May 15

Iakwe. Iakwe. All is great in Ebeye. Sorry for not writing these past couple weeks. My new companion Elder Kalinowski flew in the other day and Sister Lafaele finished her mission this week as well and returned to Samoa. Investigators or good and started with this really great couple. 

   The couple we started with are named Tony and RoseAnn. She had been coming to church a couple weeks and so we were able to start with her husband. Really neat experience the day before we started with them Tony says to her that they want to get married and study with the elders and says we need to ask them, Roseann responded that the elders would find them. The very next day we contacted them and had a lesson later that night. They have a really good foundation and are very ready to make a change in their life. Roseann is Nita's daughter and I'm not too sure if I've talked about Nita. I think she would best be described as matriarch, her grandkid Sonny was the one that got baptized about a month ago and the majority of her grandchildren are baptized and most of her children are studying at the moment. She has given us great referrals and was baptized not even a year ago. 

   Another woman we are studying with is named Betty. She's was at church Sunday and at the relief society activity this week. We have had a few lessons with her and it's good because with her we have Mañin as a member present to help us in the lessons and study at her house. Still continuing with the other investigators they're doing good just not coming to church yet so I'll keep you updated. 

   Elder Kalinowksi flew in from the states Thursday and got here to Ebeye on Saturday. Really cool guy he's from the Bay Area and enjoy him. He seems like a hard worker and ready to get to work so I'm excited. 

   Sister Lafaele left though and it was really sad. I've been able to work with her in Ebeye for the past 5 months as well as other times during my mission. Really hard worker and I respected her a lot. She did a lot to make pday fun and always coming up with something to do. As she left leaving for her flight she broke down and it was pretty sad. Might be one of the first missionaries to be sad that they're leaving. 

   Right now in my district we have Elder Kim who went down to work with Polson. Elder Waniel is with them and will be until they have a plane out leaving out to Ujae. Sister Clark and Sister Elanzo are the sister missionaries on island and pretty cool. Elanzo is Marshallese and her family is from Ebon so it's cool to talk with her about it then Clark is from Utah. It's a good district and have been blessed to work with only the best in Ebeye. 

   All is good everything is good and time continues to wind down. It seems as if Satan has picked up his game and work harder to finish my mission. Just feeling more tired or getting sick or some other thing, all for the best. 

  Doctrine and Covenants 54:10 and again, be patient in tribulation until I come; and, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early shall find rest to their souls. Even so. Amen.

Love Elder Weenig 

S. Weenig

April 24-100 Days Left!

100 days left. I promise I'm not counting I only know from reading Doctrine and Covenants. I try to he better about reading the scriptures I'll read a section in the morning but basically once we get back from seminary and waking kids up I usually pass out until the time we start work for the day. Lost and dropped a few investigators this week. Right now really focusing on both less actives and inactives. This Sunday it was more full than I've ever seen it and I found out we had 178 people and I was able to look around and recognize every single face there. All makes the missionary work worth it. 

   Right now we have 3 solid people we teach that have been to church the past 2 months. Two of them are kids and they're parents want them to wait a bit longer before they are baptized. So we have people that will be baptized but we just don't know when. Our other one needs to speak to the mission president so we have to wait for him to come in a couple weeks before he can be baptized. 

   One of our investigators is gay. It finally came up during our lesson about Chastity. My companion wasn't bringing it up and I ask him. Then I explained how there is no sin with him and as long as he is abstinent he can be baptized. He told us how he used to study with the Elders in Korsae but once they taught him about chastity and found out he was gay stopped teaching him. Was the first time we heard that he studied before despite asking him a couple times if he had. I find it sad that he wasn't baptized back in Korsae and felt like he wasn't able to be baptized before we taught him. He's one of our best investigators and so I'm really glad well able to move forward with him and he'll probably be baptized in the upcoming weeks. 

   Our pday was way fun this week. Friday night the stake did a campout so us and the other elders went with all the youth and drove out to one of the smaller islands. Was way fun had both a prayer meeting at night and in the morning. So besides hardly any sleep really great. Saturday us and the seminary kids just walked to the next island Gucci Gue and had a seminary activity there. Pretty exhausted a lot different than sleeping all pday like we usually do. 

   One of the verses this week I read was in Doctrine and Covenants 36:7 And this commandment shall be given unto the elders of my church, that every man which will embrace it with singleness of heart may be ordained and sent forth, even as I have spoken.

Just thinking about how great the opportunity it is for me to be on a mission and anyone who is willing to go has the opportunity as well. Similar to the savior Jesus Christ, he takes us as we are then shapes and mends us to perfect us. This really is one of the best things I can be doing and thank all those who helped me to be here and prepare to go. 

I love you all. 

Elder Spencer M. Weenig

S. Weenig

April 17

This week has been nice and productive. We had as much lessons with less actives that we had with others. Besides some bad insomnia and my companion being 'sick' all is well. 

   Elder Kim gets sick a lot.. But his version of sick is usually the fact he's congested or has diarrhea so it can be kind irritating. He's constantly complaining about the most recent sickness that he's dealing, including every time he gets a headache. It's not too bad but everyone now and then he'll use diarrhea for getting out of work but then just sit there and be find while I go with Nelson or some other member. It's kinda bad I got to the point where I don't even feel bad for him when he is sick just annoyed.    

  All the people we go and teach are doing really well. All just at different stages we have a handful that come to church out of the dozen or so people we teach. Also have a good amount of less actives that we go and have lessons with strengthening the family and helping to push the men towards Priesthood. 

   We have begun to watch conference over at the Ricks' for district meeting. Always nice to be able to read and hear from modern day prophets. It can be hard with conference because I've never been able to watch it directly always reading it or watching it a few weeks later. Anyway one of the talks for Saturday morning session really stood out, "I am a child of God" Donald L. Hallstrom. How this is really the most important and crucial belief of being a Christian of even being a human being. That we are descents of a God who loves us and cares for us some who is very personal. I'm also reading a book title 'A God Who Weeps' and it points out all the things in our relationship with God we often take for granted. In the book of Moses "Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?" But then again how can we not be a God that suffers with us and understands our pain. The more we begin to understand the gospel the more simpler it becomes with the most principles we are God's children. Often understated and not understood as deeply that he truly cares and loves for each one of us he does not gain joy from the trials we go through but is often understanding and helps us to bear our trials. Because of this I know the church is true. That Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and guide this church through a prophet today Thomas S. Monson as well as 12 apostles. These men are not perfect but, because of their faith they lead, guide and help us to one day return with a loving God. 

Love you. 

Elder S. Weenig

S. Weenig

Ebeye: April 10, 2016

Biggest news from this week is that I'll be staying in Ebeye. Elder Kim will be transferring to the south end of the island and I'll be training most likely. Either than that nothing new has been going on lately. The members are really great at watching out for us. 

  What's nice about the members half of them we address them as mama and baba. Elder Soromon would call almost everyone mama and baba despite their age so it was pretty funny, like Lupe who's 20 some with toddlers. I'll usually call them mama and baba if they're in their 40's with children older or the same age as me. Always feeding us though there will be some who would be happy to feed us daily and give us food whenever we show up. Two really great experiences this week is we are about to go to bed and members Kahn and Anne Marie show up with a bunch of fruit they brought for us. Then another night we visit Shelly Ann and Ned and they apologize for not having anything and they like give us a loaf of bread a dozen eggs and a can of spam. Always so grateful for all their help and just making us feel at home. Quite a few will say hello children hello my sons, or some Sisters in the ward when we walk in they tell their husbands look our sons are here. Really glad to be in Ebeye North, it is probably the best ward in the mission and really great for members. Almost all missionaries that work in Ebeye get fat but I'm still working out daily so I'm good. 

   Started with Zepty, Renny and Joel's older brother. Studying with two older ladies Rise and Betty both have one of our members come with us for a member present and it really helps us to make the lesson better. What's hard is we have quite a few investigators where they are happy to study but we just don't get to see them that often. Have about a dozen solid investigators at the moment and will probably have 4 ready for baptism at the end of the month. So working hard to meet that goal. 

   Missing everyone. Always nice to hear what's happening back home. Keep pushing myself to finish hard. 

Love 

Elder Spencer Matthew Weenig

Ebeye: April 3, 2016

Iakwe from Ebeye

 This week has been alright. Elder Kim has been sick quite a bit but, I'm not too sure how much is laziness and how much is actual illness. I've been working with Nelson a lot, Elder Polson keeps telling me I have to blindside him so I might just have to take him home with me. He's only 14 but definitely the best kid in the ward to work with because he's not lazy at all and really great about sharing his testimony and will teach part of the lesson as well. 

  Went on splits with the elders in the south area my first one since being here in Ebeye. So finally worked the other half of the island, it can be nice to switch it up rather than seeing the same people all day but, at the same time I do miss seeing my investigators. While I was with Elder Polson we were teaching this girl from Kiribati and I swear when we gave her the Book of Mormon in Kirbati she wanted to cry with joy. Elder Waniel has been sick for almost two weeks so we finally took him to the hospital and is getting a lot better. Worked with Sonny so good for him, although at the end of the day he was pretty exhausted. Basically I worked with Kim Monday and Friday then the rest of the days with some of the youth in the ward. 

  Other news with investigators is that Randa went back to one of the smaller islands Abeton with her aunt. Rayna's parents are good with her being baptized but want us to study with her a bit longer. The week didn't go exactly as planned and we probably won't have any investigators ready for baptized anytime soon but, work is going pretty well. 

   New members are doing well. Found out this week Diosi is getting a calling as a young men's leader. Renny and Joel are solid, Renny is pretty good at coming to seminary. Some of the others that were baptized a little bit ago haven't been too good. Both Junior and Sonny have missed church the last two weeks but, have been good at seminary so we went and visited them Sunday night. Always sad seeing some of the new members starting to backslide. Have been focusing on finding old members that are less and inactive to strengthen them. Sunday morningcontinued with the sunrise testimonies and always great to have the youth have their own time to share their testimonies. 

   And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

(Doctrine and Covenants 18:15,16) As I'm reading through the scriptures I continually find more and more verses that share about missionary work. This week I feel with less actives just the importance of missionary work and helping them to realize one of the most important things they're doing in their lives is raising their children and teaching them the gospel. That they must strive to do everything they can to help their children understand Jesus Christ and to gain their own testimonies. Than from that joy that work they can go so much further to share the gospel with extended family and friends. Missing you guys. 

Love 

Elder Weenig

Easter

First of all happy Easter Sunday. Time continues to zoom by. Rayna and Randa should be baptized this Saturday as long as 2 others Jasmine and Lani then one more boy whose parents are members. So there will be 5 primary aged kids baptized this week.

  We've been trying with Rayna and Randa's parents but they're really not interested but happy their kids are coming to church and getting baptized. Their older brother, older than Renny, has gotten more interested so hopefully he'll start taking more discussions. 

  Jasmine and Lani study with the sisters but they're Rusen's daughters. Rusen has trouble coming to church because it's in Marshallese so hopefully his daughter's baptism will get him more involved. They're also Sonny's little half sisters so basically in the Marshall Islands everyone is related, always finding new investigators that are related to members in some way or another. 

   Waking up the kids for seminary has been good. What I've noticed is that it not only helps the kids out a lot but strengthens their families. All the time parents are thanking us for waking their kids up and getting them off to seminary. 

   Have only three investigators coming to church regularly; Rayna, Randa, and Betawin. Still working with current investigators getting to church. Although what has been really great is seeing an increase of less actives we visit start to come back to church regularly so it's really great to see. 

   Saturday was really fun. Kim and I as well as the other elders and sisters and some youth went down to one of the other islands. Just this huge 5 mile causeway stretch to an island called Gucci Gue. So we walked out there and brought some food to have a picnic. There's an old rusted ship out there so all the boys were playing tag at one point and it was way sweet because they have ladders and places to hide in. Half the thing is in water and then sunk into the sand pretty well. Solid pday and also cool to go to a place that feels more like an outer island. As you go out to Gucci Gue you pass the Irooj's property. This small island that has a massive wall around it. We hear news hear and there about America and it reminded of what Donald Trump said about building a huge wall. Also was able to hear about Belgium this week and everything that occurred there including some of the missionaries that were injured. Honestly America sounds scary right now. I'm so grateful to be out here in Ebeye and just sharing the gospel with everyone. Elder Ricks, the new senior couple, shares his experience in Wales as an elder and realize how great it is over here. I'm so grateful to be able to share about Jesus Christ and his restored church and gospel. Wish everyone a good day and to remember about Christ's resurrection and what the means for us. 

Elder Weenig

March 20

This week has gone by really quickly. I swear I was just typing up a letter yesterday. Our preparation days are now switched to Saturday so we'll be able to relax in the day and then if there is we'll have baptisms in the evening. One of our investigators Sonny was baptized. Work is going good and time is flying. 

   Oh I did get sick this week so it put me out of work Tuesday night and Wednesday then Thursday dragged myself through the day. It's pretty strange it seems like everyone over Ebeye his catching the same bug. I had diarrhea and extremely bead headache and all I could do was sleep. Wednesday we had district meeting and I did it sitting down. Afterwards we came back and I told Elder Kim he needed to find people to do splits and then just knocked out. He ended up working with Nelson and I stayed at the house with Sonny. 

  Have a lot of couples both new and less actives that we visit. The only problem is that most people are at work and so everyone wants to study between 5-8 basically so it can be hard to schedule at times. It's been good seeing the less active couples we work with coming back to church more often just a little harder getting new investigators to come to church. 

   This Sunday the branch president asked Elder Kim and I and the sisters if we could speak. I chose to talk about Temples and preparing ourselves. Shared the verses in the book of Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Then talked about how Elijah has already come and restored those keys in the first temple in these latter days. I made the point that in this church we are not only missionaries for the living but for the dead as well. How every member needs to prepare themselves for the temple. That we not only need to prepare ourselves and our families but the names of those who have died so we they can be baptized and we can be sealed to them as well. I had a lot of fun talking about the subject and found out quite a few good things. Well this church is true and I'm glad to be on a mission. 

Love you all, 

Elder S. Weenig

P.S. I have started the book of Doctrine and Covenants and will have a section to read everyday until the end of my mission (138 sections/days) 

S. Weenig