Hello Po

Don't look at yesterday with regret, look toward tomorrow with hope!  This week was crazyyyy, Tuesday we had a devotional and Elder D. Todd Christofferson came and spoke and it was amazing! Some things that stood out to me, 'open our mouth without fear" this stood out to me because I'm nervous and worried that when I try to talk in Talalog I'll say the wrong things. But I know that the spirit is what converts people not my words.  Make the gospel simple yet strong.  Becoming Christlike is a life long pursuit.  I feel like most people think that becoming Christlike is something that should happen in a week, but it's not.  Repentance isn't just confessing and forsaking your big sins, it's turning away from everything and becoming Christlike.  The Lord is pleased with EVERY effort.  When I was in high school I wrote "perfect effort" on my wrist tape.  I knew I wouldn't have a perfect game but I knew that if I had perfect effort I'd be able to answer for every play.  I know the same is with the mission and life.  If we have perfect effort in becoming like Christ then I know we will become better everyday.  Expect improvement not perfection.  Mistakes are meant to be made.
Had a good week other than that!  Elder Horn and Elder Weaver were called to be zone leaders. Crazy but a wonderful experience! Thank you all for your support and love! Be safe! Challenge for the week, read 3 Nephi 13:8 and pray for whatever you need. Diyos (God) know what you need and is waiting to give it to you, so ask in faith and you will receive!
Truth won't change
Faith is power.
Mistakes are stepping stones towards success
-Elder Weaver

Notes with mom....
We are up at 5 this morning do laundry, and I just got down reading the Anklat ni Mormon so hello!
No there was no rush to do laundry he likes getting up early so it's whatever.  Week was good, language is slowly but coming but good, it's an amazing language.  Old district left Monday and Elder Horn and myself are zone leaders!  The new districts are amazing! and yes we got to host, (get elders from parents at the curb), crazy experience but it was so FUN!  we are going to the temple around 8 today.
Zone leader responsibilities right now are just welcoming new elders and sisters, and being there for everyone. I did know everyone in that airport picture, it was the old zone so I knew all.
No travel plans yet and nothing said about exchanging money, we usually do service on Wednesday mornings
Singing in sacrament was good, almost everyone cried because last week here for old elders.
Getting a haircut later today, Ill send picture
TRC was good, it's hared to teach what you want when you don't know how to say it but is was good, feeling good. we taught to rms and one sister and one brother
Elder Christofferson was great, I was like 30 feet from him, didn't get to shake hands, spoke about try conversion and a lot of stuff haha, it's hared to focus on only one thing but it was amazing!
I don't know what favorite thing was this week,
We got 7 new elders and 8 sisters, they came with pre-mission language training so they are already past me haha with the language, they got emails on what to do, it wasn't available for me...

Temple was so good! Elder Horn is skyping and then we will eat lunch after, then haircut, gym time and studying
We do the same service projects every week
We are leaving here on the 18th and leave Manila the 27 I think or something like that
Elder Loar says he loves you and I can't think of anything else I need right now, more ties...haha
I am staying warm and sleeping good, yes I am happy!
For language classes we have some teachers in the afternoon and different at night and no I don't go to choir anymore, haha,  me and another elder have NAP meetings...haha
I just wanna call while I can because I don't know how it will be in the Philippines
Hair cut is good and yes we played volleyball again for gym time
Hearing from Elder Christofferson was the highlight spiritual experience this week it was amazing and the temple and some lessons, mostly yeah!
I got to greet a couple of elders, just walked them up and took them to their room then dropped them off at their class building
The barbershop here is free, the MTC is super repetitive, but it's good most days, advice would be to love everyone, it's hard not to but if you go out of your way to love and serve it's amazing.
I have written every day in my journal
In sacrament we alternate who will speak, I'll probably talk, we prepare a talk every week and then at sacrament the presidency decides who speaks, I'm not sure what my topic is this week yet, I haven't looked, my favorite hymn is called to serve.
I got the lava lava because I kept asking and he finally gave me one. He is from California, elder Uai (Y)
I hear from Bishop Bridges and Andrew and my famileeee
You know the journal I got with the scriptures at the bottom? Can you please get me two more of those, I feel like I'll fill mine up pretty fast and I like it a lot, thanks
Love you momma, Thanks for everything! I appreciate the prayers and quotes of the week! Thanks for including Burklee! I know this is where God needs me to be!
Love you mom! Mahal Kita nanay!
Elder Weaver

Hidden talents

Crazy week with many ups and downs, the ups definitely out way the downs though! Tuesday we had a devotional with Brother and Sister Bangeter of the 70 spoke (brother Bangeter is of the 70) and it was great! Afterwards our district went back to our class and shared a devotional review and it was amazing! Felt the spririt so strong! My kasama and I also had the opportunity to teach a member TRC, TRC is where you teach in taglish!  It was an amazing experience and I felt the spirit strong there as well! I have a hidden talent of eating a lot of food but its turning out to be not to so hidden and the effects are starting to show in my gut, but gotta live life up in the MCT while I can!  Also, who knew a linebacker could play volleyball??? Anyone? definitely not me, but hey another talent I have, I'm really good at blocking with my face!  Either that or everyone aims for my face, either way, I'm good at it!  Another hidden talent is the language of Tagalog, it's still a little hidden but I know through faith in not only Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ but also myself that I'll be able to get it!

Challenge of the week, smile at ten random strangers!  One day when I was driving home from school my senior year I drove past a random person on the street and they smiled at me for no reason, I had no idea who they were and never saw them again but that simple smile changed my whole mood.  Do as Christ would do and walk up rightly with joy.  I know that as we do this we will not only bring more happiness to our won life's but the lives around us!

It's so good hearing from you all and seeing you!  I appreciate all the support and am grateful for this opportunity I have to spread the truth to those in the Philippines and hope that you all try to spread it wherever you may be.

-Elder Weaver

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."

one week down

Ako po si Elder Weaver

Yes that's right ladies and gents, I am Elder Weaver and as you guessed it, that's all I can say in the wonderful language of Tagalog!  It has been a great two days and I've learned a little more than just that, haha.  I am so grateful for all of your support and love. My companion is Elder Horn, he is a tall goofy guy and volunteers us to actually talk in front of people which is good for me because I don't like doing it.  Its so great to be here, except I don't like how close it is to BYU...walked out of the temple today all high on the spirit and looked out into Utah and saw lavell Edwards and all the spirit that I had felt left me...just kidding, but the first night I was here someone in my district was wearing a BYU shirt so I obviously had to put on my Utah one and he looks at me and goes "oh no...why Utah?"  I looked back at him and shrugged and said, 'I actually like winning so..." and that was the end of his mission, he went home the next day. Just kidding again, he's still here but has to lay in the snow every 20 minutes cuz he is so burnt.  All jokes aside, this is a great place and I know this is where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing.  I appreciate all of your support and love!!  I'm so grateful for this opportunity I have to further convert myself and do what I can to convert those around me and challenge you all to do the same.  A missionaries purpose is to invite others to come to Christ and I challenge you all to invite others to come to Christ, it doesn't matter if they are members or not, Invite ALL OTHERS to come to Christ.  I know that if you all do that then you will be blessed!
I love you all and look forward to hearing from you!
I will have pictures to send next week hopefully!!
over and out
Elder Weaver

Side notes to mom....
Temple was good, comp is good, super fun, I love my roommates, food is good! our Pdays are Friday and when we write is up to us, I say Kolby and Elder Porter in my district

schedule this week is super wack because its first week, yes we jumped into the language the moment I walked into class, comp is from vegas, I don't know how much time we have today and yes I'm unpacked and there's 4 elders in my room and 5 sisters in our district.

I don't know about my favorite part, we met the branch presidency last nigh and they are amazing people and my comp is the district leader for our little district. Language is crazy awesome.  I can't wait till I can speak and know what I'm saying and be able to talk to someone. nothing about visa yet.  All day is church, haha, umm I need more flash cards for language please, febreeze, pens and a  preach my gospel in English, scissors and rubber band please, thank you so much.

three elders and idk how many sisters will be going to Cauayan, no they haven't said how long in Manila MTC
we will have exercise time, find something to eat and have class at 6:15

just language class is in Tagalog. next week will be more of our regular schedule, I'm usually warm enough but I get really cold at night, and don't know why, but ill bundle up more and ask for more blankets today.  Yes Im getting to feel like a missionary, haven't taken a lot of pictures but I will in the week to come and get a thing so I can actually send them

In we will bring the world his truth we sang on Wednesday in the chorus it says we will be the Lord's missionaries to bring the world his truth, but when we sang it we sang "we are the Lord's missionaries and the spirit hit me like crazy!! love you chat next week

Love and support from home

Farewell, pictures can not say enough about how overwhelmed we are by the love and support for our new Elder Jax Weaver

MTC

set apart by President Sykes,
Grandma Pat, Grandpa Rhett, Grandma and Grandpa Beardall, Justin and McKenna, Jace and McKenzi and of course me and mom and dad

then on a very snowy morning off to the MTC