Monday, November 29, 2010

Querido familia,

¿Cómo están todos? I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving. Down here it was just like any other day but we had a missionary turkey bowl in the morning. We played some american football and that was way fun. I should get some pictures from that before next week I think. Yeah so our apartment is pretty ghetto. Its an adventure everyday but it is pretty difficult to try and get everything done on time since there are 4 of us. But we manage. This week was a little nuts. We dropped a couple of investigators because they werent progressing at all but we´ve found some really good ones that are showing some promise. We're going to able to baptize some here in December. We had a pretty cool experience. Yesterday we went to go visit a reference that was supposedly really good. We got to her house(or we thought it was her house) and knocked the door. It was actually her neighbor. We couldn´t go in and teach her because she was alone but she seems like a golden investigator and we're gonna start teaching her this week. We also found some more and theres one called Paola that said shes going to read half the book and take notes before this wednesday and was showing some sincere interest. We've got our hopes up and we're being optimistic. This is the Lord's work he He works miracles. If He wants someone to get baptized for their salvation and the salvation of more of His children in the future, its gonna happen. The Lord wants us to baptize and we will never lose that vision. I'm learning about the power to change and how we as missionaries have the biggest responsibilty in change, first in ourselves and we have the responsibility to help others change. But we cant help any one convert if we ourselves are not truly converted. The power of testimony comes from personal conviction and its the only thing that can help others truly change.

"Alma 4:19 And this he did that he ahimself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might bpreach the cword of God unto them, to dstir them up in eremembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure ftestimony against them."

I really like this scripture and has helped me change how I talk to people. The only way we can bear pure testimony is if we are truly converted to living that principle. I love this gospel and I know its true. I'm thankful for the opportunity to come to know my Savior Jesus Christ. "No logramos humildad al pensar menos de nosotros mismos; logramos humildad al pensar menos en nosotros mismos." Que estén bien. Les amo, chao

Elder Webb

Monday November 22, 2010

Dearest family,

Thanks for the letter mother dearest. First of all, for the package, there are some other things that you could send. If you guys can find a mini dog whistle or something similar that would be amazing. I would just love something to shut up the annoying dogs that bark like nuts while we're contacting people. Also maybe one short sleeve white shirt size 15. But thats it. I have like 100 ties so please dont send me more haha. And maybe you can send a butterfinger or something because there arent any down here. But thats it. Oh and if you can, send me some more pictures of the family back home, the grandkids and interesting stuff. I think next week I'm going to take out some money so I can send you guys a christmas package. I think it might get there a little late because I'm waiting for this one guy to finish something I ordered but you guys will get something dont worry and hopefully they'll let me send some food.

Well this week has been an interesting experience. We're also dedicating most of our time trying to find people to teach like Elder Weaver. Good news is that Lady was confirmed and that was a great experience. She is really happy in the church so we're grateful to be part of that. Oh speaking of being grateful, I just realized that this week is Thanksgiving. This will be me one and only Thanksgiving out of the States and you're right, nobody celebrates Thanksgiving down here. But I think we'll make something to celebrate. I will miss your lovely cooking mom haha. But yes we do eat turkey down here. Actually turkeydogs are a lot more common here than back at home. But anyways the work is getting a boost here. We're starting off working with the members and serving them and doing an activity called La Viña del Señor (the Lord's Vineyard). Its going to give a lot of results. We actually did that in Lo Campino and thats how we found that family of 4. So it should be giving us a lot of results soon. Its been a great experience training. My comp actually struggles a bit with Spanish but he's improving a lot. We when we talk with the people in the street he usually just smiles and looks over at me. Haha reminds me of myself in the beginning of the mission. But he's learning real fast. The ward is great. We actually had 125 people attend church this week which is good for our ward and we've helped reactivate a couple of families and hopefully that can stay active. We've had some trials trying to find people but its alright. I'm actually thinking how grateful I am for every experience. Prez May told us one of the attributes of a successful missionary is that they see trials as opportunities. But I want to tell you guys how much I'm thankful for my mission. As of right now it has meant everything to me and continues change me everyday. Thanks for all your sacrifices and I too realize how much the Lord blesses us for these sacrifices. I love my Savior and know that He lives.

Well take care, I love you guys heaps. Les amo un montón y espero que tengan una semana llena de gratitud y que coman mucha mucha comida. Chao,

Elder Webb

ps. Oh funny story. So last night I woke up in the middle of the night because a stupid cat had gotten into our house and so I go out into the other room where the window is and started yelling to make sure it was gone. I didn't hear anything so I shut the window but after I had shut it, the cat came scampering out from under the table and jumped into the window. Then it started running all over the house and I opened the door but it wouldn't go out so we all got pillows and started beating it out haha. That was the funniest thing all week. Elder Petersen was dreaming about a lion and thought there was a lion in the house. Oh so enjoy the pictures of the house. Yes our bathroom is lame, we have to hunch over cuz the cieling is sloped and yes we do study in the kitchen because there are 4 of us and no room haha. Chao

Monday, November 15, 2010

Dearest Family,

Things have been pretty crazy this week. Missionaries were here the last transfer they just had the whole ward. Now there are 4 missionaries in our ward. We actually had a baptism yesterday. Theres an investigator called Leydi that had been taught the lessons and was just waiting to get married to her boyfriend because they were living together. They got married last friday and a little over a week later they got baptized. It was amazing. Her husband got to baptize her and we got to be part of the final part of her conversion process. So my comp had a baptism his first week in Chile. Thats pretty sweet. My new comp is Elder Clanton from Thomasville, Georgia. Haha yep he has a thick southern accent. He's doing really good and speaks good spanish for a greenie. We've been working pretty hard this week trying to find people to teach but the idea is first get to know the members. But after this week we had some success and we have some people we're teaching now that have a baptism date so we're pretty grateful for the blessings the Lord keeps on pouring out on us. From what I've heard everything is fine with Eduardo. That was a miracle that he got baptized and now their whole family are members and they're working on getting to the temple.

Well our address is 1010 Las Encinas, Lo Prado, Santiago, Chile. I don't know if that'll show up on google earth but try it out. I forgot to take pictures of the house but I'll send you some next week. Its pretty small and we're living with the zone leaders so its pretty cramped but we have better experiences with 4. Its like a little room built on top of a bottle warehouse place. We have to walk through some dark black tunnel that we call The Bat Cave just to get there. Its a great experience.

Oh a little more on my comp, he's 19 and lives in a family of 5. He's the first one in his family to serve a mission so he's setting a good example for the rest. He likes football of course cuz he went to the University of Georgia. Everytime we see drunk people in the street he says he feels like he's on college again haha.

Well anyways thanks for the letters and support. We're fine down here. I'm lovin the mission and every experience that I have because I know it'll be over before I know it. Que siempre procuren a tener las cosas más importantes de esta vida :). ¡Les amo! Cuídense, chao,

Elder Webb

PS. Pictures are from the 2 baptisms... my old zone in Quilicura... cutting lawns with scissors(yep thats how its done in south america haha)

Monday, November 8, 2010

Dear Family,

Thanks a lot for the letter mom. Well first off, I got transferred and now I'm writing you from my new sector in San Pablo. I'm in the southern part of our mission but still in the heart of Santiago. My sector is called Lo Prado 2. The direction I don't have but I'm near the intersection of the streets (San Pablo with Las Torres) if you wanna look for them. I still don't know who my companion is because I'm gonna be training a newbie. We have to go pick them up in a couple of hours at the mission home so I'll tell you guys next week what my direction is and who my comp is. Oh and I do have some fotos to send you but my camera is in my suitcase in the house because we didn't have time to unpack. But I'll send you pictures next week of my sector and of Eduardo's baptism. Yep yesterday Eduardo got baptized. It was a miracle because this teenager has changed a lot. It was a really amazing experience and a good memory I'll always have. This week was actually really awesome. We had some great experiences and now they should be getting ready to baptize a family of 3 in November.

Well I'm actually opening this new sector and so it should be quite the experience and yes I'm still District Leader. I know that the Lord will guide me in this work and I will need a lot of guidance in order to do everything that the Lord expects of me. I'm really grateful for my mission and all of the experiences I've had. Everyone keeps reminding me that I only have 11 months left... but I'm excited to work for whatever time I have left.

Some things I've learned lately is that we need to be more grateful. I was reading Moroni 10:3 and learned that before we want to learn something by the Spirit we need to remember how merciful God has been. That kind of impacted me and I've realized that if we make a conscious effort to be grateful... in prayers, talking with others, whatever... we always feel the Spirit stronger and learn more spiritual truths that impact us more. So thanks a lot for your sacrifice to help me be here in Chile serving the Lord. I love you guys a lot and will always be grateful for this experience.

Anyways I hope you guys can survive without your precious. (OK, The Precious is our beloved TV) I'm sure Clayton can afford a nice new plasma so we can finally have HD haha. Well I'll have a lot more info next week. Les amo mucho y cuídense. Chao,

Elder Webb

Monday, November 1, 2010

Dearest family, Hey thanks for the letter Dad. This week still was a little bittough. A lot of investigators have kinda flaked out a bit and we cannever seem to find them when their home. But we've been workingreally hard. We couldn't pass out those Books of mormon because HnaRetamal had a family emergency but we're going to do that tonightafter PDay. That'll be an awesome experience. Also we're workingwell with her and she is giving us tons of references. I'll tell youan interesting story we had last week. Well we started teaching aPeruvian family thats in our area a couple of weeks ago. They startedliking the lessons so much that they said they no longer want to go tothe Catholic church and wanted to come to ours. So we we'reprogressing really well, at least with Yasmina and her neice Cielo.But Yasmina's mom, Marly, didn't listen that much. One day we wentover and started teaching but they had a neighbor over that is acatholic and started saying stuff to marly that was good at all, liesabout the missionaries and other antimormon stuff like that. Anywayslong story short, Marly won't let us come back to her house butYasmina wants to come to our church and even says she wants to getbaptized and Cielo also, but we've had trouble teaching them.Basically little things like this have been preventing ourinvestigators progress. But we're praying a lot and this last weekbefore changes looks really promising and I think we're going to cleara bunch of hurdles. Actually this Sunday looks like Eduardo is gonnaget baptized. He has stopped smoking for 4 days now and is prettyexcited. He's come a long way and we're proud of him. He will be thelast one in his family to baptized and the family is now working ongetting to the temple to get sealed. They've come such a long way.And just to remind you guys, this was the family we found on the 3rdfloor the the Spirit led us to. Its been an amazing experience here.I would love to stick around because in November it looks like thereare 2 families that'll be getting baptized that we've found. Nextweek is transfers so I think I'll probably be writing you from adifferent area next week but we'll see what happens. I really havebeen so grateful to serve in this amazing ward and see the lives of somany change. We've been focusing on doing little acts of charity sothat the people can feel our charity like it says in 1 Cor 13:1-2. Iknow the Lord wanted me here and He will send me where I should be. Well anyways thanks for the letter and keeping me up to date on thefamily. I'll let you know if I need anything for Christmas. Rightnow I can't think of anything, for right now I think I just need 2bottles of contact solution. That'll last me the rest of my mission.You sent me a ton of little ones but they run out kinda fast. Eachone lasts me like 4 weeks and thats because I'm kinda stretching itout. But I'll let you guys know. I cant believe its almostChristmas. Its getting pretty warm down here which is nice. I lovethe heat a lot more than the cold. Oh and Dad I think you tried tosay take care in Spanish right? You would actually put "cuídate." itsthe familiar form for cuidarse. Anyways, love you guys a lot. Quesean lo mejor que puedan y recuerden que la prueba siempre es unaoportunidad =). Cuídense, les amo, Elder Webb