Monday, April 26, 2010

Jonathan Rosales and Family


Monday, April 26, 2010

Hola familia,

First of all thanks a lot for the package! The pictures were pretty funny. I knew you would send something like ´clutter at the end of the table´ haha and Clayton in his cave. The little pink I´m a Child of God stickers are kinda interesting but I´m sure they´ll come in handy sometime. So I´m slightly angry because apparently the united states doesn´t accept any edible products from Chile. I had a lot of goodies to send you but I could only send like half of what I wanted to send so sorry that your package is kinda small and wimpy. I´ll put together a better one later.

So last week I did send Jarem an email and I hope he read it because it was a good one. Sounds like you had a lot of fun this week with the grandkids! Thats pretty cool that you went over to the temple with them. They´re going to make a difference in the lives of Jarem and Tara. So I do think that the earthquake has definitely been a positive thing and I think over time it will result in more baptisms then if it wouldnt have happened. Hmm some cultural differences, theres a lot. Well for one I think its kind of funny that down here to call someone fat or chubby isn´t an insult and in fact its normal to say it. The majority of Chileans are pretty skinny so I think they think its kinda cool to be chubby haha. Other differences, you have to be careful when you eat because theres a lot of strange table manners, like you can´t stretch at all while you´re at the table and I havent heard someone belch in months because thats really bad manners here. I don´t know if mom and dad would make it. Um.. I can´t really think of any others right now but I´ll think about it.

Well this week was fantastic. Yesterday, Jonathan Rosales was baptized after a lot of trials but in the end I knew that God would help everything happen because he needed to be baptized right now. Jonathan is the most humble young man I have ever met and I can tell he´s made a lot of changes in his life. It was a little crazy but in the end he was baptized. He called us Friday night to tell us if had gotten permission from his mom (because he is only 17) and played a prank on us saying he had some bad news but latter told us that he did. What a miracle it was and great to see the difference in his face when he came out of the water. I´m so glad to be here in Chile and have this opportunity. I know the Lord fulfills His promises. We´re also expecting another baptism this weekend for Katterine Aliaga and so if you could keep her in your prayers that would help :)

Well thanks for everything and I hope you enjoy your package! Tell Clayton that I need to hear from him and his girl problems haha. Take care and remember that your only has happy as you want to be. Chau,

Elder Webb

ps: I´m trying to attach photos from the baptism but its being dumb. I´ll try again in another email.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Monday, April 19, 2010

Dearest family,

Happy anniversary padres! And Feliz Cumpleaños dad! I´m sending out a package today to you guys so be expecting a little treat in a couple of weeks. Clayton kinda got spoiled with this package so I better be hearing from him soon! But its for your birthdays and Anniversary and Claytons birthday so enjoy! I should be getting my package tomorrow in our Zone class so don´t worry it´ll get to me and thanks for all the love you put into those packages, I can tell theres a lot because its basically waterproofed with tape. Oh and the time difference has changed a little bit. We went off of daylight savings time and so we´re now the same as the east coast of the States, 3 hours ahead of you guys. I think we will have to finish all our calls before 5pm our time so you might have to leave church a little early, but I´ll find out more about that later.

Well this week has been a learning experience that is for sure. I have learned so much that I never thought I would experience. There is a reason why I´m still here in Recoleta and I know that Presidente May is called of God because this is where the Lord wants me right now. We had some great lessons with Jonathan and Katterin. They are two teenages that are 17 and 18 years old. They have been carefully prepared by God and put into our paths in this exact moment for a reason because God knows that they need baptism right now. They need the influence of the Holy Ghost and the protection of the Church. They are willing to do everything it takes to change and become a member of the only true church on the Earth. I can see the difference in their eyes when they receive their own personal witness that this is true. I´m so grateful for souls like these that God allows us to help. What a blessing it is to be a missionary.

I have learned a lot about our missions here on Earth. I know we all have many and they are given to us at different times but the Lord always expects something out of us, expects us to accomplish something else. We need to find exactly what the Lord wants of us at every moment because its something real that we need to find and do. I know I have many things to accomplish here in this life and so do you guys in our family. I hope that you guys can pray and really find out how you can help our family become more of an eternal family because you each have your own mission to accomplish right now.

Well thanks for the letters and the pictures! Man dad´s starting to look like a skinny man, I´m gonna come how and think he changed into grandpa. Tell Clayton to shave that scraggly rag off his face. I know he wont but its ok because he´s not gonna get married until right after I get home so maybe that´ll scare off the girls haha. Well take care and have an amazing week. Les amo muchísimo y quiero lo mejor para ustedes siempre,

Con mucho amor,

Elder Webb

Monday, April 12, 2010

Monday, April 12, 2010

Dearest family,

How have things been? I don´t think you understood exactly what I said about the contact solution, but 1 bottle down here is $18 and so for 4 bottles it would be $72 which is what you guys bought for me for $20. But I havent received it yet, maybe this wednesday when we have zone clases. And no you don´t have to send me more packages, I´m definitely happy with what I´ve got and its not very common to receive a package here in Chile don´t worry. Oh and can you guys give me your phone numbers again for when Mothers Day comes. I think I can buy a calling card for about 8 dollars or less to call you guys. I think that would work better.

So surprising news, I´m still here in Recoleta with Elder Coats. I thought for sure I was leaving but then I realized that President May is inspired of God and if I´m to stay, theres something really important that I still need to accomplish here in Recoleta. I know that the Lord is blessing us for our obedience. This last week we found 9 new investigators that are progressing towards their baptismal date. We have so many people to teach right now, so many that really feel the desires to continue and enter into a covenant and be baptized. I´m so grateful that the Lord always fulfills His promises. I am so grateful for my mission. I have never learned so much in so little time. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that God has a plan for every single one of us. I have gained a personal testimony that nothing happens without a reason. If we open our eyes and see from a different perspective, we will realize that absolutely has a purpose, a reason, and a time. Thank you guys so much for all that you do. I love my mission and I would never give up these 6 months that I´ve already experienced for anything. I love the gospel and I know nothing else can possibly give you this amount of happiness. Les amo mucho,

Elder Webb

¡Manden saludos a Drew y Brad por favor!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Fernando

Monday, April 5, 2010

Hola familia,

Wow you felt an earthquake in Arizona. Whats happening in the world these days? Yeah it seems like everyones getting a little taste of an earthquake. People keep saying there´s going to be a really strong aftershock here in Santiago but we´re still waitin for that. But speaking of.. last night was pretty nuts. We just got down to say our prayers at 11:30 when everything started to vibrate really fast and there was a groaning sound like a coming truck. We´ve learned that this sound always precedes an aftershock or an earthquake so my adrenaline got pumping pretty fast. Then after like five seconds there was one big shock wave that just shook the house for a split second before it went away. We thought a bomb went off in the distance or something, but yeah that was pretty fun. Oh, and yeah I think we´ll save money on the contact solution because every bottle here is $18.. its ricidulous. Thanks for the package that you´re sending! I´m still planning one for you guys, I got something for Clayton and Dad but I´m still thinking of what mom would like.

Well anyways this week was fantastic. On Friday we had a baptism of Fernando. It was quite an adventure. He had almost drowned when he was younger but never told us this and so when he got in the water, he refused to do it at first. I was still in the room with the members and so we sang like ten hymns as they talked to him to help him out. In the end he was baptised but they had the curtains closed to everyone except for the witnesses because he didn´t want them to see them. But after his baptism the spirit was came and filled the room and brought tears to many people´s eyes. It definitely was a baptism I´ll never forget. What a blessing it is to take part in the remission of sins of other people. His mom is now active in the church and even though he only is ten years old, he´s looking forward to his mission. I´m so gratefull for these experiences here in the mission.

Conference this weekend was awesome also. Wow the talks seem really different while you´re on the mission. Everything is directed at you personally and because as missionaries, our goal is to bring the blessings of the gospel to the families and we are instruments in God´s hands to do so. This week we working hard to get 2 older people baptized and I know if it happens it will be a miracle, just like every baptism we´ve had. This next monday is transfers. I´ve been here in Recoleta for 3 transfers now and I hope I have more but we´ll see where the Lord wants me. Thaniks for everything! Les amo muchísimo familia... siempre recuerdense de eso. Chau,

Elder Webb

ps. Oh and no we cant chew gum.