2015-10-10 Weathy and Gamby (and Smithy... for two more days)

(Kathy says:  This week, I had asked a few questions, so he is answering.  The first paragraph is expressing excitement that his father's arrangement of "O Come All Ye Faithful" for symphony and chorus will be performed by Seattle Ensign Symphony and Chorus at Benaroya Hall in December!)

Hello! Going to save a little time here, and answer some questions in my public email.

Mom:  So, you’ll have to tell us all about your new position!  I know you will miss working with people to help them more directly—but know that you are serving in a way that keeps the mission going forward!  If you are missing being “in the trenches” a lot, talk to the mission president about that.  I’m sure he’ll understand!

Glad you’re enjoying the air conditioning!

People were asking me…are Elders Gamboa and Smith your companions? How does that work?  Are they the AP and some other assignment? 

I imagine you may have less time for photos, but try to send some anyway.

Do you still cook for yourselves?  Do you have meals with the Pres?  Are you living in the mission home? Do you have easier access to a computer for Skype purposes?

Rob:  Thanks for writing! Yeah, Dad told me. I'm so happy! Wish I could be there to hear it... 

Elder Smith was the old secretary to the president--I got here two weeks before the end of the change, and he's been training me. We've been wandering around as a trio, and this Monday he'll leave to a different area and leave me all by my lonesome self. With my companion, Elder Gamboa. Elder Gamboa (from Zacatecas, MX) is the financial secretary, and the two secretaries are always companions. There are actually two more secretaries, one for records and one for materials, and they're a married couple, so they're also companions. There are two assistants to the president, Elder Espinoza (from Sinaloa, MX) and Elder Ribeiro (from Brazil), that are also companions. We're not companions with them, but we do see them a lot, because we live with them and usually eat with them, when they're not traveling (doing splits with the various zone leaders).

As for cooking for ourselves, nothing has changed. We eat lunch with members, and we're left to fend for ourselves for breakfast and, if we want it, dinner (but they don't give us time for dinner--if we're hungry, we fix ourselves something at 9:30, after we're done planning for the next day. It's always been like that, all over the mission). We occasionally get to eat with President Córdova, but only on special occasions. We went out for goat tacos yesterday with the assistants, President Córdova, and his wife to celebrate/mourn Elder Smith's leaving. We don't live in the offices, or the president's house, but our apartment is pretty decent. And yes, I think this Christmas should work out better than Mother's Day, hehe :)

The best part about this assignment is probably being close to President Córdova. He's open to chat (although he wants me to teach him English, but he has little to no time to practice), and he's a fount of wisdom. He's a great teacher, and I'm excited to work closely with him. 

Pictures should actually be a lot easier to do (we still have a full P-day, it's just a different day of the week). Here's one. Here's me and Elder Gamboa. In the background, you have... my desk! 

This second one was from my second day here. It was Elder Ribeiro's birthday. He's holding the cake. Then there's Elder Gamboa, Elder Smith, Sister Amaya (she had a sprained ankle, so she had to come in) the Willinghams (the other secretaries), and Elder Espinoza. 

Love you all!

Élder Rob Weatherford

2015-10-3 Weatherford and Gamboa... and Smith

Ok. First things first. I am no longer with Elder Lind. Elder Lind is in Tuxtepec. I am not. I am in Veracruz again. All right, that's out of the way--now I can continue.

We had a really good week... almost a week and a half ago. Saira told us she feels ready to get baptized, there was finally legal progress on Georgina and Nestor's wedding, and Jesus was going along really well. Oh, and Álvaro and Reyna finally went to church again! Reyna was even at the point where she was joking about her baptism... it's kind of hard to explain, but I'm sure the missionaries know what I'm talking about... that's when you know they're really considering the idea. So, we had Saira and possibly Georgina lined up for the last day of the transfer, the 11th. And then, Monday night, I get a call from the assistant. Special transfers! I'm going the next morning at 5am to the bus station to catch a ride to Veracruz! It's two weeks early so I can be trained to be the new Secretary to the President. A desk job! It's actually going to be really cool, I think, although my time in the field is going to be (extremely) limited. I don't know how it works in other missions, especially the States, but the biggest and most important part of my job is managing the visa, travel, etc. paperwork to make sure the foreign missionaries remain legally. I'm in charge of receiving those that arrive (and, of course, all their paperwork), renewing the visas of those that have more time in the mission, arranging the flights for those that are leaving, and a bunch of other stuff. I get to talk to people over the phone from all over North and South America in a variety of languages (well, English and Spanish... I don't know what I'll do when it's time to do it for the Brazilian missionaries...), visit a bunch (only a couple, actually, I think... but often) of governmental offices, and I get my own desk (!). It's a lot of work, actually, a lot of complicated governmental procedures I have to learn, and, of course, a lot of filing. And then, ideally, in the evening we can go out to work in our area. But, of course, the thing that excites me the most is the air conditioning in the offices :) 

The thing about this assignment is that it's a minimum of six months. When I get out of the office, the end of my mission will be in sight. That's a sobering thought. But I've been praying about it, and I feel good in knowing that if this is where the Lord wants me, it's for a reason. I'll push all the paper He wants me to, and I'll do it happily. 

It may not be on the mountain height

Or over the stormy sea,

It may not be at the battle’s front

My Lord will have need of me.

My battles are going to be more with government officials than with the hosts of Satan (hold the political jokes, please) for a few months, but I'm still a missionary, and I'm still where the Lord wants me to be.

I'm going to wait to write about Conference until I see all of it, but it's been amazing so far! It's always special, even if sad, to see new apostles chosen. President Packer, Elder Perry, and Elder Scott were outstanding men, but the work doesn't stop, and they're now resting (or maybe not... they're probably still hard at work in the Lord's service!) while others are called and qualified to take their place. And the work rolls on!

Élder Rob Weatherford

P.S. My P-days will be on Saturday, now, and not Monday. Just FYI.

2015-10-3 Don't worry, Mom...

*From Rob's mom, Kathy:  When I took him to task for not letting me know until after he was over the chikungunya, here's what he said:
"Yeah, I've been good for a while. I just didn't write until after I got better :) But I did tell you!

Don't worry! It wasn't even that serious. Seriously, like I said, that sickness usually lays out people for over a month, but after I got the blessing there were a couple of rocky days, and then I pretty much completely recovered. And now... well, you'll find out in a sec when I send the group email, but I'm going to be a little more sheltered now for a while. Oh yeah, and my pdays are going to be on Saturday, not Monday, just today was a little harder to write because of conference and everything. Sorry about last week. It's been a little crazy recently."

So, there you have that.  Group Email next!

2015-9-21 Hump Day

*Sigh* So, last Thursday I turned one year old. We got together with another companionship today to burn my shirt. I have a video... I'll see if I can send it, but it may have to wait until I get back. 

What else has happened... I got over a bout of tropical sickness I had, a weird disease nobody here knows how to pronounce, not even the doctors--it's that new. But supposedly it's spreading all over Mexico! Chikungunya, or something like that. It's kind of similar to dengue, but you get weird spots all over your body, especially on the forearms, that gets worse when you're in the sun. Which, in Tuxtepec, is all the time. It was kind of funny, actually... I was feeling a little bad one Sunday afternoon, and then even worse on Monday, when I broke out in fever. On Tuesday morning, a few more symptoms added themselves on, and my comp started the chikungunya jokes. I laughed it off and told him it was the tail end of a cold combined with some dehydration. We were heading to the house of a less active sister to visit her when Elder Lind noticed and pointed out the spots on my arms. I was like, "Dang it. Ok, maybe it's chikungunya." And so we go in to visit the sister. She just happens to mention that she's been just getting over chikungunya, and casually lists off every single one of the symptoms I had. She's just talking, and I look over at Elder Lind, and he's giving me "the look," and I just start laughing into my towel (covering my mouth so the sister doesn't notice). and he almost loses it as well... So then we visited the local pharmacy doctor and got it diagnosed. There's not really a medicine for that kind of thing, you just have to drink liquids and vitamin C and you can take advil for the pain and fever. And stay out of the sun. Hehe. That last one's not really an option. We don't get to use hats, so I used an umbrella for a little while, but everyone associates that with the Jehovah's Witnesses here, so I didn't do it too often. But, I've passed through it, and super fast, as well. A lot of people are laid out in bed for a month, not even able to walk because of the pain, but my comp gave me a blessing that Tuesday night and we haven't even had to take a day off. And that was all a couple of weeks ago, and now I'm pretty much completely over it. I haven't even seen my leopard spots in over a week! So pretty much everything is fine.

We've had some great spiritual lessons this week, even though we don't have that many investigators that are progressing. We're still visiting the Serena family (I sometimes have a hard time letting things go), but because of sickness and some other problems they've had a lot of difficulties in going to church. There's another investigator we have, Jesús, who's really solid, but his path to baptism is going to be super hard. We know we were sent there to help him, though. It was an inspired street contact. But it wasn't actually him. Let me explain... We passed a woman walking in the street with her young son carrying tortillas to her house to eat, and Elder Lind felt prompted to contact her. She didn't seem that interested, but she gave us her address and a time to pass by. Flashback a few weeks earlier when we were searching out an address that other elders gave us as a reference. We didn't end up finding it, but I felt satisfied with the effort we were doing in contacting those we could in the area we were looking in. I had mentioned to Elder Lind that sometimes the Lord puts us in a certain place at a certain time to find someone who we maybe didn't even know we were looking for. So (fast forward again to a few days after the contact), when we pass by the house at the time the woman told us to pass by and she wasn't there, we stayed and knocked on the neighbors' doors. The first one we knocked on was Jesus'. He told us he was busy cleaning his patio, and so Elder Lind offered to help. He didn't believe us at first, but when he saw we were serious, he let us in. We cleaned for a while, and then he asked us if we wanted to talk inside. We of course accepted, and we had a really intense chat. Let's just say he's been through a lot in the last few months, and really needs the Church. Since that time he's been progressing well, even if he has a harder path than most. There's also another investigator, Saira, who also has a hard path ahead of her, but who's finally started to progress.

At times I start to think a little bit about my mission being half over, but I try not to do that too much, just focus on the work and area and people at hand. And that helps. I still have a ways to go, both in time and in self-improvement that I need to do. But I have had many experiences here with a lot of special people that have helped me, members, non-members, and missionaries. I'll miss this area when I go. But not the heat. Unless I go to Tierra Blanca...

Con todo mi amor,

Élder Rob Weatherford

2015-9-14 Walterflord y Lind (because HIS name is pronounceable)

Nobody came to church this Sunday because no investigators were allowed! I don't know if they showed it in the states, but I doubt it... But I'm pretty sure all over México they showed the rededication of the temple in México City. We got to hear from the Temple President and his wife, from Élder Benjamín de Hoyos, the same one that came a few months ago to give us a training, and then from Élder Holland and Élder Eyring. I really liked what Élder Holland said. He quoted President Young when he was asked about if he (President Young) believed they would have success with the Salt Lake temple after having to abandon other attempts. He essentially said, "I don't know and I don't care. What I do know is that the Lord wants us to be here, doing this right now. So I'm going to do it." The actual quote is better, but that's what I got out of it. There's a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, with pretty much any topic you care to name. The Lord's standards and expectations are being pushed farther and farther to one side, and at times we wonder if we can really do what He expects of us. Or if it's even worth trying. I could be questioning if I'm making a difference, if I'm even changing myself, if I'm living up to what the Lord expects of me in these two years. Those are the thoughts most prevalent in my mind, but any person can and does put in their own worries and thinks about those things, time and time again. 

The Lord allows us to have doubts. True bravery isn't not having fears. It what you do with those fears, what you do with those doubts, that matters. I hope I can have the faith of President Young, I hope we all can, as we do what the Lord needs us to do, what we need us to do. Also, I'm really excited to be able to go to the temple again in a year. I've missed it a lot. And, of course, I've thought maybe that's one of the reasons we're not allowed to go... Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

I believe in Christ, and every day I'm a little more amazed at the love He shows for me. I don't really understand the Atonement still, and I probably won't every really be able to comprehend it. I know I don't deserve it. But He's still trusted me to go around and tell people about it, to be able to experience it as well. Like Elder Holland said about sending a bunch of kids out to preach the Gospel: "Bad business decision, divinely inspired." Every calling is an opportunity to give service, and every calling is badly needed. 

Doctrine and Covenants 81:5  Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

Those hands may be mine that are hanging, those may be my knees that are shaking, but when I lose myself in service to my fellow beings I'm losing myself in my God. And that's what I need to do--lose myself, my will, in His. That's when the miracles happen.

Con amor,

Élder Rob Weatherford

P.S. A couple more pics from waterfall day. Comp selfie, and First Vision photo. "I saw a pillar of light..." 

2015-9-7 Walterdorf y Link

Note from Kathy:  a little organ humor between father and son...Things that make church organists laugh: Rob: So, Dad, how are you liking being the church organist again? Stephen: I like it fine, but it's frustrating how much people talk during the prelude. Rob: Just slip in more reeds (reed sounds). When your teeth are vibrating, it's hard to talk. Kathy: Watch out, Finn Hill Ward!  And now we return to your regularly-scheduled letter from Rob...

New change, and we're still together!

Stuff that's happened since the last time...

The whole mission went to Veracruz to listen to Elder Christofferson (!).

New investigators coming out of the woodwork. Some good ones, too, although we're struggling with the ones we had.

Went to an area called Jalapa de Díaz to visit a cool waterfall with an old friend from Orizaba, Elder Suárez, and my comp and Elder Suárez's "son" (the missionary he trained), Elder Reyes. Elder Suárez actually just finished his mission. Man, I'm old. Actually, I turn one year old on Saturday!

My comp found a picture of Parley P. Pratt from way back when and told me I looked like him. We put it to the test.

P.S. The title of these last few emails have all been names we've actually been called by people. Enrique likes to called Elder Lind "Link," and "Walterdorf" was an eight-year-old named Michelle. 

2015-8-31 Re: oh my darlin', oh my darlin', oh my darlin' elder-boy

{note:  some of this letter is in answer to the family's letters, so I left out that part. :) The rest is in answer to my question about practice before the big event!}

As for practice beforehand... not really. As far as the hymns, we just sang Praise to the Man and Called to Serve, so I didn't really need to practice those two that much. And I had about 45 minutes of playing prelude in front of the entire mission to warm up before Elder Christofferson showed up, so that was fine. As for the song, however... that was really the Spirit, I'm pretty sure. The two missionaries that sang, Elder Larsen and Elder Castañeda, wanted to do a vocal arrangement of "Because I Have Been Given Much," but the thing is, they didn't have any music. I got bussed out a day early to be able to practice with them (I had no information whatsoever beforehand), but we only ended up getting about an hour and a half. They had a CD with the arrangement they wanted to do, but it was all guitar and vocals, with a lot of changes from the original hymn. We talked it out, and we just practiced with me playing the hymn normally. But they asked for something a little cooler, so I essentially ended up making up an accompaniment in less than an hour that we performed the next day in front of an apostle without another practice session. So that was something a little new for me. Dad knows that I haven't written anything before, let alone on the fly like that. So it was pretty much the Spirit, because God didn't want bad music for Elder Christofferson. I'm not saying it was a masterpiece of arranging or anything, just mostly working with arpeggios of the chords and a steady ripple (quick notes, not sure what to call it) rhythm, but I think it turned out decently. They messed up more than I did! Hehe... But seriously, it ended up really well, I think.

Sorry, time's up!

Love you, and miss you!

Élder Rob Weatherford