in Viña which means that I received a new companion.  His name is Elder Brown and he is a great, hardworking missionary from Orem, Utah.  We have already seen miracles here in Quillota and know that more will come as we obediently work. 

I hope that everything is good with the family!  Talk to you in 2 days!

Love,

Elder Weidman

DyC 33:8 -- "Open your mouths and they shall be filled"

Hey family,

This might be the shortest email yet.  I seriously only have 1 minute to write this but I didn´t want to leave my weekly email out.  Chrismas is coming and kids are having fun.  I´ve been talking with Mary and you all can ask her about the Christmas video chat.  My investigators are doing great, as well as those of the missionaries in the zone.  Now we have 3 who have true potencial to be baptized this month.  With prayer and fasting!  I´m happy and working hard! The package arrived from Rach and I´m excited to open it!  Transfers are this week so we will see if Elder Sosa and I stay together for another 6 weeks or not.

Love you all!

Elder Weidman

Matthew 5:19 - "Do and Teach" the Commandments

Hey Family!

    Well the holidays are starting to fly by.  Everyone here is anticipating the night of the 24th because like I explained last year (if anyone remembers), Chileans celebrate with the family, eat the big dinner, and open the presents on Christmas Eve instead of Chrismas morning.  Santa Claus (el Viejito Pascuero) sneakily enters all the houses at 12 o clock midnight while the children play outside with their parents, and to then all the kids run into the house, knowing without a doubt that Santa has made a quick stop to the house yet again.  This year, President Kahnlein has informed us that we will need to be in our houses at 10 o clock Christmas Eve, which is 2 hours earlier than last year but I trust in his judgement and the revelation he has received.  For the New Year, we have to be in the house at 11, but are allowed to watch the fireworks from the windows. On the 18th we will have transfers therefore we have no idea if we will be here or not.  Elder Sosa has been here for 4 changes and I have been here for 3 which means that anything can happen!  He could go, I could go, or we could stay together for another change. Whatever the Lord needs.

   Were you all able to see the Chrismas Devotional yesterday?  President Kahnlein thought it best not to watch the Devotional because it started pretty late in the night but I want to know how it was!  If I have time in the next few Pdays, I´ll try watching a few segments.  Any talks in particular that would be best to watch?  

   The Lord has been blessing our zone a lot this month.  We set the baptismal goal of 15 baptisms for the month of December (the highest goal I have set yet) and we have literally seen miracles as we have strived to accomplish this high, yet possible goal. Elder Sosa and I have around 5 investigators who could be baptized this month which means that this week is crucial.  One of the investigators is Felix´s wife, who only wants to have her legs be healed so that she can be baptized.  We have the faith that her wish will be granted this Christmas Season so that Felix can baptize her.  The other 4 investigors are all referrals from members which is the best way to bring about Mission Work. We have a firm trust that the members will be sure to stop by and help the investigators have true conversions! In the next week I will be able to have a more updated summary of each investigator. 

   16 Days till Christmas!  The Spirit of Christmas or as President Monson said ¨The Spirit of Christ¨.

Love,

Elder Weidman 

Mosiah 28:3 -- "To Every Creature"

Hey family!   Sounds like Thanksgiving was a great experience!  I´m glad to hear that you all enjoyed the little trinkets that were sent.  Many countless nights without sleep were spent while trying to think of gifts that would please the family. I included a photo of Felix´s baptism.  Yesterday I confirmed him member of the Church and now we are working with his wife so that he can baptize her in December.  All depends on her health condition because she has true desires to be baptized but can´t attend the Church Meetings until her legs heal a bit more. We lost a bit of contact with some investigators this week due to school exams and preparations for summer vacation here in Chile, but it worked out perfectly because it gave us more time to work with the members.  The South America Area Presidency has asked all the missionaries to share an invitation made by Elder Ballard in the past General Conference with the members.  Here is the invitation: ¨We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior.¨ The members reactions to this invitation have been spectacular and many have accepted the challenge to give a Book of Mormon or dvd of the church to a friend before Christmas, while others have set Family Home Evenings with us where we can be introduced to their friends.  This invitation is also present for all of you and I know that many will be benefited if we can fulfill the wish that Elder Ballard has placed on the table!     Sorry for the shortness of the letter.   I´ll send another picture to make up for the lack of information!Love,Elder Weidman

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