Tue 6/24/08 12:29 PM

Dear Family,

Well it happened. We held church in the New Building in Ljubljana on sunday the 22 June 2008. Please see the pictures taken by the National Director of Public Affairs Sister Dora Glassford. We had 150 people in attendance. It was great. I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed these saints with this facility. And we will have one soon in Zagreb. We missed the piano concert on saturday evening because an electrician was at our home trying to convert the electrical system from a fuse box to a breaker box. Well he said it would take about 5 hours and he started at 9 am on saturday. Well he left at 9 pm and it still was not complete. We had to take cold showers for the next couple of days. On monday he came back at 9:45 am and left at 3:45 pm. We had to leave and go to a baptism held in Zagreb. We took the two Senior Sisters Kram and Black with us. On the way we stopped at the Zagreb New Church and took pictures of the exterior. It is looking good also. The baptism was great and we said our final goodbyes to the members in attendance and the missionaries. Igor Kaloper the District Excutive Secretary was so kind. He did not want to let us go. He even kissed Sister Weight on the cheek and forhead. It was a tender moment. Elder Oaks our Area President called on the cell phone as we were leaving Zagreb. He is so thoughtful and kind and complimentary to us. We are blessed to have served with him and others. We arrived home after 11 pm. Today I read the last missionary letters to the mission president. What an experience that was. I really love the missionaries. How they have blessed our lives. I am having a hard time this week. I must confess. I will really miss this experience so full of precious memories. Roylene and I have become closer through it. I really knew I was blessed to be married to this special daughter of Heavenly Father. But it has been a glorious experience to watch her serve so many and to do it so well. I love her and I love who she is with all of her qualities. We will see you before you know it. Please be patient with me as I try to get back into life in Pleasant Grove. I know it will be a blessing to be with all of the family. Especially our children and their eternal companions ( who we consider as our children too ) and our grandchildren. What a blessing. I am thankful for all of you and for your influence to me. Thank you for all of your prayers and for the emails during the last three years. What a blessing they have been. I know there is much to still do in this part of the vineyard, but President and Sister Hill will do a great work as they serve here.

Love

Dad

--- On Tue, 6/24/08, Dora Glassford wrote:

From: Dora Glassford
Subject: FW: Newpaper scan of Article in NeDELO, national Sunday newspaper
To: "Dora Glassford"
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 11:40 AM



Subject: Newpaper scan of Article in NeDELO, national Sunday newspaper and some pictures from the first day in new chapel





Dear friends,



please find attached article as a result of my informing media about the Fireside in the new chapel. The article says:



Ljubljana

Concert in the Mormon Centre

In the new built Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which the Slovene Mormon community has built on the crossroads of Sisenska street and Vodnikova road in Ljubljana , there will be tonight at 19.00 hours the first event with a title The Power of Music. They will host American pianist David Glen Hatch . As Dora Glassford Cimerman, Director of Public Affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said, the official dedication and introduction of the new premises will take place in September, when they will prepare Days of Open Doors (Open House). In Slovenia where there are about 300 Mormons – in Ljubljana community there are around 170, in Maribor and Celje around 40, this is the first Mormon church or Centre. R.N.



The article was an excellent announcement of the first public event in the beautiful church building after Sunday morning worship. I doubt there were many visitors attending the Fireside because of the article, but we have told Slovenes that we have accomplished a great task and we are operational. We are now eagerly awaiting the Open House and Dedication, hopefully by our beloved Prophet, Thomas S Monson. We have not given up hope yet! We eagerly await the dedication date!



We are so proud of the new building and what it represents and so grateful to our Heavenly Father for this great blessing. I felt almost like being in the Temple ! The beautiful pictures, the water fountain… The first Sacrament meeting on the beautiful sunny Sunday morning of 22 June 2008 in the first ever church building in Slovenia was a historic event for us, the chapel was almost full with members, families, friends and investigators. Ljubljana Branch President Bogdan Kralj lead the meeting with Mission President Douglas Weight, in attendance just one week before his release. President Weight said in his talk that this chapel is only the first of a kind, and in the future, if we grow strong in faith, there will be a Temple in Slovenia . What prophetic words. We shall pray they may come true! He talked of how the building still has here and there some amendments or repairs to be done but he had insisted that it became operational on 22 June 2008, as otherwise the first session could be put off for a while yet, but we wanted to host a Fireside in it on the first operational day with a fine American pianist, Dr David Glen Hatch (www.davidglenhatch.com), with his protégées, wonderful young awarded pianists, at a Fireside, entitled The Power of Music. It was a great evening of sacred well known hymns and music by famous composers, and David’s spoken words, where the Spirit was present in such abundance. On the previous night the artists performed at a charity piano concert at the Theatre for Children and Youth, Ljubljana , to an audience of 115, the proceedings from tickets are to go towards purchase of an electric wheelchair for 16 year old member Ram Vidra, who lives with spinal bifida. We are very grateful to Dr David Glen Hatch and his awarded young pianists for two most wonderful evenings, which he has so selflessly paid for in full, including the hall, piano tuning and majority of publicity, and proceedings were given as charity. What noble action of kindness and generosity, Christlike attributes we so often talk about and so rarely see in action. May I use this opportunity to commend Dr David Glen Hatch on the wonderful Spirit they have brought to the yet undedicated church building. May they have success after Italy also in Hungary and Romania where the tour takes them after Slovenia ! A few pictures are included.



With love until I get the date of dedication!



Dora xxx

Thu 6/12/08 6:05 AM

Dear Family,

Well, we finished our last Zone Conferences. We did Slovenia Zone on May 28, 2008 and Croatia's two Zones on May 30, 2008. They were very good. It is amazing how different they ended up being. However the spirit of love was strong in both of them. I ended up sharing some of my lifes experiences and bore strong testimony at the end. What a blessing to have served with so many good missionaries. In between these two Zone Conferences Roylene and I had a final interview with Elder Kopischke of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He is the First Counselor in our Area Presidency. We met him at the airport and then took him to the new chapel in Ljubljana. He was surprised that I arranged for this and he really appreciated it. We then took him to a late lunch at the Chinese Restuarant. Then to the Mission Home for the interview. What a sweet experience that was. He first graciously thanked us for our service. He then reviewed my previously submitted Final Report and ask some questions. At the end he had us bare our testimony. Then we took him to the airport and we drove to Zagreb. After Croatia Zone Conference we stayed overnight in Zagreb for a second night as they were painting our Mission Home. I did some interviews that friday as well with members. As well as set the new Public Affairs Representative for Croatia apart. On saturday we had a meeting with visitors from Germany regarding public affairs. Then we drove to Rijeka (Opatija). We taught a combine Priesthood and Relief Society Meeting in Rijeka on sunday and also bore our testimonies in Sacrament Meeting. After they had a light lunch for us. We then went back to Opatija and stayed there sunday evening and monday evening. Monday we just walked around the sea shore one direction in the morning and the othe direction in the afternoon. Of course we sat in the shade and had cold soda drinks and icecream and watched the sea. It was the most relaxing day of our mission. We had to be away because of the painting of the Mission Home. Then on tuesday a.m. we drove to Zagreb and held a Misson Coucil with the AP's and the Zone Leaders. I fed them lunch at a restuarant first. Then we walked to the church for the meeting. It was a good meeting where I just counciled with them on changes that needed to be made to turn this mission into a baptising culture. We also reviewed every progressing investigator and gave them direction to followup on to get them with a baptismal date. We need to be more bold in this mission. I feel like I am just now working on things that should have been done earlier, but I know we must take one step at a time. It is also important to always remember that the Lord is in charge not me and that I must follow the promptings that come. We stayed overnight in Zagreb on tuesday because we had a lunch scheduled on wednesday at the new Zagreb Church with the workers. It was great. We had the opportunity to give out about 40 copies of the Book of Mormon along with pamplets. I told them to read this as it would help them understand who we are. And I told them all of the things they hear and see in the media about the church is usually not true. When they know us they will see that we are good people. One worker came up after and ask me to sign his copy of the Book of Mormon. It was a good experience. I even was able to talk about the church and the materials we gave out to the two young men that served the catered meal. We then drove back home. The house was still in disaray but we suspected it would be. It was catch up as I had 123 emails to handle and Roylene had many things to do including laundry. On saturday we went to Maribor for a baptism. I was ask to talk about baptism. The new member is a great one. Her name is Simona Strelec.

She is about 28 and single. I hope one of the male members gets interested in her. She bore a long beautiful sincere testimony after her baptism. She also brought a girl friend and she is now interested in learning about the church. On sunday we attended Ljubljana church. On tuesday we received a Sister Loveless from Orem. She will serve in Croatia. Her father is the Real Estate Rep that helped Chris and Karen Dearing with their Duplex and Four Plex. Small world. We have spent alot of time the last two days trying to get the furniture reupolstery ordered with Mark Toneh. Hopefully that is finally taken care of. We love all of you and I guess that we will see you soon. But we still have alot on our plate before then. Have a great week.

Love Dad (Doug)

Wed 5/21/08 3:38 AM

Dear Family,
Well we had a real miracle on sunday the 18 May 2008 in Celje with the baptism of Sister Dusica Stampe. Yes she is a member now after years of setting a baptismal date and then cancelling it. At General Conference Broadcast I felt the need to meet with her between sessions. This was also suggested by Sister Militka and Sister Bolster that work with her now. I took President Albin Lotric in with me to do transalation as she does not speak english and I do not speak Slovene. During the interview I told her that I wanted to baptize her before Sister Weight and I leave our mission. I bore witness to her that she needed to do it so she could go to the temple when her son Elder Uros Stampe finishes his mission to Frankfurt Germany Mission. She agreed to think about it and set a date. I could tell that she was touched by the spirit in this meeting. I had a prompting some days after this interview to change my schedule to be in Celje on 18 May for church. Well she met with the Sister Missionaries and set her date of baptism for 18 May. I found out about this that night that she met with the Sisters. I told them how I had a prompting to be in Celje on that sunday and so my calendar was already set to be there. Sister Stampe picked this date because it is Elder Uros Stampe's birthday. Amazing how the spirit knows. She later got nervous and said she was not going through with it. I met the Sisters in Celje on 6 May and Sister Bolster and Sister Milika told me of the problem of her backing out again. Sister Bolster said after we talked for a while that she still thought it was possible for Dusica to be baptized on the 18 May. I said to her if you really believe it can happen. And I thanked her for her faith. Then I counseled them to go back to her and have her read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and tell her that they would call in a couple of days to have her tell them what she learned. I told the Sisters that I felt they needed to give prayerful thought into what they have her read. And to pick something that would really get to her. Also I pointed out how this would help her feel the spirit again as she kept this commitment to read and discuss it with them. It worked. The counsel to do all of this came to me by a prompting as I met with the Sisters. Well the Sisters followed counsel and Sister Dusica said after accepting the assignment to read "Why not call me tomorrow". She started to waver alittle a few days later but I told the Sisters to just tell her that I am coming on the 18 May and the font will be filled and I expect her to be baptized. I told them to plan the baptism and just help her invite who she wants to be there. Her other son and a cousin came to the baptism. Her other son is not a member but he really felt the spirit. I told him after the baptism that he was next and that he needed to prepare for the missionaries in Ljubljana to teach him the lessons. He is a fine young man with a good job and he is a college graduate. He will make a great member also. It was such a great experience to baptize her and see her as a member of the church after so many years of meeting with every set of Sister Missionaries that served in Celje. Many have helped bring this about. She gave her testimony at the baptism and she thanked so many missionaries. What a great sunday. We held sacrament meeting first and then instead of having sunday school we held the baptismal service. They only have few members in this branch so they only hold a two hour block. They alternate each week with sunday school and Priesthood / Relief Society. Yesterday the movers came and picked up our belongings to ship them home. I guess we really do have to leave soon. It will be a big challenge to me I know to not be on a mission any more. I have really enjoyed this challenging but rewarding experience. We have four new Slovene Elders coming tomorrow. It will be the last missionaries that we get to welcome except for President and Sister Hill. Time is going too fast. Have a great week.
Love Dad (Doug)

Sun 4/20/08 12:48 AM

Dear Family,
Another week of excitement in the mission field has passed. We just finished reorganizing the Zagreb Branch Presidency and did Zone Conferences. The Zone Conference was very good. Even though I spoke for two hours. Maybe it was because Sister Weight spoke for 20 minutes. We have been trying all that we know how to teach the missionaries from Preach My Gospel and to implement what they learn. There are many signs that it is changing for the good. But we are still down on number of baptisms. There are many good investigators and I am full of faith that the baptisms will increase soon. We are having a mission special fast yesterday and today to seek special help from Heavenly Father in doing his work. I did some member interviews in Zagreb before coming back into Slovenia. Temple Recommend and special interview regarding a problem a member is having. We arrived back in Ljubljana at about 12 noon on friday only to find there was not any heat in the house. I went to the furnace room and sure enough we were out of heating oil. The gauge on the tank showed plenty of fuel one week ago and now it was on zero. So I had an Elder call for delivery and fortunately they came that afternoon. I was doing Assistants Planning at the time. I had trouble starting the furnace and finally prayed and it worked after that. I am thankful for the help. We arrived home at noon and wouldn't you know it I held a meeting at 1pm. We then went to a Talent Show held at the Ljubljana Branch. Not many members came but it was great. Also we had four investigators there and they all took part. Some of them had something prepared others were drawn into a skit of Little Red Ridding Hood. It was a good activity. The Young Single Adult Representative Elvi Rwankuba put it together. He is amazing in his leadership skills. Also last week we were finally able to get the Landlord to come clean out his alcohol from the basement under the stairs. You would not believe it. He had over 500 bottles stored there. He said it was a collection from his father. Some of the bottles dated back to 1943. He said he does not drink but he tested one bottle and said it was good. Yea right, does not drink. I thought it was funny. I am happy to have it gone. It only took 34 months to get him to get it out of here. I am thankful that that is accomplished. Persistence is rewarded once again. Well it is time to go to church so I must close. We spent another two hours on the phone answering questions for the new mission president, President and Sister Hill. I am sure they will do a great job. I don't like to tell them too much because I want them to do their own work in the way the spirit directs them. Oh well if they have a real challenge I will take the credit for answering too many questions. Just kidding I am sure the spirit will lead them the right way. Have a great week. We will be doing a Senior Missionary Conference this week with all couples and Senior Sister Missionaries.
Love Dad (Doug)

Tue 4/15/08 12:35 AM

Dear All,
I received the exact time for sacrament meeting in the BattleCreek Fourth Ward where Sister Weight and I will report our mission. It starts at 2:50 pm. 13 July 2008. The church address is 200 South Murdock Drive (approx. 1100 East). Just come to Pleasant Grove and go east on 200 South. 200 South is the same street that the High School is on. It is also referred to as Battlecreek Drive. Please pass the word. We don't have all of our missionaries email address so your help is appreciated. We look forward to seeing our eternal friends.
We still have alot to do here and time is running out. We sustained Stejpan Bzik as Branch President is Zagreb last sunday. The work will progress to the next level there. We are doing Zone Conferences this week and will be on the road for a couple of days. The chapels are coming along. We have a Senior Missionary Conference next week complete with a meeting with visitors from Frankfurt, a Ljubljana New Church Tour, and some sight seeing.
The Zagreb New Church is almost ready for the roof to be put on. It is scheduled to be completed at the end of this year and turned to the local priesthood in February. Many have ask about dedications of these buildings. The date for Open Houses and Dedications is set by the Area Presidency. Ljubljana will be in September 2008 but an exact date is not set yet. The work is progressing but we have along way to go. It is a blessing to us to serve here. Please keep praying for this mission. Your prayers do make a difference.
President and Sister Weight

Sun 4/13/08 11:44 AM

Dear Family,
We just arrived home from Zagreb Croatia. I did some interviews with members and today in sacrament meeting we sustained a new Branch President. It is Stejpan Bzik. He was a District High Councilman. It was a great experience to interview him ( I actually did that the week before last) and to feel his spirit. Roylene and I have been in his home twice. Once before they moved and once in their new home. It is an apartment that is built by a Canadian man. It is more like what we have in the US. Complete with Central Air. His wife has been inactive but she is a wonderful person with a great heart. President Bzik gave the most perfect talk in Sacrament Meeting. He will really be a blessing to this Branch. He reached out to them in everyway in his talk. It was a great experience to counsel with him after the setting apart. He took out a note book and wrote detailed notes. I told him that he should keep a copy of his talk and review it as a guide as he serves. I told him to make more notes on the end of his talk as he also spoke from the heart. All of this is what the spirit was telling him needed to be done to bless this branch. I am confident that this change will make a big difference in Zagreb. I predict that many inactives will be approached again and ask to comeback. That invitation was given by our new Prophet and his counselors in General Conference last week. Also this past week Roylene and I were interviewed by a local TV station about the Warren Jeffs nonsense that is in the news. You would be surprised how many people confuse us as they see the news. Often it is reported wrong and the news media thinks it is us. We made it clear that they have nothing to do with us. That it is a separate church. Our doctrine is different. In fact I preached even off camera to the man over the sound track. He seemed receptive. I hope the broadcast is done properly. It will be this week. Roylene also taught Young Women in Zagreb today. She is so amazing. She will approach every person that she does not know in church and introduces herself. Many have told the missionaries how they felt something special just by meeting her. She really is genuine in her interest in others and it shows. Besides those eyes of hers sparkle as she talks. And she always smiles. It is really a blessing to see her on this mission. I have an amazing companion.
This week we will do Zone Conferences again. It is alot easier without the trip to Serbia, but we miss the saints there. The Branch President of Beograd Nikola Kovic was in Ljubljana doing Family History work on friday and saturday morning. We drove him to Zagreb in the afternoon as we were going there for this weekend and the Branch changes in Zagreb. It was a joy to see him and to listen to him talk as we drove. I think he talked the entire two hours. He is a wonderful servant of the Lord. We hope that he gets married this next year, It is another way to establish the church here. I will write more later after Zone Conferences. Bishop Petersen please answer a question for Sister Weight and I. She has family trying to plan a reunion and she wants to know if we speak in Sacrament Meeting upon our return and what the date would be if we do. Sorry to bother you with this, but please let us know so she can inform her family. We know you are incharge of Sacrament Meetings and we sustain you in whatever you decide. We really are blessed with a wonderful Bishop and Stake President. We will be home before you know it but there is still alot to do here. I was told we would fly out on the 30 June 2008 but we do not have the flight itinerary yet. There is pleanty of time for that. Have a great week. I know we will.
Love Dad (Doug)

Thu 4/10/08 8:12 AM

Dear Family,
You will find attached a document that I was ask to prepare reporting our mission. I was surprised at this as we still have things to do and time to serve. However, this is requested now by the standard procedure of things in accordance with the Mission Presidents Handbook. I hope it gives you some insight about our mission experience.
Love
Dad (Doug)


Slovenia Croatia Mission Report
July 2005- June 2008
#1 What did you do to increase your missionaries spirituality and prepare them for future service in the church?
Upon our arrival we felt an urgency to lift the missionaries’ spirits. To increase their faith in Jesus Christ. To teach that God is a God of miracles today as well as in the past. We taught the missionaries that they are special. That they were chosen in the pre-existence to come to this mission. We taught that Satan has ruled this part of the world for centuries and that only the best sons and daughters of God are called to this mission. We taught that Baptisms are going to increase because there are many elect people in the countries of this mission.
We have taught missionaries to be like Nephi. To be obedient and go and do. To have total faith in the Savior and his atonement.
Preach My Gospel was finally received at the end of 2005 in the different languages of the mission. We have used it extensively. We are teaching and studying a chapter a month. We focus on implementing what we learn from each chapter. As missionaries make those changes in their personal missionary efforts, they become forever changed as a son or daughter of God. They will be better in all they do in their life because of Preach My Gospel.
We have taught them to plan, find and teach by the spirit. This also comes from Preach My Gospel.
As part of this mission's Standards of Excellence, we read and study the scriptures. There is a specific reading schedule with a deadline to have that completed by. This develops the habit of daily scripture study. It gives them personal growth and the spirit teaches them personally.
We did our best to use and implement the tools given to us in the Mission President Handbook, Preach My Gospel, the Standard Works, and teachings from our leaders at Mission President Seminars and Mission Tours.
#2 Describe successful efforts to increase the numbers and retention of convert baptisms.
In 2005 we focused for six months on increasing missionaries' faith and in honoring the Prophet Joseph Smith by baptizing. We ended up with 35 baptisms counting Serbia which was added to our mission effective 1 Jan. 2006. We set the goal to double baptisms in 2006. At the end of 2006 we had 70 baptisms. This was exactly double 2005 baptisms. To do this we taught that President Hinckley asked in 1999 that baptisms would be doubled. We taught that if a prophet said to do it, it was possible. We tried to have an increase in baptisms again in 2007 and we were actually ahead of the pace in 2006 until July 2007, then we fell behind for the last six months of 2007 and ended up with 46. This is still an increase over 2005.
We focused on Young Single Adults as a major effort to baptize and retain. Our strongest converts came from this age group, so we felt it was important to have an annual YSA Conference and to establish Institute Classes and Institute Outreach Centers in all of the branches. This has resulted in 10 marriages of members; all but one is a temple marriage. Some of them have children, while others are expecting children. This is a long term blessing to establishing the church here.
We have established Family History in all three countries of Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. The new converts that get involved in Family History stay active.
Translation of scriptures is approved and moving forward. Serbian Book of Mormon received in Feb. 2008. Triple Combination in Slovene is due in 2011. Triple combination in Croatian is due in 2013. All of this helps convert and retain.
We have six full time missionaries called from this mission. They will add great strength in leadership upon their return.
#3 What suggestions do you have to improve assistance from the Missionary Department and others?
Travel through Paris, France to return home from a mission is always a problem. The connection is too short and the ticket agents in Ljubljana refuse to issue boarding passes in Ljubljana for the connecting flight in Paris. We then have to try to let parents know their missionary won’t be home until a day later. It creates an unnecessary nightmare for all involved. I suggest another route home.
#4 What are the most significant challenges that your successor will face in your mission?
• Multiple languages. Dealing with this is a challenge. Often there is misunderstanding with local leaders. You have to be very cautious to make sure they know what you are teaching and they catch the vision. Keep it simple. Meet with them every month.
• Visas. Each country has its own law and it changes. It is a continual challenge to get missionaries visas and to renew them.
• All the challenges that come establishing the church in developing countries.
 Priesthood Leadership- Increase number male converts, train them.
 Teacher training- Too many are new and give lectures rather than teach a lesson.
 Lack of translated materials. Long time members get tired of the same lesson manuals.
Summary: In 2005 President Hinckley challenged all members of the Church to read the Book of Mormon. When I heard this I was already reading the Book of Mormon and I was half way through. But I felt that I should start over at the beginning and re-read the entire book and to do it in as short of time as possible. As I did this I had a personal spiritual experience. The feeling came many times during this reading of the Book of Mormon that I was to establish the Church while on this mission. This led me to focus on all of the following:
• Increase faith of missionaries
• Become a Preach My Gospel Mission
• Increase convert baptisms and retention
• Increase temple attendance
• Set up Family History Centers in all three countries
• Increase temple marriages
• Increase number of full time missionaries serving from this mission
• Organize Young Single Adults in all three countries and have activities
• Hold Institute in all branches
• Change District Presidencies and train them in monthly interviews
• Request scripture translations for Serbia, Slovenia, and Croatia
• Develop native branch presidents
• Construction of new churches in Ljubljana and Zagreb
• Improve or change rental facilities where we hold church
• Establish Institute Outreach Centers
• Improve member missionary work
• Call branch mission leaders in all branches
• Open new cities
• Train auxiliaries
• Change annual Youth Conference away from a family conference to being a youth conference
• Improve the spirit of meetings
• Increase unity among members and among missionaries and members
It has been a real joy to have had this experience. We have made many eternal friendships. We have been directed time and time again by the Spirit. We have been blessed in our extended family in many ways. We both have experienced the loss of a loved one that is dear to us during our mission. Sister Weight's brother died in March 2006 and my mother died in January 2007. It was a special experience in both cases. We are thankful for the plan of salvation. Our testimonies of the gospel have increased through this time of service. We are so blessed. God lives and he loves us. Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of all mankind. He lives. The scriptures are true. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and he still works to do all that is required of him in this the dispensation of the fullness of time. We are led by living prophets today. This mission will continue to have greater success. I express my gratitude for this experience. And I testify of these truths, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Douglas L. Weight